Fashion

"Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else." Margaret Mead A feeling of uniqueness can easily be interpreted as arrogance and hubris, and at times, even rudeness. Understanding that your singularity is not an excuse for superiority is the first step to accepting your true individuality. Uniqueness doesn’t make us superior, just as excellence isn’t the key to being unique. And though it is often an aversion to uniformity that drives us toward extreme means of self-expression, as discussed in Part 2 of this series, I believe that it doesn...

"As soon as we realize that style is about expressing ourselves rather than adhering to strict rules, getting dressed in the morning becomes all the more liberating and…it doesn’t take much to reveal yourself to the world." Shannon Ables, The Simply Luxurious Life Blog  Understanding that style is far more than just the way we dress makes us realize how powerful a form of communication style it is. The way we dress is about making a first impression, it is about presenting who we are or which group we belong to. It is about sharing your current mood or improving how yo...

"A personal style is handwriting – it happens as a byproduct of our way of seeing things, enriched by the experiences of everything around us."Massimo Vignelli A week into 2015, with celebrations, vacations and resolutions all behind us and a sense of anticipation in the air, there is no better time for a heart-to-heart with yourself. To remind yourself of those precious attributes that make you the person you are; some you were born with and others acquired over the years. Building your own signature style is an example of the latter. Our style is a mean of presen...

The opening of a new year is a wonderful opportunity to recap; to take the time to savor and be thankful for the good things that shaped the past year and to plan for the year ahead. It can be practical decisions such as organizing the closets (I know I need to), planning a trip to somewhere new, adopting a new routine that requires self-discipline, or enriching your life by learning something new. But I find it just as important to aspire to do everything in my power to be a better person with each passing year. We all have something we need to improve: the way we treat ourselves...

We have finally come to our last chapter on the search for this year's festive holiday look. Starting with the Discover Why Black appearance, we then moved to the feminine Silk and Knit combination, followed by the Bright Look suggestion and then began the New Year celebrations last week with the Touch of Gold. Now, on Christmas day and with New Year's Eve waiting on us, we have reached our epilogue.   New Year…aah…the symbolic act of turning the page of the Gregorian calendar and changing the digit of another year is a waypost. The end of whatever we choose to l...

As we are getting closer to New Year celebrations, we cannot and must not ignore the trend toward a touch of gold. Gold is a color that speaks for itself. Not much needs to be said about its aura and its contribution to creating an impression or statement. The only proviso, of which you are probably already aware, is the need to use it in moderation. Less is more goes the saying, and when it is gold we are talking about, that is definitely true. By less I don’t mean keep it restricted to jewelry or a clutch bag but rather that one statement piece could be enough. A goldish...

As much as white is one of the symbols of winter and the winter holidays, associated with the image of falling snowflakes and blankets of soft snow, wearing bright colors only feels natural to me in warmer weather. Airy, soft and semi-transparent fabrics seem the perfect fit for the beach or a hot summer’s day. While a large, beige, cable-knit sweater or a button-down white shirt are must-haves in any wardrobe, in winter they are usually worn with jeans, a darker pants or skirts. Even while observing the well-groomed images I am sharing with you today, you are probably still won...

Winter can be a golden opportunity to explore new ways to keep warm while at the same time building a signature capsule wardrobe. Wearing layers, wrapping yourself in big snuggly sweaters, cozying up with a blanket scarf or donning a statement coat are only some examples of an endless list of possibilities. So yes, contrary to summer when it's too hot to cover up, the cold weather is an opportunity to mix and match in creative and new ways. Yet for me, dressing up for a more festive event—a dinner or a party—when it is cold outside is always a challenge. The days are long gone...

"Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.” Coco Chanel         The all-black outfit has for years dominated women's choice as the ultimate for an elegant, chic and flattering look. But how did it get started? Maybe it derived from the "little black dress” concept? Maybe it evolved as the easy and safe way of combining? Unless you are looking to adopt a gothic style, however, I find the all-black look a somewhat boring choice which limits s...

"Dress for yourself and what suits your lifestyle,   and you will always look good.” Stacy London.   Modern life imposes on us women enormous challenges. As fortunate as I feel to live in an era where we no longer need to draw water from the well, and as grateful as I am to all the brave women, those bold visionaries who led the feminist movement and laid the foundations for a better future, it cannot be denied that we may have won the battle only to lose the war. We have made great progress, but, as numerous studies have claimed, women today are less happy despite o...