Sensibly Styled » Macy’s

ruffle jacket

Livi — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:27:26 +0000

It’s no secret that ruffles are in. Isn’t this jacket so lovely?

Ciao Ciao and Happy Shopping!

Color Wednesday: Coral

Emily — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:43:24 +0000

I love coral, although I usually refer to it as “salmon pink” because my husband has a rad thrift store shirt that is very clearly pink but he calls it salmon. Anyway, this is a great spring color. I love it paired with gray, tiffany blue, or with red in a monochromatic look. I’m a little obsessed with that wrap cardigan at the bottom, and I’m A LOT obsessed with Emersonmade‘s crazy awesome flowers. Maybe the perfect Mother’s Day gift? What’s your favorite?

swimsuit, maternity dress, wrap dress, scoop-neck dress, thong sandals, wedge sandals, cardigan wrap, sunglasses, scarf, espadrilles, swimsuit, wrap cardigan, boyfriend cardigan, necklace, printed heels, blazer, ruffled jacket, flats, flower pin

The modest prom dilemma. (or anyone else on the hunt for a modest party dress)

Emily — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:39:01 +0000

Dear, dear moms out there. Moms of teenage daughters going to prom. Wow.
I had the idea that I would find some cute, modest prom dresses and post about them. I figured, like how hard is that? I’d just sit down and boom! – in a few minutes I’d have a great prom post put together. Boy, was I wrong! It’s like thinking that I could just sit down and boom! – discover a cure for the common cold. How did I think that in a few short minutes I could solve a dilemma faced by mothers and daughters for generations?

So, I’m sorry to tell you that I did not find the magic answer. But, I came up with a few things that may work for you, or at least give you more options.

I hope I don’t make any enemies with this, but I have a strong dislike for the kind of dresses that you may find when you google “modest prom dresses”. Do you know what I’m talking about? They are huge, candy-colored, Disney Princess-ish, rhinestoned monstrosities. Yards and yards of crunchy taffeta or cheap satin (which, by the way, is a difficult fabric for even the tightest of bodies to pull off). Who wants to wear a huge thing like that to a dance? Seems awfully hard to dance in, right?

Now, if that’s the kind of dress that your daughter dreams about, then go for it. If she loves it and you love it, then who cares what I think!

But, if she’s a modern kind of girl and she’s stuck between wanting to be modest and looking/feeling like she fits in at a prom full of skimpy dresses, I have some ideas. My senior year (which was 10 years ago, so take my advice with a grain or two of salt) I didn’t want to mess with some big dress that I would never wear again and decided to wear a cute top and a cute skirt with some fun heels. I had a great time that year dancing with my friends, and you know what?, I still have the top and skirt (and the heels, actually!) in my closet to this day. I still love them. I can’t say that about the satiny dress I wore my junior year. It had a very short shelf-life, and the whole night I was messing with my dumb opera length gloves and my satin wrap-thingy. I was trying so hard to be fancy and it really killed the fun.

Maybe try and steer your daughter towards a dress that is cocktail length and something she could see herself wearing again. Then, you can keep it young and fun with some great accessories and killer shoes. That way, you’re getting your money’s worth with a dress that will be used more than for just one night, and playful jewelry and accessories are inexpensive and easy to come by. The key to making these dresses work for a formal is to ACCESSORIZE! If the dress has a full skirt, add a fun crinoline skirt underneath to add some fun retro flair. Add a big floral belt to one of the kind-of-plain dresses and/or wear a fun hairpiece. Go big on the jewelry, go wild with the heels, just go for it. A dance is meant to be fun, right?

1. Blue satin 2. Black tiered 3. Pink shift 4. Black ruffles 5. Peach sparkly 6. Green dupioni

1. Pink knit 2. Black lace (can’t find it anymore, sorry) 3. Gold belted 4. Black wrap 5. Plum chiffon 6. Red chiffon
If I were going to prom, I would wear this:

dress, silver shoes, bracelet, hoop earrings, necklace, ring, pink shoes
I’d put a half-tee underneath for a little sleeve coverage, maybe a fun slip for some extra fun, and then I’d have to decide if I was going to go silvery and sparkly or colorful and jazzy (by they way, if you go this route, buy like 4 of that necklace and pile ‘em on top of each other).
Now that I think of it, I’ve got a 10 year reunion later this year, I think I’m going to get this dress for that!

A few more ideas:
Try searching “modest bridesmaid dresses“. They’re usually shorter (better suited for a dance/party than a floor length gown), they come in lots of colors, and they’re made in formal fabrics so they’d work well for a prom.
Most of these dresses are from Nordstrom, and if you don’t like anything you’ve seen here, then go to their Dress Shop to see hundreds of more options.
If you’ve found the perfect dress but it’s too short – don’t forget the magic of a Vintage Hem slip.
If you’ve found the perfect dress but it’s a bit too low cut, try adding some trim like this, or find a tee with a similar neckline and layer it underneath.

Good luck on your search ladies!

Business Casual

Natalie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:15:05 +0000

Hey, everyone! My name is Meredith, and I’m a college senior studying business and fashion. Last week a reader asked for some suggestions as to what to wear to a business casual dinner. While Natalie made some great suggestions, I felt they were more on the casual side than the business casual side. So, Natalie graciously asked me if I would make a post over my take on business casual (isn’t she such a sweetheart?!). I’m excited to be putting my studies to use and hope you all find this post beneficial!

Here’s a general rule to follow for business casual: when in doubt, always go more on the dressy side than on the casual. The worst thing that will happen is you’ll get tons of compliments for looking great!

Trouser pants are my absolute favorite style of pants! Unlike most pant styles, they don’t cling to your hips and thighs. Gap has some absolutely adorable tweed trousers!

For those who are conscious of their mid-drift, the Stlye & Co pleated knit top from Macy’s is perfect! It’s fun, flirty, and flows away from the body. Best part, it’s on sale for $15! Here’s a little trick I do whenever I wear knit tops…I always put a spaghetti strap camisole (nothing fancy) underneath the shirt. That way, it creates a cleaner line and keeps the garment from clinging more than desired.

I like to keep jewelry simple but unique and interesting – conversation pieces. I put a vintage initial pendant (made from a typewriter key) and necklace with this outfit.

As for shoes, I’m loving buckle flats (very 1960s). Not only can they be worn with this outfit, but they can also be worn on casual Fridays with your favorite pair of dark-wash jeans or out on a date night!

Above all, no matter what you wear, remember to wear it confidently and with a smile!

Calvin Klein Dress ‘Pleated with Belt’

Natalie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:24:11 +0000

Great little black dress!

At Macy’s on sale for $39.99, 37 inches long.

Appropriate Behavior ‘Ruffle Front Dress’

Natalie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:17:38 +0000

So cute! And I LOVE the color! It may be a little short…(no length given) but nothing a Vintage Hem can’t fix!

At Macy’s for $39.00

‘Tahari’ by ASL

Natalie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:09:10 +0000

What a great dress! Perfect for fall through winter!

At Macy’s for $138.00, 38.5 inches long.

Soprano ‘Short-Sleeve Ruffle Front Dress’

Ashley — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 06:03:25 +0000

Okay, this is SO cute and the price amazes me. Falls below the knee.

Find it at Macy’s on sale for $10.99.

Alfani ‘Belted Silk Floral Top’

Natalie — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:00:39 +0000

Our reader Jessica emailed us this great find! (Thank you!) Only one size left! (16)

At Macy’s on sale for $48.30.

UPDATE: Product no longer available

Evan Picone ‘Marilyn’ Dress

Ashley — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:32:30 +0000

They call this the ‘Go Anywhere’ dress. Perfect for a wedding, church, work… anything! Looks like it has a flattering fit… and I love this raspberry color (also comes in black and blue!) This dress is approximately 38 inches in length. Find it at Macy’s for $99.00.