The Preppy Princess Turns 500

Hello-Hello!

Happy Tuesday to everyone, and apologies for yesterday’s whineathon of a post, it was most unbecoming. We promise to be a better Princess today. In fact, today’s post is all sweetness and light. Seriously.

Because today marks our 500th post!

And to mark the occasion we are going to do something we’re not very good at: talking about ourselves (all of us, each and every Princess…heh-heh-heh), in a manner of speaking. More accurately, talking about life on the Preppy Planet as seen through the eyes of our little blog.

Our very first post was back on February 10, 2008, titled Prepalicious Alberta Ferretti. We looked at an outstanding collection from this designer (perhaps better known for her Philosophy line), but not one generally considered to offer a preppy aesthetic.

Our single most popular post? It is titled Gossip Girls Haunt the Hamptons & Here’s One for the Military:

JustJared.com

“… this would be actor Ed Westwick, a Brit who plays a rather slimy fellow named Chuck Bass. There were other celeb sightings: we were told that any females in the vicinity of actor Chace Crawford tend to swoon, or get a bit giggly, as seen in the photo below. You know, teenage, pre-teen, post-teen, tweens, you name it, almost any female breathing in and out could be susceptible, at least from from what we understand.”

Our second most popular post has to have the longest title ever created: Summer Olympics Fashion Focus, Ralph Lauren Team USA Opening Ceremony Uniforms Reactions, and Who Was “Preppy” Dressed Team?

Courtesy Polo Ralph Lauren

Other hot topics include Tiffany Eyeglasses….

Courtesy Tiffany

… Goyard totes,

Courtesy Goyard

…along with all manner of apparel and accessories, especially of a preppish design.

Jim Young/Reuters

And when those styles intersected with politics and/or celebrity (let alone darling little girls), that only seemed to heighten the interest. Sketches have also been popular.

Courtesy J. Crew

J. Crew proved especially adroit at maximizing marketing opportunities in this arena.

Occasionally we let a little of our LogoPhobia (a little?!) rear its head, and we have delighted in sharing felt obligated to report on those newly named to the Anti-Prep Wall of Shame.  We have also loved finding things that are Pretty in Pink, discovering Argyle Adventures, not to mention sharing anything nautically inclined, adorned with grosgrain ribbon, or done in a seersucker or madras motif.

The goings on here at the Prepatorium have also been topics for discussion, as well as our little trips to visit TQM (The Queen Mother) and other royalty, along with cataloguing the travails of getting that drawbridge over the moat up and down when we’re at the mercy of such a testy group of gnomes.  Don’t you find that getting good help is so hard these days?! (This is where one inserts the smirk.)

Classic prep retailers, clothing with a Lilly label (let alone our Lilly Pulitzer stationery collection), spring and fall Fashion Weeks, Grand Slam tennis, nothing is safe it seems, especially if The Consort is doing the post! And we’ll probably keep it that way, unless you direct us to do otherwise. (Although some might be surprised at what we consider our favorite post, as it has nothing whatsoever to do with preppy style or fashion.)

Because we follow your lead; the very best part of all this bloggage has been our treasured readers. By far.  We consider ourselves more-than-fortunate to have made so many friends via this medium, we really are blessed. So if there is something you want to see more, or hear less about, anything at all, do tell! We always want to know your thoughts.

After this there really isn’t anything we can say other than “Thank you”.

All About the Pink & MAC in Lillyland Update

Hello-Hello and Happy Friday!

As mentioned in a previous post, October brings an increase in the volume of ‘pink products’ we all see, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Last year we remember the always-wonderful Adventures of a Southern Newlywed doing a post showing many of the ‘pink’ items available that supported varying breast cancer initiatives, and we’re borrowing her idea for today’s post! (Thank you Miss Preppy Newlywed.)

We begin with items we call cosmetics with a cause; below we show the Bobbi Brown Pink Ribbon collection.

This set introduces a new lip shade, Blush Pink, and includes a limited-edition lip balm, Pink Crystal Glitter.  The set sells for $40, and there are no shipping charges, there’s a nice surprise! The company will donate $35,000 from their North American sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Clinique offers the Great Lips, Great Cause collection of mini-lip glosses on a keychain.

