January 2008

Brrrr! It is arctic outside! Keeping warm while looking stylish can be tricky. That’s why we all owe the Mesopotamian civilizations of 10,000 years ago a thank you card for domesticating sheep. Don’t worry if your note gets lost in the mail- you can show your appreciation by donning some wool.

Wool is a molecular coil-spring, essentially a curly fiber. And as we all know, curly hair shrinks when it dries, so not surprisingly, wool can shrink dramatically when dried. Commercially that “agitation + heat = shrinking” process is called ‘felting.’ Knowing you ‘felted’ your favorite sweater might not make you any happier, but it does create sensational winter hats that keep you warm and mask iffy hair days

That same curly structure is what gives wool it’s superior drape and longevity. The fibers can be stretched 30% and still bounce back to their original state. This natural elasticity allows wool to be used for everything from tailored suits to avant garde coats to stockings. Wool tights keep your lower half cozy and a smidge of Lycra helps them maintain your shape.

Wool is hygroscopic, so it absorbs vapor moisture. And just like in nature and bank accounts, it goes from high to low. Wool always moves moisture from a high humidity area to a low humidity area, which is how it keeps warm air against you when it’s cold out. It’s also the reason that ‘wool sweater’ is synonymous with warmth. Both cashmere and merino are decadent choices, but merino is more pill resistant.

Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but I’ll take an organized life any day of the week. But where do you start? Which room? Which life? I suggest starting with something that you’ll notice the effects of immediately- your purse. Carrying around a heavy bag throws your whole body out of whack. Do you really want to send your chiropractors children to college? And from a personal safety perspective, fumbling for your keys is not the best move. Worse case scenario and you need to run, you’ll be a lot faster without that extra 15 pounds in your bag. So take a half hour and clean out your purse.

There are things you (hopefully) don’t leave home without- keys, wallet and glasses. Pick one pocket that your keys always live in when they’re in your purse. If there isn’t a pocket handy, make a ribbon fob by tying one end of ribbon to your keys and the other end to a zipper pull.

If you keep your business cards in a double sided case, when you receive a card you can tuck into the other side. Now you won’t have piles of business cards floating around in your bag. Keep a pen clipped to the outside so you’re ready to jot down any extra information.

See through cosmetic bags let you know in a glance you which lipstick you have, if you have enough cold medicine to make it through the day, etc. And if you put it all in one small pouch, it can go from your purse to your bathroom counter and back easily.

It’s a new year (Happy 2008 everyone!) and that means resolutions! One of the most common goals for the incoming year is to shed a few pounds. If losing weight is on your list, you’re in luck. Here are three easy ways to look 10 pounds slimmer without skipping a meal.

First of all, stand up straight. In addition to being amazingly good for you, proper posture makes you look thinner. So lift your chin, push your shoulders back and pull your bottom in. Pretend you have a giant jewel just below your collarbone that you want everyone to see.

Schedule a bra fitting at a lingerie store or major department store. The right bra will instantly melt pounds off of your frame. And really, with the amount resources dedicated to the science and marketing of lifting and separating, there is no reason to wear an unflattering or uncomfortable bra.

Elbow length sleeves tend to make your midsection look bigger. Look for ¾ length options instead. Sleeves that end just above your wrist bone (“Italian sleeves”) are universally slimming. Take a tip from menswear and have your suit jacket sleeves hemmed to 5 inches from the tip of your thumb.