Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Advice from Flair Archives - Page 7 of 16 - Flair Boston | Wedding Dresses in Boston MA | Bridal Gowns, Bridesmaid Dresses, Accessories, Wedding Dress Cleaning Advice from Flair Archives - Page 7 of 16 - Flair Boston | Wedding Dresses in Boston MA | Bridal Gowns, Bridesmaid Dresses, Accessories, Wedding Dress Cleaning

Destination Weddings: Closer than you think!

Photo Shoot Fabulousness: Destination Weddings Edition!

Not to overstate things, but New England is literally the best place to live in the entire world. Bar none. End of story. OK, we may be just a little biased and yes, it’s true, we have to put up with some killer winters, but our stunning Springs, Summers and Falls make it all worthwhile! Plus, with all of our fabulous little states so close together, you can take an amazing vacation without going more than a couple hours from home. Also, we have the Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots and Celtics. Boom. Enough said. Going back to vacations though, on the same note, New England brides can throw a stunning destination wedding without ever having to board a plane! There are tons of amazing spots around New England that will be new to you and your guests, but still close to home. The smart, talented staff at Southern New England Weddings Magazine realized what a destination wedding gem New England really is, and they decided to dedicate their new issue to just that! Check out this stunning Nantucket themed shoot to see how easy it is to create a fresh, destination wedding look in our own backyard. Plus, Flair provided some of the gorgeous attire for this shoot, so yeah, it’s pretty epic! Grab the new edition of Southern New England Weddings today to see the entire shoot and start to plan your close to home, destination wedding!

Sigh. We're swooning already and we're just on the cover!

Sigh. We’re swooning already and we’re just on the cover!

True, the weather in New England can be unpredictable, but who cares when you consider how stunning this overcast shot is!

True, the weather in New England can be unpredictable, but who cares when you consider how stunning this overcast shot is!

I spy Anna Elyse's Madeleine bridal gown on the top right and Theia's petal gown on the bottom right!

I spy Anna Elyse’s Madeleine bridal gown on the top right and Theia’s petal gown on the bottom right!

We love the soft, romantic color palette of this shoot, and that cake with mussel shells is kinda fantastic!

We love the soft, romantic color palette of this shoot, and that cake with mussel shells is kinda fantastic!

Meet Mariell!

Mariell: Your New Jewelry Best Friend!

Don’t get me wrong, I love living with my husband (most of the time) but I often find myself missing the years I spent living with my girlfriends. Watching trashy TV together (for some strange reason I just can’t get my husband to sit down and watch The Real Housewives with me), having impromptu dance parties, cooking together; I miss it all! One of the hardest things about moving away from them though is that my closet was cut in half! No longer can I roam into their bedrooms and go “shopping” for something new to wear. It was the perfect situation; tons of new (to me) items that I knew would be stylish because well, my friends are fab. I bet it’s something all of us girls miss as we get older, so Flair tries to recreate that experience for you. When you shop at Flair, we want it to feel like you’re shopping in your friend’s closet; easy, quick, fun and full of items handpicked to please! Case in point: our new jewelry designer, Mariell! Flair spent a long time looking for a jewelry designer that has the three necessities: high quality, stylish products, at great prices, with a quick turnaround time. And boy, have we found it! Check out some of our favorite items below and then give us a call to stop by our “closet” and poke through all of our fabulous, new jewelry collection. You can also check out tons of Mariell products on our online site, Frills, from the comfort of your own closet! Happy shopping, Flair friends!

This cushion cut necklace and earring set is a steal at only $85.00!

This cushion cut necklace and earring set is a steal at only $85.00!

Sigh, we love these vintage style earrings, and they're only $56.00!

Sigh, we love these vintage style earrings, and they’re only $56.00!

We are swooning over this art deco bridal headband, and you can to for just $85.00!

We are swooning over this art deco bridal headband, and you can to for just $85.00!

Inspiration Boards: Your Key to Wedding Planning Sanity!

Inspiration Boards: Your Key to Wedding Planning Sanity!

This just in: Planning a wedding is alot of work. News at 11.

