Is it Friday already! First time in awhile during Covid that I see a week fly by this quickly- must be a good thing! Lots of creativity and so many things happening for the fall- sadly around here we’re already sporting our cardi’s…oh well! I feel like life is on a roll despite the pandemic- Yay!!
This week I wrote a post about styling challenges, which so many of you emailed me about- Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I encourage you to challenge your styling creativity always- it’s totally a wardrobe refresher! If you haven’t read my article, just click on the link: Why Styling Challenges Are Good For You
The week ended with yet another of these challenges: Victorian Core (Modern Victorian Styling)- Again by @affectionatelyaudrey. How do you like it?
Here’s a Clip of me explaining how to capture the modern Victorian style…
Besides that, lots of time spent with my grandson and catching up on all my mending and upcycling and reading…More on that next week!
And- this gal’s been back on track with walk and talk! FINALLY getting my exercise and groove back!
Be Sure to join Andrea from Living on Cloud Nine, and I as we take our daily walk (I skip some though!) and we chat along!! Use hashtag: #walkandtalk and post on your stories and tag us both! @lucybertoldi @livingoncloudnine9
A little outside Canada- US inspo to get me going !!
Spotlight!!!
I’ve also been featured and I’m so happy and proud to stand beside such fabulous Styling Divas!!!
First by the beautiful: Fashion Canvas and Walking in Memphis in High Heels These two blogs are at the healm of trendiness every week- love reading them! Plus look who they paired me with- I adore Iris of La Moumous!
And also featured by the lovely Michelle of My Bijou Life Online (I just adore her so much!) Have you seen all the creativity on her blog- blows me away!! Here I was featured with my blogger friends which I adore!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
And now it’s time for my FAVOURITE LINKUP FASHION DIVA of the Week!!
Styling challenges generally happen on Instagram or Facebook, or other similar social platforms. They consist of a group, or individual, sending out a post which invites others to dress up for themes, trends, colors, patterns, or, to celebrate, or for a cause, or just for pure fun. The themes and reasons why, are endless.
Besides the fact that styling challenges are super fun- Today I’m here to give you my professional opinion as to why these challenges are good for you and why you should absolutely be joining some!
Here are some good enough reasons for you to jump in:
Boosts Creativity: Challenges force you to look for colors, patterns, etc. that are already in your closet. Making you put them together in ways you never thought of before. Gets your creative juices flowing.
Favors Style Evolution: Challenges help push you out of your comfort zone: This is essential if you want to evolve in your styling. We sometimes get stuck in a rut simply because we settle into a particular style.
Makes You More Daring: Enough with the wall-flower attitude! Challenges help break the ice! Pushes you out of the “I could never do or wear that” attitude. This is hard to accomplish on your own…but with a good challenge it’s as good a reason as ever to start!
Boosts Awareness: Challenges can bring out new awareness of styles, trends and more. It can be a learning experience that teaches you how to style up; what you really like; what you want to portray; what you need to add or take out of your closet…
Perfect Opportunity to Play Dress-Up: All it is, is an exercise for you to try on things and have fun and play with what you own. There’s nothing serious about it- it’s just styling up clothes (you’re not applying for a modeling job for Vogue).
Mood Booster: Remember how I’ve drilled you on the benefits of Dopamine dressing? How dressing up can improve your mood? So, this is actually fun which helps boost happiness-and who can’t use a good, no cost picker-upper these days? So why not?
Motivation: Let’s face it- these days we don’t always feel like getting dressed up. Challenges motivate you to get up and style- up!
Inspiration of course! Seeing what others are posting can give you so many ideas that maybe you haven’t thought of before!
It’s all positive! Plus, if you’re still not convinced, just do these challenges without posting online. Just get dressed on your own and see what you come up with- without posting. You’ll still reap the benefits😊
However, I strongly suggest that once you start on your own, at some point do try to get online and post as well. This will give you the affirmation that you did it by giving you that extra push (you got the courage to wear it out there!). As well, if you’re looking for a fun community to be part of- well, challenges can bring you that as well. Who knows how many new friends you’ll make (if you want to that is!).
Here are a few of the many of the challenges I’ve joined – and the benefits I’ve reaped from these:
If you follow me on Instagram you might remember this one from @affectionatelyaudrey’s Hodgepodge Challenge. This Challenge pushed me to see how many prints I could mix while still keeping it stylish.
Here’s another by @affectionatelyaudrey. We had to style a different mix of prints every day for a week: Animal print Print; Florals; Polka Dots and Stripes. Styling up a different look every day sure did challenge me to stay on top of my game! Creativity alert! This was a 5 day challenge but my time-frame only allowed three looks- still! This was perfect motivation!
Here’s another- it was a 7 days of dresses challenge given by @clothesandpizzaThis challenge forced me to wear so many of my dresses! I had been on a jeans and pants rut- so this was so good!
And this! The Diane Keaton Challenge by @annazzon and @imanorbyah This was one of my favourite challenges as I definitely played dress- up here. It forced me to take out clothes I haven’t even looked at in decades. As well, I rediscovered the power of a good suit! Plus this was purely fun (which I needed as a mood changer that particular week). It helped not to take myself so seriously. And- I got so many DM’s of people telling me how they secretly wanted to dress like Keaton and now maybe give it a try. So all worth it!
Maybe you’ll remember this one from my own Wanna-be Kimono Challenge! Creating this challenge was a lot of fun to create. It also helped my styling students come up with so many ideas of their own.
So there you have it! This is my intake for joining styling challenges. Personally, I love them- especially for the inspiration they bring out in me for further looks I create…like this one!
Have you joined any styling challenges yet? If so, which ones? And- if not…Why not?
Note: You can email me or DM me anytime if you need any ideas or where to go for fun challenges.
I don’t know why it is that every single Friday for as long as I can remember, I get so excited about the weekend (like it’s a special one-time event or something)…why is that?
This week was super fun with plenty of styling challenges (more on that on next week’s post). And, I finally corrected my Fashion Students’ last final! I guess you could say I’m officially off for the summer (although we start again in a few weeks lol!).
So far it’s been a good summer; lots of cuddles with grandbabies, lots of BBQ’s, new upkeeps to the grounds, great weather, fun birthday…and also lots of puppy love- check out our sweet Charlie:)
Here he is with my youngest- pure love!
I’ve also enjoyed so many tete-a-tete dinners with my husband- like dating all over again (except at home!)
And…not sure why I have only one plate setting shown here…but yeah, you’re gonna have to believe me when I say we weren’t quite sitting tete-a-tete, but rather: side by side lollll!!
Oh and we did finally attempt ONE restaurant for a pizza- and they were super Covid-ready in terms of cleanliness and sanitation…so that was a relief! Loved the pizza and Aperol Spritz of course!
Fun times!
I also want to start mentioning my features up here again (I usually put them on my Insta stories- but want to add them here too. It’s just that sometimes my post gets written up before I get to see the feature- it’s not that I forgot someone.
I want to thank Ada of Elegance and Mommyhood for featuring me alongside these Fabulous Divas!
And NOW…MOving onto my FAVOURITE Link-up FASHION DIVA of the WEEK:
Have you heard of Slow Fashion Season (July, August, September)?
Everyone can do their part without it being complicated or difficult. Every little bit makes a difference. Being in fashion, I’ll be the first to admit that temptation is always all around me. It’s difficult to say no to fast fashion- I so get that! I’m crazy about new styles, trends, beauty, fashion transformations…you name it. But honestly- we can no longer turn a blind eye. There’s actually so much we can do…even if it’s just one small thing at a time.
CONSIDER:
– Re-fashioning what you already own (if you can’t sew, mend or craft- rather than pay for new; pay for a seamstress).
– swap parties
– thrifting
– borrowing
– selling it
– giving it away
– buying local
–buying quality that lasts! In other words; Consider giving it thought…Yes: Thought. Meaning, if you really must buy new- then go into it with logic. Check for great quality and durability- things must last! Ask yourself how many times you plan on wearing the item (if it’s just for one time…give it up). Yes, that may mean spending a bit more (or even maybe a lot more)- but look at it as an investment. If you know this will be worn a lot- and that you don’t intend ever ridding yourself of it…then isn’t that worth the money?
All this is possible without saying good-bye to great styling and fashionable looks. Trust me! All you need is some creativity. And, today no one can get away with saying they have no ideas…who are we kidding?! Social media is FILLED with ideas. We can do this. The time is now.
Will you join Slow Fashion Season? There’s still time😊
#Confessionoftheday: When I buy new, I really do buy quality that lasts, and that is locally made (whatever the country I’m in)- and that can include high end designer. That does mean I end up paying a pretty penny for it- but I’ve never regretted any of those pieces. For me, that’s another side of sustainability.
Weekend is here! Does that even make any difference these days? We can’t lose track- so we gotta make it fabulous!
This series is all about those things I’ve loved this week (and the one prior since this is my first Fabulous Fridays segment!)- and some maybe a bit less.
I’m missing my hairdresser terribly! But I’ve been lucky to have her ship me my root color. It turned out pretty good (thanks to my daughter who lives with me and is also a hairdresser), and my blow drying wasn’t bad either!
Still on the beauty topic, I learned a nifty hack for applying mascara! Just bend the tip! You can watch here:
First things, I had a blast during my #chic robes challenge- loved how so many participated! Have also been joining a few other challenges on Instagram. The Hodge- Podge Challenge-by Audrey of Affectionately Audrey– was such a hoot!
She’s actually mixing 8 prints here!!
You had to keep adding prints every day to your look. Not easy- but super challenging and fun!
Blame it on the weather! But I did so enjoy watching those who tagged us. If you do walk and talk and want to join our movement just tag me @lucybertoldi and @livingoncloudnine and we’ll put you in our stories.
What else? Correcting last minute and putting together new lesson plans for summer courses beginning net week.
Oh, here’s a quick and hearty recipe of what I made:
In the crockpot: onions, chick peas, boneless chicken thighs, potatoes, tomato coulis. Add olive oil and your favourite spices. Turn on high for 4 hours. Voila!
I have to say that the highlight of this week in fashion for me has been learning about this amazing 91 year-old Georgian Fashionista- MUST WATCH!!
See you next week- Have a Fabulous Weekend my Beautiful Divas , Lucy xx
Linkingtime!
I love reading other great blog posts- so I thought to include some really good ones for you to check out! They have linkup parties where you can link your own posts. Go check them out and show some love. Have a good one!
