Archive for the ‘ How to and What to’s ’ Category

DIY Scented Vinegar

I LOVE Vinegar.

Vinegar is a laundry and deodorizing miracle. It fights stains, buildup and odors but some people are put off by the smell- even though it disappears as it dries.

Don’t count vinegar out too quickly, there is a way to make vinegar smell less.. vinegary.

You have probably seen “Scented” vinegar sold and it can be a little pricey but you can make your own scented vinegar for a fraction of the cost and DIY Scented Vinegar makes a great gift for your friends and neighbors.

Scented vinegar has all the same cleaning and sanitizing abilities as regular vinegar, but with less of that potent vinegar smell.

All You Need Is:

  • White Vinegar
  • Large glass jar
  • Fresh Orange Peels and Cloves OR Fresh Lemon Peels and Fresh Sprigs of Rosemary for scent
  • Glass Spray Bottle or Chemical Resistant Plastic Spray Bottle
  • My FREE PRINTABLE LABELS CLICK TO DOWNLOAD- SCENTED VINEGAR TAGS
  • Baker’s String

STEP ONE:

Pour some vinegar into a glass bowl (enough to fill your container) then heat it in the microwave.

STEP TWO:

Grab your jar and fill it with either orange peels and a few cloves or lemon peels and springs of rosemary. I personally like the Orange/Clove in Winter and Lemon/Rosemary in summer. (This process isn’t an exact science, so don’t worry too much about amounts. When in doubt, add more of the scented item rather than less, since the smell of vinegar is pretty strong to begin with!)

STEP SIX:

A FEW VINEGAR TIPS: Vinegar should never be used on natural stone, like marble or granite. It also should not be used on aluminum or cast iron. It can pit these surfaces and ruin them.

When making your own cleaner make sure all of your tools are clean. Run your jars through the dishwasher or rinse with very hot water if they’ve been sitting in the cabinet for a while. Brand new jars, also, will need to be cleaned prior to use.

Dilute your scented vinegar at a 1:2 ratio (1 part vinegar to 2 parts water) to clean your fridge, microwave, pet stains, and floors.

The Laundress x Le Labo

The Laundress x Le Labo

Get ready for the chichest load of laundry ever!

I am so excited about this, two of my all time favorites- The Laundress and Le Labo- have teamed up to create a product that’s so good I’m screaming it from the rooftops!

Le Labo’s Santal 33 is in my top five all time fragrances.  Launched in 2010, the medley of leather, iris and sandalwoodsy scent of Santal 33 propelled Le Labo from “slow perfumery” to those in-the-know to beauty-counter mainstay.

It is omnipresent at hipsterish boutique hotels and concept stores. I recently stayed at Modernhaus Soho in New York and was downright giddy when I saw my shower was stocked with Santal 33 Shampoo, conditioner and body wash!

Le Labo is a luxury fragrance so a bottle of this magic stuff will set you back between $200-$300 depending on the size you purchase but, thanks to eco-friendly laundry care brand The Laundress,  I have discovered a sneaky little trick to make your ENTIRE wardrobe smell like Santal 33 (or Rose 31 another popular Le Labo Scent) for a fraction of the price.

The Laundress’ products are a staple around my house and in my set bag.

Their eco-friendly and uber chic line of detergent, fabric care, and home-cleaning products are aimed to take excellent care of you, the things you love, and the environment. And here’s the kicker; they actually work. Their line is plant-based, cruelty free and is based on fiber science to give your clothes their longest life possible.

Their signature laundry detergent will change your life. It’s non-toxic, eco-friendly, all-natural, plant-based and stain-fighting all in one bottle. I honestly didn’t think laundry could get any better than this until..

..The Laundress blew my mind by pairing it with cult fragrance brand Le Labo!

This stuff is INCREDIBLE!  I have been using it to hand wash my delicates and I gotta say, my bras are so bougie now in the best way possible. Plus when I use it my whole house smells like Le Labo!

One bottle lasts a LONG time- you only need a little bit per load. When you think about it, you are only paying a fraction of the price of a bottle of the perfume to have your whole wardrobe smell like Le Labo!  That’s a damn good value in my book.

