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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!

A Wonderful Watercolor Wedding

Watercolor Wedding Inspiration!

For the past few years, we’ve been providing the attire for Making Me Events’ annual styled photo shoot. We LOVE working with Phebe, she’s so creative, kind and knowledgeable; the perfect combo for an event planner! All of her shoots come out looking phenomenal, but we must admit, we’re a little partial to this year’s theme. Watercolors were the inspiration, and Phebe achieved it beautifully! The soft colors are perfectly on trend, AND we got to showcase our ombre Theia Petal gown. Wedding gowns with color are continuing to grow in popularity and we couldn’t be more excited. They are fun, flirty and fabulous! We’re so in love with this shoot and we know you will be too! Swoon over some of the stunning shots below and then check out the full shoot on Style Me Pretty!

This tablescape is soft, romantic perfection!

This tablescape is soft, romantic perfection!

The colors in this stunning bouquet pick up the subtle pink in our Theia petal dress perfectly!

The colors in this stunning bouquet pick up the subtle pink in our Theia petal dress perfectly!

We are OBSESSED with Making Me Events' sequin table numbers! So Fun!

We are OBSESSED with Making Me Events’ sequin table numbers! So Fun!

Give us a call to check out this amazing, unique dress and classic veil!

Give us a call to check out this amazing, unique dress and classic veil!

A huge shout out to ALL of the amazing vendors who participated! Brides, if you’re still searching for some of your vendors be sure to check out these geniuses!

Photography – Ruth Eileen

Event Design, Sequin Table Number and Cake – Making Me Events

Florals – 1956 Blooms

Stationery – Blush Printables

Hair and Makeup – Manda of MandaMonium

Linens – Myreidas Linens

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.

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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!

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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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Thinking outside the box!

We get so excited when brides think outside of the box! For instance, we’ve had some choose a fascinator in lieu of a veil. Others go for patterned bridesmaids’ dresses (we’ve got ‘em!) instead of the usual solid. Another favorite is when brides wear a chunky, colored necklace with their gowns. These little changes go a long way towards making the look and style of the wedding truly yours, and we love that! For that reason, we take the buying of Flair’s merchandise very seriously. We want every girl who walks in the door to find something that she loves, no matter her desired style or budget. So today, we’re highlighting some of our designer’s bridal gowns that step outside of the box, for you brides looking to wear a little something unique on your big day! Enjoy and give us a call when you’re ready to do a little coloring outside of the lines 🙂

Lynn Lugo's Kristen bridal gown: Slinky, sassy and silver. We love it!

Lynn Lugo’s Kristen bridal gown: Slinky, sassy and silver. We love it!

We are in love with the low back and blush color of Amy Kuschel's Hope gown!

We are in love with the low back and blush color of Amy Kuschel’s Hope gown!

Theia's ombre petal gown; such a stunner!

Theia’s ombre petal gown; such a stunner!

Love, Yu Bridal Guest Trunk Show!

We are in Love with Love, Yu Bridal!

Summer is such a fun time at Flair! One of the things we’re most excited about is our amazing guest trunk show schedule! We love using the summer months to get to know new designers, and bring their gorgeous fashions to YOU! Up first is Love, Yu Bridal. Owner and designer Ee-Lyn Tang was working in the banking industry, but she always had a passion for fashion. So, she bravely decided to leave her old world behind and enroll in Parsons, and the rest is history! Ee-Lyn started Love, Yu Bridal in 2009 and has been wowing brides all over the world since. Flair has always been a fan, so when we noticed that Love, Yu didn’t have a store in New England, we jumped at the opportunity to show off her gorgeous gowns to our brides! Check out some of our favorite gowns below, and give us a call to see them (and more!) in person at our guest trunk starting next Saturday the 31st! This is a rare opportunity to see her gowns in our area, so act fast. We know these appointments will book up quickly!

We love the illusion neckline on the Hailey gown (only $1700!)

We love the illusion neckline on the Hailey gown (only $1700!)

Check out the gorgeous lace hem and detailing on Paige (just $2000!)

Check out the gorgeous lace hem and detailing on Paige (just $2000!)

Maya is perfect for an alternative bridal gown, or reception dress, at $1500!

Maya is perfect for an alternative bridal gown, or reception dress, at $1500!

We are obsessed with the cap sleeves on Olivia (only $1800)!

We are obsessed with the cap sleeves on Olivia (only $1800)!

Madison is the epitome of elegance for just $2200!

Madison is the epitome of elegance for just $2200!

Golden Globe Gorgeous!

Golden Globe Gorgeous!

