Kiki Barth Purple Pleated Maxi Dress

Real Housewives of Miami Instagram Fashion February 13, 2023

Kiki Barth hit up the Nicki Roxx Jewelry showroom in a light purple pleated maxi dress to try on some pieces, and give us some major spring style inspo in the process. This lovely lilac dress is perfect for a spring wedding or any other special occasion. Even if that occasion is putting it in your closet until you find the perfect spot to wear it.

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The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her A.L.C. Moira Dress

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Photo: @KikiBarth

Originally posted at: Kiki Barth Purple Pleated Maxi Dress

There’s always a fine line between suggesting and telling. I have found this especially true when working with my clients.

My job is to teach you how to wear what you love, what fits, and what flatters, accentuate your shape and put it all together for your own personal style.

Sometimes changing the mindset needs some extra attention. In my years of styling Midlife women, I have seen it time and time again.

Why is this a thing?

Let me share why!

Let’s Take a Trip in the Waaaaay Back Machine!

Our first stop in the time machine journey is elementary (grammar) school circa mid to late 1960s. Girls were not allowed to wear pants of any type to school.

I vividly remember wearing essentially what was a jumpsuit without long pants. It was appropriate, and I loved it when my mother bought it at the Lemon Frog Shop at Sears! I couldn’t wait to wear it to school.

Until… lunch. It was then when the principal (a man) tapped me on my shoulder and said, “Susan, can you please come to my office.”

Yikes.

It was there that I learned girls were not allowed to wear pants, and I had to call my mother to bring me a change of clothes.

Ladies, this was traumatizing to me. And little did I know it was just the beginning of being told what I could not wear!

The Rules Continued

From the 6th grade to the working world, the rules of what was expected women to wear wore on (pardon this pun, I couldn’t resist).

When I entered the working world in the early 1980s, it was written in the HR policy, “Women were to wear skirts and or dresses. No pants of any type were allowed.”

Again, we were being told what we couldn’t wear.

And I will share that it was expensive to fill my closet full of ‘suits’ and dresses. Casual Corner was my go-to store during those times.

Then, single ladies became married ladies, and some went on to have families. Again, more labels and opportunities to be told what we couldn’t wear.

“You’re a mom; you can’t wear those jeans. You have to wear “Mom jeans.”

Then middle age entered, whether we were ready or not.

Another label, “Now that you’re over 50, you cannot wear that.” Perhaps it wasn’t as direct as other stages of our lives, but retailers made it quite clear what they thought of our clothing options for the midlife faction… pretty much zilch.

In fact, retailers really do not spend any of their marketing dollars reaching out to Baby Boomers, which is incredulous to me since we have the most spending power.

Our age does not dictate what we wear! Please read this again, lovelies!

Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

Whether you are a rule follower or not, I am here to tell you that you are free to wear what you want! But you probably already knew that, right?

When I work with my clients, we establish this from the beginning. What I do to make this a bit more simple and help them connect with their style is to have them address these two issues:

#1: What Makes You Happy

We gravitate to certain colors, textures, the way things are arranged and more. We want to pay close attention to this and identify why it matters. We are struck by how they make us feel. And there’s no reason that your clothes cannot reflect what lights you up!

Again, for decades, we’ve been told what we cannot wear, so sometimes our thinking is limited. When you surround yourself with what makes you feel good, things change.

Take a look at your surroundings; what colors are prevalent? What color combinations light you up? Are you attracted to specific textures? All of this matters.

I cannot tell you how many of my clients have connected with their true style by aligning it with their life experiences and what is important to them.

#2: Current Lifestyle

Are your clothes hanging in your closet right now? Do they support what you are doing right now in your life? If they aren’t, I encourage you to do a closet audit.

Then, I have my clients answer these questions to determine if the piece should stay as part of their wardrobe or perhaps be given to a charitable organization (where someone else can enjoy it as much as you did):

Have I Worn This in the Last Six Months?

Chances are if you haven’t, it may be time to take it out of your inventory. Many times, my clients who have had a life change such as retirement, still have their work clothes as part of their wardrobe. All those pieces are doing is taking up precious real estate. We should have what we love and what we wear in our closets.

Does It Fit?

Fit is so important when it comes to our clothes. If something that’s currently in your closet doesn’t fit can it be altered by a tailor? Or is it something that no longer serves you?

Do I Love This Piece?

