A million bucks.

Say the words "Black tie invited" on a wedding invitation and it's my cue to search for the fanciest, most extravagant dress I can find. I spent weeks before Sunday's formal wedding trying on dresses of all shapes and sizes. From long gowns to short dresses; drapey ones, bodycon ones, strapless, to long sleeved, I tried them all, but wasn't sold on any. When I popped into Nordstrom and zipped myself into this curve skimming ruched dress by Adrianna Papell, I knew I found The One. The one that made me feel like ten million bucks - and that is worth every penny :)

Oh, and do you like my hair bling? It's actually a pair an a half of sparkly earrings my sister pinned into my hair! That's improv at it's finest!

Cocktail Dress: Adrianna Papell via Nordstrom
Heels: Bandolino via Lord & Taylor
Clutch: Vintage, belonged to my grandmother
Rhinestone bracelet: Borrowed
Ring: H&M
Earring (in ears and in hair): Betsy Johnson

Robin Hood, Men in Tights

So I have a complex with this shade of kelly green, especially when it's a dress. Everytime I pair it with something brown, like the waist belt I wanted to wear, I feel very Robin Hood-esque. Weird I know. That's why I decided to leave the tie belt on this dress rather than replacing it with a real belt, and I tried to keep the brown to a minimum by wearing my trusty light brown chain embellished sandals. I think I've safely steered clear of Robin Hood chic, at least this time.

I rediscovered this dress in my closet recently; I picked it up from Torrid probably 3 years ago now. I remember why I loved it so much! It's made of the softest, most comfortable cotton, and the cutouts at the neckline keep it airy, even in the 97 degree weather we had yesterday. Today's supposed to be even hotter...What I wouldn't do for a day off, a lounge chair by the pool, and a cocktail!

Dress: Torrid
Sandals: Steve Madden
Watch: Syms
Bangles: Old Navy
Necklace: Chrdesigns (more on that later!)
Earrings: Katherine's
Ring: La Casita

I also wanted to talk really quick about a product I came across recently. I know many of us battle with the dreaded chub-rub, and I've said before that I usually rock the oh-so-sexy bike shorts or Spanx under my dresses when bare-leg season rolls around. I've tried Monistat Chafing Relief Gel, and though it works, I hated the fact that you had to rub it on with your hands and get the gooeyness all over your fingers. Yuck!!

Enter Secret Shield by Skindura.

Description: "Protection no one knows you’re wearing but you. This non greasy, invisible balm provides long lasting prevention from skin on skin friction. Made of 100% veggie derived ingredients, (no petroleum, no animal by products, no silicone). But it also helps soothe skin that is already chapped and chafed so your skin will be good as new in no time."

And Secret Shield lives up to it's description! I smoothed it on before I left the house for work - with  no mess and no hand-washing because of the convenient twist tube applicator. Through an 8 hour work day and then an hour+ of shopping (lots of walking!) I reapplied twice, and experienced no irritation at all! Obviously the product doesn't prevent your thighs from rubbing together, but it creates a barrier that eliminates friction and allows your thighs to glide right past each other. In the 97 degree heat and humidity we had yesterday I have to tell you I was extremely impressed with this product. I'll definitely be using it on a regular basis - I love being able to go about my day without worring about Spanx rolling down or bike shorts riding up! This is going to be my savior when it comes to beach time and running around in a bathing suit!

Have you tried Secret Shield, or any other anti-chafing product? Let us know your experience!

Colourless Color - And a Giveaway!

I've said it before; I love black and white, especially in a graphic print. For me, the combo can be more striking than bright colors when it's done right. This outfit was one of those last minute, already gonna be late, thrown together outfits, but it's one of my favorites recently as far as officewear goes.

I can't get enough of this lace blazer! I love how blazers can be like the cherry on top of an outfit, pulling the whole thing together and streamlining the look. I especially love the whimsical touch the lace gives this one. I also love how lightweight it is - the front and sleeves are lightly lined, but the rest of the blazer is just a thin bit of lace, so it's got great ventilation, and won't have me sweating bullets in the summer.

