Maldives: care-free fashionable days and nights

20140608-100409.jpgWe are so glad we packed light but smart. This way we can let go when we want and we can kick into fashion gear when we like. For us having what we need handy is relaxing, that way we are not thinking about WHAT we should wear or what we don’t have , but rather we think about WHAT we will do today.

You will definitely need more than one cover up as most places even beach bars won’t let you walk in and sit down in your swimsuits. We brought 8 coverups, just right for this long trip. Today we are wearing our comfy coverups by… Karen Zambos, Patterson J. Kincaid
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The other day we wore these dresses to the White Party. Well, I got hassled by Peter (our Brit friend) that my dress was not white enough lolll He said this as he sat there in his blue and white striped shirt – thanks Peter!
20140608-095627.jpgDesigners: Dolce Vita, and the halter dress is by us (yes we are branching into designing and making our own line)

Today’s bikinis, perfect for this sunny fresh breezy day:
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Designers: Lisa Marie, Missoni

Wherever you are, whatever you are doing we wish you a surprising and exciting day!

Maldives: fashion edit continues…

Ok, so at Komandoo, the general rule is the following:
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It is a fantastic rule, we have not worn our flip flops since we have arrived. We runaround in our swimwear and cover ups. Our advice is pack at least 4 bikinis or your choice of swimwear and at least 2 cover ups.

The exception to this rule is dinner. We like dressing up a bit. You won’t feel out of place either way – there are others who are also dressed or casual. It is comfortable atmosphere.

Here are our accessories for tonight’s dinner:
20140604-113906.jpgDesigners: LaMer, Kenneth Lane, Kate Spade, Noir,

Don’t expect much of a nightlife. It is a small quiet island, but every couple days they have a cover band – which was actually fantastic!

Here is the cool ceiling of the Kandu bar:
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Maldives: what to wear – fashion edition!

Ok so you are probably wondering what we wear and what is the attire around here. Before we got here we read many things, some said just beach wear some said long and modest clothes.

We are here now and this is what we have seen in 3 islands so far:

Male: little more conservative since it is the capital city and people live and work there. You can get away with shorts and knee length skirt/ dresses.

Gangehi and Komandoo: let loose and stick with your swimwear, cover ups, and for dinner casual or slightly dressy clothes. We brought long flowing dresses, they are super easy to wear and elevate the style a bit. Other people wore similar things, men stuck to casual but nice shorts and shirts.

Here is a glimpse at our beach ware… can you tell we love mixing, wearing matchy-matchy stuff is not our personal style.

Morning swimwear:
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Designers: Ondade Mar, Eberjey, VIX PaulAhermanny, Heidi Klein

Evening swimwear:
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Designers: Mikoh, Zinke, Tibi, Tori Praver

Please note – Maldives is not a topless zone. You have to keep your top on, maybe unless you are on a yacht somewhere in the distance.

Today’s swimming companion was a sting ray – seriously we were a bit afraid.
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Countdown starts today: T-5 to mystery destination!

Yes indeed, you guessed it we have been planning a trip. Took a while to plan this one – rather remote location we have not been to before. Super excited and now officially counting the days down!

So why a mystery?
Why not! You know we love surprises – did you notice the name of our blog 😉

No major hints… we when we get there we will blog and share photos for sure.

Prep is underway – ‘editing down‘ is our theme. If you have followed our previous trips we strive for minimalism and take stuff we will actually wear rather than excess.

1. Packing
We are truly doing light this time. 2.5 weeks out of small carry on bag. Will see if we can survive it. Also too many bags will be a burden as we move between destination(s).

2. Staying fashionable
We did not say we would live in tees and shorts, in fact we are packing none of that. This will be on trend.. lots of fun evenings call for great dresses (Alice + Olivia, Dolce Vita, Zimmerman, DVF… and still debating the Herve Leger and Rochas – take or leave, take or leave…).

3. Staying healthy
Packing sunscreen, aloe, and coconut oil is a must! Not sure how I will deal with withdrawal from my Vitamix smoothie habit — hope they will have some equivalent so I can get my fix. I was a fruit lover but now I am officially a fruit addict. We hope the food will be to our liking and we will get to discover new tastes along the way!

4. Culture
You know we will dive right into the culture… we love people and learning their way of life. So we have been even learning the language 😉 at least a few words so we can get by. So exciting to think about connecting with new people, making friends, get off the beaten path when possible. Yes, we will be shopping – not excessively but let’s get real it will happen – so we will #ownit #yolo !!

