Genevieve Antoine Dariaux, "To be elegant is first of all to know oneself, and to know oneself well requires a certain amount of reflection and intelligence."

Refinement is an act of improvement.

Let’s Bring Back Some Class by Hairfinder.com

Is it my imagination? Are my eyes deceiving themselves when I see the baby beginnings of lush waves coming back to our society? Could this mean the comeback of class?

Ho- hum and yawn, goes to those who wear expensive designer gowns with their hair spilling over their bare shoulders without any jewelry, simply because this is the trend for today. Trends come and go, but if you would like people to remember you, strive to have class.

Let’s talk about class. The word itself is exciting because it means “social rank, high social rank, high quality elegance.” Have you ever given thought to what it would be like to be tabbed “elegant?” This is when you walk into the room and both women and men alike murmur their ooohs and aaaahs because they’ve become dumbstruck just by your presence. We are talking about nice whisperings. I’m not talking about the queen either, but a simple well fashioned, well coiffed lady. Notice, I said lady. Non ladies cannot be elegant only because haven’t given much thought about the issue. For some, this would seem old fashioned. However, if they decide a change is in the wind, they too can always strive to be elegant. When a lady is elegant she has learned social manners. This does not make her a prude; it is simply because she cares to guard her reputation in all areas of her life. How many elegant ladies can you count upon your fingers today? If there is one elegant lady to every 25 to 50 ladies today, think how popular she must be because she stands out in the crowd. Pure class, they say! How can they really tell the difference? For one, it is the way she holds herself when she stands. Her posture is straight, she doesn’t slump, this means she always holds in her tummy. When she sees someone across the room who is staring at her, she simply nods in acknowledgement and turns her head. Never for a minute will she stare, so unlike Hollywood’s films. Some would call her uppity or stuck up, but she knows her worth and has set her standards high and will not relent for a minute. She walks with her head held up, yet; still greeting others with a smile. Her thinking is such that, why expose what she has in the public arena, it is precious; for her future husband and besides, what mystery would be left? She is modest, (a seemingly dying virtue of today) as she sits down, she moves her legs over to one corner of the chair and crosses one ankle over the other as a well trained lady. She dresses tasteful and conservatively, never revealing too much, for she isn’t there to be sexy, but classy. A classy lady goes more for tailored clothes instead of the flash of trends. She shops for quality instead of quantity, this means cotton, silk and linen instead of polyester. Her choices in color would be wine instead of bright red, gold instead of yellow and a muted teal instead of turquoise. In that way, she is not shouting to the world, but instead confidently saying: “I am.” She also refuses to be hypocritical in her shoes and refuses to wear stilettos if she knows they will hurt her later on in life. Class has wisdom and thinks about tomorrow.

Her hair is awesomely beautiful. If it is short, she might wear it in an easy to style elfin pixie type that frames her lovely eyes and Mona Lisa smile. She might have a few subtle highlights in the front. If her hair is short to medium length, she could have lovely deep rich waves that promote her feminine appeal and soften the curves around her face. This lady doesn’t care for trends, or what is the latest fad, but she has learned to buy only what brings out the best for her, like her hairstyle does. If she has long hair, she wears it up when she goes out, unless she is going to be playing tennis, and then it is in a ponytail or a bun; her hair is neat, unless she is playing sports. She knows the value of a good haircut.

Her jewelry would be small to medium rather than large and gaudy. Her makeup is very light and neutral. Her finger and toe nails are meticulously kept up, but this doesn’t unavoidably mean that she doesn’t try to wear gloves in the garden or get her hands dirty cleaning the house or wash her dogs. A classy woman is you and me, when we decide to live with high values that are exhilarated by a progressive mind set.

Being a classy woman isn’t necessarily a woman born with a silver spoon in her mouth. But it does mean she is someone who cares for her reputation, has high standards and cares the way she carries herself in her conversation, her actions, her dress and lifestyle. She has given herself a set of high principles to live by and doesn’t see herself yielding her beliefs for anyone.

more? visit another good source. http://www.elegantwoman.org

Voyage of Discovery.co.uk

There’s a whole world out there waiting
to be discovered. The time to start is now.

The key to a Voyages of Discovery cruise is simplicity itself – see more, do more. So you’ll discover some of the great cities and monuments from the ancient and modern worlds. And along the way, you’ll also share the stories and insights not everyone gets to see. Our renowned guest speakers unlock the secrets, while our ships Discovery and Voyager are the perfect way to get to any destination.

Small enough to reach out-of-the-way ports, yet large enough to make light work of crossing the great oceans, Discovery and Voyager avoid the excesses of today’s mega-liners. Instead they have been expressly conceived for our special brand of discovery cruising to create an atmosphere on board that is friendly and relaxed.

During our voyage you will be accompanied by around 550 like-minded passengers on Voyager, with 650 on Discovery. Complementing the talks given by our own lecturers, who will preview the destinations ahead, the programme features historians, explorers, naturalists and diplomats, who will share their expertise, anecdotes and interests with you.

Be bolder, brighter, and better

and wie ein Rennauto: schön, schnell und TEUER :)

7 Most Important Interior Design Principles from Freshome

At the end of this article you’ll be able to recognize and use the basic interior design principles used by every interior designer to create a great design, and who knows maybe you’ll also save some money, or start a new career ! Now let’s begin with the beginning, and undestand what interior design is …

“Interior design is the process of shaping the experience of interior space, through the manipulation of spatial volume as well as surface treatment. Not to be confused with interior decoration, interior design draws on aspects of environmental psychology, architecture, and product design in addition to traditional decoration.

