January 28, 2011

Friday Fashion Q&A: What About Stress Relief?

“And what about stress relief?” This question popped up during a consultation with my doctor while were discussing how much exercise and sleep I was getting. Confessions of a Shopaholic kind of wrecked my ability to joke about my shopping habit, so I gave the more socially acceptable answer – “Yoga.”

Even Coco Chanel recognized that fashion or style is not just about clothes, it is everywhere, including how you carry and how you feel about yourself. My lawyer friend, Lisa, has been a Yoga advocate for years. She even took a break from her legal practice to work and study in an ashram for a month. Now she is living the dream by opening her own yoga studio in downtown Chicago called Dragonfly Yoga.

What I find the most interesting about what she is doing is this concept called LegalYoga. In essence, it is a no excuse, I-will-come-to-you, busy downtown professional so you can take a breather from you high stress profession on your schedule. I don’t know if the best trial lawyer on a planet would be able to argue with that. (Which is the point…!) The other concept I really like is the “No Sweat Series” that doesn’t require a shower but gives you that stress relief that is oh-so-fashionable.

If you happen to be in Chicago, you like yoga, and you like FREE, then you are in luck because Dragonfly Yoga is hosting an open house today, and all classes are in fact free. Here is a class schedule and a map is below. And now you have a great answer when a medical professional asks you about stress relief. Whew.

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January 25, 2011

Office Mommy Loves a Scarf

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January 24, 2011

Makeup Monday: Feed Your Skin

Now that it’s late January, the midwest has entered a long and tortuous deep freeze. And aside from general humor, the weather is taking it’s biggest toll on my hands. I am not religious about wearing gloves, and my penance is dry, rough skin.

So when you stumble across a cream called “Skin Food”, it is an automatic, no questions asked purchase. And it worked – instantly. Skin Food is manufactured by Weleda, it’s all natural, and available at Target as well as other health food stores. In fact, it is currently 46% off at VitaCost.com for $9.35.

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December 22, 2010

Office Mommy: Last Day Before Christmas Vacation

Yesterday, my paralegal gave me this necklace for Christmas (she made it!) So, I wanted to set it off with a simple look.
Yesterday, I was in the mood for a little more action.

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December 10, 2010

Friday Fashion Q&A: It’s the Weekend! Time to Care for Your Jeans

Dear JHS,

I think I ruined my favorite pair of jeans… I tried to pull them on, and I think they have shrunk! I need some jean care tips STAT.

Not so Jean-ious

Dear Not-so-Jean-ious,

Lucky for all of us, one of my clients IS a Jean-ious, and she has shared her jean care tips with me. The best part is that they are super simple. The key is that when you go to dry them, pull them out after only five minutes and hang them on a hanger to finish drying. My other two tips for you are:

1. Turn your jeans inside out before you throw them in the washer.

2. Use “dark” laundry wash if you can. Caldrea makes a lovely one.

May you never ruin a pair of jeans again.

All my best,
JHS

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December 9, 2010

Office Mommy Tries Menswear

Today, we wear bowties at the office. Why? Every year at this time, an attorney in my office “rents” out 400 of his bowties – just for the day – and all of the proceeds going to charity. Yesterday, I sifted through a pile of them and picked this one.

I liked it because the retro colors and shapes remind me of my friend’s house:

But, back to the subject at hand: wearing a bowtie. Actually, the timing this year is impeccable because menswear is a huge trend. So, outside the fantasy world of Vogue, how do you wear menswear? Here is my attempt.

The key is to keep it simple. Clean lines, dark suit and no jewelry. To keep it feminine, ensure the pieces are an impeccable fit.

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December 7, 2010

Office Mommy Goes Boho

Particularly when I am meeting my girlfriend, Jodi, for lunch, I like to mix tailored with free-spirited, like this sheath dress paired with a Chan Luu necklace and cashmere Vince cardi. And the suede pull-up boots? A find at the Decades Two Pop Up Boutique in Chicago – Manolo Blahnik, never worn, perfect size.

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December 1, 2010

Top FIVE Wednesday: How to Wear Short Skirts to Work

Now, I am not advocating a three-inch mini for the office, so don’t get too excited. But the mini skirt trend is hard to ignore this season, so I am going to share my advice on how you can wear a short(er) skirt to the work.

1. Remember the old high school rule? The one where the hem of your skirt must meet your fingertips with your arms at your side or you get sent home? I suspect this rule doesn’t exist in high school anymore, but it applies here. If you work in a more conservative office (like moi), err on the side of a skirt that is 3-4 inches longer than your fingertips.
2. Balance the leggy look with a more conservative top, perhaps a blouse and a fitted jacket.
3. Think dark. The brights you are seeing everywhere are fun, but a neon yellow mini skirt is not for work.
4. Think tights. Pair your dark skirt with dark tights, which has the double bonus of a slimming appearance.
5. Think flat. For shoes, try a a kitten heel, low wedges or flats.

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November 30, 2010

Come Sail Away

I am feeling very nautical – wearing my trusty Gap boatneck, Talbots skirt, Tory Burch wedge heels, charm bracelet and vintage Gucci tote I found at a consignment shop.

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November 24, 2010

Top FIVE Thanks to Give for 2010

I notice Cashmere & Cupcakes (oops, sorry! Cupcakes & Cashmere, I always mix it up) has been on roll with “Five Things“, and frankly, I miss my regular Top FIVE Wednesday list. So, I woke up at 5:30 am today and started thinking about my Top FIVE reasons to give thanks this year:

1. Going to the office the day before a major holiday, e.g. almost everyone has taken vacation, which means all meetings have been cancelled, no telephone calls and emails, and I have hours to get something major accomplished.
2. I have no plans to stand in line in the middle of the night to (maybe) buy something on sale. (Although, this year, camping out at Best Buy could have gotten you a free iPad – but seriously, don’t these people have jobs??) In any event, this year, I am grateful that my family by and large has everything we need or want, and I am not feeling compelled to stress over buying gifts.
3. A baby that sleeps!
4. Excellent, inspired blog content this year – notably, Capitol Hill Style (a fantastic workplace style blog), The Man Repeller (no, I will never look at ruffled anything the same again), Cassie Boorn (my favorite philosophizing Millenial), Sea of Shoes (eye candy for the shoe obsessed), and Who What Wear (love the guest posts).

5. Okay, so aside from what I said about number 2, I am grateful for the designer shoe sale happening at Nordstrom right now.

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