Click to SHOP The LAUNDRESS:

What to Wear for Easter

What to Wear for Easter

It never fails, each year I always struggle with ideas of what to wear for Easter and Spring in general.

I am a Fall/Winter type of dresser and I naturally gravitate toward dark and vibrant colors so when “pastel season” comes around I’m always at a loss.

Luckily Spring 2021 has brought a whole new moody type of Spring palette in the form of watercolor prints. It’s a walk on the softer side (like pastels) but with an emo-esc fashion twist.

Think of the watercolor trend as the chic grown-up relative of tie-dye, but with the added effect of blotchy, almost diluted-like edges. While some designers’ takes on watercolor feature more uniform patterns like Dries Van Noten, others like Acne Studios and Kenzo used them in a dip-dye effect to create random delicate patterns.

Influenced by the work of master painters, watercolor prints bring a mood of romantic expressiveness to womenswear.  You will see watercolor prints in both all-over patterns and in oversized placements against white and off-white bases which give a fresh “clothing as canvas” effect.

Soft, dreamy and totally perfect for Easter dressing it’s a great way to get that Spring vibe without sacrificing your “I hate pastels” mantra.

Chocolate eggs? Done! Easter Baskets? Assembled. What to wear for Easter? An easy no-brainer with soft watercolor prints!

What to Wear for Easter

Easter Bunny Mask

Watercolor Prints

What to Wear for Easter

Watercolor Prints

What to Wear for Easter

What I’m Wearing: Rachel Zoe Blouse | TOPSHOP Skirt| Vintage Belt| Free People Boots| Handmade & Painted Bunny Mask|

Click to SHOP Watercolor Prints:

Acid Wash Denim

Acid Wash Denim

The denim world has been turned upside down by Gen Z’s call to cancel skinny jeans.

This call heard round the internet was first sung on TikTok. According to the Gen Z’ers, skinny jeans are OUT  (along with side parts) and we should swap them out for baggy jeans immediately, lest we appear lame. Or even worse…old.

Along with the cry for 90’s esc baggy jeans came a whole slew of retro denim demands. Which includes lighter washes, jogger jeans, balloon jeans, flare jeans and yes acid wash denim.

Acid wash denim the ’80s fashion trend made popular by an entire decade of pop stars and punks is making a comeback. Refined, soft, and sophisticated it’s created by adding chlorine and to the denim to achieve a lighter lived-in looking color.

This once DIY aging technique is now a full-on off the rack trend. From designer to fast-fashion everyone is jumping on the acid wash train.

My favorite way to incorporate it is with a denim jacket. It’s a great way to dip your toes in the trend without going total Girbaud.

If baggy jeans are scaring the crap out of you Acid Wash is a great way to stay on-trend without sacrificing your denim principles.

Now that we have agreed on acid wash, one more thing about skinny jeans..

..As we get older, it’s not about showing off skinny legs, or figure-hugging clothing,  feeling comfortable in our clothes and in ourselves is more important.

Skinny jeans are arguably the most wearable item of clothing to exist.  Most importantly they flatter every body, designers have also perfected their fits and they are available at just about every price point. Are there cooler jeans? Absolutely. Should we be willing to experiment and explore those options? Probably! But that doesn’t mean we need to completely ditch the comfort food of denim, the humble skinny jean.

Acid Wash

Acid Wash Denim

Acid Wash Denim

Acid Wash Denim

Kenzo Boots

Acid Wash

Acid Wash Denim Jacket

Acid Wash

What I’m Wearing: Vintage Denim Jacket| Chloe Dress| Kenzo Boots| Johnny Was Fringe Bag| Chloe Sunglasses|

How to Relieve Pandemic Fatigue

How to relieve pandemic fatigue

After a year of adjusting our daily lives to the coronavirus, it’s okay to still not be feeling 100.

Covid-19 has us all feeling more anxious than ever these days, and has given rise to a new condition called “pandemic fatigue.”

