Denim on Denim

Denim on Denim

The denim on denim trend is still in this summer, but can be hard to pull off without looking either like a cowboy or like you are trying too hard. Recently Rihanna, Charlize Theron and various other celebrities have warn this look and made it look fab!

The denim shirt above has a slight pattern on it, so it will break the denim up a bit. I have chosen 4 different pairs of jeans above that could all be worn with the denim shirt. The first and darkest pair being the safest, the middle two being pretty neutral and the last boyfriend style being the most daring.

The funkier or more masculine the jeans the more feminine the shoes should be. This will keep the look from looking to butchy.

Polyvore.com

I was on Polyvore.com yesterday, which is a great sight for finding any style ideas and clothing you are looking for, or don't know yet that you are! It is the visitors who create the looks or style collage, so while some may not be an outfit you would wear you know that the outfits are put together by 'regular' people interested in style and fashion, not just stylist or designers.


Taken from their website; 
What is Polyvore?
Polyvore is the web's largest fashion community site, where users are empowered to discover their style and set trends around the world. With over 15 million monthly unique visitors, Polyvore's global community has created over 44 million sets that are shared across the web. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Polyvore is funded by Benchmark Capital, Matrix Partners, DAG Ventures, Goldman Sachs, and Vivi Nevo (NV Investments).

 Some outfits are created to mimic a celebrities' style or specific outfit, using outfits that the person has found through various price points, quite often at a significantly lower price then the designer duds the celeb was wearing. 


Here I have shown an example of a very chic (collage) outfit someone has created. While the bag and shoes may be more then some people can afford the top and pants come in at amazing price points, especially for such a stylish little outfit. Definitely check the website out!

Golden by pribortolon featuring chiffon tops

Chiffon top
$25 - chicnova.com

H&m pants
£25 - hm.com

Rebecca minkoff shoes
$395 - rebeccaminkoff.com

Jimmy choo bag
$625 - net-a-porter.com

Hillier polka dot earrings
$430 - openingceremony.us

Sephora Collection waterproof eyeliner
$12 - sephora.com

Sephora Collection gold sparkle nail polish
$30 - sephora.com

Summer Accessories

One of the fastest way to 'summerize' your wardrobe is with accessories. With wedding season kicking into high gear there is no need to go out and spend a fourtune on new summery dresses, unless it is in your budget of course. Some are dresser and some more casual providing lots of options for summer attire.

These cute accessories can be added to your basic Little Black Dress (who doesn't have a slew of LBD) and you are good for your summer events. All the jewellery shown below is from Aldo since they are so easy to come by.

Bobzien - $14.98

Metts - $20

Camero- $ 12

Contessa - $12

Year End Teacher Gifts

If you are like I am, I like to get the teacher(s) who have put up with...I mean...have had the pleasure of teaching my child a little gift. It doesn't have to be something extravagant, just something to show your appreciation. I have 'teacher friends' who say that even a card expressing your gratitude is a great sentiment.

I have composed a small list of gift ideas;

• bottle of wine
• candle
• chocolates
• gift card (Starbucks, or a general mall gift card are suggestions)
• potted plant
• flowers
• BBQ or entertaining cook book (with summer corresponding with school being let out this one could come in handy)
• a craft your child has made for the teacher
• tea or coffee set
• summer weight scarf

This year we went with the last one. (Sorry if any of my son's teachers read this before they receive their gift.) I took my son, who is almost 4, to the store to purchase the gifts. There was about 20 to choose from, he studied them for a few minutes then selected one for each teacher. The funny thing is each was totally different from the last, so he must have really thought what he pictured each teacher wearing. Usually he tends to pick the same things over and over for himself. It was sweet to see!

Happy shopping and enjoy the summer with your little ones!

Toothbrush Clutter

If your family is anything like mine everyone likes to have their toothbrushes where they don't have to go searching for them...with men that searching translates to having to open a drawer.

When my husband I initially got married we both had disposable toothbrushes that I could through in a cup under the counter and we were set. They were accessible and tidy. Fast forward 5 years and there are now 4 toothbrushes all electronic, meaning more bulk, more space invading and a general mess in the morning.