We know that that’s not really a newsflash. Anyone who is planning a wedding or knows someone planning a wedding understands that it’s hard. There are tons of decisions to make and cash to spend, and pressure to boot. This is a huge day and of course you want everything to be perfect! One of the most frustrating parts is that you’re making all of these decisions individually but you need them to all correspond in the end. One month you’re picking flowers and the next month dresses, followed by the cake. It’s all so spread out that it’s hard to know if it will all come together nicely on the big day. There’s a fair bit of faith involved; faith that your vendors can execute your vision (don’t worry, they can!) and faith in yourself that your vision is even worth all this stress! One way you can start to pull all of the pieces together is with an inspiration board. Pair photos of your favorite flowers with your dresses and your linens next to your cake, to make sure you like how it all looks together. It’s not exact but it’s as close as we can get! Check out Dessy’s inspiration board builder to get started on yours today! Mine is below, focusing on a few of Pantone’s popular colors for the coming year. It was my first one, so be kind, and be sure to check out the gallery to view tons of other bride’s work, they are amazing!

We love these colors together! And check out our Mariell statement necklace set (in various colors) on Frills - it's only $54.00!

We love these colors together! And check out our Mariell statement necklace set (in various colors) at frillsonline.com – it’s only $54.00!

Flair’s Fashion Week Recap!

Fashion Week Spring 2015 Trend Report!

Well, another Fashion Week has come to a close. This year, though, was a little different. There was all of the usual glitz, glamour and fun, but with a quiet note of sadness mixed in as the fashion world mourned the great Joan Rivers. Two things Joan loved most, though, were fashion and laughter, so I think she’d be fine with us getting back to those! So, we’re here to recap some of the major trends seen on this year’s runway! As you probably know, even though Fashion Week is in the fall, everything on the runway was made for Spring 2015. So we’re all getting a little preview of what’s to come; perfect for Spring/Summer 2015 brides! While most runway looks are not intended for weddings necessarily, there are subtle ways you can pop their trends into your big day!

1) 3D details: This year’s looks were literally popping off the runway! Designers were using multi-layered sequins, tons of paillettes, beading, crystals and even 3D florals to bring their looks to life. You can achieve this look with our petal bridal gown by Theia, which is covered in stunning fabric petals, giving you that on trend, 3D look!

This Vera Wang stunner embodies the 3D perfectly! As for the Theia gown, she does too, and you can get her at Flair!!

This Vera Wang stunner embodies the 3D trend perfectly! As for the Theia gown, she does too, and you can get her at Flair!!

2) Metallics: Shades of Gold, Silver and Bronze were all over the runways this year! Metallics are great for a wedding; in general they are neutrals so you can pair them with whatever other colors you like! No need to stress over if the napkins, bridesmaids’ dresses, flowers and programs will coordinate! Get the look with Jenny Yoo’s Metallic Lace, seen here on her Hudson dress!

This Max Mara is the perfect shade of silver, just like in the matallic threading on our Hudson dress!

This Max Mara is the perfect shade of silver, just like in the matallic threading on our Hudson dress!

3) Pleats: OK, we have to pat ourselves on the back here. Pleats have been big in the wedding world for years, and the high fashion world is finally catching up! Pleats are super flattering and add the perfect, subtle detail to any dress! Steal this look for less with Dessy’s style 2880; pleats and rouching and flattering galore!

We love these Calvin Klein pleats almost as much as Dessy's ;)

We love these Calvin Klein pleats almost as much as Dessy’s 😉

4) Blush: OK, another pat on the back for us! Blush has been huge in the wedding world for the past couple of years, and it looks like it’s here to stay for atleast one more! Blush is soft, romantic and generally pretty flattering, making it the perfect wedding color! More good news: you can get this look with pretty much every designer at Flair! Check it out here on Siri’s Dahlia dress; stunning!

We are swooning over the color of this Tory Burch look, and over the cut of this Siri dress; so chic!

We are swooning over the color of this Tory Burch look, and over the cut of this Siri dress; so chic!

Wedding Inspiration courtesy of Pantone!

We love when Pantone comes out with their color picks for the upcoming season! Per usual, though, the fashion world is a little ahead of the rest of us. The New York Fashion Week happening right now is featuring Spring 2015 looks, and Pantone is following suit by highlighting colors that will be hot in that same season. That’s perfect for the wedding industry though! We’re starting to get super busy with Spring/Summer 2015 brides who can now all take advantage of Pantone’s psychic vision into what will be hot in their wedding season! We’re highlighting a few of the stunning shades below, with Flair dresses to match, of course! There are tons more to choose from, though, so give us a call to stop in and start envisioning the looks that will be coming down your 2015 runway/asile!

