Friday Fun: Preppy Modern Office, Prabal Gurung for Target & Miss Wu

Hello-hello, welcome to a Friday at the Prepatorium, where after a week of this….

Preppy Princess InterGalactic HQ

We’re more than ready for something vibrant and cheery like this:

Anything sunny and bright is making us smile today. That brings us to our first topic, a lovely post from the good folks at Kravet about a ‘preppy modern office‘. Here is more from inspired.talk, Kravet’s blog.

As temperatures continue their slow descent to zero in the Northeast, it seemed fitting to cast our eyes west to the fresh, fun office of Bravado Design in San Diego, California where they are certainly not bundled up in their warmest layers. The office, inspired by its owner’s lifelong love for Lilly Pulitzer, feels like a warm dose of sunshine. No matter which version of winter you’re currently experiencing, we feel certain this inspiring office will appeal to you. Enjoy!

Another angle.

Via inspired.talk

Details about the process:

The previous space was modern, “more serious,” as Soldau put it. The redesign included white furniture, adding paint to dark stained walls, and freshening up the plain doors with accent paint and molding detail. With bright, citrusy fabrics from Lilly Pulitzer for Lee Jofa, the vibe is energetic and youthful.

Reading about the office first thing this morning definitely brightened my day.

Via inspired.talk

You can read the entire Kravet post here, and/or learn more about Bravado Design here.

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Also on our hit parade today, a very quick peek at the upcoming Target collaboration with designer Prabal Gurung.

Courtesy Photos

A closer look at one of the dresses, this is one of the print ads you’ll see if you haven’t already.

Target Courtesy Photos

Pricing looks reasonable, although once again I wonder about a $199 price point at Targét. Here is some background on the collection as shared in Target’s news release.

Prabal Gurung for Target was inspired by a tender love story, offering women’s apparel and accessories suitable for all occasions from the initial crush to the first kiss, to everlasting love.Ranging in price from $19.99 to $199.99 for apparel and $12.99 to $39.99 for accessories and shoes,

Target Courtesy Photo

Below we show a minaudiere in the ‘Nolita’ print, it will be $34.99.

Target Courtesy Photo

The collection launches February 10 online and in-store. If you would like to look at the entire 80-piece line, Elle has the lookbook.

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Our final tidbit isn’t really “news,” it’s about products that have been available for several weeks. We’re talking about the ‘Miss Wu’ collection for Nordstrom by Jason Wu.  Below, the ‘Belted Crepe de Chine Shirtdress,’ it is $375.

Nordstrom Courtesy Photo

If looking to expand my wardrobe this line holds far more possibilities than the Gurung collection, a function of the distinctly different style aesthetics of Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu. Of course, the Miss Wu prices are significantly higher.

Miss Wu for Nordstrom

Above we show a silk Geometric Print Chiffon Blouse ($265), the Modern Weave Crop Jacket ($495) atop the matching Shift Dress ($425), and the Bow Back Cotton Topper coat ($595).

That’s all for today, may the sun shine on your weekend!

Inauguration Showcases All-American Prep Brands: Kate Spade, J. Crew, Reed Krakoff, Thom Browne & More

Hello-Hello, welcome to one of those quasi-holidays, here at the Prepatorium we are in the “of course it’s a work day” mode, but hope those with the day off are enjoying their time away from the workplace.

Today we talk Inauguration fashions, a politics-free look at what the First Family wore for official events in our nation’s Capital. We begin with the fashions seen on Mrs. Obama, Malia and Sasha at yesterday’s official swearing-in ceremony.

Via Mrs. O

The First Lady wore Reed Krakoff, a custom silk dress in ultramarine blue with matching ultramarine cardigan. The designer is the longtime creative director at Coach and the brand’s president, he started his own womenswear line in 2010.  This image gives you a better look at Sasha Obama’s dress.

Official White House Facebook Page

Mr. Krakoff spoke with Women’s Wear Daily:

He said he started working on the concept for the First Lady’s ultramarine abstract wash print silk shift more than three months ago. Krakoff has never met the First Lady but she wore one of his gowns to the Pritzker Awards ceremony last year.

He declined to elaborate about “the process” that went into the ultramarine shift dress out of respect to the White House. Krakoff did say the design idea stemmed from Michelle Obama’s sense of style more than the ceremony’s Blue Room location  – “the color of the room was a happy coincidence.”

Sasha wore the Mariposa Lace Dress in Plum from Plenty by Tracy Reese, the piece was made exclusively for Anthropologie.  The cotton/nylon frock has a navy underslip, it originally sold at $248 but is now on sale for $69.95.

