Closet Must-Have Staple: Alika Dress

Hello ladies! Welcome to another dress post! Today I will be discussing another favorite of mine, the Alika Dress from Tatyana Boutique!

This dress has been a part of the Tatyana line since it started, and maintains a huge popularity next to my personal favorite dress of all-time, the Captain Dress (shown in another post btw!). It features netted shoulders with a cute bow belt for waist shaping. Each dress comes in one flat color, though there have been other iterations with little fanfare. They come in red, white, navy blue, green or black, as shown above. Each color also has an option of a pencil skirt or a flare skirt, depending on your preference.

What makes this dress a must own is its elegant yet simple design that can be worn on darn near ANY occasion. Whether a night at the club, formal dinner, or even attending a wedding, it looks flattering and sophisticated.

When going with the flare circle skirt option, I cannot stress enough the importance of pairing a crinoline with it. Vintage styled dresses like this one are meant to have a poofy skirt, yet this skirt just doesn’t have enough poof on its own. You will not be disappointed for adding it!

Thankfully the Alika has a stretchy bengaline material, just like the Captain, and requires no dress size asjustment. The stretch looks phenomenal on curvaceous ladies and keeps you feeling comfortable.

The dress can run as high as $140, but i have seen it go for half of that as well as be part of their BOGO sales. Matching pumps and flats can complete the outfit just fine, but those looking for a formal touch would do well to add pearls and gloves to accessorize.

Thank you for reading! Please comment for any questions i may not have addressed, also let me know if you already own or are inspired to get this fabulous dress. I love to hear everyone’s story!

Spring Time Favorite: The Rugby Dress

Spring is upon us! But one thing on everyone’s mind? What to wear! Spring can be a very confusing time fashionwise. Its cold, warm, sunny, rainy and windy all sometimes in the same week!

Well this prepster hopes to have found a solution: the rugby dress! I originally covered rugby shirts before, but rugby dresses have a much different structure. Some feature the bold stripes, some not, others ditch the white collar for hoods, but I will gladly walk you through each wonderful option and the ideal weather for them!

1. Long sleeve rugby dress

This is your bread and butter rugby dress. Various striped color options are available, so feel free to mix and match your favorite combos! Also, many long sleeve rugby dresses have stripeless options as well, though i will cover that shortly. Typical weather you’ll want to wear this in is brisk sunny days, ideally with some heel boots or flats.

2. Short sleeve non-striped rugby dress

Moving away from striped rugby dresses, i would absolutely only recommend going stripeless with short sleeve, the bold stripes just don’t flatter on short sleeves and long skirts. You can find some really cute Ralph Lauren short sleeve rugby dresses with chevron stripes along the shoulder. Ideal weather for this dress is a warmer calmer day at the beach or park. Pack some white flip flops to make the collar pop in two ways!

3. Hoodie rugby dress

When forgoing the white collar traditionally found on all rugby tops, try to stick with a hooded dress. Again, very easy to find with color options abound. Pair this dress with your best Hunter boots for a rainy day!

4. Gown rugby dress

Now this is a bit harder to find as they are rare, but flatters very much. Some may be turned off by the plethora of stripes, but as an advocate of sailor dresses and popped collars, I am definitely one for bold statements! Wear this dress indoors at country club events or get-togethers!

I hope i helped find your next statement dress. Rugby dresses are flattering to curves and an utmost preppy staple! As always comment any questions you have!

Joules Evedon and why they NEED to be in your closet!

Stop the presses: I have found the next great rain boot! Meet the Joules Evedon Welly Boots! I stumbled across these fine things during a chat with a friend from the UK. It was only when they finally appeared at Nordstrom did I try them, and boom I was sold!

Most of my followers know the allure of Hunter boots: the bright colors, cute structure, comfy feel, chic design, they are just the best rain boots out there. Well, as an advocate of Hunter till the day I die, I must add a new brand to that notion.

Joules is everything you would want in a rain boot, except much more stylish and cute! The first thing that will pop right out is its contrasting bright ribbon on the back calf. Many fashionistas will find ways to bring the two colors together, as a two tone color scheme never looks tacky. It is the defining addition that makes these wellies both unique and stylish

For those looking for comfort, they are right on par with Hunter. The structure is sound and will not wear out like cheap rain boots, though for the ribbon’s sake I would save these for mostly walks in the park or city and slip on your best Hunters for travel.

Though I will always have a bias for Hunter, because nothing beats a pair of Hunters with some welly socks slid in, I have to give my hat a tip to Joules for crafting a fine pair of rain boots! You found a customer in me, I hope it finds a customer in those reading this!

Rihanna’s Hidden Preppy Style

Rihanna. The talented, famous and beautiful R&B singer is mostly well known for her unique style of bright colors and urban threads when it comes to fashion. But did you know there is a budding prepster under that urban getup? Don’t believe me? Well lets start with a photo she posted to twitter.

