Thursday, July 30, 2009

*sTuMbLeD*


Get your creative juices flowing and your pen ready and submit something for this weeks Weekly Writing Assignment

Organise your thoughts in a list with the Secret Society of Lists.

Short list, I know, but I these two sites where just far too fabulous not to share :)

Have fun and enjoy!

*eLLa*

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Encouragement


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Everyone's definition of success is different and just because someone else doesn't understand you and your goals does not mean that they are any less important and worth of your time. Success does not come quickly, its takes time and you appreciate it more in the end. Do not let anyone make you feel like what you think, feel or are is any less worthy than what they think or feel you should be. Press forward and pick yourself up after each hurdle that is put in your way. It just means that the more you overcome, the more successful you will be one day. And remember, success does not always equal money.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

A visual list

I have offically streamlined my wardrobe and thrown away everything that I don't absolutely love. I can now focus on purchasing some new fab pieces that I will also absolutely adore. So in quest to find these new fabulous pieces I have decide to make a list but not just any list, a visual list. So, using the power of Polyvore I have created a "visual list" of the itens I would like. This is very useful to discover the styles that you like as you can shop and look at pieces and places that you wouldn't normally so when you hit the shops bot only do you know what you want but you have a more specified visual, cut and style of the item. For example, I am looking for a white shirt but I find white button down shirts so uninspiring so I am only the lookout for a white wrap around shirt.

Remembering who you are


In a world where we are constantly bombarded with images and advice on every aspect of your lives telling us how to act, dress and be it can be very easy to forget who we really are. One can get so caught up in trying to be who we think we should be according to society and the world around us.

So, my challenge to you is to find that one thing that reminds you who you are. That thing that inspires you to break the mold's and conventions of "what is expected" of you and be who you really are. The thing to inspire you to put that pretty wrap dress on instead of resorting to jeans and a t-shirt.

Its should be something that you wear everyday and is part of your everyday ritual of getting ready. An accessory that you wear everyday, a perfume that you love, a lipstick colour that gives you confidence. Find that which represents YOU whomever that may be.

So take up the challenge and find that which represents the fabulous that us you!

*eLLa*


Monday, July 27, 2009

*qUoTeD*

Image

" I cannot control how I am perceived,
I can only control how I am presented"

- Tim Gunn's Guide to Style

Take A Look.....


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Instead of reading the numbers on the scale today, read this.....

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Goals for the coming week :)


Goals are a wonderful thing. They give you focus and a sense of accomplishment and structure, especially if like me you are s elf employed and therefore don't have the set rigid structure of getting up at a certain time each day and an office to go to. Structure and formality tend to fall by the wayside. And so, this week I am going to apply a technique learned from a fabulous book my mom bought me many moons ago when I was a "sweet young thing", as my high school biology teacher used to say, called The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

Each of us have our own goals for the future and for me, I have many and they are large and often seem unachievable but I keep planning focused. I however do find myself getting lazy or side tracked at times. So, in order to keep focused, it is important to break down these large goals in to smaller more achievable pieces and then into tiny bite sized morsels which can be achieved daily and weekly.

So, here are my goals for this week:

1.) Create a morning routine
2.) Get apartment listings for next year
3.) Send out invoices
4.) Brainstorm and work on blog articles
5.) Spring clean my space

I hope I have inspired you to set yourself a set of weekly goals to get to were you want to be :)

Have fun and enjoy :)

*eLLa*

Saturday, July 25, 2009

UPDATE Personal Style Challenge - The Little Black Dress Edition

I am so thrilled with all the fabulous submission :)
The outfits are SO cute!!

Please carry on creating and for those of you who haven't submitted anything go ahead and get creative.

Take a look at all the fabulous submissions so far Polyvore - Little Black Dress Challenge

Friday, July 24, 2009

The essential wardrobe item


Since embarking on my own style quest for the "perfect wardrobe", the idea of the "closet essentials" or "basics" have been a big discussion is any series or article on wardrobe. Each list has a few variations but items like a plain white t-shirt and black pencil skirt for instance have been on most. However, these do not fit in with everyone's unique style and owning these items does not necessarily mean you will use them. If you have an office job a pencil skirt will definitely come in handy but if you are a personal trainer, not so much. Thus the article Real-life wardrobe taming: Getting inspired over at The Glamourous Grad Student was a real interesting read and turned the whole concept of starting from the basics up on its head.

I do agree completely with this notion that these "basics" are not necessarily the building blocks of everyone's wardrobe. I DO however believe that there is one item, that no matter what, should be included in everyone's closet as a practical and aesthetic tool.

THE TRENCH COAT

I really believe that no matter where you live in the world that a trench coat will com in handy. What could be more versatile? You get them in different lengths, styles, colours, material. The can be thick and cosy or light and more airy for warmer climates. The come in every style and fashion ternch possible as the trench is re-invented each season with the trends. Banana Republic even did a sleeveless trench.

A style for every taste and can be worn to any occasion. In my opinion the trench is the ultimate useful wardrobe basic!

Have fun and enjoy :)

*eLLa*

Thursday, July 23, 2009

A Twist on The "Daily Outfit" Photo


 

I have read many a wardrobe taming article which re-iterates the importance of the "daily outfit" photo or simply the idea of making up outfits and taking photos for inspiration or to avoid "fashion brain freeze" when you simply "have nothing to wear".

