Month: September 2019

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I’m Revealing My Secrets for Finding Insider Items at Zara, H&M, ASOS, & More

A fashion-forward item that doesn’t have a small-loan-required price tag is what I call a sartorial victory. Sound about right? Glad we’re on the same page. And for those budget-friendly buys, there’s a sampling of affordable brands I (and probably you) turn to on the regular. Yes, I’m talking about those spots like H&M, Zara, and ASOS. While these shops always have the lower-priced, trendy pieces I’m looking for, it can often feel overwhelming sifting through the massive amount of merch each stocks in order to get to the really good stuff. (You know, those insider-feeling finds that gain instant compliments, look A+ on Instagram, and garner that look when you tell someone you nabbed it for under $150.)

But what if I told you that I actually have a few little secrets up my sleeve to instantly find the coolest items when you cruise over to these sites? Yep, I got you. Below, I’m sharing my tricks for uncovering the best selections from all of our favorite affordable stores. And because you know I truly love you, I’m also sharing an edit of the new must-haves from each to get a jump start on your fall wardrobe.

The trick: Don’t forget about Me & Other Stories.

Yes, you can always head to the “new” section to discover the latest goods, but if you want a quick rundown on those compliment-worthy finds, I often scroll to the bottom of the homepage under the about section and experience the content within Me & Other Stories. It rounds up inspiring fashion people who recently posted Instagram images featuring their latest & Other Stories must-haves. The best part is that the brand shops out the exact pieces featured to make it incredibly easy to add to cart.

The trick: Shop the Trend section.

While you could spend the entire day scrolling through the thousands of products on H&M’s site, the forward finds you’re probably looking for are most likely all hanging out in the Trend section, which is hidden under the Shop by Concept tab on the dropdown menu. Here, you’ll uncover strong outerwear selects, premium tailored finds, and everything else you need to curate an impactful closet.

The trick: Check out ASOS Insiders.

ASOS Insiders is where it’s at. Here, you’ll find a variety of trendsetters with different vibes who curate their staples. You can follow each of these Insiders on Instagram to see how they style the latest ASOS merch, or you can view their shopping lists on-site under the Inspiration tab in the navigation bar at the top of the homepage. If you’re looking for fresh ASOS finds to fit your personal style, this is how you do it.

The trick: Follow #MangoGirls.

As we’ve highlighted before, following the hashtag #MangoGirls is the simplest way to uncover the coolest new Mango items It girls around the globe are into. I follow the hashtag (and check the section on the website), so my Instagram feed is filled with those fashion girl–approved staples to shop and recommend to my friends.

The trick: Explore Stories.

Sure, Zara is known as the shopping destination for of-the-moment seasonal staples, but the brand is also an excellent source of style inspiration. While all of the looks within the product pages are unique, its lookbook section, mainly the Stories tab under the New In dropdown, features the best new merchandise, styled to tell different stories. Yes, I admit that I often want to live the Zara lifestyle featured in this section. In addition, fun fact, the brand often stocks the latest arrivals on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so make sure to hit the site on those days as well.

Next, check out the Zara shoes insiders are wearing this fall.

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The 8 Most Expensive Royal Engagement Rings, Ranked by an Expert

There’s no denying the intriguing appeal of celebrity engagement rings. Just this summer, the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Sarah Hyland, and Kristen Wiig all revealed their newly acquired rings, each one of them unique and beautiful. But if you ask me, Hollywood’s engagement rings can’t quite compete with those of royals around the world—especially considering the life-altering, weighty importance of marrying into a royal family and taking on a new set of global duties. 

To offer expert insight into the most expensive royal engagement rings, I tapped Kathryn Money, VP of strategy and merchandising for Brilliant Earth, a company that specializes in ethically sourced fine jewelry (going well beyond just conflict-free diamonds). I supplied Money with a list of my eight favorite royal engagement rings and she shared her estimated price for each ring, along with fun facts you might not have known. Scroll down to see how the Brilliant Earth executive ranks the most expensive royal engagement rings. 

“Queen Letizia’s non-traditional ring does not include a center diamond or gemstone,” Money says. “Instead, her sophisticated band features 16 vertically set baguette-cut diamonds in a white gold channel setting. Depending on the quality and specific characteristics of the diamonds, we estimate the cost of the ring at approximately $20,000 to $25,000.” 

“Crown Princess of Denmark Mary’s original engagement ring featured an estimated one and a half–carat emerald-cut diamond flanked by two emerald-cut rubies, and since her wedding, she has added two additional diamond baguettes on either side of the rubies,” Money told Who What Wear. “Crown Prince Frederik chose the ring to represent the colors of the Danish flag. Depending on the quality and specific characteristics of the diamond and gemstones, we estimate the cost of the original ring at approximately $25,000 to $30,000.”

“Similar to her mother’s famous ring, which featured a Burmese ruby surrounded by diamonds, Princess Eugenie’s engagement ring features a unique pinkish orange-hued Padparadscha sapphire with a distinctive floral halo of pear and round brilliant diamond accents on a Welsh gold band,” Money says. “We estimate that the center stone is a 3-carat oval brilliant Padparadscha sapphire, surrounded by pear and round diamonds totaling about two and a half to three carats. We estimate that Princess Eugenie’s feminine and vintage-inspired ring costs approximately $30,000 tp $50,000, depending on the quality and specific characteristics of the gemstones.”

