What A Lovely Town

Happy Monday Lovelies! It's Monday five hours earlier here than it is by most of you, that's how time zones work, yup. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were filled with plays, walks around a chilly town, Quaker meeting, a lot of food and delicious Scottish coffee.

Friday night we saw the local high schools production of "Guys and Dolls"-- I loved listening to the kids do Brooklyn/New York 40's accents. Saturday night we saw the university's production of the Alan Ball's "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress," about bridesmaids in Tennessee hiding out during the wedding reception--tearing apart the bride, men and, most importantly, their dresses. It was fun, again, to hear the girls sustain Southern accents, some of the actresses were really superb!

I spent parts of Saturday and Sunday just roaming the city, walking around. I had delicious coffee with such fresh milk at Taste on North Street- it had a real Think Coffee vibe, but like an 1/18th of a size. It's amazing to me that in like coffee shops, the baristas are wonderfully similar. Plunk a knit capped, ironic t-shirt, well worn jeans wearing Think Coffee barista in Taste and he might not even notice the difference. Seriously, it had that similar of a vibe.

After going to Taste I walked down to the North Sea to take pictures.

The wind there is really strong, like really strong. Like so strong that I put my coffee on a ledge to take a picture and the wind promptly picked up, knocked my coffee over, and it spilled just all over my legs, jacket and boots. I had nothing to do but laugh.

After that Collin met me for chips on the street, and later we went back to try the famous deep fried Mars bar. It was delicious (uhm, duh)--it tasted like salty, melty, chocolate-caramel messes--how can that be bad?

Before the play we stopped in at Maisha for a quick Indian food dinner. It was great to watch my mom retry Indian food after probably 20 years. Having tried it when she was a young bride, she didn't really try the genuine cuisine, and was unimpressed. But trying it again last night, she delighted in plates of curry, jasmine rice, na'an, and chutneys. Sunday she went out and bought na'an, jars of sauce with curry and more jasmine rice at Nisa.

Sunday I woke up early, and Collin walked Mom and I to the Quaker Meeting House. After an hour of silent worship, we snacked on coffee and biscuits, while we chit chatted with the congregants. I met a woman who must have been older than 80 who just, just stopped mountain climbing. Seriously. After coffee and cookies, we moved onto the clerk's home, where we dined with he and his wife on a simple, wonderful lunch of soup, garlic bread, cheese and grapes.

After a nap for me, and grocery shopping for mom, we enjoyed a thoughtful, quiet meal at Littlejohns. The food was okay, the Haggis, Neeps and Tatties was the stand out of the meal (as well as the helpful waitress and hostess).

Today has nothing on the docket, I plan on wandering town with mom some, taking some more pictures and maybe passing the afternoon at a cafe. More soon, lovelies!

Happy Weekend!

Happy Weekend, everyone! I got another snow day today, and Eric is home from work, so we've been cooking, [he's] playing music, and I've been reading Jonathan Kozol's Letters To A Young Teacher for a school book club. So far, I love it. What are you all doing this weekend? Well, while you're vegging out on the couch and tired of bad TV movies, check out these articles with Lovely cookies, more Ice Cream recipes, and a craft for your lovely little home.

Remember how I posted about Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream? (I'm still lusting after the "Mackenzie Creamery Goat Cheese with Cognac Figs" flavor. Literally my mouth waters just reading the name of it). Check out her article in Food&Wine magazine where she discusses how to make Artisan Ice Cream and shares some recipes. It's a beautiful piece with gorgeous pictures, which I am sure look almost as good as her ice cream tastes!

I am slightly obsessed with these silhouette cookies from Sweet and Saucy Shop...I love the little bows in the hair! I would love to give these away for a wedding favor. Check out their blog, too! We love silhouette items and cameos here at Lovely; they are so traditional and romantic.

And, while we're on the topic, check out this lovely craft project for your kitchen featuring homemade silhouettes from Country Living Magazine.

Don't forget to check out the Birthday Girl Dresses from this week! Have a lovely weekend, beauts!

Some Lovely Scottish Shots.

View from Brother's room, those window frames are made from stone! You can see the crashing waves of the North Sea, it's amazing. I will try to capture it better on camera.

Lunch with Momma and baby Brother at "The Rule"

In the taxi tour on the way there... I tried to get some good shots, but the rain and movement do not make for good photo ops.

A Lovely European Journey

I've mentioned in passing that a trip to Scotland is around the corner for me, and it's practically upon us! My dear momma and I are heading to St Andrews for about a week and then back to Edinburgh for a few days of city life. In St Andrews we're looking forward to day trips, golf lessons on the famed course, Quaker meeting, two plays and (oh yeah) seeing my baby brother lots and lots! And hopefully meeting his friends. Please let us meet your friends Collin, I know you read this site-- I can see on my google analytics. Anyway, I'll be updating from there, when I find the time. I can't wait to share Scotland with all you lovelies!