I also came across the idea of taking pictures of your clothes and trying to make outfits by pairing the pictures. This idea is much more "me". I'm not a details person and have a rather short attention span so a project as big as taking all my clothes out and trying on numerous outfits and packing it all away simply does not fit with me.

So, evolving the idea to yet another level I thought of the perfect tool - POLYVORE. What I suggest you do is search for items that resemble the items in your closet or even better, install the "clip to polyvore" function and search the stores online websites where you bought the clothes and create your wardrobe in your "items" in your polyvore profile.

When you have all the items or replica's of them you can then mix and match items and accessories to create and save hundreds of inspirational outfits. This technique can also be used if you are contemplating purchasing an item, especially with online shopping, and want to see if it will fit in with the rest of your existing wardrobe and what sort of outfits you could create with it.

Have fun and enjoy :)

*eLLa*

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Apologies

Greetings everyone,

I do apologise for the lack of posts recently as I had to go on a last minute long distance trip due to a family emergency.

I am back and have a list of inspirations for new articles so keep checking back :)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

*sTuMbLeD*


Here are some cute and interesting sites that I found :)

TheNest.com has really great decor, food and daily living tips and tricks

Dezign with a Z ships world wide and has some really awesome wall decalz

Keel's Simple Diary
is awesome. Its the cutest journal I have come across in a while and I simply HAVE to get my hands on one!

TheBudgetBabe
is a great site too that keeps you up to date with all things fashion and beauty.

If there is any specific subject or theme that you need websites on please let me know by leaving a comment and I will make it my personal mission to put together a collection of useful sites for you :)

Have fun and enjoy :)

*eLLa*

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Personal Style Challenge - The Little Black Dress Edition

The Polyvore group is up and running and simply waiting for your submissions :)

Follow the link - http://www.polyvore.com/personal_style_challenge_little_black/group.show?id=64327 or simply find me on Polyvore with the username **eLLa** and access the group from there.

Please also blog about your outfits and post links to your blog in the comments following any of the LBD posts or alternatively below your submitted set on Polyvore.

Hope you have fun and enjoy :)

**eLLa**

Polyvore Personal Style Challenge - The Little Black Dress Edition

Hey guys,

So following on from my participation in the Polyvore Personal Style Challenge I set myself a little challenge of my own using a LBD. On recommendation from MLF, whose post on personal style, was the catalyst behind the Polyvore Social Experiment I will be starting a similar group on Polyvore. This time however, the challenge will be to place your stamp of personal style on a LBD.

In the meantime get those creative fashion juices flowing and get your polyvore on!
Do check back to get the link for the group alternatively, access the group through my username on polyvore **ella**.

Looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with!

Have fun and enjoy :)

*eLLa*

Sunday, July 5, 2009

*qUoTeD*

life
is an opportunity,
benefit from it.


Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life
is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

- Mother Teresa

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Personal Polyvore Challenge

Since taking part in the Polyvore Challenge and enjoying it so much I decided to set myself a personal challenge.

If given a simple LBD (which every woman should have in her wardrobe), how would I style it to put my personal stamp on it?

Here are the results.......

Ideal Wardrobe



Hey guys,

So, not being a born fashionista myself I have been trying for may years to achieve the "ideal wardrobe". It seems that I have finally made some good headway this year. This is all thanks to my favourite blogs which are littered with a wealth of information on wardrobe taming, personal style and dream wardrobes.

The key, I discovered is to scour your top 4 or 5 blogs and gather all the articles they write on fashion, clothing, personal style, wardrobe taming ect and read then all with a highlighter in hand, or save them in microsoft word which also has a highlighting function, and mark all the aspects of each article that appeal to you, your lifestyle or are simply something that you would genuinely do. From this you can build you own personal bible of tips, tricks and ideas which you can apply in your quest to never again have nothing to wear.

After being inspired by some really great articles and doing some thinking on my own I have come up with two ideas to fuel the my quest for the Ideal Wardrobe:
  • have an inspiration outfit. This idea actually came from the interior desgn programme "Dress My Nest" hosted by Tom Filicia. In the early episodes of his show he asks his clients to get to put together an inspiration outfit which he then translated into interior design and used as the base for his makeover of their space. Do the same. Pick out your favourite outfit that you just love to wear and take a really good look at it. Why is it that you love this look, what are the pieces? What colours do you like, are you formal or casual? Do you like prints, textures or vintage pieces? This outfit can tell you alot about what pieces would make up your ultimate wardrobe.Use it as a base for your wardrobe and translate the key aspects that the outfit reveals in to the rest of your wardrobe.
  • break out of your shopping comfort zone. This is one that i desperately need to make more of an effort to implement. Are you always wondering where some people seem to buy all those cute clothes from? Obviously not the stores you frequent so change it up a bit and look in all those small little places you've always seen but pass on your way to your popular stores you always comb. Even if you think they are out of your price range. You might end up finding an absolutely amazing piece that you are willing to pay extra for in place of going to a cheaper more frequented store and buy two or three average pieces that you buy just because they are there and dont really fit in with your aesthetic.
I hope that these ideas have given you some spark to get out there and shop :)

In my next article I shall share the inspiring tips and tricks I have gathered from my favourite blogs that make up my own guide to the Ideal Wardrobe as well as where to find those tips yourself.

Have fun and enjoy :)

*eLLa*
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