Meryl Monday: Wisdom

1979

I thought these were some amazing words of wisdom to pass along as we bid adieu to summer and welcome in another fall season. A great lesson about patience that I can completely identify with. I always say that I have limited resources to share. I choose to share the extra time and energy with those who deserve it; those that are happy, positive and supportive. The honest, humble, accountable ones. I want to use my energy on the information seekers, the dreamer's and the eternal students. I am perfectly happy to love, support and encourage and avoid those who can't.

“I no longer have patience for certain things, not because I’ve become arrogant, but simply because I reached a point in my life where I do not want to waste more time with what displeases me or hurts me. I have no patience for cynicism, excessive criticism and demands of any nature. I lost the will to please those who do not like me, to love those who do not love me and to smile at those who do not want to smile at me. I no longer spend a single minute on those who lie or want to manipulate. I decided not to coexist anymore with pretense, hypocrisy, dishonesty and cheap praise. I do not tolerate selective erudition nor academic arrogance. I do not adjust either to popular gossiping. I hate conflict and comparisons. I believe in a world of opposites and that’s why I avoid people with rigid and inflexible personalities. In friendship I dislike the lack of loyalty and betrayal. I do not get along with those who do not know how to give a compliment or a word of encouragement. Exaggerations bore me and I have difficulty accepting those who do not like animals. And on top of everything I have no patience for anyone who does not deserve my patience.” ~Meryl Streep

Gratitude: Look Inward

I have not been posting lately as I am preparing for the next chapter of my life in a sense. A physical move into a new home and a new showroom space for Evolution Vintage.  I have also been mentally preparing to push my business aspirations forward along with my physical well being complete with a spiritual shift. This complied with 4 children (2 bio & 2 step) leaves little time to indulge in my love for writing/blogging.. but I promise I will be back soon.

In the meantime we should all take pause to be grateful for our lives.  The tragedy in Boston is the most recent reminder at just how short our lives can be.  Do you have a difficult time trying to find something in life to be grateful for?

My cousin shared this amazing quote recently on her Facebook page and I am compelled to share it here:

"If you have nothing to be grateful for - check your pulse" ~ Author Unknown 

It is easy to be grateful for all the material things that surround us in life, but taking time to be grateful for living or life itself requires you did a little deeper. It is also very rewarding.  Look inward and all the treasures you seek are all ready there. Enjoy!

I am excited for the new chapter in my life, complete with a daily gratitude ritual for myself, husband and children. No TV at mealtimes means an opportunity to promote dialogue about gratitude in all of our lives. I am excited to hear what everyone shares each day about what/whom they are grateful for!

Quote Me: Celebrating Women

International Women's Day is here again and it always makes me take pause and reflect on the amazing women who I admire, who came before me, who walk beside me and those who are raising the next generation of women. I wanted to share a few quotes (because I'm obsessed with quotations) about women that I was drawn too. We can be many things; bold, strong, fragile, emotional, glamorous, solid, vulnerable, intelligent, helpful, beautiful, scary, capable and MUCH MORE. We are the keeper of the keys, the givers of life and the most inspirational people I know.

The Sisters - Claudia Tremblay

What I also know is that women are WAY TOO HARD ON THEMSELVES. Give yourself a break and take some time today to reflect on where we have been as women, where we are and where we are going! 

“With the spread of conformity and image-driven superficiality, the allure of an individuated woman in full possession of herself and her powers will prove irresistible. We were born for plenitude and inner fulfillment.” ― Elizabeth Prioleau, Seductress - Women Who Ravished the World and Their Lost Art of Love

“I believe in strong women. I believe in the woman who is able to stand up for herself. I believe in the woman who doesn't need to hide behind her husband's back. I believe that if you have problems, as a woman you deal with them, you don't play victim, you don't make yourself look pitiful, you don't point fingers. You stand and you deal. You face the world with a head held high and you carry the universe in your heart.” ― C. JoyBell C.

"Everyone has inside of her a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" – Anne Frank.

"There are two ways of spreading light. To be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it." – EdithWharton

"Do you want to meet the love of your life? Look in the mirror." – Byron Katie.

                                                                      "The Ages Of Women" Gustav Klimt, 1905

"I am willing to put myself through anything, temporary pain or discomfort means nothing to me as long as I can see that the experience will take me to a new level. I am interested in the unknown, and the only path to the unknown is through breaking barriers, an often painful process." - Diana Nyad

"Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weaknesses." – Madame Marie du Deffand.

"The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off." – Gloria Steinem.

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."— Marie Curie, chemist and physicist

"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security." — Gail Sheehy, American journalist

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."— Oprah Winfrey

What are your FAV quotes? 

Celebrate yourself and all the fabulous women who surround you today and Always!

Further Reading:

International Women's Day Blog 2012

International Women's Day 2011

Thoughtful Thursday: The Motherload

Painting BRUNI Gallery

I am obsessed with inspirational quotations. I love how just in a few lines my spirit can be lifted and how I find instant motivation in someone else's words. I read this quote and wanted to share it.

The motherload of positivity, altruism, caring and giving .. Mother Teresa

“May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us."
― Mother Teresa

Lisa's Library: Lexi's Lesson's in STYLE

I love that EVOLUTION REVOLUTION reaches the PC's, laptops and mobile devices around the world. A super Stylish reader in Paris, France reached out recently with her new book: "Decades of Style" (By Lexi DeRock). A Step-by-Step hair and makeup guide to days gone by.

Just as I at Evolution Vintage style fashions past current, Lexi is bringing back the Chic 60's and 70's for the modern woman.

She enjoys being an educator and sharing her knowledge. In her words; "Do a girls hair and she'll look good for the night. Teach a girl to do her own hair, and she'll look great for a lifetime."

Her new book was a GREAT read! besides the makeup, hair tips and tricks I loved her use of iconic images and quotations (I'm obsessed with quotations). You can browse her book and tap into your alter-ego; Are you The Studio 54 Sweetheart? The Boho Baby? The Cabaret Singer? Luckily you don't have to pick just one - You can utilize Lexi's guide through 2 decades of hair and makeup and use it over and over again. Information on each look as well as each decade are provided in a FAB and reader friendly way.




I had the chance to chat with Lexi about her book and her style.

LISA: What inspired the book?

LEXI: A very talented painter friend of mine, Marcus McAllister, was working on an art book with my friend and editor Alicia LeBlanc, and a little green monster reared it's head and said "I want a book too! Me, meee!" because it sounded like a fun project. So, I pitched her the idea because I have just always loved vintage styles and wanted to share them with other people in a way that was easy to follow and fun.

LISA: What is your favourite decade for fashion/hair/makeup? and why?

LEXI: I'm not sure that I have a favorite. I do love the 20s, 30s and 50s, but I think the 60s are really one of my faves. The hair is dramatic and fun, and so is the makeup...and the attitude is so liberated and full of spirit. It's so elegant and wild at the same time.

LISA: Why the 60's & 70's?

LEXI: I intend to write books covering all of the decades I love, but started with the 60s and 70s because, while all the looks have their timelessness, these eras seem to be especially relevant again. You see the 60s popping up all over the place like in Mad Men or The Kennedys series, and the 70s styles are all up and down the runways in this season's fall/winter collections. Maybe it is the spirit of revolution in the air all over the world that is making people want to dress and style like the revolutionaries of the 60s and 70s, but something seems to have sparked our interest in the chunk of time and I couldn't be more for it!

LISA: Who are your personal style icons?

LEXI: I've always loved glamour and performance and people whose style is over-the-top and playful. One of my faves is Katherine Hepburn: glamorous, but also casual and strong. Brigitte Bardot inspires a style in the book and she is definitely one of my favorites for hair styles. So sexy and so French. But I also love people with a bit of a harder rock & roll style mixed in, and I love body art, so Kat Von Dee is one of my favorite style icons too.

LISA: How did you get your start in hair & makeup?

LEXI: I started doing hair and makeup as a teenager in theater and have always loved it. I was always that girl cutting and coloring all my girlfriends' hair in high school. When I decided to make my career of it, I attended the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis MN which was a fantastic school. From there I continued to work in the US until 2007, when I decided to move to Paris and work more on the fashion side of things. After four years in Paris, I decided it was time for a change so I am currently in the process of relocating to Melbourne, Australia, this December. I'm really looking forward to seeing where that takes me.

LISA: What are your favourite makeup and hair products?

LEXI: I love hair and makeup so when I go into a beauty supplier or a store like Sephora, I am just like a kid in a candy shop (someday I'll get organized enough to figure out how to write it all off as a business expense!). I am not a brand loyalist and there are lots of things I like from a number of companies, but I do have a few favorites. I love L'Oreal Double Extend mascara and have used it for maybe 10 years at this point. There are others I like too, but my go-to is always Double Extend. I love the liquid and creme blushes that have come out in the last few years, and my favorite one is by Benefit. They have three shades now, a red (benetint), pink (posietint) and their newest one and my favorite which is a tangerine/mango sort of color called Cha-Cha tint. As for hair products, I do love Freeze hairspray by Schwartzkopf because it doesn't flake and it's not too heavy...Goldilocks would have said "It's just right," and I would be inclined to agree.

LISA: Describe your personal style aesthetic. What are you wearing this fall/winter?

LEXI: I guess I have a mixture of those styles in my wardrobe. I love vintage for clothes and for my hair and makeup, and I also love the dark, layered looks the French wear with all the scarves and hats and things, very chic...but I like my style to have a bit more of a rock & roll edge to it. I'm a fan of skulls and studs and leather and things like that, but softened up by a sweet retro hairdo and a cute vintage scarf which keeps it from being too harsh.

Lexy the Author
(center), editor Alicia LeBlanc and the Photographer Steve Wells


A perfect coffee table book at a salon, gift for the Vintage Diva or for your own Super Stylish library. BUY IT HERE

Visit Lexi ON LINE

*Her model in the "Super Model" look reminded me of a 70's Jerry Hall ...

"The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy." Yves Saint-Laurent