The mantra ‘Slow & Steady’ has being going around in my head for the last week. You’re probably asking why? Well as most of you know by now, I have a gorgeous three month old, Jack. (See picture). He is delightful and the absolute apple of my eye. However along with him, came 30lbs of extra weight. I have managed to shed 20lbs but am now left with 10lbs which seem impossible to shift. I have to keep reminding my self that ‘Slow & Steady’ wins in the long term. It is amazing how 10lbs can affect self confidence and self esteem so I have to keep reminding myself (like I tell all my clients) to hang in there and eventually the weight will come off and not to put off living in the mean time. I would love to hear how you are doing if you have been struggling with that 2, 5, 10 or even 40lbs extra. Aileen x

One of the questions I am frequntly asked is ‘Can I wear a belt?’. The answer is yes in most cases but your figure type must be taken into consideration. If you are short waisted (That is you cannot fit 2 hand spans comfortably between your waist line and under your bust)then wearing a belt is trickier. For instance, in theory as an hourglass, belts should look great on me, however with a shorter waist and a bigger bust, I have to take great care with belting. A belt tends to shorten the upper torso and make it look heavier especially when worn in a contrasting colour. If you have a shorter waist, I would advise that you wear a thin belt in a similar or toning colour to your outfit.
Here are my suggestions for different figure types:
Hourglass & Pear/ Long Waisted – You can wear most types of belt on your natural waist
Hourglass & Pear/ Short Waisted – Thin belt in similar or toning colour to your outfit
Rectangles & Inverted Triangles/ Long Waisted – Wear thicker belts in a darker colour than your outfit and this will create the illusion of a slimmer waist
Rectangles & Inverted Triangles/ Short Waisted, Plus sized & Rounded Figures should avoid belting in the waist ares as this will emphasis your problems – Try belting at the empire waist which will cinch you in at the thinnest part of your body.

Some of you may have noticed that the letters after my name have changed recently from AICI FLC to AICI CIP. AICI stands for The Association of Image Consultants International, a worldwide organisation for the education and certification of image professionals. FLC stands for First Level Certification and CIP stands for Certified Image Professional. I was absolutely thrilled in May to receive my CIP certification from AICI, which took over 2 years of hard work and effort.
I was doubly thrilled to be awarded the rising star award at this years AICI conference in LA (See picture above of Christina Ong, president of our local Singapore chapter accepting award on my behalf)- I didn’t go to conference this year having just given birth:)The Rising Star Award is given to a new member of AICI who has achieved accelerated success in the image industry.
For more on AICI go to www.aici.org

I often struggle when it comes to choosing a stylish travel outfit as the discomfort of the dreaded long haul flight looms ahead. Comfort is top of mind but it doesn’t mean that one need look like a slob. I have put together some idea’s above and you can change these to fit your style personality. I love the smart casual look especially when I am travelling for business, whereas I tend to opt for the natural comfortable look when travelling back home. The velour shell suit is a fantastic option when you want to be comfortable but also sexy – Well you never know who you might end up sitting beside:)
Don’t forget that layering is a great option so that you can shed a layer if things get a bit hot. More often, I tend to be cold so I tend to wear long sleeved T’s inside my hoodie or jacket.

Aileen’s Wedding Outfit by Aileen Lane featuring Marc Jacobs shoes

This is the outfit I plan to wear to my brother in laws wedding at the end of June. As a typical 8 hourglass with longer legs and a short waist, this will highlight all my best bits- small waist & long slim legs. The little black beaded bolero cardi is ideal to cover my not so desirable upper arm area and heaving bust! (Only 11 weeks after giving birth so I am really hoping that it will reduce in next couple of weeks.) I have chosen a purple clutch as it is a direct contrast to yellow and adds some fun to a very classic outfit.

Are you always on an endless hunt for the perfect shoe, but never finding the ones you quite imagined. Well Leapin Lizards is the answer to all your problems, their shoes are customed made!! allowing you to get the perfect style accompanied with that cinderella fit. What’s more is they are custom made at a reasonable price, ranging from $70 for synthetic materials and around $120 for leather, suede. Leapin Lizards make shoes of fabulous quality at fabulous prices.

For more information about this great shoe shop visit: http://www.nutri-style.com/AugustNewsletter2008.php

Ruffles having been splashing their way through the pages of Vogue at the moment, and can look great if you want to make a dramatic style statement. However, if you do decide to try this new look there are some ruffle do’s and dont’s.