How does this piece make you feel? Does it flatter your shape? Is the color right? We deserve to love our clothes, and I want you to take the time to really examine if what’s currently hanging in your closet makes you feel amazing every time you wear it – if it does, it stays!

Can the Piece Be Used to Create Three Outfits?

This is a game-changer, ladies. Our clothes should be able to ‘play nice’ together and work with what else is in our closets. When we don’t, we have ‘orphan pieces’, those tops or bottoms that really go with nothing. Again, pieces that are simply occupying space and not contributing to what we love.

You’re in the Driver’s Seat

As Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz told Dorothy, “You had the power all along, my dear.” The same is true for your style!

What we wear is so much more than clothes. It’s how they make you feel, the power that you give them when you put them on! Age is simply an image, and I help beautiful women, just like you, to decide how you portray that image every single day!

Cheers to your style, lovelies!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What is your experience with being told what you should or shouldn’t wear? At what time in your life did you feel the most restricted? Have you found your freedom of style?

Danielle Cabral’s Sequin Jacket

Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13 Episode 3 Fashion

Danielle Cabral’s looks Jersey Girl fab in her sequin jacket on tonight’s Real Housewives of New Jersey. I saw the most amazing clip of her this weekend from when she appeared on MTV in 2006 on  True Life: I’m a Staten Island Girl and I just cannot get over it. And while I really am a little obsessed with this Staten Island sweetie, I couldn’t be happier she landed in Jersey.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop Her Sequin Jacket on Amazon

Originally posted at: Danielle Cabral’s Sequin Jacket

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

Although Chrissy Teigen wrote on Instagram that “no one at all” asked about her skincare routine post-baby, we’re interested. The new mom of three is literally always glowing. Teigen’s nailed that “dewy but not greasy” glow thanks to a pretty streamlined skincare routine that includes products from her favorite skincare pros, her husband (yes, John Legend’s line!) and everyday best-sellers you might actually use, too.

Legend launched his brand, Loved01, just last month and it includes affordable skin and body care, specifically for melanin-rich skin. While it’s a much-needed brand, we’re also waiting impatiently for Teigen’s skincare line. No, she hasn’t announced anything but it has to happen. She’s been giving us the scoop on her favorite products for years. Her fans – including us — trust her when it comes to beauty products, whether it’s a pimple sticker or a luxe face oil.

So, in honor of Teigen’s “skincare routine post baby,” we’re rounding up a bunch of her favorites that you might just like, too.

Source: Instagram

iS Clinical.

iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance Plus

This unique serum contains olive leaf extract works and vitamin C to treat acne, rosacea and even contact dermatitis.

Shani Darden.

Shani Darden Retinol Reform

We can’t tell exactly which Shani Darden product she’s using but they’re all stellar, including the gentle retinol serum. 

iS Clinical.

iS Clinical Reparative Moisture Emulsion

This moisturizer hydrates and plumps skin with botanicals, peptides, marine extracts and antioxidants.

Loved01.

Loved01 Toning Mist

From Legend’s brand, this alcohol-free toner helps to minimize the appearance of pores and calm skin.

Zitsticka.

ZitSticka Killa Kit

Her favorite pimple stickers, that target up-and-coming zits, are currently on major sale.

Laneige.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Intense Hydration with Vitamin C

It looks like Teigen uses the original berry scent of this ultra-popular lip balm.

La Mer.

La Mer Crème de la Mer Moisturizer

Teigen has previously posted about her love for La Mer, admitting, “$$, I know I know. But I gotta be honest.”

La Mer.

La Mer The Concentrate Serum

She also loves this redness-reducing serum from the luxe brand.

Dr. Dennis Gross.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel Pads

Teigen previously said these exfoliating pads are “so important for on and around my nose and chin…You’ll notice a HUGE difference!!”

Le Prunier.

Le Prunier Plum Beauty Oil

Her love for this antioxidant-rich plump oil caused it to sell out. It’s back!

“Stifter, Adele Zita Saltarrelli slipped away on a ray of sunshine between snowstorms at 11:17am on November 17, 2022 with family at her bedside.” This is the opening line of the obituary I wrote for my mom. I had kept vigil with my younger siblings in the week preceding her death.

We all knew what was coming, and still, this grief has been complex and surprising for me; a deeply emotional and intensely physical process. 

