Kiss Curl: Contemporary Chic

1925

I'm currently in the middle of my New Year closet purge and organization. I am ready for new looks, a fresh way to re-style what is left and make new additions. The overhaul also goes for my hair. I'm contemplating a new look but making the best at creating diversity with the one I have now.

On New Years eve, along with my amazing Vintage velvet/feathered hat I went with a soft curled look with hot rollers off to one side and on the opposite side a "kiss curl". Like always I did a contemporary/vintage fusion look in both hair and dress. I mixed contemporary pieces like a black pencil skirt, Alternative Apparel Cobalt Burn out t-shirt, black blazer, Patricia Field fingerless gloves with the retro hat and vintage blue rhinestone necklace.

By definition a kiss curl is "A spiral curl plastered to the forehead or cheek"

The Kiss Curl for me combines Vintage glamour, retro-romance with a dash of contemporary chic-ness. There have been many variations of this look over time ...

1930's

Marlene Dietrich 1935

Louise Brooks

1960's

Kate Moss for John Galliano c. 1995

Will you rock a CHIC CURL in 2013?

From Ink to Icon

Costume Designer William Travilla

It is no secret how much I love fashion. The fabrics, adornments, tailoring and ultimately how it transforms you. One of my only 'regrets' in this life is that I chose to study for a degree in Psychology instead of  studying Fashion Design. I however, never say never and as I approach my 34th birthday I am optimistic that I may take a bow at the end of a runway before the end of my journey. Don't count me out just yet! Fashion has been a passion of mine since I was 9 years old when I used to sneak and look through my older sisters Vogue magazines.  Anyway, the designer (high fashion or costume) has always fascinated me. Their process, how a vision or idea becomes a physical reality that a woman can wear.

I was thinking about iconic pieces and how they came to be from ink to iconic pop culture status.  Here is a great example. Costume designer William Travilla had a long and successful career in Hollywood. He supplied wardrobe for 8 of Marilyn Monroe's films and designed some of her most iconic dresses.

"Gentlemen Prefer Blonde's"  - 1953

From INK:

To Icon:

Ink:

 Icon:

Ink:

Icon:

Ink:

Icon:

 7 Year Itch Dress (1955)

Ink:

ICON:

Marilyn with Travilla for a fitting

What are your FAV Ink to Icon fashion moments? More of mine to come ...

Self Love: A Solid Foundation

The new year means a clean slate or in Latin a Tabula Rasa. You have a chance to "turn it all around" , start the projects you have always wanted to start and a chance to make the best resolution: Self Love. Self love and a positive self concept creates the solid foundation for everything else in your life.  It seems easy enough, right? In my personal experience it is one of the toughest journeys in life.  Self examination, accountability and brutal honesty, especially about yourself can be very challenging. Acceptance is also a tough one. Don't confuse self care with selfishness. We ALL deserve to be loved, by ourselves first and foremost. But don't expect others to do what you are not prepared to do.  

My friend, actress, author and all around hilarious chick, Kristen Johnson posted about this very thing recently. I wanted to share her insight and experience:

Image: InterviewMag Online

"Someone just wrote me that their New Year's resolution was "No more self-hate. No more wishing I was someone else. This year, I want to learn how to love myself, for the very first time."

Shiver me timbers, I don't think there's ever been a better, more meaningful & truly gorgeous New Years Resolution in the HISTORY of Resolutions.

As someone who's spent an enormous part of her life hating herself, and thankfully no longer does, I wanted to share a few tips that helped me stop my cycle of self-hatred.

(NOTE: If a huge part of your esteem issues is because you're using drugs, booze, sex, food, self-harm, etc.....we both know you gotta navigate that issue first.

and for me, that was a HUGE part of how I felt about myself. But it wasn't everything.)

Here's what people don't realize....you can CHOOSE to love yourself. Even your fat ass or your weird nose or your shyness or sexuality or weight or lisp.

Okay?

Now, if you've got a handle on your addiction, and you still think you suck?

Here are a few tips from a clueless non-professional:

1. No more negative self-talk. 

When you constantly say "I'm such an idiot" or "God, I suck" or "I'm so hideous"....the nightmare is, you begin to believe it. And it begins to become true.

Sometimes I think about how I used to talk to myself. Like, if I forgot my Keys, I would say "You're such a stupid cunt." TO MYSELF. YIKES.

Most people don't even realize they do it.

2. DE-TOXIFY...If you have toxic relationships in your life, get rid of 'em. (Excluding family, I'll address in a second.) 

A healthy relationship should make you feel like the best version of yourself. You should feel safe, not judged & not "less than."

For most of my life, I was addicted to having toxic female friends. If they bullied me, manipulated me, made me feel stupid & ugly, I ADORED THEM.

Especially deeply unhappy, insecure women who were consumed with jealousy (and in one case, flat-out hatred) towards me. I grew used to having "friends" who would gossip about me to people.

Oh, and they adored inserting wedges into my other, healthy relationships by subtly, almost off-handedly, mentioning slanderous lies my friend never said.

I have a feeling this will sound familiar.

You ask "Well what should I DO, Dr. KJo?"

My very lofty, $300-an-hour answer?

END THIS FRIENDSHIP. NOT TOMORROW. An email works.

"After a great deal of thought, I realized that having you in my life is very unhealthy for me. It takes two to tango, and I accept half the blame for this toxic relationship.

I think it's best if we take a break. I wish you nothing but the best in 2013!"

And every email response? DELETE.

3. If you have a toxic family member (and if you don't, what the hell are you even doing on this page? Go! Leave while there's still time!):

Let's say you have a fucked up family member. Lets say this person is addicted to drama, or is a narcissist, or is oh-so-midly fucktarded ?

Someone who, for whatever reason, you have to deal with on a regular basis. This is a person immune to all attempts to honestly address their icki-ness.

If you can't extricate yourself from their life, you can deal with them in a way that won't drive you batty:

(It sounds simple, but believe me, it's not):

YOU can change the way you react to THEM!

It's the only thing you have control over. So, let's say your dad likes to get drunk at family functions & decides to begin telling everyone what a stupid loser you are.

You usually laugh, or cry, or get angry, or drink or use drugs or cut.

Instead, what if you said "Dad, if you say one more negative thing about me, I'll have no choice but to leave."

"Oh, look who thinks she's so high faluuuuu...hey! (burp) where ya goin?"

"Good night everyone! I love you guys, just not dad when he's drunk."

And drive home with a smile, imagining your dad getting all the shit for once.

Or, lets say you have a passive-aggressive mother who hyper-judges you constantly?

Pull back, stop revealing things to her, instead email her once a week cheerful, full of shit, brief little notes.

My point being, you can CHOOSE how someone makes you feel. You CAN have the power back, simply by changing how you navigate things.

These are just a few VERY difficult things I learned.

Hope they help!

Love & kisses in the new year

KJo, M.D.

(Read her book GUTS - paperback edition with new introduction Avail Jan 22)

2012 Gratitude

As the year comes to a close I have to say I do spend the last few days in a deep reflective mode.  Thanking everyone who has supported me this year, through this journey and expressing my gratitude wherever I can. I have had a tough year in some respects; the loss of family members, friendships coming to an end, stress in personal life and in business. No one has a perfect life but many are too focused on what is wrong rather than what is right.

I create a gratitude list for myself. It helps me truly focus on what, in this last year I am truly thankful for and to create my goals for 2013. My gratitude lists are simple. I choose 5 or 6 BIG things and write a statement for each. I also write myself a statement.

I review my list and then file it for times that I feel stuck, pissed off, or frustrated. I read it and end up feeling silly that a person or situation caused me to be upset at all and waste TIME. The most precious commodity we all have.

Are you ready to make your list? 

My List:

1a) FAMILY - My husband and children who love and support me. I am thankful for their health and who they are.

1b) Extended Family - My mom, dad, grandmother, sister, nieces and nephew. All of my cousins. I am grateful for their presence in my life which has shaped who I am.

2) FRIENDS - NEW and old. I am grateful to those who have revealed who they are through both word and deed this year.  I am grateful for the love and support I receive from the 'positive' ones.

3) CREATIVITY - Listening to my inner voice and acting on my creative impulses - win or loose - has helped me this year. May my creative cup be full and my voice never silent.

4) TIME - I am thankful for the time I have been given. Time to create, to love my family/friends, and to choose. I am thankful for my alone time and my family time.

5) NATURE - All elements of nature forever serve to inspire me. Inspire me to create, to live better and to do better.

6) CHANGE - Without change there can be no growth.

Statement: I look optimistically toward 2013 - I CHOOSE to look for the joy, the opportunities and the love. I choose to embrace it all with grace and gratitude.

BLOG GOAL: To continue to write my blog in the hopes of empowering and/or inspiring my readers. At the  very least the provision of entertainment to those who stumble upon my little digital space. 

What's on your gratitude list? Do you make resolutions or goals as a new year approaches?

The Royal WAVE

Hair ~ a constant creative challenge. We literally have everything at our fingertips with a million DIY hair tutorials online. A quick trip to the salon can also be a transformative experience. A cut, color, and a scalp massage does wonders for your self esteem and current mental state. Some of my most relaxing afternoons have been spent at a salon, which I think any busy woman can attest too. What to do when there is no time or $ for the salon experience? take matters into your own hands, literally!

My current state of aHair's is: black, straight and long.

I recently discovered Conair's YOU Wave Ultra styling tool.

Check out their DEMO Video HERE

Price: $39-49 (On sale NOW for $19 at SEARS) 

411: 3 Barrel Ceramic Styler. Preventing hot spots.

Styling Time: Approx.15 minutes is all you need to achieve mermaid-esque waves.

 SPLASH 80's Throwback Waves

 

with my husband and daughter

Fashion FYI: No one does a wave look better than model Naomi Campbell. She is modelling royalty and ROCKS this look. 

 Red Carpet Royal Wave

Naomi on set of her NEW show The Face (Airs in Feb on Oxygen)

Will you 'doo' the Royal WAVE?

Share your thoughts and photos below!

RING in the New Year

FYI: Vogue Gioiello was founded in 1980, and is published five times a year in Italian/English.  The magazine is devoted to the design and production of fine jewellery, goldsmithing and watchmaking. 

RINGS are on of my FAV accessories. There is nothing like a fabulous piece of finger bling to take your look up a notch or at least start a random style conversation while going about your day in public.

My taste in rings is all about the DESIGN, not the price tag. I have an instant attraction to Vintage pieces but other than fine estate jewels, I found it hard to source substantial cocktail rings that were authentically Vintage. 

I created my own RE-Styled line of rings, housed in the Evolution REWIND accessory division. I use authentic vintage brooches and re-style them into fabulous contemporary cocktail rings. Thus, REWIND Rings were born.

(SHOP The REWIND Collection)

Ever wonder where the term "Cocktail Ring" came from?

During the prohibition era (1920's) it became socially acceptable for women to drink, smoke and touch up their makeup in public. They would attend private/secret "cocktail parties" and adorn their fingers with what is now known as a cocktail ring. By definition it is a large ring that would attract attention when the wearer tipped their cocktail to take a drink. 

Cocktail rings were/are constructed from both costume and fine gems/materials. In the 1940's and 1950's they re surged in popularity as the Cocktail Party became a popular social event.  They are STILL a fabulous accessory both high and low end. I personally believe that ANY event is cocktail ring appropriate; parties, grocery shopping, dinner and more.

Will you rock a statement or "cocktail" ring as you RING in the New Year?

A Few of my Fav's, all price ranges, era's and materials! There are SO MANY I could share. I will do so via follow up posts and feature stones, designers and styles. There is literally something for everyone in price point and design.

 Vintage Art Deco - 9k gold ~ $265

Antique, 1920's Serling & Onyx Ring ~ $195

Vintage Owl Ring ~ $135

Vintage Rhinestone Ring ~ $35

REWIND Panther Ring ~ $110

VintageTurquoise Costume Cocktail Ring ~ $16

Skull & Pearl Ring: House of Harlow 1960 ~ $41.25

Louis XIV - Just Fab ~ $14.95

Vintage Coral Cabochon Ring ~ $40

REWIND Mauve Oval Filigree Ring ~ $60

Treat yourself and RING in the New Year in STYLE!