Style Harmony

 How many times have you uttered one of these comments: "I look so fat in this." "These jeans would look so much better if I could just shrink my thighs a bit." "Ugh, I look so bloated today." "Now that I'm in my 40's, I guess style just isn't for me anymore." "Maybe I will buy new clothes when I lose weight." If you have found yourself thinking or saying any of these things out loud, I'm talking to you today. As a woman who is in her late 40's myself, I have had a realization: If I want my body to be perfect, I'm going to be on the hamster wheel forever. It's chasing an ideal that doesn't exist in reality. So, that means that I will be waiting to make a change, improve my style, buy the clothes (and the list goes on) for, well, forever. Unfortunately as women, society has not been kind to us. Media leads us to believe that the perfect looking young toned bodies on the covers of magazines are the norm and...

 Every single time I have a vacation coming up, I panic. Partially, I think it's because not only am I packing for myself, but also my son and any of the items that are needed for the family. In addition, I need to do everything around the house that needs to be prepared for us to be away, including things for the pet sitter. And then there is the laundry. Laundry always must be done before a trip.  My husband always frustrates me because he waits to pack for himself many times until the day OF the trip and his attitude is "It's not that hard.". If only we could switch roles so he would understand! Typically I try and remind myself that I'm not going to a foreign country (unless I am) and that should I actually forget anything, I can find a store!  This last trip was not quite so easy to do so because we were heading on a cruise, so you kind of need to have what you need with you! When it comes to packing, I have found that there are a few VERY helpful tips that c...

 When it comes to getting dressed in the summer, the goal is to not add weight to your body. If you are desiring to still stay stylish when it's sweltering outside, it can cause a dilemma. Often a way to make a look more stylish is to add that third piece on top.  Another non-negotiable for stylish outfits are accessories. Many times these can be a bit bold to add some real attention to your look. But who wants to add all of that weight to your look when it's in the 90's with a dew point of 73?! So, what's a girl to do? Be strategic about your Accessories! I talked about the clothing and fabric aspect of Summer Style in Part 1 of the Summer Style series last week. If you need to catch up, you can read it here .  This week I am going to share some powerful tips when it comes to accessorizing your summer style.  Accessories truly are a non-negotiable for a stylish look. You will be hard-pressed to find an extremely stylish outfit that does not incorporate accessories a...

 The temperatures (and humidity!) are creeping up! Welcome to summer! Sometimes during the summer it can be hard to know what to do to still stay stylish. We don't want to add a lot of layers or heavy jewelry. That's why I decided that I am going to address Summer Style in TWO blog posts, both this week and next week. This week, I am going to focus on clothing and how to keep your look on-point without adding on extra sweat.  Next week, I will discuss how to amp your look up with accessories, which become really important during the hot summer months. Are you ready?!  Let's go! Let's Talk FABRIC! When it comes to summer style, one of the most important things that you can do in order to stay comfortable is to ditch the synthetics.  Fabric synthetics, that is!  It's time for au naturel!   If you know anything about fabric, natural fabrics are more breathable than manmade fabrics. Now, natural fabrics can be a bit more pricey and can be a little more fin...

 Close your eyes. Transport yourself to a moment in time when you felt absolutely beautiful. Maybe it was yesterday. Maybe it was when you were heading to an special event. Maybe it was when you were going on your first date. Maybe it was your wedding day. When you close your eyes, think about these things: How did you look? How did you feel? What were you wearing? What was the fabric like? How did the clothes fit your body? What did your hair look like? What did your makeup look like? Were you smiling at yourself in the mirror? How long did it take you to get ready that day? Did you take pictures of yourself? What thoughts did you have when you saw yourself in the mirror? When you open your eyes, I want you to think about the last time you felt that amazing? That powerful? That beautiful?  When's the last time you cared like that? When's the last time you allowed yourself to take that long to get ready? As I shared in last week's blog ( https://stylesynchrony.blogspot.com/...

 You step into your closet and take a deep breath. As you stare into the depths of all of the clothes that you own, you HAVE to figure out what to wear that is going to ensure you are taken seriously. It's a big deal kind of day and you must be on-point. You need to feel LIKE A BOSS today and you know that will start with style. I know you have been there at some point. We all have. In fact, I believe that we find ourselves feeling this need quite often and many times we don't know where to start. Confidence is tricky because the smallest thing can throw it off track. There is a relationship between how you feel on the inside and how you show up on the outside. Close your eyes and think back to a time you felt REALLY beautiful, like deeply felt it. Maybe it was a date night, maybe you were a guest at a wedding, maybe it was YOUR wedding day. You put on your outfit and not only did it put a little pep in your step, but when you looked in the mirror, you just knew that you looked...

 YOU: "Alexa, how do I figure out my style?" ALEXA: "To determine your style, start by analyzing your preferences and interests. What types of clothing do you enjoy wearing? What colors do you favor? What style of clothing speaks to you the most?" YOU (exasperated): "If I knew ANY of that, or how to take my answers and apply them to style, I wouldn't have asked the question!!!" Frustrating as it is, knowing the things that make you tick is where you need to start. Today, I'm going to talk about the 6 Style Personalities so that you can identify where you fall on the "style roadmap". When you want to create a style that is truly you and makes you feel happy to get dressed in it everyday, you have to put in the legwork, and we begin here. I am going to give you a brief description of each personality so you can figure out where you are (or where you desire to be).  In addition, I am sharing 5 ABSOLUTE MUST-HAVES for each Style Personality! ...

 Women are incredibly self-critical of themselves. The most seemingly confident women who we may look at and see not even one single flaw or reason to be insecure has insecurities. It's a sad truth, but we can't escape it.  We see air-brushed images on the covers of magazines, perfectly sculpted bodies in bathing suits on television shows. When we look in the mirror, that is not what most of us see. Anyone who has talked to me about my own personal struggle with my body and weight has heard me say that I'm looking for a balance.  I KNOW I'm never going to look like those starlets on TV or in the movies. So, I should just stop the comparison game, right?! All I want is balance. I love to enjoy food and drinks with friends, but I also want to be good with the way I look.  One thing that I have learned is that my style matters. When I get dressed for my body, I walk differently, I talk differently. I don't hide because I am okay being seen and being heard. When I ignor...