Slimming Advice # 2: What You Eat Is As Important As How Much

Keeping your house clean takes enormous amount of efforts. Every day we do dishes, wash, dust and … the list is endless. Our body is our own house in a way and keeping it in shape is always challenging. After all, why should a gorgeous body come to you with no efforts? There is a pretty long list of things we should consistently do to stay in shape, and one of the most important tasks is to watch what ends up “in us”.

I am a big supporter of natural everything, including natural and organic foods. My top choices are fresh vegetables and fruit, natural nuts with no salt or sugar, dried fruit, then cooked and canned greens, raw or steamed/grilled seafood, grilled or steamed meats. Among others on the list are light salad dressings, home cooked meals with no or very little sodium, no or very little fat and frozen yoghurts or sorbets for dessert.

Does it mean fries, cakes, ice cream and other delicious treats are forbidden? No, it doesn’t! Everyone should find their own balance of foods. It is a very personal thing, to my opinion. But when you are buying your favorite half-prepared products, canned foods and fries, take a moment and look at the label. All of the products are very different and your body would thank you for choosing the ones with less fat, sodium, sugar, artificial flavors, preservatives, etc.

And one more thing: it’s not only food that counts; your drinks (both, alcoholic and non-alcoholic) as well as medications you are taking can make a huge difference. Sodas, wines, cocktails, juices (yes, even 100% natural juices!), coffee with creamers – they all add quite a bit to the 2,000 calories a day limit. The best thing one can do is always stay informed about new foods, drinks and studies. Aol. com and Yahoo.com regularly publish very interesting and informative articles about weight control and various scientific facts on their home pages. Also, there are many other sources of important updates including books, magazines and your own nutritionist or doctor, of course. So, look at your food labels, count your calories, regularly educate yourself and stay fabulous!

Read about healthy consumption of alcohol here

This article is a part of the series "Models and Calories Are Friends, Not Enemies". To be continued...

Urban Humanity Line - June 2008 - Men's Collection

How to Make Natural Skin Care Easy

Natural skin care is hard to understand these days. Does it mean using different products, or not using anything at all? Are there alternative or innovative skin care methods? After all, what does "natural" mean and why would I use it?

Here are 4 tools that will make natural skin care more understandable, easy and effective and will answer many of these questions.

Image courtesy of StyleWoman.ru

Red Wine Is Fun and Healthy!

The controversial question of health benefits and damages caused by consumption of alcohol has been around forever. For many of us it is also a question of healthy weight. Well, it turns out that drinking red wine can help you live longer by preventing colon cancer. And if you are smart when drinking, it will not do anything but good.

Read about the wisdom of drinking wine

Oma's Schoenheitsrezepte

von OlgaInStyle

Natuerlichkeit wird bei allem sehr geschaetzt. Wir schaetzen natuerliches Benehmen, natuerliche Schoenheit und natuerliche Kosmetikmittel. Aber das natuerlichste von allem liegt in der Natur selbst, in dem, was sie uns gibt-in Wurzeln, Zweigen, Blueten und Samen. Aussen natuerlich schoen aussehen heisst sich natuerlich zu ernaehern. Fruechte und Gemuese aber koennen manchmal in einer anderen Funktion dienen-das sind Rezepte unserer Ahnen, als es noch keine Cremes und Schoenheitsmasken fuers Gesicht gab-sie koennen uns ab und zu mal statt fertiger Gesichtsmasken aushelfen: unsere Haut mit Vitaminen bereichern und antibakteriell wirken.

Die Schoenheit unseres Gesichts sieht man am klarsten im Sommer, wenn das Licht am hellsten ist. Hier sind ein paar Rezepte, um das Gesicht zu erfrischen und glaetter zu machen (nach alten Oma’s Rezepten):

1) Vitaminmaske: beliebige Fruechte und Joghurt/Sahne zusammenmixen und aufs Gesicht fuer 15-20 Min. auftragen. Abspuelen.

2) Maske gegen Pigmente: Karrotten klein reiben, aufs Gesicht fuer 15-20 Min. auftragen. Abspuelen.

3) Reinigungsmaske: Sauerkraut verkleinert aufs Gesicht fuer 10 Min. auftragen. Abspuelen.

4) Glaettende Maske: Kartoffelpuree mit Milch mixen, aufs Gesicht fuer 20 Min. auftragen. Abspuelen.