5. Nature
Mother nature will be a strong theme… this will be a part meditative trip. We both need to detox and re- energize re-calibrate our mind/body. So we picked a setting that will help provide the ambiance for this healing to take place.

We can hardly wait…
Can you guess where we are going?

UPDATE: 5/20
Things are heating up – final checklists being checked. Techie gadgets will be left behind besides the phone. We are going ‘off the grid‘. Hoping we will have some coverage so we can blog every few days 🙂 Books you say? we love books but on this trip we probably won’t want to look down from the scenery and waste a perfectly good view!

Early Spring – MENs Shoe Edit

This is dedicated to our reader, Uzoma, who read our recently published piece ‘Early Spring Shoe Edit’ and asked us how about Men.

So here it is our edit for Men’s shoes, hope it inspires your feet. Please note our edit is not for the faint hearted.

This lovely blue that pops is by Adidas by Tom Dixon is the perfect weekend shoe.20140131-204820.jpg

Alexander McQueen, gives men an elegant option to weather the cooler spring days – perfect for workwear or a pair of jeans. 20140131-205148.jpg

We are obsessed with these sneakers from Lanvin! what man does not need an updated sneaker in 2014??? really.
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If you are the guy who likes classic with surprising details – this Raf Simons shoe is made for you.20140131-210142.jpg

Diemme makes fun yet very wearable shoes with touches that will make your friends envy and ask you where you got your shoes. 20140131-211358.jpg

Guys you know Louboutin doesn’t just make shoes for women – yes you may also own a piece of fashion history – never say never, you will surprise yourself. 20140131-210824.jpg
Remember we did say this is not for the faint hearted – if you are too afraid to step out of your shell, stop and think: life is too short to be wearing the boring shoes – go for it!

Early Spring Shoe Edit

Spring is little ways away buttt… bit of fashion helps the wait and makes us look forward to it.

Here are some shoes we are looking forward to wear when the warmer weather hits:
20140125-230904.jpgA nice Tory Burch wedge is comfy and stylish under any jean or dress.
20140125-231022.jpgWild tribal pair of flat sandal. We are in love with this pair from Sol Sana. Looking at them is an instant shot of sunshine and smiles.
20140125-231238.jpgThese comfy casual sandals from Ishvara hail from Spain. The cool design and the color combo makes them perfect for weekend runabouts.

Now — where is that warm weather???

New.Year.Words. Lessons. Life

These are the words that I love a lot saying what I can’t say sometimes when I confused or sad or mad or even happy  they teach me something that I didn’t think before THANKS a LOT for putting all the letters and words in this beautiful meanings.

I just would like to share them with anyone who finds something from itself.

Don’t judge someone just because they sin differently than you.

Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.

Be curious not judgmental.

Do small things with great LOVE.

Remember happiness is way of travel not a destination.

In life it’s not where you go it’s who you travel with.

Your children become who you are, so be who you want them to be.

Your beliefs don’t make you a better person, your behavior does.

Drop jealousy and envy, for they make you ugly, be loving be accepting and most of all be happy just the way you are.

Success doesn’t just come and find you you have to go out and get it.

If God shuts a door, stop bang on it! Trust that what ever is behind it is not meant for you.

You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to SMILE.

EGO take the E off and let it GO!

Life is far too short. To be sad. To be mad. To hold regret. To look back. To be depressed. To be unkind. Do the reverse of all these counted.

Be crazy. Be stupid. Be silly. Be weird. Be whatever. Because life is too short to be anything but HAPPY.

Maybe I’m crazy but all the best people are.

Think HAPPY Be HAPPY.

Have LESS. Do MORE. Be MORE.

Wherever you are be all there.

When the devil keeps on asking you to look at your past. There must be something good in the future that the devil doesn’t want to you to see.

I don’t want you to save me. I want you to stand by my side as I save myself.

Still time to change the road you are on.

I’ll choose HONESTY over Perfection every single time.

When someone is nasty or treats you poorly, don’t take it personally. It says nothing about you but a lot about them.

Live in the MOMENT.

The cure for anything is salt water SWEAT TEARS or the SEA.

Forget what it hurt you but never forget what it taught you.

No one ever get tired of loving. They got tired of waiting, assuming, hearing lies, saying sorry, and hurting.

When I give food to the poor they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food they call me communist.

Always trust your first gut instincts. If you genuinely feel in your heart and soul that something is wrong, it usually is.

Some of the most poisonous people come disguised as friends and family.

Spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself and a little less time trying to impress people.

Waiting for someone else to make you happy is the best way to be sad.

Honesty is an expensive gift; don’t expect it from cheap people.

If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.

