The Healthy Life: When life gives you lemons...

Lemons never were my favorites. And I thought they’d never be! I’m all about the sugar and they are so sour…

BUT

Then I decided to live a little healthier and what’s a better way to start your day with some lemons?!?

Let me sum up why :)

1. Boosts your immune system!
The most important reason now winter’s right around the corner…

2. Aids digestion.
Exactly what I need with my IBS.

3. Cleanses your system.
Well ain’t that great?!?

4. Clears skin.
Happy faces!

5. Gives you more energy.
I might become a morning person after all…

6. Fresher breath.
Bring it on!

7. Helps healing.
I can use that. Bruises, paper cuts,… I’m a weak lady!

8. Hydrates your lymph system.
Hydration is key. Thought I made that clear already…

9. Balances PH levels.
Life is all about balance! In & out.

10. Aids in weight loss.
Not that I want it but do I need to explain more?



So let me tell you my routine.
I heat up a cup of water (not too hot), cut a lemon in half and squeeze out every single drop of lemon juice. Drink it up and let the day begin!

Now go and squeeze yourself some lemons!

This is the Healthy Life: Hydration

A healthy life starts with water. The most basic drink of all!

So cut down on
• Caffeine: Coffee, tea & energy drinks
• Alcohol
• Soft drinks

It’s important to drink enough of water.

Our body consists of almost 75% of water so you need to drink A LOT to stay healthy.

How much?

Hard to tell, it depends on your height, weight, daily activities, man or woman.
Aim at 2l a day and you’ll probably won’t be far off.

Your urine is the best indicator to know if you’re drinking enough water. If it is ALMOST clear of color, great! If it’s darker, you better start drinking!

Drinking water results in

• More energy
• Healthier looking skin
• Help lose weight

Because it

• Regulates body temperature
• Helps prevent constipation
• Lubricates joints
• Carries nutrients & oxygen to cells
• Protects body organs & tissues
• Moistens tissues: mouth, eyes & nose
• Removes waste
• Helps convert food to energy
• Helps your body absorb nutrients

Do you have difficulties drinking 2l a day?

My way:

1 glass of water when:

• I get up in the morning
• Before leaving for work
• When arriving at work
• Start lunch break
• When break is over
• Leaving work
• Arriving at home
• Start diner time
• After diner time
• Before going to bed

So basically I try to drink a glass of water every time I arrive or leave a certain place and before I start and end a certain activity. That’s my trick.

Trick

What you also could do is take a 2l water bottle in the morning and mark the amount of water you want to drink before a certain time. Easy to keep it on your desk. Not possible in my case…



There are also many apps out there to help you obtain your goal. You can set reminders, indicate how much you want to drink, mark when you had a drink, keep statistics,…

Here are the 1st 3 apps that I came across that are totally free!



Cheers to that!

This is the healthy life!

I’m on a holiday! Again… I know. But we just needed to get away. Again. I need the sun in my life. I simply can’t function without. Winter time is very cosy and all but the cold and darkness, horror time…

So I thought lets not think about beauty or fashion, devote a week to health!

Here’s the deal:

Resolutions 2014:
• Healthy food: fruit & vegetables
• Drinking more water
• Work out
• Have breakfast

Some facts about yours truely:
• Very often sick. As in a lot.
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
• Normal BMI
• Sugar addict
• No smoking
• Minimal drinking
• No sports at all but I’m running around 7h a day on the job.

This is/was a little summary of my lifestyle for years and I decided I wanted to change this in 2014.

Quite proud when I look back to were I am now :)

• I drink at least 1.5l water a day
• I eat way more fruits and vegetables
• I try to have breakfast more often
• I started running in september every other day
• I became addicted to superfoods this summer
• I gained 4 kilos since spring?!?

• Last time I was really sick: the whole month of July.
• Do I have more energy? I think so
• Did my IBS & approved? Yes
• After a day without fruits, vegetables or my yogurt concoction, I crave them!

Yes I took some superfoods with me to Tenerife.

I do not want to be that type of person that counts her calories nor the one that denies herself some yummy fast food or desserts. I love to eat, a lot ^_^

BUT I want to be conscience about what I eat.

So the next posts I’ll bother you with

• Hydration
• Superfoods
• Nutrients
• Bootea
• Food pyramid

Who’s in?!!

The Halloween Issue: Last Minute Ninja

Halloween is so cool! I wish belgian people loved it as much as the americans do. Dressing up once a year, what's not to like?!?

