Last bits & pieces of twelve

Preparations! Excitement! & Stylish Parties!

Hope you all checked RSVP on your New Year's Eve invitation!

If you did so, make sure to check the following checklist:

   Outfit   

 whether you're at a house party or downtown, make sure you have all your pieces and accessories ready.

Nails 

you will, after all, hold a glass of Champagne.

Class

you do want to remember your NYE, right?

Glamour

"The best thing is to look natural."

-Calvin Klein

Wishing you all a Happy New Year 2013 filled with love, happiness & style!

JKal -xo

Remember to set yourself a realistic New Year resolution. 

Dégustation

Happy Friday Everyone!!

May you all have a wonderful weekend filled with cookie dough & sparkly goodies!

P.s: Don't wait until the last minute to wrap you gifts! 

JKal -xo

A Cozy Tradition

It's that special time of the year where you have two categories of outfits you end up LOVING & WEARING:

Classy & Cozy

Ladies, we do love our dresses and pumps but let's not hide the fact that this is the best time of the year to wear those cashmere sweaters & flannel pj's.

It's the time of the year when your vacation time is precious. You decide to take your fluffy moccasins out on a date in your living room & watch some traditional movies...

Here are some of my must-watch traditional Black&White/Colour movies that can put you in a warm & comfortable mood at any time:

1- Roman Holiday, 1953
2- Breakfast at Tiffany's,1961
3- Sound of Music, 1965
4- Titanic, 1997
5- Pride & Prejudice, 2005
6- Sex & the City, 2008


Let's not forget the best Christmas tradition of all... 

A movie you can watch at HOME, but never ALONE since 1990.

Have yourself a cozy movie marathon!

JKal -xo

Gesture is Fashion

My dearest readers,

As one of the most important days of the year is approaching, we must really ask ourselves what its purpose really is.

Before we do so, I must remind you just a little something… As Coco would say, Fashion is not only in clothes but everywhere around us.

This Week, JKal’s quick "stylish tips" are the following:

Remember to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

A hug translates into a thousand words. Give some.

Remind your loved ones how much they are dear to you.

Keep in mind that your smile is the best makeup out there.

 Repeat above with your personal stylish touch.

Oh… I believe I forgot to check list one more…

Eat lots & lots of goodies!!!

Merry Christmas To All

JKal -xo

Quote of the Heel.

Happy Friday Trendy Readers!!

-xo.

JKal -xo

A Festive Attire

My idol once said...

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

-Coco.

Given the fact that Christmas is exactly 19 days away, how do we interpret Fashion into all of this?

From lacy aprons to fancy Christmas trees, style marks its territory everywhere!

The Christmas season is, in my opinion, the only Holiday where we can completely OVER DO IT! There's just never enough sequence on our dresses or lights on our trees. Let's not forget the sprinkles on those delicious homemade cookies!

btw: is your Christmas playlist ready?

& then comes the wardrobe dilemma...

What is your biggest fear? To overdress & stand out or to walk in those 5 inch heels? Remember, this is your free-for-all pass. Everything is permitted.

So let's start...

TULLE

is just magical & festive.

A comfortable fabric that you don't see many people wearing.

(That's the goal!)

If you want to dress it up for the New Year countdown, add some nice pumps & statement necklace. If you just wish to trend it around the house for Christmas Dinner, style it up with a sweater and a few bangles!

Talk about a Winter Wonderland..

SEQUENCE
Chic yet playful.
Try & get away from the black sequence seen on every mannequin in stores. Try out silver or gold this year with some curls in your hair paired with elegant earrings.

GEMSTONES
Talk about a statement!
You know me & jewels?!- NO LIMIT.
Whether you rock em' in necklaces or earrings, you will certainly not go wrong!

Take a look
Pop Stone
Arvan
Snowdrop
Spike Gem

EYE MAKEUP
I always thought more was less when it came to makeup.
Never put your emphasis on more than one feature. For example, if you wish to add eye makeup colour, don't overdue it on your lips or cheeks. 
You always want to make sure your look is effortless.
But once again, we do want to look festive during these Holidays. 
Red lips & eye liner make the perfect match!
Shimmer & Gloss always seal the deal!

***

Whether it's a red dress, high booties or a ballet bun, you always need to start your look with "roots". Once you've established that, you will logically be able to style yourself from head to toe.

Always remember to make your environment Fashionable

JKal -xo

Bee-Tee-DoubleU

My dearest readers,

BY-THE-WAY...

this is a quick article to remind you to always be happy & grateful for everything and everyone that you have!

