The Lazy Days of Summer...

Happy June, dolls!

We're betting right about now you're all saying, "Hey!  It's Tuesday -- I'm so excited to read the new PDR post!" And we seriously hate to disappoint you... but unfortunately, we regret to inform you that there will be no official post on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the months of June, July, and August. In September, as long as our readers still want us, we promise to return to our regularly scheduled programming.

We all deserve a little break now and then, and summertime in NJ means two things: 1) Jen has some major plans including renovation, relaxation, and vacation and 2) Saira will be jealous of us all as she spends her every waking minute studying for the Bar Exam. So, with heavy hearts, we've made the decision to reduce our posts by 2 for the next 3 months. This summer, while you are tanning yourselves and sipping some lemonade, be sure to check back with us on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for some new and exciting posts by your favorite duo (that's us!), but also some extra treats from some fantastic Guest Bloggers that we have lined up!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Color Day post and then be sure to check back Friday for your next Paper Doll Romance fix.

Until next time!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Jason Derulo- my design of hightops

Jason Derulo blasted onto the seen in early 2010, he's already shown his individual style, not standing out, but displaying a effortlessly cool style on and off stage which is bringing his own style onto the scene, not following trends but trying to create new ones.

He started off with mini lights on his knees attached to black trousers and on black gloves, i reckon they should be on his high tops too, as dancing is a key part of his image. They'd work well on tour and when the lights are low in performances.

I feel we are going to see influential design pieces from Derulo very soon.

Summer Style: The White Collection

Attention ladies: It's Memorial Day so you can officially wear white without fear of being chastised! Come celebrate by browsing through our pick for the summer of 2010, the White Collection:

Nothing is more depressing than being stuck at work on a beautiful summer day, but you can brighten your day by wearing this white pencil skirt from J. Crew. The clean cut and crisp white color will make you look fun and fresh, and even though it's no day at the beach, at least you'll look good at the office.

If you want to be able to easily transition from work to play, then this crochet neck dress from Arden B. is perfect for you. Wear it with a blazer and pumps to work, and then add some accessories and peep toes for cocktail hour!  

Keep up the crochet look with this off-white peasant skirt available at Anthropologie. The cloud fish pattern is subtle and adds great texture to the skirt, plus it has a draw string waist so you can indulge in some extra corn dogs. 

Stay fresh at the beach with this super  cute cover up by Victoria's Secret. While it comes in a variety of colors, we love this ivory shade, as it will really set off your summer tan, and will look great with a bright bathing suit peeking out from underneath!

A hot summer night deserves a hot summer dress! Show off you tan and legs in this white, strapless sheath dress by White House | Black Market.  With a cinched waist and a built-in bustier, you're guaranteed to look your best -- just don't spill anything!

But if you're looking for something a bit more bohemian, then we recommend this soft, flowy dress from Free People. We love the embellished neckline, and something about the layered pleats reminds us of the scene in The Little Mermaid when Ariel fashions a dress out of an old sail -- very simple and sexy.

Stay cool, dolls!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Leather stud jacket design for Chris Brown

coming soon

Leather through the decades

I love leather, we all must love leather as it's never gone out of sight. Leather jackets are always going to be there and these are some images showing the most iconic ways they've been used.

If you wanna statement piece of clothing i'd say buy a leather jacket, a real leather jacket. It will last years and will always be a cool item to throw on without thinking.

Jonny Depp- key pieces

Facial hair and accessories make up Jonny Depps unique style, he's carried it through life going against trends and the norm by doing whatever the hell he wants!

Shakira- her thing

Shakira's thing, is her Spanish upbringing displayed in her stage outfits using classic styles that no one else uses she creates an individual style that is her image.

Updating her look in recent video's she keeps the essence of her old style using nude colours and clothes that suit her figure.

Bruno Mars- stylin' up his individuality

Bruno Mars is fresh ont he scene featuring on the track 'Nothin' on You' with B.o.B and Travis' trach 'Billionaire'. He unique and freshly simple look caught my eye and made him recognisable for me instantly when seeing him again.

You can already notice his hats are his trademark, he accompanies this with twists on fashion which is already current and holds a look of the all American guy.

Tips for the Bride: Wedding Planners

Do you ever wonder what you'll be like as a bride-to-be or are you currently engaged and starting to worry if the crazy will set in as your day approaches? You may be telling yourself that, when the time comes, you will be the bride to throw care to the wind and just go with the flow. If that is the case, I am telling you now, that is just simply not true.

You may consider yourself to be a rather sane and level headed person, but when it comes down to it, will you care if your flowers are not the right shade of orange, your napkins are folded incorrectly, or, god forbid they put your floating candles in the water upside down??? YES, YES, and YES!! Read below to get the answer to a question a lot of ultra busy brides are asking themselves,

"Should I hire a wedding planner?"

PROS - What a wedding planner can bring to the table:

1. Experience: There is nothing better than someone who has been through a situation, who knows how things should work, and who can anticipate disaster at any corner! Experience is key to planning any party and especially a wedding. Unless you've planned multiple weddings or know what you're doing, things can get real tricky, real fast.

2. A Voice: This person can be your voice and speak up for you when you cannot be there. It is crucial to have someone who knows and understands exactly what it is you are dreaming of and can execute plans accordingly. You won't be present at every second and will be occupied with other tasks, so you'll want someone there that you can trust to take the reins in your absence.

3. Stress Relief: Do you really want to be worrying about what your groom will wear, how to hang the 50+ paper lanterns, and where your cake toppers ran off to? Certainly not! Now, there are some things that are uncontrollable and nothing ever goes according to plan, but, you will be more at ease knowing that you have someone who is experienced and completely dedicated to making sure things run as smoothly as possible.



4. Flow and Organization: This is incredibly important to the event. An organized event planner can help make sure that your event has consistent flow and keep track of the timeline. They will help you stay focused and make sure you are exactly where you need to be when you need to be there, which can be a blessing as we're guessing a watch and/or cell phone won't really go well with your outfit...

5. Damage Control: The flowers don't arrive on time, the cake falls apart, your pumpkin martinis are maybe not going over so well with your guests, and, to top it off, your dress rips and someone stole the sewing kit from the bathroom! Now, you have enough going on to have to worry about how to remedy these situations...so let someone else worry about these things for you. A good wedding planner will anticipate problems, diffuse the situation to the best of their ability, and think of creative and helpful solutions to help you enjoy your day despite any little accidents that might happen along the way.



6. Discounts: Yes, we said it correctly - discounts! Wedding planners can help you save money by organizing your expenditures and keeping you on budget. They often have access to special discounts for services, materials, etc. that you would not normally have if planning things for yourself.





Cons - Disadvantages of a wedding planner:

1. COST! This is legitimately the only thing that we can think of that would be a reason to not hire a wedding planner. That and, of course, if your venue already provides a consultant of sorts. But, mainly, it is the cost that deters people from hiring a wedding planner and this can be determined in a few different ways, hourly, a set-fee, or a percentage (sometimes 10-15%!) of the total wedding budget. This can add up quickly and you should carefully weigh your options to determine if you can afford this or not.



So, do we think it's worth it??



Speaking as the former bride (and maid of honor!) of a recent, kind of DIY wedding, ABSOLUTELY!! Though we decided against a wedding planner to save on costs, we realize we really would have paid anything to have been able to relax, have our friends and family kick back, and not have to worry about a thing. In retrospect we loved our wedding, but realized a wedding planner would have made our lives easier, kept us calm, and would have made our wedding day a more pleasant and enjoyable event for all involved.





Happy Planning (or Hiring!)





XOXO

Jen & Saira

Rough designs- military jacket + outfit for Beyonce

coming soon

Sex and the City Character Inspiration: Carrie Bradshaw

Today's the big day, and no, we don't mean Jen's birthday (even though it is..)!!  We mean, the big day for the Sex and the City movie and of course we have saved the best character inspiration for last!  Here is a fashion look book inspired by Sex and the City's most famous character, the fabulous Carrie Bradshaw! Carrie is the center of our Sex and the City universe, and her 6 years on the small screen have transformed her into a bona fide fashion icon. A little bit quirky, a little bit crazy, and definitely a little bit sexy, Carrie is the most daring of the group, always trying (and starting) new trends. No heel is too high for this fashionista, no trend too bizarre (she rocked a fanny pack, remember?), no flower too large... Carrie is truly a fashion legend. Here are our suggestions on how to dress up like Ms. Bradshaw aka Mrs. John Preston:

Shimmering and dramatic, this Grecian style, one-shouldered dress is something only the daring fashionista can pull of. Backless and super short, this is definitely a dress that someone with a small frame like Carrie can wear without feeling too overwhelmed. 

Carrie's nameplate necklace was her signature piece on the show, and even played a small role in the series finale. Get your own name necklace, in gold or silver, from My Name Necklace, and always stay true to yourself.

Sometimes Carrie's wardrobe can be a bit outrageous, and other times it can be drop dead sexy. To go with the latter, we suggest this fabulous sequined pencil dress by Karen Millen. Just throw on a pair of sky high heels and Mr. Big will be eating out of the palm of your hands.

We can just picture Carrie romping around Manhattan in this grey, open back playsuit by Kate Moss. With a sky high ponytail, some killer sandals, and gold bangles, our girl is ready to strut her stuff.

Of course, in order to strut your stuff then you need a pair of shoes that will live up to the hype. These Badgley Mischka sandals are outrageous and romantic, just like our leading lady, and are much more affordable than Carrie's staple Manolos.

Bonjour! Carrie was all about stripes and bows when she went to Paris a few years back, and she looked effortlessly chic. To mimic Ms. Bradshaw's Parisian style, throw on this striped mini dress available at Mod Cloth, add in a bright colorful belt, heels, a ton of bangles, and don't forget to curl your hair!

and, of course, one of Carrie's most iconic looks is her cupcake skirt worn in the opening credits. While not as poofy, this ruffled skirt by American Apparel is a bit more user friendly, and still manages to create that perfect balance of cute and crazy.

Time to get Carried away, dolls!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Nautical Navy and Yellow

Ahoy, sailor! While we already gave you a little taste of a nautical theme with our wardrobe post we haven't yet featured it as a color inspiration.  Today we feature two colors that are very prominent in the sailing world!  Often when you think nautical you think blue and white, but what you'll also notice is a lot of times these colors will be accented with a rich gold. Blue and yellow (gold/mustard/whatever you want to call it) are the perfect colors for your nautical themed project as one color anchors your palette as a neutral, while the other is your fun color that you can add in small doses to liven things up.

Images from: WeddingWire, Nonpareil Magazine, StyleMePretty, PrettyChicky, ThePartyDress, CakeCentral, CourageandCowards, ClassicKicks, EveryLastDetail, WeddingRumors, Crate and Barrel , Anthropologie

     XOXO

Jen & Saira

Beyonce

Beyonce is turning into the Queen of Pop, and rightly so. Her unique style blended in with current trends creates iconic stage oufits, such as the black leotards featured in single ladies.

I like gold- trademarks

Even without celebrity status, normal people can have trademarks. Find something you like, a colour or a style and use it in differen't ways.

These are just examples of a few pieces i own and i've come to realise they've given me a certain style:

Spiked shoulders- two of a kind

I do love these dresses, but the obvious problem, both Rihanna and Fergie are wearing the same style dress by the same designer. As my key objective is originality i would say whoever wore the dress after the other made the mistake.

But Fergie does kick this look well with the leather black gloves, she does have a 'look' it just needs to be put together more in the same way more frequently for her style to become more of a feature and inevitably making her more iconic.

As for Rihanna she is constantly changing her style to the newest trends, but keeping the shoulder pads going. So i'm sure she wont wear something like this again but the shoulder pads are key to her look.

So i do dig this style, studs and spikes are my fav but to keep a style true to one person you need to keep up a certain way of dressing using similar colours a types of clothing throughtout a for instance, music career, tour, or present album.

Geek sheek- it's been over done?

Okay so geek glasses have come into play, big framed glasses that people are wearing for an aesthetic purpose, no bad eye sight needed.

Now this would be cool if not many people had them, but it's not just celebrities that are going through the geek sheek craze, i go on facebook and everyone's got photos in a pair! Its pretty unoriginal and is now, so far from unique.

On a positive note i do think they look good on some people: Reggie Yates, Chris Brown & Bruno Mars but on every other girl of the general public in the UK no, like i said it's unoriginal, set trends, don't copy them!

Sex and the City Character Inspiration: Miranda Hobbes

It's almost here!  The second Sex and the City movie comes out this Thursday, so here is our second to last character inspiration -- Miranda Hobbes!  Miranda's style has definitely progressed from her boxy suits and button downs worn in the early seasons. Now, she is a fashionista in her own right, brightening up her work attire with bright colors, varied prints, sexy separates, and of course, her gorgeous red hair. While always the professional at work, her play clothes tend to be more fun, comfortable, and vibrant. Here are some looks that we're sure Miranda would have no objection to:

Miranda always knows how to dress her shape, and this flirty V-neck dress available at Mod Cloth would flatter her curves and help show off her romantic side. We love when Miranda wears jewel tones, because it really sets off her peaches and cream complexion and her bright blue eyes. Plus the soft linen dress is both sexy and casual, just like the fiery red head.

Miranda often sports long, casual dresses to stay cool in the summer heat, which is why we love this maxi dress from Victoria's Secret. It's both comfortable and fashionable, plus green is definitely Miranda's color!

Like her gal pals, Miranda loves accessories, although they tend to be more understated than some of the other ladies' choices. We think this beaded stretch bracelet from Target reflects Miranda's bright color palette, but is simple enough to wear at the office.

Always the working girl, this simple cotton sheath dress is perfect for Miranda, as it  can easily be worn both in and out of the office. She would likely accessorize it with a blazer and the jeweled bracelet, shown above.

The verdict is in -- Miranda looks stunning in jewel tones!  We love this beaded scoop neck top for it's brilliant color that will perfectly contrast her bright red hair, but also for the shape and detailing that make this top professional enough to wear with a suit or high waisted pencil skirt for work and fun enough to transition right on into the evening.

Or, what about a casual top that would be a great addition to Miranda's weekend wardrobe?  Every Manhattan mommy needs a great day at the park outfit, and for Miranda we like this breezy, embellished top available at New York and Company. This great blue and green top has some fun embellishments on the neckline and would look great with some chunky earrings and gold sandals!

And, of course, children have a lot of needs, so you can bet she's stashing a little more than lipgloss and a credit card in her purses. Here we have a large structured bag perfect the professional mom on the go.  It's  chic enough for work, yet large enough to tote around some snacks, baby wipes, and a toy or two.  Plus, the material makes it extra fashionable and appropriate for the season.

Stay tuned for our final Sex and the City post!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira