There is a new book out that I’ve bought and am going to send to my daughter Kristen in college. I told her on chapter night Sundays, I want her and her friends to read a chapter a night of the book!  She probably won’t, but it’s worth a shot.

The book is titled “How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World:  The Art of Living with Style, Class and Grace.”  I loved the title and the cover the minute I saw them.  A little black dress, pearls, and Jackie O sunglasses on a Tiffany blue cover.  What’s not to love?

It is written by Jordan Christy who is a publicist for Warner Bros. Records; lives in Nashville; and has worked with many artists, celebrities and media outlets and written for various fashion and music magazines.  She’s young, modern, and fashion-forward so I figure she knows what she’s writing about.

Don’t take my word for it, here’s a snip-it from the book’s inner flap:   “In a society driven by celebutante news and Facebook profiles, women of class, style, and charm are hard to come by.  The Audreys and Katharines of the world continue to lose their luster as thongs, rehab, and outrageous behavior burn up the daily headlines.  But, despite appearances, guys still want girls they can take home to their moms, employers still like to see a tailored suit, and peers still respect good manners….”   Can I hear an Amen?!

With chapter titles including “Keep Your Chin Up and Your Skirt Down,” “Choose Your Friends Wisely,” and “Dress to Impress” but “Less is More,” the book is bound to have words of wisdom for today’s young girls and even maturing women.  

We start ‘em young these days.  I teach preschool at my church and am often amazed by how many 3-and 4-year-old little girls are dressed like teenagers.  What’s happened to innocence?  What’s happened to wholesomeness?    

One hint might be to look around at moms today…not necessarily the ones I work with…but those everywhere.  Just as toddlers are dressing like teens, so are moms.  Why?!  What’s happened to aging gracefully?  I remember when my daughter was in high school she would tell me she’d be mortified if I dressed like a number of moms did.  They don’t want us to look like them ladies, they want us to be ladies!  Even though you have the figure and the size you’re hoping for fits, it doesn’t mean the outfit looks good and is the right choice.   Keep this simple rule in mind a friend of mine in the fashion industry once told me:  if you wore it the first time it was trendy, when it comes back around you’re too old to wear it again.  Examples:  I sported ponchos and what we called “bell bottoms” when they first came out many moons ago.  I’m too old to wear them now and will gladly leave them to the 20-somethings.

Thankfully Kristen has excellent albeit emerging style.  She’s had ingrained in her head my mantra that casual doesn’t me sloppy and formal doesn’t mean slutty.  I’ve also told her I don’t love her favorite bandage skirts that are too short and I don’t agree with her sometimes “If you’ve got it flaunt it” attitude.  Instead, I prefer she live by the famous rules of legendary Hollywood fashion maven Edith Head, who said. “Your clothes should be tight enough to show you’re a woman but loose enough to show you’re a lady.”  I can’t force Kristen to believe that, but I hope she does believe that being noticed and envied for your clothes aren’t the same as being respected.  As Coco Chanel once said, “A girl should be two things:  classy and fabulous.”  She didn’t say anything about cool, flashy or even sexy.  Cool, is overrated.

Quite possibly, none other than Audrey Hepburn might have had it right all along when she said:

If all else fails, simply always act like you’re wearing an invisible crown.  If you feel like a queen, you just may act like one.

 So, who do I suggest looking to for style tips?  Well it’s certainly not Snooki, a Kardashian, or Lady GaGa.  Instead how about any or all of these stylish celebs:

The simple & elegant Jennifer Aniston

Designer Carolina Herrera

The incomprable Kate

Reese Witherspoon

Lauren Conrad

Camilla Avila McConoughey

Diana Kruger

Even crazy Katy Perry

Beautiful Blake Lively

Caroline Bissett Kennedy…she had it.

Victoria Beckham…but with a smile!

Red Carpet Angelina Jolie

And of course timeless Audrey

My husband and I recently watched the movie “8 Mile” and actually really enjoyed it.  I’ve always considered Eminem somewhat of a phenomenal, albeit profane, musical genius.  I thought of the movie last week, and Kim Basinger’s obsession with Bingo in it, as hubby and I attended a night of the classic game at our club.   Yes, Bingo!  And although neither of us won a single game or prize, we still had fun. 

We’d signed up with our dear friends Matt and Jenelle and were joined by fellow members Tim and Jeannie at our table.  Waiting for the festivities to begin, Jenelle and I noticed we had two extra seats at our table and we also noticed an elderly couple sitting at a table all by themselves.  We invited them to sit with us and, even though we didn’t really know them, we enjoyed their company all evening.  Looking back, our table was amazing in many ways, one of which was the unplanned and diverse age groups represented at it.

If you started with Tim and Jeannie and went clock-wise, our table was a virtual generational snapshot.  Tim and Jeannie are the young ones of the bunch.  Both fit and fabulous, they represent many of today’s young parents.  They are proud momma and poppa of a five and three-year-old, both hold full-time jobs, and Tim is our club’s sommelier.  The previous night Tim sported his tux as the club hosted its quarterly wine tasting event.  Bingo night, however, found Tim in an LSU t-shirt (even though he’s from Chicago!) and in a relaxed mood.  From there, you find my husband Smitty and me…the empty nesters just happy to have somewhere to go!  To my left were Jenelle and Matt…grandparents but as fit and fabulous as the younger Tim and Jeannie.  Both of them are avid golfers and Jenelle had just shot her best round ever earlier that day, a 90.  Grandparents perhaps, but grand nonetheless!  From there you came upon the elderly couple we invited to our table.  I don’t know their story, but I do know they were fun to be around and made our table complete.

In hindsight, our Bingo table represented life at its finest.  A mix of ages, histories and treasures.  Almost family-like.   It’s no secret that we can all learn something from each other, regardless of age, but outside of family or work, when do we ever really get the opportunity to socially intermix?  Not often enough!

Twenty-five-and-then-some years ago I prided my husband on always connecting with the seasoned veterans in his industry.  He was one of the younger reps back then, but tended to fraternize with many of the elders.  He had an easy-going style with them and I always found it both impressive and respectful.  All these years later, many of those distinguished gentlemen have passed on and now Smitty is the experienced and elder one.  My hope is that today’s young guns can look up to him with the same respect and admiration that mirrors his of days passed. 

I don’t know what all this means, other than perhaps mere coincidence.  I do know that it’s never uncool or too late to respect your elders and that young does not always mean dumb.   Venture out of your box sometimes and you just may be pleasantly surprised at what…or who…you find!  Bingo!

“To learn you must want to be taught.”  Proverbs 12:1

I got the inspiration for today’s scriputure in mass this morning.   In support of schools starting back up, Father Dowling talked about learning in general, church being “The School of Jesus” and our textbook being the Bible.  He also said he – along with priests, bishops, and even the pope – are all “substitute teachers” for Jesus.  Love it!

Here’s wishing all students an inspiring and fun year and here’s hoping all teachers are both inspired and inspirational.

“When you get, give.  When you learn, teach.”   Maya Angelou

“Be grateful for the people who make us happy.  They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”  Marcel Proust

Hi “I Am Woman, I’m a Wordsmith” readers and followers.  I wanted to share a recent post from yet another blog I follow called “Classy and Fabulous.”   Her post today was very timely for me and proved both inspiring and empowering.  Hope you enjoy it too.

 

 

Classy and Fabulous:  Eliminating the Weeds in Your Life

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Posted: 17 Aug 2012 10:42 AM PDT   I don’t know about you but over the years I’ve had to let a few relationships die along the way to get to where I am today. While it wasn’t easy in the moment, it was so necessary. If certain friends or family members aren’t willing to love, support, encourage and uplift you or are just really negative and toxic, it’s time to stop watering those relationships and spend time pouring into those who feed you. Sometimes it’s a person that is extremely needy and just sucks the life out of you with their constant problems and often drama they bring upon themselves. Life is too short to be held back by those who aren’t happy in their own life and take it out on others, looking for company in their misery. Some will argue “but she’s my sister” or “I’ve known her since kindergarten” and feel a sense of obligation.  While these things might be true, if you’re not being treated right by the person in question of you don’t feel happy, at ease or yourself around this person any longer, it might be time to have a talk. Many times in friendships and other relationships simply making a point of discussing something that is bothering you will remedy the problem. Other times, they might be too prideful to admit their wrongdoing to repair a relationship so it can continue. When you’ve been patient then taken it upon yourself to tell the other person how they are making you feel and there is no response, it may be time to move on. It doesn’t mean you cannot ever be friends in the future, it just means that perhaps you both need a break. Maybe the other person will realize that they miss your friendship enough to work on themselves to repair what was once a beautiful and treasured relationship. Other times it may in fact be the best to move on and not look back. It’s definitely not always easy, but when you do this you’ll feel a lightness as if a huge burden has been lifted off your shoulders. If you feel that and don’t really feel a sense of the friendship missed, it’s pretty clear that they weren’t meant to be in your life any longer. It’s liberating to live authentically, know what you stand for, what’s important to you and to act accordingly, that you will not continue to put yourself in a negative environment that feels more like work than enjoyment As we prepare to enter a new season in just a few weeks, now might be a good time to look at your life and determine what’s working, what and who bring you joy as well as those that do not and move in a direction that allows you to get the most out of your life so you won’t become entangled by any weeds that exist. You deserve to be HAPPY! 🙂 Is there anyone right now that is a ‘weed’ in your life instead of a flower. Are there any flowers that aren’t getting enough of your time because it’s being spent watering the weeds? Happy Weekend! XO *image credit