I have been a big bundle of joy these past few days...

From becoming an aunt for the fifth time to other great news in my life; everything just came so fast. I honestly don't know where to pull my smile first.

Remember, some day you'll be thankful for those unfashionably bad days you had! (I do use Fashion outside the "clothing" box)

With this said, I wish you all a Happy December!!

Start prepping for the Christmas Holidays, Santa's right around the corner.

& Remember, repeat actions above by trending your own style!

JKal -xo

Chilly White

Brrrrrrrrrrrr

Is it just me or do we all get so excited for the first snowfall?

Correct me if I am wrong, but experiencing the first fall confirms that Christmas is just around the corner.

I'm surely not the biggest fan of Winter, but hey...who wants a green Christmas?

I think of the first fall as a checklist confirmation.

You must be asking yourself....For what?

Your winter must-have accessories!

1-WARM BOOTS

Everyone must agree on the fact that we have heavy winters here in Montreal. May I remind you that we witnessed -25, -30,...

This is why it is a necessity to own and to invest in a warm pair of boots. 

Last year, I was fed up of throwing hundreds of dollars in "trendy" boots and spend my days freezing at the tip of my toes.

I told myself : "Invest some more and you will get a real result!"

& so I did...I purchased my first pair of Burberry Winter Boots!

May I say... THE SMARTEST MOVE EVER!

2- STATEMENT GLOVES

Now this is a different story.

Everyone is different when it comes to gloves.

Some freeze, some don't.

I personally don't like wearing mittens. I am constantly doing something; either shuffling my next song on my iPod, replying to a text message or reading Vogue on the bus...

Therefore, I decided to become a "leather owner". 

My leather Ralph Lauren's just sealed the deal! 

Practical & fashionable

In my opinion, it's always nice to have a winter statement accessory since we can't really show off our outfits underneath thick coats and heavy boots.

3- A SCARF YOU MUST NEVER LET GO OF

Fashion put aside, we love warmth and comfort.

I strongly recommend that everyone owns a thick infinity scarf!

I call it the " Handy Infinity".

Think about it...

You can wear it as your coat's companion & part of your outfit.

Infinity scarves can easily blend with pretty much everything this time of the year.

Splurge into one if you don't already own one.

I'll help...

Basketwave collar scarf

Pieces Vigga Snood

Block Colour Snood

The Metallic shaker stitch

Remember, think outside the box & you'll find the one that fits just for you!

Aside from playing dress-up during winter, remember to spend time with your family and friends and dedicate some fun time in decorating your home and fill up those Christmas socks with small goodies!

Oh, calories put aside, another purchase on your shopping list: marshmallows & cocoa!

Enjoy

-xo

JKal -xo

A New Glow

Every girl's fear: the A word.

Let's not mention the full word in this entire article except this once: Acne.!

Regardless of the fact that this is a Fashion blog, I will write an article on something that possibly changed my "visage" FOR(hoping)EVER!

Food restrictions, scrubs, masks...where & when does it all end?

My goal is to NOT sound like a beauty commercial but to explain why these following products should truly be part of every girl's beauty basket in her powder room!

CLARISONIC

You must be telling yourself: "another so-called cure..", right?

I have been using certain products for a few years now that I do not wish to mention their name in case any of you are using it and is actually helping you. 

Remember, all of our faces react a certain way to creams. It can be good as it can also be bad.

This all depending what kind of skin we have. 

P.s: always make sure to consult a cosmetician before purchasing your new product.

So, where was I? Yes, the part where I completely gave up on my products and dietary regime.

Every woman knows her system. For instance, I know that my skin reacts very poorly to certain makeup brands and foods.

Up until a few weeks ago, I would always have red spots here & there...some uncomfortable pimples that would appear after I would over indulge in a cheese platter or some delicious white chocolate. 

That was until I started noticing it was getting worse. Way worse.

Those so called tiny red spots were taking over my cheeks but in a very painful way. 

Of course, like any other woman, I started panicking.

I refused to visit the dermatologist just yet. Fine, I hate meds.

So I stuck to the natural cures.

I.E: honey masks, hot steamed water, cucumbers, etc.

911 ! IT WASN'T HELPING.

It was then when I finally decided to visit Sephora.

I kept hearing about this Clarisonic machine but never really knew its purpose.

I spoke to a cosmetician in the facial product's department and she automatically suggested this magical product.

Magical and SIMPLE.

