Packing Essentials

Posted on August 20, 2008 by Natalie

Dear Readers,

As a follow-up to my last post, I want to share a my list of Elan Image Management’s travel essentials.

To ensure you travel comfortably make sure to consider these 30 essentials as part of your travel must-haves in your carry on and purse:
1.   Bean bag neck pillow
2.   Hand sanitizer
3.   Water bottle
4.   Shawl/pashmina/cardigan
5.   Change of Underwear
6.   Toiletries
7.   Travel docs
8.   Camera
9.   Cell phone
10.   Contact lens supplies/ Eye-glasses
11.   Ear plugs
12.   Eye mask
13.   Socks
14.   Breath mints or Listerine Strips
15.   I-Pod or equivalent
16.   A great paperback book or magazine
17.   Laptop
18.   Sunglasses
19.   Makeup
20.   Snacks
21.   Jewelry you will use on your trip
22.   Medicines you must take daily
23.   Swimsuit (if tropical destination)
24.   Coat (if cold destination)
25.   Suit (if business trip)
26.   Anything breakable
27.   Your personal docs (insurance, credit card etc)
28.   Anything precious that you must take with you
29.   Emergency contact numbers/addresses
30.   Pen

The Image Diva, Elan Image Management

Travelling with Élan

Posted on August 15, 2008 by Natalie

Dear Readers,

Packing for a trip fills many women with angst. What to pack, how much, how to mix and match, what clothes will we need for what occasions? It is overwhelming! No wonder many of us back in the day, just topped off our suitcases to the brim with the hopes of figuring out our wardrobe once we reach our destination. But in these days of heavy travel restrictions and weight limitations on luggage we really need to pack smarter and wiser. I’m here to help. With a little planning and organization and a few general guidelines you too can travel with Élan.

Essentially you want to get as many items to do double duty as much as possible so items should mix and match and be color coordinated as much as possible. Look for ‘blendable’ items either in terms of color or versatility. A blendable item can be a tunic that can double as a dress or a long top or a swimsuit coverup. Or a long skirt that can also double as a dress. Lightweight cardigans are great as they can be toppers for skirts, dresses or pants and can be worn alone or with a cami or T.

Have handy a collection of high quality undepinning like T’s and camis in a variety of styles. You want to have different necklines (scoop, V, boat neck or crew), lengths, (short or hip length) sleeve (cap, short, ¾ or long) and colors. With camis have simple tanks, a few with more feminine details like lace or embroidery and a variety of colors or prints. Camis can be worn alone, under a jacket, cardigan or shirt, or on top of a T! Look for camis with built in bras for optimal versatility. Look for fabrics like cotton, or cotton nylon blends that tend to be wrinkle free. And when selecting colors invest in underpinning in your best neutrals and your power colors, which can include red, navy, brown, ivory, heather grey, black, teal, wine, turquoise are great choices.

Pack your lightest and most versatile shoes. You want a black or brown option to match your basics. A metallic or wine/cranberry can be a great second choice. And you always want to wear a shoe to the airport that can double as a walking shoe or casual shoe. Ballet flats are a great lightweight option to travel in as are wedges or espadrilles in summer.

You want to travel with a great structured tote that can double as a shopping bag or beach bag depending on where you travel to. For travel, stack your tote with all your absolute must haves like travel documents, magazines, wallet, camera and jewelry.

A cashmere cardigan is always a great travel companion as is a great knee length A line jersey/knit dress.

For longer trips I always love to recommend a statement making jacket that can be dressed up or down.

A great fitting dark wash pair of jeans is a inimitable travel essential as is a figure flattering white shirt.

If traveling somewhere warm, a sundress in a pretty color or print is an absolute must!

For a long weekend, pack:

3 tops

2 bottoms

1 dress

2 pairs of shoes (plus the one you travel in)

This easily gives you 5 outfits. If you exercise carry yoga pants that can double as lounge wear or exercise wear.

For a week long trip, pack:

5 tops

4 bottoms

2 -3 dresses

3 pairs of shoes (plus the one you travel in)

In this case you want to have 5 solid outfits planned out from head to toe. Add underpinning likes T’s and camis and you should have 10 outfit options in case your mood, weather or change in activities demand otherwise. You want to have at least 1 bottom be a skirt. Your tops should include blouses/shirts, cardigans and or jackets. Then you underpinnings can pull all those together. Dresses are great because they are a no brainer and are an outfit in themselves. Just be sure to bring accessories so you can mix things up a bit. Rotate your tops and bottoms and you have myriad options.

Look for an upcoming post on packing essentials. Happy Travels!

The Image Diva, Elan Image Management

Does Beauty have a Premium?

Posted on August 14, 2008 by Natalie

Dear Readers,

Sometimes image is everything-even when it comes to a young Chinese singer who was chosen to sing ‘ode to the Motherland’ at the 2008 Olympics opening ceremony. Many onlookers and reporters lauded the girl in the red dress who sang for the occasion.
But this week it was uncovered that the young girl, Lin Miaoke, who everyone saw sing at the ceremony was ‘lent’ someone else’s voice, a 7 year old singer Yang Peivi. The reason? Apparently Yang’s uneven teeth, were considered potentially damaging to China’s international image.

Yang Peiyi (left) was replaced by Lin Miaoke who mimed "Ode to the Motherland" to Yang’s voice

According to a report by Guardian writer Tania Branigan, the decision came following high-level discussions – which included a member of the Politburo – on the relative photogenicity of small children.

