fashion. 101

Happy New Year: Set the detailed Vision

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

Happy New Year! We made it another year. Many people will set New Year’s resolutions or take the time to reflect upon the year. Last year, I decided to make a vision board for my life’s goals. As I reflect on my board, I’ve learned a few things. Make your goals very detailed. I put on my board that I wanted a pink ring, but I wasn’t specific about the type or who it was from. I was gifted a pink ring for Christmas from a very good friend of mine. However, when I made the vision board, I envisioned the ring as an engagement ring from a future husband. When I received my gift, I laughed because God has a sense of humor, and it made me realize that I need to be more detailed in setting my goals.

Even though January 1 is the start of the New Year, according to the Gregorian calendar, I’ve always felt that the new year starts in the Spring. During Spring, we see the rebirth of Mother Nature, with longer days and a sense of newness. I also feel more motivated to accomplish tasks in the spring. During the winter, I lay the foundation for my goals by researching, journaling, and reflecting on what I’ve already achieved and what I can improve.

I’ve placed my vision where I must see it daily, and it is a constant reminder of what I have accomplished and the future goals I have yet to achieve. It is also a reminder to be a bit more detailed with my goals and dreams.

Whatever goals you have set for yourself, make sure they are detailed and set up in an achievable way that is satisfying but not overwhelming.

Happy New Year!

Pretty in Pilates: Grip Sock Review

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been doing Pilates consistantly for almost a year now, and it has been incredible. I’ve lost 20 pounds, my back pain is gone, and my quality of sleep has improved greatly. In each Pilates class, I’m pushing my mind and body to be stronger and more flexible. Something that I’ve noticed though, during my workouts, while you’re using your body weight in conjunction with different spring strength, the right pair of socks are crucial for the workout, especially during the dreaded plank. However, the right pair of Pilates socks is crucial for the maximum Pilates workout.

During my first few Pilates classes, I was wearing Tavi Pilates socks, which are great for beginners. They have a variety of sock lengths and colours. The grip proved to be great for reformer work, but I found that it would slide off when I did planks on the mat. The overall fit is “true to size,” the price is great ($14-$24)and I love that they have a shade of pink for every season. I rate them 4.5/5

One day, I forgot my Pilates socks, so I quickly bought a pair of Gaiam Pilates socks on my way to the studio. As I started my warm-up, I noticed that I couldn’t get a good grip on the reformer. Regardless of the position, I had to buy another pair of socks halfway through the class. Though the price was $8, I felt you got what you paid for. The socks were too big, didn’t have enough grip, and had a limited colour selection. I rate them 2/5

As I’ve progressed throughout my Pilates journey, I’ve learned the importance of quality gear, (this is true for any workout/sport). In my search for different socks, I came across the brand Arbesk, which has captured fashionable and functional designs. I bought the “Anna Grip Sock,” designed with the big, beautiful pink bows, great compression, and a grip that is thick and covers the full bottom of the sock. I was able to flow through my reformer and mat workout without slipping. The socks also came with a mini garment bag for washing, which helps with the longevity of your grip socks. Priced $16-$25, worth the investment. I rate them 5/5

The popularity of Pilates is on the rise, and many brands have noticed and are jumping into the craze with their own brand of socks. However, not all socks are created equal. Great Compression and grip are essential for proper alignment and movement as you flow through Pilates. Arbesk is a brand that understands the intersection of fashion and functionality.

Pilates is on the rise, again, and many brands are taking notice and taking part, however not socks are created equal. You want something that will wick away moisture, hug your feet, provide great grip and not slide off during your workouts. While some may come with a higher price point, it’s worth it, you don’t want to risk injury or not being able to give your all due to your equipment.

Pretty in Pink: National Pink Day

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

What could be more perfect than the colour Pink? June 23 is a day that celebrates all things Pink. Unique shades of pink are found in nature, from fruits and flowers to animals, including the pink flamingo (my favorite), to the rare pink hue that paints the sky.

Pink has taken on many meanings throughout history, art, literature, pop culture, and fashion. Pink has also played a part in our childhood, i.e, pink for girls and blue for boys. However, in the 19th century, pink was for boys, as it was a lighter colour of red, a powerful colour, and blue for girls; this changed in the 20th century. It’s now an identifiable colour for girls, and according to my mother and Nordstrom, I was born for the colour pink.

Pink has a unique history, with the first reference of the colour starting with the Greeks (naturally), first in Homer’s Odyssey, then coined by a Greek botanist who described the colours of carnations. Throughout the centuries, pink has influenced different countries and cultures. Pink was popular in Japanese fashion, worn by both men and women; much of their fashion was also influenced by the pink cherry blossoms. Pink made its way to Europe during the 18th century, when the colour was made popular by Madame de Pompadour and influenced the fashion of the era.

Pink continues to be a popular colour in fashion; however, pink starts to pivot into entertainment through the 20th and 21st centuries with fashion icons like Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”. To Molly Ringwald in “Pretty in Pink,” an 80s classic. Another Pink fashion icon we must acknowledge is Jackie Kennedy, dressed in her Chanel pink suit that defined an era of luxury but also a pivotal moment in US history when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

All things “Pink” exploded again with Barbie and “The Barbie Movie,” so much so that it caused a global shortage of the signature colour.

Pink has taken on the meaning of being soft, elegant, feminine, luxurious, and healing. Many women who are in a healing era gravitate to pink or reclaim pink as their favourite colour. I can attest to this because after my divorce, I found myself surrounded with all things pink; my bedding, bathroom, wardrobe, and now my kitchen. I was starting over, and I wanted everything to be Pretty in Pink.

Pink has been prominent throughout history and has carried many meanings. Pink also promotes softness, warmth, and healing and that is something worth celebrating.

Happy National Pink Day 🎀

Pretty in Pilates

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

Happy Pilates Day! I’ve been doing Pilates for seven months now, and I just learned that Pilates has an International Day of Recognition (first Saturday in May), honoring the legacy of Joseph Pilates.

Pilates has a unique history; it was initially designed for wounded soldiers during World War II, then pivoted into the dance world and eventually expanded into studios across the globe. It is known for targeting the core, flexibility, and muscles that you didn’t even know you had.

I did my first Pilates class with my sister for her birthday. We came dressed in our pretty Pilates sock and ready to embrace the reformer. We’ve been consistent for months now, and I see the added benefits in my health: I sleep better, I’m hardly ever sick, my back pain is gone, and I have more flexibility. Pilates is very addictive and worth the investment.

TikTok Goes Dark

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

TikTok officially went dark due to the ban upheld by the Supreme Court. The ban was under the guise of a threat to national security data. Interestingly, the only social media that has been banned is TikTok. Like millions of users of the app, I joined in 2020 during the Pandemic as a way to escape. I was laughing and being entertained but I was also learning and healing. TikTok has become more than an app for trending sounds and videos, it has become a form of community for millions of people around the world. TikTok is a platform filled with individuals being silly or educating people on a variety of topics from history to mental health. Another thing that makes TikTok so unique is the algorithm which really curates content for the individual user. But the most powerful tool of TikTok (in my opinion) is that TikTok allows people from around the world to experience and discuss topics and events in real-time which challenges a scripted narrative.

Interestingly, Facebook and Instagram haven’t faced the same fate as TikTok and that has so many TikTok users asking why? We know the answer, this ban was never about a threat to national security… this ban is about money and control.

Personally, I don’t think this is the end of TikTok, however, the next 24-48 hours will give us a better idea of where we stand.

Fascinators: Fun, Fashion and Fancy

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

Fascinators have always been a “must-have” accessory when attending aristocratic events, weddings, in particular, royal weddings in the United Kingdom. They have signaled the height of fashion. A level of elegance for many. And an element of fun with their unique shapes, colours, and textures.

Fascinators have sporadically made their way to the US with events like the Kentucky Derby, tea parties, and church ( if you know, you know). With the popularity of the Bridgeton books and Netflix series, fascinators have made a resurgence in the fashion realm. Growing up in England and the U.S., I’ve always been fond of fascinators and how they elevate the most classic looks. Fascinators can be a conversational piece with their unique shapes, and colours with displays of lace, pearls, flowers, or feathers

I recently had an event where I needed a fascinator and of course, I didn’t want anything mass-produced. Hence, my good friend Traci, owner of Chapeax by Traci, quickly started brainstorming and created two beautiful works of art that captured the moment. Each fascinator was designed with the unique personalities of me and my sister in mind.

Women of all cultures have adorned their hair with scarves, feathers, gold dust, or detailed hair pins. However, the fascinator as we know it was introduced in the era of Marie Antoinette. French fashion had a huge influence within Europe making the fascinator an “it” piece among British elites. The fascinator had its moment of influence in American fashion especially in the 1920s among flappers and again during the 1980s, especially with the fashion icon Princess Diana. The fascinators are now seen as “the statement” piece that is worn to English weddings, high teas, and other events where fascinators are “encouraged” to be worn.

Be intentional and get your Pink Back

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

Happy New Year! Many of you know that I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions but I do set goals throughout the year, which I find easier to achieve. I had set the goal of being more intentional in my life. For example, I am more mindful about what I consume, how I spend my time, and who I am spending it with. Many of you know that I love fashion but few actually know that I love history and learning interesting facts about nature…this has a connection, I promise. While scrolling on TikTok, I learned a very interesting fact about my favourite animal..pink flamingos.

TikTok has been instrumental in me being intentional in my life. It has challenged my perspective on life in general. I follow, Shawnda, on TikTok and she shared that female Pink Flamingos lose their pink over time while caring for their young; they lose their pink to the point they turn grey or white. Flamingos’ colour can fade or disappear for many other factors as well such as environment or food but I find it fascinating that Pink flamingos are pouring everything that they have such as energy and food into their young and you can physically see the drain on them.

The creator poses the question “What is causing you to lose your “pink?” Who or what are you pouring into that is draining you of your energy, your inspiration…of your “pink.” Shandra then follows up the question ” How are you going to get your pink back? As a lover of all things pink, I had to make a post on this intriguing topic.

Personally, I realized I was losing my pink when I was over-extending myself. I would always say “yes” to my friends and my family even though I was beyond exhausted. I was the only one working on my marriage pouring everything I could into a relationship that was beyond repair. My environment was pure chaos and I felt pure exhaustion every time I would walk into the house. I literally could not heal and be productive. I had lost my pink.

Now I’m getting my pink back, literally and figuratively. “No” is a complete sentence. If at any point, I feel that I’m overextending myself and my pink is starting to dull, I step back and course correct. It’s been 2 years since my divorce and I started to get my pink back when I realized that I really did everything I could to save my marriage before signing the divorce papers. I have been very intentional about my environment; I’ve literally surrounded myself with pink. My bedroom decor is in pink, my bathroom is pink, my kitchen accessories are… you guessed it..pink.

I truly believe that everyone looks amazing in pink and it gives you an instant glow, even if you’re going through difficult times. So, I challenge you, to identify what is draining you of your pink and what are you going to do to get your pink back?

Happy New Year and get your pink back!

Malibu Barbie Cafe: Chicago

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

According to my mother and Nordstrom, I’ve always been obsessed with pink and of course, Barbie! With the world premiere of the Barbie movie and a collaboration with pretty much every major brand, and now the launch of Malibu Barbie Cafe” I am truly a Barbie girl living in a Barbie World.

Every year, my family vacations along Lake Michigan, and this year it was in Racine, Wisconsin. I quickly learned that it is a 2-hour drive to Chicago, where Malibu Barbie Cafe is located. From start to finish, it is an experience. First, you must make a reservation via bucketlisters.com where you have the option to have bar or table seating (pricing will vary). Then you select your entree off of the menu which is included in the ticket price. I opted for the “Pacific Paradise Rainbow” pancakes and my dad, who was my date for the event, opted for the “Beach Burger” which was served with this flavorful “secret sauce” which was amazing. Drinks are ordered once you are seated; they had pink-themed cocktails, beach-themed teas, and non-alcoholic drinks. I opted for a “big splash soda” (coke).

Once you enter the cafe, you have stepped into Malibu Barbie’s World and you are surrounded by beach themes and pink! The cafe has a gift shop where you can purchase Malibu Barbie dolls and other Barbie accessories. Then there is the bar which is decorated with surfboards and accents of pink, even the cocktail napkins were..you guessed it pink. The waiters were all dressed as Ken dolls all wearing pink short sleeve button-down shirts…classic!

Throughout the cafe there are many photo ops from the pink phone, to the boom box and of course a life-size Barbie box. There was an outside area where you could eat, take many more photos, and for a $1 donation, you could rollerskate. Unfortunately, it started raining so we stayed inside. Looking around I saw so many moms there with their daughters and experiencing Barbie’s world. If you loved Barbie growing up (and still do as an adult) I recommend the Malibu Barbie Cafe Experience, you will be in great pink company.

The Malibu Barbie Cafe pop-up is in the following cities: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, and San Francisco. Unfortunately, they don’t have plans to come to the Washington D.C. area ( I asked).

Stepping into 2023: Refreshed and Refocused

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

Though the posts for the blog stylebysyraluna have been silent for the past couple of months, I haven’t forgotten about you, my readers, or the overall purpose of why I started the blog. I needed time to refocus on myself and the many changes that were happening in my life and I couldn’t give the attention that my blog deserved. Now that I’ve been focusing on healing, I’m ready to blog again.

Personally, 2022 was an amazing year and I’m looking forward to 2023. Self-care was my theme for 2022 and it has been so very rewarding. The past year was about self-reflection, healing, and choosing to be at peace. Choosing self-care also means being intentional about my time and who I spend it with. Being intentional is helping me learn from my past mistakes and not to agonize over them. It is also teaching me to be very aware of my feelings, especially after interactions with particular people in my life which resulted in some much-needed “life edits”

Throughout my journey of healing and self-reflection, I’m learning that you can’t heal in the same place that hurt you, so I had to make some moves…physically and emotionally. First, I moved into a fantastic apartment, which has given me the much-needed space, privacy, and order I needed to heal. I didn’t bring old furniture or dishes with me because I wanted a fresh start; furnishing my new apartment has been fun and therapeutic. Changing your space also means changing your mindset and gaining clarity. Second, my divorce was finalized and truth be told I felt relief. My marriage had become a huge stressor in my life and after much prayer, therapy, and counseling, I knew that divorce was the ultimate answer. I walked away from my marriage without doubt and peace of mind. So begins my self-care journey.

Self-care will take many forms: Prayer, journaling, spa days, pampering, or therapy (and yes retail therapy counts, within a budget of course). For me, self-care does include those things but it also requires setting boundaries, learning from my past and being intentional about my time and who I share it with. It has also required me to create an environment filled with beautiful and serene things that brought peace and joy into my life. Most importantly, I’ve learned (and am still learning,) that self-care is about forgiving yourself and others. You cannot move forward while keeping yourself tethered to the past. Love yourself enough to let go and move forward, take that first step into your potential, and open yourself to receiving your many blessings

I want to say thank you for your patience and Happy New Year!

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Be Intentional and Celebrate the Everyday

~ Syraluna ~ Leave a comment

It is so easy to get wrapped in the routine of everyday life and overlook the beauty that can be found in the day-to-day. These last two years have challenged so many of us to reexamine our daily lives and learn to really appreciate what is important and to be really present in the moments that make up this journey called life.

Turning 40 has changed my perspective on many aspects of life and choosing to be more intentional about my daily life has become a focus. I first wanted to be intentional about my personal space and this meant moving into a luxury apartment and creating my ideal oasis. Before furnishing any other room in my new space, I made sure to create my dream bedroom. Those that know me know that I’m obsessed with pink. I opted for a blush pink duvet set by Pottery Barn Teen (yes it’s teen but everything I wanted) and complemented the room with blush-coloured accent pieces and curtains that created my pink oasis.

I’ve moved a lot in my life and every time it is a reboot in my life and this move was filled with a lot of emotion for many reasons but it has really encouraged me to unplug and enjoy my space with a bubble bath or an amazing view of the sunrise and sunset.

My time in Spain taught me that meals are more than just eating food; they are an experience to celebrate the many events that makeup life. Meals are so rushed in the U.S. that we neglect the beauty that meals bring: time with loved ones and recapping the day, celebrations, or just a break throughout the day. Sandwiches are a snack, meal or an extraordinary experience. I’ve always enjoyed sandwiches, they’re simply easy to make yet delightfully satisfying with simple ingredients like PB and J to a classic Turkey and Cheese, the options are endless. I came across a flavorful sandwich made of chewy ciabatta bread, smoked gouda, smoked turkey breast, sweet honey mustard, and crisp sliced apples combined to make an amazing food experience. I found myself reveling in the exquisite taste of this one sandwich that has become a staple on my menu. This is more than building an incredible sandwich; it was about savoring an experience, combing different ingredients, and sharing that with my family, (who also love it, including a vegetarian.) Not only have I elevated the ingredients for the most amazing sandwich I have ever assembled. I’ve even elevated the dishes to the Aspen Collection from Crate and Barrel, to serve all of my meals on and create a daily culinary experience of excellence.

Being intentional will elevate your daily experiences but it will also encourage you to be patient and appreciate the process of becoming a greater version of yourself. Now go and celebrate the “every day.”