Faith Style

When it comes to looking your best, try one of these style strategies. You’re a perfect rectangle if you have:

• a small to medium chest
• an undefined waist
• narrow hips
• minimal curves
• a slender or athletic build

For the rectangle shape your fashion challenge is to bring your shoulders further out and add curves to your hips and bottom so that your waist looks smaller in comparison.

• Details like bows and ruffles around the neckline will help to fill you out on top.
• Shore up narrow hips with low-slung pants and a medium-to-wide belt.
• Choose V-necks or U-necks that draw the eye up to you chest and create the illusion of a curvy silhouette.
• Go with A-line or full skirts that have a wide waistband and taper outward, making it appear as if you have a curved waist.
• Wear low-rise jeans that hit at the broadest point on your body to fake the look of curvy hips.
• Select bangles or cuffs to add weight to your top and bottom half without adding fullness to your waist.

I meet the awe-inspiring Danielle LaPorte in 2007 when I heard her speak at the Ladies Who Launch Live event here in Toronto. I remember it very clearly because it lit a fire under my ass to just START. I had been so moved by her words and struck by her authenticity that I decided to make a change.

I knew I wanted to be in business for myself and had been working on my business plan for two years at that point but really didn’t take any formal action. I made a decision that day, the best decision I’ve made in my lifetime – I decided to live a more authentic life because really what else is there? I’m living a life that I’m passionate about, a life that I love and a life that makes my heart sing and my stomach flutter almost everyday.

I’ve heard Danielle speak on several occasions and have yet to walk away with nothing. I’m constantly elevated to a new level and for that I’m thankful. It’s not surprising to me that after lighting a fire under my ass in 2007 that Danielle launched Fire Starter Sessions along with White Hot Truth. I’m an avid follower of Danielle’s work and was excited at the opportunity – I quickly signed up with anticipation. What I remember most from our session in February was “everything is progress”. I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to profile Danielle and her raw, pure and authentic style.

Danielle LaPorte is the outspoken creator of WhiteHotTruth.com, which has been called “the best place on-line for kick-ass spirituality.” An inspirational speaker, she has been featured in Elle, Body + Soul, Vogue Australia, Better Homes & Gardens, Globe & Mail, The National Post, The Huffington Post, Entertainment Tonight, and numerous talk shows, and is a regular commentator on the national CBC TV show, Connect With Mark Kelley.

Danielle is the former director of a Washington-DC think tank where she managed a team of analysts to think big thoughts about future global trends. As a strategic and intuitive business advisor, Danielle works one-on-one with entrepreneurs who want to rock their career while making a difference in the world. From CEOs to start ups, social media stars to designers, her signature Fire Starter Sessions have been known to ignite new business models, new revenue streams, and…new definitions of success.

Photo Credits: Anastasia Photography

She is the lead author of Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design, and recently launched her own stationery line.

S: What are your secrets to Authentic Style?

D: I firmly, or should I say, faithfully, believe that authenticity is magnetic, so “showing up” as your true self attracts to you what you truly want. That means, in terms of fashion, you need to feel good. And sometimes feeling good has little to do with trends, or what we’re told are the style rules.

Know what you love and why you love it. Know how it makes you feel when you wear it. Cheap is expensive in the long run – don’t comprise. Choose “amazing” over “it’ll do.” And know that amazing can mean jeans and flip flops, or a loud animal print – it’s up to you.

I feel best in quiet colours – mostly mochas, taupes, ivory, dark browns, with a kiss of drama in a big ring or dark eyeliner, or kickin’ boots. No pattern, no black, no noise.

S: How would you define the Style of your work?

D: ruthless compassion. laser focus. very private bleeding heart. results obsessed. original. deep listening. highly, intensely practical.

S: What are the items in your closet that you couldn’t live without?

D: I’m currently rocking my snake skin patterned leggings from H& M – which my 5 year old son picked out for me. The brown cowboy boots I picked up in Santa Fe. My serape from Mexico. Toques – I have about a dozen, I live in knit hats. I have an ivory linen coat from Obakki that is a total treasure.

S: What are your newest obsessions?

D: I’m infatuated with my hair right now. I had dreadlocks for years and went through the very long and arduous process of combing them out (yes, it can be done.) Now I have very long, very straight, very happy hair and I can’t stop running my fingers through it. In fact, I’m thinking of inviting strangers to do the same. In keeping with that, I’ve just discovered Moroccan Oil and it’s magical.

I’m also obsessed with a great gold filigree ring I picked up in NYC this fall. It’s actually from Juicy Couture – never would have thought any Juicy would work for me, but it’s a stunning East Indian replica and I love it with just about everything.

S: Do you have any exciting news you’d like to share with us?

D: 2010 will be the year of innovative, divine, practical content from me and some stellar collaborators. Off the charts exiting. For now, you can catch some of it on WhiteHotTruth.com along with my new stationery line.

With its D’Orsay styling, curvaceous contrasting piping, and delicate bow accent, Betsey Johnson’s Generosa pump offers flirty Parisian style.

I’ve been sharing Inslee Stationery for a couple of years. Inslee Haynes’ beautiful designs are perfect for thank you’s, birthdays, girls night out, bridal showers among many other invitations. In the era of the internet, emails, instant messaging and text the art of the written word has been sadly forgotten. The time and effort put into a letter can make a  world of difference, set you apart from the masses and sincerely show someone how much you truly care. And the timeless gesture of a personal letter deserves a truly classy card. Box of 10 folded cards are only $22 USD

It was the magnificent images and the strange desire to experience the “abode of snow” in Nepal that made the Himalayas part of my top 5 desired travel destinations. Many travelers go to Nepal for meditation, yoga, astrology, retreats and to merge with the mighty Himalayas. The mighty altitude of the Himalayas is said to be a constant remembrance to the loftiness of the human soul. That is why all sages and prophets have found the Himalayas best for their spiritual pursuits. The Himalayas are home to some of the most enchanting landscapes in the world.

