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OPENING SOON! Yes, that's right! Papa Chocolat will be transforming simple delicacies like cocoa, ginger and vanilla into glorious concoctions that will be available soon in Willow Park Village!  Come enjoy the delicious chocolate, a result of the dedication and creativeness of 4 generations of Callebaut chocolatiers!

Look for Structured Jackets
I suggest this item to just about every one of my clients.  It does so many jobs.  It pulls more casual looks of jeans and t-shirts into “outfits”, it provides camouflage to the midsection, it keeps the girls “locked and loaded” and it gives you amazing shape.  I gravitate towards these key pieces over and over because I just know they work for my body type and there is not really another piece that is so multi functional.  My structured jackets range in materials from corduroy, to denim, to cotton and even a few wool blends.  Now the rules for this multi tasker are that it generally should fit no lower than the hip bone, it must have excellent seaming and structure.  Rules for number of buttons, collar type and color are all based on the individual. 

Accentuate your best feature
In the assessment each of my clients fills out prior to our first appointment, one of the questions I ask is “Are there special areas about yourself that you would like to highlight?”  This of course means special body parts.  Now I would say that about a third of these that I receive have this question left blank.  The next question is “Are there any areas that you would like to camouflage?” and 100% of the clients have this portion filled out in great detail.  We all have at least once part of our physical body that we are happy with and *gasp* might even love.  It is not only is it healthy to have self love for your body but it gives others permission to celebrate themselves.

Say "YES" to Yourself!  Video Contest (Submissions are available from Sept. 6, 2011 to Oct. 18, 2011) Two Grand Prizes worth over $5000 each that includes a spring 2012 shopping trip to New York City!  Enter at  www.soulreflection.ca

Professional Bra Fitting and Shape Wear
We need to start with the basics.  It doesn’t matter how pretty your outfit is or how much you spent on it if you don’t have the right support.  What you wear underneath your clothes will either make or break you.  Do you know that approximately 70% of women are wearing the wrong bra size?  Having the girls in the right place will make a huge difference to how your clothes look.  It will also help your posture, will open up your torso and make you look elongated and poised.  When was your last professional bra fitting?  I ask this of each of my clients and am not surprised one bit when they tell me they never have had a professional fit them or that it was 10 years ago. 
When I suggest shape wear to some of my clients they immediately associate the word with some kind of torture chamber.  Shape wear has come a long way.  This is not your grandmother’s girdle.  There are many brands that are comfortable and don’t ride up or roll down.  Regardless of your weight, all women can benefit from some form of shape wear.  It eliminates panty lines, smoothes thighs and slenderizes the tummy and waist.  If you are new to shape wear then I suggest you try one of the shaping camisoles.  They should be worn everyday if you have tummy issues and can be pulled down low for love handle issues and look great when layered.  You can then try one of the bike short styles.  Start wearing them under your dress pants and skirts.  When you are ready or the need arises then you can graduate to the full bodysuit style.  I am not saying you have to wear it daily but for goodness sakes, please do not tell anyone I helped you pick out that jersey knit wrap dress if you don’t have your shape wear on. 
Wear Dark Wash Denim
This is the most flattering wash for denim regardless of your age or weight.  It takes you from day to night with ease and always slims the silhouette.  Look for the darkest wash you can find and you can actually spend less on your jeans because they will look more expensive.  Lighter wash denim gives the illusion of expansion.  So if you are conscious of hips and thighs then those jeans you are wearing with the heavy sanding on the thighs or whiskering on the front hip area are not doing you any favors. Lighter wash denim also just looks more casual.  You can wear a t-shirt with lighter wash and wear them on weekends but they don’t work so well for casual Fridays at the office.  However with a dark wash jean they look great on the weekend in your t-shirt and ballet flats, look professional with a structured jacket and pumps or sexy with a satin tank top and strappy sandals for a night out with the girls.
Let’s talk about styles...
A boot cut is going to be your safest bet on style.  Keep in mind that all brands of jeans fit differently and that a boot cut from Levi’s will not fit the same as one from J Brand.  The reason the boot cut usually works well on everyone is that it slims the thigh and then gently opens up from the knee bringing balance to the hips. 
Skinny jeans are still popular but most of my clients question if they can wear them.  I believe that most women can wear them however there are some rules.  If you have heavier calves then they will be a challenge.  Even if you do find a pair that you can get on, they will likely feel uncomfortable.  If you are curvy or have a larger chest then you will need to add some weight to the bottom of your silhouette.  High boots can easily solve this problem.  No one wants to look like a tomato on toothpicks.  If you are a straight rectangle then you are good to go.  Just ask yourself if you look balanced.  If not, then look for design details to add where you need more  or less volume. 
High rise vs. Low rise seems to be an issue these days.  For the last few years low rise was all the rage regardless if it made us look great or not.  The dreaded muffin top is directly related to the rise in your pants.  If high rise makes you think of 80’s mom jeans, I challenge you to lose that visual.  The higher rise I like to suggest does not come higher than the belly button but sits just below it.  You still get the flattering look of what a lower rise does but you get the coverage you likely need.  These styles usually have a slightly wider waistband as well.

Say "YES" to Yourself!  Video Contest (Submissions are available from Sept. 6, 2011 to Oct. 18, 2011) Two Grand Prizes worth over $5000 each that includes a spring 2012 shopping trip to New York City!  Enter at  www.soulreflection.ca