This Luxe Washable Sleepwear Is 20% Off Just For R29 Readers

Welcome to Aisle Style, a week-long series that features the most untraditional wedding fashion trends, bridal designers behind the coolest wedding looks, and brides who walk to the beat of their own “Canon In D.” Buck the tradition and say I do to personal style — the aisle is yours.

Wedding robes and PJs have become a massive part of the wedding industry, with everyone from major retailers to Etsy sellers offering garments to wear before the I do’s. This glut of getting ready apparel includes quite a few options that might be worn once then forgotten, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Enter Lunya, maker of some of the internet’s favorite washable silk wares. The brand’s recently launched bridal collection can be worn before and after the wedding, on the honeymoon, and long, long after. In fact, you don’t even have to be getting married or the wedding party to fall in love with the collection, which includes five colorways alongside the classic bridal whites and blues that nod to the “something borrowed, something blue” rhyme. And since everyone could use a little more glam in their lives, we scored an exclusive 20% off Lunya’s curated bridal offerings (excluding the already-disocounted bundle) with the promo code FOR-R29BRIDAL-20. 

You can deck out your whole wedding party in their preferred attire or even have multiple outfit changes of your own, thanks to these silk robes, lounge pant sets, and luxe accessories to help you relax on the wedding journey. (Take it from our affiliate fashion writer who’ll be getting married next month and is already wearing Lunya’s sleepwear to calm her nerves.)  Shop for your bride-to-be bestie, bridesmaids, your mom for Mother’s Day, or just yourself. All shades, from sky blue to pastel green, will be eligible for the discount. Let’s start shopping for some Lunya silk pajamas, shall we?

Shop Our Favorite Bridal Collection Picks

Washable Silk Set, $188 $150.40

“I was introduced to Lunya when I visited one of its pop-up events earlier this year. I scored a pajama set and was so thankful I did. The hype of its ultra-soft and luxe sleepwear is real. The long pants and long-sleeve set is continuously in my sleepwear rotation. However, the weather in NYC has been getting warmer than I expected, and the Washable Silk Set is a life safer for the brief glimpses of summer nights. With a wedding approaching at a fast speed, I’ll take any of Lunya’s cloud-like sleepwear to get me to sleep peacefully.”

“Right out of the packaging, the pajama set is buttery soft, almost suede-like. After wearing it for the first time on a Monday at 10 AM, I was ready to go back to bed and catch up on some ZZZs. The set draped effortlessly, as both pieces are pull-on without no buttons, and the shorts have a comfy elastic waist. I opted for a size medium and found it to have the perfect amount of room to lounge in. Mind you, the shorts are itty bitty if you’re used to wearing a longer length. However, I didn’t mind since I’ll wear the shorts at home. When it comes to the tank top I can’t promise you I’ll only wear it to sleep, as it could easily appear in one of my spring/summer outfits.”

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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This Athleisure Brand Is Offering 30% Off Tennis Sets, Plus-Size Pieces, & More

As it gets warmer outside, it’s a call to move our bodies while enjoying the great outdoors (in style, of course). The warm weather also signals the start of many spring sales, so it’s the perfect time to stock up on activewear, including matching workout sets, supportive sports bras, and solo lounge pieces.

If you’re wondering which spring sales we’re talking about, one on our radar is from luxury and celebrity-approved athleisure brand Alala, which is currently celebrating its Friends Are Family Sale. And since we’re all friends of the minimalist activewear brand, Alala is treating us to 30% off all of its styles sitewide through April 22, including already on-sale pieces, with the code BUDDIES at checkout.

There’s a wide range of new arrivals on-site, including straight-size and plus-size workout separates in a variety of colorways. Alala is also showcasing its Very Peri collection of perfect periwinkle pieces as well as its Tennis edit, which may convince non-players to pick up a racket (and a pastel mesh skirt). Don’t forget to check out the sale page, where already discounted pieces are further reduced with an extra 30% off.

Read on to look through our favorite activewear and loungewear pieces that Alala has to offer, including best-selling products that you’re sure to fall in love with too. So go forth, get those workout leggings while they’re on sale, and start moving.

New Arrival Matching Sets On Sale

Shop a boatload of discounted new styles in a range of oceanic hues (and many more colors available on-site). Pair these separates with their matching counterparts for elevated monochromatic looks. Whether you’re looking for a sports bra to work out in or a sweatshirt to lounge in, Alala has trendy yet timeless pieces to pick from.

Shop all Alala new arrivals

New Arrival Separates On Sale

Alala’s new styles span tops, bottoms, and outerwear, including a lightweight quilted jacket perfect for the transitioning weather. There’s a mix of pieces that you’ll be happy to cuddle up in at home or take out on the streets for some seriously stylish activities.

Shop all Alala new arrivals

Plus-Size Activewear On Sale

Alala has inclusive sizing, with many of its pieces being available in the 1X through 3X size range. From sports bras to workout leggings to tennis dresses, you’ll be sure to find the perfect pieces for your next HIIT workout or speed walk.

