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

Bridal Belts

The perfect finishing touch to your wedding day style!

While wedding planning, you really start to appreciate all of the little details that set your big day apart from the rest. You’ve probably been to other weddings that had peony centerpieces, but none of them had your chic mercury glass vases! We’ve all seen our fair share of wedding cakes, but none had your custom bobble head toppers! In pretty much every area of wedding planning there is the opportunity to really customize it and make it your own. With wedding gowns, one of the easiest ways to do so is with a beautiful bridal belt! If you’re considering adding one to your look, here are some questions to ask yourself to help you find the perfect one:

Our girl AB Ellie has a belt for every bride! Oh, and jewelry, veils, straps, and more. Yeah, she's pretty much a bride's best friend!

Our girl AB Ellie has a belt for every bride! Oh, and jewelry, veils, straps, and more. Yeah, she’s pretty much a bride’s best friend!

To bling or not to bling? – You might assume that all bridal belts are just covered in crystals, but for those of you who aren’t looking for super sparkle there are plenty of other options. With lace, pearls, flowers, and more, there is a belt out there for every style and taste!
To bow or not to bow? – With most belts, you have the option to either tie it in the back or keep it clean and simple. If you like the look of a bow in the back, that’s nice and easy; belts come with extra ribbon on the ends for just that! If you’d rather not mess with tying anything, though, you can have your tailor either sew the belt into your gown or make snaps in the belt to achieve your bow-free look.
How much detail? – Some belts come with embellishments all the way around, while others have a small section of detail. Think about your dress from all angles and decide if a belt covered in embellishment would be too much, or just right!
What color? – In general, ivory or other warm-toned dresses go best with gold toned embellishments, while white gowns pair nicely with silver. While your belt and dress are separate pieces, they still have to work together, so try to keep this in mind as you shop.
How much do I want to spend? – The general rule is that more bling = more money. If you want to spend a little less, consider a belt that doesn’t have sparkle covering the entire belt, or opt for another kind of embellishment. If your gown came under budget, though, then go for it and up the accessories anti!

Need some guidance? Give us a ring to set up an accessories appointment at Flair!

Wedding Accessories

Belts with Bling: A Bride’s Best Friend!

In honor of our AB Ellie trunk show this weekend, we’re dedicating this week’s blog to the benefits of a bridal sash/belt. Considering one? We think you should because:


1) They are a relatively inexpensive way to take your dress over the top – Fall in love with a dress that is a little on the simple side? A bridal belt is an easy, fun way to add detail without breaking the bank! Or, if you’re worried that your dress budget won’t get you all of the bling you’re seeking, don’t be afraid to choose a clean, chic dress and pop on an intricate belt. Likely that will be much less expensive than choosing a gown with the bling already built in!

This classic, floaty ballgown got a major lift from this stunning AB Ellie sash!

This classic, floaty ballgown got a major lift from this stunning AB Ellie sash!

2) They truly make a dress your own – Unless you’re Duchess Kate, you’re probably not going to get your dress custom made. So, that means that the gown style you choose will be worn by other brides too (Shock! Horror!). It’s kind of unavoidable, but one way to make your dress unique to you is by adding a belt! The chances that another bride wearing your dress also chooses the same belt – slim to none.
3) They add detail and drama to the back of your dress – We hear this complaint a lot: “I love the front, but the back of the dress is a little boring.” Sash to the rescue! Whether it ties in a fancy bow, or if the bling continues all the way around, a bridal belt is a great way to add some pop to the back of your dress! Cue the oohs and aahs as you walk down the aisle!

Fabulous Flair friend and bride Ali had her chic, black AB Ellie belt sewn into a slight v at her back. So glam!

Fabulous Flair friend and bride Ali had her chic, black AB Ellie belt sewn into a slight v at her back. So glam!

4) They make your waist look super hot – A nicely fitted belt/sash does wonders for bringing in your waist. Enough said.
5) They can start a tradition – Every bride has that secret wish that their daughter will one day wear their wedding dress on her own big day. However, we all know that that doesn’t happen too often. Instead, get a timeless, sparkly belt and have that ready to pass along to your girl. Her something old can come from your something new 🙂

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Not sure what bridal gowns will look like in 30 years, but pretty sure this beauty will look good on them regardless!

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!

