by Kena Paranjape on February 7, 2010
in Your Life
Last year I wrote a post about taking back Valentine's Day, the idea being that we should celebrate Valentine's Day as a day of love of all kinds (love for your family and friends and for your significant other) rather than an "over-priced prix-fix dinner and roses" day. Here are more ideas on how to spend a lovely Valentine's Day sans fromage.
- Send old-school Valentine's cards to all of your friends (see above).
- Read a great love story. Try Wuthering Heights, Pride and Predjudice or Anna Karenina.
- Make something sweet and delicious and share with a special someone. (I recently made this delicious coconut chocolate chunk coffee cake...mmm)
- Watch a classic romantic movie. Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Love Story are some of my favourites.
- Book a massage for yourself. You deserve it.
For more ideas on how to celebrate love day, click here.
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Technorati Tags: Anna Karenina, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Love Story, Pride and Prejudice, Valentine's Day, Wuthering Heights
This is a guest post by Lisa McLatchie of the Practical Fashionista. Lisa is personal stylist whose focus is on helping you to develop your individual style in a functional, realistic and cost effective way.
Oprah has dedicated entire “interventions” to it. WNTW’s Stacy and Clinton are always talking about it. And I can’t tell you how many times I have had to have “the chat” with my clients. I’m talking about undergarments. More specifically, I’m talking about wearing the wrong ones. Often underrated and over looked, the undergarments you choose to wear will not only have an effect on how your clothes look, but on your confidence as well.
When what you are wearing underneath your clothes fits well, is in good shape, and matches your personality style, you can’t help but look and feel great! So, how do you achieve that? Here, my top tips…
1. This tip is number one for a reason…it makes the most impact. Go get a bra fitting! I can’t tell you how many clients I have worked with who finally went to get fitted for a bra and were shocked to find out they have been wearing the wrong size for years. And when you see what wearing the right size can do for your body, you’ll be even more shocked.
2. Going up a size in underwear isn’t always a bad thing. Often, it is the key to avoiding VPL’s and will actually make you look thinner in your clothing.
3. For extremely form fitting outfits and clingy fabrics, it is vital that you invest in some lightly supportive, seamless shapewear. Make sure you buy the best quality you can afford though as it will make a world of difference in comfort. Shocking as it may seem, shapewear doesn’t have to be painful to be effective.
4. Lastly, pay attention to your personality style when shopping for undergarments. Are you more playful, sporty, sexy, or simple? Sure, you may be the only one who sees it, but if it is “not you” you won’t feel comfortable in it no matter how well it fits.
You can reach Lisa at: lisa@practicalfashionista.com
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Technorati Tags: bra, bra fitting, lingerie, Lisa McLatchie, Practical Fashionista, shapewear, undergarments, vpl
Photograph by Peter Turnley/Corbis via National Geographic
Photograph by Joanna Van Mulder via Travel + Leisure
Photograph by Peter Turnley/Corbis via National Geographic
Last week I visited Paris to attend the Maison et Objets show for work and to sneak in a few days in a city I love with the guy I love. As we wandered the streets with no particular destination in mind (we'd seen all the major sights on a previous trip), I reflected on the reasons why I heart Paris:
- beautiful food and antique markets that seem to pop up everywhere even on the coldest days
- patisseries on every corner where I can indulge in my beloved pain au chocolat
- stylish parisian women and men in their dark coats, chunky knit scarves and slick boots
- the quaint maze of narrow streets on the left bank in Saint Germain des Près
- the friendly bouquinistes - the book sellers that line the banks of the Seine
- the multi cultural streets of the Marais
- the cafés where it is perfectly acceptable to sit alone for hours on end and only order a café crème in an actual cup and saucer
I'm sure I could list 100 reasons why I love Paris. What about you? Can't get enough of the city of lights? Here are some suggestions.
READ:
SEE:
- Paris, Je T'Aime
- Amelie (obviously!!)
