Last week, I got to visit my favorite store, Herve Leger! And, I made sure that I tried on and reviewed some of the dresses. Get ready to check out some of the newest dresses in stores now. Enjoy!
I've tried on the Sarai in a number of colors now, and sometimes they do not run tts. I have to say that this Sarai in a bright pretty pink runs perfectly tts. The color is absolutely divine and, the fit was extremely classic.
The Arlenis dress is the same dress as Billie, aside from color and sequins. Though the fit is exactly the same, the Arlenis runs true to size, while the Billie runs somewhat big. It's a very sexy dress!
Llima's white color looked amazing! Love white! The only thing to note about this dress is that it looked a little strange around the lower waist area. Unlike some a-line dresses (example: Faith), this dress ought to be worn by someone who has a normal to long torso length. This dress also ran somewhat big.
The Shannon is a beautiful dress, but not suited for my body type. It made my bust look overwhelming for my frame. This dress looks amazing on a smaller chest. It's shocking how different this dress looks on Victoria Secret model, Karlie Kloss.
Last, but not least, I tried on a black cap sleeve Herve Leger. This dress was also very flattering and classic. The dress ran true to size as well.
Hope you enjoyed this most recent Herve Leger review. If you've got any questions, please leave them below. 🙂
We've put together pictures of stamping, serial numbers, zippers, etc from the most popular Celine bags (mini, micro, trapeze, phantom, nano). Test your authentication skills. Can you tell the difference between authentic and fake Celine bags?
Are the bags below real or fake Celine? Answers are at the bottom.
1. Blue phantom handbag
2. Brown Celine Phantom handbag
3. Celine tri-color mini handbag
4. Celine Nano shoulder bag
5. Celine Micro handbag
6. Bi-color Celine Mini bag
Answers: The following bags are counterfeit-2,3,5 authentic-1,4,6
There are a lot of authentication misconceptions out there about Herve Leger tagging. People who are new to Herve Leger oftentimes think that all Herve Leger dresses come with a serial number, as all current dresses in stores have serial numbers. There are those who think that as long as HerveLeger.com accepts a serial number, that the dress with that serial number is authentic. This post provides a few authentication tips and dispels the mystery of the Herve Leger serial number.
There is a lot of wrong information out there about Herve Leger authentication. For instance, the two on eBay are completely wrong. One of them even uses a picture of a fake dress as an example of what an authentic should look like!
Facts about serial numbers:
- HerveLeger.com will accept many serial numbers to be registered including fake numbers. Just because you can register the dress doesn't mean that it is authentic. When you register, it signs you up to get emails.
- Fake Herve Leger oftentimes come with serial numbers too.
- Not all authentic Herve Leger come with serial numbers. Older dresses from 2008-2009 should not have serial numbers. If an older style from 2008 has a serial number, you'll know it's a fake.
- Dresses with serials will have a larger number if it was produced at a later year. Example: Dress from 2012 will have a larger number than one that was produced in 2011.
- Fake dresses do not have common faked serial numbers. Counterfeitors are good at producing numbers.
- Both fake and authentic serial numbers are usually 8 digits and start with 00.
- If a dress does not have a serial number on the main tag, but comes new with tags, and one of the tags holds a card, this dress is a fake! A serial card is only provided when there is a serial number on the dress. Not all fakes make this error, but some do.
- Sometimes looking at the font of the serial number can help you determine if a Herve Leger is fake. However, many fake Herve Leger dresses do a good job on the font of the serial number.
***Note***For proper authentication, the entire article of clothing should be evaluated, not only the tagging. Article was written in Spring of 2014 and will be most accurate for current 2014 and earlier dresses.
If you don't want to worry about authentication at all, let us do all the authentication work for you.
Here's a review of 5 more Herve Leger dresses, including the tassel draped Leilei dress that is unlike most HL dresses. Read on for the details! 🙂
This little black dress is the Carmen dress with studs around the waist. Surprisingly, I think that the black Carmen without studs is more flattering. Other than that, it runs true to size, and I love how versatile this little black dress is. Having been a Herve Leger fan for years and having owned so many of them, I appreciate covered up Herve Leger just as much as super sexy ones. You have much more occasions to wear the more conservative dresses!
