There’s a lot to consider when deciding on an engagement ring. There’s metal color, setting, diamond carat, and last but not least, the cut. Unless you’re GIA certified in diamonds or gemstones, it’s nearly impossible to be able to know all the intricacies of each engagement ring cut. You’re probably familiar with the heavy hitters like round, emerald, and oval, but when it comes to the princess, cushion, and radiant cuts of the world, now that’s where it gets a little dicey. Since I’m no diamond expert myself, although I would love to be, I reached out to one of my favorite jewelry designers, Octavia Zamagias of Octavia Elizabeth Jewelry, to give me the low-down on the pros and cons of every type of engagement ring cut. So before you set your heart on one specific cut, be sure to read up on the good and the bad when it comes to all the engagement ring world has to offer.

Pro: Elongates the finger 

“This shape diamond is most popular with Octavia Elizabeth clients. The oval is classic and yet unique. One pro is that since this shape is essentially a modified round, it has similar brilliance to a round cut and bonus—they look larger than rounds and elongate a woman’s finger!”

Con: The bow-tie effect 

“The con is the infamous bow-tie effect. The bow-tie effect can be seen in the center of the diamond, and it literally looks like a man’s bow tie. It’s caused by uneven light distribution and not enough depth. Usually, with stones I like to find a large table ‘spread’ so we can maximize the amount of diamond we see on a person’s finger, but with an oval, you need to make sure that the diamond has more depth, thus minimizing the bow-tie.’ Of course, if you don’t mind the bow-tie, you can often get away with an even larger carat weight without added costs. Keep in mind that with ovals, you can’t see if a stone has a bow-tie based on a grading report. Your jeweler needs to examine the stone in person from all angles.”

Pros: Elongates the finger and looks bigger than round cuts

“This is a personal favorite and the second most sought-after OE engagement ring shape (the first is oval). The emerald cut diamond is a step-cut faceted stone, and it doesn’t offer the sparkle many people associate with a diamond. This is neither a pro nor a con, as with all shapes of diamonds, it’s a personal preference. A pro is that it elongates the finger and can appear larger than its round counterparts. For example, an average 1-carat emerald-cut diamond measures 7-by-5 millimeters. An average 1-carat round measures 6.5 millimeters.”

Con: Prone to showing imperfections

“The con of the emerald cut is that the quality can’t be disguised as easily as a brilliant-cut diamond. Imperfections can be seen more easily in this stone, which can often be seen through like a window. Furthermore, emerald cuts can have the appearance of a black area if they’re not cut well. A good jeweler will make sure that the cut of your emerald-cut diamond [has] a grading report and inspect the diamond in person from various angles.”

Pro: Masks imperfections well

“Combining a round brilliant and a marquise, you get the pear-shaped diamond. It’s an elegant option, but with a personality. The pros and cons of this style are similar to that of the oval—its brilliance can mask color and imperfections well. Like the oval, the pear elongates your finger.”

Cons: Point can chip; bow-tie effect

“The downside is that there can be a bow-tie effect, and additionally, its sharp point can chip like the princess-cut diamond. This can be remedied by a V-tip-prong setting style or the wearer being extra careful.”

Pro: Has the most sparkle

“The round diamond has the most sparkle or what we diamond people call ‘brilliance’ of all the shapes. Additionally, because a round diamond has such a beautiful brilliance, you can hide flaws and mask color more with this shape.”

Con: Higher price tag

“The most popular and widely worn diamond shape is the round. A pro, right? Not quite… As the most sought-after, it demands a bit more of a price tag and is the most expensive shape.”

Pro: Higher crown = more brilliant

“The Asscher can be thought of as the emerald cut’s sibling. Though still considered a step-cut faceted diamond, it has a smaller table and higher crown, making it appear to be more brilliant than the emerald cut—a pro!”

Con: Can look smaller than other cuts

“The cons of this shape are that its table is often small and the depth of the asscher cut diamond is where the majority of its carat weight is held. The same buying guidelines apply for this shape as the emerald cut. The reason this is a con is that the “table” is the actual surface you see when setting the stone in a ring. The surface measurements of an asscher are smaller than other stone shapes of equal carat size. The majority of the weight of an asscher is in its depth. Bottom line—you need to be okay with a smaller looking stone or be able to afford the larger carat size to get a look that you’d like. “

Pro: Lots of sparkle

“A great choice for those who love the shape of an emerald- or Asscher-cut diamond, but not the step-cut facets. This diamond has unique faceting that lends itself well to someone looking for the sparkle of a brilliant-cut diamond.”