Ruffles can accentuate any area of the body, so watching your proportions is key. For instance, for the small busted, ruffles across the bust line are great, as they will give volume to the area. However, for those with a larger bust, is a ruffle dont! as it will only add unnecessary volume to the area leaving you top heavy and unbalanced.

Ruffles at work must also be thought out carefully, so always keep in mind your position in work and what impression you want to give out. In a creative field, ruffles are great as they reflect a fun fashion statement. Where as an office environment they may not be ideal as they can be viewed as soft and feminine.

For more Ruffle do’s and dont’s visit http://www.nutri-style.com/AugustNewsletter2008.php

Hello all,
I picked up a book my husband was reading recently and I could not put it down. The book is entitled Green For Life by Victoria Boutenko and I am absolutely blown away by it. It talks about using green smoothies to incorporate more greens into your diet. I tried some of the suggested smoothies, expecting them to be awful. In actual fact they are really tasty and completely addictive. I have one a couple of times a day now and am even considering getting a blender for work. I strongly recommend the book and the smoothies.

My favourite smoothie so far is:

4 Cups of mixed lettuce
1 Banana
1/4 Cup Blueberries
2 Cups water
Blend Well

There are many more delicious recipes available in the book as well as numerous testimonials on how green drinks benefit your health. The biggest advantage to me so far is that they are actually really tasty, low calorie and absolutely jam packed with vitamins and minerals. There is no other way I would be able to consume up to eight cups of greens any other way.

I encourage you to give this one a try and let me know how you get on.

Aileen xx

The days are flying by and every day, we are one step closer to moving to our new office – Very exciting. It is also a bit sad as my little office in Delfi has served me well and I have forged some great relationships with the people around me;
Marly next door – Always ready to help out even on the day I managed to lose my keys and lock myself out!
Dominic downstairs at visage – Absolutely fabulous with hair colour and many is the client he has rescued from the brink of hair hell.
Of course there is our Chinese medicine practitioner next store – Always with a friendly wave and smile. We won’t miss the smell though
I can’t fail to mention our friends at Rocky Masters – Many is the reviving cup of coffee they served us.
Though change is always a bit scary; I am looking forward to finding new haunts and making new friends at our new space.
I look forward to seeing you at my new office from 1st July onwards.
Aileen

If you love your Vintage Fashion and enjoy mixing the different decades, it’s helpful to know what each era was renowned for.
1920′s Fashion: Also Known as the Flapper Era, fashion took on a more liberated appearance. Skirts got shorter and more relaxed. Low waisted dresses with fullness at the hemline allowed women to kick up their heels. Pleats, Gathers, slits and anything that screamed motion were extremely popular.

1930′s Fashion: Robust curves influenced fashion and took on a more gentle, feminine appearance. The bias cut was very popular as was draping in sinuous folds around the curves of the body. Necklines changes to Halter and Cowl Neck. The appearance was very Glamorous and costume jewelry was often worn.

1940′s Fashion: The Second World War had a big influence on Fashion. Style was very uniformed and simple to appear patriotic. A “make do and mend” attitude was adopted and due to the shortage of leather , the cork heel was introduced, other fashionable items included The Turban, The Siren Suit and The Kangaroo Cloak.

1950′s Fashion: Fashion for women returned with full force with an emphasis on 2 silhouettes, The Full Skirt and The Slim Pencil Skirt. The cinched waist was very popular and necks were adorned with pearls or beads. Shoes were often very high with round or peep toes.

1960′s Fashion: Young adults became the leaders in Fashion and with them they brought radical and innovative flair. Mini Skirts, Shift Dresses and knits were extremely popular. Stiletto’s made way for flat boots and kitten heels. This era saw a rise in synthetic materials that took off globally.

1970′s Fashion: As women became more liberated so did their fashion. The Empire Line was introduced and designers loved Mini Skirts, Maxi Dresses and Halter Neck Catsuits in exotic prints and fabrics, Eastern countries were a major influence. India, Africa and Morocco were captured in flowy Kaftan’s and Tunics and were often trimmed with gold and silver metallic’s.

What is your favorite era and where do you shop in Singapore to find your beloved Vintage Pieces?

Simone