Beauty Essentials Ms. Chacha and I Can't Live Without!

Alex and I were chatting the other day about some of our favorite beauty essentials, everything from bathrobes to skin and hair products. We decided we like them so much we wanted to share them with you. Most items are things we found because friends and family recommended them and that is why we felt it was important to share!

So, here they are! Our favorites…all linked back at the bottom of this post to make it easy to read more about them and purchase if you wish!

Hanro-Cotton Waffle Bathrobe. Alex and I get a lot of use out of a short light weight bathrobe. We love to wear them out of the shower, after moisturizing and while applying makeup. The waffle texture is great for absorbing moisture!

Speaking of showers, this “Love Pumice 2 in 1 Pumice Stone for Feet” does the trick! We will even take these scrubs on vacation. Use them in the shower and then moisturize with the Goe Oil (also recommended here) to keep heels smooth! Definitely a must in sandal weather!

Here’s the All Over Long Lasting Natural Body Goe Oil. By far our favorite body oil. A little goes a looong way! Especially moisturizing for those dry Winters in New England!! I first read about this on the Anthropologie website and then discovered it when we were in Utah. What a lifesaver.

Speaking of the “trotters,” these UGG-Ansley Antoinette' Slippers are a winner. Alex and I have been believers in these slippers since we lived in CT. We still wear them in Florida! We promise...they won't owe you a penny!

We must talk about all three of these products at once because they go hand in hand.

There are many hair towels/turbans out there. Don't be fooled. The Aquis Original Microfiber Hair Turban is the best! I think we’ve tried all of them! It absorbs moisture and really cuts down on drying time. Alex and I both love it.

Before brushing out that mane we both like to use this The Wizard Detangling Primer, by Amika. It’s a new one to our hair regimen thanks to Alex’s hair stylist. We purchased one bottle to try and we must purchase another because it goes back and forth between our two medicine cabinets!!

I don’t know how we got along all those years without the Wet Brush Flex Dry! Talk about "No More Tears!" I use it every day (so does Alex) on wet or dry hair!

For those days when you don’t have time to wash your hair or you just need a refresh. We love this Batiste Dry Shampoo Clean & Light Bare. Dry Shampoo is a lifesaver!! I was using the colored ones for a while but I don't like the way the color comes off on towels. This version is lightweight and fresh! Spray from a distance, let it sit a minute and then blow dry it through!

Here is another grouping of products that go well together…

We love having a spa headband and are not particular about which brand we use. I like to keep one in the guest bath too. They are also great when applying masks! I like this Terry Cloth Spa Headband, by Tatibana. It has a velcro closure instead of being an elastic pull on version.

Speaking of taking off makeup…I have used Lancome BI-FACIL - Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover for years. I have tried many others in between but always come back to Lancome.

Instead of using a cottonball my dear friend, Laurie, turned me onto these Shiseido Facial Cotton Squares. They are super for removing eye makeup when paired with the Lancome BiFacil. They are much easier on delicate skin areas.

Although, this Clarisonic Mia Smart Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush has been on the market for a while, I only was able to try it yesterday at a special spa day that Alex and I shared. I can’t wait to get one! Maybe Santa will bring one!!! I don’t think a speck of dirt is left on the face and it’s super gentle.

I always believe a makeup mirror is an essential. However, the older I get the more I need the magnification of a makeup mirror. I love this VESAUR - 10" Lighted Makeup Mirror - 5X Magnifying Mirror-LED Lights because it has both regular and magnifying mirrors and is pretty compact for small places.

This is the perfect time to talk about brows. I am obsessed with Anastasia Beverly Hills - Precision Tweezers and Anastasia Beverly Hills - Brow Gel. Don't let anyone use these tweezers for splinters! I always keep them in my makeup bag! The brow gel goes on smooth and doesn’t clump or flake.

These Mario Badescu - Mist and Glow Facial Spray Collection, (3 Piece Set - Lavender, Cucumber, Rose) are wonderful after a day in the sun. This travel size is also great to take along as a refresher after Alex's riding or even in a carry on for after a flight. We each have a favorite but we'll let you decide which is your pick. We suggest the pack of 3 to sample first!

This Yonka -Facial Spray (Normal And Oily Skin) Toner is a must, especially for both teens! I have been using it for years!!! I’m not kidding…probably since 1991!!! For any acne outbreaks (especially from riding or football helmets) I suggest compresses with the Shiseido cotton squares. It is amazing how well it works.

I was lucky enough to sample The Countertime Collection for a week and I'm sold! Have you heard about BeautyCounter? “One by one, they are leading a movement to a future where all beauty is clean beauty. They are powered by people, and their collective mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Formulate, advocate, & educate—that’s their motto for creating products that truly perform while holding themselves to unparalleled standards of safety. Why? It’s really this simple: beauty should be good for you.” They are an amazing company and their products will not disappoint. The facial cleansing oil, Supreme Cream and Eye Renewal Cream were really impressive! I am also a fan of their foundation and toner pads (especially for traveling).

All products are linked in this catalog…Beauty Essentials Ms. Chacha and I Can't Live Without!

We hope you enjoyed the suggestions! Would love to hear any of yours. You can always email us or dm @therealchachaolivia.

Fashionably yours,

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Taking Runway to Everyday...Fall 2019

How will you wear your skin and animal prints this Fall?

Spring and Fall are my favorite times to watch the upcoming Fashion. The runway shows and extra large editions of my “go to” fashion magazines are packed with the newest designs. I love seeing the artistic expressions from so many designers. I’m not a “trend chaser.” I look to new seasonal “trends” for inspiration. I think it’s important to change up a wardrobe seasonally and find different ways to wear basics. If there happens to be a new look I’m attracted to, I like to find ways to incorporate it into every day life.

A couple of weeks ago I talked about some of the Fall 2019 trends that caught my eye. (I also talked about the ones I’m staying away from!) This week I will be sharing my way of translating these looks to every day life.

The items below are pieces I found that work well going from casual to work and then out to dinner. They are all takes on Runway looks that are showing up everywhere. With a few tweaks, like changing from denim to trousers or kicks to pumps these items can be so versatile. You’ll also find that some of the pieces I share overlap on more than one trend!

Suit Up And Strong Shoulders.

This is one of my favorite looks. I absolutely love using a topper on any outfit. It always makes me feel so complete. The navy blazer comes in a variety of colors and is a knit fabric. It is super comfortable and is under $100!

Checks and Plaids.

Checks and plaids when done right are timeless. I love how each of these has a unique point of interest. The kelly green in the pant would be beautiful during the holiday. The patchwork trench will do more over any outfit than just your average camel colored basic! The window pane cardigan will go miles…literally. On the plane and then mixed with skirts and denim for different looks when you’re off the plane

Dark Florals.

Why keep florals for Spring and Summer? When using darker prints or backgrounds, florals can add just enough color to bring some fun to your Fall and Winter wardrobe.

Showing Your Spots.

Every Fall Season animal and skin prints make their way back onto the runway. I am especially impressed this Fall with the added colors to the traditional prints. Check out the zebra print maxi dress below! The blouse below from CAbi mixes florals with skins. This is an example of overlapping trends.

Trench Coats.

I love how unique these two trench coats are. Anyone can show you a basic khaki trench. Why not have your topper say more about you than I need some protection from the rain!?

Lovely In Lace.

When adding lace to your outfit, keep everything else simple.

Maxi Skirts.

Maxi skirts and dresses are almost always for the warmer months. Not these! I love the weight of the knit ones. Paired with boots and turtlenecks they will go well into Winter.

It’s Not Easy Being Green.

I love green as an accent color. This Tory Burch Cross Body Bag doubles as a wallet if you ever tire of it as a bag!

Camel and White Combo.

Probably one of the richest trends right now. I love how classy this combo looks. I can’t wait to try it out!

And, finally Knits.

Knit pieces can last a lifetime when cared for properly. This turtleneck dress is timeless. There’s that navy blazer again! Wait until you see all the colors it comes in. Don’t miss it!

If you’d like the links to the catalogs above, sign up for my weekly emails below and I will be in touch. I’d be happy to share them with you and show you how my new virtual closet works. We share your personal items in an app and I help you create outfits from your existing pieces. I can also suggest new pieces to change your looks around! I am so excited to share this with you!

Fashionably yours,

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How To Stay Cool and Still Dress Professionally!

I miss the days of a professional look. Even when I was in retail and had more leeway with my clothing, I loved “dressing for work.” It’s no secret that, upon first glance, people “size you up” and make assumptions about you based on “how” you look.

I just talked about this in “Teaching My Teens How They Dress Matters.” I tell my kids all the time, it’s important to think about what you wear and what it says about you. When working in a professional environment, you should dress how you want to be perceived: knowledgeable, mature, and experienced.

I have to apologize. How could I go through Summer and tell you how to dress cool in the steamy heat without covering professional dress?!

So, how’s your summer wardrobe? I don’t mean your weekend casual looks of sundresses and beachwear. I have been thinking about your office. Life in Florida can be so casual that I often forget about professional dress! I met my friend a couple of weeks ago, outside an office building, to snap some photos for the blog. I was a little early, so I was walking around looking for some areas to take pictures. I couldn’t help but notice women coming in and out of the building and what they were wearing. It was upwards of 95* but I was surprised by their outfits. Flip flops? Really? Ribbed cotton tank tops? It is fair to say that I don’t know how “casual” the offices were in the building and there are so many office “dress policies” maybe this was “ok?” Maybe not.

You might not be the woman wearing flip flops or tank tops. However, you may find it difficult to find items that will keep you cool and also look professional. If you aren’t sure, follow my list of guidelines below to help you dress in a professional manner that will also help you stay cool.

So, here it is, my list of Do’s and Don’ts for the office.

• No Flip Flops, or for that matter any sandal that exposes all of your toes.

• No Shorts.

• No Spaghetti Strap Tops. No Tops where any part of your bra is exposed.

• No Mini Skirts. Skirt lengths are difficult because there are so many and even really long skirts can look unprofessional. I would suggest going as close to the knee as possible.

• No cleavage.

• No strapless tops, strapless dresses or tube tops.

• No sheer fabrics, unless it’s a top with a cami underneath.

• No to anything that has a naturally wrinkled look. I love the lightweight washable linen items but save those for the weekends.

Okay, so what’s left?

• Peep toe pumps, wedge peep toe shoes, loafers, ballet flats.

• Ankle pants

• Breezy blouses. Washable silks are always great because they don’t have to be dry cleaned and are super cool.

• Sleeveless knit tops or blouses. Be sure to look under the arm to make sure your bra doesn’t show.

• Pencil skirts.

• Lightweight fabrics and lighter colors are important

• My favorite professional, keep cool items to recommend are dresses. They are the easiest items to wear, they don’t require extra layers. If they are sleeveless you can always add a cardigan or blazer to wear over them in the ac.

I love dresses so much I created a “catalogue” of looks that are all shoppable. You can access them here…Professional Summer Dresses!

These are the dresses in my shoppable catalogue-Professional Summer Dresses!

While I will always select the best items for you, some of the links included may be automatically affiliated. This helps support my business. If you choose any, thank you!

Happy Shopping and Keep Cool!

Fashionably yours,

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"Which Shoes Should I Wear With This Outfit?" The Best Shoe Styles To Pair With Today's Most Popular Pants.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have been asked “What shoes should I wear with this?” It never fails, we find the perfect outfit to wear and we get so excited! Then we start to think about what shoes will complete the outfit!

I hear this all the time from clients. I can’t possibly cover the right shoe for every outfit in one blog post, so I’m going to start with trousers and jeans.

As with all of my styling advice, the first question I ask is where will you be wearing this? It’s important to think about the setting when considering my suggestions below. Once you know where you’re going, you can decide on the level of dress and heel height.

Then we pick the shoes!

For Cropped Skinny/Tapered Leg Pants…

I would suggest any of the following shoes for this style. Be sure to wear your cropped pants right at, or just above, the ankle.

The cropped skinny pant is one of my personal favorites because it is so versatile. If your crop pant is denim or a more casual fabric, sneakers, ballet flats or even “loafers” are great options. You can also choose a wedge, ankle boot (closed or open toe) or heel if you want the height. If you choose a boot or wedge, I would stay with a simple style so you don’t disrupt any look that would elongate. I would steer away from ankle straps for the same reason. Be sure, when wearing a boot, that your pants and boots don’t touch. When your pant bunches up against the top of the shoe it draws your eye right to that point instead of elongating.

Here are some suggestions for the cropped ankle pant/jean.

Suggestions for the Crop Ankle Pant. Everything here works well with denim and casual pants. For a dressier look opt for the suede mule, snakeskin or leather options.

For Full Length Skinny/Tapered Pants…

If your skinny pant is full length, shy away from the flats and definitely no sneakers. I would also suggest a simple heel. It doesn’t have to be high. If you opt for a boot, try something that hugs the ankle like the one below.

Suggestions for Full Length Skinny Pant… If you must do a flat keep it very simple! Again, ankle hugging boot to elongate the leg.

For Crop Boot Cut…

A simple sneaker with this crop boot cut works, just remember to keep the colors similar.

Make sure the flare is just above the ankle bone. If it’s too short you will look like you have “cankles” and if it’s too long it won’t look right with any shoe. I recently had a flare crop jean that didn’t work with any shoe because it was too long. I finally had it hemmed and I was able to wear it with quite a few shoes in my closet!

I often choose a more simple shoe for this look. Choose a ballet flat or a basic sneaker. A wedge, mule or block heel could also work. If you opt for a shoe that has more detail along the vamp, try to keep the colors similar between shoe and pant. (See photo at top of post)

Suggestions for Crop Boot Cut.

Notice how the tip of the boot is the only part of the shoe that shows!

For Full Length Boot Cut…

No flats here. This cut needs a heel, even if it’s just an inch. I always keep my boot or flare pants a little longer so that I have more shoe options. I made the mistake of cutting one of my favorite jeans too short and now I can only wear them with a 1” cowboy boot. When choosing a heel height you want the pant to skim the top of your shoe like in the picture to the right.

Suggestions for Full Length Boot Cut Pants/Jeans or Wide Leg Palazzo Pants

For Wide Leg/Palazzo Pants…

For a more casual wide leg you can try a platform sandal or sneaker.

I would always choose something with height! If it’s a super casual pant like the “sweatpants” to the right, then a platform can keep the look casual but still give you height. It doesn’t have to be super high but should give you a lift to compensate for the flowy fabric.

Any of the shoes shown above for Full Length Boot Cut would work for Wide Leg Palazzo Pants too!

For Boyfriend Jeans…

With my favorite boyfriend jeans and one of my boyfriends ;)

I love Boyfriend jeans because they are also pretty versatile! I prefer to always wear my boyfriend jeans rolled. At some point I’ll offer a video on my “rolling techniques”! Pair these with all sorts of fun sneakers, ballet flats, heels, wedges and ankle boots. Remember to roll enough so the jeans and boots don’t touch!

Suggestions For Boyfriend Jeans.

I know this is a lot of information so I’d love to offer a Free Consult. Sign up to receive my weekly emails and I will contact you to make some suggestions for a pair of pants that have you stumped. I will work with what you have in your wardrobe. If we can’t find something there I will make some suggestions! If you’re only interested in the links to some or all of the shoes in this blog I can send you those too! Even if you’re on the email list sign in below. I’ll make sure you don’t double up!

Fashionably yours,

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In a Sea of Lilly...My Adjustment To Coastal Living.

Our personal styles evolve over the years for many different reasons. We graduate from school. We start working. We change careers. We get married. We get divorced. We have children and decide to stay home. We have children and decide to continue working. We move. We gain weight. We lose weight. We age! Throughout all of these life events we transform and we grow in more ways than our personal style. I think the most difficult time I’ve had defining my style was when we moved to Florida.

As we go through changes it only makes sense that it will trickle down to how we dress. Having been through all of the above, the most difficult one for me was our move to Florida from Connecticut. In addition to all of the changes that come along with a move there were a lot of changes that were related to my personal style too. I was trying to adapt to all of them. I didn’t realize how drastic the change would be.

• We had no friends here. I so desperately wanted to fit in and I wanted the kids to fit in too.

• I put on weight before the move. I felt uncomfortable with my body and with wearing all the clothing that goes along with living in a tropical environment. How did I let my husband convince me to move to an area where swimsuits are “in season” year round?

The first time I was able to wear a jacket in Florida! I was so happy!!!

• Fall and Winter are my favorite seasons and I adore the wardrobe changes that come with it. I love sweaters, boots and coats and I wondered, in our first October, if I would ever wear a sweater again.

• Life is pretty simple here and also very casual. I was the woman who brought her perfume bottle to work to reapply. I had the perfect shoe to match every outfit. I was always “dressed” and never really went about my day in “athleisure” wear. Flip flops were for the pool not everyday life.

Almost overnight, I was living where we once vacationed. I was trying to adjust to a new life. I was feeling lonely, fat, hot, overwhelmed with the move, missing family and wondering how it was all going to play out. This change might not seem like such a big deal to many of you but I grew up in MA just blocks away from my entire family. I didn’t go away to college, I lived at home. My life was very much “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” that is, until I met Anthony and moved to CT.

So, why all the background? I want women to realize that defining your style isn’t always easy.

Sometimes, when we are adjusting to all the changes in our lives, we start trying different things to find our comfort zone. I always knew what I liked in New England. I wore a lot of black. I dressed a little edgier. I didn’t think about fitting in and it’s not that I was trying to stand out. I just felt comfortable in the clothes that I knew I liked and I wore them. When I wore those Summer clothes from New England in Florida, I felt out of place.

I remember a mom saying to me one day…”Oh, you have your New England look on today.” I went home and changed. I so desperately wanted to fit in and meet people that I started dressing in a way that wasn’t really me. I saw a lot of Lilly Pulitzer, and other designers with fun prints and great colors that had more of a coastal vibe. I tried them in an effort to “look” like a Floridian. However, I never really felt like myself.

My New Look! I found it!

My “ah ha” moment came when I realized that the classic coastal styles weren’t allowing me to feel like myself. I was never at ease because the clothes I was wearing were not a reflection of my personality. As I mention in “I. Feel. Pretty.” Fashion excites me, it’s how express myself.

So, I began to assess what was working and not working for me in my current wardrobe and I’m not going to tell you it was easy. As I got more familiar with the area, I uncovered small boutiques that better fit my style. I took the time to find fabrics and designs that helped me uncover my new Florida look.

So what’s the big takeaway?

I don’t think at a certain age you wake up and say “I’m a classic dresser” and that is your “style” for the rest of your life. As we go through life, we experience changes that impact what we wear and our sense of style. Those changes aren’t always easy and may make finding our personal style more difficult than just looking at Pinterest or watching tv, or the movies, and seeing who you can identify with. It can be tempting to allow our style to be influenced by those around us. That can often lead us to feeling uncomfortable and not letting others see who we really are.

If I were to walk you through assessing what your look was, I would ask you many questions about your lifestyle. I would want to get to know you. This move made me get to know myself all over again. You may find the need to get to know yourself again too. It’s important to look at all aspects of our life, where we live, weather, weight and personal comfort. From there we would build a style that says “This is me,” “I. Feel. Pretty.” and I like it!

Any time I have worked with someone and we go through this process it is well worth it. Thinking things through takes time but, in the end, saves money. Have you just been through a major life change? Do you feel like your wardrobe expresses who you are? I’d love to help if you feel like you’re stuck. This is truly what brings me the most joy and I know how difficult it can be! Check out Ways to Work with Theo and My Styling Successes. I’d love for you to be this happy!

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