This poppy red Karima dress is in a stretchy crochet material that's a relatively new Herve Leger fabric. Most HL dresses are not in this material; its hold is not quite as firm as most other Herve Leger.
This Leilei dress was in a size that was 2 sizes too big, but the store only had this last one available. It was so unique, I knew that it had to be tried on. The dress has a lot of cool movement when walking and looks super EXPENSIVE. For my personal tastes, it wasn't a win, but I can see why others may love it. You have a tight fit underneath, with forgiving strings on top of a sexy bandage dress.
I didn't care for this pink Neem dress, mostly because I hated the color. It's a super pale pink that just looked wrong on me.
The last dress I tried was the black v-essential dress with scallop loops on the edges. This dress is classic, slimming, and figure-flattering. Personally, I prefer the classic plain v-essential; the loops don't add anything to the dress and make it look less modern.
Everything on this trip fit true to size. 🙂
When I was new to Chanel, I spent so much time thinking about which bag to buy as my first Chanel. At their price points, they're certainly an investment, so I wanted to make sure that whatever bag I chose, it would be classic, timeless, versatile and truly beautiful. The obvious choice would be the most famous of all Chanel bags, the classic Chanel 2.55 double flap. However, there were a number of vintage Chanel flaps that were very similar in size and design and slightly less expensive. I was so confused on what to get. Here's some pictures and a post on how these bags differ. If you are in the same spot that I was, I hope that you find this helpful.
The 2.55 double flap is seen repeatedly on the shoulders of celebs, in magazines, and on fashion bloggers. Truly versatile, the bag can be enjoyed with almost all ensembles. It is truly the quintessential fashion piece! Again and again, I saw this glorious bag transforming outfits. It made the most raggedy boyfriend jeans look so darn chic!
But, wait! Chanel produced a ton of bags particularly around the 90's that were very similar to the 2.55 double flap, complete with woven leather and chain strap, quilting detail, flashy gold hardware, and structured shape. And, they also had some extra details that added character.
Look at the pics. You can certainly see how they have some similar charming features. 🙂
Functionality wise, they are quite similar. An easy turn-lock clasp opens and closes the bag. The size is roughly the same. The classic double flap has two flaps, but I've never found this to be a particularly valuable feature. 😛 The non-classic bag in these pics did not have 4 prongs, so in order to shorten the strap, the strap needs to be wrapped around the flap. This is more inconvenient than the 2.55 double flap with its 4 prong holes.
I think the classic 2.55 double flap looks more modern and edgy, while the other bag has slightly more character and fewer people will have this bag. What do you think? Which do you prefer? Now that I'm a Chanel nut, I must have both!
I'm always after value, durability, and timeless beauty. Plus, I'm allergic to all earrings that are not 14-24k gold. These are the reasons why I like fine jewelry. And, in true Lollipuff fashion, I have to find the best deals on fine jewelry as well. Read on to find out what I do...
My parents came from the most humble beginnings. They've literally come from almost nothing, and as I have grown older, I've watched them become less of want due to their hard work and continuous persistence. I remember even as a young child understanding financial control and value by observing them.
In college, I put myself on a $10/week grocery bill, so that I could pay for half of the dates that I went on with my boyfriend (husband now). He didn't know this until a couple years after I graduated. He's still angry about that. And, when my husband proposed, I returned the diamond for another diamond that cost over $1000 less.
Even though, at Lollipuff, we deal with lavish luxury items, we all understand value. A Chanel bag can be 25 years old and still be more stunning than most new bags at department stores. A Herve Leger will make you feel ridiculously beautiful and make memories that much more special. And, if you buy re-sale, sometimes you can even profit when you go to resell your item!
Anyway, off my soapbox about value... I'm here to share with you my personal way of buying fine jewelry.
The best place to get fine jewelry isn't the most ritzy or fashionable place or site. It's... the pawn shop! It's true that some of them are seedy, but quite a few of them are not at all. And, you'll be surprised by what some pawn shops have! Above are my personal purchases from pawn shops. Guess how much I paid for each pair of earrings!
