Links You’ll Love
Fashion:
You’ve got your dress, you’ve picked up the perfect shade of lipstick for your pout, now what to do with your hair? Harper’s Bazaar has some fabulous ideas with their Holiday Hair Ideas – Celebrity Inspired Holiday Hair Ideas.
If you’re a makeup lover then you’ll adore this post & all of the color inspiration – Spring 2014 Color Trends.
The runways were filled with sheer hemlines last season but sometimes it’s hard to see how these beautiful trends can be translated to the street. Wonder no longer! The Sartorialist – If You’re Thinking About…… Sheer Hems.
If you loved my latest MCLV Stye File: Miranda Kerr in Victoria Beckham post you’re adore all of the fabulous Miranda Kerr looks featured on My Dress My High Heels My Style – Miranda Kerr in 3.1 Phillip Lim & Balenciaga {Left} and Miranda Kerr in Proenza Schouler {Right}.
Haven’t gotten enough shopping yet this year? Check out Mama’s A Rolling Stone’s Your Holiday 2012 Shopping Guide for some more tips & sales for the remaining days of 2012.
Health & Fitness:
Tis the season for… Getting really really sick. Having recently been taken down by a stomach flu I’m reminded how the cold, wet weather makes this the season for the cold, the flu, and other holiday-ruining ailments. So help boost your immune system this season with Green Thickie’s Cold and Flu Busting Coconut and Orange Smoothie.
Adorable workout clothes are a great way to get yourself motivated for a gym session. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at these cute duds over at NYC Pretty.
Taking your lunch to work is a great way to not only save a few dollars, but to ensure that you have healthy options to choose from for your lunch and for your midday snacking. If you’re just starting this practice or you’re running out of tasty choices check out Women’s Health’s 10 Healthy Lunch Ideas.
There are an endless number of delicious options out there for festive holiday cookies but one of my favorites this season has been Peas And Thank You’s Candy Cane Crinkle Cookies.
Given the chatter around the recent ballot measure relating to organic food, GMO, and labeling I thought that this piece from Mark’s Daily Apple was particularly relevant right now – 7 Foods You Don’t Need to Buy Organic.
Links You’ll Love
Let’s start this Sunday off with some INSPIRATION – Wise Words: 24 Inspiring Prints to Start Your Day
Fashion:
I’d hate to label myself as lazy, but even I have to admit that I definitely get into fashion ruts so… Stop Being Lazy: 7 Chic AND Easy Switch-Outs from Refinery 29 with fun new options like trading your old, torn cut-offs for some adorable printed shorts or trying cropped trousers so you can give up your legging habit. Definitely some great ideas!
If you’re looking for some new products to add to your skin care routine why not take some Kiehl’s suggestions from Italian blogger and fashion It Girl Eleonora Carisi – I Can’t Live Without.
Need some fabulous fashion inspiration for your next tropical vacation? Unstoppable Style: Poppy Delevingne Shares Her Ultimate Summer Wish List.
Want to create the perfect pair of jean shorts this Summer? Follow The Glamourai’s step by step instructions and enjoy the fabulous results! { DIY } Denim Cut-Offs.
If you’re in the market for updating your accessories stash or just looking for some advice on styling, why not turn to a professional? Anna Dello Russo – 10 TOP Rules for ACCESSORIES.
Health & Fitness:
A major part of finding internal motivation to hit the gym or trails is feeling comfortable and confident in your workout clothes. A great pair of pants that highlight your assets are going to get you out the door much faster than a tattered, stretched out pair of yoga pants. Trust me. Check out The Fitnessista’s recommendations – Summer Workout Gear.
Who better to give health & fitness tips than someone whose livelihood is based on their body? Top model Izabel Goulart shares her Five Minute Brazilian Butt Workout with Modelinia. What else does she mention? Walking! I just can’t recommend it enough – Low Intensity Fasted Cardio!
If you need to amp up the healthy fats in your diet avocados are the perfect choice during Summer, so pick some up next time you’re at the store and take of these recipes for a spin – 5 New Ways to Use Avocado.
Finding the right snack to give you energy and satisfy you before a workout without causing a sugar crash or an upset or overly filled stomach is a balancing act. See what Fit Bottomed Girls suggest – 4 New Healthy Snacks to Put in Your Gym Bag.
In the mood to get a little creative in the kitchen? Why not whip up some healthy desserts in the form of vegan ice cream? I made Choosing Raw’s Blueberry Ginger Ice Cream and it was divine, so follow my lead and give one of these tasty recipes a try – Veg Out: Dairy-Free and Delish Ice Cream Recipes.
No matter what your diet is, putting together a good grocery list is a Must. Check out FitSugar’s 7 Grocery Shopping Tips For a Plant-Based Approach or Caveman Strong’s Grocery List Paleo Style.
I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend and has a great Sunday! I’ll be back tomorrow to share with you all weekend in sunny, secluded Fallen Leaf Lake.
The Man Behind The Camera
Other than my dear friend Liz, the remainder of the MCLV Personal Style photographs are taken by the current boyfriend Sean. He has written a guest post for us in the past and trained me in the ways of CrossFit, but has never been featured on the blog for his fashion prowess before.
That is, until today.
True, he spends the majority of his waking hours in workout clothes, but when he does deign to put on street clothes, he has a great personal style.
When we initially met in our senior year of high school he was extremely preppy – Polo shirts, button downs, and wool or cashmere collared coats. But over the years his style relaxed, becoming more and more low-key, and when we got back together two years ago he wore very little other than t-shirts, jeans, and flip-flops.
But miracle of miracles, over the last two years his sense of style has begun evolving again. And more than that, he has actually started to enjoy clothes and fashion more, like he did when he was younger. Now he shops online, asks for advice on putting together pieces in his wardrobe & picking things out, and genuinely has an interest in shopping and expanding his wardrobe.
These days he prefers to keep his daily look low-key and minimal, and primarily wears black, white, and navy. Jeans are usually his preference and he traditionally pairs them with a Lacoste Pima V-Neck, a button down, or a Polo shirt. As for brands, we’ve found that the shirts that fit him best are Express for Men and Lacoste, they both have slim fit versions that work well for his frame.
When it comes to shoes he’s tried virtually everything, from boots to slip-ons to boat shoes to loafers. He loves slip ons and its all I can do to make sure he doesn’t wear his rubber soled slippers out of the house. The most worn pair of shoes he has are his tan, lace-up Banana Republic loafers, but he did just get a new pair of slip-on boat shoes that are very versatile.
They can even be worn with pink!
And a style post wouldn’t be complete without mentioned his creativity, he picked a kick-ass Halloween costume last year that suited him quite well despite being an incredibly last-minute choice – The Travelocity Gnome! 🙂
In the mood for more? Check out my Let’s Hear It For The Boys post filled with tips, ideas, and inspiration for putting together a complete and stylish wardrobe.
What do you like most on the men in your life? Are there certain styles that appeal to you more than others? When it comes to mens accessories, do you think less is more?
Workout Gear vs Streetwear
Whether you fit your gym sessions in before, during or after work, you’re always faced with a very specific quandary – what do you wear as you traverse between locals?
This is something that I’ve always thought about and is one of the things I notice most during my walk home from work. If you go abroad you’ll notice how rarely you see anyone on the street in tennis shoes, let alone full head-to-toe workout gear. And in car-centric cities where you drive to the gym, this isn’t really an issue.
I prefer to keep my street clothes on the appropriate side of the spectrum so when I see girls walking around in spandex shorts and a sports bra it gives me ulcers. On the other hand, I have to confess that when I used to head straight from work to Pilates, which is near my apartment, walking over in my workout gear was the most convenient option.
So that begs the question – what’s a girl, or guy, to do? With an endless number of adorable workout gear companies, there are tons of chic choices that can go straight from the street to the gym.
{Spandex done right – Gents, take notes! I also love the bag & old school kicks, fun additions to the look}
Whether you like mesh shorts, running tights or cropped pants there are great options available, from high-end to basic. There are great speciality stores like Lululemon Athletica and Raw Threads as well as more readily available stores like Old Navy, GAP, Adidas, Nike, or other porting goods stores.
{Old Navy – Left: Men’s Active Track Pants – $30 & Right: Women’s Boot-Cut Yoga Pants – $20}
{One of my personal favorites! Groove Crop – $90 @ Lululemon}
{Karolina Kurkova paired her bright pink highlighted running tights and orange shoes with a snug wool coat.}
Especially during fall and winter you need some extras to keep you warm and outerwear is also a great way to cover up during your pre and post workout time and keep your sweaty shirt and sports bra straps out of the public eye. 🙂 
{The Cover-up Game: Left – Run Baby Run II Athletic Jacket – $75 @ Roxy & Right – The North Face Men’s Sargent Full-Zip Hood – $65 @ Zappos}
{Not sure what the best way to accessorize is for your next gym trip? The Sartorialist’s Gym Dandy knows just what to do… And here I thought no one worked out in Italy!}
{Gym bag for him: Left – Cheap Monday Gym Bag – $75 @ Asos.com & Gym bag for her: Right – Kipling Adara Large Tote – $110 @ Macy’s}
{This is one of my gym bags – I got it off of Ideali years ago – and I alternate between this and one of my smaller Longchamp Le Pliage totes}
{Victoria’s Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio at Pilates – Cropped yoga pants, tank, leg warmers, a high ponytail & a long-sleeved shirt to throw over everything!}
While you may not be in the mood for leg warmers, because let’s admit there’s really a time and a place for those, there are plenty of non-tech gadget accessories that can make your workouts run smoother. 
{Toys for the boys: Top Left – Coal Knit Beanie – $25 @ Nordstrom & Top Right – Saucony Ultimate Run Glove II – $20 @ Zappos, Toys for the girls: Bottom Left – Fuel Belt H20-2 Bottle Belt – $40 @ Zappos & Bottom Right – VSX Sexy Sport Headbands – $15 @ Victoria’s Secret}
Now you’ve got the gear it’s time to get your booty to the gym, and that way you’ll be in amazing shape by the time New Year’s Eve rolls around… 🙂
What workout gear or gym goodies can you not live without?
Moi Contre La Vie 