Getting Ready for Your Night Out….Fabulous and Sick Style

When I was a little girl I would watch TV shows that would depict a very beautiful women getting ready for a date with her husband at her dressing mirror. I would always think, WOW, now that is glamour. Now my Mother was a single woman with a full time job and two kids so her getting dressed time consisted of a lot of running around and a quick stance in front of the mirror to put on her makeup. Till this day I am not sure how she could put on a whole face of makeup so quickly, but as all of us women know you do what you got to do to get things done. By the way, my Mother is the type of woman who has to at least have on concealer and lipstick to get the mail…LOL got to love her..

Needless to say, I don’t have that problem, I am sitting here now at a coffee shop, makeup free (BTW this Turkey, Pesto and Gouda grilled cheese is freaking Delish). I also don’t have the ability to go into the bathroom and come out in full makeup at the speed of Clark Kent in a telephone booth. Yes, it takes me a while. So I follow a few simple tips to get ready for my evenings out..

1. I try to make any plans to go out in advance. I am not big on short notices, plus I like to rest up. If the evening is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., I usually take an hour nap around 3 p.m. This allows me to be well rested and clear headed.
2. Shower time. I take a long hot shower to helps relax my muscles and get my joints nice and warm. Plus you just feel refreshed and energized.
3. After my shower, I grab a snack and load up any needed pain medication. All while on the couch, lounging around before a night out helps to conserve your energy for later.
4. Dressing time is always fun. I try to pick out my clothes and get them ironed the day prior. This helps to eliminate the feeling of being rushed and over exerted by the time your evening is scheduled to start.
5. Time for the makeup chair. I Always Always grab my stool, now it is not a glamorous dressing table or anything like the ones they would show on tv, but it does help get me off my feet and sits me up high enough to see myself vividly in the mirror. My stool has truly been an Angel in this department, and it was $9.99, can’t beat that..
6. Majority of my makeup is applied with long stem brushes. This helps alleviates stress on my hands, elbows and shoulders. They are pretty easy to find at any nice cosmetic store such as ULTA and Sephora. I usually buy them with coupons. They are not the cheapest, but if it helps to ease my pain, for me it is worth the investment.
7. I typically use makeups that are on palettes.  It helps to eliminate the need to keep opening up multiple compacts, searching my make up drawer, everything is right there in front of me. I just sit on my stool and make myself extra pretty. 😉 I scoop up makeup palettes around Christmas time when they are on 50% to 80% markdown, you know I am not a full price type of girl..lol
8. Now it is time to ‘Fix My Hair”. After make up, I do my hair, simple hairstyles, as I don’t have the energy or capability to get extra fancy, I get fancy via makeup and accessories.
9. I get dressed, and then at the very last minute I put on my shoes, with my inserts of course. I also pack a pair of sandals in my car in case the inserts don’t get the job done.
10. I check to make sure I have all the essentials in my purse  gum, comb, keys and of course pain medications.

All these tips can help with a wonder evening from a romantic dinner with a loved one to an after work affair. It is my routine every time; I try not to deviate too often because for me it just works. Now, of course you can tailor this to your specific needs, the goal it to leave out the door alert, well rested, looking fabulous and ready for a fun evening.

 

Make Your Feet Say…”I’m Pretty”

Spring is quickly coming upon us,,well depending on what part of the country you live in..Because 30 degrees and snow flurries is not my idea of spring. But anyway, it is a great excuse for summer wardrobe shopping, the focus..SHOES SHOES SHOES!!

The wedges are supposed to be big this season, and I am a fan, except when you have RA you much chose closely..So while others are admiring the stilts of Christian Louboutin, we must focus on the Born, Softt and Clarks of the world. However, if you look closely, they have truly stepped their game up in the world of stylish shoes..making the wedge a possible friend to the Arthritis community. These a few of my favorites:

Ravia by Sofft: Its not a wedge, but I love this great gladiator like sandal for lunching with the girls to flirting with the man or the potential man in your life. The Walking Company

UGG Zamora Poppy Suede: I know most people associate Ugg with winter boots, however they make a very nice comfy sandal, and this flirty color is so hot.Zappos

B.O.C. by Born Clay Women’s Jamaica: This shoe just spells summer and because it is made by Born you know it will be a favorite of your feet. This is must for my summer shopping list.Famous Footwear

If you have any leads on Fabulous and Comfy Shoes, please let me know as I am always searching 😉

Also, what are some of your favorite shoe websites?

Old Man Winter Never Looked so GOOD….

Ok, I realize I have been neglecting my fashion obligations so I am writing this post for all my sick fashionistas who want to look good even when they don’t feel good. For me there are a few key things cold weather fashions must possess for it to be worthy of spending my hard earned cash:

1. Lightweight. When you have Rheumatoid Arthritis, your body is achy and your joints are swollen making the slightest bit of weight feel like a thousand pounds. Therefore instead of the heavy, bulky items, I searched high and low for warm, thin, insulated items that didn’t make me feel like I was wearing a heavy suit of armor.

2. Fabulous and Non-Trendy. Because staying warm in the winter months are important, I selected items that I could carry over into next winter, without looking like it was last winter. In order to achieve this, I avoided items with a huge brand labeling and stuck to classics, such as belted wool coats and colors that stand the test of time such as Black, Grey and Navy.

So here a few of my favorite designers that incorporate the most important items a fabulous sick chick needs to endure the cold.

http://zapp.me/7653783

Columbia: The brand is synonyms with warmth and comfort, and this coat lives up to it’s reputation. It is perfect for the cold winter days as well as the milder days. It is very light in weight and fashionable, with a great belt to give you that slim waist line every girl loves to show off. The color is classic and the style can go with jeans or slacks and snow boats or stilettos..Great all around winter coat and it looks better in person with a beautiful scarf.

http://amzn.com/B0018P2DQA

Pajar: Now, I don’t have these exact boots, mine have fur around the top of the boot. I love, love these boots. Pajar may not be as familiar to everyone as UGG or Sorel, but it is a great quality brand. Their boots are easy to get on and off and lightweight. I have had them for a while and I get compliments on them all the time. They match with all my winter coats and my feet never get cold. My favorite thing about these boots are the comfort level, typically I have to wear orthopedic insoles but not with these boots, “These boots are made for walking”, so corny,,but so true.