Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today’s reader mail comes from Alyssa, who’s looking for simple sandals that can be worn when dressing up (a sundress) or down (jean shorts). She’s also on a budget.

My favorite way to bridge the occasion gap is by sticking to a classic base (in this case, leather), unfussy styles that look chic (whether expensive or cheap), and a touch of metallic (but make sure it only has a dull sheen to it). Here are some of my picks, from least expensive to most:

These Victoria’s Secret (!) classic flip flops come in a dull gold (left photo, top) and mocha (right photo, middle). Both would fit the bill and clock in at just $29.

These Colin Stuart classic thongs from VS look extremely comfortable and are also just $29. If Alyssa isn’t feeling the metallic, she could easily choose black or brown suede with these.

American Eagle adds a twist to their leather flip flops with (appropriately) the Twist sandal. $29.50, comes in a flat gold.

Lastly, for a silver option, we have J. Crew. Their leather Capri sandal is on sale for $39.50 and comes in the metallic silver above, as well as light gold and a “metallic guava.” Oolala.

I hope this helps, Alyssa! If anyone else has a fashion, wedding, decorating, entertaining, or organizing question they’d like answered on Peach & Pearl, shoot me an email: peachandpearl [at] ymail [dot] com. I’d be happy to see what I can find!

As promised, I’m back this week with details on my dress for the black-tie ball I’m attending in May. I told you I was looking for a sophisticated, classic, and occasion-appropriate gown on a budget, and that I had a hard time fulfilling all three requirements.

I thought I’d begin this post the same way I began my search: with inspiration photos. Though I’m not planning to get married anytime soon, I do write about weddings on an {almost} daily basis, so I’m not ashamed to stay that I have quite the stock of favorite dresses squirreled away. The similarities between evening gowns and wedding dresses are obvious, so it only made sense to check my stash for recurring themes before I set out for the stores. Here are a few of my favorites:

I love the beautiful simplicity of this Lela Rose dress. The pleating is gorgeous and understated, while the deep v back adds just the right amount of drama. {via Style Me Pretty}

As you may know, I am a sucker for the sweetheart neckline. I think a mermaid or trumpet shape can look perfect when paired with the right body type. {photos by Lisa Lefkowitz}

What’s not to love? Gauzy, ephemeral tulle on the bottom paired with a crisp structured top – exquisite in my book, though perhaps not the look I’m going for in an evening gown. {via Southern Weddings; photos by Jessica Claire}

Simple and classic is definitely what I am drawn to most often, and this dress, paired with a single strand of pearls, fits the bill. {via Style Me Pretty; photo by Casey Cunningham}

Are you beginning to see a pattern emerge? {via Snippet & Ink}

Another sweetheart neckline paired with soft draping – picture this dress in black and you pretty much had what I set out to find. {via Southern Weddings}

So now you know what I was looking for – but did I find it? I looked online at Nordstroms, Nicole Miller, Cache, Bluefly, and E-Dress Me, but was having a hard time pulling the trigger without seeing the dresses in person. It was mostly a moot point, however, because nothing really caught my eye.

Last weekend I ventured into Boston with a few friends hoping to score a deal at Filene’s Basement, the famous location of the Running of the Brides. Unfortunately, I forgot that their larger, Downtown Crossing location is currently closed for renovations, and the Back Bay location we went to had a VERY scanty selection – we didn’t see anything we were even interested in trying on.

From there, we crossed the Common to wander down Newbury Street. We knew going in that most of the dresses would be far beyond our budgets, but {in light of the current economic situation} were hoping there might be some sales to be had. Unfortunately, we were disappointed, though I was eyed this beautiful Nicole Miller dress that Miss Cowboy Boot recently tried on:

Discouraged, we headed to Macy’s for our final stop of the day. At this point I was pretty desperate, and grabbed every dress in my size that looked halfway decent off the racks. The first dress I tried on? SO not my style… but you know where this is going.

Yep, that’s the one I bought. And no, I don’t have a photo for you. {Sorry!} I’ll try to help you put it together in your head, though. Here we go: take the deep V back of the first dress. Add the trumpet silhouette of the second dress. Add the neckline of the fourth dress. Add some ruching down the front. Put it all together, then put it in a deep royal blue sateen – and that’s my dress! You’ll have to wait until May to see the real thing.

Alright, we’ve covered the location and the dress. What do you want to hear about next – hair or jewelry? Or are you finding this series totally boring? Let me know in the comments!

Previously:
Rosecliff: The Location

…tote! And talk about a recession beater – while I have a deep love for J.Crew, their madras tote (below) just can’t compare. L.L. Bean offers three different sizes: mini (7inx7.5×5, $19), medium (12inx13x6, $25), and large (15inx17x7.5, $29), two shades of patchwork, extremely sturdy construction, monogramming for just $6, and a lifetime guarantee.

J. Crew? They offer one patchwork and one size for $68. It clocks in at 13x17x8, in between L.L. Bean’s medium and large offerings, so you do the math!

One of my favorite vendors from the Well Wed event was Amelia Rose. Her jewelry collection is equally at home paired with jeans or a Jenny Lee, and I’m currently coveting many of her delicate designs for myself. Here are some of my favorites:

I’m not generally a big earring person, but these honey quartz drop earrings are calling my name…

Rose Quartz drop earrings on 14k gold wire

Honey quartz pendant and pink amethyst and freshwater pearl pendant

A new something blue, perhaps? London blue topaz single pendant.

My personal favorite isn’t on the website yet but should be soon:

Amethysts topped with delicate clusters of gold vermeil balls

The best news? Until March 31, get 20% off at Amelia’s store! Use coupon code “WINTER20” at checkout. Happy shopping!