Any advice? Any recommendations for St Andrews or Edinburgh? Please, pass them on, I'd love to know.

Birthday Girl Dress: Betsey Johnson!

Today's Pisces Birthday Girl Dress is perfect for the girl who has that eclectic, but classy style about her. That's one of the reasons I adore Betsey Johnson (as does Jenny) because she gives women the chance to be daring and risky with their fashion choices, and still remain classy and beautiful. There was a BJ store on the same street as my father's Upper West Side apartment for years and every time I'd walk home, I'd have to stop into Betsey Johnson and try at least one dress on. There's something about those dresses which make women feel a combination of Princess/Rockstar/Pin-up Girl/Prom Queen. I thought that the "Evening Degrede Taffeta Tier Ruffle Strapless Dress" would be perfect for our Pisces ladies because of it's blueish hues, adorable sweetheart neckline, and wave-like ruffles ripping down the body. I paired this dress with some cheaper accessories, as to balance out buying the dress. The Animal Chic Wallet (in blue) from Forever21 is so Betsey Johnson, with it's colorful animal print and structured lines (for a fraction of the price!). And, because this dress is strapless, I wanted to pair it with some amazing earrings to show off that gorgeous neckline of yours. The Jewel Plate Earrings in blue are very reminiscent of '80s prom or soap opera diva, but they would really complement the matte blue hues of the dress and animal print on the bag. When the Birthday Girl parties, she does it in style, and thank God we have designers like Betsey Johnson around to make women feel powerful, beautiful, and sassy as ever!

Do you have any Betsey Johnson dresses you love? I don't actually have one yet! I have to get on that...

Lovely American Idol Style: Flowers in the Hair

So, Eric and I have been a little obsessed with watching American Idol this year. I've always been a fan, but there's something really fun about watching it with someone who knows and lives music; you know what I mean, he knows all those terms that I just describe in my long-winded way ("The way her voice goes up and down like that and then it's choppy, but only choppy with the drum beat, not with the guitars?") You get my point. We're enjoying critiquing the music a lot, but I'm also loving watching the different style choices that the contestants make. One of the style choices I'm loving this year is Haeley Vaughn's use of the flower in the hair. It seems as though in every picture of her she's sporting a giant flower in the hair, and while at first I was so-so about it, the more she wore them, the more I loved them. So, where can we get our own flowers for our hair? Try the amazingly beautiful store The Dancing Daisy. The Dancing Daisy has hair clips and headbands, all featuring beyond gorgeous giant hair flowers, exactly like Haeley has been wearing. I love the classy look of all these headbands; the natural colors of the flowers pick up the hues and tones in the hair colors and accentuate skin tone, lip color, and eye color. These would look fantastic with a simple black dress and heels, a colorful Birthday Girl Dress, or even simply a white t-shirt, jeans, boots, and a slouchy bag. I'm digging this look and can't wait to try it!

1. Simply Elegant Yellow Rose Hair Clip

2. Blushing Peony Hair Clip

3. Vintage Rose Hair Clip
4.Elegant Peony Hair Clip

5. Lovely Lady Plum Hair Clip
6. English Tea Rose Headband

Which flower would you wear in your hair?

A Lovely Hipster!

So, I just took the "Personality Quiz" on Gifts.com and was surprised and not surprised to find out that the quiz found me to be a Hipster. Now, I don't usually consider myself a "hipster" in the Urban Dictionary sense of the word--which is quite apt, I think:

Listens to bands that you have never heard of. Has hairstyle that can only be described as "complicated." (Most likely achieved by a minimum of one week not washing it.) Probably tattooed. Definitely cooler than you. Reads Black Book, Nylon, and the Styles section of the New York Times. Drinks Pabst Blue Ribbon. Often. Complains. Always denies being a hipster.

The last line is where things get problematic. I can't deny being a hipster because it means I am a hipster-- and turns out, according to Gifts.com, I am a hipster!

"Morning Ritual: Decaf soy latte at a local independent coffee shop." Check, or at least, "past Check." In my old life, the one where I was a Manhattanite, I spent every morning at one of the then two locations of Think Coffee, I befriended a number of the baristas and would run through gift cards there like nobodies business.

"Uniform: Vintage, alternative, original — no head-to-toe trends for her." Um, you saw my Valentine's Day outfit. I am a fan of what looks good on me, not trends. And I love thrifty shopping.

"On her iPod: Indie rock, downtempo electronica, local DJ mixes, YouTube videos." Rilo Kiley, Alexei Murcdoch, Brett Dennen and She&Him--alongside some ODB and Jay-Z, because a self denying hipster is nothing if not sometimes ironic.

"Reading List: Art, film, music and fashion pieces." Seriously guys, this isn't funny anymore.

