New Year New You? Please darling......

A touch of seriousness for you. All this New Year garb being thrust at us from all directions inspired me to share some thoughts. Some inner beauty so to speak.

A new year brings that old familiar feeling to the forefront.....time for a new you! Nicotine patches fly off the shelves, AA meetings are at full capacity and one must beg, borrow or steal their way onto a public treadmill. All these optimistic "resolutioners" nic-ing out, cramping up and white-knuckling their way through January. Truth be told 90% will be back boozing, smoking and stagnant by months end. These high hopes and lofty goals slowly seem unattainable and will soon be a discouragement rather than the inspiration originally intended. It's a damn shame. But we do it to ourselves. Did we spend December finding moral support, researching new-age nutrition or visiting a health professional? Probably not. Instead we drank rum and egg nogg, ate pounds of garlic mash potatoes and gravy and smoked a pack a day till midnight New Year's Eve. (most of us I'm sure continued our vices well into the wee hours of New Years Day if we're truly being honest right?)

For these reasons I despise new year resolutions. But don't fret. Even if you've already fallen off the wagon there's still hope. And here's the secret............never make another resolution. What?!! you say! But if I can't set goals for myself how can I make changes? You still can. In fact, the N Y R wasn't your goal, it was a deadline created by society to pad someone else's pocket and empty yours. How much IS a gym membership these days?

Change must start with you. Are you ready? Not should I or will I, but are you? Education is the key. Learn all you can before you start. Any resolution pertaining to health should always begin with a visit to your doctor. They are a wealth of information and can help you access support that will streamline you for success. Whatever you thought you knew, do know or currently practice can be thrown out with the wrapping paper your city can't recycle. Why you ask? Well to put it quite simply, how's it working so far? That's what I thought. If you are truly ready and admit you're a complete idiot when it comes to kicking your old habits, you're already much farther ahead than you were at the stroke of twelve. (or 2am in most cases)

There's no greater style insult than a beautiful coat that reeks of cigarettes, a broken heel caused by 3 too many crantini's or such injustice to a garment it's about to burst at the seams. Not to mention all of the above and the ghastly effects on your complexion. Yikes.

Let's get ourselves together ladies. And remember, we aren't looking for a "New Year, New You". Instead, we're uncovering the awe-inspiring knock-out of a "you" that was there all along. Not new but certainly improved.

So Far So Fabulous!

Well how are we doing? Office party, xmas shopping, and tree trimming all taken care of. What's next? Ah yes, the trifecta: Eve, Day and Box.

In my experience Christmas Eve is one of two things; a night to go to church and celebrate Jesus, or a night to throw a cocktail party and celebrate friends and family. Differences that separate these two soirees are notably significant. One welcomes the styles of Jaqueline Onassis while the other can fall somewhere between Carrie Underwood (Fisher) and Carrie Bradshaw. Feel free to experiment with fantastic footwear in all colours. This is the area that will transcend either venue if you're planning to do both (unless of course clear platform heels sound like a Christmas nirvana in which case black classic peep-toe pumps with a 3.5 inch heel will suffice).

Depending on your Eve's activities, Christmas morning could begin with a headache. This can throw off your desire to put on your silk robe and pin up your bed-head. May I encourage you to follow through with the plan as this event is always captured on film, moving or still. Trust me, you don't want to scroll your sister's FB page re-living her children's excited Christmas expressions to see yourself resembling the likes of Ms.Courtney Love.

Christmas dinner is another excuse for a chic look that is both classy and fun. Whether the turkey with all the trimmings is your one woman show or you're stuck stirring gravy and plating pies the last thing you want is a look that is fiddly. The garments themselves are usually not the problem (unless the sleeves are pagoda) but the accessories are the usual suspects. If you've been asked to help last minute, swing your long chains behind you for a vogue effect and switch rings to the hand holding the utensil. However, if the dinner is yours to host or you're a selected member of the crew you have time to plan accordingly.

Boxing Day is not the shop till you drop bonanza of the past. It seems that in this era, the sales begin before the birthday bash and extend to at least a week afterwards. For this reason, I prefer to treat the day as virginous and take things nice and slow. Perhaps dark wash denim, a fitted v-neck knit, and medium hoop earrings will carry through the day's endeavors? Be it a pancake breakfast, an afternoon stroll or a good book with a crackling fire effortless is the silhouette to trace.

Most of all ladies, enjoy these moments with loved ones. It is a magical time of year indeed. Best wishes to you all. I hope Santa brings everything on your list including those power platforms that are sure to make a comeback next spring.

Happy Christmas.