5) Feuchtende Maske: Apfel und Birne gerieben mit Zitronensaft mixen. Fuer 10 Min. aufs Gesicht auftragen. Abspuelen.

6) „All inclusive“-Maske: Honig, Haferflocken mit geriebener Gurke mixen. Fuer 10 Min. aufs Gesicht auftragen. Abspuelen.

Es wird empfohlen alle Schoenheitsmasken auf die Nacht aufzutragen. Unser Gesicht braucht hinterher viel Ruhe und Erholung.

Prediction of Makeup Trends for 2009 from Yves Saint Laurent

Slimming Advice #1: It Might Not Be Normal Just Because It's Normal to YOU

Everybody knows that one of the major cultural differences between many countries of the world is food. We all feel like Italian, French, Chinese or maybe Mexican once in a while. But not everyone knows that cuisine is not the only difference: portions differ, too.

Having lived most of my adult life in Europe, I experienced tremendous shock during my first visit to an American restaurant. The meal was delicious but the size was astonishing! That's when I really understood why American people have a "to go box", whereas in many countries of Europe it is not appropriate and almost cheap to take food home.

But that's not the point. There is nothing wrong with taking food home. In fact, I LOVE doing it! The point is that one’s portions might not be as normal as it seems and bigger portions definitely do not encourage staying slim. At home (not only in a restaurant) we often practice the same approach, especially if we have kids and have to establish solid examples of healthy eating. But what is healthy? Is it about how much to eat or what to eat? How much does our body really need to function well, stay in shape and receive all necessary vitamins and nutrients?

I will not make any statements just because I do not believe that internet blogs are the sources of health and weight advice one should rely on. “How much” is a question for a professional nutritionist. As for me, I live every day with a solid belief that a human body needs no more than 2,000 calories per day and maybe even less when one is not active (such as at a lazy weekend). You count for yourself. And you might be very much surprised how little food it is. In fact, it might be only ONE meal or ONE dessert depending on what it consists of, so it is important to watch the calories’ count in your food during the day. While eating normal in your opinion, you might be actually consuming 3-5 times more than needed and that’s how one gains weight every day. If this is the case, no food supplements, diets or “miracle” pills will help.

Don’t know calories figures? You can use the Calorie Counter or other information sources.

Bottom line: strict and consistent portioning is important not only for loosing weight but for keeping it off, i.e. for a lifetime (whether you like it or not).

This article is a part of the series "Models and Calories Are Friends, Not Enemies". To be continued...

Unique Chic of Paris - Personality and Style

We have written about personality an style on multiple occasions featuring amazing designs around the world. Today we are introducing a new talent, a designer who follows not popular trends but uniqueness of one woman at a time. Look for a one-on-one interview with Chavernet Paris in Designers' Lounge:

September 2007, 2 friends made two observations: the mass market is killing the uniqueness of Couture and quality is decreasing more and more.

Something had to be done, Chavernet Paris was born.

Chavernet Paris dress up the modern and elegant woman, manufactures the dresses in Paris, handmade, accompanied with a label containing the workshop exit date and the number of the dress.

The atelier where the dresses are imagined and designed became a real laboratory devoted to create unique dresses for unique people.


Constantly reinterpreting the actual and past influences into a modern and chic trend, Chavernet Paris go against standardization by not working with collections but by living the fashion in an instant, a desire, a humor, various every day and appropriate for each.

At Chavernet there are no collections, no fashion shows, no advertising, no wild marketing, no standardizations. It is just you, unique woman, going to the Atelier where the motto is.... One dress = one woman.

When I first read this introduction, I really loved the concept of approaching a woman's personal style and creating a unique piece of clothing for Her. Hmmm... I saw this approach in the work of one very famous French couturier who has become a legend of fashion. Can you guess who?...

Save the Date - Designed for a Purpose Competitive Fashion Show - Tickets Online Now

Tickets are now on sale for the 2008 Designed for a Purpose Competitive Fashion Show. Buy Tickets

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Call 404.589.1177 for details.




Dress for Success Atlanta, Inc.
404.589.1177 p 404.589.1187 f
220 Spring Street NW Suite 102
Atlanta, GA 30303

Sind Sie "Apfel", "Birne" oder "Banane"?

von OlgaInStyle

Der Strand ruft, die Sonne scheint, der Sommer kommt, aber die schoene, schlanke Figur verweilt sich. Besonders nach viel Winterstress und durch die uns angewoehnten Winterernaehrung, die ueber Fruehling noch nicht weggegangen sind.