"Ride: If the sun is shining: her Vespa. If not: her Mellow Yellow Mini Cooper." This one's wrong! I'm not a hipster! It proves it!

"Mantra: Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks." Oh no, in my previous life, the life where independent coffee shops existed, I banned Starbucks from my life. I am a hipster.

"Famous Examples: Sofia Coppola, Maggie Gyllenhall, Chloë Sevigny." I actually have strong distaste for all three of these people. I fear this makes me a hipster even more.


I do have to say, the suggested gifts for Hipster Ladies such as myself are pretty great-- Booties for Cuties, Solid Colored Tights & Leggings, Street Smart Re-Useable Shopping Totes, Funky Animal Pillows, Peanut Butter of the Month Club, Indie Coloring Books and so, so much more.

Go take the Personality Quiz, let us know what you get--any other hipster girlies out there?!

Birthday Girl Dress: Plus Size Style!

Let me start off by saying I really hate the term "Plus-Size" clothing. Why should "plus-size" be any different than other sizes and who states what's "regular" or "normal" anyway? Rant over. That being said, there are a ton of beautiful, stylish, and super trendy (while still being lovely!) stores out there that cater towards "plus-size" women and girls. I came across Alight.com and fell in love with their collection of gorgeous dresses. Nothing they had in their dress collection was cheap looking or silly; it was so hard to pick which dress would be perfect for The Birthday Girl Dress! However, I did fall madly in love with the Pitter Patter Dress by Mlle Gabrielle. This is perfect for a Pisces Birthday Girl because it has the soft green hues of the sea, and the fabric has a wavy, paisley-like pattern, reminiscent of the different colors in waves on those rainy beach days. I paired this dress with the Olive Ruffle Bolero by Last Kiss because I adore the sweet ruffles around the neck, the short puffed sleeves, and the tucked waist--perfect for a woman with a great figure who should be flaunting all her gorgeous curves! And of course, what's a Pisces woman without her jewelry? I knew off the bat that this outfit needed a large beaded necklace, so when I came across the "Turquoise and wooden beaded necklace" from Palm Harbor Creations, I knew it would be a perfect fit. I love this outfit for a beautiful Pisces baby who is going out with her guy, her girls, or hosting a giant party because it's the perfect Pisces colors, paired along with a stylish, and I think, pretty sexy, yet classy and lovely outfit!

A Lovely Super Mom? I am not.

I don't know if I should be upset, flattered, or laugh at this (I'm going with the laugh option). However, I just took the "Personality Quiz" on Gifts.com and it found gifts for me: "The Super Mom"! Let me backtrack a second and explain. Gifts.com is great because they have this fun (and addicting) personality quiz to find the right presents for people. You click through a series of easy questions ("Where would you rather travel? Log cabin or swanky hotel?") and they tell you the personality type the recipient is and the perfect presents for them. I used this last night to find a gift for Eric's cousin and it told me she was an "Urban Sophisticate," which she is, exactly. So, I'm sitting here, drinking my morning coffee and was like "Hey, MY birthday is coming up, let's see what they say I would want!" I click through, and BAM: I'm suddenly a busy mom who would love a pair of "Pajama Jeans" or "Jewelry to Celebrate Motherhood"? Not exactly. What baffles me is that I should have been the "Domestic Diva" or perhaps even the "Outdoors Girl" (don't laugh), but "The Super Mom"? I won't take it personally, Gifts.com, I still love you, even though you think I'm married with a few kids (plus, the cartoon mom in the picture is adorbs). There's nothing wrong with having children, especially if people think you want presents such as Mani/Pedi spa packages...I'll gladly take that, children or not!

Head over to Gifts.com and tell us: what personality did they think YOU were?

PS. But seriously, Gifts.com, "Famous Example of a Super Mom" is Debra Barone from Everybody Loves Raymond? I'd rethink that statement.

Lovely Bags

Oh my, oh my. I am really trying not to spend money, between Paris, free lancing and Scotland, there's not a lot of money to spend. And yet...well, just look at these bags and try to keep your wallet where it's meant to be!
The bags, all the Barrel Bag style, are from Morelle Bags. I love the soft leather, the beautifully subtle colors, the size and the extra across the body strap! I'm trying very, very hard to not let my desires take hold of me. But it's hard. Time to close the browser.

Olivia's Lovely Board Walk Party

Remember how Olivia is having a turn of the century Coney Island birthday party? Right, well I'm off to Scotland in a few days for two weeks- and upon my return am thrown right into grocery shopping, food preparation and decorating. All with jetlag. For this reason I'm trying to get my costume-outfit out of the way now. I'm a big fan of costumes that read as outfits, and outfits that read as subtle costumes. This is why I turned to Forever21 to recreate some of these beautiful looks.

(All pictures courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Gallery)

I think stripes, gold buttons and a feathered head piece are in order. I also love the knee socks and little flats (sometimes legit ballet slippers!) they wore to the beach.

