Month: January 2017

The Language of Jewelry

Published on by Brigitte Nioche1 Comment

bijoux-first-batch-016Jewelry has its own language. A language all women speak and even when we get older it still whispers to us do not to forget to put on your earrings, or that special necklace!

Long ago, when women protected their bodies with hides against the elements, jewelry was made from bones, shells, feathers, and berries, or pebbles. And since those prehistoric times no woman has ever been without wearing jewelry. So what attract us to these objects? And what can it do for us:

 

  • it adds glamour to an otherwise conservative wardrobe
  • it accentuate sensuality
  • it makes a woman look prettier
  • it can change a day time look to evening glamour
  • it makes a statement about a woman’s personality
  • it can be a token of love from that special man in your life
  • it can be an heirloom representing your families heritagebijoux-march-2-018

But to fulfill all this and realizing that jewelry is a very personal and individual accessory, it has to be chosen with great care. Just because a ring is beautiful doesn’t mean it will suit your hand. Likewise don’t let the beautiful workmanship of a pendant influence you. It might be too large or intricate for your personality. Every piece of jewelry must be judged and considered on the person wearing it – which translates to – you must try it on! It might look great laying on the counter of a store, but not that great once on your neck. (have you ever wondered why a lot of jewelry received as a gift is never worn?)

And when you get dressed in the morning the same applies. You might have to try on several of your necklaces to see which one really goes with the blouse you are wearing. I can say from my experience that it takes me often longer to find the right piece of jewelry than it took me to get dressed.

Think of jewelry as the finishing touch to your personality, your outfit, confirming your love of fashion and life.bijoux-march-2-052

And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything!

bn-small-imageBrigitte

 

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Do You Remember Turning 4O?

Published on by Brigitte NiocheLeave a comment

Image result for pictures of being 40

Stepping onto the balcony of my apartment on this sunny Monday morning I was wondering if Manhattan was still the same as yesterday, because I was not. I had just turned 40. Today is my birthday. Finally it had happened – I was 40 years old; far away from being young and far away from being old.

I remember as a child I heard adults speak about people in their 40’s, and for me it sounded like they were 100, and more importantly it seemed to be 100 years away. But today the 100 years have caught up with me. But I really don’t feel different, even though I have to admit I look a little different than 10 years ago.

Come to think of it age affects us throughout our life, but in very different ways. As children we hope for nothing more than to be older. When we reach 16 we can’t wait to be 20 because it seems that the world is waiting for us and we can’t wait to change the world. And yes, sometimes we do change the world, but the truth is the passing years change us – and suddenly there is that day when we turn 40.

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I have written this reflection many year ago, and now, closer to being old, I have learned that it is not the number of our birthdays which is important, but our attitude to those numbers. Therefore, just remember they are only numbers – numbers which can’t change a positive attitude and the love of life!

And always remember – A Smile Changes Everything!

bn-small-imageBrigitte

 

 

Getting the most for your buck!

Published on by Brigitte NiocheLeave a comment

scan0004-2The other day when I was putting on my favorite black pants, and one of the four sweaters I wear all the time, finishing it with a duffel coat I have worn all winter, it occurred to me that I wear these items all the time. Then I asked myself why? The answer was easy – because I feel very comfortable in them – because I look good in them – because they stand up to wear and tear.   They are like old faithful friends, and I can always rely on them to make my day. The reason? I bought the best quality I could afford.

No, it doesn’t mean we have to buy designer clothes, those are for the rich and famous. But it means choosing between a discount store – yes, I know they carry brands too, but often they are the items they could not sell elsewhere, the rejects – and a higher priced department store, like a Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, or a boutique in your neighborhood.

If you have a  budget, and who doesn’t, you will buy less by buying better,  One advantage here is your wardrobe will be less crowded- and the other advantage is that you won’t have to think so long what to wear, because when you buy better, everything looks good on you.

It is an adjustment to pay $89 for a top instead of $29 but the extra $60 will earn their keep so to speak, over and over by making you feel and look good.

We are still in the beginning of the New Year – could that be one of your New Year’s resolutions? Please let me know, or if  you have a question – leave a comment here and  I will be in touch with you.

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And always remember – A Smile Changed Everything!

bn-small-imageBrigitte

 

 

 

    

Lipsticks – Our Best Friends!

Published on by Brigitte NiocheLeave a comment

beautiful lips painted red lipstick

“I just want to put on some lipstick.”  is something every woman says a thousand times during her life. And while freeing the creamy stick from its tube,  looking in the mirror, and opening her lips slightly she carefully applies the magic that makes her look better and above all makes her feel whole again, because without it she feels incomplete.