Wie verbessert man die Figur? Wie bestimmt man den Koerperbau?
Es gibt insgesammt 3 Frauentypen:

1) Sie haben vielleicht bemerkt, dass das Fett sich haeufig nur an der Taille ansammelt - Sie sind also „Apfel“.

2) Wenn, umgekehrt, die Hueften mehr als notwendig Volumen bekommen, werden Sie zur „Birne“.

3) Bei den ganz duennen Maedchen ohne ueppigen Formen findet keine Verwandlung statt - sie bleiben einfach „Bananen“.

„APFEL“

Solcher Koerperbau schwaecht das Herz-und Kreislaufsystem ab, also muessen Sie faserhaltiges Essen bevorzugen. Sie muessen Ihren Tag mit Muesli-Brei und frischen Fruechten anfangen. Tierfette und Backwaren sollen ausgeschlossen werden. Empfohlen sind Fruechte- und Kraeutertee. Bauchtraining–15 Mal taeglich.

„BIRNE“

Meiden Sie staerkehaltiges Essen. Trinken Sie keine Saefte, denn sie enthalten normalerweise viel Zucker. Statt dessen essen Sie lieber eine frische Frucht. Kalorienarmes Essen ist empfohlen. Beine und Hueften sollen trainiert und gestaerkt werden. Da Sie mehr als andere Frauen (solche wie „Apfel“ und „Banane“) dazu geneigt sind, allgemein schneller Gewicht zu kriegen, verwenden Sie viele Tomaten, die sowohl fuers Immunsystem, als auch fuers Abnehmen bekannt sind.

„BANANE“

Von „Aepfeln“ und „Birnen“ wegen ihrer Figur beneidet, brauchen „Bananen“ so wie keine an Kurven. Empfohlen werden Kaese, Rahm und Sahne. Saefte duerfen nach Belieben viel getrunken werden. Der Busen und die Arme sollen trainiert und gestaerkt werden. Taegliches Training 15 Mal minimum.

Die meisten Chancen verfuehrerisch auszusehen haben Sie sicherlich im August, wenn Sie schon heute mit der Verbesserungstherapie anfangen. Also dann gutes Gelingen!

Hair Styling from Hollywood Celebrities' Stylists: Tutorial

Smoky Eye Tutorial: I Am Getting It Done Tonight!

10 Minutes of Chanel Summer

Models and Calories Are Friends, Not Enemies

OK, it’s time to destroy the myth about the starving world of fashion. Yes, there certainly are a few models that eat almost nothing but these are the ladies who need professional help (as well as some Hollywood celebrities who admit to various disorders from time to time and head to a rehab). But seriously, “good” calories are the best friends of models and the best way to stay in shape! How so? It is rather simple: the clue is in eating right. The difficult part is how to find out what “the right stuff” is and how to resist temptations on every day basis.

Correct nutrition means eating just enough of “the right stuff” to maintain the necessary balance of vitamins, nutrients, minerals, fiber, calories, etc. It is definitely not easy to do without a sufficient base of knowledge about foods and human body needs. The right balance allows one to stay fit and healthy, maintain radiant and beautiful skin, teeth, nails and even avoid dark circles under eyes. But to be fair, I should say that the right balance of water intake, sleep and exercise are the same important. Celebrities and famous models have a demanding schedule and often a nutritionist on board to help them balance their needs successfully. Indeed, there is a good reason for that: correct nutrition is crucial for beauty and health and it is way more complicated than simply starving.

I often receive the same question from readers: how do you stay so thin? To be honest, it is a difficult question to me because for years I have been following the same routine without introducing any special diets or innovations. I always feel bad answering the question out of fear that my readers would take it as an attempt to “keep my secrets to myself”. One day I went out to lunch with an acquaintance of mine. We were discussing weight control and I shared my concern with her. Having listened to me, she pointed out that the daily routine I’ve been following HAD been my so called “secret”. No matter how easy and “not special” it seems to me, it is working. I am not a nutritionist or a fitness professional but will definitely share my routine in the upcoming posts. Keep reading!