Striped Skirt with Belt; Purlieu Woven Skort; Shell Princess Necklace.

Sailors Life for Me Dress; Tight Rope Sweater Dress; Casual Striped Dress.

Your turn, lovelies. What would you wear to a Coney Island at the turn of the century themed party? Show me, tell me! I can't wait to hear.

Lovely Etsy Find

After recently telling a loved one that the perfect present for me would be a pitcher, or come to think of it a pitcher charm I was inspired to click around Etsy for a "pitcher charm." I'm really into charms for my charm bracelet, but never actually add any. I look and look, but there are so many and how can I pick? I've been meaning to buy a miniature cookie tray with my once signature cookie, the pinwheel, add a jump ring to it and stick it on my charm bracelet for two years now. Two years! I get too excited, am about to spend too much money and shut the browser and nothing gets done. Story of my life!

Anyway, I found this Etsy, Lilliput Studios--and she does exactly what I've been meaning to do. She takes miniature pieces and makes them into jewelry, but in like the best way possible. Like Delft-esque miniature plates turned into stud earrings. Oh my gosh, I need them. And this Amber Glass Pitcher Necklace, which sort of looks like depression glass--which I love. I am literally sitting here saying "oh my gosh, oh my gosh I need this." Alone, in my room. At 2 in the morning.

Also check out their Emily Boot Necklace, Large Floral Vase Necklace, Miniature White Porcelain Necklace, and pretty much everything else in the shop-- there's something for everyone there, everyone who loves miniatures or charms that is. Isn't that everyone? No? Well it should be!

Style Section Follow Up

To follow up Jenny's Olympics post yesterday, check out this article from the New York Times about the style choices at this years ceremonies. Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

Lovely Weekend, Lovelies!

I have been converted to an interested viewer in the Snowboarding competitions in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Did you know they were going on? I almost didn't. Anyway, Luis and I had a long conversation about the outfits designed by Ralph Lauren for Team USA's snowboarders. Luis did not appreciate the Americana-ness of the faux-denim pants and the plaid faux-flannel windbreakers and jackets. He thought it looked too casual, a bit cheesey and didn't properly represent the culture of Team USA's snowboarders.

I, on the other hand, was fascinated. Those aren't jeans! But they look like jeans! How do they do that? I want to do that! They aren't jeans but they look like jeans, do you realize how cool this is? (He sort of did).

I love things that look like other things. Show me a cupcake that looks like a hamburger or leggings that look like jeans and I'm sold (ah, literally--I have three pairs of denim leggings).

What do you think, dear readers? Cool, strange, cheesey or totally amazing innovation?

Lovelies, I have a question.

Do you think there's a limit to how many tutus a person can own? Seriously. Because I have 1 and a half and I really want another. The one is pink, short, tulle. I wore it for Valentine's Day in with black tights, a black leotard, lots of gold chains and cowboy boots (what else?).
The "half" is a green layered lace skirt-tutu hybrid. And the wanna-be new member of the family is a black or pink tulle tutu which is longer than the one I own right now. So you know, for more conservative events where a tutu is required.
For the bargain price of $17.80 I am very, very tempted to buy it. I am however, trying to remember that I am headed to Scotland for 2 weeks in a few days and should save money for Scottish tutus (um, do those exist? They should. Would they be tartan? I hope so.)What do you think, dear readers, do I need another tutu?

Birthday Girl Dress: Preppy Pick, Lily Pulitzer

Today's Pisces Birthday Girl dress is for my preppy Pisceans who love their Lily Pulitzer dresses, bags, and sweater sets. I adore Lily's styles and fabrics; her color choices are complementary to tan skin (oh how I wish it were summer!) and always bright and cheery; the styles she designs are easy to use for "day-to-night" looks and always make women look put-together and feminine, yet strong, powerful, and glamorous. For today's Pisces Birthday Girl we picked The Betsey Dress in Shorely Blue--I love the seamless blue strapless dress with the gold lace embellishment, perfect for those misty-ocean eyed Pisces born babies who always have waves on their mind. The dress is a stunning color of blue, which would look great with the Vera Shrug Cardigan in White, during summer, with your espadrilles and sunglasses. I could also see the Betsey Dress being paired with tights, gold flats a cropped sweater for the cooler months. We paired this outfit with the Sea and Be Seen Tote in Turquoise because I love the mosaic look of the bag, the functionality of it (laminated bags will last forever!), and the way it simply matches perfectly with the dress and shrug. I adore this Birthday Girl Dress because it's simple and understated, yet sexy and sweet at the same time.

Have you ever bought anything from Lily Pulitzer? I have two bathing suits I received for a graduation gift, years ago, and I still love and wear them!

Have a great weekend, Lovelies!

Lovely Ice Cream Day!

I know it's the middle of Winter here on Long Island, but I've got ice cream on my mind. Why? Because I was watching The Food Network the other night when I couldn't sleep and they did a spotlight on Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. Jeni's, based out of Columbus, Ohio, is a one-of-a-kind, totally unique and amazingly lovely ice cream store. Jeni and her husband run the company and literally handpack all the ice cream (she slowly folds in many of the ingredients just to ensure every bite has every piece of candy in it!), and handwrite all the labels for the ice cream (giving the store a really cool throw-back look). Lucky for us, in New York (and everywhere else, too!), Jeni sells her ice cream online...and thank God for it--check out these outrageously delicious sounding flavors: Queen City Cayenne (Rich chocolate slowly reveals hints of spice. Finish is pleasantly tingly.); Wildberry Lavender (Complex. Intense lavender with hints of exotic spices and lots of brambly berry flavors); Bourbon Buttered Pecan (Subtle corn mash notes come first, followed by rich and savory pecans; a charming hit of Bourbon finishes); Riesling Poached Pear (A surprisingly rich sorbet; pure pear flavor with unique pear texture; sweet Riesling notes shine on the finish); Gooey Butter Cake (buttery cake soaked in brown sugar caramel sauce and tossed in rich, honey butter ice cream.); Roxbury Road (extra milky dark chocolate ice cream with handmade marshmallows, brown sugar caramel sauce and smoked almonds in every bite!)

And wait...I may actually be in love with Jeni due to the fact that she has married my favorite cheese and ice cream together: Mackenzie Creamery Goat Cheese with Cognac Figs (subtle cognac notes give way to sweet figs, a sweet start which is balanced by the tang of pure goat cheese flavor. The perfect cheese course!) Who does that?! I love it. Just look at the intense flavors and choices she made in creating these ice creams. I love and admire her creativity. Can you tell I'm excited about this? And I'm not usually an ice cream person! Way to go, Jeni and team, you're truly lovely and one of a kind. (PS. Check out her blog, Salty Caramel).

Also, check out this brilliant way of storing ice cream for a party (this is a "why didn't I think of that?!" moment). And, don't forget to peek at this extremely simple and fun recipe for Ice Cream cake which involves buying boxes of ice cream sandwiches and getting to chop them up. Totally going to make that recipe this summer since it involves no time and getting to eat all the "discarded" pieces of ice cream sandwiches.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor? Mine is definitely chocolate and always has been...though, my heart is beating a little faster at that goat cheese ice cream and I haven't even tried it yet!

A Lovely Anytime Gift Idea

There are some people Olivia and I feel blessed to know, certain people who inspire you, who excite your soul, whose story you carry with you and share with others because you know it will change their lives too. Liza Talusan is one of these people. Liza is a mother, educator, speaker, activist, mentor, presenter, and writer. She has dealt with the cancer of her child, and is now facing her own surgery, a preventative bilateral prophylactic mastectomy. To prepare her body and mind for the surgery she is running a half marathon. Beyond all this she is a working mama of three and a doggie, and other half to the fabulous Jorge Vega: father, educator, writer, graphic novelist and twitterer extraordinaire.

Liza and her beautiful family!

I always knew Liza inspired me (since high school when she was our class advisor!) and impressed me with her seemingly unwavering strength, but I was really struck by this post on Marathon B4 Mastectomy, her blog chronicling her training for the half marathon. I was not only reminded of how much I respect Liza, but that someone working this hard deserves something special, a great treat.

And then I was reminded of You Bars, custom made granola bars. As you move along their process they update the nutrition information. You begin with a base, add protein powders, nuts or seeds, dried fruit or berries, sweetners, seasonings, grains or cereals and an infusion. And then you get to name the bars-- so that even the packaging is customized! The bars sound outrageously delicious, you can even chose the size of the bar, small (35 grams), medium (45 grams) and large (55 grams). Prices range from a bakers dozen for $37.57 for the smalls to $41.57 for larges.

It's a great gift for anyone you know who is working hard, training for a marathon, or just likes granola bars. As for Liza, I haven't decided if this is the gift of choice-- I sort of want to try my hand at home made granola bars! Any one got a good recipe?

Check Liza out on To Loosen The Mind, Marathon B4 Mastectomy and on occasion at Love Isn't Enough.

P.S. You Bars also offers customizable shake mix, trail mix, cereal and cookies! I could buy presents here for the rest of my life!

Lovely New Music

You ever have days where you listen to the same few songs over and over? Ever since Taylor introduced me to the siren-voice of Lissie, I can't stop listening! My absolute favorite song, and my new happy song, is Bright Side--it's a very cheery song with an awesome tap dance sound to it. I listen to it on the way to school every day and it makes me smile. Other hauntingly beautiful songs by Lissie? Check out Wedding Bells, Oh Mississippi, and First To Say Goodbye.

What's been playing in your ear recently? What's your always go-to happy song? Mine is Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile) by Van Morrison. I want to dance down the aisle to it (someday!). It never fails to make me smile and dance!

