When my family was getting ready to move to the US from Italy, back in the early 80s, my parents took me to celebrate Christmas at the home of a famous Italian writer and journalist, in the countryside of Chianti in Tuscany. We spent a few days there, surrounded by the natural beauty of the place and Oriana Fallaci’s (our host) wit and argumentative spirit. She taught me to drink strong cocktails (I was twelve at the time) in preparation for being “a cool American girl” she said and she thought I’d make a good fashion model because of my thin ankles. She later retracted the statement, saying my imposing nose would not make me a good beauty candidate. Not exactly the perfect role model for a pre-teenage girl, but that’s a whole other blog post for a different day.
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Three generations wear Eton tuxedo shirts perfectly! Photo courtesy of Eton
The Minimalist Fashionista: The perfect tuxedo shirt from Eton for the Holidays
The wonderful thing about a tuxedo shirt is that when you Google “tuxedo shirt for women” you’ll get a selection that includes Ralph Lauren and H & M. There is no price range, no budget, no customer that cannot afford a simple, crisp, elegant tuxedo shirt. Everyone should own one, to wear with a pair of classic black pants, or a pencil skirt, or even a black suit. It’s The Minimalist Fashionista’s best friend, the tuxedo shirt!
And just in time for the Holiday season, wondrous Swedish shirt company Eton has come up with the perfect — I mean, THE shirt to end all your shirt searches — tuxedo shirt.
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I’m Maad about these products!
The Minimalist Fashionista: I'm Maad about the boy (read: hairdresser)
No I didn’t misspell the title of this blog post. I will tell you what it means a little later. Meanwhile, here is a little secret about me and going to the hairdresser.
I feel utterly and positively vulnerable, whenever I get my hair done.
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Image courtesy of the United Nations
Women's rights -- and wrongs -- explored at Cairo Film Fest
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, a global initiative by the United Nations. Although this is a yearly occurrence taking place every November 25th, it really should be a year-round initiative, an effort in our everyday life to avoid the pitfalls of violence but also help eradicate the behavior around it.
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The Minimalist Fashionista: Fix your posture in two quick steps
OK, so you’re wondering why the alignment of your hips makes any difference to a Minimalist Fashionista. Well, if you don’t look good and feel good in your undies and bra, you won’t look that great dressed in your minimalist fabulous wardrobe either. And you won’t feel good inside your skin, because at all times, you’ll be walking around loop-sided. That adds years to your beautiful self and wreaks havoc with your stride.
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The original Barbie as she was sold circa 1970s
Why I am the woman I am thanks to Barbie -- who turns 60 today!
As the iconic Mattel doll turns 60 on March 9th, which is quite a milestone, I thought about my own relationship with Barbie and even her boyfriend Ken.
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Fifty Shades of Grief: Coping with mourning at midlife
They say when you lose a loved one, you go through five stages of mourning: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. When I lost my best friend, just over a month ago, I went through those five stages in the first 24 hours — and about forty-five more since then. Despair, gratefulness, love, sadness, fury, loneliness, fight, empowerment — they have all been part of my grieving process.
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How Filorga saved my face -- AKA a Venice Film Fest Tale of Midlife Success!
Every once in a while, I do look in the mirror and see a tired, sallow face staring back at me, complete with dark under eye circles and sagging skin. It’s not often, but particularly at the end of a jam packed day at a gem-packed film festival like this year’s Venice International Film Festival, it happens.
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Sofia Loren in 'Two Women' by Vittorio De Sica
More midlife success secrets: Big girls DO cry!
As we travel together on this journey to steer clear of a midlife crisis by feeling instead our midlife success, I wanted to share another secret to growing older gracefully. The power of tears.
We all remember Sofia Loren's perfect quote "If you haven't cried, your eyes can't be beautiful" but I'll take it one step further, by saying that the tears I've shed in my life have kept me young at heart.
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With Meg Ryan, at this year's Locarno Festival, photo by Lukas Osiecki
Here we are, Meg Ryan and I: the modern face of middle age
Yup, you read it right. It's not a typo. Both Hollywood's sweetheart and I are now traveling through the second half of our lives. And you know what? We look and feel damn great.
As I sat across from and next to Ryan in Locarno for a couple of hours, I couldn't help but think, like a perfect mantra playing in my head, how beautiful and perfectly grown up she looks. At times, I know she could tell I was elsewhere mentally during our talk. So yes, Meg you were right, I was thinking about how damn great you look and sound, up close and personal.
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