Dekolletes am Strand

Die Badesaison laesst niemanden kalt. Man faehrt in die Waerme, um positive Emotionen zu bekommen, Leute kennenzulernen und sich selbst zu zeigen. Welche Badeanzuege koennen Sie mitnehmen, um unwiderstehlich und modern auszusehen?

Die heutige Mode bietet sehr feminine Varianten mit quadratischen und V-foermigen Ausschnitten am Ruecken und an Hueften. Dem Dekollete wird besondere Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt. In einer schoenen Form dargestellt ist es mit mannigfaltigen Details geschmueckt.

Die israelische Firma „Je suis“ praesentiert verschiedene Badeanzugmodelle mit einem runden Dekollete. Aubade setzt ihre Hoffnung auf Ringe, mit denen sowohl Oberteile als auch Unterteile geschmueckt sind.

Die Weltmode bezueglich der Badeanzuge bleibt sexy aber auch anstaendig gleichzeitig. Gefragt sind unter anderem breite Slipps, welche aeltere Damen zu tragen pflegen.

Die Farbpalette-ausser bunter Farben- (neu im Sommer 2008): tuerkisblau und braun. Ornamente entsprechen dem Stil „Bollywood“.

Badeanzugarten: gewoenliche (Ober- + Unterteil) und Tankini(einteilig).

Liebe Damen, schoene Ferien und phantastisches sommerliches Aussehen!

Extreme Situation Solutions: Cut vs. Color

Isn’t it difficult to choose the right hair style, go for a new color or a new cut? Hair is not makeup. When you make a mistake with makeup, it’s easy to just wash it off but once you make a mistake with a cut or color, it may take months to fix the situation. To my opinion, professional makeup and hair tips have only two things in common:

1. There is too little professional and really useful information out there (general tips is what you usually find online);

2. It is extremely hard to find a stylist who will be able to really listen to you, envision your ideas and do exactly what you want.

I did my best to select the images that would successfully present the 2008 trends in hair fashion (please click on the images to enlarge them). As you might notice, the 2008 is all about incredible colors AND cuts at the same time. But we all know that things do not always work so perfectly in real life. In addition to the fact that it can be quite pricey to regularly visit salons for both, cut and color/highlights, it is rather time consuming and requires real master's skills to look the same good. So, what to do if one can not afford everything for whatever reason? What creates the style, cut or color?

Needless to say, there is no unanimous opinion among stylists. In 2008 an issue of Allure magazine mentioned the dilemma and provided a few quotes of the biggest runway hair magicians, such as Orlando Pita, Odile Gilbert, Eugene Souleiman, etc (all of them regularly work for the shows of such fashion giants as Marc Jacobs, Prada, Balenciaga, Chanel, Dior and many more). The majority decided that cut is more important after all. Eugene Souleiman also rightfully noticed that “a lot depends on the woman and which is more defining on her”. My personal opinion is with the majority. Having done a few shows and photo shoots, I noticed that faded color does not do as much damage to your image as shapeless hair and split ends. Most of the times you can play around color: change lighting, add a stylish hat, choose a style that distracts from uncolored roots, play with accessories, etc. The one and only thing you can do when the cut sucks is to wear a ponytail. Not much choice…

So, if for whatever reason you have to choose between a cut and color, chose the first one even if it is a quick “dry” version of it. A very good hair stylist should be able to achieve fantastic results even when working with dry hair that usually takes minutes but is almost equally effective (and costs almost twice less than a regular hair cut). Just out of curiosity, find out if your hair stylist can do it…

Coming soon: A Few Quick Fixes for Rush Hair Situations










Images courtesy of Women Magazine StyleHive.ru

Stylist's Lounge Is Now Open: Style Rules!

Our Stylists' Lounge is finally open and we proudly feature our first guest: a talented makeup artist Shon Sanks.

Olena: Makeup is truly a fascinating art. I am saying it not as a model but first of all as a woman. How would you explain the magic of makeup?

SS: The magic of makeup is a phenomenal thing. It can transform you from a natural beauty to a glamor goddess and beyond. I also find makeup to be the power to change your emotions and moods. While you feel pretty in natural colors, soft or dramatic smoky eyes with false lashes may make you feel seductive. Makeup is a true form of art because it involves creativity, edge, and simplicity. It's the art that is designed to make you feel good and have fun while trying new things. I encourage everyone to try and enjoy its magic.

