"The Buddha speaks about the "second arrow." When an arrow strikes you, you feel pain. If a second arrow comes and strikes you in the same spot, the pain will be ten times worse. The Buddha advised that when you have some pain in your body or your mind, breathe in and out and recognize the significance of that pain but don't exaggerate its importance. If you stop to worry, to be fearful, to protest, to be angry about the pain, then you magnify the pain ten times or more. Your worry is the second arrow. You should protect yourself and not allow the second arrow to come, because the second arrow comes from you." THICH NHAT HANH
As some of you know, until 2007 I worked in knitwear design for Susan Bristol for sixteen years. In the last year or two, before the company went under, someone cut an ad out of a magazine and taped it to one of the design room doors. The ad said "It's not how young you look, it's how good you look." I saw the ad a gazillion times because it was on a door that I passed through frequently. I remember always thinking how perfect it was.
Anyway, in keeping with this, I always get a little excited about what is new and different in the world of fashion even though I am a far cry from a fashionista or a 'clothes horse', as they use to say. I sometimes wear old clothes that I have had for ages and love, but still there is something exciting to me about what designers have drummed up to present to us each season. It's like a breath of fresh air.
So here is what's new for spring 2011:
For Color:
Nudes, neutrals
All shades of orange are really big
Rust, sienna, sand
Brights are big too.
Color blocking is back.
Lots of pastels.
For Style:
Striped tees
Chambray-the light weight, light colored denim, has made it's way back again into pants, tops, skirts, and dresses.
Happy prints all mixed-up and worn together. I love this.
Sheer layers.
Polka dots.
Wide-leg pants, long jersey skirts, big blouses, draped dresses.
70's silhouettes.
Tops worn out, not tucked in.
Lace is everywhere.
Sweet A-line coats.
Military’ish jackets and dresses
High waisted flared jeans.
Retro bohemian staples like peasant blouses and floor-grazing skirts.
Big bangle bracelets
Japanese inspired styles.
Embellishment is out.
Simplicity is in.
Also, on another fashion note, I found a very interesting little gizmo on Real Simple's site that allows you to see what you look like with all different hair styles. This was particularly interesting to me because I have pretty much been sporting the same hair style my whole life while quietly wondering- how would I look in short hair? How would I look in bangs? All you have to do is upload a forward facing picture of yourself. If their hair styles aren't sitting on your head exactly in the right position you can use the arrow buttons underneath your photo to adjust them.
So what did I find out?
That bangs make me look like a guy in drag :-)
Check these before and afters out:
Also, click here for the lastest Michelle Obama fashion slide show.
For years I was very curious about astrology. Then life got crazy raising a family and my interest in it slipped into the background.
Enter Chani Nicholas, a very intuitive, thought provoking astrologer, whose weekly forecasts I've been finding not only very inspiring, but whose guidance, suddenly feels reassuring.
She posts once a week. Arrow down and read not just your sun sign but also your rising sign.
If you don't know your rising sign, but do know your time of birth, you can look it up here.
