What to Wear - Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding season will be here before we know it, and I've done several posts about what to wear to ceremonies throughout the year and at different times of day (here, here and here) but I haven't ever put together options for rehearsal dinner outfits.

This topic is especially timely for me since I'm matron of honor for my sister in two weeks, and also in my sister in law's wedding in April.  I have lots of dresses in my closet, but I don't want to look like I'm going to work or like I'm (over)dressing for the reception.

Here are some Polyvore outfits that I assembled for the occasion:

Casual BBQ
When the wedding rehearsal is early in the evening and the dinner at a casual restaurant or someone's house, there's no need to get really dressed up.  Dark denim trouser jeans and a dressy top and wedges is perfectly appropriate (in Texas anyway) as are a cotton dress and embellished sandals.  You'll look like you put thought into the occasion but not overdressed.

Family Dinner
For events where the bride or/and groom's family is hosting the wedding party at a fairly nice restaurant, a non-revealing dress in a fun print will be appropriate and look nice in all of the wedding party photos that will start now and continue for the next 24 hours.  Make sure there's no cleavage hanging out since these photos will be around forever and Grandma will be in attendance.

 In all cases, comfortable shoes are a must since wedding rehearsals involve lots of standing around walking up and down an aisle.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be searching for my own leopard print minidress.

My wall needs help.

Blank, beige walls are the bane of my existence.  Ok, that's a little dramatic, but they drive me crazy.  Somehow I've managed to live with one staring me in the face while I eat for 6 months now and I can't stand it anymore.

My dining room is part of an open plan living area, but there is a dividing wall about 8 feet long that separates the space from a hallway and "ends" the kitchen.  I scored an awesome vintage dresser on Craigslist that stores our nice dishes and serving pieces, and it will be staying on that wall, but I can't make up my mind on how to proceed from that point.  Here are some of the options that look cool in my head:

Teal Photo Wall
I would paint the wall a dark teal color, similar to the photo below, and hang a selection of framed prints in mismatched frames (not as many as on Amanda Peet's staircase, but you get the idea).  This will be cheapest, but hardest to talk my husband into.

Fabric "Wallpaper"
I would buy about 2 yards of DwellStudio's vintage plume fabric in Jade and cut the 54" wide fabric into three sections, then mount each to some sort of thin plywood and frame it with dark brown wood trim from Home Depot.  The end look (in my head) would be similar to this gorgeous Chinoiserie paper below (via Maison 21).  This will be more expensive (fabric is around $50 per yard) but less permanent, and I can repurpose the fabric later on if I need to.

Giant Stenciled Canvas
I would love to get a large, bold painting but my budget makes that unreasonable.  I love the fun feel of the Amanda Talley painting below and I think I could buy a large blank canvas about as wide as the dresser and paint it the same teal shown above, and then apply a geometric wall stencil and paint a design in a contrasting color.

What option would you pick?  Is there something else you think I should consider?  Please leave a comment and help me decide!

Reader Request: Cruise Wear

This week I got a request from new mommy Shoe Addict who wants some chic, plus size options to wear to a destination wedding on a cruise ship in March.  First, I'd like to express my jealousy, then say that no matter what size you are I think your suitcase will need the same set of basics for a trip like this:

Dress for the wedding:
I like that the Curvy Plus options from ShopRuche.com are great because they don't differ very much from what's available in straight sizes.  Something beachy and casual should work for an on-ship ceremony.  Pair any of these with fun, dressy sandals and jewelry (but not noisy bangle bracelets, as I learned first hand!).

Outfits for On Boat Activities:
I've not been on a cruise, but from what I hear there's lots of eating and hanging out in lounge chairs and watching your kids swim.  I also imagine the boat will be going somewhere warm, so shorts will be a necessity.  I highly recommend the Old Navy Perfect Khaki Bermuda short.  I have two pairs myself and have seen plus size women rock them better than I do.  They also come in capri length, if you like that better.  These shorts look nice with flowy tops or tank tops and a few colors will last you all summer.

