Ask Belle Roundup: Vol. IV, No. Nine

Feb 19, 2014

Hi Belle,

I’m not much of a jewelry person, but I’m trying to get into necklaces. I’m having a lot of trouble finding a simple necklace. My necklace collection consists of an outline of California pendant and a really simple Tiffany circle pendant. I’d like to stay along these lines (have I mentioned the word simple?), and something under $50, preferably – the Tiffany pendant was a gift.

Thanks!  Ali

I love simple pendant necklaces, they’re one of my favorite types of jewelry.  I like to wear them on their own or layered for a unique look.

If you’re looking for a cheap thrill, start with Gorjana or Dogeared.  They both make lovely pieces in the under-$100 price point.

In the under-$50 price range, I love this inverted pyramid necklace from Rebecca Minkoff.  I also like this Nadri water-drop necklace and this pendulum necklace from Modcloth.  But this On the Mark necklace from Stella & Dot is my favorite (comes in silver and gold).

Hi Belle,

Love your blog! I hope to move to DC after I graduate from pharmacy school next year. My white coat ceremony is next month, and I was hoping you could find me a dress a la Michelle Obama or Clare Underwood from House of Cards. Under $100, preferably. Thank you! 🙂

T

Ah, the structured sheath dress.  Whether it’s being worn by the First Lady or the Lady MacBeth of Netflix it looks good on anyone.  Who can get enough of that shape-defining, confidence-boosting cut?  Not me.  Here are a few of my favorites.

rsz_screen_shot_2014-02-19_at_13944_pm

Calvin Klein faux leather accent dress ($60) // Trouve cut-out sheath ($98) // London Times crepe color block dress ($79)

I think the middle dress is my favorite, but with three stylish sheaths, who can choose just one?  I also adore the pale blue accent on the third dress.  You can layer a white or black blazer over any of these looks.  I would also recommend a colored jacket for the first and second dresses, cobalt perhaps?

Need color?  Adrianna Papell has a burgundy sheath and a beautiful, bright coral.  But my favorite colored frock is this $129 Badgley Mischka long-sleeve dress in cobalt.  I.am.so.buying.this.one.

Another great brand to look at for affordable sheath dresses is Ivy & Blu.  I like this breezy teal dress with long sleeves, and this burgundy dress with an asymmetric neckline.  But the one I can’t live without is this $175 high-cowl neck dress in anything-but-basic black.

Plus-size?  Try this coral Adrianna Papell or the London Times dress from the image above. But my favorite is this ABS dress with chic stud-details.  Petite?  The Trouve dress above is available in xx-small, and this Tahari mixed-media dress.

Hi Belle,

Can you recommend a chunky lip pencil that isn’t a balm?  I don’t like the stickiness of the Clinique one you recommended a few weeks ago.  I’d like something creamier.  Suggestions?

Kayla

I’ve heard great things about the Lipstick Queen lip pencils.  Such fun colors and supposedly long-lasting.  My favorite color is “crime” a pinky-raspberry shade.  As for a drugstore brand, I own this NYX pencil in “plush red” and “chaos” and I like it a lot.

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  1. Liz says:

    BITE Beauty and NARS both make great lip pencils! I prefer Bite over Nars because no sharpening is required, but both brands are fantastic and make pencils with multiple finishes. If you’re specifically looking for something creamy, I’d recommend the High Pigment pencil over the Matte Crayon (both by Bite).

  2. KP says:

    Revlon Just Bitten Pencils are amazing!

  3. ginger says:

    Ms. Obama looks good in sheaths, but given her smaller on top than bottom figure it’s quite likely hers have been altered to get the wonderful fit that makes them look so attractive. If your figure is well proportioned under $100 sheaths will be an easy hit, if not plans on a tailoring session.

  4. Pam says:

    I love the nars velvet gloss ones as well as the one belle recommended in an earlier post by revlon, just bitten kissable in honey.

  5. Chloe says:

    +1 for Revlon. I tried them after seeing Belle’s post and got a fun red one – I love it! I didn’t find the clinique chubby sticky at all though.

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