Hello Darlings,

Although I avoid the topic of family, friends and relationships, those are the most important parts of my life. I feel very blessed with my family and the people that I have in my life. I am especially reminded of this during the holidays.

Being an immigrant, I am separated from close family by an ocean and thousands of kilometers. Although I did not have all of the family members present, the traditions that we carry on in Canada bring us together. As a practicing Greek-Catholic, I attend church regularly and value my traditions. Keeping up our faith has been in my family for generations, therefore, the holiday seasons are filled with traditions, family and lots of food.

I was fully prepared for Easter festivities. And no, I am not referring to preparing the Easter basket, I am referring to my wardrobe choices, naturally!

Hello Darlings,

Have you ever had one of those days when you just want to hide, snuggle under a fuzzy blanket and watch re-runs of Sex and the City. Well, the other day was exactly THAT kind of a day and to put a cherry on an un- fabulous cake, I had a very special event to attend.

One of my dear friends and fellow bloggers, Anthea from Clothes Line Finds, was shooting the final scenes for her documentary at designer-blessed The Room which is a haven for all things beautiful and fabulous located on the third floor of The Bay on Queen Street in downtown Toronto. I’ve been told over and over again this is where fashion-addicts’ dreams come true: well, I wish this fashion-addict had a Visa card for a shopping spree like on the show What To Wear

So there I was, standing in my bathroom mirror, fidgeting my life away, observing my hair, which appeared to have gotten into a fight with my blow dryer. My life would have been over long ago if not for Moroccan Oil, but today the coiffure gods were punishing me for not noticing that I was out of my not-so-secret hair remedy. Still, I managed to tame the beast another way. I took out my favorite YSL magic wand to cover blemishes that occasionally visit, and hide the dark circles that cloud under my eyes during that special time of the month. I then EVEN decided to outline my eyes with eyeliner, a move sooooo rare that the last time I did was New Year’s Eve. I wasn’t getting dressed to impress - I was getting dressed to kill! Well, that was what I kept telling myself while listening to Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="698" caption="Anthea with Marcus Kan from à la mode"][/caption]

I decided to be fierce (this word always makes me chuckle when I actually use it!) and ignore the day’s “beluga complex” and take out a mini skirt. Ladies, this is definitely the perfect choice on a day when you feel like you’re the size of a whale! Nothing says comfort like strutting your stuff in a flirty mini, even if you don’t feel all that flirty. Keep your chin up and walk like you have somewhere fabulous to be, even if it is a grocery store!

You know that if it was not for this crummy frame of mind that makes even the strongest of us want to eat chocolate and hide; you can be surprised how much better things can get when you feel you do look killer. If you don’t believe it, a gentle smile from a random cutie and a comment on “your cute outfit” is bound to change your outlook from dumpy to fabulous! The last thing that you should do on “THOSE” days is dress dumpy: put on those heels and just get out there! Just remember that you look gorgeous!

I am wearing:

♥ Marc by Marc Jacobs Coat in Sandshell Khaki Trench

♥ Club Monaco Italian Cashmere Sweater

♥ Winter Kate "Tilda" Silk Chiffon Skirt in Vintage

♥ Calvin Klein Sheer Pantyhose

♥ Michael Kors Watch

♥ L.A.M.B Girogie Bootie

♥ Z Spoke by Zac Posen Leather Tote

Still not convinced? Well, in my first year Sociology class we learned this concept while studying delusion, mental instability and society: If you pretend long enough, you are bound to eventually believe something. In this case, this was about people who are constantly lying to themselves and eventually come to mistake that lie for reality. On another side, American novelist Kurt Vonnegut said, “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”

You choose your world! For me, whenever I don’t feel my best, or when I feel insecure, I spend that extra time getting ready and it usually does wonders for my self- esteem. Try it! To satisfy the chocolate craving, visit the Godiva store and treat yourself to a Godiva Chocolate Decadence. It takes fabulous to a whole new level! Disregard a fact that you already feel like a whale and just do it… my trick is to wear a loose coat on top for when I just want coverage :P Show some leg and flaunt those heels, but hide your mid-section with a beautiful flow-y top or throw on a loose fitting jacket.

To summarize:

When feeling like a whale on “THOSE” days:

Do spend extra time on yourself.

Be prepared to spend even more time on your hair or just pull it back into a neat pony or high bun.

Do show those gorgeous legs of yours by wearing a fitting pair of pants or a skirt.

Don’t forget to add a pair of heels for extra fabulousness

Do indulge in a chocolate. This is not the time for guilt!

Do wear a flow-y top or a loose jacket. It will make you feel more secure and comfortable.

Do smile!

And do enjoy your day!

What makes you feel better during one of THOSE days....????

When feeling dumpy what makes you feel fabulous?

With Love...

Marta

Post proofread by Iris Braunstein

Hello Darlings,

Every spring, I do spring cleaning on my own exterior - there is no better way to put it. This time of the year I book a facial, change my skin care routine, stock up on SPF 50, purchase lots of bright nail polishes, use my favorite Kerastase hair mask extensively, and of course, go brighter with my hair! This year, I was lucky to be a part of Spa week and invited to receive a treatment at Samsara Day Spa in Forest Hill, Toronto. The treatments were perfect for for my spring “cleaning” :)

Along with shedding layers and saying goodbye to winter clothes, there’s also dull winter skin that every girlie wants to leave behind. Nothing makes me feel worse than flaky skin or dry hair; but with years of trying I have found few remedies that truly work.

Hello Darlings,

Spending ten days in Texas was fantastic. And I am very proud to announce that I did it all with only a carry-on :) As for those curious as to "Why Texas ?"... well, the answer is South by Southwest Interactive and the Maple Leaf Digital Lounge, which showcased some of the best in Canadian digital medial technology.

An opportunity to visit one of the leading social and digital medial conference's in the world presented itself and I was just too eager to hop on it :) Geek meets chic indeed...