Birthday Girl Dress: Pisces Begins!

February 19th is the official start date for the Pisces zodiac sign, but I thought we'd get things started a little early here on Lovely so that if any of you Piscean loves are having parties soon, you can shop away and have the perfect Birthday Girl Dress arrive long before you need it! I'm going to be giving you Birthday Girl Dress ideas from a huge variety of sources, from the cheapest to the most expensive, for every woman (including my pregnant Lovelies!), in every style, for every occasion, and with a vast assortment of accessories. Most of the BG dresses will be shown with accessories from the same store, to save in shipping, but on occasion, I'll pull pieces from different sources. If you do use any of our suggestions, let us know! We love knowing we're reaching all you out there!

The first Pisces dress, the One Shoulder Rosette Dress, reminds me of the ocean. This form fitting taffeta blue dress from Forever 21 (under $30!) is one-shouldered with large rosettes cascading like waves down the body. And, double points for this dress--it has pockets! I love the twinkle and sheen of the taffeta, how perfect for a Pisces Birthday Girl! I paired this with the Cameo Flower Earring Set; this set of earrings for under $5 comes with faux pearls and diamonds in studs, as well as a pearl-diamond bigger stud set--3 pairs! I kept the earrings studs because the one shoulder full of rosettes seemed like jewelry in itself and I didn't want any conflicting dangling earrings; and show off those gorgeous shoulders of yours without any necklaces in the way! And last but not least, Pisces love the sparkle of the moon on the ocean, which is definitely reflected in the Jagged Sequin Wallet (pictured in teal). I love the mix of the black, gold, and teal sequins; this clutch is perfect for going out with the girls for drinks, or the guy for a fancy dinner, or even with the parents to a play. And, for under $8, how much better could it get?! I love the pairing of the sparkling clutch, simple earrings, and semi-streamlined dress with the bit of flair. What a perfect Pisces Birthday Girl outfit (for under $50!) for those Lovelies who love to not only look great, but feel fantastic!

Lovely Birthday Dress Hunt!

Lovelies, I need your help! I bought this dress for my Birthday Party yesterday at Marshalls. I love it. I really do. However, it's super short! I'd love to pair it with my flat faux-leather black tall boots (as pictured), so I won't be adding any height, but I love the look of wearing no tights with the dress...I am going to be inside all night, so I'm not worried about the cold weather, but I am worried about giving the party guests a not-so-lovely surprise! Ha! What would you do in this case? Wear the tights (or leggings) to be careful or just not bend over the whole night? Help!

Birthday Girl Dress: Hello, Lovely Pisces!

As of yesterday, it is a month until my birthday. Exciting for sure, but this year I'm actually having a party and need something fantastic to wear. The theme of the party is "Old Fashioned-Victorian-Carnival-ish" so I wanted something evocative of the Old-Timey theme. However, when I went to search "Birthday Girl Dress" online, just to see what was out there, I didn't find much under the heading. We, here at Lovely, realized Birthday Girls need the perfect dress, and sometimes they need someone to help them find it! A Birthday Girl Dress (BGD) is special because it has to reflect not only the mood of the party, but the personality of the Birthday Girl!

We're going to be helping all you Lovelies along with the BGD hunt by bringing you dresses, outfits, event ideas, and more based on your zodiac sign. The Pisces month starts this weekend, so in order to give you all enough time to purchase the perfect dress, we'll be scouring the Internet for the perfect dresses for you waterbound born babies and giving you dress options for all your February and March birthdays! Don't worry, Aries lovelies, you're next!

Pisces, the sign of the two fish swimming in different directions, falls between February 19th and March 20th. It is supposedly the oldest Zodiac sign and the worldly corresponding element is, of course, water. Therefore, the birthstone of those born under Pisces is aquamarine and the colors associated with Pisces people are pale greens, aquas, and turquoise; as well as any and all "dreamy colors of the sea" (all my Astrology references are from The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need--and it is! I love this book.) See, even I, a Pisces to the core, have an aqua dress I love--it even has pockets! This was from Macy's which my amazing seamstress of a grandmother added cross backed straps to! I wore this to an auction event and felt beautiful in it the whole time.

According to The Astrology Book, the cities associated with Pisces are Casablanca, Alexandria, Lisbon, Seville, and Dublin; the flowers which match up with Pisces are Water Lilies, White Poppies, and Jonquil; and the Pisces trees are Fig and Willow. We're going to use all of this new information and cool associations to bring you Pisces born babies the best Birthday Girl Dress options for your spectacular parties! Aren't having a party? Treat yourself to a new dress, anyway! We'll be posting a wide variety of pricepoints, ideas, and fun Pisces facts in the next month. Oh, and we're not forgetting that the Pisces precious metal is Platinum, so don't fret, we'll be reminding all your loved ones of the best Platinum pieces for all your Piscean parties!

Stay tuned for the first dress tomorrow...!

A Lovely Similarity!

While searching for birthday dresses online tonight, I came across a funny little situation: I had written about the Garden Medley Dress from Forever21 a few days ago, so when I came across the Secret Admirer Dress (now sold out) from Modcloth, I was confused...didn't I just see this dress on Forever's website? Wait, which website am I on? And then it hit me. They were very similar dresses made from the same print! They say that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, but I was sort of shocked that these two dresses were so, so similar. I must have clicked my tabs back and forth a thousand times between the two sites to make sure I wasn't loosing my mind. Well, suffice it to say, I guess this look will be popular in Spring, so no matter where you get your floral print dress, may you wear it in style!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone! What are you all doing today? Eric and I are laying low in the new abode, happily decorating and cleaning. This year we decided to keep Valentine's Day at a budget, since we'd rather have things for the apartment, so I wanted to get real creative with my present. Remember the pizza Valentine's Day idea? Well, since moving to New York, Eric has developed a deep love for a cheap pizza place in our town. So, instead of ordering pizza for dinner on Valentine's Day, I decided to get him a gift certificate for the pizza place so he can decide whenever he wants to have a slice or pie. To go along with the gift, I made him a pizza Valentine's card--a little nontraditional, yes, but it goes with the pizza theme! We're also sticking with the Italian thing and making Chicken Parm for dinner. I can't wait, I love to make Chicken Parm. So, that's our Valentine's plan, easy, fun, and very cheap...hope you all have a Lovely day and remember, "You don't need a lover on Valentine's Day, you just need love!"

Need some last minute ideas for today?!

• Check out Laura's delicious recipe for Penne alla Vodka (I so want to try making this!)
• Go see Valentine's Day (I made a trade with Eric: Valentine's Day for Avatar!)
• Make a card with all the different translations of "I Love You"!
• If your love is far away, send them an e-giftcard to Amazon.

Happy Valentine's Day, Lovelies!

Olivia and Jenny Love a Lovely and Awful Style Pun

Jenny: That's why we LOVE Forever21.
Olivia: I haven't been there in FOREVER HAHAHA. Get it?

A Lovely Love Compilation!

A really sweet little video, I love the inclusion of Wet Hot American Summer, but I could do without Twilight! Oh well, what a lovely little video to get you in the mood for Sunday!

I'm excited to get out of town for the day (in this snow just passing the village limits is exciting!) and head into Brooklyn with Luis to meet a very cool designer friend of his. We're also planning on checking out the new Benicio Del Toro flick "The Wolfman." Review to follow on that not so lovely movie! Enjoy your Valentine's Days lovelies! What are your plans?

Happy Friday Websites!

Happy Friday, y'all! If you're stuck inside due to snow, or just relaxing, check out these interesting and lovely websites. I came across these from a variety of sources, and thought I'd share my great finds with you all. Consider it an early Valentine from me to you!

Check out the itsy bitsy and adorable houses (people live in these!) at Tumbleweed Houses.

I love, love, love the original paper goods from Modern Printed Matter!

Muse Jewelry Boutique shares a home with Modern Printed Matter, and features unique and gorgeous one-of-a-kind pieces.

Ever need to spend a few more dollars on Amazon to get the free shipping? This awesome website, Filler Item, tells you exactly what you can afford with those few extra dollars! I love this idea!

Eric and I have constant debates over how long food should last, but now with Still Tasty, we can input the food and it tells us just how long any particular food should last!

You know of any cool websites to share with us?!

Lovely Cupcakes!

I made loving cupcakes! I hope I can get out of the house in the next few days to share them with people!

Lovely Baking Tip

Lovely Baking Tip #1: When you know there is a snow storm coming, and you stop off at the grocery store to make sure you have plenty of baking supplies and you get to the frosting area and say "I don't need any, and I don't need any frosting supplies (confectioner's sugar, butter) because I have lots at home" buy some anyway. Because if you're like me, you have a lot less than you thought. I do have evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk--you lovelies got any frosting recipes which use those? Let me know!

Lovely Wedding Dresses

Hello Lovely Snow Bunnies! Snow Day today! I'm working from home and watching the Say Yes to the Dress marathon. I love wedding dresses; I love that they are so unique for every bride and, when the dress is perfect, match the bride's personality to a tee. Joanna Goddard posted dresses about a month ago from Elizabeth Dye--and I fell madly in love with her style. Mind you, there's no wedding in site for this Lovely, but who says I can't search for gorgeous dress styles? Check out my two favorite styles from Dye's store, The English Dept, located in Portland, Oregon. I absolutely love her delicate details (man, I love those sleeves on the Honeychurch!) and ethereal romanticism to all her dresses. I'm also loving the names she chooses for her work! Honeychurch and Beatrix (from her 2010 collection) make me think of English gardens, cottages in the woods, and simple and romantic outside weddings!

Babies, It's Cold Outside

Snow days are pretty, I'll give you that. Beyond that, they're miserable-- yes, I really do think that. Also, working from home tends to take away the excitement of snow days, and since Olivia moved out my day doesn't change when we're snowed in. It doesn't change beyond the fact that I cannot go out. I don't appreciate that.
See that blinding whiteness behind me? That's snow. The good news is this: I made sure the house was fully stocked with baking supplies last night. I plan on making Valentine's Day cupcakes and cookies and not necessarily Valentine's Day themed cornbread. I'll check in later, lovelies! Enjoy the snow, or lack there of, non-east coasters!

Lovely Etsy Finds of the Day

So I've been searching for hair combs-- funny thing about hair combs is no one seems to wear them except on their wedding day. Well, lucky for the world, I'm out to change that. I started this post off to display lots of hair combs from lots of Etsys, and one day I will do that post. But, oh my gosh, today I need to share with you one Etsy: Ginger and Tonic sells art deco, 20's style beautiful vintage up-cycled pieces. I am so hooked.

Our Girl Wendy Black and White Carved Celluloid Vintage Button Hair Pins, Here We Go A'Courtin Carved Celluliod Vintage Button Metal Headband, Dancing Feathers Repuposed Vintage Jewelry Barrettes,

Bohemian Beauties Copper Lustre Glass Vintage Glass Button Hair Pins, Rhinestone Princess Vintage Button and Rhinestone Magnet, Great Scottie Vintage Celluloid Button Scottie Dog Alligator Hair Clip,

Black White and Bold Vintage Enamel Brooch Repurposed Metal Hair Comb, Spotlight Glam Vintage Reupurposed Gold and Rhinestone Brooch Hair Comb, Mermaiden Curved Aurora Borialis Rhinestone Vintage Repurpused Brooch Hair Comb, Poinsettia Fun Repurposed Brooch of Vintage Enamel Holiday Hair Comb.

Seriously, I'm going wild over here for for Ginger and Tonic's accessories. I am racing around the website like my dog races around the house when she sees a squirrel. These hairdrobe pieces (yes, I am seriously using the term) are my squirrel and I need them. Only I don't think my dog would put the squirrel in her hair when she catches it. That metaphor didn't really stand up. Either way, I'm obsessed with the pieces in this shop.

The Our Girl Wendy Black and White Carved Celluloid Vintage Button Hair Pins are so cute, and would be such a cute way to throw a little extra something-something into a simple outfit, even jeans and a cute deep v-neck sweater. The Dancing Feathers Repuposed Vintage Jewelry Barrettes would add a bit of whimsy to a formal outfit. Imagine a beautiful cocktail dress, silk jewel tones, or gold, even black with satin pumps and these beautiful barrettes in your hair, pinning back one side of your part. I need. And finally, this Spotlight Glam Vintage Reupurposed Gold and Rhinestone Brooch Hair Comb the beautiful piece which drew me into the shop-- I don't know what to say about this piece except that I want to wear it with everything I own. All the time. This is what love feels like, guys.

If you want to smile today, go check out Ginger and Tonic-- it's a sure way to bring a little deco smile to your face, promise.

Lovely 80's Style Dresses

One of the reasons I love Forever 21 is that they really do offer a wide variety of styles all for such great prices. It's not as if they offer the better styles for more expensive and the more mundane, for cheaper. Every dress is in a similar price range, and every dress has a completely different and lovely style of its own. While doing my daily Forever browse, I came across a few dresses which caught my attention: they reminded me of the dresses women (ahem ahem, mom) used to wear in the 1980s--you know what I mean, right? The big sleeved, lacy, prom style dresses? The ones which Carrie Bradshaw brought back and now we all think are cool, but, if not worn right, tend to look totally silly on a woman? Yeah, those. Well, it seems as though they are back, and back with style. The Garden Medley Dress looks exactly like a Laura Ashley dress my mother used to wear to weddings and functions. The longer sleeves and puffed shoulders make it look like a "throw back" to the '80s; I love this dress though, it's classic, and very feminine. The Cosmopolitan Strapless Dress is very Carrie B. The pink is a total hot pink from the '80s, and the big bow makes me think of vintage prom dresses. The Slinky Lace Top Dress is reminiscent of the '80s with the lace top, and puffed, ruched sleeves; very vintage soap opera dress. The Beaded Rhinestone Trim Dress reminds me of old Miss America pageants; the one shoulder with the glitzy beads is very 1980s! All four of these dresses are great as updated '80s looks and would look trendy and perfect for any occasion you're attending. Which one of these four would you wear?

1. Garden Medley Dress; 2. Cosmopolitan Strapless Dress; 3. Beaded Rhinestone Trim Dress; 4. Slinky Lace Top Dress