I went to a halloween party 3 years ago. Yep, sad story. And I had this very last minute costume idea. A ninja!



It is the most easy outfit ever and for sure every one has the necessities hanging in its closet.



What I completely forgot was a weapon. Very important! (Or did the killer heels count?) Because they all thought I was a moslima...

So if you don't have a costume yet, get yourself some black leggings, black turtle neck, some boots, a weapon (broomstick?) and something to cover your head. I tied a black T-shirt around my head...

Happy halloween lovelies!

The Bag Issue: Drew by Chloé

There are 2 types of men.
• Boob-lovers
• Ass-lovers

Which leads to 2 types of women ☺️
• Shoe-addicts
• Bag-addicts

I'm neither of them. I'm the 3rd type. Shoes AND Bags! Only since recently so I discovered. I have over a 100 pair of shoes but "only" 20 (I guess) bags. I've always been the shoe lover and my sister the bag lover. Perfect combo right. But since a couple of months I'm also into bags. A fashion bisexual! 😃



The bag I'm drooling over is a Chloé Bag. The Drew Bag. It is perfection. I saw it for the very 1st time on Aimee Songs instagram during Paris Fashion Week.



It comes in 2 sizes but of course I would want the biggest bag. I tend to carry a lot of stuff with me...



It also comes in a big range of monochromes and bicolors. But who wants those when there are also animal prints available?!?
I want the half "leopard" half beige one. True love! Although the leopard one itself ain't that bad neither. And some bicolored ones... Couldn't I just want all of them?!? Selfish me...

Putting it on the Christmas Wish List! A girl can only dream right? 😎

Are you a shoe or a bag lover?

The Animal Issue: The Private Collection

I ❤️ Animal Prints! And no doubt you do too. Maybe you won't admit it but deep down you wished you could rock some leopard print with confidence!

Let me teach you how ^_^

• Home wear

You don't know if you'd feel comfortable in animal prints? Easy! Get yourself an amazing animal printed pj, this way you can get used to leopard or zebra prints ^_^



Yep, this is me, 3 years ago. Asleep in the sofa. Totally jet lagged from an unforgettable 2 weeks Mexico holiday.
And no that ain't real ink, it's henna. Unfortunately...

• Accessories

Don't get all full printed right away! You need to crawl before you can walk... In leopard heels that is! A hand bag, belt, scarf or bikini are great to get you started as well.





• Animal prints are very eye catching so you can try some animal-ish prints :) A less visible print is a more confident feeling (in the beginning)! Combine your piece with all black to mute the print.



• The real deal

Snake - Leopard - Zebra is like the superlatives of fashion prints. Loud - Louder - Loudest! But if you feel most comfortable in Zebra, by all means, go for it!







I gathered quit a collection throughout the years. I feel comfortable in animal prints, why wouldn't I?!? A confident woman is a beautiful woman ;)

Go for it ladies!

The Animal Issue: Wish List

Animal Prints are once again big this fall. How could it not?!? Having half a zoo in my closet already but when is enough enough? ^_^ Never?!? 😎

Wish Lists aren't just for Christmas &
Bdays, they deserve to be a weekly thing...

It's a pretty gorgeous list this week! Even if I say so myself...



• Zebra Coat: Naf Naf - € 110
It was love at 1st sight! It is hanging in my closet, calling my name on the (almost) daily ;)

• Pink Leopard Sneakers: Naf Naf - € 70
🎶 Oh My God, look @ those sneakers!
They are so amazing!
Step 1: drooling over them every single day.
Step 2: trying them on & they fit perfectly.
Step 3: buying them OBVS! But not immediately...

• Leopard Pants: H&M - € 14,99
🎶 But 1st, let me make a confession!
Guilty of a fashion crime. I bought some pants (leopard print that is!) and they do not fit the way I want them to. But the print was so totally what I was looking for since a couple of years...
If I only saw those pants first because they are high waisted! And the print ain't that bad neither. If they do cross my path...

• Leopard Belt: ASOS - € 18,56
Balmain is my all time favorite designer and this belt is SO 100% inspired! How many times could I possibly fall in love in 1 day?!? With clothing that is of course ;)

• Leopard Bag: ASOS - € 48,57
I'm totally crushing on the Drew Bag from Chloé since I saw him for the 1st time hanging on Song of Style's arm during PFW. This bag is also 100% inspired! And luckily for me affordable :) it's a must have!

Like what you see? 😍

Miauw!

Beauty Tip: Dry Shampoo

Dry Shampoo, is it a love/hate affair to you? Let me show you how to turn it into a I-can't-live-without-affaire!

HATE
• Expensive
• All used up after maybe 5 uses?!?
• Doesn't always smell so good
• Bad for the environment ;)
• Can create a mess

LOVE
• You can put off your next hairwash with 1 or 2 days
• Gives you lots of volume
• Saves you a lot of time in the morning

So about the HATE part. It doesn't have to be expensive with the NO DROUGHT DRY SHAMPOO by LUSH. €12,70 for 100g ladies!

* Only 5 uses, 10 tops?!? Nope! It lasts me over a year! This is my 2nd bottle and I think I started it this summer, maybe June. The previous one I started around Christmas 2012. 

* Loose powder goes a long way! Nothing like the aerosol cans

* You don't like the smell??? Citrus it is :)

* You care about the environment? Lush does too! Cruelty free and vegan!

* You've got white powder all over your bathroom or wherever you applied your dry shampoo? Since this dry shampoo, a loose powder, comes in a container with a small opening, you can easily pour some into your palm or directly onto your scalp without being unable to breathe ;) you still might have some mess but less.

Now the true meaning of my post, a little dry shampoo tip.

1st of all you should know that I have really loooooooong hair. I hate washing it and it takes forever to dry. No blowdrying, ever (Maybe one of the reasons my hair is this long). So I wash my hair every 3 to 5 days. Which means I mostly use some dry shampoo on the 4th day (or the night before in my case).

Why the night before?

Your hair looks that much better when you apply it the night before! It really looks like it is freshly washed :)
I sometimes had this white cast on my roots but that problem is all gone now. Maybe because of the rubbing with the pillow? Which also leaves you with extra volume! ✅
And it prevents excess scalp oil overnight. Amazing right :)

If you can't find some dry shampoo loose powder version, use some plain baby powder! It does the trick just fine! Been there, done that ;)

Dry Shampoo for president!!!

The Animal Issue

This week I'm all about leopard, snake and zebra prints!

• Animal prints are neutral!

Yep, my opinion and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who shares this point of view.

• Fun to experiment with

If you want to spice up your wardrobe, animal prints are just what you need!

• From small detail to mix and matching

When you don't feel comfortable with animal prints, start with accessories. Scarf, bag or shoes. Then build it up to bigger pieces.

• Eye catchers for sure!

Don't be shy! People might look and stare, go for it 😃

• Timeless

Animal prints last you forever :) I love mine, sure thing! By preference I wear them in Fall.

If you want some inspo already, check out my instagram!

Fall 2014 Staple Pieces

Some staple pieces can last you year after year if you pick them wisely. But you can also buy a staple piece that's à la mode à la minute. It lasts you a season, maybe 2 or forever if you don't care about being fashionable. I've selected 4 SP at Zara that you can add to your summer/fall outfits just to keep you a little warmer. Or a lot warmer in winter time ;) like I said, it are staple pieces that you can combine with so many things...

So, here are my obvious pieces.

• Faux Fur Coat



You can buy a black or brown one that lasts you ages or you can look on the bright colorful side! They are classy, warm, cosy and very feminine!

Animal prints have proven to be keepers. They aren't going anywhere and this for a couple of years in a row now! In my opinion, they are a neutral ;) So hot and happening all year around over and over again!

• A Blanket Scarf



Yep, a blanket scarf. That's how my family at least names my newest scarf addition because it is sooooo huge and thick and soft and...



It also reminds me of the real blankets my grandmother had in her sofa when I was a kid :)

So yes you need one of those because the are amazing! Even with a blazer in fall so you can resist those chilly mornings. Or when in a skirt or short you are at least warm on the upper part :) What women wouldn't do to stay fashionable!

• A flanel shirt



Hallelujah for the one who invented it and also for the one who made it fashionable (hmm, should research that!)

It is my favorite layering piece! Even in the summer time with a short and a crop top to balance everything out...

• A hat



Last but not least. It screams fall all over... Kind of protects you from the rain in a stylish way. And lets not forget about a bad hair day!

Boots are also a must but that is pure logic. It deserve a post on its on! What am I saying, a boots Special even! That's how much we love shoes :)

In 2 weeks. Animals are up 1st!