This delicious color, Custard, is the perfect shade of yellow! Check it out in Anna Elyse's Slender Sweetheart dress in Lemon Meringue (catching the dessert theme?)!

This delicious color, Custard, is the perfect shade of yellow! Check it out in Anna Elyse’s Slender Sweetheart dress in Lemon Meringue (catching the dessert theme?)!

Glacier Gray is the epitome of chic, as is Jenny Yoo's Suri dress in Dove Gray!

Glacier Gray is the epitome of chic, as is Jenny Yoo’s Suri dress in Dove Gray!

The name of this color, Classic Blue, says it all! It is super flattering and will pop against the bridal gown. Check it out on Lynn Lugo's Sophia dress in Royal; gorge!

The name of this color, Classic Blue, says it all! It is super flattering and will pop against the bridal gown. Check it out on Lynn Lugo’s Sophia dress in Royal; gorge!

Emmys 2014 Recap!

Flair’s Annual Emmys Recap!

It’s that time of year again! Last night’s Emmy Awards was the first major awards show of the season and all of the Flair girls were glued to their TVs. The first thing we noticed was that some things were a little different about this year’s show. First of all, having the Emmys on Monday was a bit stressful. We had to miss some of the pre-show because of a little thing called work. Thanks alot, Emmys. Secondly, where was Ryan Seacrest? One thing remained unchanged though, and that was the glitz and glamour of the Emmys red carpet!

Some quick trends that we spotted:

1) White is a hot color year round, it’s time to forget that old Labor Day rule! And hey, brides, some of these gowns are giving us a serious alternative bridal gown vibe! We love Sophia Vergara in Roberto Cavalli, Lucy Liu in Zac Posen, Padma Lakshmi in Ralph Rucci and Laverne Cox in Marc Bouwer.

white

2) Shorter hemlines are showing up on tons of red carpet stars these days, and who can blame them? It’s August…in California. We think that Julia Roberts (in Elie Saab Couture), Kiernan Shipka (in Antonio Berardi), Natasha Lyonne (in Opening Ceremony), and Jessica Pare (in Lanvin) all wisely chose shorter dresses that were still formal enough for the event. Bravo ladies!

short

3) Patterns are a fun way to stand out on the red carpet, as long as the print is appropriate. We think that Teyonah Parris’ Christian Siriano dress is divine, while Julie Bowen is chic in Peter Som. Amanda Peet looks a little too casual (but comfy!) in her Giambattista Valli dress, and Betsey Brandt’s Alice + Olivia dress just makes us smile!

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And lastly, per usual, the Flair girls were varied in our best dressed picks. Not to toot our own horn but we think that’s what makes Flair great! We all have a unique sense of style, which allows us to relate to any and every girl that walks through our doors. Check out our picks and let us know who you loved (and hated)!

Stacey loved Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Carolina Herrera while Jaime’s pick was Heidi Klum in Zac Posen (who was also her date!) and Victoria chose Lauren Parsekian in Lorena Sarbu.

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Madison said “Janice Ian cleans up nice” (so true!) and chose Lizzy Caplan in Donna Karan Atelier. Joy thought Sarah Hyland looked adorable in Christian Siriano (and recommended Hayley Paige’s Dori dress for a similar bridal look) and Lindsay fell for Allison William’s dreamy dress by Giambattista Valli Couture.

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Bride Spotlight: Lindsey

Bride Spotlight: Lindsey

Asking a Flair consultant if they have a favorite wedding is like asking a parent if they have a favorite child. It’s impossible to choose! Each one is unique and special in its own way, and we truly do love them all equally. That being said, sometimes a wedding comes along that is so stunning and so well put together, that we can’t help but show it off! That brings us to Lindsey. Her wedding turned out to be just like Lindsey herself; chic, classic and so lovely. We could go on and on singing Lindsey’s praises but instead, we thought all of you might like to hear from the bride herself! Lindsey has some great advice for all of you brides to be, complete with some pretty enchanting photos from her big day. Huge kudos to The Darkroom Photography, who captured Lindsey’s day so thoughtfully and beautifully!

1) Where did you have your wedding?
Wedding was at 5:00 at Wesley United Methodist Church at Frederica in Saint Simons Island, GA. Reception was a strolling reception with a band and began with a cocktail hour overlooking the beach at  The King and Prince Beach and Golf resort in Saint Simons Island, GA.
I mean just check out those gorgeous grounds at Lindsey's wedding; a photographer's dream!

I mean just check out those gorgeous grounds at Lindsey’s wedding; a photographer’s dream!

2) Did your wedding have a theme?
No particular theme for the wedding, but I wanted everything to be similar to my style in my daily life. Classic, timeless, and staying far away from trends!
3) How did you find wedding planning? Stressful? Fun? Both? 
I am VERY much a planner and very A-type.  I carry 2 IPhones/2Ipads (work and personal) and a planner for daily use.  However, I did NOT like wedding planning.  It was tough to do long distance and I had to make a few trips down South for vendor meetings.  I did a LOT of emailing and had to trust my mom a LOT!  At some point, I took a friends advice “Decide on what matters most to you.  Be very decisive on those things, and relax on the “less important” details.”  I would love to do the day over, but not the planning!! I now understand why honeymoons exist 🙂
4) Describe your bridal gown shopping experience.
I planned one day and only visited two bridal boutiques.  I went to Flair first and LOVED every thing about the boutique.  The Flair girls were so sweet and so un-pretentious.  Y’all made me feel so special and gave honest feedback, which was so helpful.  I tried on dresses in about 30 minutes and felt fairly certain that I had found “the one.”  It was the dress that when I put it on, I felt like a more glamorous version of “me.”  I visited one more store but ultimately went back to Flair because I couldn’t get the dress I loved out of my head.   Every visit after was so exciting and the girls were so excited for me when I came in to pick out a belt, show my shoes, etc.
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Lindsey’s classic Jenny Yoo sweetheart gown lends itself perfectly to her intricate AB Ellie belt!

5) What dress did you end up choosing?
I chose a Jenny Yoo sweetheart cut dress.  It was exactly the style that I HOPE I portray in daily life.  Classy, timeless, simple but elegant.  Once I came in for my first fitting, I looked for belts and settled on one that was AMAZING and took the dress to another level.  I knew when I put it on, I had to have that belt added to my dress.  (The team at Newbury Tailors were AWESOME!!)
6) Describe your bridesmaids’ dress shopping experience.
I chose bridesmaids dresses on a separate visit, but knew I wanted to start with Flair because the dresses were much more up to date than you see at a lot of dress shops.  My mom and I did the shopping, and I tried the dresses on. I didn’t want to come with bridesmaids because I felt strongly that it was my wedding and I didn’t want anyone to skew my opinion of the dresses.   I knew the look I was going for and chose a dress that would flatter everyone but didn’t cater to any one specific need of any of the girls.
Most brides say “I think you will be able to wear this dress again” and I have NEVER actually worn a bridesmaid dress again.  I chose a dress that I thought was classy, but with a little sparkle to dress it up a bit.  One of my bridesmaids called and said to me “We all say it, but you actually did find a dress that I will wear again!”
Jenny Yoo's Harlow dress has it all: super flattering, unique and gorgeous!!

Jenny Yoo’s Harlow dress has it all: super flattering, unique and gorgeous!!

7) What bridesmaids’ dress(es) did you end up choosing?
Jenny Yoo ‘Harlow’ metallic sheath dress
8) What dress shopping advice would you give to future brides?
As cliché as it sounds, you will know when you have found the dress for you.  Don’t go with a crowd, keep it small.  The more opinions you get, the more it skews your opinion and only YOU know what look you are going for.  I had no idea what I wanted in a dress but when I put it on, it just felt right and looked like ‘me’.  Your wedding gown should be a reflection of you and remember that it will remain in pictures in your home forever.  Steer away from trends or dresses that aren’t YOU.  I wanted to be able to look at pictures in my home without cringing!  I did try on the very “princess” gowns with the tulle and lace, but at the end of the day, they looked silly on me.
Thank you SO much Lindsey, we loved every minute of working with you and wish you every happiness and joy in your married life! Come back and see us anytime! xo
Ending on a sweet note with our favorite photo in the bunch! You can snag Lindsey's amazing veil on our online site, Frills!

Ending on a sweet note with our favorite photo in the bunch! You can snag Lindsey’s amazing veil on our online site, Frills!

 

How to be a veil care pro!

Be the Queen of Veil Care!

Traditionally Friday is the day when everyone wants to stop thinking about school (atleast for a couple of days) but bear with us because today Flair is teaching a brief, fun lesson in veil care!

Most of you summer and Fall brides either already have your veil or will be buying one soon. If you’re in the latter category, please allow us to shamelessly plug our online bridal shop, Frills, where you can browse and buy all of our fabulous, affordable veils. OK, plug over. For those of you that have your veils (or will soon) here are a few quick tips to make sure your veil stays safe and gorgeous until the big day!

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1)      Your veil may have a few wrinkles when you receive it. All veils are steamed by the designer but then they ship to Flair/Frills, and shipping can cause minor creases. Luckily, this is super easy to remedy! Simply use the tag attached to your veil to secure it to a hanger, and then place it in the bathroom during a nice, long, hot shower. The steam from the shower should release the wrinkles! Just remember to keep your veil away from direct contact with the water…we’re going for steamed not soaked!

2)      When it comes to storing your veil, think dark! If you leave your veil in a place where the sun can hit it, that exposure to light overtime can potentially change the color of your veil. We recommend again placing your veil on a hanger, covering it with a plastic bag and placing it in the back corner of your closet for safe keeping!

3)      Plan your transportation accordingly! Don’t pack your car so tight that you then have to shove your veil into a corner. Make sure it lays flat to avoid further wrinkling. If you do find that a few creases have crept up, contact the venue/hotel where you are getting ready as they may have a steamer on hand…or take another relaxing hot shower 🙂

As always, let your Flair friends know if you have any questions! Happy Shopping!

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End of Summer Sale Alert!

End of Summer Sale Alert!

It’s only August 4th, but already talk has turned to the end of summer. Blasphemy! We live in New England and only get 3 months of summer, so let’s not ruin one by talking our way into Fall prematurely. We have to admit, there is one good thing about summer coming to a close: end of Summer sales! Even though seeing all of the new Fall scarves and boots are tempting, now is actually the best time to buy bathing suits and beach accessories. Stores are desperate to clean out their Summer stock so they can fill up with sweaters, trench coats and all of the other Fall fashion that we love, and you can save tons of money helping them do so!

In a similar fashion, Jenny Yoo has decided to reward her customers for shopping this summer! Summer is obviously a popular season for weddings (especially in our area) and dress orders for summer weddings need to get placed in the Fall and Winter. What does this mean? Bridal shops are so slammed in the Fall and Winter that we barely see the light of day! So, Jenny Yoo thought “how can we encourage people to order BEFORE the busy season?” Hey, a big, huge sale is not a bad way to go! Check out all of the sale details below, and call Flair to get on the ball, order early and SAVE!August Bridesmaid 2014 Promo (2)

August Bridal Promo (2)

A Crash Course in Dress Shopping 101

How to get an A+ in Dress Shopping

July 31st…how did that happen?? We can’t believe that summer is going by so quickly! It’s such a fun time of year at Flair. Most of our brides get married in the summer, and we LOVE seeing photos of your big days! Summer is also the time when we start to prepare for the upcoming bridal season. It feels sort of like when we used to get ready to go back to school, except instead of buying new folders we’re buying new dresses! As we get prepared, we want to help you do the same. It’s never too soon (or too late) to make a game plan for your dress appointments. Going into each store prepared and with a focus will ensure that you have a fun, stress free shopping experience! So, here are our tips to help you pass Dress Shopping 101 with flying colors!

1) Do your homework: Spend some time at home pouring over magazines, Pinterest, wedding blogs, etc. so that you can start to identify what you like and don’t like. Having a hard time? Bring pictures for us! While you may think your photos are random, we can often find a pattern hidden in there that will help us get started!

2) Bring your A team: Think back to study groups. When were you really able to focus and get things done, with a few people or in a big group? It’s the same concept when dress shopping! If you want to be able to focus and have your voice heard, try and keep your shopping entourage small; just a few close friends/family.

3) Stand your ground: While it can be hard to pinpoint what we like, most of us girls have no problem identifying what we don’t like! This can actually be a great tool, if you stand your ground. Do you absolutely hate strapless wedding gowns? Then don’t be afraid to tell your Mom to stop pulling them for you! Do mismatched bridesmaids’ dresses drive you crazy? Then tell your girls to shape up and get on the same page! It can be hard to stay strong and stand up to your friends and family, but that’s why we’re here! We’re your advocate and will do whatever we can to help you get just what you want for your big day!

Remember these tips, and your shopping trips will be productive, easy and most of all, fun! If you need some extra tutoring, feel free to call or email us anytime. We’re happy to answer any and all questions you have before, during and after your appointment 🙂