Clothes Under $100: Take advantage of the big after Christmas sale in stores and on-line
Faux Leather Jacket // Slips Journelle // Zara shoes // Mango white dress // House of Harlow 1960 white necklace //
FASHION TIPS FOR YOU
I started getting many requests from friends, colleagues, and people I meet to provide very specific fashion solutions/tips to their challenges or problems. So I decided to post each week fashion tips for real people.
WEEKLY FASHION TIPS:
SCENARIO:
Amber runs a beauty salon in Tallahassee, FL, called Adair Skin Care. She is young and likes to be fashionable at work because it reflects professionalism, especially in her field.
Challenges:
She is on her feet all day - she does not want to wear heels.
She has hardwood floor: she wants shoes that do not make noises so her clients can fully relax.
Her brand t-shirt has a lavender color: she is not sure about matching lavender with other colors.
What is the best way to stay fashionable, comfortable, and professional in a beauty salon?
In my opinion, based on visiting different salons over the years and over the places, the key is to be minimalist. No chunky jewelry, no rings, no gigantic pendant earrings, no stripper shoes with gems attached to them, and so on. A salon is about relaxing and it's about you the client. I would not want to be distracted by the noise of a bracelet or heels tapping on the floor.
For branding reasons I agree that consistency in attire is key, specially if you have franchise. If you run a family business you have more flexibility. In whatever case neutral colors for clothes are best, because they don't overwhelm the customers and allow the logo to pop up.
PALE COLORS: They usually say that colors like pale blues are associated to tranquility, calmness, health, and healing. This is why we see blue tones used for wall painting. Pale blue, like white also symbolizes freshness, cleanliness and purity.
LILAC: Lilac or lavender colors signify magic!!! I love pale tones of these colors. You can match them with dark colors like black or other pale colors like pink and/or blues.
The best look and feel of an office/working attire has to do with texture. T-shirts or polos can be matched with light-weight pants (e.g. silk, chiffon) to create a refined look that is not only semi-casual but comfortable as you run from room to room, from meeting to meeting. I hope you enjoy these tips and will try them out.
If
there is anything that represents my style is probably this outfit with few
everyday key items. I do have a variety of styles. I usually put together items
that will never go together and somehow, most of the times, it works.
You
can find me probably wearing comfortable pants, somewhat high-waist pants, with
a semi-casual sweater. I am always cold, no matter if it's summer or I live in
Florida.
Ø I
wear my hair up all the times with pins or a pencil.
Ø I
wear eyeglasses because I am blind, but the pair I have are fun and unique.
Ø I
drink only espresso or organic tea and if I am not taking a tooth out I don't
take antibiotics.
Ø Here
you go a little bit of me;)
COVER
UP: THERE IS NO FASHION AFTER 30 YEARS OLD
There
are selected moments in a woman life that calls for attention to fashion.
·
You
are over 30
·
You
had a baby or more
·
You
gained or lost weight
·
Did
I mention you are over 30?
·
You
graduated and got an office job
What do
all these situations have in common with gravity and fashion? Your Body
Your
body is just different and most clothes you used to wear and thought you were
the shit are now making you conscious and doubt your sense of style.
I hit a
moment in my life that I gave up fashion for a while. I used to be on top of
trends. I could pull off any garbage designer items of the moment and still
looked like I owed it. Then the same crap did not look good on me anymore. Like
that, I had less definition, less firm, less of everything. That is when I
stopped caring for fashion for myself.
I
believe any woman gets to this point sooner or later and for whatever reason.
We get frustrated when shopping because we are not happy with ourselves.
Surrounded by a society that rewards youth we just can’t compete with
photoshopped ads or the 12 years girls who already looked in her 20s.
I truly
thought I was invincible. I guess everybody in their 20s feels invincible. Look
at Miley Cyrus.
During
the realization and the loss of my fashion style there was also a
positive side. I reinvented myself; not only from a style perspective, but also
from a self, intellectual, life perspective. I finally graduated college after
having accumulated 2 Masters, one PhDs and some certificates. I had a real job,
a house, a dog, and bills to pay. I had new goals and a new motivation to
succeed in this new journey called ‘being an adult’ and functioning in
society.
I got
so focused into my career and my intellect that I almost forgot I once was
cutting all the clothing items I loved from magazines and was able to recognize
designers by looking at fashion magazines’ articles.
Fashion
has taken a whole new level for me as I became to focus on my career and
strengthening my relation with my life partner.
It
became clear to me that style, fashion, and beauty are not just an ephemeral or
shallow part of our life. It’s a type of nonverbal communication that we carry
with us in all type of situations. Every environment requires a type of style.
Every individual requires carrying a style, which fits within their persona and
who they want to reflect. In a certain way we are trying to brand ourselves and
I am not saying this in a bad way.
If you
work in an office you need to comply to the corporate culture so you need to
dress appropriately, respecting the image of that company.
Gin in her 30s wearing black and no make-up
If you
get invited to a social event, depending on who is attending and type of invite
you might not want to overdress looking like a trophy wife. A friend of mine
called me the other day because she was invited to a somewhat prominent party
after work. She was not sure what to wear but we all agreed that people were
probably coming straight from work so showing up in a long red gown would have
been ridiculous or even heels and no hosiery. It’s very simple: if there is
snow outside don’t wear sandals with bare legs and a fake tan. You will look ridiculous.
I guess
my point is that we still can have style after 30 and having gone through
babies, weight gained, and an office job. We just need to think of fashion in a
different way. And remember Spandex do exit.
;)
WANT TO
SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION OR CHALLENGES WITH FASHION? LEAVE A COMMENT AND DON’T
FORGET TO FOLLOW ME.
I help my friends with their style pretty much every day. I love it. I love the fact that people trust my judgement with something so personal as clothes. I must say at first it was strange. I would receive texts at work asking me for help, or even co-workers will ask me what to wear. It is such a honor for me, because I don't think I pull off 'the fashionista' every day. I know I don't when I refuse to brush my hair and I still show up at work by 7:30AM. But again this is what real people and real fashion do. This week I want to dedicate each post to a special friend and people in my fashion life. I will showcase the way I see my friends in clothes based on: 1) how they currently dress; 2) their questions about fashion; and 3) their overall life (do they walk home? What is their job?)
My first choice is Margot, therefore "The Margot Style"
My first choice is Margot, therefore "The Margot Style"
The Margot Style calls for a bad ass woman who is a reporter who juggles notes, interviews, social events, and the cold weather in north urban cities. She is on the go all the times. She must be ready to catch the next headline and attend social parties with celebrities and politicians. Her color is black. Her signature fashion item: a pencil skirt.
PIZZA DOUGH
How many times have you tried to make home made pizza dough and it’s just does not taste like the one you buy at the store or in a pizzeria? I have become obsessed with pizza lately. I had posted previously how to make pizza dough using regular flour or wheat flour(all purpose) and following the typical Italian way of cooking. It was still good, but it was not the soft yet crunchy pizza I eat in Italy. The other day I was watching Test Kitchen and they were making pizza dough. I was skeptical because they did some weird things, but I gave it a try and it turned to be amazing. There are still few things I will change. I will talk about what I loved and hated about this recipe and whether it was easy to make at home.
This is the recipe: I strongly suggest to register for free on their websites because you get access to more details, but you can still watch the videos of the pizza dough. All credits go to America’s Test Kitchen. I will tell you whether I changed something.
Pizza Dough Taken from America’s Test Kitchen
- 3cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour, plus more for work surface (see note)
- 2teaspoons sugar
- 1/2teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1 1/3cups ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces) (see note)
- 1tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for work surface
- 1 1/2teaspoons table salt
- 1. FOR THE DOUGH: In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. (I used the KitchenAid). With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube (I slowly added water); process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand 10 minutes. (This was weird because my dough did not unified and it was all broken in pieces. I added some more water to fix the problem).
- 2. Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days. (I used the dough the third day. It looked sticky so I added some flour to work it. I divided the dough into two balls so two pizza. The recipe said to use a pizza stone and heat it up at high temperature. I think 500. Then to cook it at the very top of the oven. I did not have the stone so I used a metal round tray with holes at the bottom. I also could not place the tray at the very top. It was in the middle. My oven just is not that great I guess. The stove was at 500 when I cooked the pizza. Here something else I did differently. I always cook the dough before I top it with everything else. That is because otherwise it does not cook and the pizza gets soggy. I cooked it for 5 minutes but I would push it to 7 or 8. Then I added a full spoon of tomato sauce from a jar -did not have time to make it fresh- and added shredded mozzarella. I cooked it until the cheese melted and the crust was gold/brown. Also my dough when I work it is always thin. I like thin crust.Verdict: the pizza is amazing. It really reminded me of something you buy at a pizzeria. The only critique is that I would not add sugar. The dough was too sweet for me. Very tailored to American taste. Also I thought it was weird to use yeast and ice water because of the process of yeast, but it worked. Another secret was the flour. I always used regular flour but the bread flour is magic because it allows rising of the dough and adds elasticity. I never imagined Americans would teach me how to make Italian thin pizza:)