Mrs. Obama also wore Tracy Reese while volunteering for Saturday’s National Day of Service. I don’t yet know who designed the electric blue dress worn by Malia Obama at yesterday’s ceremony.

For this morning’s church service at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church the First Lady repeated the Reed Krakoff cardigan from yesterday atop a different dress.

Official White House Flickr

For the church service and public swearing-in ceremonies at the Capitol Mrs. Obama wore a dress and coat by Thom Browne. Mr. Browne is a designer many Princess readers have heard about, among other things, he does the Black Fleece line for Brooks Brothers.  (He is also responsible for some of the wackiest runway shows in history, but we’ll stay away from that topic for the day.) This is not the first time the First Lady has worn Mr. Browne’s designs, she wore a dress by him for the third debate during the election.

Mrs. O

More on how process of creating the ensemble via the On the Runway blog:

Mr. Browne designed the outfit specifically for Mrs. Obama after her office invited him to submit an idea several months ago, but he was not told in advance whether she would wear it. The coat and dress each have a fitted bodice and a slight flare below the waist.

The material is a jacquard weave based on the fabric used in men’s silk ties.  The fabric and lines of Mrs. Obama’s coat are similar to this dress from Mr. Browne’s pre-fall 2013 collection.

Thom Browne Facebook Page

Mrs. Obama accessorized with J. Crew: the shoes she wore to church this morning were the low-heeled Valentina pump in the ‘aluminum’ color.

J. Crew ‘Valentina’ Pumps

Crew also did her Portolano leather gloves (although Mrs. Obama’s color is no longer available) and the bejeweled belt worn atop her coat for the swearing-in portion of the day’s events was by J. Crew. She changed out of the Valentina shoes into Reed Krakoff boots for the Capitol Hill ceremony and parade. Mrs. Obama also wore earrings by Cathy Waterman.

Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert/White House Blog

The Obama girls were in brightly colored coats and scarves.

Via Mrs. O

Malia Obama wore J. Crew, the label’s Double Cloth Lady Coat in plum.

J. Crew Double-cloth Lady Coat with Thinsulate®

The coat is an Italian wool and nylon blend, it features a high waist with inset waistband, rounded collar, on-seam pockets. With today’s nippy temps in Washington, perhaps the best part of the coat is its lining: Thinsulate®. It looked like her dress is Crew’s Teddie in Byzantine Blue.

J. Crew “Teddie” Dress

The Teddie is a wool crepe with distinctive darts and shirring at the waist, three-quarter sleeves and an exposed back zipper. The dress is available at J. Crew as of this writing (5pm EST) in three colors, it is priced at $198.

Win McNamee/Pool

Sasha wore a Kate Spade coat with a striped purple dress underneath. From what I could tell it appeared to be the label’s ‘Patrice’ coat and Carolyn dress. We show the Patrice in black at Neimans (where it is sold out) and the Carolyn in another colorway at Kate Spade. Both pieces showcase a fit and flare silhouette, the sleeveless dress is a silk/cotton blend while the coat is all wool.

Neiman Marcus/Kate Spade

Both girls were in flats.

It is amazing to see how the Obama girls have grown in four years, on the left we see them in 2009, on the right, today’s young ladies. Some may recall that both Obama girls wore Crewcuts for the first Inauguration.

Justin Karp Twitter Feed

Dr. Jill Biden was in Lela Rose, the designer’s Silk Bow Coat.

Pool photo by Win McNamee via The NY Times

Eric Wilson from the Times has more:

Lela Rose…said Mrs. Biden came to her in an unexpected way. Mrs. Biden bought her dress at Neiman Marcus, and the store called Ms. Rose about a week and a half ago, looking for a matching coat.

“I wanted to create a coat that looked good with the dress without being exactly a matching look,” Ms. Rose said in a telephone interview from her home in Sullivan County, N.Y.

Here we see the coat in another color.

Lela Rose ‘Silk Bow Coat’

The piece is lovely but not terribly warm, back to Eric Wilson’s post:

The coat is made of a shimmering silk and wool fabric, but, Ms. Rose said, “I’m sure she’s cold. The coat is not all that warm.”

A quasi-similar and much less expensive version of the coat is sold via HSN.

HSN

Keep in mind this is not the same as Jill Biden’s, it merely shows similar lines. When we say less expensive, we mean it: $14.98.

HSN

Be advised the piece is similar in design only, the quality cannot be anywhere near that of the coat worn by Jill Biden.

As for the man of the hour, President Obama was in the same Brooks Brothers coat he wore four years ago.