CLOSE

The limited edition set also includes 2 charms: a Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Ribbon and a Clinique ‘C.’  (We’ll overlook any latent Logophobia symptoms in light of the greater good.) The set is a very reasonable $18, and $10 of that goes to the BCRF.  The company will also donate 25 percent of sales of its Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion to the BCRF.

Clinique and Bobbi Brown are both part of the Estee Lauder family; Evelyn Lauder founded the BCRF in 1992.

As part of our Friday Fun we offer a few Gossip Girl tidbits, first, the ongoing debate over this promo for the show.

Courtesy CW

Below, a sampling of Entertainment Weekly’s reaction to the ad.

“Freaked out yet? Confused at who you’re looking at? Concerned for the safety of any small children or ponies who may be nearby? Or does this inspire you to similarly tease your hair, slather on a terrifyingly dark shade of lipstick, and hang some door-knockers from your ears?”

Hhhmmm, some of the hair is a little frightening.  And our other tidbit, the cast is shooting in Chinatown this week. Below, actor Chace Crawford looks dapper on his way to the set.

Justin Campbell/JustJared.com

Singer/actress Leighton Meester is wearing some serious platforms as she heads to her next scene.

Jose Perez/Splash News

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We simply must share these next items for today’s Pretty in Pink, both from Louis Vuitton.

Courtesy photo via WWD.com

Nope, that was not a typo, Louis Vuitton is about to unleash debut a fine jewelry collection. Women’s Wear Daily (subscription req’d.) has more:

“Spirit of Travel collection — consisting of six jewelry sets, each with a one-of-a-kind necklace retailing for up to $2.5 million — will then be unveiled to the public on Oct. 15 at Vuitton’s flagship on the Champs-Elysées.”

Courtesy photo via WWD

These are undoubtedly stunning when seen up close, they are amazing creations.

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Previously we shared news (in this post) of the upcoming MAC cosmetics partnership with Lilly Pulitzer; their MAC in Lillyland collection is due out January 7. Now we have names for the actual items, and most invoke classic Lilly, like Joie-de-vivre and Optimistic Orange for two of the blush colors. Many readers will appreciate the Lipgelee names:

• Lush & Bright
• Shift to Pink
• Resort Life
• Preppy

(How about that fourth name?) Also, we do know one of the two nail colors is Steamy.

Courtesy MAC

This color is not a Limited Edition, but part of the current MAC collection and available online.

May everyone enjoy a sensational weekend!

Headwear for a Princess, Prepalicious Sales & Savings

Hello-Hello, we hope it is cheery and sunny in your corner of the globe, it is simply beautiful here at the Prepatorium.

We switch gears a tad, taking a break from our dedicated coverage of the major Fashion Weeks, including the fourth and final week of designer shows now underway in Paris.  Fear not, we shan’t slight the incredible styles being revealed, and will focus on them in the next day or so.

We simply wanted to take a more lighthearted approach today, things or events that might prompt a smile, perhaps more appropriate to our Friday Fun category, but golly, TP is feeling wild and crazy, so we’ll just have some Friday-Fun-on-Thursday!

We start with a cute and creative way to transform those less-than-attractive helmets worn for protection into magical style statements. Behold, the Princess and the Frog.

CalliopeBoutique.com

For a closer look, here is a better photo of the Princess model, what a great way to stay safe under one’s helmet while also feeling fashionable and fun.  

These are constructed of fleece, so they are durable, and they’re available mid-October at the always-fabulous Calliope Boutique. For some reason The Consort is rather fond of this model:

Should we be concerned?

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Next, a cosmetic update from the Times with their story “For Lashes, Blue is Back”

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Some readers may carry memories of colored mascaras from back in the eighties. Apparently the trend has returned, according to Hilary Howard’s story, and a plethora of colors awaits your discerning selection. Or not.

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Next, a few Sales and Savings opportunities for you to ponder.

The Tory Burch Fall Sale is underway with some significant savings.

Another brand with preppish leanings, Kate Spade, has started its Friends and Family Sale.

The promotional event extends a 30% discount off one’s entire purchase, it  ends Oct. 4.  To receive the discount use promo code FALLFF09 at checkout.

Another favorite retailer, Garnet Hill, has started their October Clearance, with markdowns taken throughout the store.

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Next, news that yet another interesting magazine cover has been landed by a Gossip Girl star. In this case, Ed Westwick is showcased on the cover of Arena Homme+ for their Winter/Spring 2009/2010 issue.