It's never enough - Sephora Haul

A haul. Such a strange word, haul. Never done a "haul" before but I for sure watched many haul videos.

Today is a gorgeous day! "I've got mail!" My Sephora package arrived today. Excited, you think?!?



So what did I order:

• Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Blackout'
• Urban Decay Revolution 'Venom'
• Urban Decay Revolution 'Catfight'
• Sephora 5 'Infinite rose'
• Sephora 6 'Forever fuschia'
• Sephora 8 'Light pink'
• Too Faced Melted 'Violet'
• Sephora Mask Rose
• Sephora Mask Pommegranate
• Sephora Mask Green Tea

I'm a huge lippies addict. So all of the above (except for the Melted, 1st try) are some of my favorite lipsticks that I re-ordered in some new shades. (I'll do a big favorite lip products review soon).

Some quick swatches for a 1st impression is the least I can do.



1. UD Venom. As expected. Creamy consistency as usual. Opaque color.
2. UD Catfight. Same as the above :)
3. TF Violet. Gorgeous color. Opaque. Seems an 'easy to apply' applicator. It's supposed to be long lasting but it does come off easily so we'll see about that.
4. Sephora Forever Fuchsia. A lot of product on the applicator. Didn't had that problem with the one I already own. Great color. Opaque.
5. Sephora Light Pink. Again a lot of product on the applicator but the color ain't opaque at all. Kind of a watery consistency. Will try soon and see about that.
6. Sephora Infinite Rose. Exactly like the one I already own. Perfect :)

On to the next, facemasks. They are too die for!!! Curious about the Green Tea and Pommegranate. OBVS the Rose is my favorite because as you can see I'm stocking up on it ;)
Already did a review on them couple of weeks ago...

And lets not forget about the poor eyeshadow I also ordered. It is my all time favorite! I'll explain in another post what I love so much about this plain black UD goodness :) Ordered it for a colleague since I recommend it to anyone.

Sephora addict? Lippie addict? Tested these out before? Let me know what you think about them!

Splurge vs Steal - Love vs Hate: JC Lita Shoes

Lita Shoes. You love them or you don't. It is that simple. I know I didn't in the beginning. "OMG, seriously?!?" Was probably my 1st reaction. But it became a passionate love affair. Once I saw them in an outfit picture I thought they didn't look that bad at all. And then they took over the internet and I became highly obsessed with them. Now and then I still believe they are not pretty at all but when I look at them from a different angle, I fall in love again.



The problem with this love affair was the money. It's always about the money right?!? ;) I wasn't willing to pay that price for a pair of shoes I'd never seen IRL before! And I for sure would like to try them on 1st. So in time of needs, we turn to our beloved low street end shops...

I present to you:
Jeffrey Campbell vs H&M.



$160 vs €34,95

The Lita became a real blogger shoe. There's literally a model for every single one of us!



Every day colors vs not so every day colors.
Maybe wearable prints vs maybe not so wearable prints.
Good girls vs bad girls.
High shine, tapestry inspired, you name it, Jeffrey has it!

Now H&M also sells them year after year. My shoe closet knows all about it!



Yes I know, they all look the same but unfortunately I can't get my hands on a pair that doesn't look like these. Every year they're on the H&M website. I've seen them in leather, snakeskin, velvet,... But in store, there's always one color available. Always the very same color...



They don't sell them in Ghent so I have to go to Antwerp or Brussels. I only go there twice a year so I consider myself lucky that I have been able to buy them again every single year... Color might be the same but since last year it became more an ankle boot and it doesn't have a zipper.



They are my absolute favorite shoe! Having 4 of them is enough proof I guess ;) I can walk in them ALL DAY LONG! During the wintertime, it is all I wear. Day in, day out...

There are many other brands that sell the Lita look a like but those are my comfortable favorites. And they resell them every year. Very important for a shoe addict like me. It might take me 10 more years before I waist the ones I have right now because lets face it: my oldest pair is 3 years old and they still look kind of new :)

One day, I'll treat myself to some really awesome JC's!

Love them/ hate them? Want them/ have them? Let me know!

Summer into Fall

I must admit that when I prepared this post last week, the temperatures were perfect for summer into fall outfits. But today is a whole other story :(

Anyhow! Some of you probably live in a warmer climate so it can be of use to some of you...

I'm one of those people who just ain't ready to let go of my summer pieces. Even though Summer OBVS is over, you can prolong your Summer favorites a little longer. Not all of them of course but some have some amazing Fall potential.

