b’s christmas wish list 2012: a little bit of this, a little bit of that

It was so much fun to do one of these wish lists last year that I couldn’t resist making up another one this year. It’s always so hard when you start your holiday shopping to restrain from whipping out your credit card whenever you see a great sale or something you just have to have right now. Here’s a few of the items that are on my own list- and as you can see, they’re quite random. The thing they do have in common? I own none of them. Here’s your hint, people. Hint. Hint. Hint.

1) Fresh Sugar Lemon 1 oz. Eau de Parfum Spray from Sephora ($24.50 CAD). I’m one of those people that doesn’t get incredibly excited about perfume. In fact, I’ve been wearing the same one for the past five years. (It’s Very Irresistible by Givenchy if anyone cares. I’m also out of this one if anyone cares to buy it for me!) This one seems like it’s polar opposite- it’s fresh and fruity, as opposed to floral and romantic, and will probably make a great daytime scent to tide me over until the summer. (www.sephora.com)

2) Joyce Bud Vase from cb2 ($2.95 CAD). S came over the other day and commented on how he thought my apartment would have had more flowers considering I love them so much. He’s right- I do love them- and with my extensive collection of vases I don’t really have much of an excuse. This bud vase would fill a void that’s seriously lacking and is perfect for holding all those small little blooms that don’t always fit when you go to arrange your own flowers. I usually end up putting them on a shotglass in my nightstand, but I think we’re all past that whole “shotglass-on-a-nightstand” thing, right? (www.cb2.com)

3) Set of 2 Acacia 12″ Salad Severs from Crate and Barrel ($9.92 CAD). Sadly, as I discovered the other day when creating my festive fruity salad I realized at the last minute that I didn’t have anything to toss it with. These babies from Crate and Barrel are sleek and modern, not to mention well-priced. I could see myself owning these for a long time. Did I mention they would look awesome with my deep glass serving bowl? (www.crateandbarrel.com)

4) Kantha Diagonal Stripe Pillow Cover from West Elm ($24.95 CAD). I need more pillows to accompany my two pale blue ones from Pier One. They’re getting pretty lonely on our giant sectional. These would give the living room a vibrant pop of color that it desperately needs. An even better bonus? Most of the pillows from West Elm are removable zipper covers so I can throw them in the wash whenever one of the dogs has loved it a little bit too much. (www.westelm.com)

5) Pride and Prejudice Journal from Indigo ($18.00 CAD). If you know me at all then it’s no secret that Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is probably one of my favorite books of all time. I’ve been feeling pretty stressed lately and the only thing that seems to be keeping me calm and keeping me going is writing in my journal. Let’s hope I don’t need a new one by the new year. (www.indigo.ca)

6) Measuring Headges from Anthropologie ($36.00 USD). This is seriously the most ridiculously cute thing I have ever seen. I cannot fathom actually being able to use these for fear of breaking them, or somehow tainting their cuteness. I’m pretty sure I would just stick them high up on a kitchen shelf for all the world to see and coo at them madly. (www.anthropologie.com)

7) Collage Watch in Turquoise from Anthropologie ($68.00 USD). This was the probably the sixtieth thing on the Anthropologie website that I wanted, but I had to include it on my list because it is so strange to me that I would be lusting after a watch! I’ve never been much of a watch person, and in this day and age when people use their cell phones (myself included) it seems like owning a watch is merely a status symbol, like if you have a beautiful Michael Kors, or if you’re Flava Flav. This one is delicate and pretty and looks more like a bracelet than anything which is probably why I’m so tempted to wear it day after day after day. (www.anthropologie.com)

8) Polka Dot Crazy Socks from Old Navy ($3.99 CAD). Crazy socks are totally my thing. I have ones with cupcakes, ice cream cones and a growing collection of Hello Kitty. Because, hello? It’s Hello Kitty. She’s also a thing for me. This crazy couple will fit in nicely with my fuzzy sock family which currently consist of a pink pair and a purple pair that always mysteriously end up hidden in random places in my apartment. Doggies: I’m looking at you. (oldnavy.gapcanada.ca)

What’s on your wish list this year? I’d love to hear all about it. Drop me a line at thetwentiesproject@gmail.com!

Festive Fruity Salad

I was asked to bring a green salad as my contribution to a Christmas potluck party hosted by a co-worker of mine and I thought to myself, “Hey self. You’ve gotten off pretty much scot-free on this potluck thing. Making a salad is going to be no problem!”