Courtesy Arena Homme +

Arena Homme+ describes itself as “The World’s Leading Men’s Fashion Magazine” and while we were unable to locate a website for the publication, we did locate an Arena Homme+ Facebook page for those seeking more information. Additionally, Amazon offers the magazine. (It all looks a little odd to us, but then we’re not very familiar with the magazine.)

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We close with a treat discovered by our friends at the Pink and Green Scene, where their vigilance in seeking out all things in our favorite color scheme leads to such discoveries as this Little MissMatched Accent Pillow.

Courtesy Pink & Green Scene

If interested in adding this to the decor at your Palace, it is now on sale at $19.99 right here.

Smiles and hopes of a buoyant day to everyone!

That Back to School Preppy Look…?

Hello-Hello, and welcome to another edition of “Preppy is Everywhere, Version #4921”.

There are numerous and diverse references to what we’ll call broadly term ‘preppy fashion’ strewn about the media landscape this week. In yesterday’s post we discussed the merits, or lack thereof, of ‘sexy preppy’.

Today we turn to the Trib for “Preppy fashion takes on an edgy look,” offering a more egalitarian look at the task of clothing one’s offspring for the approaching (or already underway) school year.

“For most people, back to school does not mean a return to a pricey prep school.”

“But no matter what your age or station in life, prep school style is a classic.”

We actually concur with the majority of statements in that portion of the article outlining classic style. As frequent readers may be expecting, we do reach a point where TP’s opinions don’t sync with the author’s. In this case it is the point where the story suggests “replacements” for classic preppy styles. For example, the ‘Naughty nurse white stretch knee-highs’ replacing regular knee-highs? We think not. (Fear not, TP is not accessorizing her skirts with knee-highs.)

We also have “preppy collegiate” as described by Lands’ End and Parents magazine in a ‘ joint survey’ on back-to-school fashion, described in this post on a Plain Dealer (Cleveland) blog:

“… experts say girls and boys are tweaking their looks under themes they’ve dubbed “boho chic” and “preppy collegiate,” with loads of references from the 1980s — skinny jeans, tunic tops and sweaters, leggings and splashes of neon.”

For those of us having witnessed many of the looks mentioned above, we can only say this is frightening. Very, very frightening.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers the following in a similar piece, using an ad from Kohl’s as an illustration:

• “Whether it be the rocker look or that Upper East Side preppy look … a lot of kids, especially teens, are taking their cues from celebrities…”
• “The combination of preppy and edgy make for a fun outfit…” (according to an American Eagle spokesperson)

  

We’ll be sharing more on the continued association of the ‘preppy look’ with other styles in the next few weeks; it appears there is no shortage of material on the topic. We’ll end today’s conversation with a look simply referred to this way in OK! Magazine:

“Ed Westwick and Sebastian Stan don their preppy best on the set of Gossip Girl…”

PHOTO: Joseph Giannattasio/PacificCoastNews.com

The Gossip Girl crew was shooting in Central Park yesterday.

What is your preppy best…?

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We actually have two Pretty in Pink items today, the first is our darling  Funkier Monkey Backpack from Four Peas, as seen in this recent story about Polo Ralph Lauren styles for back-to-school.  The story is a good read, as the styles are actually reviewed after being given a bit of a test drive by the kids.

About.com

You can also see the Pink Funkier Monkey School Supply Holder, ideal for those pencils, crayons, and who-knows-what your little needs to carry. (Pssst: these are also ideal for cosmetics and other items!)

Our second Pretty in Pink comes via The Peak of Chic in a post showcasing the many talents of boutique tentmaker Anne Girault; we thought the following would bring a smile to the soul.

What do you think, is it something Silly Tilly needs for her collection of beds here at the Prepatorium? She already insists on riding ‘up front’ in the Princessmobile, the better to provide directions to the Consort.

Of course.

Sneak Peek at Target’s Next Jewelry Line & the Tale of a Tee Makes a Princess Weep

Hello-Hello!

Greetings from the soaked and sodden Prepatorium here in the Great Midwest!

We start with news we simply have to share because it is so fun: we are the lucky winner of a beautiful scarf given away by Coterie Blog! Coterie is a must-read for us, written with a delightful mix of elegance, wit and just the right amount of whimsy for a perfect blend, and we highly recommend it!

Here is a peek at the luscious scarf we won in Miss Coterie’s giveaway…

Thank You Miss Coterie!

As much as we love reading the Coterie blog, we are equally fond, if not more so, of her Coterie Books blog. We’re fanatical readers here at Princess HQ, it’s almost a sickness, really. It has been said about TP: “She’s never met a book she didn’t like.” At any rate, erudite verbiage and brevity are also hallmarks of the Coterie Book blog posts, and the recommendations are stellar. One of this week’s suggestions?

Toddle on over for a little visit, you’ll enjoy yourself at either spot, promise!

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Back in April we shared news about the next jewelry collaboration from the wise minds at Le Boutique Targèt, this one with Anna Sheffield, perhaps best known for her Bing-Bang jewelry collection, popularized by the collection she did with Urban Outfitters, Bee 23.

The Collection lands at your local Tarszay August 30, but here’s a sneak peek at some of the pieces, starting with the Bow Necklace as featured in this month’s Teen Vogue:

Courtesy Teen Vogue

Another look at the necklace can be seen in this next photo, on the far left.

Anna Sheffield for Target

The Charm Bracelet seen below carries that same look of a simple, single stone, in this case accented by two charms. The bracelet will retail at $39.99

Anna Sheffield for Target

The Hoops and Thoughts Heart Charm Earrings will also run $39.99.

Anna Sheffield for Target

Here is another group of necklaces:

Anna Sheffield for Target

The necklaces will run $29.99 to $49.99. Also from the group, a cute little ring…

Anna Sheffield for Target

And earrings with a similar topic or theme:

Anna Sheffield for Target

Again, this Collection arrives at select Target stores and online August 30th.

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In keeping with our tedious coverage continuing looks at fashions sported by the cast of Gossip Girl on-air and off, we share a few photos from this weekend’s Teen Choice Awards, starting with Leighton Meester.

PHOTO: Fred Prouser/Reuters

Also at the event, co-star Chace Crawford.

PHOTO: Frank Micelotta/TCA

Gossip Guy Ed Westwick was in attendance as well.

PHOTO: Matt Sayles/AP

Dolls, we are struggling with the appeal Mr. Westwick holds for so many; is the expression seen upon his face in the photo above supposed to make him endearing? Cute? Cuddly? Let’s give him another opportunity to show those qualities, shall we?

PHOTO: Getty Images

The best we can do is say this is brnging us back to the “weaselly” or “appearance of a well-fed ferret” comments of a previous post.  Are we just hopelessly out of touch? Do tell, as the sense of being an ignoramus is crushing. (Ahem.)

Oh, and the surfboards are evidently the prize given to winners. Guess that doesn’t quite fit in the carry-on.

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We close with a SOTT (Sign Of The Times) about Brioni, the upscale and ever-so-stylish Italian fashion house. (Think about the exquisite black tie apparel sported by “Bond, James Bond,” among other things.) Word comes today via the Times that the firm is acceding to These Challenging Economic Times. They will be marketing a tee-shirt.

A tee-shirt.

The story better explains why this is a shocker:

“…it will be the first offering of its kind for Brioni, whose image — and bottom line — have been built on formal wear and dressing rich Town & Country-style men since its founding in 1945.”

And while the Consort’s evening wear is not from this company, we have long loved the firm, in large part because of its rigid adherence to custom and quality, the refusal on their part to move manufacturing to less expensive locations, like Mexico.  More from the Times story:

“… it’s a telling sign of how both the financial crisis and changing consumer habits are forcing even the most conservative, family-owned luxury goods makers to adapt to a new world.”

Here is a look at the item under discussion:

PHOTO: Justin Maxon/The New York Times

It is difficult to discern from the photo, but the images on the shirt are vintage Brioni labels from 1950’s and 60’s vintage apparel.  We love the way the company’s CEO discusses the shirt:

“It should feel different from Hanes,” sniffed Mr. Perrone, a soft-spoken, aristocratic heir who became Brioni’s first sole chief executive last month…”

For more on “A Suitmaker to Princes Adapts to the Financial Crisis” from writer Nelson D. Schwartz, it is an outstanding read.  Sniff.

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And if you click on the bio link for the author in the paragraph above, you’ll learn where we found this darling Fiat, today’s Pretty in Pink.

PHOTO: Rafal Klimkiewicz for The NY Times

Until tomorrow!