April 2014 archive
Ready, Set, Bridal!
The historic Nicollet Island Inn in Minneapolis recently unveiled their new Bridal Ready Room and were kind enough to let me tour it. Chances are you’ve been the bride or bridesmaid at a venue with a cramped little room without enough space, lighting, mirrors or all three. Nicollet Island Inn is a venue that realized the need for bridal parties to spread out, get pampered and most of all have fun while getting ready for the big event.
Here’s the finished product: isn’t it gorgeous?
Converted from one of the venue’s hotel rooms, the Bridal Ready Room has countertop space, plenty of outlets and a full bathroom. Ahh, bliss. The venue offers brides little extras to enjoy while getting ready including a personalized iPod, flowers, and an emergency kit.
Adorable little touches like a working antique phone and a chandelier are details after my own heart.
Brides who book the venue also get a complimentary stay in the hotel. There’s also the option of renting just the Bridal Ready Room if they are getting married in the neighborhood and need a place to get ready. This is great for all the couples choosing to get married in the scenic St. Anthony Main area, which is full of picturesque wedding venues such as the nearby Nicollet Island Pavilion which partners for weddings with Nicollet Island Inn.
“We wanted to make a space that was elegant and allows you to have fun,” Sarah Gruber, the Special Events Director, told me. “Getting ready is one of the funnest parts of your day.”
Shop Hope’s
I love discovering new stores and places to shop online. Another blogger shared her love for online store Shop Hope’s with me, so I checked it out and found some pieces to share. They’re on trend for spring and totally affordable.
Fringe and studs are super trendy, but you don’t have to buckle down and pay a lot for a designer version when this one is so cute.
This dress is turquoise, lace, fully lined and 100% cotton-four of my favorite features in a dress. I will very likely be purchasing this like, today.
Mint Scallop Shorts: a preppy classic in a totally on-trend color=love.
My blogger friend Allyssa from Life with Lyss is a rep for Hope’s and has offered to share her promo code with Pink Paperdoll readers. For 10% off, you can use the code LyssLifeRep at checkout! Thanks Allyssa!
Here are some other blogs highlighting their favorite fashions from Hope’s:
http://www.livebloggingthecommonapp2013.tumblr.com
http://memphis-made.blogspot.com
Spring Days & Rustic Chalets
Last weekend I discovered a hidden gem of a venue. Nestled in Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis by lakes, trails and a golf course, the Theodore Wirth Center has a rustic north woods vibe yet is somehow still sophisticated. I was on a panel at an event here, and was honestly charmed as it was much prettier than what I was expecting for a park venue. Inspired, I did an impromptu photo shoot that inspired this combo venue/outfit post.
One of the event attendees told me she’d seen photos of a wedding that was held here where all the guests wore flannel and dinner was a potluck. I can totally picture how that unique wedding theme would be a perfect fit for this venue, but a more traditional, smaller wedding or other party would also be cute in this cozy spot.
And the outside totally looks like a Swiss Chalet.
Outfit details if you’re curious: Cardigan-Lilly Pulitzer, Dress-Target (also featured here), Tights-I don’t have any idea!
Sorority Socks
When I was doing a recent impromptu shopping spree at Target, I found myself in the sock aisle making a mad grab for knee socks! Why? They had kites on them. Target has a wide variety of patterned socks for spring, and some of the patterns coincidentally are the symbols or mascots for several sororities so I’m posting them here in case you or a friend need to pick up a pair. Anchors and owls on retail merchandise may be ubiquitous (you lucky girls!), but the symbol of my sorority, a kite, is so hard to find! This is the first kite item I’ve seen since Forever21 had kite socks several years ago (and those were snapped up immediately once word got out!). I don’t even wear knee socks and I was compelled to buy a pair, that’s how serious the situation is.
So for your convenience Tri Sigmas, Zetas, Alpha Sigma Alphas, Delta Gammas and Thetas, here’s a peek at Target’s sock aisle. Cause don’t lie, you know you’re going to end up at Target anyway sometime in the next 0-5 days. No special trip required.
Target Spring Style Snags: Dresses under $25
Easy Spring Style Awaits
Who hasn’t gotten that Snapchat from a BFF with a picture of a Target store and the message “Pray for me. I’m going in.”? Turns out, I should have sent that Snapchat out last Wednesday. It started innocently enough, as trips to Target always do. I was buying socks for my dance competition. Seriously. Socks. That’s all I went in for. Well, one end cap led to another and soon I’m checking out and forking over a way bigger fraction of my paycheck than just socks would have cost. Honestly, the abundance of cute, wearable, style-forward spring fashions is really what did it and I have no regrets.
How to find the best styles for less
I found several spring dresses that were under $25. I immediately saw the potential to style these frocks to transition from early spring all the way into fall. They’re versatile enough that I can imagine wearing them to a wedding, to work or for random other fun occasions. I feel a responsibility to impart the tricks to buying clothes at Target which are 1. check the fabric content and buy only pieces that have a high-quality look to the fabric (viscose and rayon are two fabrics the retailer does well), and 2. ask yourself if it’s a unique piece that’s not just a copy of other designers. But in real life the process of buying at Target goes more like this: step 1: see cute item. 2. check price tag and see ridiculously affordable number. 3. buy.
Accessorize and Go!
After I got my shopping scores home I tried styling them and was pretty pleased that they could be accessorized into versatile outfits that looked nicer than they should for the price I’d paid.
I just want to note that the shoes and accessories in the photos are not from Target or sponsors, they’re just things I pulled from my closet on whim for a spur-of-the-moment style shoot. If you want to know where I got something in a photo, comment below or message me.
So there you go-you don’t need to spend a lot to look great for spring. Happy spring shopping!
