Date dresses for Emma

I don't know about you but I think Emma should get to go on some dates this summer...no I'm not specifying who they should be with ;) And to my mind that means dresses. So I'm thinking if Emma popped into Nordstrom to pick up a cardi in a new colourway and she had a hot date that night maybe she'd think about getting a new dress. Who knows? I mean we won't be seeing these dates because they won't be filming Glee over the summer (yes I'm well aware I sound crazy) but hey what's new there since they never let Emma have a scene anyway. Here are some dresses she might like... yes I may have got a little carried away.

Dresses for Emma by shinyprettythings 

The coral dress has crazy ruffles, the yellow has pretty pleats and just look at the gorgeous folded collar/bow/button detailing on the turquoise sheath. The yellow and grey print makes me think of Emma's pick-a-bunch cardi and the green one, well it's green, retro and has buttons, what more does it need? The white dress I can imagine Emma wearing with a yellow cardi or maybe her beeline billie or her green and white kati.

More dresses for Emma by shinyprettythings featuring flower print dresses

Mmmm... blue floral sheath dress with amazing pleated neckline I think I love you. And Emma likes these blues and looks so good in them too. I'm pretty sure she'd like the vintage looking print and teamed with the right cardi... perhaps her blue michaeline and coordinating brooch, her gold mary janes and belt, I think it would be lovely.

And pink floral sheath with ruffled collar, you're just like a hybrid of bedazzled josie and brodie. Needless to say you're lovely too (yes I'm now talking to the clothes...don't worry I'm sure I'll be fine).

There are more yellow dresses too - ruffle trimmed or a simple sheath with split neck in a dazzling shade. I think that would be my choice.

And Emma would surely try on this coral dress with the delightful bow neckline.

Red floral dress you kind of make me think of Emma's red cactus filis Tory Burch cardi. Even though you are more blurry. But you have pleats. I like you.

Yet more dresses for Emma by shinyprettythings featuring flower dresses

And more florals!!! Yellow and orange is a good combination, so is coral and pink, and coral and turquoise - plus coral and turquoise dress you have a really interesting rosette neckline. Watercolour print with pleated neckline I think you're good too. And simple blush sheath dresses you make up for your sleek simplicity with sweet details like scalloped necklines, corsage details and subtle but intricate embellishment.

Still more dresses for Emma by shinyprettythings 

I feel the need to explain - pleats like this make me feel giddy. I just had to include them all.

I mean just look at that pleated bib detail on the black dress and the ruffle fronts on those shirtdresses. And orange sheath I like the way you do the pleat neck thing your own way. That's special. But blue dress you do your pleats classically yet perfectly too. Coral dress... you have a bow. Yes, a bow and buttons.

Chaperoning Prom: the way it should have been

Some may not agree but in my opinion in season two of Glee there were so very many wrongs that need righting. So I'm going to start by addressing what I see as the most important problem - the lack of Emma. First up I'm inserting Emma into the prom episode. There should have been dancing or at least longing looks across the dance floor, maybe some serving of punch, dispensing of advice and of course a dress, jewellery and shoes. Okay really that's the only bit I can do anything about so I've chosen Emma this circa 1960s vintage dress in delicate floral lace with scalloped edges and a dramatic bow sash. We should have got to see it... or you know something like it. Next I think I'll take on the outfits Emma would have packed for NYC because she should have been there too. That was far more unfair than New Directions defeat.

Chaperoning Prom: the way it should have been by shinyprettythings 

Will Schue be mine?

Or, well, Emma's more likely. And should we even care when clearly the show's own writers don't. Hmmm...let's talk about shoes. It'll be therapeutic, I promise.

Let's talk about shoes by shinyprettythings featuring t strap pumps

So Forever21 have some lovely bow adorned pumps in very Emma taupe and coral and also black, which is Emma because she's worn black shoes. Yes that took me by surprise a little too.

They also have some colourful blue patent pumps and pretty pink strappy sandals with bows. Perfect for a summery evening.

In the more affordable price range New Look also have some lovely pink square toed mary janes, white patent double strap mary janes, fuschia and coral peeptoes as well as some black and white bow adorned t-bar kitten heels and leather bow loafers.

Similarly inexpensive are the Peacocks mary janes with pleat detail and the red patent peep toes from Wetseal.

Going up in price we have the chelsea crew green malibu green t-bars from Ruche and navy fringed loafers and black and beige slingbacks from River Island. I also think the black and beige t-bar heels from Miss Selfridge are rather fabulous.

I love the Jeffrey Campbell always chipper heels from Modcloth with their beautiful blue bows and the black and white (or black and silver) JIG patent t-bars from Topshop. The black and white double bow courts from Oasis are very lovely too.

And I do think Emma might wear the crochet t-bars from Aldo. I do kind of like them.

I'm saving a couple of my favourites for last...well they're actually kind of all my favourites. Seriously  don't make me choose. What I do want to point out is this - I braved the Office website which is a seriously dangerous thing for me to do (for my bank account at least). But it was worth it because I found the very pretty mint patent enchantingly named giggle straps and the all kinds of wonderful hopeful bow heel. Can I just point out that they are green and have bows?

Colourblocking with Emma

Something I like to do with the new trends each season is to ask myself 'What would Emma think?' I think perhaps that more people should do that. It would probably save them from making costly and embarrassing wardrobe mistakes. Anyway with colourblocking I think Emma's would have to view this trend favourably. I imagine her response would be something along the lines of 'have you seen my PMJs?' to which my answer would have to be 'why yes Emma we have and they are very pretty!'

So if we're agreed that colourblocking is in principle a good thing then we just need to ask ourselves how Emma might wear it (you know other than on her PMJs). I've taken the liberty of selecting some items of coloublocked clothing as well as shoes and bags that I think might appeal to Emma. Sadly there are no strong contenders for PMJ substitutes. I blame this on this season's all-pervasive wedge.

Colourblocking with Emma by shinyprettythings featuring high heel pumps

Okay quick round-up of the things I like:

I really like the dress Emma is 'wearing', love the colours and the retro vibe, though I realise it may be a bit short for her

there are lots of great a-line pleated and colourblocked skirts that I think Emma would love

I think Emma would like all the colourblocked bags especially the taupe and coral combination

For shoes, well we may not have any PMJ replacements but I do think the pink and red bow (!) platforms are very pretty and, even though they're Ivanka Trump shoes I do like the taupe and shiny scarlet peep toes

Green, white and daisies reworked

Do you remember that outfit you wore, Emma, the one with the green blouse and the white jacket and your Kate Spade daisy necklace? Well, here's the thing, there was really nothing wrong with the concept but the execution it was just not good. So here's an outfit that uses the same colours and incorporates the daisies, albeit on the cardi instead of a necklace (your necklace is lovely btw, you should put it to good use in another outfit).

Emma wears Kate Spade Kati beaded cardigan

And I know that that was a bad time for you, Emma, that you must have been really confused and distressed by the whole marrying Ken thing and Will having a fake baby. And it really is the only excuse I can come up with for some of the outfits you were wearing at that time (yes, crewelwork cardi, I mean you) but you see I'm not sure it's really a good reason. Because one way or another you were letting Will affect how you dressed - either because you gave up caring how you looked or in an attempt to repel him - and it doesn't really matter because in the end you were only compromising yourself. Because you should never dress for a man, Emma, in any way, I'm sure you know that really, and you should never change how you dress because of anyone else. I thought it might be an opportune time to discuss this because it seems, and this is just as an outside observer, that things between you and Will might be well let's just say you might be getting close again and that always brings with it the potential for complications and heartache. But I don't want you to let that affect your style this time, it's just not worth it, so no boxy white jackets, boring blouses and granny cardis okay please? Unless that cardi was borrowed from your grandmother, say because your washing machine broke and you had nothing else clean, then I would understand.

p.s. there are lots of other lovely Kate Spade Kati cardis in various colours and designs ... you could have a blue one or yellow or pink or why not have them all? *subliminal message... get the yellow one Emma, I like the yellow*

I'll blame you Will

Emma in a bird print top

Just a quick post because I really like this conversational bird print top from Warehouse and I think Emma would wear it well - so I made her an outfit :)

Emma wears blue and green and a bird print top by shinyprettythings featuring printed tops

Shopping at Dorothy Perkins for Emma

I'm sure Emma would be loving all the gorgeous brights around this season. Dorothy Perkins have some lovely pleated flutter blouses in some of Emma's favourite colours - coral, aqua and yellow - and some summery striped skirts - I'm liking the bold Emma-esque colour combinations of green and blue and coral and yellow.