I remember my mother-in-law, even at 91 years old, always had a lipstick close by. When she had diner at home or in restaurant a lipstick was right beside her plate. And no sooner had she finished her meal she picked it up and gently applied it to her lips. No, she needed no mirror, and no, she never missed, all was perfectly in place.

From all the items in our make-up kid the lipstick  is the most effective:

  • it makes the face look alive
  • it  makes the face look pretty
  • it adds sex appeal to the face
  • it protects the lips against dryness
  • it brightens up your smile
  • and most of all it makes us feel whole
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Close-up of Nefertiti’s Lips

Today’s women are not the first to enhance their appeal with lipstick. In 1923 the first lipstick in a tube was sold. But as far back as in Ancient Mesopotamia (5000 BC) women decorated their lips with crushed gem stones, and in Egypt Queen Nefertiti (1370 BC)  was always depicted with red lips.

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Queen Nefertiti 1370 BC

 

And ever since women have enhanced their beauty by coloring their lips. And our choices have grown ever since. It is an overwhelming task to find the perfect shade – (the reason we end up with dozens of lipsticks in our drawer). My personal chagrin is that every time I find the perfect color it is soon discontinued. I was told by a cosmetic company executive that women get very excited by new shades and it guarantees a sale.

But with all the options we have, beware of the following missteps when getting a little older:

  • too bright colors – can easily look garish
  • too dark colors – don’t give any life to the face
  • lip-gloss – tends to run into the little lines around the mouth

A statistic showing that when times are bad sales of lipstick go up certainly confirms that a lipstick is the most important item in our paint box.

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And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything!

bn-small-imageBrigitte

 

 

 

 

Why older people talk about their ailments

Published on by Brigitte NiocheLeave a comment

A great article helping us to concentrate on life not our sickness

Write Into Life

6-girls-togs.jpg The six Taylor sisters being schooled at home during a polio epidemic

Aunt Beulah posed (indirectly) a fascinating question in her latest blog post:

Why, as we grow older, do we feel the urge to discuss our health problems at length, when as children we never did?

So many hypotheses rushed into my head that I was forced to share them immediately. Oh dear. So that means I’m a case in point…

These hypotheses are warped by my early life as a cheerful healthy kid with five healthy sisters in the 1940s. My thoughts are bound to be misguided or outright wrong. Tell me, I can take it!

  1. (Worst first.) Our world has shrunk. We are less interested in the outside world and  more interested in ourselves. So we assume the big world is equally interested in our ailments. Ouch. Please let that not be true!
  2. We were strong healthy children. So most health problems were due to “childhood…

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CHAMPAGNE – Makes You Healthy and Happy

Published on by Brigitte Nioche2 Comments
Now that the New Year is here let’s start it the right way, and do the right things to make us happy, prettier, and healthy!

All the Ways Champagne Is Good for You

As if you needed another excuse to drink it

We’re big fans of champagne (here’s proof, in case you needed it). But until now, we weren’t aware that the bubbly we’re drinking on the reg actually has a quite a few scientifically-proven health benefits. Take a look:

It’s low-calorie.

While a glass of red or white wine contains between 135 and 200 calories, a glass of brut (dry) champagne clocks in at only 95. And the low-sugar version, called “low dosage,” has a mere 65 calories per glass.

It prevents dementia and memory loss.

A study at the University of Reading determined that drinking one to three glasses of champagne each week can boost brain health. The study was done on rats, half of whom were served champagne every day for six weeks (nice life for a rat, right?). The rats were tasked with completing a maze, and while the sober rats had an average success rate of 50 percent, the bubbly drinkers had a 70 percent success rate.

It’s good for your skin.

“Champagne detoxifies the skin with antioxidants, and its lightening tartaric acid helps even out the skin tone,” says dermatologist Marina Peredo. “For those with oily skin, its antibacterial properties [help with] breakouts.”

It’s a heart-healthy beverage.

In fact, it’s just as good for your heart as red wine. Another University of Reading study concluded that “two glasses of champagne a day may be good for your heart and circulation and could reduce the risks of suffering from cardiovascular disease and stroke.” Maybe they should rename the place Champagne University?

It may actually help you drink less in the long run.

Champagne and other effervescent drinks have been shown to make people drink slower and feel full more quickly. There’s even a diet plan based around it. Score!

Cheers!

From: Town & Country
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And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything!
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