A cleansing brush!

All I need to do is apply my gel cleanser as I always do when I wash my face and then run the Clarisonic over it once I apply it all over my face.

The basic Clarisonic runs on one speed for a minute. 

You should usually apply it for 6-10 seconds on both cheeks and 15 seconds on your forehead and chin.

It will dig deeper than your regular wash and will eliminate all spots after a couple of weeks. You need to give it a chance of course. You may not see the result at first. The first week I started using it, my skin was getting extremely red. That's just because it digs inside and cleanses your layers of skin so all unnecessary "residue" can come out. That is the point...right?

Wait and see :)

This fabulous product is sold at Sephora and comes in various different colours!

I can truly say that it has been helping me so far, considering what I've gone through. I am not a big "commercial" believer which is why I felt the need to blog about a product I can finally say is worth buying.

But that's not all...

I figured, I want to save my skin, right?

I need the right creams as well...

So I was being annoying, yet again and asked for assistance.

This time for the..."after-cure".

As mentioned previously, I was so stubborn throughout these past few years & refused to search elsewhere for facial products.

I kept thinking it was my own bad habits that led me to my "poor skin".

WRONG.

Remember, not all products are suitable for everyone.

So what was my problem!?

I have skin that is neither oily or dry.

Therefore, gives me the result of a Combination.

And so I heard... Kate Somerville.

I think of it as a FOUR step procedure for ONE result.

1- CLEANSER

( I use this gel cleanser with my Clarisonic!!)

Daily detox cleanser that is essential in your daily life.

Use twice a day (AM&PM).

Apply a small amount to a wet face and neck.

Massage gently for 30 seconds.

Rinse in warm water.

2- SCRUB

A unique exfoliator with a bit of lavender base.

Targets blemishes and prevents breakouts. 

Use 1-2 times a week.

Apply a think & even layer to a clean, wet face and massage it for 30 seconds before rinsing it after a minute.

Rinse with warm water.

3-EDADIKATE ACNE TREATMENT

A concealer that helps clear up pimples & reduces redness.

Use once daily, as soon as blemishes are noticed.

Dip clean cotton swab into bottle and softly dab on the spot.

Do not shake your bottle.

Cleanse your skin afterwards and gently pat dry.

4-MOISTURIZER

Oil free moisturizer

Use twice a day. Apply a think & even layer on the face & neck.

I personally do believe that every woman (and man too, btw) should take care of their skin by nourishing it with proper products and homemade nutriments as well.

Remember ladies, it is important to stick to your product once you know it is the one suited for you. 

Constantly changing facial scrubs, creams, moisturizers, etc can seriously damage your skin.

Glance at the following websites where you can find all of the products above.

http://www.sephora.com/search/search.jsp?_requestid=160441#!keyword=clarisonic

http://www.katesomerville.com

Never let your skin down.

You can change your clothes and accessorize your outfits, but your face remains with you!

JKal -xo

A gift outside the box

As mentioned in my previous article, the Holidays are just around the corner!! 

Not only does this translate into spending extra precious time with your loved-ones but also means that you will soon be HUNTING for the perfect gift.

Here's a little secret of mine that I will share...

I often get more excited of wrapping a gift than the actual gift itself.

This all depends, of course, to whom you are giving it to.

I personally believe that the creativity & effort put behind a gift and its wrapping is much more meaningful than the idea of receiving "just another" one of those Christmas gifts.

Giving up on ideas?

Not so fast! Read a little and then judge your situation...

SO...

Before I start, let's just make sure we're on the same page.

These are just basic ideas. Always remember what I say..."think outside your bubble and allow yourself to add your own touch."

THE PARENTS.

oh yes, the hardest ones. 

How often do you hear " You shouldn't have!"- "Why?"-"I don't need anything!"

Okay, well let's try and change that to "You are so thoughtful!", shall we?

Parents are a pair, right? That's why I love to offer one big gift that represents them both. 

Scratch the perfumes and clothes. Create a story line.

For example, use the kitchen. Before doing so, X the Christmas gift bag! You have a mind of your own: use it in every creative way possible.

So I'm thinking of a basket... medium size.

Why not fill it with useful goodies? 

Don't forget, you must have both male & female touch.

Tea jars with organic teas, kitchen accessories, wine bottle, recipe book, classy kitchen cloths, spices, & maybe...Lady Godiva?

THE SIBLINGS

This all depends on the age difference you have with them.