It's kind of easy if you have the right pieces. And since it are staple pieces, it's child's play!

• Hat
• Scarf
• Oversized sweater
• Long cardigan
• Boots
• Stockings
• ...

Add some of these to your dress, short or skirt and you are halfway there! Yes, only halfway because the colors or prints better match ;)

Lets have a look at some of my examples!

• A silk lingerie dress



It is such a soft fabric, I absolutely ❤️ wearing this dress! So add some boots, cardigan a scarf and you are good to go! When still too cold maybe add a longer lightweight grey or khaki parka. If I had one, I would :)

• Colorful Pencilskirt



The fabric of this skirt is a little thicker which is a big plus for colder days. It is colorful, perfect for summer time but also fall and winter. Combine it with warmer colors like burgundy for fall and go all black in the winter time. Since the skirt is tight, you can easily wear an oversized sweater on top. Warm and cosy!

• A neutral short



A chic neutral short. A festival t-shirt on top in the summer and a fluffy sweater in fall. Sheer stockings, thick stockings, colorful stockings or black stockings. Completely as you wish! Add a huge scarf and you are out the door...

Ready for fall? I am!

Mix 'n' Matching part IV

I think it’s obvious that I wouldn’t write multiple posts about combining all kind of prints if I wouldn’t be into it myself.

So I put together some of my OOTD instagram posts where I wear different patterns combined.





Looking at them I realise I should do more OOTD posts because I wear A LOT of prints mixed together but it seems i do not have that many proof ^_^

Last week I styled a very specific look to once again show you how easy it can be.



A blue and crème colored turtle neck mini dress is an interesting piece to start with.

Add an animal printed circle scarf et voila! Look 1 completed. Less boring right?

Tie a tartan shirt around your waist, très à la mode BTW ;) adds instant length if you don’t feel comfortable with wearing mini dresses.

Getting colder? Wear your shirt as you should, knot it at your waist. Add your scarf. 3 prints, 1 outfit. Easy!

Do you wear a lot of prints? If not, I hope you’re excited to try it out!

Mix ‘n’ Matching part III

Pinterest is the online place to be if you’re out of inspiration and ideas. You can wander that site for hours…

So here is some little fashion inspo for mixing all kind of prints.





Stripes, the ultimate basic piece to mix it all up.





So many options.





Tartan, stripes, leopard,… So beautiful!



But the picture above is my ultimate favorite since a very long time now! Perfect combo, such an amazing style…

Hope it gives you some ideas to take fashion to the next level! Enjoy!

Little disclaimer: none of the pictures above are mine so if one of them belongs to you, please let me know and I’ll either remove it or put your name on it.

Mix ‘n’ Matching Prints part II

Like I mentioned in my previous post, mixing prints is an art. And style is personal. You buy the fashion and you turn it into a style of your own.
Some care more about style than others. If you don’t know how or where to get started, stay around, I’ll teach you my tricks :)

I should start with the ultimate basics but I’m not in the mood. Right on to prints and patterns today!

So how do you add some interesting prints to your wardrobe?

Lets start with subdividing prints the easy way:



You could divide them in 10 categories or more but lets not complicate things :)

All of them can easily be combined but lets take it slow.

If you’re new at this, black and white is the key. They go with everything. So if you want to mix up patterns for the 1st time, choose a black and white print.

A striped tee is the perfect piece to experiment with.



To not feel uncomfortable you can built up the mixing.

• Some jeans, the most neutral piece there is, and some colored pumps. A 1st class basic outfit :)
• Now try to add some colored pants and a neutral pump. Makes the tee immediately that more interesting.
• To add another print, start small. Go back to your fav jeans and put on some leopard shoes. Impeccable right? :)
• Push a little further this time and exchange the jeans for a colored piece. Your outfit gets more and more daring!
• Get out of your comfort zone and mix 2 items of the same colors and look-a-like prints together. Some neutral accessories et voila!
• Now try again with a floral or animal print. Keep the accessories as inconspicuously as possible.
• Did I just say to keep the accessories minimal? Go all the way :) add some color!
• Almost there. Try to match 3 patterns but keep the color palette of 2 of them equal and also 2 out of the same category. In this case black and white and geometric.

Wasn’t that easy? ^_^

Ready to discover a whole lot of possibilities?

Excited to start Mix ‘n’ Matching?
I’ll show you some of my fav Pinterest pictures in my next post!

Have Fun!