During the days before Mom’s death, there were long periods of intense stillness. While sitting quietly in her room, conversing in whispers with my sisters and brother, sadness settled into my chest. I caught myself holding my breath at times and had to remember that it was OK for me to breathe, even as it was becoming more difficult for my mom.

Then, there was all the heavy physical exertion and subsequent soreness of clearing her apartment, packing and moving out boxes of belongings and heavy furniture, while simultaneously processing a flood of emotions. 

I canceled my teaching schedule for the last few weeks of November. Couldn’t imagine instructing a class to move when all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch and watch Netflix. My clients were very understanding.

I slept in and let my mind wander. By mid-December, I was taking slow walks. Soon, I returned to my routines. Part of what helped me was discovering a simple program designed by my colleague Carla Harless. It’s called Move Through Grief. 

As with Any Other Natural Human Process, Grief Requires Movement

Like me, Carla is a Restorative Exercise Specialist. “I am a movement teacher and massage therapist, not an expert on grief. But I have had numerous experiences with the deaths of many beloved family members and friends. I see the need for supporting those left behind and I am doing so in the way that I know how. Being with my mom as she navigates the end of her life is the catalyst for Move Through Grief. This is not only for others but for me as well.”

Carla believes that physically “moving through grief, helps to metabolize your feelings… moving the grief as you move… redistributing the weight, the heaviness of loss, allowing it to become a lighter load to bear.” And she’s designed a series of unique movement practices and self-care techniques to help tend to these physical aspects of grief.

As many of you no doubt have also experienced, the impact of grief can be hard on the body, mind and spirit. The grieving process requires an enormous amount of energy. It may cloud your thoughts, keep you up at night or flood you with a range of emotions from anger to guilt, sadness and confusion.

My mom was cared for by Brighton Hospice, a wonderful organization that continues to support our family through written resources, personal counseling and an online bereavement group. But nowhere in their materials is there any information on the importance of movement.

The Four Daily Do’s

Carla has created a program of daily practices and behaviors to aid the grieving process that she calls “The Daily Do’s.” These are: 

• Sufficient Sleep
• Nasal Breathing
• Viewing Sunlight
• Walking Outside

I’ve linked each of these to Instagram posts where Carla demonstrates or teaches her method. She also offers a downloadable PDF. It hangs on my refrigerator, because here’s the thing with grief, it can keep you from taking even the simplest steps to self-care. Any of us may experience moments of fear, anger and grief that can seem immobilizing. 

“The most simple thing,” Carla says “is to tend to your sleep hygiene, which starts with regulating your circadian rhythm, which affects your hormones.” Besides the physical and mental health benefits, Carla says her program can become a ritual for self-care.

How Viewing Sunlight Helps Regulate Stress

I’ve previously written for Sixty and Me about how to get a good night’s sleep. Taking a walk outside offers time for reflection, fresh air and exercise. Click on Carla’s demonstration of the benefits of nasal breathing to see how to reduce stress by tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system. But viewing sunlight? That one might surprise you.

Stepping outside to fill your eyes with natural light first thing in the morning is a free natural resource for resetting your internal clock for sleep (and alertness).

The recipe is: 

• 2-10 minutes of morning light when the sun is low on the horizon 
• viewed without sunglasses and 
• without looking directly into the sun.

Even when it’s cloudy, these 10 minutes are a non-negotiable part of my daily self-care routine. It takes 1-2 weeks to feel the effects of this practice. Try it! I’ve never slept better.

Everyone’s Grief Is Different

To quote from Brighton Hospice’s handout, The Impact of Grief, “We often do not realize the many ways grief can affect us: physically, emotionally, mentally, behaviorally and relationally. Grief expresses itself differently in each individual because each relationship is unique.” 

In the three months since my mom’s death, I’ve carried her memory with me on my daily walk in the woods, and I enjoy wearing bright turquoise and silver earrings she gifted me last summer. One morning I woke up missing her deeply and remembered that I saved her last voicemail message. The tears flowed down as I listened to her calling just to say she missed seeing me and that we’ll talk the next time we can get together.

My mom was well-prepared for her death and able to talk about it. That has helped me in my grief. Along with adding the Daily Do’s to my own regular movement practices. If, or should I say when, you experience the loss of a loved one, I hope you find this resource as helpful as I have.

Let’s Start a Conversation:

Comment with the name of a loved one you have lost. How has that grief felt in your body? What rituals or practices have helped you move through grief?