Ask Belle Roundup: Vol. IV, No. Nine

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.

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.