Time and time again, fashion has shown itself to be cyclical- so it comes as no surprise that the ubiquitous trends of the 80’s would resurface. One such trend that I am fully embracing and enjoying right now is Eighties style hair! That’s right- messy, massive side parts, a bit floppy and with that kinky perm curl! ;)

Only, modernizing the trend is a must. I have re-invented this one by simply using a diffuser when blowing my hair dry. It adds just enough kink and curl- with extra body and softness. The best part about this look, is how effortless it is. Just dry and go- you don’t even need to brush your hair, because you don’t want to lose those curls you created. Depending upon your hair, you may use the diffuser more or less to get the right amount of curl. Today’s trend is a bit more relaxed- spawning off the loose wavy hair trend from this summer. ;)

And, just for fun- here is my new favorite 80’s style song. ;) (Photo from www.whowhatwear.com)

We all love the Beatles- and at the moment they are having quite the revival. Starting with the release of the Beatles Rock Band, then the limited edition USB Beatles digital music apple, but it would not be complete without a fashion element…

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the new Comme des Garcons/ Beatles collection! Debuting on November 20th (my b-day!) in Tokyo- the 10 piece bag line and t-shirt collection is set to become part of the Beatles memorabilia.

In keeping with Sir Paul McCartney’s vegetarian lifestyle supporting animal rights, the collection is leather-free and instead uses embossed polyurethane or printed PVC. You can’t buy me love, but a Beatles bag from Comme des Garcons will do. ;)

Alicia Silverstone may have been perfectly type cast for Clueless, but she is anything but. The actress is actually about as down-to-earth and intelligent as it gets. She seeks to live a balanced life adhering to personal morals and the power of purchase and action. The good news is, she has created a way to share these ideals with all of us, making our own quest a little bit easier.

Her book, The Kind Diet has just been released and reveals a lifestyle that promotes natural eating with a macrobiotic influence a la Gwenyth Paltrow and Madonna. Her mission to bring kindness to oneself and thus the world does not rest solely with food. She has also launched a website- The Kind Life- with categories of food, health, house, style and environment. Plus, she takes it one step further with an open forum where you can post questions and contribute to conversations. I’ve definitely bookmarked this one as another well-being resource and am excited to watch its evolution. I hope you do the same. ;)

I am starting my gift-giving ideas early. Partly, because virtually everyone in my family has a November birthday, including yours truly, and also because there are so many wonderful things out there to give!

This one is definitely at the top of my list- Get it. Give it. Live it.

The Smartbox is an experience in a box. Working with hand-selected businesses, Smartbox compiles activities and destinations within a given box. There are six different theme boxes: Fun for All, Adventure, Serenity, Charming Getaways, Adrenaline, and Gourmet Retreats.

Each box contains a CD- sized resource book with pictures and details for the experience you would like to choose. With each box, you are allowed to select one service/ experience- anything from a full-day spa treatment to a weekend getaway to sky-diving!- and the cost of the experience is covered with the purchase of the box. So not only do are you getting the experience of  your choice, but you also have a guide book for future escapades! ;)

You can stay close to home, or buy the box for a corresponding country- France, Spain, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Japan, Brazil and Canada- you or your gift-receiver is visiting.

The boxes range from $49- $369, and all the businesses listed in each box will honor a one time use of their listed service at the price of the box. Like, I said, this is the gift to give and get!

Eco-wrapping: from bags to riches!

If you are like me, you have quite a collection of “not a plastic bag” cloth bags going right about now. It seems like everywhere you go they are giving these goodies out, and now it is time to put them to use!

An environmental and economic way to re-use a bag, put a signature style on your gifts and give two presents at the same time. ;)

Check out my guest blog post about eco-wrapping on Shop It To Me! ;)

All you need is love and the re-launching of my blog proves it! ;) Thank you to all of my friends and family for your love, support, advice and logistical contributions to making this come together. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. (picture via artpixie)

There is something to be said for timing- the right place at the right time. Yet, I feel there are also times when the doors open and because it doesn’t look quite like we had envisioned, we hold off and wait until this, that and the other are all perfect.

I have missed various opportunities waiting for everything to be perfect before I make an announcement, take the leap, invest my energy and so on… The lesson learned is that nothing is perfect and if you hold  yourself back waiting for that perfect time many, many chances to achieve what you want will pass you by.

Next time a window opens, and you think to yourself, “This would be great, if only…” stop and ask yourself if that other component really will make or break this prospect for you. I am willing to bet it won’t and that the value added to your life is far greater turning that window into a door rather than waiting for all the stars to align perfectly before you step through.

I am pretty confident that underneath it all we all know and believe this. Yet, I also think we allow the external environment influence and coax us into thinking we need people and things to be happy. Well, to some extent those things absolutely contribute to our happiness, but they are not the basis- you are.

Often this very simple truth is muddled by the complications of life- though life is only as complicated as you want it to be. Yep, you do have control- reclaim it! It starts with making time for yourself. Perhaps you dedicate an hour every night before you go to bed to read something enriching or inspiring and take time to reflect upon your day and your actions. Are you who you want to be? How do you manifest what you want? Taking time out to think about it and envision it is a great start.

You can also check in with yourself throughout each day. Are you nourishing and appreciating yourself? Maybe a little more water would help you feel better? Or fitting in thirty minutes at the gym? Maybe it is something as simple as finding a beautiful piece of music and listening to it to bring your mood up and allowing yourself to feel happy.

Being happy requires your own acceptance and celebration first. What do you do for you? Even something as small as making the bed each morning sends the message that you care for yourself and the environment you create.

I don’t know everything, in the slightest way, but what I do know is that you cannot control other people- you can only control yourself and your thoughts and perceptions. So be strong in your determination to honor yourself and provide for your own happiness, because only you can make you happy.

Organic tees for all! Green Changes is an organization producing some of the most affordable organic tees around. It was only a matter of time before organic sourcing and non-toxic printing would happily merge with affordability. :) Plus, they tapped into the need for a longer tunic tee for the ladies to wear with leggings. Nice.

Also, because Green Changes is an organization they open their resources to you. That means you can use them to create your own tees for events or fundraisers, and supplement some income using their resources. So, now you can join the green team.

My lovely friend Ricky put this out there and I think it pretty much sums it up. ;)

rickyv:

Dinner means you really want a relationship, a deal or both.

Lunch means you’d like to get to know someone to see if you want a relationship, a deal or both.

Breakfast means you’ve got a current deal to discuss (if you already have a relationship) or you’re willing to consider a relationship with someone new, but that person isn’t especially important.

Drinks are for friends or business people who have become friends.

Coffee is not even on the spectrum.

(from a good friend / scene veteran)