[Under $50] Sarah Burton Style sans Alexander McQueen Sticker Shock

Sarah Burton, of Kate Middleton wedding dress notoriety, is hard at work on her 2014 styles, but her pre-fall 2013 looks are filtering through the fashion channels.  Her latest looks pull forward elements of British church history, with particular attention to voluminous sleeves.  While some may recall the unforgettable Seinfeld puffy shirt episode, to me, the airy volume adds balance to the straight/skinny leg pants in style.

I don't even want to try to price what these Alexander McQueen pieces will run you - you can imagine there are a ton of commas and zeros for each a swatch of these tops, but Nyala Khan, of online boutique Nylii, has a much more palatable substitute.

For those of you unfamiliar with Nylii, it's a newly launched online boutique, akin to Lulus or Ruche, established specifically to clothe the average American woman who seeks modest style.  Nylii provided Noor Tagouri, our Modest Marvel, with her infamous Cleo Cape that she wore to a speaking engagement at John Jay College in New York.  Proprietor Nyla Khan sources American clothing for the everyday look.

For example, love that Alexander McQueen top?

Nylii's $40 Mrs. McQueen blouse will give you the Sarah Burton style without the Alexander McQueen sticker shock.

Like what you see?  When you make a purchase, mention Greater Lengths to let Nylii know how you found her!

Tea Time with Naima!

Naima and I are reuniting this weekend (Alhumdullilah, she and I get to reunite every few months, but she's one of those friends that, despite living three to four states apart for almost our entire lives, a few months even feels like too long) and the occasion is pretty monumental: Naima's baby shower!

Safia, Naima's sister-in-law, who has perhaps one of the most artful hands I've ever seen (you should see this woman dress up a dessert!), has themed it as a tea party, partially as a nod to Naima's love for chai and partially as a way to allow us all to dress up :)  We'll be wearing hats and bows and lace and peplums pretty much all those things that let us pretend that we're Kate Middleton for the day.

I'm almost sure what I'll be wearing (an old midi skirt from Anthropologie, a new hat also from Anthropologie, and a silky top in fuschia from ModCloth [similar to these here and here]).  While it's all women, I'll still pair the skirt with tall bools and knee socks for extra leg covering.

Feeling a bit like dressing up in British themes yourself?  Here are a few items I pulled together - heavy on the peplums!

As an added bonus, if you're also looking for modesty pregnancy style, scroll down a bit farther for some style finds

Peplums, with a maxi skirt, topped with a blazer, screams the ultimate "modest tea party" attire.  You can trade out the blazer for a cardigan too!

ModCloth Tops · ModCloth Shortsleeve Tops · ModCloth Plus Tops

Each of these dresses can be modest-fied with a cardigan, leggings, or over slim pants.

Asos Cocktail Dresses · Mina Dresses · Fake Bake Evening Dresses

Flared skirts:

Charter Club Skirts · Panache Skirts · Culture Phit Skirts

Looking for some pregnancy tea time styles?  Again, Kate Middleton had a polished look (she's got a look for everything...she is a princess).

Belts and waistlines are the keys to a proper tea time pregnancy outfit.  Work these items in with your favorite slacks/cardigans/leggings for that almost-Kate-like look!

Asos Maternity Clothes · Oh Baby Maternity Tops

Reader Request: A Black Tie Affair (and a Well-Deserving College Senior!)

Our reader, Arfa Aijazi, our favorite senior at MIT and recently featured on the front page of their website for all her accomplishments, wrote and requested:

"Salaam! I hope you're doing well. I had a favor to ask you Mademoiselle Greater Lengths, so my school's senior ball is coming up on Saturday. It's a full black tie affair and I have a gown but I'm having a hard time finding a short jacket or shrug. My dress is plain so I'm looking for something embezzled or metallic: gold, silver, ivory, any neutral really."

Lela Rose

Her gown, a beautiful one-shoulder floor length Lela Rose stunner, will be in eggplant - a shade flattering to every skin type.  Without taking away from the ruffle, but ensuring a good modest look, long-sleeved boleros are the way to go.  The key is the search term "bolero" over "shrug," which generally brings up cropped cardigans perfect for a formal affair.

(Click on any of the modesty options to link directly to the retailer.)

Cardigans
Blazers

Since color blocking is also in style these days, another route would be to add another punch of color to the dress (which might even go with Arfa's hijab!) in tropical shades.

(Click on any of the modesty options to link directly to the retailer.)

Cardigans
Cardigans

Finally, in a move I now call "Kate Middletoning," add lace sleeves underneath!  That prevents one front having to cover up a dress but at the same time maintaining a look of modesty - and on a dress like this, it should be a star of its own (like Arfa!).

(Click on any of the modesty options to link directly to the retailer.)

Longsleeve Tops
Longsleeve Tops