Top: Michael Kors via Macy's
Blazer: Forever21+
Leggings: Kenneth Cole via Syms
Flats: Preview via Nordstrom Rack
Short necklace: Chrdesigns (more on that another day!)
Long Necklace: H&M
Earrings: Katherine's
Bangles: Forever21
Watch: Syms

Did you spot my sweet 'ari' wire ring?? It was sent to me by reader and fellow blogger Gianne of GianneCREATIONS! Gianne started jewelry making as a hobby, but happily for her, her wire jewelry has boomed into a business, and she sells rings, keychains, bracelets, necklaces and more on her Facecbook page, GianneCREATIONS! She was also nice enough to send me this adorable keychain:

'Fatale'! So cute! I love the flowy cursive lettering Gianne uses for her wire jewelry. Because they're wire they are a little bit delicate, so I decided to hang my 'fatale' keychair off my rearview mirror instead of putting it on my keys, I didn't want it to get messed up if I threw it in my handbag (lord knows I've got ridiculous amounts of crap in there!).

If you'd like to get your hands on your own personalized piece of wire jewelry, Gianne is giving away one piece to a Fatale Fashion reader! Here's just a few types of items she can make:

Go simple with one of her new 3D rose rings, show your Greek pride with a letter ring or necklace, or make a statement with a 4 finger ring with the word of your choice :) Entering is simple!

You must:
1. Be a follower.
2. Like GianneCREATIONS on Facebook, and
3. Leave a comment saying what you'd get!

Extra entries:

1. Like Fatale Fashion on Facebook. (Leave a comment with your FB name)
2. Follow @fatalefashion on Twitter. (Leave a comment with your twitter handle)
3. Tweet about this giveaway! (Leave a comment with a link to your tweet)

Four chances to win! The giveaway will be open until 11:59PM on Wednesday, June 8th. Good luck :)

I cheated a bit and used this post for this month's lace EBEW since my blazer's in the wash! You won't tell, right?

Goal

Coming back from a long weekend is so hard, isn't it! I'm in vacation mode and I'm not ready to come back to work!! Especially with the beautiful summer weather we had all weekend, who could blame me for wanting to head to the beach instead of the office??

This wrap top is item numero uno from my latest ASOS order. If you're thinking of ordering this top, you should know that the wrap pieces are not attached to the shirt - so the pieces across my bust are not sewn down. This is good because you arrange then as high or low as you want, but if you're moving around a lot you'd have to keep fixing them. I was just at the office and supermarket so I didn't really have an issue with that. Same goes for the back, the wrap piece is not sewn down, but it's good in my opinion because you can pull the fabric higher up for more back coverage.  The top definitely emphasizes my bust, something I usually am not a fan of, but I still felt really comfortable and pretty wearing this top to work and running some errands. I think if I wear my hair down next time it won't be as emphasized. Speaking of hair, do you like my blogger bun? It's officially my I-didn't-have-time-to-wash-my-hair-this-morning style. I think it looks way more put together than a plain old ponytail!

Top: ASOS Curve
Jeggings: Old Navy
Sandals: Steve Madden
Bracelets: Mom's
Earrings, necklace and detachable pendant: Premier Designs
Ring: Vintage

The second piece I ordered from ASOS Curve was the cobalt blue Flippy Jersey Dress. It's very pretty, but I decided to return. On my figure, the high neckline combined with the shorter length was not flattering. One someone less busty, though, I think it'd be really cute!

Number three was the green Ruched Waist Shift Dress. This dress is absolutely beautiful, though it is a tiny bit snug as the fabric is chiffon and has no stretch. I decided I'm going to keep it though. Fitting into that dress for Panagias this summer is my weight loss goal. It's only a little tight so it's a very attainable goal! As of right now I'm down 3.2 lbs. Keep truckin'! 

Go with the flow - ASOS Curve Tank

Can I tell you guys how obsessed I am with this printed tank from ASOS Curve?

Completely obsessed. It's so airy and comfortable, and the button detail down the front looks so nice and adds some weight to the shirt. I ordered this in the US18/UK22 as my usual US16/UK20 was sold out. It's so loose and flowy that I really don't think it would have mattered either way, but it fits great. Best part is the straps are adjustable so I was able to wear my usual bra and still be work appropriate in the cleavage department.

I'm obsessed with a lot of things lately, including this vintage rhinestone ring I bought at a little antique shop in Ridgewood. Also, with my shoes. Touche, Payless, touche. After the first wear, these are SO comfortable and easy to walk in, they've been my go-to heels since the weather warmed up. I'm seriously considering buying a second pair as backups because I love them that much. Also obsessed with Forever21 and their jewelry lately. But that's a story for another day.

Cardigan: New York and Company Outlet
Tank: ASOS Curve
Leggings: Torrid
Sandals: Payless
Bangles: Borrowed
Ring: La Casita
Earrings: Target