Shopping for Emma Pillsbury at Dorothy Perkins by shinyprettythings

There's also this pleat neck pencil dress in one of Emma's signature colour combos and a whole host of belts - patent and with bows - in a rainbow of shades that would add the perfect finishing touch to your outfit à la Emma.

Almost prom!!

So just in case they needed to do some (very) last minute re-shoots of Prom Queen because of dress spoilers say, I've picked out some alternative dresses.

Prom Queen by shinyprettythings featuring floral print dresses

Santana's dress is pretty and floral but, like her,  has attitude, Rachel's has her (newish) favourite print polka dots and a bow and Brittany's is glittery and fun - and yes borrows a little from Lou's choice but is a lot cheaper. Tina gets two because I like her and both the dresses so she'd have to make the tough choice between lace and pleats and the giant bow and hitched tulle which is kind of Helena Bonham Carter-esque. Mercedes gets an animal print dress ... I shall be disappointed if she doesn't wear one for prom. And of course I already chose Quinn's dress.

Prom: Quinn by shinyprettythings featuring prom dresses

Mash-Up: Emma/Jayma

ASOS petite pique chelsea scalloped shift dress $80.69

 Glee loves their mash-ups and so do I. I just like to do them my way, which means fashion. And when I saw this dress I thought it was the perfect mash-up of Emma's sweet retro style and Jayma's more contemporary and daring looks. It has the darling peter pan collar that Emma's so fond of, with the addition of scalloped edging giving it an even more vintage feel and an adorable row of covered buttons. But that's all incorporated into a shorter figure hugging dress with a revealing open back that's certainly more Jayma than Emma.

Another sailor top for Emma

Another sailor top for Emma by shinyprettythings

If anything can be relied upon to get me excited, it's nautical themed fashion. Also polka dots, stripes, shoes, jewellery, cardigans ... and some other things but anyway I digress. This sweater combines lovely stripes and a sailor collar with a trompe l'oeil neck-tie, another of my passions. Needless to say that makes me very happy and I thought Emma might be similarly happy wearing it so I've put together this outfit for her, accessorizing with some white Chie Mihara shoes and Betsey Johnson anchor earrings.

An Emma look: more blue and yellow

Emma wears Max and Cleo sunshine floral origami dress with blue patent belt from Topshop. The pleated neckline is delightful and I love the sunny yellow, of course.

Oh, they mean the other Will

I love Will necklace 10 GBP from Miss Selfridge

It's taken me a full minute of staring bemused at my computer screen while I wonder why Miss Selfridge would be making a necklace whose target market could only be Emma (and yes admittedly a few other people who love guys named Will) to realise that they must indeed have meant that other Will. The one who got married the other day. It was a low-key wedding, so easy to forget about.

Braving the beach

With the amazingly warm weather we've been having recently, my thoughts (and wardrobe obviously) have been turning to summer which of course means bathers. And I'm wondering if, what with her new therapist and all, Emma might be thinking about braving the beach this summer. If she did, these are the swimmers I think she'd like to wear along with her new confident attitude.

here comes the sun by shinyprettythings featuring a betsey johnson swimwear

The taupe and coral polka dot and bow-bedecked bikini from Ruche couldn't be more Emma and I'm sure she'd check out what Anthro has on offer so maybe the lovely polka dot two piece or the yellow one - it's called the Vitamin D bikini!!! Yes I get excited by things like that.  The rest are all Betsey Johnson swimwear and I think Betsey's come up with a lot Emma would like. Maybe she'd choose the swan print ruffled bikini or the red ruffled tankini but I think the blue and yellow polka dot and beribboned bikini (or the more modest swim dress) might be her favourite.

Shopping at Zara for Emma

Since Lou's started shopping at Zara, some of their clothes might find their way into Emma's wardrobe too. So I thought I should take a look with Emma in mind and I think there are some definite candidates.

Shopping at Zara for Emma by shinyprettythings featuring zara blouses

There are a number of ruffled and pleated blouses - I like this multi-coloured print one and I think the pleated shoulders would appeal to Emma. The bright shell tops with bow shoulders are lovely too and can you ever have too many pencil skirts? No, the answer is no. The green one would come in useful if you got your hands on a vintage ladybug embroidered cardi, for example, or just at Christmas. In fact there are endless possibilities. I think it's a must buy. And the belts ... patent leather ... bows ... bright pops of colour ... need I say more? No, I don't think so.