Shop all Alala plus-size pieces

Tennis Gear On Sale

If you don’t already play tennis, you’ll want to once you get any of the pieces from Alala’s preppy-sporty tennis collection. There are plenty of fitted tops to choose from along with streamline skorts and other mesh-accented pieces to get you match-ready.

Shop all Alala tennis pieces

Already Discounted Pieces On Sale

We love a good bargain, and thanks to Alala’s sale section being included in the Friends Are Family Sale, you can score athleisure pieces for well over 30% off. Think nearly 50% off a bow-tied sports bra or a pair of biker shorts available in both straight and plus sizes. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Shop all Alala sale pieces

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team, but if you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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It’s Not Just About The Wedding Dress: Why Engagement Shoot Fashion Is On The Rise

Welcome to Aisle Style, a week-long series that features the most untraditional wedding fashion trends, bridal designers behind the coolest wedding looks, and brides who walk to the beat of their own “Canon In D.” Buck the tradition and say I do to personal style — the aisle is yours.

When New York-based editor Bianca Betancourt announced her engagement, which happened over a romantic weekend in New Orleans, on Instagram in October 2022, she and her fiancé were already thinking about their wedding, from the location and the flowers to the guest list and music. Also: an engagement shoot to announce the forthcoming nuptials.

“We wanted something that would stand the test of time,” Betancourt tells Refinery29 of her shoot, which took place in February 2023. “[When we met] we were two people doing different things in the creative scene in Chicago, so we really wanted something artistic, too.”

This type of planning is par for the course for many couples today, for whom the engagement shoot— along with events like wedding showers, bridesmaids proposals and bachelorette weekends — has become a routine part of the wedding planning checklist, each of which comes with its own bridal fashion dress code.

“I think that there is so much more pressure on brides today having to put together fantastic outfits for everything,” says Julie Sabatino, a bridal stylist and founder of The Stylish Bride, a wedding styling service. 

This is especially true for couples who plan to post their photos on social media. Because, while engagement shoots are not necessarily new, the TikTok factor certainly ups the ante. On the app, for example, searches for the #engagementphotoshoot have generated over 800 million views, with everyone from couples and photographers to wedding stylists sharing their insight into how this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime photo session should look like. “Everyone wants something unique and a location that will either stand out or no one’s ever really done before,” says Kentucky-based wedding photographer Olivia Avers. “Couples want to reflect more who they are than what fits the mold.”

While they didn’t do it in pursuit of views, Betancourt and her fiancé wanted their outfits to be a tease of what guests could expect from their wedding, as well as reflect them as creatives. They opted for a more laid-back feel to the photos — which were taken in an empty room with white walls and wood molding — and a white suit and nameplate necklace for Betancourt and a black suit with a matching T-shirt for her fiancé. For those looking closely, there was one Easter egg that hinted at the vibe of their wedding: Betancourt chose to go barefoot in the photos. “We want [the wedding] to be elevated and elegant and you know a little bit glamorous,” she says. “[But] at the end of the day, we’re gonna get really drunk and have a good time in New Orleans.”

Sabatino says that engagement shoots are a moment in wedding planning in which couples often choose to represent themselves more than in any other event, from the setting — couples today are going for art galleries and dive bars — to the outfits, which can range from black tie gowns and red velvet dresses to casual jeans and leather jackets. “From a fashion perspective, it’s just a moment to express your personal style in a different way,” she says, adding that people also choose to forgo traditional white. “It’s a moment that isn’t limited to just a single palette.” 

Denver-based Lesley Pace and her fiancé, for example, decided to match in green, symbolizing both their hope for their future and their love of nature. “That is how we wanted to step into marriage together with the concepts of growth,” she says. It was a uniquely personal decision for the two, who married last year in private, with no guests, and used their engagement shoot to notify loved ones of their nuptials. “It was kind of a series of conversations of us sitting down trying to determine how we wish to express ourselves and celebrate this moment that we may not have gotten to have with everybody,” says Pace. A former beauty pageant contestant, Pace picked a sequined mermaid gown from her own archive to fulfill her love of “being sparkly,” while her fiancé ordered a traditional Nigerian suit from an artisan on Etsy. 

Pace sees the popularity of engagement shoots as a purely generational phenomenon. “My mom said the other day, ‘Oh, now you have to do bridesmaids proposals, engagement photos, all of these extra steps, and for us, it was just the wedding,” she says of the differences between her and her parents’ nuptials. “​​I think that maybe we are more nostalgic and capturing those moments and maybe not just being so immediate in just doing the wedding.”

Betancourt agrees. “The wedding isn’t just about the wedding anymore. It’s kind of about everything that leads up to it, the weekend, what you do after it, they’re all becoming a part of the wedding extravaganza,” she says. And when it comes to the engagement shoot, which normally sets off the race to the altar, for many couples it’s a moment they can be sartorially themselves within a centuries-old tradition.

“Of all the wedding events, it’s the least I’ve been stressed about in terms of what to wear,” Betancourt says. “It just felt like us.”