LIVE LOVE like there is no tomorrow.

Respect your self enough to walk away from anyone or anything that no longer serves you, grows you or makes you happy.

Don’t hate what you don’t understand.

Different is beautiful.

A great relationship is about two things first find similarities second respect the differences.

I don’t like standard beauty there is no beauty without strangeness.

Old ways won’t open new doors.

Cultivate the habit of being grateful.

Being happy doesn’t mean that every thing is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.

I’m thankful to all those said no to me. it’s because of them I did it myself.

It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.

No reason to stay is a good reason to go.

You cannot hang out with negative people and expect to live a positive life.

The greatest prison people live in, is the fear of what other people think.

Be with those who help your being.

Saying yes to happiness means learning to say no to things and people that stress you out.

Don’t find fault find a remedy anybody can complain.

Never respond to rudeness. When people are rude to you, they reveal who they are, not who you are don’t take it personally be silent.

Before you react think.

Before you spend, earn.

Before you criticize, wait.

Before you pray, forgive.

Before you quit, try.

Many times we have to just stop and ask ourselves sincerely do I really happy on the way of life that I’m on? Or should I change my way my life and how? Or maybe you just  have to learn something new.

Hope coming near to the end of this year our worries, disappointments bad experiences and all sort of that we call bad or negative was in our life just to change us to be better person and to make us able to see the life with different perspectives to enlighten our minds and hearts to see what was missing from our lifes.

Holiday Gifting Edition

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We decided to share with you some of our favorite Holiday Gifting ideas. This is usually a wonderful time of the year but also possibly the most stressful – as many try to shop for gifts and worry about giving/not giving.

Giving starts with true care and knowing the people you are giving to. Some of the best things we received were not material gifts at all. Last year, one of the best gifts I received was a lavender eye pillow made by my good friend using lavender from her garden and stitching the pillow herself.

With a few ideas we hope to reduce your stress and make this a great year of giving:

1. Hosting a dinner or potluck
What can be more cozy and fun – we are social creatures. Giving from your time and opening your home to your friends is a great gift in itself.

2. Hand Made
Never gets old to make some of the gifts you are giving. In the process of it, you will even figure out who you care enough to handmade something for or not. We made ceramic owls this year for our nearest and dearest ones; some as desk ornaments an some hanging. See a few examples here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LaBote

3. Care Baskets
This a new one for us. This year we are making care baskets filled with easy goodies to give for friends in need. Here are some of the items: gas card, crackers, cheese, fruits, home made cookies,… give practical things that will help them stretch their budget.

For more ideas, we have compiled some of our favorite sites:

For the Artist
Give a gift certificate to a local art studio.

art supplies:
http://www.dickblick.com/

prints and other:
http://fab.com

For the Foodie
Give a gift certificate for a local cooking class.

http://fab.com

http://chefscatalog.com

For the Humanitarian
First, if you can, give to legitimate charities in your city.

Second, do global good, give to legitimate charities that help humanity globally.

For the Fashion Lover

http://fab.com

http://shopbop.com/ci/4/lp/holiday-gift-guide.html

For the Person who has Everything
Surprise them and give them a hug!

Quality always wins over quantity, both for gifts and friends. Giving is not about giving a lot of stuff, it’s in giving meaningfully.
Happy giving!

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Spring Fashion

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The slushy snow has covered NYC, but in our cozy office spring is in full bloom. This is what I love about fashion – it can brighten any dull gray day. Hope what you see here brightens your day too.

Fresh on our racks:
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Shoes:
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Happy Spring to all of us!!
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Packing List

I found myself packing again this weekend. Traveling frequently enough teaches you new things. One of the most difficult types of packing is packing for business trips.

Here is what I have learned, besides my obsession with rolling everything (see previous post)… take a picture of your well put together outfits. Say you rocked it today and really like the outfit you wore – snap a picture so you have a virtual reminder. I often look at my pictures to recall what I wore and how I wore it. This makes packing really easy – you have a gallery of complete outfits you know will work All you have to do is roll them into your suitcase.

No matter what type of work you do… power suits to business casual to edgy fashion….applying this technique works and helps you pack less. When you are unsure and packing individual pieces you are bound to take more stuff with you.

So for my 3 day creative business trip to NY I am packing 4 outfits, 1 pair of boots, 1 handbag, 1 laptop, small cosmetic pouch, toothbrush, vitamins. What I am NOT packing; hair products or tools, multiple shoes, individual clothing items that are not part of an outfit, accessories for each outfit, food or snacks, etc. Less is more!

Here are a few of my favorite looks that inspire me:
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