Olena: What is your favorite thing about your profession? What motivates you every day?

SS: My favorite thing about the profession is meeting new people. I love being surrounded by new faces; it gives me a chance to create and explore art all over again! I also love to be inspired by other people. Passion, love, drive and determination for make-up artistry motivate me every day. This is what I was born to do. It's something that has consumed me entirely. I love it because it comes from my heart, soul and mind. I put me all into makeup and look forward to each and everyday opening a new chapter and beginning a new journey. Just can't get enough of makeup!:)

Olena: What makeup brands are your favorites (if any) when working on a photo shoot or any special occasion makeup?

SS:It's hard to stick to brands. I use a little to a lot of everything like a makeup addict. There's always something better out there, and if it's better, that's what I want. Allowing myself to get stuck on a brand will cause missing out on great products, so I try them all and keep what works best. That's the beauty of having variety.

Olena: If you could share 3 best pieces of professional makeup advice that would work for any woman, what would that be?

SS: 1. Take good care of your skin;
2. Keep your brows shaped, arched, etc.(that is so important!);
3. Don't be afraid to try new beauty enhancement ideas, such as eye shadow colors or false lashes. Also, add a little mascara to your bottom lashes.

Olena: What are the biggest mistakes that women make when applying makeup (to your opinion)?

SS: Makeup is such a free spirited art with no rules, therefore, it is complicated to say what's right, what's wrong or even call a mistake. Personally I would love to see more women take a risk and step out of their comfort zones. Natural colors and tones, such as bronze, copper and gold, are very beautiful but don't forget: we live in the world of color, so don't be afraid of trying yellow, blue, green or even purple eye shadow once in a while. Just a suggestion… I encourage trying new things and if you find that it's not for you, you will still get applause from me because you tried something new!

Visit the Stylists' Lounge for more materials and more pictures of Shon Sanks' creative work.

What is a Stylists' Lounge?

It is a place to meet our featured guests who diligently contribute to the creation of style every day: makeup artists, hair stylists, stylist consultants, etc. It is also a page that is dedicated solely to the best style materials, published and upcoming. E-mail us your questions to professional style gurus as well as your topic suggestions and we will make sure they are included into future issues!

Photography: Kelvin Bushan
Model: Kemmie

Designers Take Old Fashion And Make It New for the Dress for Success Atlanta Fashion Show

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Victoria Hook
June 3, 2008
Dress for Success Atlanta
404.589.1177


ATLANTA – Not all innovative fashion trends have to come with high price tags. Designers in the Dress for Success Atlanta competitive fashion show, Designed for a Purpose, on August 17, 2008 will create new designs out of pre-existing clothing, merging art and recycling.

“We wanted our designers to experience what we do at Dress for Success Atlanta everyday; take something from the past and give it a fresh purpose,” said Victoria Hook, Dress for Success Atlanta’s Program Director.

This year, designers will put a new spin on old clothing to create a stylish new design. In addition to the recycled look, designers will create a business suit purposefully designed for a plus sized woman, along with a piece of sportswear apparel. Designers will be judged by Casey Beniot from Induvia, Joli Baker from PurMinerals, Dionne Boyd from Neiman Marcus, Malika Hakeem from Seven Boutique, Darryl Mapp and Jason Bacon from Roccawear.

Hook said this year’s competition will center around a “green” theme, as the organization wants to show people how Dress for Success Atlanta’s role in the recycling effort through clothing donations can make a big difference in other people’s lives.

“With the country becoming more environmental aware, we thought this would be a great opportunity to show people how to repurpose clothing instead of adding it to local landfills.”

Aside from serving as a key fundraising event for the organization, the fashion show will also feature Dress for Success Atlanta’s Professional Woman’s Group members in a special show segment.

“At Dress for Success Atlanta our main goal is to make a woman feel good by making her look good. Transforming a suit that is no longer ideal for one, to provide purpose and opportunity for another is…fashionable recycling at its finest.” said Hook.

For more information about the event or ticket information visit, www.dressforsuccess.org/atlanta or www.designedforapurpose.org.

About Dress for Success:

Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization with the mission to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire and a network of support to help them thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to 80+ cities in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands and the UK. To date, Dress for Success worldwide has helped more than 300,000 women work towards self-sufficiency. Visit www.dressforsuccess.org/atlanta to learn more or call 404.589.1177.