Happy New Year! We’ve made it to 2021. As we prepare for the new year and reflect on the past one, we’ve had so many revelations about who and what is really important.

2020 was labeled the year of vision with quotes of “perfect vision” and finally being able to “see things clearly.” Personally, the year started off as a pun because I wrote the year 20/20 for the first 2 months of 2020 out of the habit of recording vision as an ophthalmic technician then March arrived….and the world came to a screeching halt. It is a weird thought that we as a world and human beings are experiencing the exact same thing….Coronavirus aka COVID aka the the ‘rona yet it was being experienced differently by each of us. There is no doubt that this pandemic will leave a huge imprint on our lives if it hasn’t done so already. It has robbed so many of loved ones, jobs, homes, education, and a sense of normalcy.

When I was temporarily laid off, it felt like a mini vacation for the first 2 weeks. I was forced to stand still and really reflect on my life. I refined my culinary skills and spent more time in the Word. I learned about narcissism and accomplished the goal of being certified in my field of ophthalmology. “Are you still watching” became a constant message on the tv screen and tiktok became my news source because the mainstream media seemed to exaggerate everything.

It has been challenging for all of us and if you’re emerging from this pandemic achieving goals, resolving family issues, starting a blog, or a business, reading the Bible, organizing your house, or just surviving…know that you’re doing an amazing job!

Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is in full rotation, shoppers cautiously look for gift ideas while trying to make some sense of this past year. 2020 has been filled with so much loss: of loved ones, jobs and a general sense of normalcy. The pandemic has drastically changed holiday traditions for so many families but it is also a chance for families to create new family traditions and really focus on the meaning of Christmas. Some may overcompensate with physical gifts but consider G.I.F.T.S when looking for that something special and beyond another trinket.

Generosity: Goes beyond an abundance of gifts. Show your generosity with your time; money to causes that are important to you. Be generous with your knowledge; Share your expertise via social media or a master class.

Invest: Investments goes beyond stocks and bonds. It can look like moments of improvement such as reading books, taking classes or jumping at unique opportunities. Invest more in yourself.

Free: It is true, the best things in life are free: being Kind, being respectful, showing up, encouragement, forgiveness, and understanding are all things that are free. They are often the best gifts you can give and receive.

Time: Is a weird concept this year. 2020 has stood still and sped up all at the same time. It has made many of us reflect and make important changes. Giving your time to encourage, teach, pray or listen can be the most beautiful gift. Your projects, relationships, goals all require time and learning to manage it can be life changing.

Support: Is encouraging your friend’s business and not asking for a discount. Support is showing up and being the loudest cheerleader. It is providing help in the form that is most needed; it is being honest and providing guidence.

The world is trying to maintain all the holiday norms with window displays, Christmas music and holiday treats but we’re quickly reminded that 2020 has been anything but normal…shopping trips require masks even if they’re printed with blinged out snowflakes and candy canes to reflect the season. Stores operate with limited capacity. We all appreciate opening a present on Christmas day but we all need a bit more…we all could use a form of G.I.F.TS.

Niko Kokkinos is back with Style By Syraluna with an update of Modern Lusso. Modern Lusso is beyond excited to announce the expansion of their Life Style brand with the launch of their website www.shopmodernlusso.com which also includes their accessory brand Modern Lusso: Resort, which elevates the the resort and vacationing experiences of Greece. The collection is comprised of the must haves of Grecian beach life. I am obsessed with the terrycloth towel in Mykonos Grey and the Beach tote in Santorini Black Lava; both are perfect accessories to my favourite coordinate tee, which launched Modern Lusso in 2017.

Collaborations with other Greek designers is now checked off of the vision board. Modern Lusso has partnered with Argalios, Flame & Co and my favourite Stories to wear. Each brand captures the elements of Grecian life all while being traditional yet chic. It was love at first sight with these Hand made Plexi hoops in Aphrodite fuchsia aka my favourite colour… Pink!! Just look at that classic Grecian detail engraved in their earrings. So many of their beautiful pieces uniquely capture Greek Culture.

Niko believes that travel is an essential part of life and has made sure that Modern Lusso reflects the travel lifestyle with emphasis on his favourtie destination spot…Greece. He makes his yearly trip with family and of course for inspiration for the brand. However this years trip was disrupted with the pandemic. Niko was state side all of his product was in a ware house in Greece. He couldn’t enter Greece to take care of business and the US wasn’t accepting any international cargo. Modern Lusso was in limbo for about 6 months. The brand is getting back into the swing of things and preparing for needs of Grecian travel.

Niko is seeing his visions come to fruition with had work, negotiations collaborations and patience…lots of patience. As we discussed the growth of the brand we couldn’t help but discuss the perks and challenges of being the boss of your own brand. You make all of the decisions which means you as the boss determines the pace of business’s success.

Modern Lusso has expanded upon their original concept of coordinate tees of Grecian cities to an e-commerce store to include travel lifestyle necessities and collaborations with Greek designers who each uniquely capture the pure essence of Greece. As the brand grows, we will prepare our trip to the next Grecian beach.

The focus on where to buy fashion trends have greatly shifted from major retailers like J.Crew, Nordstom, Ann Taylor etc. to their online versions along with Amazon and of course Target. Every time I make my weekly (sometimes daily) stop at Target, I simply must visit the clothing section and I’m never disappointed. My latest find at Target is this rich camel colour crew neck sweater which I paired with a chambray button down and faux leather leggings. Camel is a beautiful neutral and at $24.99 (plus tax) it is a must have staple for every wardrobe.

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Transitioning your summer pieces into your fall wardrobe allows to to be creative and maximize the use of your wardrobe. One of my favourite summer pieces this year has been a sienna vest that I purchased from the Ava and Viv collection for Target. During the summer I paired this sweater with white jeans and a blazer or denim jacket. For the fall, I’ve paired the same sweater with a grey trouser with gold and white plaid, chambray shirt and gold ballet flats. I was excited to blog about this outfit because I love fall fashion and I received so many compliments. Move the arrows left to right to see how I transitioned this summer sweater to fall.