Con: High price tag

“The con of this style is that it can be more expensive because more raw material is lost when cutting this shape.”

Pro: Largest-looking

“Hands down the largest-looking diamond, in comparison to other shapes of the same carat weight. It elongates and slenderizes a finger, and has the largest surface area in comparison to any other shape. Like an oval and pear shape, marquise diamonds can hide imperfections well.”

Con: Chips easily

“Neither a pro nor con, but it’s worth pointing out that this shape is either loved or hated. If your partner has not mentioned this shape before, it’s best to stay away and not go with this one for a true surprise engagement! Its pointed tips can chip, and it’s best to set this style in a bezel or V-tip.”

Pro: Very sparkly 

“Second to round diamonds in brilliance or sparkle is the princess cut. Like the round diamond, these diamonds can hide flaws and mask color better than other shapes.”

Con: Corners can chip

“The con of this style is that its sharp corners can chip. This style is best when set in a bezel to protect the stone.”

Pro: Less expensive 

“The cushion cut or ‘pillow cut,’ as I call it, is a beautiful, romantic shape that’s less harsh than your square, precise princess cut. Pros—it’s one of the least-expensive shapes, and when you work with a good jeweler like myself and someone who’s familiar with this cut, you can get a gorgeous stone at a very fair price.”

Con: Tend to be poorly cut 

“Cons of this shape are that they tend to be poorly cut and are therefore not known for their brilliance.”

Pros: Sparkly; hides imperfections well

“An option for the true romantic. If you’re after a heart-shaped diamond, I suggest viewing three side by side in person or with the help of a great video from your jeweler. The proportions of this stone can make the heart shape appear thin, fat, or just right. The majority of diamonds are cut to maximize carat weight, and beauty can come second. The pro of this diamond shape is that it’ll sparkle and can hide imperfections like other brilliant-cut diamonds.”

Con: Shape can get lost

“The cons are that the actual shape of this diamond can vary a lot, and you should shoot for a .75-carat heart-shaped diamond or larger so that the shape is not lost and apparent.”

Leggings have come a long way from the are they even pants debate, as they are now a fully crucial part of our go-to wardrobes. We wear them to the gym, to run errands, with blazers, and so on and so forth. Considering the frequency at which we wear leggings, burnout is something we’re bound to experience. As of late, fashion girls have been swapping the traditional athleisure staple for a trend that’s a bit more unconventional. No, we aren’t talking about bike shorts; we’re talking about weekend sets.

Weekend sets are still up for interpretation, but our definition involves either a sweatshirt or tank that has a matching pair of lounge shorts. Bike-short sets could be considered a weekend set as well, but for now, we’re focusing on the comfortable and roomy shorts that make you feel like you’re still in your pajamas. Throw on a cute weekend set for a Saturday filled with errands, a quick coffee with a friend, or even a lazy day in your house, and you’ll feel weirdly pulled-together for wearing what are essentially loungewear pieces. This athleisure trend can be styled in a ton of ways due to the variety of styles out there. All you have to do now is scroll down and find the one that’s right for you, and pretty soon you’ll forget why you ever wore your leggings so much in the first place. 

Next up, check out the gutsy new trend that is also in the running to replace all your leggings this summer.  

Prior to joining Who What Wear in 2014, I had zero fashion-industry experience. At the time, everything I knew was pretty much instinctual, and I had to quickly figure out how to articulate myself in my stories. Now, five years later, I’ve written thousands of stories, and I’d like to think that I’ve picked up more than a few tips along the way. (I’m better at fashion than math, but my calculations put me at nearly 3500 stories. No wonder the letters on my keyboard are rubbing off.)

With fashion, it can be hard to practice what you preach 100% of the time, as everyone’s style, career, and budgets are different. I try to provide style information that appeals to as many readers as possible, but there are some tips that I’ve definitely come to realize are useful across the board since being immersed in the fashion world these past five years. That said, I truthfully put off deciding on my five tips, assuming it would be quite difficult to narrow it down, but much to my surprise, I quickly chose the tips below.

