The Princess Handbook


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20th Nov 2009

Friday // 2pm // 3 years ago
It’s not hard dressing royally. Simple additions to everyday wear can make you feel more Princess or Prince like. I have a passion for acrylic nails so I keep them painted a delicate pink with a little glitter or gems on them. Nothing too overwhelming, just enough to make me feel like royalty. Here’s some ways to make any outfit a little more special: Wear rich colours in gem tones like turquoise, ruby, deep greens or blues, and especially purple, a colour already associated with royalty. This is suitable for Princes and Princesses who are older, or just don’t care for the colour pink. Though, of course, my favourite is wearing pink. As I mentioned, my nails are my bit of everyday princess pink. Get yourself something shiny. A nice necklace that is enough for everyday wear. Maybe a bracelet for a very nice watch. Splurge on something pricier than normal that you can see wearing everyday. If you work where jewelery isn’t suitable or just are scared of losing an important piece, make something yourself! Local craft stores carry all sorts of nice beading and jewelery making kits. I wear a beaded bracelet of purple, pink, and gold. If I lose it, which is common… I give mine to little girls who admire it, I can always make another. Wear rich fabrics. Brocades, silks, fuax furs (royalty isn’t cruel), whatever makes you feel rich as possible. I am a princess of little means, so for me my bit of fancy fabrics go into my underwear. It’s an affordable luxury, silk undergarments, and no matter what I wear on the outside I still feel like a princess. Make time to keep your hair neat. It’s amazing how different you feel if you take just a little time in the morning to get your hair just right. I admire the Hime Gals of Japan so I favour soft backcombed hair in a beehive like fashion. Curls are also very princess-like. If you can’t curl your hair, get  an activator it really helps! Naturally curly hair, just get a product that helps control frizziness and you’re good to go! For Princes I suggest a good combing and maybe a little mousse for control and neatness. Shoes are a love of mine. I am sure I’d trade my Prince for the shoes I have in the photo. Always get something comfortable, and you feel great in. I have a habit of adding gems, ribbons, and lace to my shoes to make them special. Customize your own too! To start with, get a pair you like from the thrift store and the type of glue from the hardware store that requires you to mix parts A and B, it has the best hold. Get whatever additions you’d like and go crazy! Once you’re a pro, any shoes are game! Hair accessories!! I love them to death! I have a barrette that looks like a small tiara and I like to wear it when a normal one isn’t suitable. I also have one that is a little bigger attached to a comb. It’s also easy to customize bobby pins with gems. Wearing a skirt or dress always makes me feel more Princess-like. For a Prince, try collecting nice jackets and blazers to go with everything. I find a good blazer with a t-shirt and nice medium to dark wash jeans really looks impressive. No point in dressing well if you have bad posture. Practice standing and sitting correctly. Soon enough, it will become second nature. Smile! Just do it!! Learn to wear just the right type of makeup for your face shape. If you need, learn to contour. I try for a doe eyed look, white liner on your waterline, black liner just below the white. A neat line of liquid liner along the top lid, false lashes, and a shimmery eye shadow on the inner corners of my eyes. Sometimes, a light pink shadow and shimmery shadow along my brow line really adds an extra punch! Soon enough you’ll look as royal as you feel!! (Photo credit)

It’s not hard dressing royally. Simple additions to everyday wear can make you feel more Princess or Prince like. I have a passion for acrylic nails so I keep them painted a delicate pink with a little glitter or gems on them. Nothing too overwhelming, just enough to make me feel like royalty.

Here’s some ways to make any outfit a little more special:

  • Wear rich colours in gem tones like turquoise, ruby, deep greens or blues, and especially purple, a colour already associated with royalty. This is suitable for Princes and Princesses who are older, or just don’t care for the colour pink.
  • Though, of course, my favourite is wearing pink. As I mentioned, my nails are my bit of everyday princess pink.
  • Get yourself something shiny. A nice necklace that is enough for everyday wear. Maybe a bracelet for a very nice watch. Splurge on something pricier than normal that you can see wearing everyday.
  • If you work where jewelery isn’t suitable or just are scared of losing an important piece, make something yourself! Local craft stores carry all sorts of nice beading and jewelery making kits. I wear a beaded bracelet of purple, pink, and gold. If I lose it, which is common… I give mine to little girls who admire it, I can always make another.
  • Wear rich fabrics. Brocades, silks, fuax furs (royalty isn’t cruel), whatever makes you feel rich as possible. I am a princess of little means, so for me my bit of fancy fabrics go into my underwear. It’s an affordable luxury, silk undergarments, and no matter what I wear on the outside I still feel like a princess.
  • Make time to keep your hair neat. It’s amazing how different you feel if you take just a little time in the morning to get your hair just right. I admire the Hime Gals of Japan so I favour soft backcombed hair in a beehive like fashion. Curls are also very princess-like. If you can’t curl your hair, get  an activator it really helps! Naturally curly hair, just get a product that helps control frizziness and you’re good to go! For Princes I suggest a good combing and maybe a little mousse for control and neatness.
  • Shoes are a love of mine. I am sure I’d trade my Prince for the shoes I have in the photo. Always get something comfortable, and you feel great in. I have a habit of adding gems, ribbons, and lace to my shoes to make them special. Customize your own too! To start with, get a pair you like from the thrift store and the type of glue from the hardware store that requires you to mix parts A and B, it has the best hold. Get whatever additions you’d like and go crazy! Once you’re a pro, any shoes are game!
  • Hair accessories!! I love them to death! I have a barrette that looks like a small tiara and I like to wear it when a normal one isn’t suitable. I also have one that is a little bigger attached to a comb. It’s also easy to customize bobby pins with gems.
  • Wearing a skirt or dress always makes me feel more Princess-like. For a Prince, try collecting nice jackets and blazers to go with everything. I find a good blazer with a t-shirt and nice medium to dark wash jeans really looks impressive.
  • No point in dressing well if you have bad posture. Practice standing and sitting correctly. Soon enough, it will become second nature.
  • Smile! Just do it!!
  • Learn to wear just the right type of makeup for your face shape. If you need, learn to contour. I try for a doe eyed look, white liner on your waterline, black liner just below the white. A neat line of liquid liner along the top lid, false lashes, and a shimmery eye shadow on the inner corners of my eyes. Sometimes, a light pink shadow and shimmery shadow along my brow line really adds an extra punch!