- Paris
- La Vie en Rose
- Chocolat (ok it is not based in Paris but it is so good!)
- Cousin/Cousine
- Blue (starring Juliette Binoche)
- La Double Vie de Veronique
Any other ideas?
You might also like Six Ways to Dress Like a Parisian & 9 Questions with Mireille Guiliano (of French Women Don't Get Fat)
PS. Have you read my interview on Dress, Design and Decor? Check it out here.
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Technorati Tags: Amelie, collette, edith wharton, la vie en rose, Paris, parisians, simone de beauvoir
I am sitting in a cafe on Blvd Saint Germain in Paris right now simultaneously catching up on work and personal emails (and sipping on a cafe creme). I was so delighted to find that my "Make a Most-Coveted List" post was selected this week for Links à la Mode by Dramatis Personae!
Check out the links below for meaty posts covering ethical topics like the sustainability of bamboo at Awakened Aesthetic while Bonne-Vie covers the the implications of buying items made in China. We’ve got not 1–not 2, but 3 AMAZING Interviews this week at Alice in Stilettos, kaKofonie Of si(gh)lenS, and White Rabbit. Even Gala Darling’s post on her 2010 Style Direction could serve as a paperweight, it’s so chock full of inspiring images, details, and notations.
- Alice in Stilettos: – Interviewed brilliant 18 year old designer, Nathan Gerard!
- Awakened Aesthetic: – How Green is Your Bamboo?
- Bonne Vie: – At Bonne Vie, we talked about the impact of conscious spending on your wardrobe (and one girl’s journey to not buy “Made In China”)
- Cafe Fashionista: – Style Secrets: Stormy Sophistication. A comprehensive guide for the girl who wants to remain fashionable even in the midst of a monsoon!
- DailyDivaDish: – Vintage Broaches: 8 Unique ways to wear these treasures & more — includes many pics of different broaches & a DIY idea for reusing those with broken clasps.
- dramatis personae: – Following Your Instincts…When Meeting New People, When Shopping, When at Work, and When in Love
- Fashion Pulse Daily: – Ponders the significance of the C. Finley Wallpapered Dumpster Project
- For Those About to Shop: – nternational runway sensation Stacey McKenzie inspires aspiring models to be themselves.
- Gala Darling: – 2010 Style Direction: Psychadelic Ladies Who Lunch
- girl friday : – DIY Ribbon Necklace & Bracelet. tutoirial on how to make your own ribbon necklace.
- hello beauty! – In my post on Hello Beauty, I wrote about the new Bobbi Brown campaign. She’s using friends – not models.
- Idee Fixe: – Fashion and the arts charities supporting Haitian Relief on Idee Fixe
- In Life & In Fashion: – Make a “Most Coveted List” to avoid silly impulse spending! Includes tip on how to create your own list and what is currently on mine!
- Independent Fashion Bloggers: – How to Create Your Media Kit
- kaKofonie Of si(gh)lenS: – My exclusive interview with Inbar Spector, an Israeli London-based designer whose renowned avant garde Bjork-inspired designs have been worn by celebrities such as Rihanna.
- Model Max: – A special report on the history of male modeling – from the 1980s to the present time, with short profiles of selected male models who remain successful even after modeling.
- Oranges and Apples: – Top tips for organising your wardrobe
- Retro Chick – The 4 things I’ve always wanted but never owned
- THE COVETED – Marion Cotillard and Franz Ferdinand team up for Dior
- the fashionate traveller: – the rock/burlesque/voodoo vibe that is alternative Sydney label Baroque & Roll.
- White Rabbit: – Introducing Sorcha Gillet, the Irish born textile designer and blogger.
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Technorati Tags: links a la mode
Silk Top, J Crew
After I began the "new way to clean your closet" exercise, I started thinking about my shopping habits in general. What if, instead of spending impulsively, I made a list of my most coveted pieces and pulled it out whenever I am about to buy a cheap and cheerful something? Might that make me put down another black top in favour of saving up (remember when we used to do that?) for something I really want? Why don't you try it with me?
1. Make a list of the style pieces you most covet.
2. Don't force yourself to a certain number, but be very choosy about the pieces you put on the list. They should be something that would add significantly to your wardrobe, or you would consider an investment piece or that you just dream about!
3. If you are having trouble coming up with a list, pretend you are being interviewed and the interviewer asks you to list the favourite items in your wardrobe. What would you want to say?
4. If during the year you encounter something you feel you must have, ask yourself if you would rather the item in front of you or the one on your list. The answer to that
Here is my most coveted list. What is on yours?
1. A Surplus or Utility Jacket
Smythe Utility Jacket (wish they would make a cotton version for spring!)
2. A pair of Frye Boots
Frye Cindy Piping Boot
3. A Long, Chunky Cotton Cardigan
Cotton Cardi, J Crew
4. A comfortable bootie (I am all about comfort!)
Rag and Bone bootie, Shopbop
5. A leather jacket that I will keep forever
Veda Leather Jacket, Shopbop
6. A Pretty Printed Dress
Printed Dress by Anna Sui for Anthropologie
8. Jewel-tone Tops to brighten up all my neutrals (including the J. Crew blouse, at top)
Top, Joie, Shopbop
Silk Chiffon Tiered Tee, Banana Republic
I'm also looking for a great pair of wedge-platform sandals for summer but have not found the right ones to add to my list just yet. What is on your list?
If you liked this post, please share it with a friend. Thank you
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Technorati Tags: anna sui, Anthropologie, Banana Republic, booties, frye, J Crew, ragandbone, shopbop.com, smythe, style strategies
by Kena Paranjape on January 15, 2010
in Your Life
My agenda for 2010, by Sarah Pinto
Every book on personal development, success and happiness will tell you how crucial it is to think positively. Experts in their respective fields from Deepak Chopra, to Donald Trump, to Diane Von Furstenberg have written about how keeping their thoughts positive is a key to their success and happiness.
Sometimes as we rush through life, it is a challenge to ensure your thoughts are consciously positive and are not just running on automatic. My personal solution is to find easy ways to incorporate positive messages into my life. They become little reminders that pop into your life sometimes just when you need them. Here are 3 tips to accomplish just that:
1. The Power of a Password: I was recently very unhappy in a job. When I finally decided that I had had enough, I went into work and changed the password on my computer to: "Two Weeks Notice" I typed those three simple words at least once a day until the day I was able to say it in person. Consciously and subconsciously, typing those words every day motivated me to crank up my job search and helped me to visualize what I wanted actually happening. If there is something that you are striving for or if you have an goal for 2010 that you are working on, why not incorporate a positive reminder in your password(s)? examples: workouttoday or callafriend or iloveveggies
2. Keep them Visible: I loved the journal above (by Sarah Pinto) as soon as I saw it. What a better message to see every single day as you plan out your life than "This is Your Lucky Year"? A few other easy ways to keep positive messages visible: a post-it note on your bathroom mirror or fridge, a favourite quote framed in your front entrance or a note to yourself pinned on your bulletin board at work.
3. Keep them Close: In 2009 I had an amazing yearly horoscope. It wasn't so much what it predicted, but rather the message for how I would live my year. I didn't want to forget what it said so I had it laminated and put it inside my wallet. Pulling out that card once in a while reminded me how I wanted to live and that I was meant to have a great year.
What are the ways you focus on positive, good messages in your life?
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Technorati Tags: deepak chopra, diane von furstenberg, donald trump, inspiration, positive thinking, post-it, sarah pinto
If my closet looked like this, I wouldn't be writing this post! (Mariah Carey's Closet, Image courtesy of Archictectural Digest)
After the excess of the holidays I tend to adopt a more minimalist outlook. This year the manifestation of this mindset took the form of: de-cluttering every single surface in our apartment (cleansing on so many levels!), tracking purchases and avoiding any unnecessary ones and tackling the monster that is my closet. The traditional rule - If you haven't worn it in a year, you're not going to wear it - doesn't work for me because I tend to get stuck into ruts with my wardrobe picks. I stand in front of my closet for five seconds before work and grab a familiar "something" to get out the door faster (I told you, I am a lazy fashionista!)
Instead, I came up with a new strategy to not only clean out my closet, but also to make the most of every piece of clothing that I own: Wear every single thing in your closet. The steps are easy:
1. On Day 1, go to your closet and pick out something to wear. It doesn't matter what it is, this is just the starting point. Do the same with your jewellery and accessories.
2. At the end of the day, put the items you wore that day aside so you can begin to track what you have already worn. For example, hang the knit top that you wore at the very start of the closet rod.
3. On Day 2, pick out something new to wear. You cannot go back to the item you wore the day before (ok, you shouldn't be doing this anyway!) At the end of the day, again place that item with the other item you already wore.
4. Over the following days, weeks, or months (depending on how many pieces of clothing you own) wear every single thing in your closet. Every top, sweater, skirt, pair of pants, dress, scarf, and piece of jewellery should make it into rotation and should settle next to the other items you have already worn. You may have to go back to a basic to a complete an outfit, like a camisole, cardigan or pair of jeans, but they should not be the main event. This exercise will force you to find a way to wear everything you own and will clearly identify why you no longer wear something - it doesn't fit anymore, needs to be altered, too dated, or you just plain hate it.
5. When you are finished, the items that are left behind, unworn, lonely and so sad, have got to go. There is a reason why you can't figure out how to wear them and they are just taking up space in your closet and your life. This includes unworn jewellery and accessories. What to do with all those things that are perfectly fine but not for you anymore?
- If they can be saved by altering or drycleaning, do it today!
- Give them away to a charity
- Post your better quality items them on a site like shopmyclothes.com or sell to a resale shop and earn back some of the money you spent on them
- Give them to friends who might like them
- Hold a clothing swap with a group of friends
The biggest upside to this exercise is that you will have found new, creative ways to wear every piece that you own from that lace top you bought at Anthropologie to the earrings you made a few years ago, to the delicately knitted scarf your Mom brought you from Paris (from my personal experience ). Let me know how it goes!
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Technorati Tags: clean out closet, closet organization, mariah carey, shopmyclothes
by Kena Paranjape on January 7, 2010
in Your Life
I wrote this article just over one year ago, but it is still very timely and appropriate. It is hard to get back into normal routines after the fun and festivities of the holidays. Hopefully these 5 tips will help you to hold on to the holiday spirit as they have helped me!
- Holding on to my nephew (who is now 1 year older than in this photo)
1. Stay closely connected to family and friends. Part of what makes the holidays special is the time spent with family and friends. Don't let that taper off as you settle in to work, school and daily routines. Plan regular brunches, dinners and coffee dates in advance to get something on the calendar that you can look forward to. Remember to keep in touch with faraway friends with more that just a once-a-year holiday card.
2. Keep enjoying warm drinks and tasty treats. My husband makes a spicy and delicious apple cider that he mulls on cold afternoons and evenings. The lovely aroma permeates our apartment and a hot mug is so comforting while sitting reading magazines or watching a movie. Who says you can only bake your favourite cookies during the holidays? Bake up a batch and share with your closest friends.
3. Hibernate. Instead of fighting winter, work with it. Make a list of books you want to read and movies you want to see and make it your goal to get through as many as possible before Spring hits. Stay in your pj's a little longer and enjoy a drawn out morning with coffee and the paper. Bundle up in cozy sweaters and scarves. Start that hobby you have been contemplating but haven't gotten around to.
4. Get outside. Completely the opposite (but complementary!) to my suggestion above. Many people are affected by SAD (seasonal affective disorder) in winter and if you work in an office with little light, you should make the effort to get some sunshine every day. Take a quick walk at noon to get your lunch. On weekends, shop in an outdoor shopping area, rather than a mall, weather permitting. Try to take advantage of snowy climates with skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking day trips.
5. Don't stop giving! Whether it is a perfect gift for your mom, a thank you card to your boss, or a food basket for a family in need, giving just feels good. Drop a card to a friend you haven't spoken to in a while, volunteer for a charity you are passionate about, and keep telling people in your life how much you appreciate them. Giving is always in season.
6. Remind yourself that after winter, comes spring! Although it can seem endless (especially in Canada!), winter does eventually end. Remind yourself that the snow will melt, buds will emerge on the trees, and the air will be warm once again.
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Technorati Tags: holidayspirit, SAD
Photo courtesy of Dress, Design and Decor via Stardust and Sequins
To round out my list of favourite blogs and websites, I've included my top style and fashion picks below. Click here for my favourite business and entrepreneurship sites and here for my favourite sites for inspiration. I would love to hear what yours are!
Who What Wear Daily: A fun and inspiring celebrity style and fashion site. Their tagline is "We don't care about who you date or what you eat. We only care about what you are wearing." Which means you can admire Sienna Miller's outfit without also reading trash about her latest romantic adventures.
Style.com: THE go-to site for all the collections and fashion shows every season.
The Sartorialist: Um, obviously this blog needs no introduction. If you haven't yet visited this street style site you must go now. Go one step further and pick up Scott Schuman's book.
Dress, Design and Decor: This is a lovely site to visit when you are in need of visual inspiration. Blogger Daniella pulls together the most beautiful images from many, many different blogs and websites.
Silvery Lining: This blog is In Life and In Fashion's kindred spirit - part fashion, part inspiration and always how to live more fully and beautifully. (Blogger Sylvia Bucoy is a former co-worker of mine from Banana Republic too!)
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Technorati Tags: dressdesigndecor, sartorialist, ScottSchuman, silverylining, style.com, topstyleblogs, whowhatweardaily
by Kena Paranjape on January 4, 2010
in Your Life
Make a Stop-Doing List
I first read about a "stop-doing list" or a "not-to-do list" in Tim Ferris's book, the 4 Hour Work Week. Recently, Danielle LaPorte of White Hot Truth published her own list (inspired by Jim Collins', author of Good to Great.) The idea of a stop-doing list is to eliminate mindless, meaningless, unproductive activities from your life so you can focus on those that really matter (like spending more time with your family and friends) or help you reach your goals and dreams (like spending more time reading or researching). Doesn't it make sense to first de-clutter in order to clear space for more meaningful activities in your life?
If you have trouble coming up with a list of things you should stop doing, start with your to-do list. Over the next few weeks before you tackle an item on your to-do list, ask yourself if it will have a positive impact on your life or add value. In fact, ask yourself this when you come upon any activity during your day. A half an hour creeping on facebook could add value to your day by giving you some much needed down-time, or it could mean a complete waste of time (aka procrastination).
Here is my stop-doing list...what is on yours?
1. I will stop checking my blackberry 1 million times a day. (Rude, completely unnecessary, and bad for your mental health and relationships)
2. I will stop giving in to the chocolate monster that leers at me every day at 3pm during the work week. (Perhaps I should realistically insert "try to" before "stop" in this sentence)
3. I will stop subscribing to emails that clutter up my inbox and that I inevitably end up deleting without reading.
4. I will stop spending mindlessly. (Ever wonder where all that cash in your wallet went?)
5. I will stop telling myself why something won't work/happen/be a success and start telling myself why it will!
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Technorati Tags: Daniella LaPorte, Four Hour Work Week, Good to Great, Jim Collins, Not-To-Do List, Stop Doing List, Tim Ferris, WhiteHotTruth
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