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I received lots of comments about yesterday’s “Think About It Thursday” post.  Here then, is how the sentence can be punctuated:

By most men:  “A woman, without her man, is nothing.”

By most women:  “A woman:  without her, man is nothing.”

Punctuation is powerful!

How would you punctuate this sentence?:

“A woman without her man is nothing.”

Note:  males and females punctuate it two entirely different ways!  Punctuation is powerful!

I couldn’t have said it better myself, so I’m sending today’s entry from one of my favorite blogs, “The Happiness Project.”  Enjoy!

	“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”       Guillaume Appollinaire

Have you ever entered a room and thought, “wow, what a nice glow and what a comfortable feel?”  Chances are, the lighting in that room is what made you feel and think that.  As my daughter will tell you, I am a light fixture freak.  The lighting in a place is always the first thing I notice and the first thing I change in a new home of mine.  I lean toward traditional, but can also go whimsical or contemporary.  Designer Sabrina Soto of “Get It Sold” told “Better Homes & Gardens” magazine that if you can only afford to buy one thing to make a big difference when redoing a room, purchase a new light fixture.  I couldn’t agree more! 

Style is important in choosing the right light fixture, and so is size and placement.  Here, then, are some simple rules of thumb to keep in mind:

Chandeliers/Pendants – You never want your light fixture to overpower the table it’s above.  The fixture’s width or diameter should be at least 2 feet narrower than the table’s length.  If you’re set on a pendant that is too small, consider hanging two of them over a rectangle table or hanging the one over a smaller, round table.  There should be 30-36 inches from the top of the table to the bottom of the chandelier.  Generally, for a room with 8 foot ceilings, hang the chandelier 30 inches above the table.  For each additional foot your ceiling height increases, the light should be raised 3 inches.  Size is also important.  To figure out how large or small a light fixture you need, add the room’s length and width together.  For example, if your room is 12 x 14, you need a chandelier that’s 26 inches in diameter.  When all else fails, too big a light fixture always looks better than one that is too small.  

Table lamps – I am not a big fan of overhead lights in family rooms and bedrooms, and instead opt for table and floor lamps.  Choosing them is purely a matter of choice, but keep in mind that an end table should never rise above the arm of a chair or couch but can be as low as 4 inches below the arm.  Position table lamps on end tables so that the bottom edge of the lampshade is at or just below eye level when you are seated.   Here are some I like:

           Traditional Ginger Jar                Like the pewter with black shade

 Affordable take on classic                          Love the contrast                                Odd-shaped shades                                                Chanel crystal lamp                                        of white and tan                                are a great alternatives

Chandeliers, pendants and lamps are my favorite styles of indoor lighting.  I also adore lanterns, both inside and out, preferably black iron or ones with a rich patina.  I don’t really like sconces, but concede there are certain places where they are the right fit.  It’s all about making the room better and brighter.  Designer Suzanne Kasler told “House Beautiful” magazine that she compliments her signature white décor with light fixtures that make bold statements.  She considers hanging lights similar to creating centerpieces and says they should be a little more decorative than you might expect.    

Don’t every underestimate the power of shades; they can make a simple chandelier “pop” and can dress up an otherwise staid room.

                                                                                                                                                                               Shades come in all sizes,  styles and prices

There are so many fun and creative things you can do with lighting!

Lighting can transform an otherwise tiresome utility room!

Some favorite lighting themes:

 Lantern style!

Love drum shades!

How ’bout a chandelier instead of a bedside lamp?!

Some great shades could make this inexpensive chandelier really “light” up!           

                            Pearls!

                                     Black!         

   Bathroom lighting

In the end, buy what you like and have fun with it!

“Be still and know that I am God.” 

Ps. 46.:10.