Good Reads: The Little Black Book of Style

This book is quite a fun and informative read. Nina Garcia keeps her voice light throughout, with a few funny moments that are genuinely surprised. I'm not a huge fan of 'Project Runway' and therefore was a little surprised the narrator is a judge on the hit show. I had no expectations upon beginning, but had hear her tone tended to be dry and even condescending -- this is the infamous Nina Garcia, after all.

But I was quite surprised. Especially around my first laugh-at-loud moment, when she discusses the importance of buying shoes that actually fit your feet and not just your budget: "Toes spilling out of a pair of strappy, sexy sandals is a very painful sight. I do not wince out of sympathy for your feet. I side with the shoes."

The rules of style never really change -- however, Nina Garcia does a great job at giving you the tools to edit your closet, your shopping habits and helping you discover and create your own style.

Aside from the usual advice one gets from style manuals, she provides a chapter on finding your fashion inspiration, complete with a bulleted lists of movies and rock fashion icons. She also has an entire chapter of quick question and answer sessions from fashion professionals such as John Galliano, Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Oscar De La Renta, etc.

However, at the end of the text I found that I wanted to read more of her own experiences with style and fashion. These moments in the book were by far the high points. While I did like the inclusion of so many lists, her voice was lost sometimes lost among all of the bullet points. Which is a shame, because some of her life stories are truly unique, such as the one about her mother's live-in seamstress (this is by far my favorite part of the book). 

Overall, this book was a fun, informative read that left me smiling for the rest of the day. I highly suggest it, no matter what your level of fashion or style experience may be.

xoxo

Monthly Reads: July

Jennifer Harris is able to do what every adolescent girl hopes for--she reinvents herself between middle school and high school from the tubby outcast with a lisp to a beautiful individual with all the right friends. She loses weight, changes her name to Jenna, transfers schools and even gets the perfect boyfriend. But she also has the same fears as every teenage girl--she is afraid that all of the perfect people in her perfect life will see past the skinny exterior and expose her for the fraud she believes she is.

At first glance, this book may seem like a pretty mainstream YA novel about a girl struggling with self-image. But there is so much more depth to Jenna's life, and thanks to the return of her childhood best friend Cameron Quick, Jenna begins to see that she is a lot stronger than she first believes.

Though this novel is about childhood sweethearts and the love that binds them through shared experiences as well as time apart, this is not a teen romance. It is the story of how people help us see who we truly are and that we have the inner strength to face our pasts, no matter how horrific, and live up to a greater future.

I found this book both relatable and powerful without being over the top or trite. It elicited a lot of emotions that I am still coming to terms with even hours after finishing, and I'm sure I'll still be thinking about it even days from now. With rich characters and a totally new concept, I enjoyed every minute of this book.

Must Have Summer Read...

I know what it's like to be that girl on a budget, and yet, I never like my style or closet to suffer because of it. I came across Andrea Pomerantz, How to Look Expensive, and I must confess -- I am in love. 

The book will take you through various tips and tricks on how to perfect your style, and not break the bank at the same time. She covers all aspects from beauty, hair and makeup and provides insider secrets on when to splurge and when save. 

Since I'm always looking for ways to amp up my style or perfect my look, its nice to keep Pomerantz text on hand. 

xoxo 

Plum 

Fitness Finds

My current fad? Health and Fitness. 

I am currently on a mission to not only reshape my personal lifestyle {currently being: lazy} to one with more physical activity, and healthier lifestyle choices. 

Currently my eating habits are less than healthy [extremely unhealthy] which seems to stem from my complete lack of self control. The way my mind currently functions: If I want it, I get it. Which is the same motto I have for shoveling food into the endless abyss that is my stomach. 

But soon to change. I am currently on a mission to reshape my lifestyle and opt for healthier choices. 

The Green Smoothie Bible is a great place to start in my opinion. The text will provide you with health and fitness insights for those of us that are less than knowledgeable in the larger world of healthy eating. My number one problem in the past was having to chew vegetables (this sounds extremely childish yet true) and when I discovered the beauty of the green smoothie, a new hope arose on the horizon. 

The book gives more than 300 recipes for blending both fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. 

After training with a personal trainer at LA Fitness for more than 5 months -- it's time to step my game up. I have achieved a level of fitness which has gotten me off the couch and into physical activity {a nice pat on the back thank you, this was a difficult feat}. 

My trainer (contact info listed below) -- has now suggested a diet plan wrought with vegetables and fruit. The Green Smoothie Bible has now become my companion. In the hour where snacking might sneak up, or in those instances which you need a power push to the end of the day -- the never ending combinations of fruits and vegetables is exactly what is needed. 

Stay tuned for my health and fitness updates! 

xoxo 

Plum 

LA Fitness 

(305) 592-6577

8181 NW 12th St, Doral, FL 33126

Schedule your training assessment with Mario.