Here at Flair, we love, love, love award show season! The red carpet always gives us such amazing inspiration for bridal and bridesmaids’ styling, as well as our own personal styling! All of the Flair girls got together last night (via a massive group text) at 6:00 PM sharp for the start of the season; The Golden Globes! As our Facebook followers already know, each Flair gal had a different choice for best dressed (click here to follow us and see our picks!) and we LOVE that it turned out that way! We each have a unique sense of style, and as a group, we bring a diverse style perspective to our brides and bridesmaids!

There is one thing that we all could agree on though; there were some fabulous trends on the red carpet that will translate perfectly to the 2014 wedding season (and beyond)!

1) High slits – Thinking of a long dress for your bridesmaids, but worried about them being too warm? A slit is the perfect solution; they can look hot while staying cool!

Elsa Pataky in Paule Ka (yes, we did choose this photo in part because of Chris Hemsworth). Photo credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Elsa Pataky in Paule Ka (yes, we did choose this photo in part because of Chris Hemsworth). Photo credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Dessy Collection style 2879. Hello gorgeous!

Dessy Collection style 2879. Hello gorgeous!

2) Sleeves – No longer does a sleeve scream matronly; tons of stars (Olivia Wilde! Camila Alves! Emma Watson! Julianna Margulies!) rocked a sleeve and looked young and fresh at the same time!

Julia Roberts in Dolce & Gabbana. We weren't 100% sold, but atleast it's different! Photo credit: JasonMerritt/Getty Images

Julia Roberts in Dolce & Gabbana. We weren’t 100% sold, but atleast it’s different! Photo credit: JasonMerritt/Getty Images

Jenny Yoo's Gabby dress with a delicate flutter sleeve; so romantic!

Jenny Yoo’s Gabby dress with a delicate flutter sleeve; so romantic!

3) Color blocking – In the past, if you wanted to incorporate a second color into your bridesmaids’ dresses it meant one thing; a sash! While that is still true, there are also new, modern ways to incorporate color!

Sandra Bullock in Prabal Gurung. Photo credit: Jordan Strauss/ Invision/ AP

Sandra Bullock in Prabal Gurung. Photo credit: Jordan Strauss/ Invision/ AP

Yes this is my wedding but it's not a shameless plug, I swear! After all, we did color block our Lynn Lugo dresses :)

Yes this is my wedding but it’s not a shameless plug, I swear! After all, we did color block our Lynn Lugo dresses 🙂

4) Slicked back hair – While we’re not sure if we’ll see many slicked back gals in this year’s wedding photos, we have to admit, it’s a cool, new way to keep the hair out of your face and show off your gorgeous makeup!

Jessica Chastain in Givenchy. Photo credit: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

Jessica Chastain in Givenchy. Photo credit: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

5) Bare necks – While we had 6 totally unique best dressed choices, they did have one thing in common; bare necks! Many stars decided to forgo the somewhat over-done statement necklace for the next big thing; a statement earring! We predict many bare necks with statement earrings in wedding photos this year!

Emma Roberts in Lanvin. So clean and chic! Photo credit: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

Emma Roberts in Lanvin. So clean and chic! Photo credit: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

While we try to remain neutral about fashion choices (to each her own!) our Golden Globes recap just wouldn’t be complete without atleast a mention of some of our least favorite dresses. Just for fun:

1) We wish our TV had some “blurred lines” over this gown.

2) This gown needs to head back to “Nashville.”

3) This gown is a “big bang” mess.

4) Even a “Charlie’s Angel” couldn’t save this dress.

That’s it! Now we want to know what you liked (and didn’t like)! Can’t wait to hear your picks!!

Happy award show season! XO

Stacey, Jaime, Joy, Madison, Hilleary and Lindsay

Flair Brides are now Haute Brides!

Flair Brides are now Haute Brides!

The idea for Flair came about when our first owner was planning her wedding. She was disappointed in the lack of options out there for her bridesmaids and vowed to give future brides and bridesmaids plenty of fabulous dresses to choose from. 11 years later, and we’re still working hard every day to make sure our customers have the best of what’s out there in the bridal world! So, you can imagine our elation when we came across Haute Bride. Haute Bride began when their fabulous owner/designer was planning her own wedding (sound familiar?) and she just could not find the perfect hair accessory to accompany her gown. So what did she do? She made one herself! 13 years later, and Haute Bride is providing the perfect accessories for any and every bridal gown! We are so excited to have found a “wedding industry kindred spirit” in Haute Bride, and even more excited to bring their gorgeous wares to our brides and bridesmaids. Check them out online and in Flair SOON! We can’t wait to show them to you! In the meantime, feel free to drool over just a small sampling of the amazing press on Haute Bride:

InStyle Weddings: Hello gorgeous!!

InStyle Weddings: Hello gorgeous!!

 

Looking fierce in Your Wedding Day Magazine

Looking fierce in Your Wedding Day Magazine

Happy wedding year, 2014 brides!

“The Many Emotions of a 2014 Bride”: a dramatic reading

It’s 11:59 PM on 12/31/13. Ryan Seacrest is counting down….10, 9, 8….confetti is flying…..7, 6, 5….the champagne is flowing….4, 3, 2, 1….HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (enter passionate smooch here)

 

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Bride: “OMG I’m getting married THIS YEAR!!!” (said in an excited squeal)

 

It’s 12:03 AM on 1/1/14 and already the mood has changed. Miley Cyrus is twerking next to an awkward Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg are full on making out in front of children. What is the world coming to? 

This baby wants nothing to do with your over the top PDA.

This baby wants nothing to do with your over the top PDA.

 

Suddenly, an alarm sounds into our bride’s head….

 
Bride: “OMG I’m getting married THIS YEAR!!!” (said in sheer panic)

 

We get it. Up until now, the wedding has felt like this really far away event, and then the calendar flips over and in an instant you are thrown into crunch time. Every wedding checklist you look at has 1,000,000 things on it and the anxiety attack starts to set in. Chances are, though, that you’re in much better shape than you realize. Most of the major vendors have probably been reserved so now it’s basically down to the fun details!

 

One big thing not to forget though: the men in your life. Let’s face it; most of them would shop the day before the wedding if left to their own devices. Here’s where you step in. Get the ball rolling with fabulous, color coordinated men’s wear from Flair! The majority of our designers make ties for both men and boys, with some designers even expanding into pocket squares, vests, cravats and more! As they are made in most of the same colors as the bridesmaids’ dresses, matching is one thing you won’t have to stress about! Think beyond the groom and groomsmen too. How touched would a dad and/or grandfather be to have a special tie that matches your big day? Or how about a cousin doing a reading for you? The possibilities are endless, so contact your favorite Flair girls and we would be happy to help you with all of the details!

 

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Happy wedding year, 2014 brides! Enjoy every minute!

XO, Flair

Hey Boston brides: What do you do with your gown after the wedding?

I have a confession to make: I am obsessed with the “Real Housewives” franchise (except Miami, I just can’t get into that one). My husband can’t even be in the room while I watch it; “It’s just an hour of constant arguing!” Sorry honey, I know that when we first started dating I tried to be cool and watch thought-provoking shows with you, but this is who I really am. We’re married now, deal with it. Besides, occasionally you get some really great ideas from the housewives. For instance, I was watching reruns of Beverly Hills the other day and I caught a glimpse of Adrienne Maloof’s wedding gown, framed in her walk in closet. It got me to thinking, what do “normal” ladies do with their gowns post-wedding (those of us who do not have a closest big enough for 5 foot frame)?

We all have closets like this, right?

We all have closets like this, right?

It’s a very personal choice, though based on my chats with many brides over the years, the main school of thought seems to be gown preservation. It’s not a bad idea; get that thing cleaned, pressed and in a nice, neat box for storage. Honestly, though, that has never been for me. I have absolutely no notion that my future daughter might want to wear my dress, so I can’t come up with a reason to spend the money on preservation. I’d rather find a way to work my gown into everyday life. Here are some brilliant ideas that I found, and be sure to let your Flair girls know if you have any to add to the list!

1) Home accents: The actual item will depend slightly on the fabric/style of your dress. For example, my gown had a train of organza flowers and ruffles, which I’ve always thought would make a gorgeous, special accent pillow for our bed. Not for you? There are tons of other ideas! I also found a gorgeous Christmas tree skirt made from a satin, beaded gown; something special and personal that you’ll use every year!

Too pretty to put presents on?

Too pretty to put presents on?

2) Bridal necklace: This is one of my favorites. I found a company (thanks, Etsy!) that will insert a small piece of your wedding dress into a beautiful necklace. Who says you can’t wear your wedding gown everyday?! Plus, how amazing would this be to give to your daughter down the line!

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3) Donate it: If you can’t think of anything you want to do with your dress, you can always donate it to a worthy cause. There are so many options out there, including Brides Across America. Based right here in Massachusetts, this organization takes dress donations to help give military wives the wedding gown of their dreams! Do some research and find the organization that touches your heart, and I know that this is one use for your gown that you, and someone else in need, will never forget!

Happy Holidays!
Your Flair friends