That’s it for today, we’ll have an update on the Inaugural Ball party frocks tomorrow!

The Princess Shocks (Kinda’ Sorta’ Not Really)

Hello-Hello, welcome to a gorgeous (but nippy) Tuesday here at the Prepatorium.  However, it’s possible we should rename it the “Bakeatorium,” in light of today’s topic.  For today, treasured readers, we share our first-ever recipe. (Gasp.)

That’s right, in all of our 1093 posts we have never posted a recipe.  We have shared a few culinary disasters mishaps over the years, like the Jello mold-that-didn’t-mold. Some readers may recall it was a rather slithery mess, oozing its way across and off the serving plate.

Chez Prepatorium

However, we recently made a recipe we thought merited sharing, it is that good.  We ended up making it as the not-at-all-rational reaction to a family member’s admission to the hospital. You know, that “Baking and cooking for the spouse will help immensely!” sentiment. The obvious question is who it actually helps more: the chef, or those worried about their loved one.

But enough nattering on. Behold, the Oatmeal Cake.

Penzeys.com

It was a recipe in a Penzeys Spices booklet, we’re big fans of the company. For those interested in trying it at home, here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 1 Cup regular (not quick cook or instant) oatmeal
• 11/2 Cups boiling water
• 1 Cup brown sugar
• 1 Cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 11/2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. CINNAMON
• 1/2 tsp. GROUND NUTMEG
• 1/4 tsp. salt

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 Cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1 egg
• 11/2 Cups shredded coconut
• 1 Cup chopped pecans
• 1 Cup brown sugar
• 3 TB. milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°. Put the butter and oatmeal in a roomy mixing bowl. Add the boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes. Beat in the sugars, eggs and VANILLA. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Then spread with frosting (below) and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the frosting is brown and bubbling. Let cool for at least 30 minutes, then serve warm or cold.
Frosting: Mix all of the ingredients together well, and then carefully and quickly spread it over the hot cake. Continue baking as instructed above.

NOTE: The recipe above is from the Penzeys website. The recipe I followed in the booklet calls for the frosting to be spread over the cake (it will be thick but easier to spread as it absorbs heat from the cake) and then the cake is placed 2″ from the heat of your oven broiler for 2-4 minutes, until it is browned. I am guessing the recipe is changed because of safety concerns, but I really don’t know.

Here’s the details for those interested in the particulars.

Prep. time: 30 minutes (20 minutes oatmeal resting in water time)
Baking time: 45-50 minutes
Serves: 18

Nutritional Information: Servings 18;
Serving Size 1 piece (95g); Calories 310; Calories from fat 140; Total fat 15g; Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 170mg; Carbohydrate 40g; Dietary Fiber 2g.

Ours didn’t look quite as pretty as the photo above, but it wasn’t bad either. And it certainly was nice to be able to deliver some ready to eat goodies (yes, we included more responsible food, a roasted chicken, salad, etc.) to someone making multiple treks to the hospital. (Does anyone else leap into the kitchen to cook when notified a close relative or friend is hospitalized?)

There you have it, the first (and perhaps only) recipe shared on The Princess blog! But the best news is that the Consort’s family member should be home soon, that’s a blessing.

Just. Say. No.

Hello-Hello, welcome to another beautiful day here at the Prepatorium.

Today we have just one item, but we feel compelled to limit the length of our post as a precautionary measure because of the subject matter.  Trauma to one’s psyche upon seeing today’s topic merits, nay, demands brevity. What, pray tell, are we talking about? (Here’s a chance to avert your gaze and also get little ones out of the room, they don’t need to be burdened with this.)

This.

The Telegraph

And this.

CHAOS Magazine

Apparently even teen heartthrob Justin Bieber is a fan.

The Kit, Canada

More from the across the pond via the good folks at The Telegraph:

But “Megging”, as the male legging is known, is now all the rage in sartorial circles. Celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Russell Brand and Lenny Kravitz have all been spotted wearing leggings, while fashion stores Uniqlo, Barneys and Nordstrom are selling tights for men.

Well, that’s enlightening. And frightening. I paid a visit to Nordstrom and did a search for the abomination.

Nordstrom

In reality only two items seemed to be even remotely akin to jeggings, meggings or variations therein. Officially titled “Topman Spray On Skinny Jeans,” they can be had for your MOTH (Man of the House) for a mere $39.98.

Topman ‘Spray On’ Skinny Jeans (Acid)

Perhaps this will have many readers howling in laughter at my stupidity, but aside from the two items upper left (and to my uneducated eye they appear to be skinny jeans), the rest of the offerings at Nordies look like long underwear or running gear, no?