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

Going Beyond the Registry: Fabulous gift ideas for the bride in your life

With another holiday season just past, I got to thinking about the gift giving evolution. You start out as a cute (albeit bratty) kid who is all about receiving gifts….lots and lots of them. Then, as the years pass, you start to receive fewer gifts, but you don’t really mind. You even start to feel a little guilty. You actually hear yourself saying: “You didn’t have to do that!” or “You did too much!” “Too much? There’s no such thing!” your younger self would say. Then a few more years pass, and suddenly you get more joy out of giving than receiving. My parents always said that they preferred gift giving, and in my younger days I never understood it. “Chumps”, I thought. They were right though. As it turns out, parents are actually right about a lot of stuff, it’s weird. Anyways, these days seeing the looks on my friends’ and family’s faces is the best gift I could ever ask for. Who knew?!

Even though the holidays are over, I’m excited to keep the gift giving spirit alive! My new focus: brides! I have some showers and weddings in the coming months that I can’t wait to shop for. While registries take off a little bit of the pressure, I always like to add in a little something personal as well. Here are a few of my favorites:
1) Amore ring dish: Because every bride takes off her rings once and awhile, so she might as well have a fabulous place to keep them.

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2) Lanvin bridal notebook: Because every bride needs a designer notebook to take to her vendor meetings, right?

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3) Champagne coupes (my new obsession): Because every bride deserves to toast in style. There are tons of brands to choose from, but I love these from Kate Spade!

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We hope the bride in your life enjoys these gifts, and let us know if there are any others that you have loved to give or receive!

See you in 2014,

Your favorite Flair girls 🙂

Bridesmaids’ gifts made easy!!

Your Flair consultants really sacrifice for you. We took an hour out of our day yesterday to walk down Newbury Street in search of fab jewelry and gifts for your best girls. It was grueling but we were happy to do it for you .

Our new obsession is Bobbles and Lace at 251 Newbury Street. They have absolutely amazing pieces at even more amazing prices! The jewelry is for the most part current and trendy, but they have classic styles too. We fell in love with their collection of rose gold jewelry; it’s the perfect combination of classic with an interesting twist. Plus, they have gorgeous bags and clutches if you decide to forgo the jewelry route. There’s something for everyone!

BONUS: They also have a great selection of super cute shoes and clothes so you can reward yourself for finding such great gifts for your girls. Perfection!

If you want a more interactive gift for your ladies, take them to the bangle bar at Alex and Ani (115 Newbury Street). The concept is simple: pick a bangle and then add a charm from their wide selection. They make the perfect memory of your day together and of your appreciation for them. The charm/friendship bracelet has gone modern people and you heard it here first (OK, maybe not first…)!

We’re sure your girls will love whatever you give them but if you want to be 100% sure, take our advice and hit up these Newbury Street hot spots. You’ll thank us!

XOXO

Lindsay

 

Spotlight on Lindsay & Jay! A “Flair-y Tail” Wedding!

What is a “Flair-y Tail” wedding you ask?

Once upon a time on a hot day in July after months and months of planning and thinking about her big day, the manager at Flair finally got married!  Although it was one of the hottest days of the year…..hovering around 90 degrees all day….it was a beautiful clear summer day for Lindsay and Jay to tie the knot, and as a guest at the wedding, it truly was a magical and gorgeous day! Here is what our esteemed manager had to say about her big day! XOXO

What was your inspiration for your wedding?

This is going to sound bad coming from someone in the wedding industry but I really didn’t have a theme or any one thing that inspired the wedding. As I got to each to each item (stationary, cake, dresses, etc) I really just chose what appealed to me most visually and hoped that everything looked great together in the end (which it did!). Personally, I am not a huge fan of theme weddings but every bride is different! One theme that did sort of creep out after we made a few decisions is that most everything was black, white and gray, so we ended up with a very neutral wedding. We really only had pops of color in the pink flowers and some pale pink in the cake. Brides, I encourage you to not get too caught up in a theme. Yes, sailboats are adorable on your personalized cocktail napkins, but you don’t necessarily need them on your cake, men’s ties, etc. This is your one chance to just choose things that you love and make it all about you, so go for it!

How did you tie that in to what you choose for your bridesmaid dresses/bridal gown?

After months of cutting out wedding gown photos from magazines, I found that all of the ones I loved had a few things in common: mermaid, strapless, ruffles. Turns out, I had a very specific style! I found just that at Kleinfeld in NYC; it was a great experience, though I would have loved the ease of purchasing my gown at Flair!!

I felt a lot of pressure when it came to the bridesmaids’ dresses. First things first, I wanted to make sure my girls loved their dress. Secondly, I work so close to the bridesmaids’ process that I really felt pressure to do something unique. This lead me to my two tone dresses. I am madly in love with them! A big thanks to Lynn Lugo for doing the two tone for me, I highly recommend it to brides looking to set their dresses apart a little.

What did you choose?

I chose the Tate dress by Lynn Lugo; gorgeous! Yes, I went with a trendier style with the one shoulder, but that truly didn’t bother me. It was my favorite and the girls’ favorite so that’s what we went with. Don’t overthink it brides! If you find one that everyone (or most everyone) likes by all means STOP LOOKING and go for it!

What color(s)?

Keeping with the neutral theme that developed, I went with a silver top and a gunmetal skirt. My sister/MOH had a black crystal A.B. Ellie belt to set her apart a little (more like a lot…she had more bling than me…). I love neutrals, it makes it much easier for the girls to rewear (fingers crossed) and you can always add color in the flowers, shoes, etc.

Tips for brides when selecting their BM dresses? Bridal Gowns?

1) Don’t overthink it! Brides are constantly asking themselves “Is this too trendy” “Does this go with the table linens?” “What will soandso think?” If you like it, don’t question it, go for it! You don’t want to look back and wish you’d gone another way.

2) When you find a dress you love, stop looking! There are lots of pretty dresses out there so you could torture yourself and keep looking but you’ll just end up stressed and tried.

3) Know from the start that you may not make all of your bridesmaids’ happy. Pretty self-explanatory, but it’s true. If they’re your good friends they’ll wear whatever you want them to. You’re the one that has to look at the photos for forever, so make sure YOU like how it looks first and foremost!

4) Be ready to do some tailoring, every dress needs some. I had some and all of my bridesmaids did too. So, even the “experts” aren’t immune. It’s just a fact of bridal life so get used to it!

When and where was your wedding?

I knew from the start that I wanted a chic, downtown wedding. We were married in St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Back Bay with the reception at the Skywalk at the top of the Prudential Center. Great views for our out of town guests!

What was your favorite part of the wedding?

Our first dance! In the last two weeks before the wedding we decided to add 6 dance lessons to our already packed schedule; certifiable but was worth EVERY minute. It was nice to escape and take the lessons together and then wow our guests with an amazing choreographed dance. I will never forget their reactions!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

We are waiting to honeymoon until the winter. It’s so nice in New England right now but we’ll be glad to escape the snow in a few months! We’re thinking Hawaii or the Atlantis in the Bahamas.

List of Vendors

Bridal gown: Alita Graham exclusive for Kleinfeld

Bridal Alterations: Newbury Tailoring Company (we wouldn’t send you a place we wouldn’t use too!)

Bridesmaids: Lynn Lugo from Flair (duh)

Veil: etsy!!!!

Shoes: Christian Louboutin

Flowers: Rob from Twig in the South End = genius!

Hair/makeup: Wedding Tresses (they are amazing!!)

DJ: DJ ACT1 (nicest guy ever!)

Ceremony Music: Intermezzo Chamber Players (Coldplay and Journey on the strings? Yes please!)

Photography: Mary Paulk for The Pros Photography (best deal around!)

Cake: Konditor Meister

 

So nice to finally be able to celebrate Lindsay and Jay’s wedding….she truly deserved such a beautiful and special day, especially after dressing hundreds of other bridal parties in and around New England!

Congrats to Lindsay & Jay!

May you live happily ever after……..

xoxo

Stacey 🙂

 

 

Ode to Moxie!

Pretty shoes are one of the many reasons I am SO glad to be a girl. Seriously, do you ever just look at guys’ shoes and think “yawn?” I know I do. The September issue is out and the verdict is in, it is good to be a girl!

Shoes have a magical way of transforming your entire outfit. The same chunky sweater dress can look casual, daytime chic with a pair of Tory Burch riding boots (which I am currently coveting) and cocktail appropriate with the Sam Edelman “Renzo” studded booties (go to Bloomingdales.com, look them up, thank me later). The same goes for the shoes you choose for your wedding day. We know better than anyone that it’s all about the gown, but your shoes really say something about you too. Are you a classic, petal pink ballerina flat or a trendy, blue Manolo ala Carrie Bradshaw? Personally, I went with sparkly Christian Louboutins and I loved them just as much as my gown (maybe even more when you consider that you actually can wear them again)!

To ensure that you start your wedding shoe love story off right, do yourself a favor and head straight to Moxie on Charles Street. The girls there are super cute and helpful and have a wide variety of styles to suit every bride/bridesmaid. The store itself is adorable and welcoming and the location is ideal for a shopping day with your best girls. When we went into Moxie to do research for this blog I of course parlayed that into shopping for myself. Unfortunately they didn’t happen to have my size in the Tory Burch riding boots or Revas that I wanted. Normally, this is a legitimate reason to spiral but they offered to call me when they got more in. Now that’s service! So, say goodbye to the boring, old ivory wedding shoes of the past and say hello to gold sparkle Kate Spade’s, black petaled Badgley Mischka’s and more!

Moxie

51 Charles Street (Beacon Hill)

617.557.9991

XOXO

Linds & Stace 🙂

I’ve been there, learn from me…

Hi pretty brides! I’m sure all of you 2011 brides are in stress central right? I was there approximately 1 month ago and you’ll get through it, I promise. I just got married on July 23 and it truly was the best day of my life. The feeling of having (almost) everyone you love all in one room is so overwhelming (in a good way!) and amazing. There’s nothing like it! So, keep that in mind as you do those last monotonous things. It will all be worth it in the end! I’ve come up with some tips to help you through the end of your planning process.

1)      Don’t sweat the small stuff: I know, it’s much easier said than done but really try to live by this mantra. Practicing what I preach: my bridal gown had little organza flowers on the skirt and people kept stepping on it which pulled some of the flowers off. This is not an excuse to go all Jeckyll and Bride all over said guest(s). My exact quote was “whatever!” Seriously, by the time your day gets here you’ll be so happy that stuff like that just doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

2)      Have a photo plan: The time you have between the ceremony and the reception goes by in warp speed. If you go in without a plan it’s going to pass you by and all you’ll have to show for it are a few cheesy posed shots that no one really likes. Know where you want to go and what groups of people you want photographed. Also, if time allows definitely save time for some photos of just you and your honey. It’s a nice way to relax a little and make it just about the two of you. It is your day, after all!

3)      SLOW DOWN: As anxious as you are to get married, take your walk down the aisle slowly. I sped through mine and it was tough for my photographer to get good photos. Whoops, fail, etc.

4)      Cheers!: Plan ahead and have some bubbly waiting for you and your bridal party after the ceremony. It will loosen them up a little for the photo session and it’s a great excuse to have people toast to you and tell you how fab you are.

5)      Girls night!: Don’t plan ANYTHING to do the night before the wedding (besides the rehearsal/ rehearsal dinner of course). Spend your last single night with your best girls. If you’re anything like me and my friends you’ll end up gabbing and doing those cheesy dance moves that you can’t do in front of your fiance. Well, soon you can because you’ll be married and he’s stuck with you no matter what…

Boston’s Best Moderately Priced Bridal Gowns!!

We know….Flair is known for selling bridesmaid dresses….it even says it in our name but we don’t discriminate against brides! In fact we love brides and we love brides who are looking for simple yet elegant gowns!!  So, with that being said our next few Blogs are going to be dedicated to the Bridal Gowns we carry here at Flair!!  So, maybe next time you come in you won’t be saying, “Oh, you guys carry bridal gowns?  I had no idea!!”

Jenny Yoo

Simple, Modern and understated….add a sparkling belt or a elegant flowered sash and make any of her dresses your own!! Don’t forget all of these are 15% off this month!

Jenny Yoo’s “Aimee” in eastern silk regular price$1,199 

$1019.15 this month!

Jenny Yoo “Charlize” in organza $1595 regular price

$1355.75 this month!

Jenny Yoo “Elysia” in Silk Shantung $1399 regular price

$1189.15 this month!

Jenny Yoo “Mackenzie” in Eastern Silk $725 reg price

$616 this month!

Jenny Yoo’s “Madison” in Silk taffeta $1475 regular price

$1253.75 this month!

Jenny Yoo “Mira” in silk chiffon $875 regular price

$743.75 this month!

Jenny Yoo “Naomi” in Silk Duchess Satin $1800 regular price

$1530 this month!

Jenny Yoo “Riely” in Silk Shantung $1375

$1168.75 this month!

Jenny Yoo “Tara” in silk shantung $850 regular price

$722.50 this month!

 

What we are trying to tell you is come see us to try on some beautiful bridal gowns as well as bridesmaids dresses! We promise you will not be disappointed!

 

Stay tuned next up…..

Coren Moore’s bridal collection!

XOXO
Stacey & Lindsay