Month: March 2018

Not much to add to this roundup of must-have fashion pieces for Spring other than the fact that everyone I encounter lately says the same thing ” I’m ready for Spring weather” and so am I.  We’ve had snow for the past two days, along with temperatures below freezing, and just right now it’s snowing while our heating in the first floor is out. So much fun!  On the flip side, the days have been brightly sunny and beautiful.  These shining sunny days almost make me forget how cold it is until I step foot outside.  The simple act of looking at these fashion pieces to wear in Spring make me hopeful.  Among them we have a bright yellow dress- yellow is a favorite color of the season.  We also have the controversial kitten heels… people either hate them or love them.  And I’m kind of in the middle of both sides, because I recognize that they look feminine and even romantic but I’ve gotten a few kitten heels stuck between the sidewalk floor vent grilles in New York and the cobblestones in Europe and it’s not really enjoyable.

must-have fashion pieces for Spring, fashion pieces to wear in Spring via belle vivir blog
10 must-have fashion pieces for spring 2018, fashion pieces to wear in Spring via belle vivir blog

1  A polkadoted top because polkadot is the new black this Spring.  2  A maxi dress in the season’s color, yellow.  3  An asymmetrical top, this trend is borrowed from last year’s.   4  A simple white t-shirt to dress it up with a blazer or dress it down with a simple pair of jeans.  5  kitten heels pump.  6  Sneakers will never go out of style any time soon, this is especially significant to the mothers that juggle everything from work to children after-school activities, hence super women.  7 pastel blazer in a pastel color.  8  Structured bag is another trend of this season.  9 belted pants10  And last but not least is the straw bag.  Have a wonderful and sunny weekend!

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essential oils, how to build muscle, quote via belle vivirThis week’s recommended links list is short and sweet.

I enjoy a chic scented candle and furthermore if it exudes a good smell.  Anything that remotely resembles the fragrance of bergamot is a seller to me, however lately I’ve been rather curious about the negative health effect of waxes in certain candles.  It’s said that the paraffin found in some candles can be toxic, and are carcinogen once burned.   Since many companies decide not to declare what their wax is made of… I’m becoming increasingly interested in products with honest ingredients and nothing is more truthful than essential oils.  They are what they say they are, extractions of natural plants and seeds.  To embark on the rode of candid aromas, I’m getting one of these diffusers which are not only themselves made of ceramic and porcelain, two materials derived of natural sources, but they look good as well, so I can burn oils wherever I want in my house without the feeling of appearing ugly.  To read more about all the ways you can use and mix essential oils go here.

I go to the gym very morning around 6:30 at least four days a week and work out with a trainer three times a week.  However, since I wasn’t an athletic child it has taken me a long ride to get in my “ideal mind shape”  if such a thing can happen outside Hollywood.  Experts in the field say that our bodies start losing muscle once we pass our thirties.  This age-related muscle loss is known as sarcopenia.  Not a nice word, right… Here is how you can slow the process and in some cases even reverse it.

And last, if you’ve been putting off a hard conversation, here you can find some advice to get that difficult conversation started.  A hint, don’t worry about not being liked too much.

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This month’s Veranda magazine is brimming with beautiful and inspiring homes.  I particularly love this five-story brownstone designed by Ashley Whittaker for a family with four children.  Ashley is known for her flawless use of colorful prints which exude happiness elegantly.  As pretty as this home is, nothing is too precious making it ideal for young children’s activities and cocktail parties.

Ashley Whittaker-Veranda-belle vivir

Can you tell that there are more than a dozen printed fabrics from large to small scale in this living room… all seamlessly balanced to strike the right note.  The walls have a glossy Venetian-plaster technique that makes everything look even more lively.  Eclecticism done right by Ashley Whittaker.  A well updated traditional Interior design.

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March is when Women’s History Month is celebrated and hundreds of museums and National Museum of Women in the Arts are joining the third annual #5WomenArtist campaign.  “Can you Name five women artists?” The campaign is designed to spark conversation about gender parity in the arts.  Yes this issue is everywhere you guys.  This year’s campaign focuses on women artist of color.  Which gives me an excellent excuse to post the portrait of Michelle Obama painted by Amy Sherald.  If you are asking yourself why Michelle Obama’s portrait is in sort of a gray scale, there is a very interesting and historical explanation.  Interesting how art is so meaningful and deep and it can be so expressive once studied and explained.  Sherald’s technique is analyzed in detail here.

design events Michelle Obama's portrait by Amy Sherald via belle vivir

“(Girls and girls of color) will see an image of someone who looks like them hanging on the walls of this great American institution. … And I know the kind of impact that will have on their lives because I was one of those girls,” the former first lady said at the official unveiling.

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I’m attending a fund raising event over the weekend and even when I love my very artistic dress which I scored on sale a few months ago, I realized that the dress comes without any belt.  It mainly has an elastic on the waist, which I appreciate but it’s not enough to prevent me from looking like a skinny granny.  That got me to this belt roundup.  Belts can provide multiple benefits, they have the ability to transform any outfit from drag to elegant, like when is worn over a coat or blazer or they can enhance a woman’s waist and make her look feminine.  It’s obvious that the belts made by Gucci have conquered the taste of many and have  become the “it accessory” of the year.  The brand’s signature logo belt can be spotted everywhere you go and it seems to not slow down.  It is more of a cult in itself.  It’s easy to use either with jeans or with a more dressy attire.  I usually don’t wear logos, except for my funny top “Celine Dion” but the belt of the season is somewhat classic and chic at the same time.

belt roundup via belle vivir blog 3

“Always be careful when you choose a belt to have it shaped to give you a longer and plunging line at the back.  Whether you choose a wide or narrow belt depends upon the style of frock or coat you are going to wear it with, but if you are short-waisted you should avoid wide belts” Christian Dior.

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