I was feeling really good about it right up until the day of when I popped into the grocery store to pick up the ingredients. Just scanning up and down the vegetable aisle kind of threw me into a wild panic. How on Earth was I supposed to come up with a crowd-pleasing salad that was relatively cheap and easy to make?

Here’s what I came up with:

It’s not exactly a salad in five, but it can definitely be done in fifteen minutes. Just save the dressing in a tupperware container to bring to the party so you can drizzle it over your salad at the last minute. (Because no likes a soggy salad!) It’s a fun and easy contribution to any of your upcoming holiday parties, and the colors and flavor just seem kind of…festive. Hence, the festive fruity salad title. Gosh, I’m so creative.

Festive Fruity Salad

1 1/2 heads of romaine lettuce

1/2 English cucumber

1/4 red onion

113 g. goat cheese crumbles (plus more to taste)

1 pkg.  (142 g) Craisins (or any other dried cranberry)

540 mL mandarin wedges packed in light syrup

Rinse and pat dry romaine lettuce and twist into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Add cucumber, sliced into thin rounds, and red onion, sliced into small matchsticks. Drain mandarins through a sieve; reserve some of the liquid. Pat dry using paper towel or a dry, clean dishtowel. Add to mixture. Add Craisins and goat cheese crumbles. Toss until all ingredients have been liberally coated with cheese.

To make dressing, combine 3 tbsp each balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and 1 tbsp mandarin orange liquid. (You can use lemon juice or orange juice in case you forgot to reserve some, or you were awesome and bought your own mandarin oranges.) Whisk together in a small bowl with a dash each salt and pepper. Dress the salad at the last minute, making sure to evenly coat.

The end result is delicious- the vegetables are crisp counterpoint to the creamy goat cheese and the tangy/sweet mandarins pair perfectly with the cranberries to make the salad seem festive and fun. Plus, it goes really well with chicken! Crisis adverted.

A whole slew of holiday parties are just around the corner. I’d love to know what you’ve been cooking up in your kitchen. Drop me a line at thetwentiesproject@gmail.com

Still need more potluck inspiration? Check out our recipe page for more ideas on entrées and entertaining.

Window Shopping: Holiday Edition- IKEA

Everyone knows that I have a bit of an obsession when it comes to IKEA but that could also be because during their holiday season the merchandise often reflects the holiday knick-knacks of my Swedish heritage. the decorations are cheap and often come in a variety of color schemes to suit your holiday decorating needs. I even have a friend whose Mom stocks up on cheap IKEA stemware and stores them in her garage for stress-free entertaining. No more worrying about those crystal champagne glasses!
Here are some of my favourite holiday-inspired IKEA items for holiday decorating and entertaining.

1) BORBY Lantern for block candle, white $19.99 CAD

This lantern suits any decorating scheme but could also be used on a buffet or even outdoors. I like the idea of changing up the color of the candle inside.

2) JULMYS Decoration, goat, straw $9.99 CAD

Who doesn’t love goats? Seriously, all the households in Sweden have one of these Christmas goats. Thanks to IKEA, you can too. Ours guards the presents under the tree.

3) JULMYS Garland, pearls, assorted colors $1.49 CAD

These pretty sparkly garlands (available in silver or red) could be used for just about anything in your house which is why they had to be included. You could use them as part of a homemade wreath, wrap them around a bannister or pool them about the bottom of a hurricane vase.

4) JULMYS  Tealight holder, clear glass $1.99 CAD

Okay, apparently I really like candle holders but this one is so sparkly and reminds me of icicles. So sue me.

5) JULFINT Table-runner, gray white $5 CAD

This table-runner is so sweet and neutral (and cheap!) it’s use doesn’t have to be limited to the dinner table. Use it to create a wintry vignette anywhere in your house. I’m thinking a coffee table or sideboard- but I think it could be nice a dresser too.

6) BÄRBAR Tray, assorted patterns $4.99 CAD

These fun patterned plastic trays are great to serve just about anything or can be used as a candle plate in a pinch.

7) GODIS Mix, glass striped, red $8.99 CAD

Serve up some Christmas cheer in an even more colorful glass or could be filled with small goodies for your younger, sweeter-toothed guests.

Halloween Loot

Last year was the first year that I’ve lived in a rental space where kids could actually come trick or treating and it got me wildly excited. As soon as the Halloween stuff started appearing in the stores, childhood memories came flowing back to me of all the stuff we used to do at our old house for Halloween.

Even when I was still young enough to go trick or treating, I appreciated the thought my parents put into designing Halloween decor. They never wanted to spend the money on giant floating ghosts or professional gravestones that screamed. My sister and I were always encouraged to help them come up with fun and cheap ways of turning our normally cheerful house into something ghoulish.

Last year was no different as I’m still a twenty-something whose steep student loans haunt me more than any of my scary Halloween memories. But, I figured, investing in some of the basics of Halloween decorations will be able to make any budget stretch for years to come. Here’s what I picked up (complete with crappy Blackberry photo. Yes, this photo is so old I still had a Blackberry):

All my Halloween loot- excuse the Blackberry photo!

1) Cobwebs. They’re like a Halloween staple. I’m not familiar with this brand but it promises fifteen feet of scary, stretchy fun. Sure, it’ll suffer some wear and tear over the years but if I keep it stored properly in a large Ziploc bag it will at least make it last for the next few years to come. Little plastic spiders are included. ($3.99)

Update: These cobwebs were fantastic! They’re stretched out a little bit now but so far they’ve lasted wonderfully throughout the season!

2) Even more plastic spiders. (Black spiders show up so well against a black coffee table, right?) These ones are bigger and textured and can be used for anything. I might make a spider family for my cobwebs, or have them marching in a line up the banister of my front steps. They could also be used as fun decorations in a Halloween-themed table setting or as cupcake toppers. ($3.99)

3) My boyfriend and I are still amassing kitchen stuff whenever we can find donations from family members or extra money to spare. One thing we haven’t acquired yet are knives appropriate for pumpkin-carving, a crucial item for Halloween decorating (savvy trick or treaters know only to go to the houses that have lit pumpkins outside). This pumpkin-carving kit comes with two, plus a scooper with a thin edge that scan scrape the insides of your pumpkin, a special marker, and ten perforated stencils to make you seem like a carving genius. ($7.99)

4) A black-light bulb. If you’re only going to get one thing to decorate for Halloween, let it be a black-light bulb. While they may not be energy-efficient (and if one exists that would be kind of neat) you’re only going to use it for one night probably, so it can be re-used for years to come. Place it on your porch, in a lamp on your veranda, or do what I plan on doing and replace your security light. Just one little light bulb can instantly transform your place from normal to spooky. ($3.99)

There were a couple of other items that I was tempted to get, including a scary wooden face that adheres onto your tree to make it look alive for $7.99. A strand of little battery-operated ghost lights would like ghoulish when wound around a tree trunk, or sprinkled through the branches of a tree. Finallly, I was really creeped out by a motion-detected mechanism that shakes your bush or your hedge whenever an unsuspecting trick or treater walks by, but at $27.99 I figured it could wait until next year. Besides, I haven’t even got my Halloween costume yet!

What are some of your ideas for decorating your house cheaply? Or are you the opposite of me and splurged on some big ticket items? Let me know at thetwentiesproject@gmail.com!

you too can be a green machine!

Note: We know that looking at a blank page is sometimes a great way to provide inspiration- but not when it comes to fashion! Next time we’ll learn how to save our posts before letting them go live. Here’s the long-awaited way to be a green machine…

With St. Patrick’s Day approaching next week the number of people looking to incorporate green into their outfits seems to have doubled in size. Of course, it helps that a ton of green seems to popping up in spring fashions and this year’s greens are bright and springy, which may leave some fashionistas clueless as to how to incorporate all these brights into their wardrobes. St. Patrick’s Day just seems like the perfect excuse to figure out how, and it doesn’t have to involve shamrocks.

Green can be a tricky colour to wear simply because there are so many shades. Luckily for those ladies out there looking to get more green in their lives, there are quite a few around to choose from. There is a shade of green for everyone to wear. It’s just a matter of figuring out which one works best with your skin tone. The trick is to keep in mind whether or not warm (lots of yellow) or cool (lots of blue) greens suit you best. Still not looking the best? Try different saturations of green (lighter or darker) and pay attention to which ones wash you out and which ones overwhelm you.

The good news is that green goes with lots of colours and lots of different accessories. You choose which styles suit you best! In our Polyvore debut, we’ve got three different shades of green worn three different ways to show just how easy it is to be green- with no leprechauns or frogs in sight!

A Citrus Twist

Where to Wear It: Brunch with family, weekend errands, shopping with friends.

Pretty as a Petal

Where to Wear It: lunch with friends (or a special friend!), art gallery or museum, casual work event, afternoon house-warming.

Gorgeous in Green

Where to Wear It: St. Patrick’s Day party, bar with friends, dinner and a movie with the boy-toy.

We’re so excited to be a part of Polyvore and can’t wait to share more of our outfit inspirations with you! Friend us and share your outfit ideas with us and don’t forget to check out our Pinterest page where we’ll be featuring all of our new Polyvore sets along with our inspirations for fashion, décor and more.

a treat for your sweet

Image courtesy of houseandhome.ca

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of our readers!

We love you and we love that you’re visiting our little site and supporting us through our Twenties as we learn how to juggle school, work, home and life in general. So my Valentine to you today is one of my favourite recipes ever. It’s the recipe I turn to whenever life gets me down or when a friend needs a little pick-me-up. You could even say I was known for these in high school.

B’s Brownies

1/4 c. cocoa powder

1/3 c. butter

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. flour

2 eggs

pinch of salt

In a small saucepan add together cocoa and butter. Begin to melt butter at a low temperature, stirring every so often to combine the melting butter with the cocoa powder.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl add eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Don’t mix yet!

When the butter and cocoa is all melted, pour over ingredients into mixing bowl. Stir just enough to combine everything without any lumps, then pour batter into a 9×9 inch greased baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 or until a knife tip inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan before cutting into squares.

Brownie tip: I know it’s tempting, but wait until the brownies are completely cool before cutting them! If they’re too hot, the batter will not have set and you’ll end up with a gooey mess that will be delicious, but it won’t be a brownie.

This brownie has a cake-like texture and a chocolatey flavour that isn’t too overwhelming, so it’s perfect for add-ins. You may want to try adding some nuts to the batter, or just smearing with your favourite frosting. Delicious!

Happy baking!

B

the romantic cliché and how to avoid it

Image courtesy of ppchero.com

To all the boys out there: we ladies feel your pain. As much as us die-hard romantics out there love it when you plan something special for us for Valentine’s Day, we understand how hard it is to read our very complicated minds (and our not-so-very subtle hints) in order to pull off a wonderful Valentine’s Day. (Or maybe you ditch the day all together and watch sports with your friends while your girlfriend fumes. It could happen.)

But to me there is nothing more painful than sitting through a date where your significant other has gone to the trouble of seeking out every single romantic cliché in the book and orchestrating it all to be part of some mega-date to demonstrate that they are, in fact, the most PERFECT boyfriend ever and this will be the most PERFECT Valentine’s Day in the world DAMMIT.

Okay, there are other things that are more painful. And really, we do appreciate your efforts. But dude, I guarantee that there is better way to use all of those romantic clichés. Here are some of the don’ts for the Valentine’s Day dinner and when it’s more appropriate to use them.

Cards

These are okay, but only because we’re shocked that you can actually pull off a handwritten note. We weren’t even sure that you could read, let alone write.

Sorry that was mean. If you do want to give your valentine just that- a valentine- make sure it’s sweet and to the point. She does not need a novel extolling all her virtues. (Although that would be nice.) Instead, try to make it funny and personal- “I love it especially when you get spaghetti sauce on your nose.” We like that. It sounds more like you.

Flowers

Out of all the Valentine’s Day clichés, I have actually never received a bouquet of flowers from a boyfriend, EVER. Unless you count the time the guy I was dating showed up late for our date because he was running late, and then went and bought flowers to apologize for being late, which made him show up even later. It was nice, but we still ended up skipping dinner in order to make the movie. Lame. So if you’re a guy that actually gives his girlfriend flowers, ever, who are you? Why aren’t you dating me?

Bouquets of flowers are great and I myself love giving them to people, but they require a certain amount of thought into the person’s taste and preferences. Valentine’s Day bouquets mean roses and that in turn means, “Hey! I didn’t put any thought into what I got you at all! You just have to like this because it’s for Valentine’s Day!”

Why not surprise her with flowers making Sunday brunch at home, or pick out a bouquet together on a whim when you’re out for a walk? Even if you don’t get the taste exactly right, she’ll probably still be flattered. Unless she’s afraid of plants.

Chocolates

I pretty much need to have something chocolate every day otherwise I’m pretty sure I’d die. I know a lot of other girls who feel this way as well. But please, don’t give us a box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day. Everyone gives each other chocolates on Valentine’s Day- co-workers, single friends wanting to eat their feelings in Hershey’s Kisses- everyone.

When is a good time to surprise her with a little box of yum? When she least expects it. Surprise her with a few truffles when you know she’s had a rough day at work, or when she’s having her period, or basically any day ending with a “y”.

Promises You Don’t Intend To Keep

Just don’t. Don’t promise me that you’ll love me forever, or take me to Vegas, or name a star after me once you go back to school and become an astro-physicist. Be yourself and talk about normal things during your Valentine’s Day celebrations. Maybe leave the complaints about work to a minimum. Or how attractive the girl over at the next table is. Actually, just don’t talk about her at all.

The thing about all these fancy promises and declarations of love is that a lot of the time it won’t matter that much if they happen or not. A boyfriend once promised me he’d write a book at me. I’m still waiting on that one and frankly, if it gets published I’m not sure I’d really care anymore (unless he didn’t change my name). On the flip side, my current boyfriend promised me he’d empty the dishwasher today. That one I deeply care about.

Perfume

Do you know what perfume she wears? (Hint: it’s probably in her bathroom or with all her make-up in the bedroom. Sometimes detective work is everything.) If you know what it is then this is probably fine as a gift, especially if she’s running low. Have you known her forever and have a good idea of what her taste is? That’s probably okay too.

But if you have no ideas about perfume whatsoever, or if you don’t know what perfume is, you should at least be man enough to admit that to yourself and avoid it altogether. Again, perfume is a really personal preference and if you buy it for her she may be forced to like it and will only wear it every time you go on a date together.

Lingerie

Do you know what her cup size is? Do you even know what cup size means? Unless you feel brave enough to guess, or to venture into Victoria’s Secret with fruit and telling the bra specialist she’s “this big” just don’t go there. We all know you don’t care about the underwear. You’re just waiting to get it off of her.

Don’t get me wrong- none of these things are necessarily bad presents. And we do appreciate the effort-we do. But if you really must buy a gift on Valentine’s Day, it is infinitely more romantic to give a gift that is thoughtful than a gift that is deemed “romantic”. Make sense?

Often it’s the “doing” that’s more romantic than the “giving”. Give your stressed-out girlfriend the gift of the take-out food of her choice by candlelight and a funny movie. Agree to follow your bookworm girlfriend around her favourite used bookstore and hold the pile of books you’ve offered to get her. Ultimately it’s the time spent together and the moments shared that we remember the most, rather than how good that last truffle tasted.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Got any more ideas for a romantic Valentine’s Day? Think B is totally off the mark? Did you catch the Beauty and the Beast reference in this post? Send us a valentine at thetwentiesproject@gmail.com.

from the desk of L.: a wedding dress to match?

"Oh hey, I'm Kate Middleton! I look sexy and yet so elegant the frickin' Queen lent me her tiara!!"

Whenever anybody starts talking to me about weddings, I’m always game to hear about the visual aspects of the event so I can fantasize. The venue, the colour story and the dress (of course!) are all very fine and dandy but the juiciest tidbit of information for me to devour is the theme. And I have no idea why. Maybe I like the way I can shamelessly praise (or critique) their creativity (or lack thereof) without repercussions, maybe I enjoy the challenge of creating my own better version of their wedding in my head, or maybe I just need a good laugh in the way that only ‘27 Dresses’ can give me. Regardless of whatever bitter and spiteful motives I subconsciously have, it really got me thinking like a bride. A very fashionable bride. Not for long, I promise. But enough time for me to have a seriously scrumptious question pop into my head:  Does the style of your wedding dress have to match the style of your wedding?

from the desk of L: can you wear black to a wedding?

So seeing as we’re kicking off wedding month here at The Twenties Project, I figure that with wedding season comes fashion faux-pas season, so as usual I am here to offer my quasi-experienced opinion on wedding style and fashion issues that either no one can really shed light on or the rules are so unclear and/or outdated that no one can decipher them.

Although we are in the promising and fresh new year of 2012, wedding etiquette (especially when it comes to personal style) is still a really tricky subject because so many brides, wedding planners and the like remain to be deeply influenced by the T-word: tradition. That being said, tradition going hand-in-hand with a high energy and high stress event can cause even more t-words, like tension, tears, and take-downs. Not fun for anybody, especially the couple-to-be. And seeing as you as a guest are being invited to this wedding because the couple-to-be considers you to be such an important and valued person in their lives that they want to share their romantic happiness with, the least you can do is mind your fashion manners.

Now it goes without saying that super revealing, super tight clothing is a big no-no, as well as pyjamas, jeans, Halloween costumes and donning the same colour as the bride. Or going all out and wearing your own wedding dress. Shame on you for even thinking that. Which leaves the age-old question: Can you or can you not wear black to a wedding? My answer is two words: Yes…. Conditionally.

I was ringing through a customer at work a few days ago and she had chosen a cute LBD with embellished shoulders along with some fun accessories. I asked her where she was going and she told me she was attending her friend’s wedding, then asked for reassurance that black was an ok choice. So I asked her how well she knew these people and she told me that her and the bride had been close friends for years, she got along well with the fiancé, they were a young couple and had there been bridesmaids, she probably would have been one (the couple chose to keep the bridal party to just a best man and maid of honour). I then asked her where this wedding was being held and she gushed about beautiful, semi-modern hotel rooms that were being rented out for the service and the reception. So I said yes, she walked out with a bag in her hand and a smile on her face and I felt good about the advice I had given. HOWEVER. If she had told me one word different, I would have said no (I’d rather be honest then make a sale). So if you’re still confused and I’m not sitting next to your closet right now waiting to help you out (although I wish I was), here are 5 rules to help you make the right decision independently.

1. What’s going on in the couple’s life and their families’ lives?

You want to take into consideration the people involved in this wedding, and that should involve anything from religion and heritage (some cultures and religions find black or dark colours offensive or disrespectful during certain occasions) to personalities (is the mother of the bride really high-strung and controlling? She could kill you.). You also want to take a second to think about recent events that have happened- if there is an ongoing court case the family is involved in, a recent death or serious illness, a family member who is serving overseas, choose a different colour. While black is fabulous for your figure, it can also psychologically suggest negativity and somberness and no one wants to put a damper on a joyous event like a wedding, especially during a difficult time.

2. What type of guest are you?

If you’re close enough to the bridal party to be able to ask if it’s cool to wear black, or if you don’t ask but there’s no risk of them never speaking to you again if you do, then by all means go ahead. However, if you’re a more distant relative, a friend of the family or couple that doesn’t know many guests, or even a plus-one, leave the black for another event- if your character and personality aren’t well known, then neither are your colour choice intentions.

3. Are you part of the bridal party?

If you are one of the luckiest bridesmaids or maid/matron-of-honour in the world and the bride has granted you permission to wear whatever you choose, then why not? Although with privilege comes responsibility- give the bride the respect she deserves and make sure that you look fantastic and that you get the bride’s verbal and visual approval before the event. However, use your own personal discretion too- if you know that you’ll be in a lot of pictures, the wedding theme is pink and orange (ooh, that would be fantastic!) and you know for a fact that her mother is planning on being a vision in violet and her sister is rocking a LBD (little BLUE dress), you’ll look silly and sad if you’re the only one sans colour.

4. What does your outfit look like?

Not only does this go for any colour, but if for some weird reason you think it’s a good idea to wear something super vintage-looking (and not in a good way), super fussy (would you like some dress with those ruffles?) or super attention-grabbing (skin tight full-length leather dress), then the black needs to go back. To the garbage. Unless you’re going to one of those cool goth weddings.

5. What season will this wedding take place in and where will it take place?

Spring or summer? No. Unseasonally warm weather? No. Fall or winter? Yes. Unseasonally cold weather? Yes. Island or destination wedding? No. Christmas wedding? Yes. Backyard wedding? No. Fancy shmancy hotel wedding with a dash of corporate flair and a hint of a pre-nup? Abso-friggin’-lutely.

You can really apply these 5 rules to any potential wedding outfit because let’s face it- you’re really not trying to piss anyone off. Ultimately when in doubt, just ask the bride. Send her a email, a text, a phone call, a carrier pigeon and let her know that you have a fantastic outfit planned but it is black and you wanted to know whether that bothers her or not. Chances are high that it won’t, and there is no contest when it comes to the brownie points you will earn for asking her opinion first. And if not, just because you may be in a situation where it’s not appropriate for you to wear black, don’t be discouraged- you do have alternatives!! Dark colours like gunmetal, navy and burnt umber are also gorgeous options that can still be extremely flattering for many body types and skin tones- that way you get the effect you want without landing on a bride’s hit list. Or a mother of the bride’s hit list.

Have you worn black to a wedding before and the garter belt hit the fan? Are you a bride or bride-to-be willing to weigh in on the black debate? Do you have a carrier pigeon? I want to hear it all, so drop me a line at l.twentiesproject@gmail.com.