Cooking up a storm in style

Jackie has champagne tastes on a student budget. That’s why she keeps a close eye on celebrity trends, then scours fast fashion outlets to recreate the look for less.

Aprons

I love to cook, but cleaning is definitely not my favorite thing. Now that I’m married, I’ve got even more to clean and an extra mouth to feed–and impress! Wearing an adorable apron makes cooking even the most easy of meals seem glamorous and I’d rather vacuum in one of these than an old ratty shirt.

From left to right:

Posted August 21, 2009 in Fashion, apparel

Best-dressed bridesmaids

Jackie has champagne tastes on a student budget. That’s why she keeps a close eye on celebrity trends, then scours fast fashion outlets to recreate the look for less.

I’m so excited to be getting married on March 15, 2009–only a few months away!

I’ve been working like crazy to plan, organize and pull the event together, but one detail that seems to be difficult to wrap up is what shoes the bridesmaids will wear with their dress. I have five of my best friends and family serving as bridesmaids, and I’m so excited to see them in their vintage-inspired dresses with retro headbands/hair pieces.

But what shoes should they wear?

Here’s the bridesmaid dress:

It’s from David’s Bridal, and is fairly affordable, which is good since several of my bridesmaids are still in college. I love the retro styling. If you are interested in this bridesmaid dress, order it soon! According to a salesperson at my local David’s Bridal store, they are discontinuing this dress momentarily because it was a “trend piece,” the likes of which they bring in seasonally.

The bridesmaids are going to wear a navy ribbon around their waist, tied into a bow in the back.

I’m not going to go all bridezilla and tell them how to do their hair, but I do want vintage headbands and hair pieces (jeweled, perhaps) to give more of a retro flair.

Here are some shoes I’ve considered thus far:

Which ones do you like? Do you have any suggestions?

I’m looking for retro-inspired cream heels, but I’m open to gray, bone or off-white colored shoes as well. It’s March, so closed-toe or peep-toe is preferable.

Thanks for the help!

Posted October 31, 2008 in News

The anatomy of style: Katherine Heigl’s fashions on a budget

Jackie has champagne tastes on a student budget. That’s why she keeps a close eye on celebrity trends, then scours fast fashion outlets to recreate the look for less.

Katherine Heigl is tall, curvy, blond and beautiful. I’m tall, bottle-blond, not so curvy as I would like and well…THF tells me I’m beautiful! (And that’s all that matters, right?)

Who wouldn’t want to emulate Katherine’s style? It’s easily copied (you’ll see), full of easy-to-wear neutrals and she always dresses for her gorgeous body type. What I’ve noticed most about Katherine’s red-carpet outfits, as well as her everyday wear, is that she wears clothes that work for her, not necessarily adhering to seasonal trends. That’s an easy formula for any girl to follow, and for a on-the-go girl like me, it makes going from school to work to a date as easy as changing your shoes.

It’s hard sometimes for me to dress appropriately for classes and work. I don’t want to show up for classes in a pinstriped blazer and matching trousers, but neither do I want to go to work wearing Uggs and jeans. Because I have to go straight from one to the other, it’s important to wear versatile clothing in professional, neutral colors to carry me through my entire day. I know lots of women who have this problem and ask themselves, “What can I wear that’s casual enough for the day, but dressy enough for everything else I have to do?”

I present Exhibit A:

I love the way this outfit looks chic and professional, but gasp! She’s still wearing jeans. Katherine’s outfit has just enough color for me, too. Some colors, like this peach, function just as easily as black, gray or white, especially when you pair the color with denim on the bottom.

Get the whole scoop »

Posted January 21, 2008 in News, People, apparel