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7 Engagement Ring Trends That Are Defining 2023, According to Experts

Welcome to Aisle Style, a week-long series that features the most untraditional wedding fashion trends, bridal designers behind the coolest wedding looks, and brides who walk to the beat of their own “Canon In D.” Buck the tradition and say I do to personal style — the aisle is yours.

Unlike popular runway styles, engagement ring trends tend to move on a slower, subtler track (there’s not a wedding ring equivalent of a butterfly top or leather harness, after all).  Even so, options are still diverse and run the gamut, ranging from traditional designs like solitaire settings all the way to modern interpretations like black diamond ring rings or bezel-set bands. For 2023, experts point to a similarly varied array of ring trends taking off, with options that both die-hard minimalists and those with bolder tastes can envision slipping on their fingers.

If you happen to be in the market for an engagement ring and find yourself overwhelmed by choosing one style to wear for the rest of your life — don’t. “Often people put a lot of pressure on an engagement ring, thinking they have to love it forever, so they end up choosing something traditional,” Meadowlark co-founder Claire Hammon says. “But things change, and you can remodel your ring in the future as your style evolves.”

When looking for an engagement ring that resonates with your personal style, designer Ashley Zhang says to begin with a digital mood board of sorts. “Save screenshots of any and all styles of rings you like. After a few weeks you might be surprised to find that a few of them have similar looks or elements,” she says. Once you have a general sense of the vibe you’re going for, according to GIA expert Nellie Barnett, you should focus on the center stone, asking questions like: “Are you a dazzling diamond type of person or attracted to a pop of color using emerald, morganite, or a different kind of gemstone?” From there, she adds, look for a gemstone with a report. 

All of this to say, choosing an engagement ring that’s right for you isn’t a perfect science. It’s a mix of gut instinct and what’s available in the current market. If you’re not sure where to start, ahead, seven trends that are taking over 2023. 

Rings With Colored Stones

Non-diamond center stones have steadily climbed in popularity over the last few years and experts point to this trend as one that will only grow through 2023. “Colored stones will be going strong for a long time,” Hammon predicts. Zhang notes that her team has also been receiving more requests for colored stones than ever before. “These can either be as the center and main stone or as accents,” she says. “Using colored gemstones is a great way to have a unique look… These rings still feel bridal and special but also bold and different.” 

Yellow Gold Bands

While Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw had a bone to pick with her yellow gold engagement ring band, the trend has become a preferred option in recent years. “Yellow gold is our most requested metal,” Zhang says. “I think this choice in settings will stay strong. The contrast of the yellow with white diamonds really makes them pop.” If you’re going especially unique, consider mixing silver and gold metals when choosing a wedding band to complement your stone. 

Chunky Bands

Though dainty, delicate rings have been in favor for seemingly forever, the pendulum is beginning to swing in the opposite direction. “Bold pieces will grow in popularity,” Marrow Fine founder and creative director, Jillian Sassone, says. “Metal-heavy chunky settings have been requested the most in 2022, and I don’t see that slowing down. If anything, our brides and grooms are doubling down on that by adding cigar bands and other statement-making wedding bands to their bridal sets.”

Vintage-Inspired Rings

A “vintage-inspired” engagement ring can mean a lot of things from types of settings (e.g. Art Deco) to cuts (Old European), but a general sense of old-meets-new is permeating current trends. “I’ve seen an increase in demand for reimagining heirloom stones into new designs that feel more aligned with the bride’s or groom’s style,” Sassone notes. Zhang has also seen an uptick in old gemstones. “Old-mine cut diamonds and antique cushions are the most desired request we get,” she says. “These stones are rare and extremely difficult to find. Mined and cut over 100 years ago, they have such a unique sparkle.” 

Non-Traditional Rings

You might think of engagement ring bands as falling into three main categories: gold, rose gold, and silver. But for 2023, that might change. “Our popular Til Death band is ideal for our brides and grooms who want to make a big statement about their love,” Sassone says about the black enamel band emblazoned with the words “til death.” “It feels like a Victorian throwback while the old English type brings an edge that is resonating with couples wanting a bold non-traditional wedding band.” Other materials such as tungsten carbide and teakwood also lend unexpected elements to otherwise-traditional settings. 

Step-Cut Diamond Rings

For brides with pared-back style, Sassone says to watch out for step-cut diamonds — a square or rectangle stone with parallel facets on all four sides, resembling steps — as a trend in 2023. “I love a step-cut diamond for a minimalist,” she says. “The clean architectural lines are perfect for someone with style but who doesn’t want a lot of flash.” 

Pear and Oval Rings

While celebrity engagements don’t always move the needle for trends, Sassone says Sydney Sweeney’s mega-round brilliant was noteworthy. In addition to classic round shapes, both oval- and pear-shaped rings will continue to trend next year. “Hailey Bieber’s oval engagement ring is still a piece that clients reference,” she says. “Pear and oval shapes elongate the finger and look spectacular on any hand.”

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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