Oh girl I want to make you sweat..

They say the early bird gets the worm, I say let them have it. When the alarm goes off, the snooze button has a better chance of being put on than my gym shoes. However, there are certain payoffs that come with when you schedule your workout.

Some benefits of morning exercise include:
·A boost of energy! A morning jog can give you a feeling of physical energy for hours.
·A clear head. Your mental acuity improves, so you’re able to stay sharp on your feet for whatever is thrown your way.
·Burn more calories throughout the day. Kick start your day with a trip to the gym, and you’ll raise your heart rate and metabolism, which will stay revved up throughout the day.

Don’t let work stop you from squeezing in a midday workout. This way you can:
·Regulate the amount of food you eat for lunch. A brisk walk and healthy lunch will leave you feeling refreshed (and sans a guilty conscious had you scarfed another slice of pizza at your desk).
·Also, a workout in the middle of the day can help stop you from reaching for sugary snack in the late afternoon and beat that afternoon slump.
·Release any pent up tension, and improve blood flow so you can bring your focus (and sanity!) back to help you get through the rest of your day.

For you who really come alive at night, there are definite advantages to working out in the evening including:
·Your perceived exertion is at its lowest. This means, you may be able to work out harder or faster because you don’t feel yourself to be working as hard.
·Less chance of injury. Your muscles are already warmed up and flexible from the day.
·Great way to release stress from work, school, or home.

In the grand scheme of staying healthy, making your workout a consistent part of your day is more important than what time of day you choose to sweat.

Life Styled: Nicole Richie's New Maternity Line

Maternity boutique A Pea in the Pod, and stylish mom-to-be, Nicole Richie, unveiled a new collection of maternity wear at the Beverly Hills boutique on August 6th. The line ‘Nicole’ calls to Ms. Richie’s boho-chic style fluttered with peasant tops, maxidresses, layered tees, and braided details.

Combining basic colors, transparency, and lighter than air fabrics, pregnant women get the best of all worlds in ‘Nicole’ — comfort, luxury, and style. The look is simple, elegant, and oh so boho chic that will carry over nicely from end of summer to fall wardrobe.

At the launch party, Nicole looked gorgeously pregnant and put together in a LBD that actually is a sleeveless scoop neck tank top from the new line. Many other pregnant celebrities were also in attendance, including Judy Reyes, Golden Brooks, and Tisha Campbell-Martin.
This exclusive line will be sold at A Pea in the Pod stores, with prices ranging from $48 for basic tops to $148 for maxidresses.

Welcome back Project Runway

Thursday night FIDM, Provencho Restaurant and Remedy Lounge hosted Project Runway's Season 6 Premiere. Celebrities, designers, fashionistas, and fashion lovers gathered in the posh digs of downtown to catch a screening of everyone's favorite design show. The seamless reality series kicked off with 16 eager designers ready to show their talent off to the world. Despite the leap from Bravo to its new home on Lifetime, there were no major differences in the show aside from it now being show in Los Angeles. After the premiere, patrons celebrated at the VIP after party and reception featuring DJ Mark Lewis.

Celebrities in attendance included Gillis Marini, Julia Anderson, and Tanjareen Martin. Fashion designer, David Alexander, was also at the event. Alexander, who has dressed stars like Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears, arrived with his model Laura LaRue in a gold structured dress with a cut out back from his collection. Simply gorgeous.

Much of the evening's charm came shining through the edgy ensembles worn by guests. Walking down the hall, you would have thought Heidi Klum and Michael Kors were sitting off to the side commenting on their notecards. In case you missed last nights show, Lindsay Lohan made a surprise appearance as a guest judge. For their first challenge, designers were to create a look for a red carpet event. As always, there were hits and some major misses. Either way, we're excited to watch the ins and outs of fashion drama as it unfolds in this next season. In true Tim Gunn style: Make it work Project Runway.

Mad About Magnes

Some bags are simply wingmen in the world of handbags, meant only to support the rest of the ensemble. The Magnes Sisters had a different idea in mind when they joined creative forces to design their standout collection that demands the kind of attention a girl is more than happy to give. Be ready to share the spotlight once you add any one of these designs to your look.