As you can tell, that is a pair of the ultra preppy british Hunter Wellington boots in original tall black. While most might write this off as a quick brand purchase, lets take a gander at a recent photo:

Well, well! A second pair of the high end boots! And in a bright pop of red too. What non-prepster buys multiple of a globally recognized pair of preppy boots? Surely, you might ask, some boots does not make some preppy, do they? Sure, but what about this next photo?

Don’t adjust your screens, that is a red-haired Rihanna rocking an Isabel Marant rugby-polo dress. Complete with white cuffs and collar. Only the preppiest of girls wear such an eccentric and defining style of dress. Ok so she looks the part. How about acting it?

Wow! Miss Rihanna herself in a bright summer dress all dolled up. Oh and this photo was taken at none other than the Mercedez-Bens Polo Challenge at Bridgehampton Polo Club in New York. The only people I know that fancy themselves a Polo Match are equestrians and country club members. A rather defining preppy event for one to attend.

So while her music and common urban outfits may suggest otherwise, the Hunter Boots, Rugby Dress and Polo Matches suggest to me that the lovely barbadian is a closet prepster. Hopefully one day she embraces it! Cheers!

Birdie Dress from Pinup Couture

Hey Ladies I am back, I know I have not posted in sometime but hopefully I will be more frequently now! So today I bring you a newly discovered dress style thst really fits well for every type of woman. This is the Birdie Party Dress from Pinup Couture!

Right away the floral patterns stand out brightly against the white base. Fans of vintage dresses will not be disappointed with these beauties. Anyone in need of a little black dress need not look any further than the black counterpart.

The dress shape is both conservative and flattering. With a flowing circle skirt below the knees and having shoulder sleeves allow it to not be too revealing, while the V neckline of the lapel shaped collar grants women the option of showing more or less cleavage based on adjusting it.

Each dress comes with a very cute and shape driving wide belt, giving it a signiture pin-up look. I definitely recommend a crinoline for those looking to get the full poof of the skirt, it looks excellent with or without.

While they can be worn for nearly any occasion, the floral patterns make for an ideal summer dress when the sun shines. The red really brightens up in the sun especially with its shiny red belt. Red heels or flats are highly suggested with it.

As I said before, the black dress is a fantastic little black dress option for those in need of one with a vintage twist. A neat idea I found was taking the 6-inch collar and wearing it straight with it curling flat against the shoulders. It gives a cool gothic flare to it and the collar holds well popped up. Long black gloves are a great elegant accesory and black heels are almost a neccesity.

This dress will set you back roughly $130 after shipping, however its quality is noticeable immediately. It feels strong without being too heavy. This is a huge recommendation to all dress wearing ladies out there. Its a neck breaker of a beauty!

Sailor Swing Dress by Pin Up Girl Clothing

Summer is just about here ladies, so that means it’s time for summer dresses! Today i’ll talk about an absolute favorite of mine, the Sailor Swing dress by PinUp Couture.

By now you may notice I am a fan of nautical pin up style, but I cant help if the dresses are so stinkin’ cute! Forunately this dress is a little less obvious as the Captain Dress, but still noticeabley vintage.

The dress comes in red and navy blue both with white trim on the top and down by the bottom of the skirt. There used to be a white one with blue trim but good luck finding it, its as rare as the white captain dress.

Another great feature is it comes with the white belt, an accessory that is a must for this dress just as much as the captain. It gives the dress shape with the simple yet effective contrasting white.

While this will primarilly be a summer/spring dress, in the sun it is as versatile as they come. Heels or flip flops are ideal to pair with and it looks great on any shape or size. You’ll be getting complimemts from other girls and heads turning from boys! (Myself included!)

Its only drawback is price as it sets you back $125 at full price. Fortunately vintage clothing sites like Mod Cloth and Pinup Girl Clothing have sales frequently especially right before the dresses prime season.

I recommend this dress to anyone looking for a fun dress to frolic in and enjoy the sunny weather! Enjoy ladies!

Hunter Original Tall Rain Boots

If you were to ask me right now my favorite clothing piece in my closet, it is without hesitation my Hunter Rain Boots. These stylish boots are now a near daily staple of mine and a top recommendation for any and all people, they are that amazing. This post will cover the original tall line of boots.

Before i get into them, a little back story on the famous wellies. Hunter is based in the UK where welly boots are common as a pair of tennis shoes. They are hand crafted and meant to last generations. Some testimonials from people have claimed to owning pairs for 30+ years! The brand is recognized world wide as top notch and has kept the reputation for decades.

In the last few years they have boomed in America, particularly to younger women looking for both cute and practical boots with color pallets not offered anywhere else. You cannot go far in a mall or city without seeing multiple people sporting them. And while the trend is primarilly popular amongst women, they are designed and acceptable for men too (my pink pair would like to concur as well!).

So when is the most appropriate time to wear Hunters? Its simple: any time! Aside from formal attire, you can find hunter boots for any situation or season.

For fall, dark colors like black, maroon, and navy will help compliment the usual jeans, khakis and jackets worn in the cool air. In winter pairing your favorite colors with one of the many styles of welly socks will help keep you both warm without sacrificing fashionable appeal. In spring and summer a bright pair, such as white, yellow, pink, or turquoise with a matching print sun dress can add some brightness to the sunshiney days and keep you equipped for the rare rainy occasions.

