5 FABULOUS ways to accessorize your swimsuit.

Here's how to accessorize your swimsuit with five simple pieces that are....FABULOUS.


1. Hats

Big floppy ones, woven fedoras, sun hats, cowboy hats. Not only are you making a fashion statement but you are shielding yourself from the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Head Scarves

Don't think of this as a trend. It is always chic to rock this look no matter what was on the runway for 2015. I prefer to wear a bold patterned head wrap with a solid colored swim suit but if you find a Pucci ensemble then match, match, match! 

 

 

 

 

3. The Cover-Up

 

This is can be tricky. I think sometime we are too hard on ourselves and this is ever apparent when it comes to the cover up. I see so many women trying to hide behind them when they should be making a fashion statement with them. There is no need to wear your bed sheet over your suit.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. The Perfect Beach Bag.

Think of it as any other investment bag. After all, it has big britches to fill. If you are like me then your everyday bag has makeup, a wallet, a first aid kit, and an "emergency bag" with anything and every thing I may need at some point even if it's in ten years from now. You never know when you may need to sew a button back on so I even have a needle and thread.  So, your beach bag needs to hold those things plus sunscreen, a towel and extra flip flops. Even though it feels like I'm carrying bricks around, it still doesn't have to look like it.

 
 

 





5. BIG Sunglasses

I saved my favorite for last. I really should do a whole blog on these. I LOVE huge sunglasses, come to think of it the are all I wear except the one pair of aviators I bought and I still don't know why. Big sunglasses protect your eyes and the delicate skin around them, they cover your face if you don't want to wear make-up (I think of mine as more of a face shield for early morning coffee runs). But most important they are glamorous and always FABULOUS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an example of my daughter showing me how to rock this look!

 

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FABULOUS Splatter Paint...

This trend pops in and out of our lives like surprise birthday parties. We don't have them every year but when they happen they are FABULOUS. This trend works with a white crisp shirt, soft sweater or t-shirt, it's just flat out fun!

 

 

 

 

 Christian Louboutin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FABULOUS Summer Nails...not what you'd expect!

When I think of summer nail colors I think of corals and vibrant tones. Dark colors are not what comes to mind but that isn't what Tom Ford was thinking, and I concur.  Metallic gold was also seen as a summer shade by Burberry. Just think of how FABULOUS gold nails with tan skin will look once snow melts away and we get to bare some skin!




Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Black Jade


Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Indigo Night

 

Burberry Nail Lacquer

 

 

Butter Lacquer Vernis

 

Please share this blog and let me know what you'd like to hear about next! xox

5 FABULOUS Ways To Get Fit and Stay Fit!

I march to the beat of my own drum and I rarely follow a schedule but...I do some of the same things everyday. I just let my moods dictate when and how I do these things, like eating and working out. After all, I have deadlines to meet, children to pick up and drop off, pooches and kitties to feed and a hubby. I'm busy, but I hate feeling like I have to do the same thing everyday like a robot, so I try to mix it up and make it fun all while staying on track. Here are 5 things I do daily that help me do just that.


1. Drink water with a pinch of lemon.

Lemon water is a natural diuretic and helps your system clean itself out. I try to drink water throughout the day but the habit wasn't easy to start. To get into the habit I set a timer on my phone to go off every half-hour, each time I heard the little bell, like Pavlov's pooches, I responded.

I know you've heard this tip more than you've heard Taylor Swift on the radio but we hear it over and over because it works. Water flushes the bad stuff out of your system, so keep a steady stream of water running through your body and the bad stuff won't build up in your system and make you feel sluggish.

I also like to add a sprig of fresh mint or other fresh herbs when they are in season.

Water also staves off hunger pains. Sometimes our brains tell us we're hungry when all we really need is hydration...a.k.a., water.

2. Shop, I mean walk.



Walking, no matter where you do it, burns calories. If you do it in heals and carry bags while you are at it, then just think how fast you are burning calories. I'm convinced the number has to be triple. It takes me ten minutes to break a sweat on the treadmill. When I'm in heels carrying new shoes and a latte I can actually feel my heart rate go up in seconds. I also never take the elevator. In true SF style I swiftly move past people idling on the escalator, on the left of course. I say excuse me and breeze past them all in the name of exercise.

This also applies to daily errands. When I don't get a coveted convenient parking space and I have to hoof it a few extra blocks I think of it as extra cardio.

If I'm not going shopping or running errands then I take off out the door and do a brisk walk if just for twenty minutes. Walking everyday is critical to keeping fit.

3. You need more than cardio.


Since the gym is no longer my favorite place (I have a love hate relationship with the gym, sometimes I love to do classes then sometimes I literally can't make myself go).  Since this tumultuous relationship can be draining I often give into my inner brat...but, I also still do something...anything.

In the shower I do calf raises while my conditioner does it's job, before bed I do five/ten minutes of Pilates/yoga. I've noticed a HUGE difference in my body since I started to do yoga and Pilates.  I feel longer, leaner and more agile. If I had to pick one form of exercise to do for the rest of my life it would be Pilates....hands down.

I still do conventional exercises in moderation. When I'm cooking or blow drying my hair I'll do a set of squats or lunges. I basically try to do some sort of resistance exercise whenever I think of it.

*I used to do hundreds of crunches at night after I had my first daughter, then I discover Pilates and I was able to accomplish better results in half the time.

4. Eat lots of fruits and veggies.

I try to eat as many  veggies everyday as possible. Lucky for me I like them and it doesn't feel like a sacrifice. The hard part is to have them ready when hunger strikes. I've found that when something is easy I do it, if it is hard I make excuses. I try to eliminate this by being prepared. I have carrots, prewashed greens and cold pressed veggie drinks always handy.

5. Get plenty of rest.

I've noticed when I'm sleep deprived I want to eat. If I'm well rested I crave less sugar too. I try to balance my love of watching Bravo and Scandal with my need for sleep. Sometimes sleep looses and when it does....I do too.

Staying fit and healthy is constant work but the more you integrate these good habits into your daily routine, the less it feels like work and pretty soon it wont be work, it will just be a way of life. Plus, there are enough things in life we have to do that are nowhere near fun, so why not keep the things we have to do fabulous!



 

FABULOUS Kale....Here are 5 reasons it needs to part of your everyday-diet.

I've been on the kale train for a few years. I started with it in my salads and instantly I was hooked. Soon I was sautéing it with a little olive oil, lemon and sea salt, putting it in smoothies or having it cold pressed. Now I have it everyday in some form or another.  I try really hard to eat as health as possible because the old saying "you are what you eat" is a scientific fact. Our cells are constantly renewing themselves and the building blocks of that restoration process is the food we eat. I remember when I was in college taking anatomy (I loved that class).  I saw it first hand, the pros and cons to eating a healthy diet were all to clear, and the cons were not fabulous. It left such a strong impression on me that for years  my love affair with certain foods came to a screeching halt. Still, I try to eat things that are healthy and I enjoy, and kale is at the top of that list. Here are some fun facts about kale and why it is so FABULOUS!

1. It is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.

Kale is related to broccoli, collared greens and a bunch of other blue-blooded veggies. It's in a league of its own when it comes to the nutrients packed in those green leaves.

2. It has the good fat....Omega-3 Fatty Acid.

I don't follow a low-fat diet instead I just eat food that is naturally low in fat and good for me and Omega-3s are in many of those foods. Think of Omega-3 as a way of moisturizing your skin from the inside out. What is the other saying? "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", think of kale as the prevention. Dry skin can lead to premature wrinkles, so can constricted blood vessels. So if the Omega-3's add wrinkle fighting moisture to my skin then I promise I will be eating this every day....and I do.

3.It is packed with Antioxidants.

Antioxidants are the good guys that fight the bad guys (free radicals), which cause aging...so to me they are Public Enemy Number One! Now, I personally have no problem with maturing internally, bring on the wisdom and let the life lessons sink in. BUT aging externally is a whole other beastly animal I want to tame and while I'd like to believe I handle some things with grace.....aging is not one of them. So, in the mean time I will channel my inner Brave Heart and fight free radicals to the death.

4. It fights Cancer.

Seriously, what can be better than that? Sulforaphane and indol -3-carbinol are substances that have been shown to help prevent the further growth of cancer cells at a molecular level. I just think this is so amazing. It's like putting a condom on the bad guys so they can't make more bad babies.

5. It's high in fiber.

I saved the best for last. We all know fiber is filling so when food is high in fiber you have to eat less of it to feel full. I personally need this. There are times I'm a bottomless pit. I put food in my stomach and feel like I am eating air. I can eat and eat and eat and feel nothing (it's seriously strange and can actually be quite embarrassing). This is why fiber is so important. It takes up space in your tummy so that you feel full (with very few calories) but it doesn't stop there. While it is making it's way through your digestive tract is becomes a big broom collecting the bad stuff as it moves along.


Kale it s the Zeus of foods so if these facts don't make you want to go buy a farm and plant acres of kale then I hope it at least makes you want to have a little everyday. I promise it will make you feel FABULOUS!



















Please feel free to share this blog with friends. I love to hear feedback and topics you'd like for me to blog about! Have a FABULOUS day! xox

 

FABULOUS Florals!

These FABULOUS florals have me itching for this weather to warm up. Flowers make me happy. They bloom just to delight all of our senses. I have them scattered throughout my house, specifically orchids, hydrangeas, and peonies (when they're in season). They instantly add a huge dose of unapologetic glamour to any place they occupy, so what could be better than wearing them? I also love to use floral print in my interior design projects. My favorite thing to do is use large scale flower prints in textiles or wall coverings.  I  gravitate towards patterns with over a twenty-four inch repeat, in interior design language that means the flowers are...HUGE and the look is stunning.  I also think this trend is best when it's balanced with a bit of edge, pops of gold or silver and plenty of baubles. Now, grab a cappuccino or mimosa, sit back, enjoy and have a FABULOUS Sunday!
















Floral skirt by Alice and Olivia.







Haute Hippie




Marchesa Valencia Floral Lizard Clutch



Valentino Floral-Print Covered Clutch


Sophia Webster Rousseau Jungle Floral Pump. These would be stunning with

 

Gucci Double G Scarf

Aerin Printed Floral Tray

Charbonnel ET Walker "Vintage" Chocolates

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/brSearch.jsp?from=brSearch&fl=flags,merchant_api_json,alt_thumb_image,url&src=suggest&responsive=true&request_type=search&search_type=keyword&q=floral%20print&l=floral%20print&tc=1281

 

Perrier Jouet Rose Flower Bottle '02




https://www.designersguild.com/us/fabric-and-wallcoverings/l1121

Versace

 

 

 

Victor and Rolf Flowerbomb

 

Have a FABULOUS Sunday!