As prophesied by their Russian grandmother, Dina, Yael, and Tamar Magnes came to the big city to create high-end hand bags, which reflect their “individuality and harmony as a trio.” Using luxurious materials such as Italian leather, natural canvas, vintage wool and silky linings, the bags not only look great slung under one arm, they also come playfully named. Dry Martini, Mr. Big, and Liberty are perfect for any girl with a New York heart.

The sisters have included a slew of colors like yellow, plum suede, and platinum to make sure you’re covered for any occasion. The bags are feminine, but cool and more than ready to handle adventures beyond a nine-to-five workday. For girls on the go, each piece comes equipped with a strap, but many of them cleverly double as a clutch–perfect for an after work cocktail date.

Yay or neigh?

Ok, I love my equestrian inspired fashion as much as the next girl but some designers have taken the look a little too far.  “A. F. Vandervorst kicked off a trendlet at its show in March, putting a Clydesdale sole on boots and shoes,” which has inspired a new look for fall: the hoof clog.  Those words on paper look as ugly as this “shoe” on feet.  The ongoing obsession women have with shoes partially resonates from the notion of sometimes (or a lot of the time) clothes don’t drape our bodies in the way we would like them to, but shoes always look good.  These, however, may be the exception to the rule.  I just cannot bring myself to saddle up and get on board with these.  As much as I love horses, no part of me wishes to resemble one.

To be fair, I will offer space for the designers to explain the creative process in formulating this unique look.  Opening Ceremony’s Humberto Leon said, “We had this image in our heads of herds of running animals… That’s something we’ve always loved, as an image, and that’s how we came up with the idea of these hoof-like shoes.”  Whoa there boy.  I don’t know about you, but I already feel herded around as I rush through the rat race of life.  I would rather not have shoes that make me feel even less human.  Maybe I’m looking at this from a completely wrong angle.  Perhaps, this look allows women to bring out their wild side---animal instincts if you will.  In the end, the look is not for me.  I don’t know of one woman who would ever want her feet to resemble cow hooves.  Then again, I’ve never asked so who really knows?    

Shopping alert!

If you live in the world of online fashion as a bargain huntress (such as myself) then you’ve probably heard the buzz surrounding theOutnet.com.  If you don’t enjoy the thrill of shopping designer pieces for a percentage of its original cost, then you can stop reading right here.  The newest addition to my favorite online shopping sites, not set to come out until the weekend, launched last night around 3 a.m.  It was the sort of joy you experience when walking into a room full of your friends who magnificently pulled off planning you a surprise party; now, just imagine those friends are Chloe, Derek Lam, and (my best friend!) Christian Louboutin.  Ok, seriously people, why are you still reading this?  It’s not everyday fate steps in and hands us such sweet deals… 

Entre nous, just one more reason i love the French.

Most American women would agree that those Frenchies have something going on.  That certain je ne sais quoi they posses is what women all over the world work tirelessly to achieve.  However, some of their best style advice takes no money and minimal effort, and that is to embrace character flaws.  

The April issue of French Elle features eight female European celebrities--including Eva Herzigova, Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, and Charlotte Rampling--all without makeup and all entirely without Photoshopping or retouching of any kind. (Wow!) The mag's headline "Stars Sans Fards" translates to “without rouge/makeup,” but it's a French saying that also suggests a sense of  “openness.”

Of course we've all seen tabloid magazines with headlines such as, "Stars caught without makeup, Yikes!"  The most unflattering pictures are used to scrutinize celebrities, tearing them down to make us non-celebrities feel better about themselves.  (I'm suddenly back in junior high!)  What makes this pictorial so special is that it seems to embrace the organic beauty of these already stunning women.  How refreshing would it be to see the celebs we love in the States, as they are?  Not to criticize them, but to showcase the real beauty of these women.  Women's magazines are constantly telling readers how to bring out and embrace their natural beauty, then put overly airbrushed models on their cover.  Seems a little counterintuitive, if you ask me. There's no doubt these women are beautiful (airbrushed or not), so let's take a cue from our European neighbors and practice what we preach.  Go ahead, and put real women on the covers as they are, flaws and all.