Marilyn throws a curve

Marilyn Monroe has just authored a book which I was surprised and elated to see includes a compilation of her diary's, poems and inner most thoughts.
After she died, everything went under lock and key and now 48 years later they have released them to the public.

"Fragments" Poems, intimate notes, letters by Marilyn Monroe'.

Her death was such a mystery. Did you know there was a glass by her bedside that went UNTESTED during the investigation into her death? That she called one of her friends and begged for his help that fateful night.
I quite honestly have been obsessed with Marilyn since I was in high school.

I have always identified with Marilyn Monroe. The sparkle in her eye, that infectious smile, those fabulous curves, the platinum blond hair, the flirtatious pouty way she spoke her lines in all her films. She has been my muse for over 2 decades.

They say the trend these days in Spain is headed towards curvaceous models on the runway. Someone just told me a big time designer is now focusing on all curvy models to represent their collection in print. Amen.

I have curves. I've loved them and of course I have hated them at times but diet or no diet they are always going to be a part of me. Marilyn embraced hers. And so have I.

When women come in to my boutique who have curves and hide under over sized clothing, the result is that they end up looking bigger then they are.
Then I sometimes get to watch the transformation happen right in front of my eyes. I offer them a pencil skirt and a fitted top or a dress that reveals her curves. At first, most resist. Then they begin to see how sexy, powerful and truly beautiful they look.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you have curves and resist accentuating them, you are making yourself look bigger.
A few pointers for dressing your curves: Wrap tops, pencil skirts and form fitted dresses are always a great way to start dressing for your body type. V-neck wraps draw the eye down the center of your body and honestly ladies, a little cleavage never hurt:-) Even if you think pencil skirts would never ever work for your body type, trust me, try one. I bet most of you would rock it!

Did you ever see Marilyn in baggy over-sized clothes? No. Always always in something that revealed and accentuated her curvaceous size 12 body.

If you got them, flaunt them. What do you think my curvaceous friends?

Confidence. It is all in how you dress!

Last night I realized as the clock got closer to 6:30pm, one of my dress designs was hanging there waiting to be put on to go to a Holiday party at the White House by a client of mine!

Whoa. This is truly a moment in time and a huge highlight in my career. I needed to bask in the moment.
And because of some wild karma going on, this is actually the second dress in ONE week that has been selected from my collection to be worn for an event being hosted by the Obama's!
A wish come true? Absolutely! Pinch me? Definitely!

From what I have heard so far, my client that went last week had the pleasure of a photo op with the Obama's and got to walk through a beautifully decorated White House.

So here's my take away from being asked to dress 2 fabulous women for a 6:30pm Holiday Reception at The White House:

The event invite, which, by-the-way, was an extremely formal embossed heavy paper invite, DID NOT in fact state the dress code for an event at the WH.
What? I know right, a White House invitation with no dress code listed??
So how do you find out how to dress for your WH event?
Well you call the White House and they connect you to the Social Office messaging center to get further information. The gal on the message states to call x number to leave you and your guests full name and social security number and then, at the VERY end of a rather long message, she finally states that the attire will be: BUSINESS.

BUSINESS? At 6:30pm, at a Holiday party at the White House, where you will get to MEET and take a picture with the Prez. and F.L.O.T.U.S.?

Yes. Business.

Ok so Business attire to me means a very nice SUIT because most likely you are coming from WORK. But Business attire for a WHITE HOUSE Holiday party is a whole another level of dressing, don't you think? And neither of my clients were coming from work!

Neither of these 2 FAB ladies wanted to wear a suit?! And a floor length black tie event it was not, so where does that leave you?
So after MUCH debate, we decide it was more than appropriate to wear a DRESS. But a Dress that is COCKTAIL LENGTH ONLY.
In there 40's, with 3+ kids, both women have svelte figures and can luckily can pull off anything at all so I/we went with a fancy cocktail length dress in holiday colors such as deep red satin, and Chantilly black french lace with deep red silk taffeta underneath. Both ironically went strapless. More power to them!
The dresses looked right, appropriate and they felt beautiful, comfortable and most importantly confident!

Each women said to me that she wanted to look more curvy in her dress, so we padded the bras as much as possible and kept the dresses slightly a-line at the hem to create a curve in their silhouette. Fitted at the waist with a 3+ inch heel, they both set off for their exciting event in Washington D.C.

So my overall take away.
If you are unclear on how to dress for an event, I personally feel it is always better to be OVER dressed than under dressed. Dress UP rather than in a more casual direction. You will always feel confident in something you look good in. And ultimately it will create a more powerful energy around you.

Here are three items that always increase my confidence levels when I need to dress for an important meeting or a special occasion. Not necessarily worn together but 3 separate items to wear at any giving time.
A pencil skirt which falls just below my knee that has a hair of stretch for comfort.
A blazer that fits across my back and arms well, never fails to help me to feel strong and clear headed.
And lastly, I am forever in a pair of shoes, heels or boots I can power walk to my event in.

Confidence can always be found in well fitted clothing.

Long Johns saves lives!

I know what you are thinking?!
Does Cibeline really wear Long John's!?!
....YES! I do.
And man have they saved my a$$, (literally), during the LONG New England Winters.

So a tip for this COLD winter December week:
Wear Long Johns under everything! Ok, Ok, so I am not talking like the thick bulky lumber jack ones, I mean the super light weight silk ones or cotton blended ones. Believe it or not, they actually help your jeans slide on a bit better if you have the right ones. LL Bean has superior ones.

I just decided last night, that this is the week I need to dig them out, dust them off and start warming my core everyday with my beloved Long Johns.

LONG LIVE LONG JOHNS!

Fashion Festivus, don't let it get the best of us

gifts extraordinaire: fender amp, jersey Tobi dress/Tasa earrings/vintage bracelet at Cibeline

Here it is cool cats, whether you look forward to it or dread it, the Holiday "shopping season" is upon us.
So the question is, are you the "perfect" one who has it all done by Turkey day or do you wait until Dec 23rd to run frantically around town shopping for 2 days straight?

OR are you the one who shops continually over the course of several months or through out the year and select random things which you are drawn to knowing someone in your life will enjoy it more than you and then pull it out when the time is right and say "OH so and so would probably love this!"

Can you guess which "one" I am?

I suppose I now need to divulge to you my little secret, I am the "one" who has, what my husband likes to call, the "magical little gift closet".
Yep, a closet dedicated solely to gifts I buy throughout the year!

I then dig through it, pull out a few precious little finds and debate whether or not the person in question would like said fabulous 'do-dad' I have in my hand.
You name it I got it for birthday, baby, wedding or x-mas. Gifts galore I got.

Guess how much stress I have alleviated from my life?

I used be the "one" who would round around town an hour before an event when I needed a gift, end up buying something out of pure desperation, spend much more then I had hoped and inevitably be later than I usually am to the party!?! AAh! (yeah yeah yeah, if you know me you have to factor in the "cib time.")
I have enough stress in my life as it is, no need for more.
Gift giving can be uber stressful for a lot of you right?
Well, let me tell you this has been a godsend for my quality of life.

How I got the idea to have a special gift closet?
Two wonderful people in my life. A gal pal & my Aunt. My post college roomie, lets call her 'Soccer-Chick', used to buy cards in bulk and keep them in a drawer for when she needed one or two or three...(you could always count on getting more than one sweet card from her too!)
And my aunt who told me years ago that she "collected gifts in a room" as well as gifts that she "would receive that weren't quite" her style and then of course would have gifts when she needed them. WOW. And then ultimately how much it saved her in time and money to just go into her "room" for a gift as needed.

Viola! And that is how my card drawer in bulk and magical gift closet were born.

I have saved oodles of dollars on affordable amazing gifts, bazillion minutes of precious festivus time, and several unwanted pounds from pumped up adrenals which inevitably created extra weight on my waistline...from having my prized "magical little gift closet".

PS. I LOVE giving gifts can you tell?