Soon enough you’ll look as royal as you feel!!

(Photo credit)

Tagged as: Princess. dressing up. royal.

19th Nov 2009

Thursday // 7pm // 3 years ago

Etiquette

A Princess or Prince needs to know proper decorum. The easiest place to start the practice is simple things, helping when someone seems to be struggling with a large item, opening doors for people, using words such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. With food and family related holidays coming up, I think brushing up on some proper etiquette is needed. Being dressed as royalty simply isn’t enough, and maybe some have someone to impress? Here in the palace, I am preparing for sharing Thanksgiving with the Prince’s family.

I like to try and pay attention to how I eat. Small bites, chewing properly, and sitting up straight. Some may find the rules a bit restrictive but you can at least take comfort in the fact that in America it’s okay to place your elbows on the table when there is no food. It’s just difficult for others to eat when you are at larger gatherings when you take up space with your arms.

Personal experience has taught me that the ability to handle social situations well during generally stressful times can be rather important. You manage to cause less trouble and can help smooth over things for someone else. Simple gestures like offering to set a table or carry food over shows you are considerate and useful. Entertaining children is also a kind thing to do as it keeps them from being underfoot while others prepare things. If I am invited to a gathering for winter holidays where small children will be, I like to go to the dollar store and get things like a cheap pack of construction paper and some crayons or a very large colouring book. Sometimes you get lucky and can find one with perforated edges so you can tear out pages making it easier to pass them out to little ones.

Always ask if you should bring something. Out of fear of stepping on someone’s toes, I like to make sure I bring something I know no one else is in charge of. Even a simple plate of sugar cookies is nice (a personal favourite to make because there’s a lower chance of allergens).

Here are some helpful links to get you ready for your holiday get togethers.

  • The Emily Post Institute The institute was started in 1946 by Etiquette Writer Emily Post and has been run by 3 generations of family so far, this is the essential guide to all forms of civility.
  • Debrett’s Everyday Etiquette Guide A beautifully organised list of items that covers everything from how to pronounce some surnames, to handling almost every social occasion. I enjoy the everyday etiquette section as I’ve found it useful more times than I could count.
  • Defining Etiquette is a place that I always get a laugh or two from. They take modern day complaints and convert them to rules for living civilly in a modern world.
  • Etiquette Hell Yet another hilarious place where people may submit stories involving failure at manners. Hasn’t been updated in some time, but there’s more than enough content to keep you busy for ages!
Tagged as: princess. etiquette. manners.

18th Nov 2009

Wednesday // 12am // 3 years ago

Princess Links

Domestic craft is an ever important skill for a Princess. I find it to be a charming appearance; a girl dressed in her most princess outfit, sitting peacefully while working. I personally choose knitting, I enjoy the feminine appearance and how useful it can be. Here are a few favorite project ideas fit for any Princess.

  • Dom Klary is a Polish site that supplies a bit of helpful English to help you navigate, as well as patterns in English. It’s home to many beautiful fibre projects. My personal favourite are the gloves.
  • Midnight Knitter supplies a lovely crochet pattern for a crown that also makes a lovely necklace.
  • At Elann they have a felted birdhouse purse! It’s the cutest thing I’ve seen in quite some time and I think it’s suitable for any Faery Princess!
  • Knitty has all sorts of awesome projects that can be useful to any type of Prince or Princess, but my favourite from them are the knitted drawers called Unmentionables I can see spending time in the bed chambers with my Prince while lounging in them with a cute lace cami. They also have the pattern sized for little girls! Makes me wish I had a daughter.
Tagged as: knitting,. princess. links. crafts. crochet.

16th Nov 2009

Monday // 3pm // 3 years ago

The point of this project is to help everyone find their inner royalty. Everyone has a royal self; whether you are a girl who longs to be a princess, a boy who is a prince at heart or even a girl who is a prince deep down or a boy who dreams of being a princess!

I will offer up advice to live a more fairytale life, links of interest, stories, and even crafts and recipes. To start, why don’t we make our royal selves a crown? Go crazy decorating it too! I like to use a glue stick and some glitter to make it super sparkly.