“Prince Albert proposed to Princess Charlene with an impressive ring featuring a three- to four-carat pear-shaped diamond as the center stone,” Money told Who What Wear. “The elegant ring is accented with round diamonds cascading down the shoulders of the band, creating a uniquely royal look. We estimate that Princess Charlene’s ring costs approximately $55,000 to $65,000, depending on the quality and specific characteristics of the diamonds.”

“The gorgeous art deco style ring Prince Charles used to propose to Camilla in 2005 features a lovely five-carat emerald-cut diamond in the center, flanked by three diamond baguettes on each side,” Money says. “We estimate replicating this royal family heirloom would cost approximately $70,000 to $100,000, but since the ring once belonged to the Queen Mother, Prince Charles’s grandmother, it is priceless due to its cultural significance.”

“Prince Harry custom-designed Meghan’s engagement ring, featuring a five-carat center cushion cut diamond framed by two 0.75 carat round diamonds from Princess Diana’s personal collection,” Money says. “Updated from its original plain band style, the gorgeous trio of diamonds are now set in a thin micro-pavé band. The center stone’s Botswana origin is reflective of Prince Harry and Meghan’s personal connection to the country and their shared commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Our estimated cost to replicate the look of this ring would be upward of $120,000, assuming a five-carat cushion-cut center diamond with rare, high-quality characteristics. However, given the use of Princess Diana’s heirloom diamonds as the side stones, this ring is truly priceless.”

“The Cartier engagement ring chosen by Prince Rainier III of Monaco for Grace Kelly featured an emerald-cut center diamond weighing in at an estimated 10.5 carats,” Money told us. “Set in platinum with two baguette accent diamonds, this exquisite ring reflects Grace Kelly’s sophisticated style perfectly. We estimate that Princess Grace of Monaco’s ring would cost $550,000 or more to re-create, but the iconic original is priceless.”

“Kate Middleton’s exquisite engagement ring, featuring a deep blue 12-carat sapphire surrounded by a halo of 14 round diamond accents set on an 18K white gold band, was originally selected by Princess Diana in 1981 shortly after accepting Prince Charles’s proposal. The stunning design is reminiscent of a brooch Prince Albert had custom made for Queen Victoria before their wedding in 1840. The historical and cultural significance of Kate’s ring makes its value very difficult to estimate, and we would contend that the ring is priceless.”

Next, I spent four hours on Etsy finding the best vintage jewelry picks. 

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4 Fall Trends Miranda Priestly Would Toss From Your Closet—and What She’d Add

It’s wild to believe, but I had just graduated high school as an eager fashion-industry hopeful when the film adaption of Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada debuted 13 years ago. While I knew it depicted a Hollywood version of what it’s like to work behind the pages of a glossy magazine, it did, at the same time, bring me one of my first (albeit exaggerated) glimpses into the cast of characters within the fashion world. Its most noteworthy depiction? Ruthless tastemakers like the infamous Miranda Priestly (played by the legendary Meryl Streep). 

While there are many layers (some icier than others) behind the character of Miranda Priestly, she is, simply put, a fashion connoisseur at her core. As a result, despite her fictional nature, there’s a wealth of style knowledge to learn from her regarding trends that are in and out. Of course, there’s the obvious—ahem, the importance of the cerulean trend —but there are more lessons I learned from Priestly after watching her (along with Nigel and company) transform Andy Sachs from writer hopeful to magazine maven.

What’s particularly interesting is that many of the MP-approved fashion takeaways in question are actually relevant to the autumn 2019 season. With that in mind, I thought it would be amusing to highlight the fall trends I think Priestly would toss and add to our closets based on style hints from the film. Keep scrolling to build that Runway-approved fall 2019 wardrobe. That’s all. 

“Oh, I don’t know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance”—a stingy quote from Mrs. Priestly. Clearly, boring sweaters aren’t going to cut it for MP. Fortunately, the fall runways were filled with unique knits, featuring everything from asymmetrical designs to smock detailing. Trust, we (Andy Sachs included) would avoid one of Priestly’s chilling stares if we tested out one of these more forward-feeling knits in her presence.

All of Priestly’s luxurious outfits were accented with an elegant handbag. While many of Andy Sachs’s satchels were of the slouchy, more casual variety, Priestly’s were bold and structured. There’s no doubt she’d accept the range of polished bags labels from Gucci to Staud displayed in their fall collections.

Priestly completed many of her ensembles with a range of third-piece options, including sleek outerwear finds. While she didn’t steer away from the timeless picks (like this gorgeous off-white trench), she’d definitely note the offering of reworked classics (like puff-sleeve overcoats and extra-long dusters) trending right now.

It’s pretty safe to assume that Priestly would remove any drab and dreary pieces from our wardrobes. While she’d mix in a variety of modern items, we think she’d be especially into the high-shine trend designers like Rejina Pyo and Alberta Ferretti are endorsing to bring an eye-catching feel to a fall look. After all, she clearly has a thing for metallics. Case in point? This bangin’ jacket.

Next, check out fashion lessons from Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada.