33 Ways To Stay Creative

RANDOM QUOTE: Coco Chanel

"In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different."

RANDOM TIP: Beauty

"Pamper yourself. Your health and appearance are positively influenced by increasing your emotional and mental well-being," says Dr. Howard Murad, founder of Murad Skincare.  Seek daily R&R.

Read more: Skin Care Secrets - Tips for Younger Looking Skin - Real Beauty

RANDOM FACT: Chewing Gum

The results of scientific research demonstrate that chewing gum is good for oral health and teeth specifically. Chewing gum increases saliva, which is the most important component of oral health and powerful protector of the oral cavity.

Sugar free chewing gum has a number of dental benefits. Sugar free chewing gum doesn't cause tooth decay. It demineralises tooth enamel and has an antimicrobial effect. Those who chewed sugar free gum after eating had fewer cavities than those who did not.

Chewing gum freshens breath, whitens teeth by reducing stains and preventing stains from accumulating and reduces plaque.

www.chewinggumfacts.com

Perfecting the Closet

10 Pants Every Woman Should Own: Fashion: glamour.com

http://www.glamour.com/fashion/2011/12/10-pants-every-woman-should-own?mbid=social_retweet via @glamourdotcom

My Tangerine Tango of 2012

One way to have fun with your wardrobe is no doubt to incorporate fun colors.  However, not all colors go together and not all colors complement all skins tones and body types. So it is important to use caution in designing a colorful outfit.   

To be honest, personally I love love LOVE bright colors, even though my heart will forever belong to the classic combination of black & white.  I associate bright neon colors with happiness.  And with summer, which – of course – is my favorite time of the year.  Additionally, I like to use colors to brighten up a gray day.  Incorporating bright colors into your outfit can change your wood or simply convey your happiness to the world.

However, the main reason I love color is that it can be powerful.  It can project a certain image of you to the world.  Not only can it focus attention on the right (or wrong) body parts, but also it can communicate aspects of your personality to the people you meet, creating an impression and perception.

The easiest way to do color is to use accessories. So start small – a pair of turquoise earrings, a neon pink belt, a bright red handbag. Incorporating seemingly minuscule pops of vibrant color allows you to created completely different outfits from items you wear every day – outfits that may look the same, but perceived completely differently.  Versatility and effectiveness of accessories are immeasurable.  One fabulous accessory can completely transform an outfit.

That said, one trend I am not brave enough to try is color blocking, especially color-blocked shoes. To me if the colors clash, they don’t go together and, thus, should not be worn together.  If they break up your body instead of elongating it and making the overall image visually pleasing, they should not be worn together. In my fashion book, colors should be purposefully coordinated, not blocked in a harsh discord. Thus, I am most confident with one major colorful piece in the outfit, such as a purple skirt or raspberry-hot pants.

One last piece of advice - don’t wear a color or a combination, if you don’t like it.  Even if you have seen it in a catalog or a fashion magazine advised to pair these particular shades.  If you do not feel confident enough about it, you will not be comfortable wearing it.  On second thought, do not wear any clothes that you don’t like or feel uncomfortable in.  It will just make you self-conscious and fidgety.

RANDOM TIP: Beauty

"Exercising regularly will retain your skin's elasticity and prevent wrinkles," says Barry Alford, co-creator of the luxury men's skin care brand Alford & Hoff. "Plus it'll keep off unwanted pounds!"

Read more: Skin Care Secrets - Tips for Younger Looking Skin - Real Beauty

Color of 2012: Tangerine Tango

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year for 2012:
PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango

Dance into the New Year with this vivacious and appealing reddish orange

CARLSTADT, N.J., Dec. 8, 2011 – Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 17-1463 Tangerine Tango, a vivacious, enticing hue, as the color of the year for 2012.

http://www.pantone.com/pages/fcr.aspx?pg=20910&ca=4

The vibrancy of orange is considered to be a stimulant – from emotions to appetite.  It gets you thinking; it gets you talking.  In design, its primary complement is blue, but also red, yellow, tropical green and deep purple mingle well with this fierce hue.  On the other hand, orange is not advisable to be paired with pink, unless , of course, you are feeling psychedelic.  ;)

Depending on the shade of orange, it can be used to represent many different themes and moods – autumn, the time of change, sunset, citrus fruit, etc. It symbolizes balance, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrancy, and demands attention.

Also, according to Wikipedia, orange represents the sin of gluttony.

Curious Links:     

               All Things Orange
               http://www.life.com/gallery/49721/all-things-orange#index/0

              Color Scheme Designer
               colorschemedesigner.com

              Sensational Color
               http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messages-meanings/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/all-about-the-color-orange.html

A Serendipitous Adventure

My Fashion Resolution 2012

To finally perfect the closet, of course.  Purge, de-clutter, minimize!

Only the most fabulous clothes and accessories belong in my perfect closet.  Only clothes that make me feel great about myself belong in my perfect closet.  Only clothes that make me feel confident, beautiful and amazing belong in my perfect closet.  Only clothes that reflect my personality and let me express who I am belong in my perfect closet. Only clothes that allow me to be who I am belong in my perfect closet.

Anything that I do not absolutely love, anything that does not make me happy, anything that is not genuinely me, anything that does not create the desired image, anything that does not project my personal brand, anything that is not good enough for the queen that I am has to be relinquished.  Don’t get me wrong – they are in fantastic shape and can still bring joy.  However, they are better off, more useful or even more necessary in someone else’s closet.  Could it be yours?

Fashion industry “experts” say that you should be able to design at least three different outfits using a particular piece of clothing.  Theoretically, it should go with minimum of three other things that you already own. However, I have to disagree.  I do not follow that principle.  According my fashion book, if there is one piece that will make an outfit perfect (be that a clothing item, accessory, or shoes), I have to have it.  At that point it becomes a necessity.  Outfit perfection is in the detail. 

That said, the second part of my resolution is to stop buying stuff that is not essential to my wardrobe or home.  In order to achieve the coveted closet perfection, my resolution prevents me from buying things that are not reflective of my suffocating personality and do not fit into my ultimate lifestyle.  

Let’s make the new year even happier than the last.   XOXO!

Helpful Links:
           10 Fashion Resolutions to Actually Follow This Year
            http://www.glamour.com/fashion/2012/01/10-fashion-resolutions-to-actually-follow-this-year

           Your One Fashion Resolution
            http://pennquarter.wusa9.com/content/your-one-fashion-resolution-2011
    
            Fashion Matters
            http://belkblog.com/2011/01/05/fashion-resolution-color/