Speaking of tops, I would pack some layering pieces in case it gets cool at night or indoors, and definitely lots of bright color.  A unique tank can look good alone or under a thin cardigan, and you can make two outfits without having to pack more. (Not gonna lie, I've been known to wear a tank top alone the first day, then as a base layer under something else before I go home.  Packing is hard.)
Tank tops by Old Navy,  Ballet Wrap Sweater by Kiyonna

Cruise Ship Shows/Dinner Dress
I know that most ships have restaurants on board where you can leave your kids and have a romantic dinner.  Or you can watch a Reba impersonator sing country hits.  Either way, you need a fun dress that will pack well.  I like these options from Macy's because they're (mostly) made of jersey and will not require tons of ironing, and look like what everyone else will have on.

A Kickass Swimsuit
I've said it before, and will reiterate that the Esther Williams pinup style suits at Modcloth are the BEST thing out there for a curvy body type.  The price is a little high ($90) but the construction doesn't compare to the thin suits for sale at Target and Old Navy.  I have the one-piece in wine and feel so awesome wearing it.  However, be prepared to go up a size.

Hopefully this was helpful!  Remember you can email me if you want your own set of screenshots for a shopping or decor issues you're dealing with.

It began with two frames...

This weekend I was reading Rue Magazine and saw these beautiful photo frames from Z Gallerie.  They're so me that I instantly clicked through and started plotting how to integrate them into my house.

Once I started down that path, I started clipping lots of photos of fun girly items that I thought would work nicely with the frames in my imaginary living room.  The result was this mood board for a very feminine space. 

How would you work the frames into your house?

Rug: Albert & Dash via CSN
Couch, Ottoman: Homedecorators.com
Ikat Pillow, Throw, Vase, Tray, Frames: Z Gallerie
Pendant light: Jonathan Adler
Table, Chair: West Elm
Curtains: Anthropologie
Bird pillow: Dwell Studio

And the winner is...

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the CSN gift card giveaway!  I ended up with 60 lines in my spreadsheet of entries, and random.org selected #58.  That matched up to Julie's comment about what she'd buy and it looks like she'll be using the gift card for some kitchen items from Le Creuset!

Congratulations Julie!  Check your email!

Twice in one week - $20 goes far at Target!

Don't forget that tonight at midnight Central is the deadline to enter to win a $35 CSN gift card!

I have been on a streak of good shopping luck lately, and my beloved Target came through again when I stopped to buy some groceries after work this week.  This time I spotted a nicely cut black dress on the clearance rack that I passed on my way to get a soap dispenser.  I seemed a bit Victoria Beckham-esque to me and for $20.88, I decided to give it a shot.

Lo and behold, it fit perfectly.  The fabric is comparable to other dresses I own from Banana Republic and LOFT, and I'm so thrilled to have it in my closet.  It's not marked down online yet, but you could buy it here and get a price adjustment if you find it cheaper in store in another size.  Now go.  You'll be glad you did!

DIY: Antique Lamp Makeover

Don't forget to enter to win a $35 gift card from CSN Stores by midnight tomorrow!

You may recall that I was struggling over whether to paint my great-grandmother's zig zag striped lamp from the 1950's or leave it as is.  Several of you said that she'd be glad that her lamp was being used in 2011, and to start the makeover.  Luckily, my family agreed and I bought some high gloss white spray paint and a small drum shade from Target.  I began painting this weekend and am really happy with the end result.

I think MawMaw Zoe would be proud of me.  The "new" lamp is pretty modern looking and will be in my house for a long time.  I'm considering shading between the zig zag lines with a tiny brush and gray paint, but worry about messing it all up and having to start over.

I'd also like to find a small, patterned shade that's affordable but so far everything I like is $60+.  If you know of any options to replace my $7.99 shade I'd love to see them!