If you're the older one and your little sister or brother are still very young, well...we unfortunately need to stay on the basic & easy level: Spoil them with Toys. 

On the other hand, if you're close enough with them, what better than an activity to bring you even closer? 

Mani & Pedi with a sister or even a ski trip with the brother?

PS: a gift isn't always meant to fit in a gift bag...

BEST FRIEND

You either have it or you don't.

Come on! She's your best friend! There is no better target for the creative challenge. 

I am sure she spilled some tips over your last 101 conversations. A girl will always talk about what she wants, what she needs & what she dreams of.

Now is the time to show her that you paid attention to every single word that she said.

Mix Purchase & Homemade together : make your own personal card, hunt for those scented creams that only you can guess her top favourites & add some jewels with that cheesy tacky movie she refused to buy on her own.

In conclusion, combine all in a decorative box she can use for storage in her room for the future.

THE BOYFRIEND

ah- the tricky one.

It's a mixture between getting him what you want him to have vs what he wants.

It's easy. You go with both.

Shopping for the bf should be the funnest one of all. 

This is the one gift that has no rules and no limits.

This one will completely be up to you.

After all, you should be the only one coming up with THE perfect idea.

In the end, it's just a matter of showing that we care.

You know how we all say that it's the thought that counts?

Don't forget, it's not just about the thought of purchasing something, it's the thought process behind the idea.

Knowing I will put a smile on someone's face by showing them how much I know them just makes my Holiday season that much better and warmer!

Happy Creative Hunt

-xo. 

JKal -xo

The acceptance of White in Winter

Ever heard of the "No white pants" Rule during the winter time?

We ought to stick to that, but we need to greet this colour elsewhere during the season: THE HOLIDAYS! I'm sure you can't miss it when you see the first snow fall of the year or when you decorate the house with Christmas ornaments.

You know what they say..."It's the most wonderful time of the year"...

I will admit something though: I'm a Fall gal'. But there's just something about Winter... Everything suddenly seems so comfortable, cheerful & peaceful during the Holidays. Let's take the storms and traffic in the malls out of the equation.

I did mention comfort. But let's not forget that we obviously must attend cocktail events and Holiday parties in those sparkly dresses.

I especially love those thick knits you wear around the house or at coffee shops while you sip on the seasonal latte.

Tip: Everyone should own a warm knitted sweater & scarf.

I am sure that most of you hate dealing with the " Heavy Winter Look". Trust me, we can't always be dolled up. It's a task for us Montrealers that live here ( & for others that also have snow in their cities) to style up a look with barely any inspiration, thanks to the weather we get. 

Ever deal with...

" Urgh, I want to wear my new shirt...IT'S TOO COLD!!"

"My winter boots don't match the outfit."

"It's so BORING!"

I can go on, but I believe you get the drill.

Trust me, you're not the only one. 

We obviously can't have an endless wardrobe that can help our 911 situation on a daily basis, but here are some tips I will suggest..

Color

I always love to have one colourful item that takes part of my outfit. It brings life to the outfit without having to necessarily put big effort in the actual piece.

Ideas? : Oxblood- Burnt Orange- Primrose Yellow- Cerulean-Deep Teal- Royal Blue- Eggplant (Top FW' colours)

Accessory

Attending a dinner? Date?

I love adding a statement necklace to the look. It can be a delicate pendant as it can be a textured chocker. Take a chance & step out of your bubble.

2 for 1?

Style & Warmth?

What better than a knitted infinity scarf. Or any scarf of that matter. 

Leather goods?

Try leather gloves! Hey, there are more than just those black ones that half the society wears.

Add a....

Belt to your coat

Vest to your shirt

Coloured tights to your skirt

Add a companion...

A clutch will always help you seal the deal. 

Don't always carry your weekday tote with you.

***

Every blogger, any stylists and every editorial mag can be writing their own version &/or theory on style.

I just want to emphasize my theory on style, especially (as mentioned above) in seasons that are a little harder to dress for.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I keep hearing everyone complaining about street style becoming so... "clone-ish"?!

It's easy. Just like everything else in life, it is not a matter of complaining about something, it is about turning that complaint into action. 

Fashion shouldn't be any different than anything else.

If you truly do believe or love something, you shouldn't have anyone's approval to follow it in any way you want.

Make your Holiday atmosphere become the perfect example for your winter style...

If we can go all out on our Christmas decorations, then why can't we also apply that "free spirit" to our wardrobe?

HAPPY upcoming HOLIDAYS

-xo.

JKal -xo