Pandemic Fatigue is the exhaustion you may be feeling after months of spending extra time and energy dealing with our new pandemic lifestyle and all the struggles it’s brought on. Lost loved ones, lost jobs, missing out on experiences and life milestones, like graduations, weddings, and funerals.

It’s more than likely you’re feeling worn out given the big and small strains we’re all facing. Basically, you are sick and tired of worrying about COVID-19 and everything that comes with it.

Being mentally and physically exhausted tends to lower resilience and boost feelings of dread and helplessness. Because you’re exhausted and your ability to cope may be lowered, you’re less motivated to do anything about those negative feelings. So you end up feeling more on edge, anxious, and exhausted by all of those feelings.

Now that we are starting to see a light at the end of this Pandemic Tunnel what can we do to get our groove back?

I sat down with Donna Piper, MA Trauma Expert & Energy Practitioner to get some tips on how to relieve pandemic fatigue and how to boost those serotonin levels back to a happy place.

Q: The pandemic has created unprecedented stress and anxiety for everyone no matter what their age. What are a few things we can do? How to relieve the pandemic fatigue?

DP: Be gentle and kind with yourself. Stress, anxiety, uncertainty all come from not feeling safe and secure. Let’s face it, this year revealed to us the truth that we are not in control of anything outside of ourselves. There is nothing wrong with you. Take all the should of’s, could of’s, have to’s out of your vocabulary.

Q: Are there any techniques help push those bad feelings and anxiety away?

DP: Start by slowing down. Taking conscious breaths is the first step. As you become aware of your breath, just simply observe,/watch it. Notice if you are breathing just in your chest or into your abdomen/belly. If you can begin to breathe into the belly with ease (not force) then you tap into your parasympathetic nervous system that you are safe, and tells the sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight/freeze/fawn) part of your system to stand down.

Also just slowing down your movements – daily tasks – showering, washing dishes or even walking. Bringing awareness and a slower pace to your movements helps signal your system that you are safe.

Drink plenty of water and eat regularly. Water helps your physical body, but also helps your cognitive functioning and processing of feelings. Stimulates obviously stimulate the body and if your system is already stressed this is just like filling a full glass of water with more water. So if you can limit the amount of caffeine that would be ideal. But don’t make this a stressor. Take small steps. If you can’t eliminate either of these things then simply try to add more water. Also eating regular meals means consistency and our bodies LOVE consistency. It makes us feel safe knowing we are going to be nourished around the same times everyday. It also helps with hormones, sleep, etc. all things that get disrupted when we are under stress.

Q: What about exercise? Many of us have fallen out of our normal fitness routine.

DP:  Any type of movement will do. Find a workout that you ENJOY! If you don’t like any exercise and you are anxious, doing simple shaking movements are great. This ensures your body won’t use all the energy produced by the sympathetic nervous system and helps calm the body and the mind.

Q: How about those moments we feel extra anxious?

DP: When we slow down, take care of our bodies with food and movement we start to see our emotions and thoughts more clearly. For example, if you start
constantly checking your phone, but aren’t waiting for a call or email, it is just a compulsion. Take a moment and ask yourself why? Then how am I feeling? Find in your body where you are physically feeling this feeling. Allow yourself time and space (just a few minutes) to feel the feeling. Try to stay present in your body and observe how you feel with curiosity. Once the feeling is felt then it is released.

Q: So diet, exercise, being present.  Got it.  Anything else to help keep yourself centered?

DP:  Baths are great for calm and releasing. Mineral salts and essential oils help soothe the body. I really like Breathe, Frankincense, and Lavender essential oils to breathe in.

 Carving out time for yourself (even if it is five minutes) to slow down, stretch, deep breathe, etc. allow your system to reset. Baths give you that “alone time”. 

Creativity also eases anxiety – painting, dancing, singing, etc… finding a hobby that you enjoy brings joy.

Laughter really is the best medicine. Laughing, just start laughing, or watch a video or TV program that you know will make you laugh pulls you out of being in stress mode

Click to SHOP RELAXING Bath must-have’s: