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Hey! I am back! I was traveling for a week, the thing is that all of the sudden we organized a trip to Puerto Madryn (in the south of Argentina) to watch whales, so as you can imagine, I had to go! I strongly recommend you to do it, it is incredible to watch whales, and penguins whenever you have a chance, try to go!

And meanwhile I was traveling, we change season!! Here in the south hemisphere we start to feel the warm spring meanwhile in the north hemisphere you are starting to breath again with a fresh autumn after a very warm summer!!! Since the readers of this blog are from all around the world, I am going to talk about the shoes that you can use either for spring or autumn, for the north it will not be something new but it is always good some information that you can apply for the next season!

If you are in the north hemisphere, now you are ready to wear boots in all lengths, so here are some tips for you:

• Upper knee boots, with this you can be very sexy or very weird if you don’t use them correctly. First you have to be sure that this kind of boot enhance your legs, if the boots are too tight don’t use them. Since this kind of boot will never be unnoticed, do not use them with a tight mini skirt so you will not become “Pretty woman”, try to combine them with loose mini skirts or with pencil pants.

• Knee length boots, especially if you are using them with skirt, have to be tight to your calf, it doesn’t matter the width of your leg. The boot has to sculpt your leg, if it’s loose in the ankle or to tight in your calf, just don’t use it and forget to buy it! If you are using this boots with pants, don’t let it too baggy over the boot, the trouser has to be straight and the best is with no wrinkles. That is why it is always recommended to use pencil pants with this kind of boots.

• The ankle boot it is usually more difficult to combine since many women could look little shorter with them. Avoid use them with skirts half-length, and be careful to use them with pencil pants since sometimes, not always, it could seam like it enlarges your hips.

If you are in the south hemisphere, here are some tips to use sandals:

• If you use sandals you should do a pedicure, it can’t be one with out the other.

• It doesn’t matter the height of your heels, the foot has to be always inside the shoe. The sandals will never be smaller or bigger, just exactly the size of your feet. This sounds kind of obvious, but sometimes, especially if you are using high heels, the feet tends to move to the front, or goes out a little on the back when you walk. Try them and give some steps with them on before buying a new pair.

• Gladiator sandals that are tide at the ankle could shorten your legs.
• If you have a hard time using high heels, you can always use wedges shoes … it will give you more stability and usually they are very comfortable.

Believe it or not, your shoes reflects and define your personal style, the way you dress and your personality, so always be careful to what you wear and how your wear it!!

See you soon!

Fabiola Silva

The brands showed here are Anthropologie, Nine West, Jimmy Choo y Sofi Martiré.

Comments Off on Spring is here … or … it is autumn? | In: Uncategorized @en | tags: autumn, Boots, sandals, spring. | #

Yes, that is the way that we usually start our day, we make a mental map of the activities during the day to be able to identify what will be the perfect “look” for all of them. Usually, we have problems matching colors and textures, and it is worst if we just bought a new bag in red (color that you don’t use that much) and we are trying to match it with the outfit. Disaster!

That’s why I am going to give you some tips in order to ease your life every morning:

• It is not necessary to match bag, shoes and belt; you can use the same color and texture for the three items or just match two of the three things. Actually, it is better if you make contrast with one of the three things in a completely different color.
• Always try to have in your outfit just one center of attention (the first thing that you want people to check when they look at you). For example, if you are using a colorful necklace try to use the rest of your clothes in a more neutral combination so that the “star” of your look will be the necklace.

• It is totally fine to mix brown with black, but never brown with grey.

• Do not be afraid of contrasting colors in your outfit, mix colors and play with combinations like blue with red, orange and violet.
• Try not to combine clothes of the same range of color if they are not exactly of the same tone, it is always better to create contrast mixing with other colors. (Dry clean tip: always send to the dry clean the dress and the belt together, or the pants and the jacket, if not, you may see a change of tones between each item)
• If you are happy with your outfit but you still have the feeling that “something is missing”, try on a scarf, it will always help to complete your look is like the “final touch”.
• Do not use jeans and jean jacket, try to use with your jeans corduroy or lather jackets.
• Snickers are ONLY to go to the gym, and to be used with pants and gym clothes, never with jeans or any other kind of clothes. There are other kinds of cool tennis that you can use for a sport and casual look, but running shoes are only to run.
• If you are going to use sandals or any open shoe, remember that you have to do a pedicure since your nails have to be perfect they become part of your shoe.
• Remember that your look goes form head to toe, so don’t forget little details, use accessories and enjoy the every morning process of getting dress!

I hope that you can use this information in order to have better and more relaxing mornings where you don’t have to ask to yourself … and today, what am I going to wear?

See you soon!

Fabiola Silva

Comments Off on mmmhh … What can I wear today? | In: Uncategorized @en | tags: beauty, looking good, tips, women. | #

This is the accessory that you will always want to have in your closet, it complements what ever you are wearing, men and women can use it and the best is that there are thousands of colors, shapes and designs.
What am I talking about? I am talking about one of the things that I use more than anything: scarves. If you are not using that until now, there is always a good time to start using it!! It will help you a lot to giving some color to any outfit that you use.

The magic of this accessory ,is that it can be use  at any time of the year, since there are made in different fabrics to be adapted to the weather. Scarves will never be out of fashion, but there are some tips that you should know in order to always create a great complement to your outfit.
1. When you choose a scarf, always try to create contrast or to make a good combination with what you are wearing. Avoid using the same color of your outfit.
2. If you have a short neck, do not tie scarves under your chin it will look shorter.
3. Thing and long scarves around your neck will help you to appear taller and slimmer.
4. If you are using the scarf inside the blouse, be sure to use the correct size to avoid a huge thing under your chin, or a bundle inside your blouse that will deform your bust.
5. Try to choose the right fabric (thickness) for each occasion and season.
6. Petite women should not use big scarves because they will look shorter.
7. Oversized scarves are ideal for a cold day since they not only cover your neck but also your shoulders.

8. If you are a man, you can use a thin scarf around your neck not too tight. For the winter scarf, fold it on half and then tie it around your neck and pass the ends through the circle created when you folded it.

One of the advantages of this accessory is that you can always use a thing scarf as a belt or as a bandana in your head, that’s why is so handy!

No matter the season that you are, spring or autumn, use it as much as you can. Scarves will always give a special touch to your look. I use them all the time; my favorites are the thin and very colorful.

See you soon!!

Fabiola Silva

No Comments | In: Uncategorized @en | tags: men scarves, tips, women scarves. | #

Many of you have been asking me about how is the best way to clean stains in clothes? So I decided to make an interview to a specialist, Gabriel Rusell, the owner of one of the most prestigious drycleaners in Buenos Aires.  Gabriel’s father, created the first branch in Recoleta in 1964.  Since then, the business had grown and in 1982 they opened a second branch in Palermo.  Currently they have 19 employees and their income goes up to 700 thousand Argentinean pesos.

¿What is the expertise of your business?

G: It is a handcrafted work, some drycleaners offer to clean your clothes in 1 or 2 hours, we dedicate a lot of time in each garment to be sure that is clean and in perfect shape.  We take off all buttons before washing it, then we retouch the hem and lining if it is needed, then we clean it, iron it and then we sew again each button. When the garment is ready, we wrapped it individually. For all of the above, we are one of the most recognized drycleaners in Buenos Aires.

Let’s talk about fabrics, how do you divide them? How do we need to take care of each one?

G: Let’s divide them in two groups: men and women clothes. Men’s suits have to be always clean at the drycleaner, specially the ties because the silk is usually very delicate.  Women’s clothes are more complicated to clean since each garment has usually a big variety of fabrics. For example, it can be a mix of polyester or silk with spandex and all those mixes are complicated to clean, all depend of the case, or we have to wash the dress by hand or apply specific treatment to remove the spot. Sometimes we have to follow our instinct and experience more than the clothes care tag.

How can we take care of white clothes? Why do you think the white clothes as not as white as before?

G: 
If we use the typical dry cleaning process in white clothes, it usually end up a little darker, that’s why is better to wash it by hand if it is possible, depends on the fabric and the design of the garment. The fabrics today are not as before, their composition had changed.  To whiten something that is yellow you can apply lemon, chlorine (diluted) and it always helps to hang outside (the sun always help).  Deodorant spots are remove from white clothes the same way, although sometimes is complicated due to the fact that deodorant and sweat can burn the fabric and make a permanent stains.

How can we take care of the black in black clothes?

G: Originally fabrics are white and then they follow a dyeing process to get the color, so that’s why the black color will always go away losing their original tone. With the dry cleaning process, the black becomes dark gray; it always looses the original tone.  Sometimes is possible to recover the color with aniline but all depends on the fabric, it has to be cotton or a simple fabric to get dye, and if it is a mixture of fabrics it will be very difficult to dye it.

How can we clean the following stains?

Coffee – cold water and white soap.

Deodorant – on white clothes we already explained it. If it is a colored fabric it will very difficult because it leaves a white halo and generally it burns the color. Try to clean it with white soap and cold water.

Red wine – it is not removed with anything. Sometimes, depends on the fabric, white wine will help, but it will not clean it completely (and I thought it was the best!)

Balsamic vinegar – same as red wine, also Fernet and Coke leaves a stain.

Blood – cold water

Oil – grease – it is usually necessary to apply a solvent on the whole article to avoid spots. When you get the stain you can put salt on it but the best that you can do is not touch the spot. And specially, PLEASE do not touch the spot on ties it is PROHIBITED because you will damage it permanently (it will always look little white on the spot), take it directly to a dry cleaner that will know what to do.

Beet – normal washing.

Strawberry – sometimes with cold water, but sometimes need to be treated at the dry clean.

Always at home use white soap, soft detergent and cold water to take off any stain, the stain removers that you can buy at the supermarket are not usually effective. Delicates clothes can be also washed in your bath, but never use the washing machine to spin it.

What do you think about the quality of Argentinean fabrics?

G:  I think it is worst than before, the economy had affected the quality. But it is important to consider that not always expensive clothes mean high quality fabrics.  When you find small balls in your clothes, try to take them out with a used razor or small scissors; this small balls usually are more notorious after the dry cleaning process.

Ironing is always a problem, what can we do to avoid end up with burn or shine clothes?

G: You can use a protector for your iron, the famous humid rag that our grandmother used, or iron the clothes upside down. Obviously always take care of the temperature.

What can happen to our clothes if we ignore the tag of “Dry clean” and “we clean it at home”?

G: Depends on the fabric. If we are talking about men suits, or a coat, forget it! it has to be dry cleaning. But some clothes allow both processes so always read the care tag before doing anything.

And finally…

What are for you the attributes that define the beauty of a woman? And her style?

G: For me a woman has to be nice and modest, apart of having certain physical beauty of course, I like nice legs. The style for me is defined on the way they walk. My favorite style is contemporary.

Based on your experience, what advice can you give to us entrepreneurs?

G:  Before you start, make a deep analysis of the business that you want to do, analyze what do you need, talk to people who is already in your business and get trained if you need it. Sometimes things look easier than they really are. Before you invest do a deep research!

If you are interested in Tintoreria Rusell services (I strongly recommend them I am a client!) you can call them 4812-5583 (Recoleta) or 4825-8492 (Palermo).

I hope you find useful this information, if you like it please share it with your friends and … now there are no excuses to have clean clothes all the time!!

See you!

Fabiola Silva

No Comments | In: Uncategorized @en | tags: Drycleaner, fabrics, stains, Tintoreria Rusell. | #

The objective of this blog is to help you to find YOUR personal style having fun in the process! I am going to help you to transform your image to what you really want, and for this you don’t have to loose 10 pounds, win the lottery or grow 5 centimeters … I am going to show you how to look good just the way you are right now!!! You are going to be able to find YOUR personal style, which will make you feel comfortable and happy in your own body.

I know … fashion blogs and sites trying to give fashion advice are plenty, but here I am not pretending to be a “fashion encyclopedia”, I am offering you a place to have an open dialog where together we will analyze your situation and achieve your objective.

I am going to take you step by step so you learn everything what you need to know about your body shape, your colors, and your style. I am going to teach you how to look the best way that you can, so you look gorgeous at any time!!!  All is about proportions, and sometimes with the help of some optical illusion tricks, effects can be created to help us to look thinner or to enlarge certain areas of our body, amazing no?

Since your image project your personality you should also analyze what do you want to project at work, what is your professional goal? The fact is that, cruel as it sounds, only our mum loves us as we look when we just wake up … looks matter and you have to take care of yours.

But don’t worry, that’s the reason of this blog, here I am planning to explain you in a simple language, with examples and fun stories, how to create your best look and how to optimize your wardrobe. You are going to stop suffering every morning wondering … what am I going to wear today? … knowing that your closet is packed!!!  Or … tell me that you don’t do that?

You are going to stop buying things that you only like at the store, and then you just put at the end of your closet and never wear it again.  I am going to show you how to improve your image using only what looks great on you.  And, it is not necessary  to accomplish this following fashion, as you can see, until now we haven’t talk about fashion.  Someone with a personal style is different from someone who is a fashion victim.

Fashion is a group of trends that in certain way amass the society, and you know what is the worst part? We not just look like everybody else; sometimes what is on “fashion” is not the best for us, and any way we wear it.

Style, on the other hand, defines your personality it reflects what you really are. You express your personality through your clothes and it doesn’t have to be always following fashion.

Are you confused? Don’t be, here I am to help you. Step by step I am going to teach you how to know your body characteristics, your face proportions and the colors that suits you the best, so at the end you are just going to look and feel great all the time!

So, welcome to this open dialog and I hope you find useful the information that I am going to share with you.

I you want to receive all the latest news, subscribe to the newsletter at the top of the page, doing that, you will also receive automatically a little welcome gift that will help you to know the different styles that exists.

See you soon!!!

Fabiola Silva

Comments Off on Why you should read Manequi … | In: Uncategorized @en | tags: beauty, fashion, Image consultant, women. | #