Quarentona

Aos 45 anos, Cláudia Ohana assinou contrato com a "Playboy" para ser a capa de novembro. Em 1985, ela já havia posado nua para a revista.

Pêlos

As fotos serão feitas na primeira semana de outubro. A atriz está caprichando na malhação. Ninguém confirma se Cláudia Ohana vai se depilar para o ensaio fotográfico.

Tipos, pára tudo! Já veio em minha mente aquele ensaio. Claudia Ohana não pode acabar com aquilo tudo que vimos, aquele carpete indiano!  A gente precisa desse revival.

In America, as women, we’ve become “victim” to a self-punishing, depriving and self-sabotaging nature.  A lot of times, we’ve given up on ourselves to fully serve others and putting our needs aside.  We’re inspired by fear and self-loathing. So, in order to fill the void, the style of American women tends to revolve around the “more is more, new is best” idea. Our approach to fashion, food and fitness subscribes to this dictum, which is the absolute opposite of French style.    

Here are the secrets of French women you can use to help you stand out from the crowd: 

1.      French women intimately know their body and which styles look good on them.  They do not beat themselves up for perceived flaws, but know how to creatively put emphasis on their assets.  French women have more personality when it comes to their style - they own their look. So, it’s key to establish a unique look that works for you.

2.      French women buy a handful of good quality, neutral-colored staples that they can mix and match with each other for maximum wear.  They do not “collect” clothing.  Clothing is an investment and is meant for a return on their investment.  They also know when to purge an item.

3.      French women know the power of accessories.  They cherish four to five high-end fashion accessories (costume jewelry and scarves) that they wear all the time.  They might add one or two new trendy pieces each season and wear them out.  They also invest in high quality everyday leather handbags and shoes, keeping their return on investment in mind.

4.      French women become friends with a great hair stylist who is skilled at working with their hair type.  They get a fuss-free hairstyle and maintain it with great conditioners.

5.      French women treat their skin as the treasure it is.  Get a facial every month or just give yourself a weekly facial.  Maintain, protect and nourish your skin daily.  If you have great skin, you radiate and barely need any make-up. 

6.      French women use make-up as an aid to emphasize their beautiful features, not hide them under layers and layers of coating.  The principle applied is:  less is more.  Your basics include:  tinted moisturizer with SPF, a light powder, blush, a great mascara and a lipstick or lip gloss. 

7.      French women know only too well that you are what you eat, which is why they follow a diet that is rich in seasonal produce, red meat and oily fish - all of which help to keep a figure trim and hair, nails and skin in tip-top condition. To further boost their skin's radiance, French women will also drink plenty of water and, for general well-being, eat a little of what they fancy - including chocolate and a glass of red wine.  They relish in the pleasure of small indulgences and do not beat themselves up, like American women.  Everything in moderation and smaller portions.

8.      French women believe in getting their exercise throughout the day, by walking and biking.  The important message here is to not become obsessed about your fitness activities, but pursue them with pleasure.  If you hate the stair climber or even going to the gym, find something that gives you enjoyment and not dread.  And again, don’t beat yourself up if you’re not keeping up with all your colleagues latest fitness center stories.  It’s time to be unique and do what is fun for you!  Follow the French on a balanced and time-tested approach to life. 

Keeping the above secrets in mind, you are now ready to let out your inner French woman and stand out from the crowd.   Unlock the world of sensory delights to discover yourself and assert your femininity! 

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style.  All rights reserved.

My goal is to help you understand the important role your fashion accessories play in creating your “look” and how you can easily set yourself apart to emphasize your uniqueness.  Yes, you heard me right – accessories are meant to play up on your individuality and uniqueness, which is, if we admit it or not, our true yearning as a woman.  We want to be different and unique.  Accessories can help you achieve this by bringing attention to your face, hiding those flaws you want to hide, or just making a statement about your individuality without your having to say a word. 

Let’s look at fashion accessories that you can easily play up on and create playful variances with: 

A neckerchief scarf can be worn as a:

·         Headband

·         Neck scarf with a collared shirt, V-neck, round neck T-shirt

·         Bracelet by wrapping around multiple times and creating a cuff-type bracelet

·         Tied around a plain handbag strap to add a splash of color and flair 

A long rectangular or wider square scarf can be worn as a:

·         Belt

·         Neck scarf loosely draped as a shawl, a wrap or with various types of knots

·         Top in summer

·         Skirt on the beach 

A brooch can be worn as:

·         On the front of your pair of favorite jeans or chinos

·         At the bottom of a long or short strand of pearls as a pendant, or clipped off-center on a double-stranded set

·         An addition to a scarf where it overlaps

·         A decoration to an evening bag

·         A cluster at the lapel or shoulder of a denim jacket

·         At the bottom of a V-neck 

A necklace can be worn as:

·         Part of a number of layered necklaces with varied lengths

·         A belt if a longer necklace.

·         A bracelet with multiple wrappings around the wrist

·         A basis of creating a new look with a brooch 

Fashion accessories are such a powerful arsenal in creating your own unique style.  Start looking at each accessory you have as to how to can create different variations.  Also, when purchasing new accessories, concern yourself with how many different ways you’ll be able to wear the accessory and whether the item or items will complement other wardrobe items you already own.  Don’t become a slave to the seasonal must-have’s.  Please also keep these five things in mind, when playing with your new look:

1.      It’s okay to mix silver and gold. 

2.      Focus on one key accessory, such as a necklace or handbag, and keep the other accessories light.

3.      Stay within a certain color family when accessorizing.

4.      Your handbag color and shoe color can be different colors.

5.      Most importantly – keep it simple, chic and feminine.   Adorn your uniqueness – look fabulous with fashion accessories!   

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style.  All rights reserved.

Let’s look at where to start off:

1.      Start off by creating a look book for yourself.  Buy a fun notebook, cut out pictures from magazines, circulars, etc. of clothes and accessories, which jump out for you, and paste them in your notebook.  The pictures should represent the look you want, and not be reflective of what you currently subscribe to.  Add words to your look book by describing how you plan to achieve the look of your own style according to your personal and professional lifestyle roles and goals.  This may take some time to find exactly what you’re looking for.  Just enjoy the process and think how delicious and fun it is.

2.      Purge your wardrobe.  Set up a date with a trusted and honest friend to help you out.  Now that you have your look book as a guide, try on all your existing clothes.  Here are the rules you and your friend need to apply:  a) if the clothes and accessories make you feel great, keep them; if not – donate or discard; b) if they make you shine and bring out your features – they’re a keeper; c) say ciao to the stained, the untended, the unworn impulse buys, the clothes that no longer fit (yes, I believe you that you’re planning on losing those few pounds to fit in them again; however, when you do, reward yourself with something better!).  With your look book in hand and self-esteem now firmly planted, keep your wardrobe simple and desirable, only stocked with clothes you love wearing. Don't hoard for the “when I lose weight or this will come back in style one day again”. Operate a policy of one in, one out.

3.     Invest in yourself and your wardrobe.  Now that you’ve taken some cleansing steps to purge your wardrobe, you’ll need to find some wonderful additions to complement your new style.  However, before you go out there ferociously refilling the closet, keep in mind that you’re now taking the simple approach.  Firstly, develop a budget for your clothing and fashion accessory expenditures.  It’s not worth going into debt and then not enjoying your new wonderful style.  Secondly, develop a shopping list of what you need before you even leave the house.  Thirdly - this is how you go about shopping:  a)  When you buy one item, like a skirt or pants, keep going until you've snapped up the right top, shoes and bag to match. Think outfits, not solitary garments.  b)  Always keep fit in mind. Get it right, and clothes and accessories will always flatter.  c)  Be color savvy.  Pastels are tricky. They can turn the freshest complexion sallow and make your body look larger.  All-black seems easy, but can be very severe. Always match it with a bright and complimentary color in jewelry, bag, top or jacket. Or try a different, softer dark such as chocolate, burgundy, midnight, or charcoal.  Cream, pearl grey or bright shades are more flattering near the face than black, which emphases under-eye bags and lines. Experiment in front of a well-lit mirror by holding different colors to your face. Have your trusted friend advise which ones flatter you and which ones drain all color from your face.

As you are venturing down your path as your own best personal stylist, keep in mind that personal style is a learned behavior, a simple and gradual process of training your eye to lock onto your best silhouettes and proportions in any season, any year.  Style icons like Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Onassis weren’t born with the skill, they developed it by honoring themselves, learning what looked good and most importantly what made them feel best about themselves.   Here’s to your coming out as your own best personal stylist!

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

 Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style.  All rights reserved.

Fashion Jewelry

Metallics, sculpted resins in smooth and bold designs, semi-precious gemstones, Murano-style glass, shell and crystal glass are all setting the glamorous trends in fashion jewelry this summer.

Let’s look at how these materials are being used to create artistic beauty:

· Heavy necklaces and cuff bracelets

· Chokers and shorter necklaces

· Large pendants

· Earrings and bracelets using concentric circles and bold loops

· Link bracelets

· Bangles

· Brooches reflecting a garden theme with blossoms, butterflies, lady bugs, and dragonflies

· Chunky rhinestone or Swarovski-crystal rings

Handbags

Naturally, we can’t forget one of our favorite accessories. Handbags! A handbag is the ultimate accessory to complete your outfit and adorn your uniqueness. The big themes for summer 2007 are:

· Oversized bags in patent leather, pebble-grain leather, clear plastic or quilt

· Metallic bags in silver, gold and bronze

· The envelope bag or a clutch in metallics or shiny satin

You’re a style trendsetter with any of these handbags.

Shoes

Naturally, you can’t forget the importance of wearing the perfect shoe for the summer. So, what are the key styles this year?

· Platform sandals

· Mary Jane ankle-strap shoes

· T-strap shoes

· Wedge platforms

· Lucite heels

· Peep-toe shoes

· Wood or cork heels

The heel height continues to go from one extreme to the other this season. Flat or extremely high, pointy or round, shiny or bright, is filling the store shelves and pounding the streets.

And what are the key colors dominating fashion jewelry, handbags and shoes?

· Gold · Silver· Gray · White· Light browns· Animal-print · Peach · Aqua · Fuchsia · Mint green · Teal green · Yellow

Keep in mind that fashion jewelry is indispensable this season, not only because it is the fashion trend, but because it reaches an historical high in artistic beauty. When it comes to handbags, oversized is the name of the game. For shoes, it’s height and metallics. So, for summer 2007 big and bold is the style. Mix and match accessories with the easier trends in clothing this summer and you’ll be adorning your inner trendsetter! Most importantly, have fun with playing with integrating some of the summer 2007 fashion accessory trends into your wardrobe.

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style. All rights reserved.

Brooches are popular again, so here are some ways to wear them:

• Pin a brooch on the back of a pair of cool jeans.
• Attach a brooch at the bottom of a long or short strand of pearls as a pendant, or clipped off-center on a double-stranded set.
• Add a brooch to a scarf where it overlaps.
• Decorate an evening bag with a brooch.
• Wear small brooches in a cluster at the lapel or shoulder of a denim jacket.
• Pin a brooch at the bottom of a V-neck.

Dare to be different and create some other looks with unique brooches!

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style.  All rights reserved.

1.     It’s okay to mix silver and gold. 

• Keep in mind that only one element of mixing silver and gold should be integrated within your outfit.  Decide on whether this is your shoes and handbag or your fashion jewelry.

2.     Focus on one key accessory, such as a necklace or handbag, and keep the other accessories light.

• KISS Principle applies!

3.     Stay within a certain color family when accessorizing.

• Combining green and red should maybe just be reserved for Christmas…

4.     Your handbag color and shoe color can be different colors.

• Who has the time to switch handbags every morning?!

5.     Most importantly – keep it simple, chic and feminine. 

• The emphasis should still remain on you!

As with clothing, I recommend that you invest in some quality fashion jewelry pieces and leather handbags.  Fine quality fashion jewelry pieces and high-quality leather handbags remain with you for a long time.  Therefore, make sure that they are unique and represent your individuality.  Our goal is to let you shine your beauty! Your accessories should be a reflection your own personal style and complement your look.   Keep in mind that the 5 key things about accessorizing outlined above are not set rules.  Fashion accessories are meant to add an element of flair and fun to your style!   

So, don’t forget:  be wise and accessorize.

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style.  All rights reserved.
 

You might be saying that this isn’t so easy.  Women in corporate
America are expected to wear boring boxy navy or black suits.  Especially, the higher your rank, the more you are expected to subscribe to the “male standard” of attire to assert your power. 

Expected is the operative word.  Who sets the standards for expectations?  You do!  Where is there a uniform code for women to wear standard business attire in a business setting?  I definitely haven’t come across any legislature.  Also, you don't get paid because of what you wear. In fact, successful women CEOs and executives can just as easily be found in jeans. I would dare say that fashion and work do go hand in hand. 

The fashion industry seems to have realized this as well.  Today’s fashion designs have taken a decidedly more feminine, edgier look.  A look that celebrates a woman's power, success and personality.  Clothes and fashion accessories help a woman play up both her credibility and her appeal to her team, business associates and customers by making a statement about her individuality.

Therefore, the real key to dressing for wealth and success, as a business woman, is being true to yourself.  Your comfort with who you are and the comfort with what you’re wearing, will translate into extreme confidence in your appearance.  This then will ultimately translate into great performance.  Great performance and confidence then propels you forward to success and wealth.

I also want to point out that comfort with what you’re wearing is absolutely essential.  It’s okay to want to be a Fashionista, but if you are just wearing certain clothing and accessories for fashion’s sake and don’t feel comfortable, then leave those items for others to buy who do feel these items express their individuality.  Also, if you are a person who loves suits and decide to become a jeans wearing type because your team wears them, stick to your suits.  Don’t try to be something you’re not.  Again, be who you are.  This philosophy is how you attract success and wealth.  You’re a hard working business woman.  Please celebrate your individuality.  You’ll see how your performance goes through the roof.  Also, allow the same for your team.  Your success and wealth will greatly benefit from everyone’s increased productivity!

So, go ahead and express yourself by setting new standards in business attire.  A look that celebrates your power and personality propels you forward to success and wealth.   

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style.  All rights reserved.

We’re at the end of the discovery path.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the trail along this path as much I as I have.  Let’s then look at our final secret - Secret No. 5: 

Let your confidence be the center of style!

This is the most important secret!  Style is already within you.  European women know that drastic physical makeovers do not provide the key to unlock the door to style and flair.  Your sense of self, intuition and confidence is the real key.  Confidence in you is not arrogant, snobbish or selfish.  It’s truly delicious and authentic.  Be proud of who you are on your personal style journey. You have femininity in your bones.  Draw from this strength and assert your identity.   Radiate this confidence and next thing you know, people will be asking you from what part of
Europe you are!   

Now let me delve more into why I think this is the most important step.   Your self-confidence indicates the level of self-respect, self-worth and value you assign yourself as a person.  People with high self-confidence and self-worth feel terrific about themselves, their lives and people around them.  If you value yourself, you feel good about yourself.  This shines through in your inner and outer world.  You’re the best person you can absolutely be.  You’re gorgeously radiant.  You surround yourself with beauty and beautiful things.  You are naturally drawn to making the right clothing and appearance choices.  Your style makes a statement that truly is unique to you. 

I believe that European women haven’t been inundated as much by the subliminal messages of unworthiness, lack and disappointment present in American media, and to some degree in society.  I want for you to use your innate feminine powers to establish a shield from this programming and re-shift your thoughts to focus on how radiant and inspiring you are.  

Now, if you feel that you’re not quite there yet, don’t give up.  Just start looking, acting, and dressing the part of a highly self-confident, feminine and highly stylish woman.  Swing those hips while walking.  Wear that extra bright red lipstick.  Let those earrings dangle.  Become knowledgeable about styles, colors, and fabrics.  The rest will follow.  Be mindful that the quality of time you put into developing your self-confidence and personal style, will determine the satisfaction you receive. 

So, in closing – I ask you to commit to building your self-confidence.  The energy gained from this experience will take care of the rest!

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style.  All rights reserved.

Keep up your appearance.

Have a love affair for beautiful things. Get accustomed to good taste and sophistication.  Mixing labels, styles and price ranges isn’t necessarily the key to fashion for you.  Experiment with your look, develop your own personal style and then commit to nourishing it.   Your style is not a fad diet.  In today, out tomorrow.  In order for it to “stick”, it needs to become a healthy habit.  Carve out time daily and make a promise to take care of yourself to feel and look good!  Also, evaluate every season what positive changes you can integrate into your style.  Then start over again with new habits… 

You might be wondering why I refer to keeping up your appearance as a habit.  I’ve found that a lot of women approach their appearance and creating a personal style similarly to New Year’s resolutions.  They have the best intentions and map out everything they want to do. Then after a week or so everything falls by the wayside.  What is the reason for this?  Daily, consistent and small actions weren’t taken.  They thought about it, even maybe wrote it down, but didn’t commit to doing something about it.  And when I say doing something about it, I don’t mean once a week.  In order for a change to take place in your life, you have to take actions daily, but healthfully, not obsessively. 

Keeping up your appearance is also a sign of self-respect.   It’s taking care of you and committing to your uniqueness.  Trust me - it’ll be a lot of fun discovering what your personal style really is and developing it continually. 

You will recall that I said that it pays to invest in a few quality pieces to establish your feminine and classy style.  I firmly believe that the same principle applies other aspects of your appearance.  Good, quality skin care and cosmetic products will help maintain the classy and feminine look you’re aspiring for.  Also, be wise and aim for a healthy nutritional plan.  You are what you eat.  For a truly radiant appearance, nourish the inside and out!     

Take the time and commit to developing the true you and your style.  Also, don’t forget – your beautiful smile is the best way to keep up your appearance.

Stylishly yours,

The MMC Style Maven

Ó 2007 MMC Lifestyles, LLC, MMC Style.  All rights reserved.