Nordstrom.com

We return to the Telegraph story for a moment, you can see how eager to embrace the phenomenon Brits are:

The bad news is they are on their way to Britain: Uniqlo is already selling them on its British website, and their success in New York is seen as an indication they will also prove popular here.

It may be too late to halt the invasion (seems like a lovely thing to export and be done with, no?), below we share a pair of meggings now sold out at Selfridges (a UK store).

Selfridges

Sadly, there are more where those came from.

Farfetch.com

We like the way they put it in the the Daily Northwestern:

Yes, these tight tragedies actually exist. It was only a matter of time, I suppose. Are you an athlete or a dancer? No? Then don’t even go there.

Far be it from us to defend American Apparel, named as one of our original Anti-Preps, but many cite this American Apparel item as a sign of the apocalypse (perhaps I’m merely providing another opportunity to laugh at your trusty scribe for being so pathetically naive) but according to the description, they are “baby rib long underwear”.

American Apparel

That’s what they look like to me.  CHAOS magazine also puts it well:

We are all about self-expression. Madonna taught us to express ourselves, and Lady Gaga preached that we were all born this way. While these things may be true, there are just some trends that do not need to happen. I’m looking at you, meggings. In case you don’t know what meggings are, they’re leggings, but for men. I’m all about bending the rules of fashion; hell, guys wear a skirt for all I care. But, this is just a TMI waiting to happen.

Via The Daily Mail

Methinks it’s time to invoke Nancy Reagan’s classic phrase and Just. Say. No.

Banana Republic + Milly Collaboration, Lady Mary’s Wedding Dress, And Slippers in Public

Hello-Hello, happy new week. We have a variety of little bits and bytes to share today, hopefully you will find some of them appealing.

Our first item involves two brands we like, Milly and Banana Republic.  Women’s Wear Daily reports the two have paired up for a collaborative collection due out this May.

Courtesy Image via WWD.com

The pairing makes a lot of sense. Milly’s Michelle Smith designs pieces with clean lines that are retain a pretty, feminine feel. It is the first time Ms. Smith has designed menswear, BR’s Simon Kneen offers his perspective:

“I don’t think Michelle thought her style could be translated into men’s wear. I was excited by the challenge and she was open to the idea. We’re turning the Milly brand into something interesting for our guys.” Kneen said he hopes Smith will launch men’s wear in her own business.

The collection will include jewelry and accessories, prices for the entire line will run from $24.50 to $175. I loved much of what Trina Turk created last year for her collaboration with Banana Republic, and can’t wait to see this line.  BTW, there are some fabulous bargains being offered at Milly right now, if anyone is still looking to supplement the walk-in, it is worth a little look-see.

One other note about Banana Republic’s collaborative efforts, its third Mad Men collection debuts March 1.

Courtesy Image via WWD.com

This collection is based more on Megan, Don’s wife.

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Next, a story about what we hope isn’t really a “mini-trend,” the wearing of fuzzy slippers on public, as noted in this NY Times story:

Saggers, slip dresses, lingerie worn as outerwear, pajamas on the street, bed head, Crocs and the dreaded Adidas shower shoes are all examples of the ways a once sharp division between how we dress at home and present ourselves on the street has blurred, probably forever. The days of a hat and gloves for town are gone with the dodo.

This is certainly suited for either (or both) our You Can’t Make This Stuff Up and It’s Just Not Done. (It makes me want to start a Just Say No category as well.)

Photo Montage via the New York Times

 Back to the piece by Guy Trebay.

So it should not be surprising that a mini-trend previously confined to students at private girls’ schools, the tendency to wear fuzzy bedroom slippers out on the street, has suddenly and unexpectedly crossed over to the adult population.

Perhaps we need to bring back Albert Einstein.

Via Imgur

At least he had the good manners to confine his use to his home and porch. (To the best of my knowledge, limited though it may be.)

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Our final item of note looks at last night’s Downton Abbey première.  One of the series’ main characters was married, I am curious how everyone liked Lady Mary’s wedding gown…?

ITV/Masterpiece Theatre

As described by Real Style Network:

Lady Mary wears an ivory column dress with a satin sash below the waist and sheer long sleeves, which was at the height of fashion for the time. She tops off her look with a long white veil and a headpiece made to look like a crown of gold leaves and dainty flowers.

ITV/Masterpiece

It seemed very much in keeping with the era and with the character’s personal style as seen on the show.

That’s it for today, until next time may the sun shine on your days and the stars on your nights!