Places to See

Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur , 14 km east of Kathmandu is a completely medieval world and a must in your itinerary. With its well-preserved temples and monuments , the peasants and artisans, the town will take you in its spell. The whole town has almost no concrete buildings, life is buildings are traditional and peaceful.This well preserved city  is the home of medieval art & architecture and still retains its rich medieval aroma. A city of farmers, Bhaktapur is also known for its pottery and weaving. Bhaktapur is the most charming and the best preserved of the valleys three cities. The intricately carved temples, alleyways and timeless atmosphere of this place is simply intriguing. The major sightseeing places in Bhaktapur are The Durbar square , the Golden Gate, Palace of 55 windows, Bell of the barking dogs,  5 storied Nyatapole Temple, Bhairavanath Temple, Dattatrya Temple, Pujari Math etc Bhaktapur can be done along with a hike to Changunarayan temple or  a visit to Nagarkot.

Swoyambhunath Stupa
About 45 min of walk from city centre ,atop a green hillock west of Kathmandu stands the great stupa of Swayambhunath, a site over 2,500 years old marking the point where the legendary patriarch Manjushri discovered the lotus of the ancient Valley lake. For centuries an important center of Buddhist learning, the painted eyes of the Buddha gaze out from all four sides of the monument. Constructed to specific rules each with a symbolic meaning, the stupa of Swayambhunath is a model of its kind. The whole is hung with multi-colored prayer flags whose every flutter releases holy prayers. The faithful circumambulate the stupa clockwise, turning the banks of prayer wheels and even prostrating full-length in reverence.

Swoyambhunath commands great view of Kathmandu valley and the Himalayas and a visit around sunset time is said to be highly memorable.

The Himalayas is also the home to many Holy Men, commonly know in Hinduism as sadhu which refers to a mystic, an ascetic, practitioner of yoga (yogi) and/or wandering monks. The sadhu is solely dedicated to achieving the fourth and final Hindu goal of life, moksha (liberation), through meditation and contemplation of Brahman.

Holy Man Image by James McDowell

I would love to be in the company of the sadhu merely to experience their lifestyle. Have you ever experienced a lifestyle extremely different from your own? What did you learn? How did it impact you?

My spirituality is central to who I am.  I am Hip Hop loving, Gen-X working mother who can still rock a party (when  I can get a babysitter).  I wear several hats: mother, partner and entrepreneur but underneath them all is me, the woman. My spirituality helps me to uncover who I am and what I need to continue forward on my life’s journey. I know that as I have grown as a person my relationships have become more honest and more loving.  My spirituality has also helped me to strip away the relationships that no longer served my highest good. Those were the ones that fed my fears and insecurities. When I’m pissed or disappointed, my spiritual beliefs help me to gain perspective. I remember that we are all souls traveling on this earth, being imperfectly human.  When I feel small, afraid or woefully inadequate, my spirituality helps me to remember my own divinity.  I am connected to an unseen, powerful force, that I can tap into for strength and for courage.

Spirituality is an individual pursuit. However you define it, find some daily practice or regular source of inspiration that provides you with comfort and a kick in the pants when you’re procrastinating or whining.  I’ve found a wonder passage about spirituality.

Through my years of exploring, I’ve come to realize that like most people in my generation, I am anti-authoritarian and a little individualistic. I want to find God in my own way, in my own time and, essentially, by my own self…Yep I’m  a true modern devotee. I love the mystics and The Matrix, yoga and the White Stripes, meditation and  designer jeans.  In terms of cultural dialects, I am multi-linugual. I speak New Age and Aveda skin care, Eastern philosophy and Elle magazine…I love modern art and dinner parties, lavender chocolate and dirty martinis, dancing, random road trips and hanging out with girlfriends. My spirituality is real, alive and funky and fresh. It’s not separate from my daily life, it’s so integrated and infused that I can no lnger separate the two.

—Sera Berk from The Red Book
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Yvonne Bynoe, Feature Writer

Download my FREE report: 5 WAYS TO LOVE YOUR LIFE NOW and STOP BEING A GUILTY, STRESSED OUT WORKING MOTHER at SophisticatedWomanandMama.com

You can also connect me on Twitter: Twitter.com/YvonneBynoe and on Facebook at Facebook.com/YvonneBynoe

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When it comes to looking your best, try one of these style strategies. You’re a perfect triangle if you have:

• a small to average bust size
• relatively narrow shoulders and a slight back
• a waist that’s slim or nearly equal-sized to your chest
• a wider or rounded behind
• wide hips and fuller thighs

For the triangle shape your biggest fashion challenge is to restore balance in your silhouette by creating a strong shoulder line, playing up your assets of your short torso and de-emphasizing your lower body.

• Pair V-neck blouses with wide-leg pants or an A-line skirt to create an hourglass shape.
• Choose wrap dresses in a matte jersey in delicate patterns with a dark background. Hem your dresses to knee-length or just above the knee to make your legs seem longer and your hips look smaller.
• Look for mid-rise boot-cut jeans with large back pockets and a wide waistband.
• Select jackets that are fitted through the bust and waist but gently flare over the hips.
• Try colourful scarves around your neck to add volume to your top half or wearing drop earrings to draw the eye up.