Work out.

So I've been doing Insanity for about almost two months now, and I can honestly say that it has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I now understand the meaning of sweat, and tears, this work out pushes you to be better and challenges you mentally and physically. After the first two weeks of intense work outs 6 days a week, I noticed that my body was starting to change and so was my attitude on life. I know working out 6 days a week sounds scary, but if you think about all the time you spend sitting on your computer and watching tv it probably adds up to about 3 hours. You can take 1 hour out of your 3 hours sessions and do something to improve yourself. I promise you that you will feel amazing. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, you will have bad days and good days, as long as you get back up and keep going. Remember to where you started, appreciate where you are, and have faith for where your going.

The video I linked at the top is a couple reviews on Insanity, and the video at the bottom is the first work out of the 60 day challenge. Share your progress here, link pictures and post comments. Let's start your weight loss journey.  

Blazing Blazers

Blazers are a staple for every women's wardrobe, they can be dressed up for a professional day at the office, or be worn casually for a night out with the girls or boys.

Putting together a blazer outfit is pretty simple, my favorite silhouette to follow for the professional attire is the upside down triangle. You can achieve this by finding a blazer with should pads ( I know most women don't like the idea of shoulder pads, but trust me, it will give you a power stance.) Pair the blazer with a accent top of your liking, for example: a low jewel neck top with gem accents. For the bottoms find a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, these will elongate you while making you look slimmer. If your not one for skinny jeans, find a straight leg pant. ( Cropped skinny jeans will also work. ) Now for our favorite part. The shoes! Match this outfit with your favorite pointed high heel shoe, preferably with a accent that matches your top. This will add interest, pull the outfit together, and of course make your legs look longer.

Wearing a blazer casually is pretty simple as well, pair a novelty blazer such as the ones above in bright colours, or you can try prints if your feel more adventurous, my favorite novelty is the striped blazer. Once you've made your pick, you can wear anything you like, just build your outfit around the blazer. My favorite silhouette for casual look is the A-line. You can achieve this look by pairing your favorite tank ( with accents or not ) with a flared skirt, finished off with the perfect heel, and your ready to hit a night out.

Have fun putting together your outfits, experiment with prints and colours until you feel comfortable and rock it! 

So much love

Okay so these girls have been my family for the last 2 years and I dont know what I would do without them. Love you guys !

Bold Beautiful Brows

I feel like a perfectly shaped brow frames the face so beautifully nothing else compares ! So if you were one of those ladies blessed with full eye brows, embrass it! If not there are a couple of things you can do.

1.) Stop tweezing!!  I know this sounds crazy right..? But honestly just let them grow. You can shape and darkening them with make up while they are growing so it's not so obvious.

2.)  Just use make up! I know first hand what it's like for eye brows to be thin or grow in odd directions. I shape my eye brows everyday using a brow palette and honestly it doesn't take much time at all with practice.

I'm going to link a couple of awesome products you can use to fill in your brows and a couple tutorials. Just practice because it makes perfect like mama always used to say :)

The Collective

If you live in Kelowna you know that the best way to shop is online because honestly our mall blows! But we have some great local boutiques where you can find some awesome clothing. We recently had a new shop open in Kelowna in the Rutland area. The Collective is a skater clothing store that carries brands such as StylustBeats, Methods, Success and many more. Not only do they carry awesome clothing, the environment is very inviting and creative. If your in the area and looking for a place to shop that isn't Value Village, check it out!

Oh Forever

So being a fashion student with very little shopping more, I've been faced with the challenge of having to find affordable clothing and still stay in current trends. My savoir has been Forever21!
Seriously I don't know what I would do without this site. They are consistently up to date, have affordable prices and free shipping if you buy over 60 dollar! ( which really isn't very hard at all ;) ) So I really wanted to do a post about them and show case some of the great clothing for you while putting together a great outfit. Enjoy.

In your face prints

Number one summer piece to add to your wardrobe this summer is bold prints. Taking you back to the 90's with big prints of fruits, flowers, stripes, abstract and aztic all done in bright colours. These statement pieces can be anything, from a casual dress to a pair of work pants. Now I know for some people this is intimidating, but don't be scared! If your not one of those people that love to stand out try pairing a bold print dress shirt with a nice dress pant and bright colour shoes. This gives you a more subtle popped look. If your feeling more adventurous, try an all over print dress of stripes or fruit. Remember to the most important thing is to feel comfortable, so wear what makes you feel beautiful and have fun with it. Click on this link to Glamour Magazine for more print inspiration.



 

Summer hair

So if your hair a rushed morning and don't know what to do with you hair, try this out. Braids are a cute easy way to have a good hair day, enjoy.
(not my video)

Tattoos are beautiful

So there are lots of misconceptions about tattoo's , being tattooed women I receive lots of criticism from people who think tattoos are only for bikers or criminals. I for one am sick of people slapping me in the face with their ignorant opinions about tattoos. Just because I'm comfortable enough to express myself through the art of tattoo does not mean I'm not a productive member of society. I have a job and pay my taxes, I've never stole or even ran a red light.

I found a really cool blog that discussed the myths and facts about tattoos which I felt needs to be shared, like and share this link to get the message out there.  

In just 15 minutes you could..

We all have excuses for not working out, " I don't have time...." is the biggest one, but what if I told you you could get a total body workout in just 15 minutes! Exciting right? Well and it's another excuse to go shopping for new work out clothes :) So make an awesome playlist and lets get started.
Do this work out 3-6 days a week to get that toned summer body, and check out my post on the perfect bathing suits for this summer.

Carbs are your friends

Some people think to lose weight they need to cut all carbs out of their diet. This is a very popular myth, in fact carbs are your friends. Let me explain. Their are two different types of carbs: Complex carbs and Simple carbs.

Complex carbs come from starches and fiber. Foods that are high in complex carbs are fruits and veggies and whole grains, these foods are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Simple carbs come from sugars like cake and alcohol and must be consumed in moderation.

Tip* - To lose weight mix a proper diet of complex carbs, protein and fat.

• Eat a mix of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
• Limit added sugars, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and saturated fat.
• Eat low-fat protein: beans, eggs, fish, lean meats, nuts, and poultry.

Summer Lovin'

So summer is finally here, and that means a new swimsuit! This can be really exciting or something to despise, but I'm here to help. There are a lot of different looks to flatter any body shape. I'll take you through a run down of the different body types so you can see which one you are, and give you a couple of examples of which suits to look for. Remember every shape is beautiful, just do what makes you feel confident and your inner beautiful will show.

I'll be posting some healthy eating tips for the summer as well as some work out routines so stay posted!

1.) Petite: Look for straps and keep things small, you don't want to cut your body off. Because your frame is small already wearing a bikini with large decals is going to throw you out of proportion so steer clear. Wearing long ties on the other hand can elongate you which is a plus. 

*Tip - Try to find bathing suits with high cut legs, this will give you extra length.

2.) Plus Size: Look for bathing suits that have built in underwire for support and for built in mesh for tummy control to give you that slim look. Try to find a one piece with detailing along the waist, this will give you an hourglass effect.

*Tip - If you want to wear a print, break it up by pairing black bottoms with a print top.

3.) Athletic: Stick to stripes! This is going to really show off how long and lean you are and break you up. If stripes are not your thing, try a floral print. Try to find a bathing suit that is functional for when you want to go off and play any beach sports, but is still playful enough for lounging on the beach.

*Tip - Look for some frill detailing to boost the flirt factor.

4.) Pear Shape: Look for a bikini that is a halter, this will bring more attention to your top half and divert attention from the bottom. Try to avoid tie bottoms, again this will bring attention to large hips. Find bottoms that are Brazilian cut, this way you have enough coverage to feel comfortable but enough skin to still feel sexy.

*Tip - Embellishments are a fun way to bring attention to other parts of your body.

5.) Small Bust: Bandeau's will help with small chest, try to find a bandeau with fringe this will give the illusion that you are bustier. When you have small chest we want to keep the attention on the bottoms, find bottoms with cut out sides, ties or embellishments to add interest.

*Tip - If you cant find fringe or it's just not right for you, try a bold print.

 

9.) Apple: Try to find tankie bathing suits, this will cover the round area which still showing off some legs. Find a tank with side detailing or rouching to add interest and bring you in at the wait.

*Tip - Find bottoms with a high cut leg to add length.

If your looking for more information on body types or bathing suits check out Glamour for some extra tips

Happy Shopping 

-Danielle Lafortune

Thank god for goth kids!

The pale white skin, dark make up and large studs are all the trademark of the goth punk culture. These days these styles have once again evolved into a smaller subculture of trends. The one trend I want to focus on is the modern day "Alternative" look.

The differences between the goth look and the alternative look are the details. In the 80's and 90's the goth trend consisted of large accessories, tight ripped clothing and coloured hair. The skeleton of look has not changed much in a whole, just made less loud for the more widely accepted trendy look. So if your anything like me, you we love the subtle edgy look.

I have found some websites that show some awesome examples of how to put together an awesome modern goth alternative look together.

Happy Shopping

-Danielle Lafortune