These five tips are ones that I practice on a daily basis in my own life and that save me time and money and have ultimately lead me to a better wardrobe. I rarely take more than five minutes choosing what I’m going to wear, and I think that’s due in part to these holy-grail tips, so let’s just say that I stand by them. Thanks for reading, and I hope to provide you with plenty more style tips via my faded keyboard.

It’s natural to have hesitation about buying an oversaturated It item. I certainly do. But if you really love something, you can still make that item that seemingly everyone has your own. How you style a piece could make it look completely different than it did on that girl you saw on Instagram. For example, my By Far Rachel bag in the below photo wasn’t the most under-the-radar fashion find, but after seeing how versatile it was and how useful it would be in my wardrobe, I bought it anyway.

I wear jeans a lot, but before I became a fashion editor, I wore them even more. I used to mindlessly reach for them on a daily basis, but diversifying the options in my wardrobe (with skirts, jumpsuits, trousers, etc.) has made my style more interesting. And now, when I do wear jeans, it feels like more of a treat.

I’m certainly guilty of falling in love with a trend and spending more of my budget on it than I should, only to see the trend quickly fade away the next season. So unless I see that a beloved trend is staying power (i.e., it’s all over the next season’s runways), I find it on the cheap. And it can always be found on the cheap.

I learned the hard way that forgoing purchasing basics for fun and exciting pieces does not a well-rounded wardrobe make. Before realizing this, I often felt like I had nothing to wear because my closet was seriously lacking in staples to wear with the fun pieces. Now I regularly invest in quality basics, and I never complain about having nothing to wear anymore. 

I order all of my clothes online, so I’ve dealt with a lot of sizing trial and error over the years. I try to find reviews that speak to the fit first, but especially if I’m trying a new brand or an item looks more slim-fitting, I almost always size up now. You can always get something tailored to fit perfectly, but I’ve also found that things often look cooler when they’re a bit slouchier (especially things like jeans and blazers). Oh, and pro tip: Go up a half size with mules to avoid toe overhang. 

Next up, 21 fashion items I’ve bought that keep me from running late.

Ever since June began, we’ve been covering summer style from every angle. We’ve shared the It pieces defining summer vacation style, the trends celebs are wearing (and those they’re skipping) this season, and the best outfits to hit the beach in. But now we’re zooming out and shifting our focus on the current state of American style as a whole. We were curious which trends are defining style in the U.S. right now. What are women from across the country (not just New York and L.A.) really wearing?

Next, see what one fashion influencer packed for a yearlong road trip across the U.S.

Ok, ok so we’re not quite in the mindset to think of warm camel coats and chic knee-high leather boots just yet—summer has just arrived, after all. But we are always two steps ahead of the fashion curve here at Who What Wear and we can’t help but think forward to the top trends that are set to be huge come fall—some of which are already gaining momentum right now. Such is the case with one of fall’s biggest color trends.

Pistachio green is the color set to dominate by the time Autumn rolls around—every shade of the pretty hue was seen from head-to-toe on the Fall/Winter 19 runways from silky verdant looks at Sally La Pointe to minty green maxi dresses and beanies at Marc Jacobs. The looks felt modern and refreshing—and are convincing us to run out and buy a pistachio green outfit asap. It’s a color that has already been discreetly making it’s mark this spring and summer with fashion girls wearing the pistachio hue in the form of dresses, swimsuits and blouses. Below, we’re rounding up the coolest pistachio pieces to get your hands on to nail the trend this season and some key items that will take you into fall.

Smocking! Linen! Suede! Mix your fabrics and textures to add interest to your pistachio look.

Pair a pistachio sweater cardigan with a leopard print swimsuit (such a cool combo) this season, and add slouchy pants or jeans to take you into fall. 

Play with different shades of green to keep your outfit from looking too uniform.

The pretty sage hue looks crisp when paired with white jeans and neutral accessories.

Pale green shades look luxurious when worn as a slouchy suit.

For a fresh look, pair a similar colored swimsuit and jacket together. Don’t forget the matching accessories.

Recently spotted on Irina Shayk in Florence this pretty pistachio shirred dress is doing the rounds on Instagram.

Up next, the 5 biggest color trends we’ll be wearing in fall.