Lifelong Cinderella: The perfect Fall ensemble

I often play a game called the perfect outfit. Since I was a young girl, I've always liked to thumb through magazines and find the one perfect ensemble that I would wear as my uniform. The only requirements: every piece must be both beautiful and comfortable. It changes all the time, but right now this graceful ensemble featured in a photo shoot by Steep Street would be it.

The elements: a long flowy dress, a luxurious cardigan, hopelessly chic brown boots and a snuggly knit beanie. Yes, I know that dress looks a lot like a wedding dress... and here is where my Lifelong Cinderella comes in. I believe it is very chic to wear a long dress outside of the confines of a wedding - the maxi dress is living proof! Whether you dress it up or dress it down, a dress with fluid lines can be a very feminine or bohemian look. In this instance, the cardigan and the boots toughen it up so it isn't too sweet. Perfection!

Lifelong Cinderella: Tiara for all occasions

I recently watched the Movie “Million Dollar Mermaid” which featured the fabulous Esther Williams swimming in a deliciously sparkly tiara. I sighed and said “I would love to go swimming in a tiara”.

My S.O. didn’t miss a beat and responded “you would love to do everything in a tiara”. I was about to whack him in the arm when I thought about it and said, “It's true, I would like to do everything in a tiara.”

And why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t you? Like Esther Williams, if you are tiara worthy, you are not just tiara worthy on your wedding day or if you have a royal bloodline. You are tiara worthy all the time. Here is a collection of lovely tiaras you can wear anytime, including a weekend at the pool (just don't get your hair wet).

You can read books in a tiara as demonstrated by this lovely model from Lo Boheme's Etsy shop.

You can wear a tiara as a posh accessory to a cocktail dress, as demonstrated by this gorgeous Bando piece that looks like a starfish.

Or even just hanging out on a lazy day seems more elegant in a tiara. This affordable piece was spotted at Jane & Davis on Etsy.

Lifelong Cinderella: Mexican wedding dresss

No need to wait for a beach wedding in Cabo to sport a Mexican wedding dress. A Sunday brunch or early summer BBQ would be the perfect occasion to wear this gauzy sundress. I just discovered the loveliest shop on Etsy. I am enamored with these chic pieces by Aida Coronado and love the way she pulled these ethereal looks together.

The look is relatively simple - just a bold accessory or two.

And a flower in the hair is a romantic finishing touch.

Lifelong Cinderella

I have a hunch, that one of the many reasons so many of us girly-girls have been planning our wedding since we were five, is the final realization of our dream of being a fairytale princess. The exchange of lifelong vows to our soul mate completely aside, for one lovely day we get to wear a gorgeous dress and pay glorious tribute to our jewelry, hair and shoes.

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We get to adorn ourselves, our friends and a beautiful setting with our favorite flowers and have a photographer follow us around like movie stars.

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We get to decorate our chosen fairytale setting to the nines and seat our loved ones at tables with a feast fit for royalty.

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But after that one day, most of us don’t really give our inner princess much attention again. And that is a crime. Being Cindarella shouldn’t just be something celebrated once in your lifetime, but a part of ourselves to be revered and honored on a regular basis. I have made it my duty to find little ways to bring enchanting bridal traditions - both new and old - to make daily life a little more special. You shouldn't have to wait until you are a bride to celebrate the feminine mystique or let that homage become only a memory once your wedding day has passed. So now, without much further adieu, I'm going to take my spectacular wedding-worthy scarlet pumps to lunch. Lunch just got a little more special, don't you think?