In effort to keep our counter top void of clutter I found an easy way to keep our toothbrushes tidy and clean. Easy and fairly obvious I took a regular glass vase and placed them inside. The result was a clean looking, contained spot for something we need to have at our finger tips several times a day. A few times a week I give it a quick rinse prior to hopping in the shower, flip it over to dry and by the time I get out it is dry. Easy and kind of 'arty'!

House Cleaning Tip #2

Cleaning out the fridge is not fun. It is usually time consuming and sometimes gross. I used to stay on top of mine by cleaning it out thoroughly bi-weekly, but have found the following much easier.

I usually go grocery shopping twice a week. The fridge is usually getting a little sparse prior to purchasing the new groceries. This is the ideal time to give it a quick wipe down. Before I leave the house (either the night before or in the morning) I wipe out whatever drawers or shelves are pretty empty. Then by the time I get home they are dry and can have the new stuff put right in/on. If you aren't someone who plans your shopping, anytime that your drawer/shelf is semi empty swish the stuff around and give it a wipe.

They key here is that you don't have to empty the whole fridge and do it in one shot. Doing at a section at a time gives the same clean results . . .Going to get milk, wipe down the shelf where the existing milk is. Getting some fruit wipe out the fruit drawer. If you clean one area at a time, it will never be a major undertaking and will never get dirty either!

House Cleaning Tip #1

You dust your house, you vacuum, mop and Windex. Standing at 5'7" the house looks spotless. Then you sit down with your child to play and notice a whole other world of dust!

I know as a mother when you sit down you have a different view of furniture and can see all sorts of things that you don't when you are standing to clean. If you have kids or even if you don't but have friends with kids chances are they will all be sitting on your floor to play next time they are over. Take a minute when you are cleaning to sit down and have a look around. Is there cobwebs between the chair legs? Do your chair legs have splatters of some sort on them? Is there dust on your baseboards? Is there dust balls under your couch? You get the idea.

I know this sounds random but it is only when company is over do you notice all these random things that you feel the need to attend to immediately. It can make the difference of your house looking spot clean or truly clean!

Colour Blocking

I am sure by now you have seen magazine cover after cover of brightly hued outfits or seen articles mentioning the "trend to watch". . . colour blocking! On the runway the models are wearing full on head to toe colour in various hues and shades. (See above and below.) A nice change from the monochromatic and nude colours of the past few seasons, this one isn't for the faint of heart. While I personally love the colour combination the models are wearing below, you may want something a little more subdued for a day at the park with the kids. It can be quite wearable in real life with some simple tweaks.



If you just want to dip your toes into the trend try a bright shoe, bag or belt (may be all three) with a neutral outfit, jeans and a plain top or a little black dress. Check out the below pictures of ideas how you can wear the current trends in everyday life!

Bright Top and Contrasting Bag



Bright Pants With A White Top



Bold Pants and Shoes



Hot Pants With a Denim Top (another big trend)

Neutral Colours With A Bold Belt

Bright Pants with Neutrals and Similar Tones

Rain, Rain Go Away!

Today is about the 14th day it has rained in the last month, at least our grass is really green! The days it is sunny and warm the kids and I are out the door in the morning, heading straight to the park. We come home for lunch a nap and then go back out. The spring is amazing for the weather not being so hot that it is hard to enjoy being outside, you can actually stay outside for hours.

After being inside all winter the indoor activities are getting a little sparse. Here are a few ideas for some new ones;

* Painting vases for all the spring flowers (that this rain is going to make grow)
* Making vases out of plastic pop bottles
* Painting bird houses for the return of the birds
* Making cookies in spring inspired shapes
* Fashion show with summer clothes (this is really just trying on last year's clothes to see what fits, but they will never know)
* If it is a warm rain consider going out in it! How much fun was it when you were little running through puddles as the rain came down!

Folic Acid

So in honor of Mother's Day coming up I thought I would go all motherly and talk about Folic Acid and the importance of this vitamin, especially if you are considering becoming a mommy yourself! You would be hard pressed to find a doctor who wouldn't sing the praises of Folic Acid in preventing birth defects in babies.

I am sure you have heard doctor's recommendations to start taking Folic Acid 1 year before you start trying, minimum. Although they prefer 'all women of the child bearing age' to be taking it. This is code for 'if you are having sex, you could get pregnant so take Folic Acid'.  I am not a doctor but I do read a lot about health care, nature and supplements. So here is the advice I will share with you. . .

* If you are having sex, take a multi vitamin with Folic Acid. You need 400mcg prior to being pregnant, during pregnancy 600-800mcg. If you have a family history of neural-tube defects 4,000mcg of Folic Acid a day.
* Most multi vitamins have enough for the minimal dosage, read the labels carefully to ensure this is true.
* It is water soluble so taking too much isn't then end of the world. Although some women are prone to a B-12 deficiency if they take to much.

Quick Beauty Tips

If you are like me you probably feel there are never enough hours in the day. Between making meals, spending time with kids/spouse/friends and chores there isn't much time for yourself and personal beauty routines. I have come up with some simple and realistic tips to help you look and feel your best!

Hair Style
Choose a hair style that suits your hair type, texture as well as one that works with the length of time you can put towards it daily. I have super short hair, think Halle Barry, this hair style is super easy but it must be done every day or it looks un-kept and unintentionally messy. I need to wash it and restyle it daily. Since it only takes 10 minutes total it is pretty quick and easy. If you have longer hair consider washing it in the evening pulling it back in a low ponytail by your neck and twisting it in a bun. In the morning let out the bun and you will have a nice wave to your hair, think Gisele Bundchen. This requires no time at all. A ponytail is always a quick way to wear your hair, especially on days when you don't have time to wash it. Wear one with a slight poof in the front for a chic look, this look will also hide any slight greasiness that a tight ponytail highlights. When blow drying your hair straight don't start the actual styling until your hair is 80% dry, this saves a lot of time. Your hair won't be effected by your efforts until that point anyways!

Hair Colour
If you have time to go to the salon regularly then you can pretty do what ever you want, but if time or finances are a concern a little more thought has to go into finding the perfect colour. One of the fastest ways to look frumpy is having 2 inches of roots hanging out. Consider going natural or something closer to your natural colour. If that seems too boring or you are concerned about greys you could get low lights or highlights. These hide roots better then a flat all over colour but generally need to be done in a salon for the best results.

Nail Care
I have time to paint my nails but generally ruin them in the drying phase or chip them within 2 days. If you don't have a lot of time for nail care stick with short nails. By keeping them filed short and all the same length even without polish they look well maintained. When painting them choose a colour that is light, this will hide chips well. If you prefer always having polished nails you could get acrylic nails, which require a fill in the salon every 3-4 weeks depending on how fast your nail grows. If you don't have time for the upkeep don't get these. Broken or gel/acrylic nails that have grown half way up your own nail beds look terrible. Getting a manicure with a product like CDN Shellac gives you 7-14 day chip free manicure. This is done in the salon and takes the same length of time as a normal polish change would. It takes approximately 10 minutes to have removed. Even if you don't remember to put cream on your hands every time you wash them, make sure to put a good cream on at night as well as a cuticle oil like Solar Oil, or even olive oil! File the bottom of your feet every day in the shower to save from a big build up and remember to put moisturizer on like you would for every other part of your body. Feet take a lot of punishment, they carry our body weight all day everyday, wear ill fitting shoes and high heels!

Skin Care
"Take off your face make up every night and drink lots of water" are two tips that I hear time and time again. There is a reason for this. . . they are simple but make a huge difference with how your skin looks. I am bad for leaving my eye make up on. I now leave my eye make up remover in the family room, so while I am watching tv I can quickly take of my make up. For the morning make your face care steps easy, cleanse, moisturize and protect with a sunscreen. For evening a little more time spent on your routine can help out in the a.m.. Cleanse, exfoliate (2-4 times a week), apply a serum (this helps the moisturizer do its thing. Some help strictly with moister, some help with wrinkles, some with dark spots, etc.. Ask your beautician which is best for you) follow this with an eye cream and moisturizer. If you are like me and love lush lashes apply a lash serum like Revitalash to your lash line. And volia a simple skin care routine for great skin!