Pack It In

I have been on the road pretty much non-stop lately, and some Shabby Apple dresses have been my real traveling MVPs. Without those and a lot of candy to eat on planes and buses, I really might not have made it.

First up is the cayenne-colored v-neck jersey dress, El Dorado. For one important thing, this dress packs like a champ. You can fold it, wad it, roll it, stuff it and not a wrinkle appears. And the ruching and built-in belt, plus a subtle drop-waist are super flattering even if you are not at your most svelte thanks to road food.

This dress is also a champ when it comes to versatility. When I needed an emergency dressy outfit for an important meeting, I just threw on a sharp blazer and some wedges and I was good to go.

For a more casual outfit on a slightly cooler day, I paired it with some patterned tights, metallic flats and a statement necklace and it looked just as good.

Next up is Primavera, a floral poplin dress in the perfect spring colors. This was just the thing for a wedding reception with a garden party dress code. The high waist gives this dress a sleek silhouette that everyone will love, especially you!

You can dress is up with some contrasting heels, or keep it flirty and fun with some bright flats and bold jewelry.

I won't say I upstaged the bride, but this dress was definitely a hit.

And then, for wandering around the city in perfect summer weather, I couldn't get any better than the purple knit top and silk skirt combination of the Giverny dress. This dress is the perfect combination of dressy and casual, and it hangs just right. Plus, pockets!

Throw on some stylish-but-comfy walking shoes, a cardigan for the breeze and load your camera and guide book into a cross-body bag and you'll be good to go!

So, that's what's been in my suitcase lately. If you were hitting the road, what favorite Shabby Apple dresses would you take with you? 

Shady Lady

Give a big Tuesday hello to Shabby Apple intern Hannah Stewart, here to tell us how to stay cool in our shades! 

Now that the summer times are rolling in and the sun is beating down on your swimsuit clad body, it’s time to don some killer hot shades.

Sometimes it can be hard to decide what shape of sunglasses you want.  Fear not!  For Shabby Apple contains all the answers to your summer shade questions!

The solution to your shady woes is quite simple, really: the shape of your face will determine which type of sunglasses you should choose.

If you have a square face shape:

Try oval and round frames to balance your dramatic features.

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If you have an oval face shape:

You are the lucky one!  Most frames look great on your face shape, but you can also try square and rectangular frames that add to your beautiful facial curves.

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If you have an oblong face shape:

Experiment with tall frames, those will create the illusion of a shorter face.

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If you have a round face shape:

Go with more square and angular shapes as well; those will make your face look longer and thinner.

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If you have a diamond face shape:

Cat eye frames look marvelous on you, because they emphasize your cheekbones.  You can also wear oval frames.

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If you have a heart face shape:

Avoid larger frames and try more narrow frames that soften you forehead.

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If you have a triangle face shape:

Accessorize with a top heavy frame that will soften your jaw.

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There you have it!  Be gone sunglass woes, hello world!

Splash Zone

Give it up for Shabby Apple Hannah Stewart, here to give us a hand with pesky oil stains. We don't want those mucking up our beautiful dresses now, do we?

You know that really annoying moment when you are cooking or eating foods with oils and you get a spot on your shirt?  I hate that.  In fact I really don’t know of any person that particularly likes getting splashed by oil.  This has happened to me a few times over the past few months.  Perhaps it’s the universe telling me to stay away from such cooking substances and eat healthier.  Whatever it is, I became determined to find out how to treat such stains on articles of clothing.

So I got online and found this easy way to treat oil stains.

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Simply get a bottle of baby powder and immediately sprinkle it on the stain.  The baby powder will absorb most of the oil for a few minutes and then you can throw it in the laundry.  Easy peasy!  

Now you can continue to keep you clothes looking fabulous and clean!

Shopping Polyvores

Because you can never have enough online shopping sites in your bookmarks list, here is another one to add. Have you heard about Polyvore?

It's more than just a place to shop, it's an online style community. What more could we need? Or want?

Nothing, I say!

You can make your own style collage, get red carpet recaps and, of course, do some browsing and buying. A lot of the items skew a little spendy, I should warn you, but it never hurt a girl to dream, right? And you can find some gems at a better price point as well.

Like this sweet as candy lace dress from TopShop.

Or these Beyonce-bold aztec striped leggings from Miss Selfridge.

And for a little splurge, not to mention a pop of (bright!) color, how about this lime green blazer from Romwe.

Did you have a chance to look around Polyvore? What's on your wish list? 

Once The Sun Goes Down

Can I get a hey-yo for our very own Kristen Larson, here to help us get ready for summer? Hey-yo!


Is it just me, or are you craving summer too? I literally have dreams of me at the beach, learning to surf, and just plain ol' being in the sun. But these dreams keep pushing me to check airline tickets to Hawaii, and my friends, I am proud to tell you that I am going... but not until 2013, gotta save the moola first. 

But since it is on my mind I have been thinking of what I would pack. Of course I would mainly be wearing my swimming suit all day, but what about after the sun goes down? 

Dresses are an excellent way to keep cool during hot temperatures and my suitcase is bound to have room for one or two dresses that will work for going out to dinner or walking along the beach. 

A button-up shirt dress would do the trick. I love how versatile it could be worn, heels for fancy nights, strappy sandals, flats or converse sneakers for a day time excursion.  

I love the blue and yellow color blocked dress, Block Party, because for every exciting vacation you should have some effortlessly fun outfits. 

Where are your vacations taking you? Which dress would take with you?

We Have A Winner (It's Everyone!)

I hope everyone is having a happy Friday. And if you are Sarah Segovia, your Friday just got a little happier, because you are the winner of our giveaway!

Sarah picked this pleated peplum dress, the Dinner Group dress as her favorite item from our new line, The Block, which was an excellent choice if I do say so myself. I love me some peplum.

Sarah would pair this sleek sheath with some green heels and a clutch, maybe with some sequins to spice it up even more?

Sarah, leave us your e-mail address in the comments and a $75 gift card will be coming your way!

And, for the rest of you, you don't need $75 to make your money stretch at Shabby Apple these days! We have a host of new dresses freshly marked down, and I think I just heard them calling your name(s).

I don't want to tell you what my favorites are, because I want them to still be there when I go to order them. And really, you can't go wrong with any of these dresses. But, if you need a little encouragement, here are some to think about.

The body-conscious cut of this fitted plum-colored sweetheart neck dress will have you feeling like Evita herself in no time.

And if you are ready to get flirty with polka dots (who isn't?), we have some excellent choices for you here, here and here.

If an easy-breezy summer dress is what you are after, then look no further than this fire engine red number. Your dress will be hot but you'll be cool. If you catch my meaning.

And now I'll get out of your hair, because you have a lot of browsing to do!

Happy weekend, dears!

Just For Moms

I know it seems like you were just filling Easter baskets and ordering flowers for your mom's birthday (just me?) but Mother's Day is just around the corner so the gift-giving has just begun!

Luckily, we have a little Mother's Day Gift Guide just for you.

You're welcome!

My mom happens to love shiny jewelry, so I think this gold link necklace would be an excellent choice for her.

And, because I definitely deserve a gift for being such a good daughter, I think getting a pair of these on-trend neon wedges is totally in order.

Miss James over at Bleubird Vintage also has some great Mother's Day ideas for you.

When my mom and I went to Australia a couple of years ago we picked lychee fruit right off the tree, so this lychee perfume seems like a particularly good gift choice.

One for her, one for me?

What are you planning to get your mom for the big day?