I don't like pawn shops for anything except for fine jewelry. A very small percentage of pawn shops might even have designer handbags. Unfortunately, I have seen a number of counterfeits even though they usually claim that they have an expert evaluate the bags. Thus, I generally don't trust them for artwork or designer items. And, most will not have a gemologist that can verify unusual stones. But, they are great at evaluating precious metals.
By the way, if there is one thing that is even worse than buying designer items off of eBay, it's buying fine jewelry that is unbranded!
These 14k white gold earrings with multi-colored gemstones only cost me $45! They were purchased about 5 years ago, so you cannot get them for this kind of pricing anymore, since the price of gold has gone up.
These 14k yellow gold dangle earrings are also an old find from many years back. They were only $20.
This next one was only purchased last month. They are 18k gold bow earrings. Since they have significant gold on them, they were $360. Earrings this fancy are even hard to find in most jewelry stores!
Finally, another recent purchase are these 14k gold hammered geometric earrings that match almost everything. They were only $50!
Pawn shops vary just like any store. Some have good deals, and others have horrible deals. But, the ones with good deals will have pricing that is unbeatable compared to normal jewelry stores. Oftentimes, you can get jewelry for just slightly higher than gold value! Finally, don't forget to haggle; it's a common practice for pawn stores.
If you're concerned about germs, easily disinfect jewelry by wiping it down with isopropyl alcohol.
Got questions? Leave them below! 🙂
Ah... the current "IT" handbag, Celine luggage bags. Its fame and popularity seemed to have come out of nowhere. Since its release a few short years ago, prices have been sky-rocketing. Here's a review of the highly coveted Celine micro boston bag, and some differences between it and its sister bag, the mini.
Celine's luggage bags are particularly versatile. They are roomy and polished enough for an office setting, while still looking very fun and trendy for the weekends.
The most common and well-known Celine bag is the mini; it is also the most sought after bag out of all of the Celine luggage bags. The almost identical micro is slightly smaller than the mini by about 2 inches in width and height. When looking at the bag at a glance, both the mini and micro would be considered as medium sized handbags.
In my opinion, the micro looks better on thinner statures and for those who are petite. Whereas, the mini better suits those who are taller. If you're of average height and average build, go with your usual preference. I tend to prefer small/medium handbags vs. medium/large, so the micro appeals to me more. If you're familiar with Louis Vuitton Speedy's, think of the micro to be like the Speedy 30, whereas the mini to be like the Speedy 35.
The micro is also much harder to find than the mini, as it was not produced as heavily. While there are many pictures online of the mini being carried, there are fewer pics of the micro. And, because the bags are so similar, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two.
The Celine micro bag is extremely roomy and can store plenty. We put a wallet, cell-phone, and a 9.5x6 inch notebook, and you can see that it is still mostly empty. There are few bags that are this easy for retrieving and depositing items. It's very easy to use with a smooth running zipper over the top and large opening. All micro bags will have a zippered pocket inside. Some micro bags will also have some open pockets inside too.
Celine luggage bags come in many different finishes, and some leathers and materials are softer and slouchier. This particular micro uses a smooth calfskin. It's quite rigid, and even with the bag fully loaded, its form remains.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed our outfit / bag review post!
I recently had the pleasure of trying on some Herve Leger dresses at Nordstrom. The selection in both size and styles is really limited compared to a Herve Leger boutique, but they had quite a few new dresses that were unlike any that I had previously tried on. For my personal opinions on some of the newest fabrics utilized on Herve Leger dresses, read on. 🙂
For 2014, BCBG Max Azria added some new fabrics for Herve Leger bandage dresses. One was a tie-dyed fabric, and the other was a stretchy crochet knit. I was really curious to see how these fabrics would fit.
This first dress is the stunning Areca. It's as elegant as it is sexy. It has regular HL bandage material in a slimming black. The beading in the front further slims down the silhouette by emphasizing an hourglass shape and by covering the usual problem areas. There is beading on both the front and back and the extra glimmer makes this dress quite special. Runs true to size.
This dress had a new fabric composition. The pattern on the dress kind of looks like tie-dye. I didn't get to try on this dress in my usual size, but I can say that the fabric did not provide much hold compared to normal HL bandage material. In true Herve Leger fashion, the fabric had the ability to disguise many un-toned parts, but as far as shaping goes, it didn't do much.
There are quite a few 2014 dresses with this kind of fabric, a stretchy crochet knit. So, how does it compare? I definitely prefer the usual bandage material. Herve Leger over the years has come out with quite a few different bandage materials, some of them with SUPER FIRM shaping, and others with hardly any at all. This fabric falls into the hardly any at all. The good thing about it is it's incredibly comfortable and can be worn casually.
The Carmen is a very good example of what most Herve Leger dresses look like. Good shaping and timeless style! It has the usual bandage finish and demonstrates why Herve Leger has such a cult following. The clothing is magic for the female form!
I saved the worst for last. I find almost all Herve Leger to be flattering. But, this dress had the ugliest fit on me. In fact, I've never had a Herve look this bad; it made my body look disfigured. Each style fits and suits people differently. On second thought, it might be the fact that the store didn't have my size for me to try on. This was 2 sizes too big, so most likely, I just didn't have enough on the lower half of me to fill out the dress. For me, the Haylynn was an absolute, "NO WAY!"
Celine luggage bags are truly coveted. The price of these bags have increased significantly every year, and it doesn't look like the price hike will stop anytime soon. If you have your eye on one particular color and style, it's still incredibly difficult to locate even at retail prices. With such crazy demand, also comes a flood of counterfeits! We took a look at some of eBay's most recently sold Celine luggage bags to examine just how bad the problem is.
The vast majority of Celine mini, micro, nano, trapeze, and phantom bags that sell for under $1500 will be counterfeit. And, once the price is higher than $2000, it's usually not an incredible deal anymore. So, our search covered bags that sold from $1500-$2000.
We went through each and every listing and authenticated the listing by carefully examining the photographs. Celine requires meticulous authentication and is not one of those designers that you want to authenticate just by touching, and it must pass more checkpoints than many other brands.
Isn't it amazing just how many counterfeits are being sold well over $1000?! And, most of the fake listings insist that the item is authentic. 🙁
This kind of activity makes selling and buying resale really difficult and dangerous. Can you imagine all the counterfeit claims that result from this one brand alone? Every day, trusting buyers are receiving fakes, sometimes never even finding out their bag is fake! And, buyers aren't the only victims. I imagine that there are a bunch of false counterfeit claims as well due to paranoid buyers. I mean... can you blame them for being paranoid after seeing just how many bags are fake!?!
My collection of Herve Leger consists of many short dresses, skirts, and tops. But, I don't have any full-length gowns. I rarely get the chance to wear something really formal, and Herve Leger gowns can be quite expensive. The ones that I usually fancy retail more than $3k! Here's an economical tip on how to transform a short Herve Leger dress into an elegant floor-length marvel.
Some of my favorite Herve Leger gowns almost look like regular short Herve Leger dresses attached to a flowing skirt. This is what inspired this diy.
In fact, BCBG Max Azria Herve Leger had the same idea. They had released a pleated chiffon skirt called the Rebecca. Many HL stylists would pair this skirt with Herve Leger bandage dresses to create beautiful full-length dresses out of mini dresses. The Rebecca skirt retailed $480 and is no longer available in stores. It is nylon and spandex on the top, and the chiffon skirt is made of polyester.
The Rebecca skirt can easily be substituted with a chiffon maxi skirt. For a maxi skirt that we recommend, look here: black with slit, and white with slits.
Here are a few examples:
When pairing a chiffon maxi skirt with a short Herve Leger dress, please be mindful of a few rules:
1.The dress must be the same color as the skirt.
2. The top of the dress must not be too covered up. V necks, low scoop necks, one shoulders, strapless, square necks are all fine.
3. Dress should not have too much pattern, trim, etc.
4. Ideally, the dress should be around mid thigh and does not have a flared skirt.
5. The maxi skirt should be in a solid color and have a smooth waistband, so that it does not show through the dress.
And, finally, here it is modeled:
Tips: Put on the Herve Leger dress first. Then fold the dress up to your waist. Put on maxi skirt, and pull the Herve Leger dress down. Voila!
2 COMPLETELY different looks out of one dress! Love! What did you think? Have you done this? Do you have the HL Rebecca skirt? Would love to know! ♥