As Branigan reports, Chen Qigang, the event’s general music designer, explained to a Beijing radio station, "This is in the national interest. It is the image of our national music, national culture. Especially the entrance of our national flag; this is an extremely important, extremely serious matter,"

"We made the decision that the voice we would use was Yang Peiyi’s. The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feelings, and expression. "Lin Miaoke is excellent in those aspects. But in the aspect of voice, Yang Peiyi is flawless," he explained.
"I think it is fair to both Lin Miaoke and Yang Peiyi. That is to say, we have a perfect voice, and a perfect image and representation – in our team’s view – combined together."

According to Branigan, it appears that Lin, already a veteran of TV adverts, may not have been aware that Yang’s voice was used. Chen said they had recordings of both girls and their voices were fairly similar.

Interestingly, research by Daniel Hamermesh, an economist at the University of Texas, has suggested that the "beauty premium" in parts of China is far more pronounced than in the west for women. Dr Hamermesh’s work shows that unattractive people earn below the average income while beautiful people earn more.

This is taking the notion of ‘image is everything’ to a whole other level. So is it true that beauty has a premium? Even here in the US this bias is very prevalent, with everyday women subjecting themselves to plastic surgery, starvation diets and negative body perceptions to fit some beauty standard concocted by whom? The media? Men? Society at large? Clothing designers? All of the above?

So sadly, it appears, even though beauty should be in the eye of the beholder, ‘standards’ of beauty are created in every culture—some more critical than others. It would be nice though, when considering the self esteem of young girls especially, that we leave them out of these prejudices.

The Image Diva, Elan IMage Management

A Few of Their (My) Favorite Things

Posted on August 3, 2008 by Natalie

Dear Readers,

Ever considered what are a few of your favorite fashion must haves? We all should have a few fashion items we absolutely love though we may not consciously think of it that way. Maybe it’s your favorite pair of jeans that you can’t get enough of? Or a jacket that you rock when you want to leave a huge impact? Or a piece of jewelry that when you wear it, always provides a pick me up and make you feel pretty. Or your favorite white shirt that goes with everything. Whatever it may be, think about it and consider whether this item still serves you or whether it is time to purchase some new favorites! Or if you can’t think of a favorite , it’s time to get inspired!

Today’s post highlights a few celeb favorites and a couple of mine to get you thinking of what you love in your closet that you keep turning back to time and time again. Photos courtesy of www.people.com.
Many women have a favorite handbag. For Cameron Diaz and Hale Berry, this summer it is all about their tan Gerard Darel crochet handbag! In the photo below Cameron is seen with the bag on a casual summer outing, a dressier occasion where she is donned in all black and what looks like a trip back from the gym. Ladies a great bag can translate to many different occasions. For Hale, the bag is an accessory to a long blue print maxi dress, a shopping trip and on her way to somewhere casual (but she is still well accessorized!) What is cool about the bag is its neutral understated color and size making it a smart accessory that can go with pretty much anything. And because it is crochet it makes it own statement.

For Eva Longoria Parker and Natalie Portman its their favorite earring. Eva favors a circular duster earring in gold that she wears casually and on dressier occasions. The shape and size work with her face and hair whether she is sporting an updo or letting it all hang out. Natalie was loving her Tiffany diamond drop earring at Cannes where she posed with many beautiful and colorful dresses mostly from designer Lanvin. Whether she wore, blue, red or violet, her diamonds were her favorite accessory at that event. And in all cases, she wore her hair up, befitting the classically chic look she favors right now.

Jennifer Anniston has a signature style that is pretty basic but it works for her every time. She doesn’t wear a lot of color (black or white are her colors of choice), her hair is pretty much always in the same blown out style and her makeup is usually very natural. Accessories? Pretty basic and very understated. And she loves her jeans and fitted T’s. She is such a great example of effortless style. Every once in a while though, she’ll surprise us and mix it up a little. Lately she has been seen styled with a pink Matta scarf tied loosely and absentmindedly around her neck (again making it look SO easy). It works and provides a pop of color and whimsy while still keeping her signature sporty style intact.

V Beckham, the ultimate fashionista, clearly has many favorites fashion items. But is she ever without her signature large sunglasses? Of course not! And lately she has been wearing her own designer brand. They are humongous and dark and circular with a few well placed angles but they flatter her edgy hair and angular face marvelously.

I would be remiss if I did not mention some of my favorites. In the photo below I am wearing a striped color block scarf that I got from Nordstroms a few years ago. It has almost all my favorite colors in it, is lightweight enough to wear 8 months out of the year, and whether it goes with everything or not I make it work. Yes I do! Case in point: here I am wearing the scarf with an Asian print green and brown floral tunic. I am mixing stripes with a floral folks, yes I am. But I pull it together because I pick up the green and brown panels in the scarf that blend with the colors in the tunic.
I wear this scarf often. If I was famous enough to be photographed by paparazzi, this scarf would be a very prominent feature in my photos. I love it! Whether I am wearing neutrals or color, print or solids, this scarf provides my much needed desire for color around me AND it is functional—it keeps my neck warm in transitional and cold seasons. And because it is an oblong shape I can wrap it in a variety of ways.

A few of my favorites in the summer? My silver butterfly earrings (a gift from my sister), and Fendi sunglasses in the summer. The earrings are silver hoops with a twist with my favorite symbol—the butterfly. I put them on I feel so me. The sunglasses are not the typical big, dark, round frames everyone wears (and I have those too)—you can see my eyes and they provide just enough glare blockage to keep me from squinting. And I love how they look when I pull them away from my face because they lay flatter on my head than most sunglasses. Here they are, two ways in the photos below. Oh and that pink and white dress in the first picture? Another summer favorite. A day dress that fits and flatters and makes me feel very girlie!