YOUR WEEKLY DOSE OF INSPIRATION, QUOTES AND TASKS TO LIGHT UP YOUR WEEK WITH POSITIVITY AND HAPPINESS.
LISTEN
“WE HAVE TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH SO THAT WE CAN LISTEN TWICE AS MUCH AS WE SPEAK “
– EPICTETUS
THIS WEEK NOTE HOW MUCH OF THE TALKING YOU ARE DOING IN CONVERSATION WITH FRIENDS. HOW MUCH ARE YOU REALLY LISTENING TO WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ? TRY HAVING A CONVERSATION WHEN YOU ARE ONLY SPEAKING 25 % OF THE TIME, AND THAT TIME IS SPENT ASKING THEM OPEN QUESTIONS. THIS NOT ONLY SHOWS INTEREST BUT ALSO GETS THEM TO OPEN UP MORE ABOUT THE SUBJECT.
IT IS EXTREMELY FLATTERING TO HAVE PEOPLE ACTUALLY SHOW AN INTEREST IN WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IF THEY HAVE SOME SADNESS OR STRESS THEY JUST NEED SOMEONE TO ACTUALLY JUST LISTEN.
LISTENING TO SOMEONE IS FAR MORE DIFFICULT THAN TALKING SO GENUINELY CONCENTRATE WITH EYE CONTACT AND NODDING THEN REPEAT BACK WHAT THEY HAVE SAID OR ASK EMPATHETIC QUESTIONS SO THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF WHAT THEY ARE SHARING WITH YOU.
JOJO STYLELIST TIP: LISTENING IS AN ART FORM REQUIRING SKILL ON YOUR PART SO GET PRACTISING !!
YOUR WEEKLY DOSE OF INSPIRATION, TASKS AND POSITIVITY TO UPLIFT YOU AND SHINE LIGHT ON DARK PLACES.
ANXIETY
FORGET CORONAVIRUS , ANXIETY IS THE NEW PANDEMIC SWEEPING THE WORLD. I RARELY MEET ANYONE THESE DAYS THAT DOES NOT TELL ME THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY. CELEBRITIES ARE ON THE MEDIA DAILY TELLING US HOW ANXIOUS THEY ARE FEELING. ANXIETY HAS BECOME A TREND , IT IS BETTER TO BE A VICTIM THAN TO BE POWERFUL. THIS NEW VICTIM CULTURE MEANS GENUINE ANXIETY IS BECOMING OVERLOOKED. THE CELEBRITIES DO NOT OFFER ADVICE HOW TO BEAT ANXIETY ONLY THAT IT IS COOL TO REMAIN IN IT.
GENUINE ANXIETY IS A PRESSURE THAT WE HAVE FAILED TO RESPOND TO OR ACKNOWLEDGE. THE PROBLEMS ARISE WHEN WE TRY TO SHUT IT DOWN AND IGNORE IT LEADING TO A DEPRESSION AND A FEELING OF DROWNING.
TODAY THINK DEEP ABOUT YOUR ANXIETIES FACE THEM HEAD ON. WRITE DOWN YOUR FEARS AND DEAL WITH THEM ONE BY ONE. REGAIN YOUR POWER. CONFRONT THOSE FEARS. SEE THE PRESSURES AS A GIFT HUGE WAVES FOR YOU TO GET ON AND RIDE LIKE A SURFER. THOSE WAVES WILL TAKE YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. SOME ANXIETY IS NORMAL IF YOU HAVE NO ANXIETY THEN IT MEANS YOU ARE NOT LIVING YOUR LIFE . GENUINE ANXIETY IS THAT WHICH IS DEBILITATING YOU AND AFFECTING YOUR LIFE SOME OF THAT CAN BE REMOVED BY FACING IT.
JOJOS STYLELIST TIP: REMEMBER IT WOULD BE ABNORMAL NOT TO FEEL ANXIOUS BUT IF YOU FEEL IT HAS BECOME UNMANAGEABLE OR AFFECTING YOU ON A DAILY BASIS THEN TALK TO SOMEONE SOMETIMES TO GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD CAN HELP ENORMOUSLY WITH MENTAL HEALTH
The nights are drawing in and there is a hint of chilliness in the air. The AW 2020 went ahead last February just before we all went into lockdown but it is only now that your thoughts are turning to your Autumn Winter wardrobe. It is quite eclectic this season where almost anything goes. So please don’t mistake fashion for style especially more important as you get to your fifties and beyond. So my tips for this season are to invest in some hardworking pieces such as Coats and boots. Then choose a couple of statement pieces to build upon and mix up with some cheaper high street basics. Remember as a Colour Expert I must advise you to dress according to your colour palette for maximum style impact.
So if you have yet to check out your colour and image selection on our previous blogs search those first under the STYLE and BEAUTY areas. But put simply Coats are a large colour way across your body so ‘warm’ tones should choose chocolate or camel and cooler tones should choose navy or black. Use these colours as a base for your AW wardrobe. All these colours are classic colours and as investment pieces will have longevity in your wardrobe. With coats a good tip is too try one size SMALLER than you normally are for a more fitted tailored look. Keep to classic long line styles. The trend at the moment is just to throw them over your shoulders. To this end CAPES continue their popularity from AW19 although wise to avoid this if you are smaller and curvier.
A quick word about boots. This season it is your choice ranging from ankle, sock boots, biker boots, knee high , thigh high. Over fifty if you are going to go thigh high stick to flat boots. Heels AND thigh high are just too much for more mature ladies and just over the knee may be a better choice. But take advantage of the very many choices on offer to completely change the look of an outfit. Also a good pair of boots can last a lifetime if you choose according to your correct style palette. PLEASE PLEASE ensure your boots fit correctly around the calves I hate gaping and bagginess in poorly fitting boots.
Colours to look out for this Autumn of course we have the usual cyclical Autumn colours , camel, burgundy, olive greens but shake things up with show stopping red which featured heavily across London, Paris, Italy and New York AW catwalks . Reds to suit every palette glossy orangey reds for warmer palettes and crimson and cooler reds for Summer and Winter palettes.
Brown with black is usually a stylist no no but again was heavily seen in The AW20 collections paired together for a modern take. Put the brown closer to your face if a warmer palette or the Black if you have identified as a cooler palette. One surprising colour for Autumn is MINT GREEN already filtered down to the high street a lovely fresh colour to infuse into your Autumn wardrobe. In fact I think that the fashion pack are labelling it CELERY !!
REMEMBER do not substitute style for fashion. STAY AWAY FROM THESE TRENDS IF YOU ARE 50+ ………..puffball hems ( we have just got over the embarrassment the first time around ), belting tailored Jackets (does not suit anyone , any age), animal prints ( personally hate them, they look tired and dated, regurgitated every season), knitted dresses (unflattering unless you are aged 20 and 8 stone).
CHECK OUT MY AW EDIT BELOW ( if you have trouble viewing the images click on the URL link at the base of this page)
SHOP THE LOOK TODAY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SALE PRICE
JOJO STYLELIST TIP: SHOP RESPONSIBLY AND RESPECT SUSTAINABILITY IN FASHION BY INVESTMENT LONGER TERM PURCHASING. PLANNING YOUR WARDROBE IS ESSENTIAL TO AVOID WEEKLY THROWAWAY FASHION PURCHASES. KNOWING YOUR OWN STYLE OR ENLISTING THE HELP OF A STYLIST CAN GO A LONG WAY TO REDUCING YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.
As we are restricted in our social activities currently our monthly STYLE LIST has been reduced to bi monthly. As all that feature on a STYLE LIST have been tried and tested. So lets see who made the August/ September STYLE LIST.
MOST STYLISH HOTEL
Well for regular followers you would have read my travel blog on Lake Como this month and one of the most stylish Hotels I have ever stayed in. The newly opened MANDARIN HOTEL in Blevio, Lake Como takes style to a whole new level. Unpretentious yet exuding quality in both service and decor. Exceptionally peaceful and restful , although Covid restrictions and guest levels (staff ratio of about 10:1) may have had something to do with this. If you are visiting Como there is only one place to stay, the new girl on the block this truly wonderful Hotel.
The Mandarin Hotel Lake Como
MOST STYLISH RESTAURANT
From dining out five times a week to almost zero has severely restricted my pool to choose from. Also hard to guage how stylish a restaurant is under present conditions so almost no restaurant living up to our high standards of the STYLE LIST. So back to Como for this one. Although still difficult to find a really super stylish restaurant in Como I managed to locate one that is well worth a visit. Set in the small village of TORNO the family owned restaurant VAPORE excelled on all levels. Situated on the edge of the lake this was picture postcard perfect, like the movies you have played over in your head. Fresh fish from the lake and cooked to perfection and the best Tiramisu. Dreamy views just add to the attraction. I am pleased to share this little gem I have discovered off the main road into this fabulous little village.
VAPORE and the gorgeous village of TORNO
MOST STYLISH FASHION
The most talked about fashion accessory of the moment HAS to be the face mask. Going to be with us for longer than we thought has now become a fashion staple. So it is time for some style injection. Burberry are launching their own face mask ( reusable ….phew ), also providing particle filtration efficiency (PFE) and treated with anti bacterial technology. 20 % of each sale goes to the Covid 19 community fund. The mask yet to launch at time of writing is rumoured to be retailing for £90. There are cheaper more exciting designs than plain black or NHS off white so make yours personal.Even transparent ones so people can see your smile and also your latest lipgloss ! Elevate YOUR face mask game today with a whole collection and make sure you change them everyday for health AND fashion reasons.
MOST STYLISH BEAUTY PRODUCT
Its all about the lip ! With all this extra time on your hands we can pay attention to parts we never would have considered before. Lip Masks have launched onto the beauty market with a flourish, yes you never knew you needed them until now ! But they really do make a difference in softening and plumping, widely used in the Far East markets for years they have migrated to the West. KNC beauty founder Kristen Noel Crawley has now launched a natural LIP MASK in the form of stickers £4 and now on sale in Harrods. Especially useful in the ensuing Autumn and Winter months and the forth coming cold weather. The irony is not lost on me that you are covering up your lips with face masks when you leave the home but think of it as added protection for your lips as well as protecting your health.
KNC Lip Mask Harrods.com
MOST STYLISH PERSON
JAY SHETTY has kept me sane and chilled over the last 6 months. Discovered him on youtube with more time on my hands. We share the same philosophy and outlook and our teachings are almost identical. A former monk he now is a motivational speaker on how to think like a monk …. without joining a monastery ! Like myself he believes in discovering daily rituals to bring you peace and resisting temptation on activities that add nothing to your life. Find your truest most authentic self by spending time on getting to know YOU. This is what I have been preaching for many years before Jay had started kindergarten but happy to have him on my bandwagon. Welcome Jay to the team, happy to have you on board ! Handsome ,stylish and young oooh er maybe I should not talk about a former monk like this !
Jay Shetty
JOJOS STYLELIST TIP : As we approach our second lockdown this week it is important to maintain your health but just as important to surround yourself with style and live a beautiful life to maintain your wellbeing and uplift your mood. Stay strong and stay safe stylistas we are in it together !
Hi Stylistas ! So have you ever wanted to sit Front Row at your favourite designer Fashion Show but never been invited or unable to afford the very expensive tickets for the public shows. Well good news you can now attend ALL the shows at this years NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SEPTEMBER 13-SEPTEMBER 19. THE Council For Designers of America (CFDA) have announced they will be launching RUNWAY 360 a digital platform for Consumers, press trade and retailers “to explore and engage”. The launch is timed to coincide with the start of NYFW on 13th September 2020 so watch this space.
This intends to be a permanent platform although has been devised as a result of the Covid 19 Pandemic and the obstacles this has provided for showing catwalk collections and the devastating impact on the Fashion Industry as a whole. Expect London/Milan/Paris Fashion weeks to follow suit. This platform will be available for you to check out collections at your leisure and hopefully drive sales forward.
We anticipate the launch of Runway 360 with great excitement although at the time of writing this it is still very much under wraps. However please find the timetable of shows below as provided by the official CFDA site. So if you want to be part of this groundbreaking new initiative log in and sign up. Remember to check the time differences if you are watching from anywhere else other than New York if you want to view the shows in real time and be the first to see the new collections. If you have never attended a top catwalk show here is your chance so grab a glass of champagne and your dark glasses and get ready to take notes.
JOJO STYLELIST TIP: CHECKOUT THE JONATHON SIMKAI SHOW 14TH SEPTEMBER 12.30PM LOVED HIS LAST COLLECTION OFTEN FEATURED ON MY ‘JOJOS STYLE PICKS‘ IN THE SIDEBAR OF THIS BLOG.