A favorite outfit choice of mine is wearing a navy blue blazer with dark jeans and a polo that matches the color of the boots i’m wearing to give it a great two tone color scheme while maintaining the preppy flare i enjoy expressing.

Please share your hunter boots purchases and favorite outfits! I would love to hear everyones take on these phenomenal boots!

 

Tatyan Boutique’s Captain Dresses

Ahoy there ladies! If you plan on sailing the high seas or enjoy a little nautical/pin up flare in a dress then you will love the Captain Dress by Tatyana Boutique!

The dress is styled like a sailor with its collar and buttons adorning the top with white piping along the collar. The dress transitions to its skirt with the white belt that accompanies every copy and the skirt comes in a pencil style or a circle flare skirt for adding a crenoline to make it a full vintage style skirt. The dress comes in either bright red or navy blue and is made from a stretchy bengoline material.

Celebrities alike from Leighton Meester to Holly Madison to Chaka Khan have been seen donning this beauty and it looks incredible on every woman brave enough to give it a shot. Do not be intimidated by its costumey appearance, this dress is more than just a classy sailor costume.

Pairing the navy blue dress with red heels, white gloves or a red ascot gives it a pop of color commonly found on most pin up style dresses. Leaving the flare skirt open makes it a great dress to move around and swing dance in. And yes, it makes for a drop dead gorgeous halloween costume too.

The dress comes in sizes XS-4X so it will fit nearly every size of woman. I emplore any girl out there looking for a way to spice up their wardrobe to give this dress a try. It can be a bit expensive at full price, but it is often on sale for under $100 at the right times. I will gladly salute any lady with the guts to try this beautiful dress!

Preppy Essential: Barbarian Rugby Shirts

Autumn: Too warm to wear a heavy jacket and too cold for a basic polo shirt. What is an aspiring prepster to turn to to accomodate for weather and still look fashionable while the leaves fall? Ladies, gentlemen and everyone in between, look no further than Barbarian Rugby Shirts.

Rugby Shirts were primarially worn by rugby players alike back in the day but are now relegated to a fashion piece worn by college band members and prepsters like myself. The simple yet noticeable style of them are what have kept them a staple in a prepsters closet for decades.

Often just confused as long sleeve polo shirts, the relationship ends at the fact they both have collars. Rugbys sport a heavier cotton material for cooler weather but breath like a polo shirt. As with nearly every rugby shirt, there are 4″ stripes, elastic cuffs and a white tweed collar.

A few things to note about rugby shirts:

– Some rugbys come with options for solid colors. Avoid that. Keep solid colors to polos and stripes to your rugbys. It allows them to be distinctful.

– All rugbys MUST have a white collar only. Its what the name indicates.

– Stick to bold stripes around 3-4″ if wearing a different brand other than Barbarian.

The long sleeve striped shirts with white collars have been a preppy staple since about the 80’s. The often bright colors fit the preppy style with the white tweed collars providing great popped collars that require much less maintinence than polos to stay neat and straight.

Other brands such as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger have offered their own takes on rugby shirts, but after my first purchase through Barbarian it was clear their quality met no match. Every shirt is hand sewn and will last you years longer at a much lower price of ~$50.

Just a few color combos to consider for the stripes are gold/navy, red/navy, navy/grey and my personal favorite, pink/green. They should primarly be worn with khakis and jeans to keep te autumn feel consistent. Another way to add some color is is to wear a polo that matches one of the stripe colors and pop the collar with your rugby collar for an uber preppy appeal.

Thank you for reading, comments are always welcome!

Preppy Essentials: Ralph Lauren Big Pony Polo Shirts

Ralph Lauren is quite possibly the ultimate staple for any preppy wardrobe, the brand has created some amazing quality and fashionable clothes with its iconic polo player logo donning every piece. It’s most common staple is obviously their polo shirts, of which there are practically thousands of options. This post i will be discussing my favorite style of polo shirt, the Big Pony Shirt.

 

Big Pony is an obvious variation of the standard polo, where it separates is in its ballooned size logo. The enlarged polo player covers the right breast with contrasting color to make it stand out on the shirt. Often the big logo comes with various other embroideries such as the common number 3 on the left sleeve, country flags on the right breast or back, or even custom names and crests. These really add a uniqueness to each shirt and creates hundreds of color options.

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ou can style the shirt down with a common pair of jeans and tennis shoes or style it up with a blazer, khakis and riding boots. Ladies can pair a pleated skirt and heels for a casual look or color match it with jeans and a pair of Hunter Boots. Also popping the collar adds a bit of flare to it as these shirts arent generally worn to casual events. Save your more subtle polos for that.

Most Big Pony polo shirts run at about $98-120 but cheaper options are available during clearances and on ebay. Macys carry them most often as well as occasionally Nordstrom as well as the Ralph Lauren Factory outlet.

Any opinions or ideas are welcome in the comments! Thank you for reading!