Protect Yourself!

Everyone knows they should be wearing sunscreen right? Hmm. Did you know your skin receives damaging rays even on cloudy days? A daily moisturizer with an SPF of 15 should be applied to the face, neck and backs of hands daily. When summer rays hit, boost your SPF to 25 and reapply every half hour during full sun exposure. Choose a sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection. UVB protects from burns and UVA prevents aging skin damage. ;)

Spring Has Sprung!

Is everyone as happy as I am to see the thermometer rising and the days becoming longer? Our focus is shifting from wool coats and motorcycle boots to floral dresses, belted cardigans and peep-toe booties!

I am fortunate to live in a geographical area that experiences all four beautiful seasons every year. Yes, we receive more than our fair share of rain, but the lush green landscapes and budding blossoms are worth every drop. Get yourself a pair of cute wellies, a classic trench, a mini umbrella and a muzzle for complaints.

As with every Spring, colour begins to appear in abundance. Seems we have our four basic categories: feminine, sporty, boho and minimalist. Military is still making appearances and melds well with the minimal persona.

Feminine is floral, fun and flirty. Find yourself a full skirted dress that grazes just above the knee. I suggest finding a small print that will allow you to mix well with other prints and get more use out of one garment. To wear it right now, pull a fitted sweater over it, add tights and cowboy boots. Be sure your tights are a sheer fabric to balance the light feel of the floral. Belt the sweater or add a long necklace for a finished look. Once summer arrives, wear the dress on its own with strappy sandals and lotsa bangles. Beautifully simplistic.

Sporty is NOT your gym clothes. Colours are usually bright, particularly this year as the 80's remains a strong influence. Cuts of tops are belly button skimming and resemble a rectangle. Skirts are fitted but not necessarily mini's. The tops are worn with either tanks or a strapless tee underneath. I'm assuming as the trend strengthens, risk takers will abort this detail and push the 80's envelope. We'll see. Pants are pegged or tapered and in an array of colours.

I am loving this evolution. It has been many years of skin tight fitted tee's and personally I was impatiently waiting for the return of a more crowd pleasing style. The skinny jeans have been popular for almost a decade and yet the figure balancing tops were empire waisted numbers that only emphasized the slightest tummy fluff.

These tops are not meant to be tight by any means. The tank etc. underneath however IS and should be a length that helps to elongate your torso without cutting off your legs. Rule of thumb: Top underneath should not cover the crotch of your pants. Do wear these boxy t-shirts off one shoulder. Super sexy and yet the look is effortless.