An interior designer is a person who is considered a professional in the field of interior design or one who designs interiors as part of their job. Interior design is a creative practice that analyzes programmatic information, establishes a conceptual direction, refines the design direction, and produces graphic communication and construction documents. In some jurisdictions, interior designers must be licensed to practice.” – Source :Wikipedia

Now that you have an idea about interior design, we can move forward and learn something really useful, the principles of 
interior design. Let’s begin !

When doing interior design it is necessary to think of the house as a totality; a series of spaces linked together by halls and stairways. It is therefore appropriate that a common style and theme runs throughout. This is not to say that all interior design elements should be the same but they should work together and complement each other to strengthen the whole composition. A way to create this theme or storyline is with the well considered use of color. Color schemes in general are a great way to unify a collection of spaces. For example, you might pick three or four colors and use them in varying shades thoughout the house.

In a short sentence for those who just scan this article balance can be described as the equal distribution of visual weight in a room. There are three styles of balance: symmetrical,asymmetrical, and radial.

Symmetrical balance is usually found in traditional interiors. Symmetrical balance is characterized by the same objects repeated in the same positions on either side of a vertical axis, for example you might remember old rooms where on each side of a room is an exact mirror of the other. This symmetry also reflects the human form, so we are inately comfortable in a balanced setting.

Asymmetrical balance is more appropriate in design in these days. Balance is achieved with some dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight or eye attraction. Assymetrical balance is more casual and less contrived in feeling, but more difficult to achieve. Asymmetry suggests movement, and leads to more lively interiors.

Radial symmetry is when all the elements of a design are arrayed around a center point. A spiral staircase is also an excellent example of radial balance. Though not often employed in interiors, it can provide an interesting counterpoint if used appropriately.

Interior design’s biggest enemy is boredom. A well-designed room always has, depending on the size of it, one or more focal points. A focal point must be dominant to draw attention and interesting enough to encourage the viewer to look further. A focal point thus must have a lasting impression but must also be an integral part of the decoration linked through scale, style, color or theme. A fireplace or a flat tv is the first example that most people think of when we talk about a room focal point.

If you don’t have a natural focal point in your space, such as a fireplace for example, you can create one by highlighting a particular piece of furniture, artwork, or by simply painting a contrasting color in one area. Try to maintain balance, though, so that the focal point doesn’t hog all of the attention.

If we would speak about music we would describe rhytmas the beat of pulse of the music. In interior design, rhythm is all about visual pattern repetition. Rhythm is defined as continuity, recurrence or organized movement. To achieve these themes in a design, you need to think about repetition, progression, transition and contrast. Using these mechanisms will impart a sense of movement to your space, leading the eye from one design element to another.

Repetition is the use of the same element more than once throughout a space. You can repeat a pattern, color, texture, line, or any other element, or even more than one element.

Progression is taking an element and increasing or decreasing one or more of its qualities. The most obvious implementation of this would be a gradation by size. A cluster of candles of varying sizes on a simple tray creates interest because of the natural progression shown. You can also achieve progression via color, such as in a monochromatic color scheme where each element is a slightly different shade of the same hue.

Transition is a little harder to define. Unlike repetition or progression, transition tends to be a smoother flow, where the eye naturally glides from one area to another. The most common transition is the use of a curved line to gently lead the eye, such as an arched doorway or winding path.

Finally, contrast is fairly straightforward. Putting two elements in opposition to one another, such as black and white pillows on a sofa, is the hallmark of this design principle. Opposition can also be implied by contrasts in form, such as circles and squares used together. Contrast can be quite jarring, and is generally used to enliven a space. Be careful not to undo any hard work you’ve done using the other mechanisms by introducing too much contrast!

Another important element of interior design where it is necessary to take infinite pains is details. Everything from the trimming on the lamp shade, the color of the piping on the scatter cushion, to the light switches and cupboard handles need attention. Unlike color people find details boring. As a result it gets neglected and skimmed over or generally left out. As color expresses the whole spirit and life of a scheme; details are just as an important underpinning of interior design. Details should not be obvious but they should be right, enhancing the overall feel of a room.

Scale and Proportion – These two design principles go hand in hand, since both relate to size and shape. Proportion has to do with the ratio of one design element to another, or one element to the whole. Scale concerns itself with the size of one object compared to another.

Color – Colors have a definite impact on the atmosphere that you want to create when doing interior design. A more detalied post about how colors affect our moods you can find here.

The spirit of flamenco is the art of living each day to its fullest, physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally as an individual and fulfilling your individuality as a unique creative expression of life. (BCN travel report)

Land of Wasted Talent

Unlike an earthquake, a demographic disaster does not strike without warning, The Economist’s Schumpeter blog reminds us this week. Take Japan for example; its population of 127m is predicted to fall to 90m by 2050. As recently as 1990, working-age Japanese outnumbered children and the elderly by seven to three. By 2050 the ratio will be one to one. As Japan grows old and feeble, where will Japan’s companies find dynamic, energetic workers, the author ponders. The answer may be across the kitchen table.
Nearly half of Japanese university graduates are female but only 67% of these women have jobs, many of which are part-time or involve serving tea. Japanese women with degrees are much more likely than Americans (74% to 31%) to quit their jobs voluntarily. Whereas most Western women who take time off do so to look after children, Japanese women are more likely to say that the strongest push came from employers who do not value them. A startling 49% of highly educated Japanese women who quit do so because they feel their careers have stalled.
Some 66% of highly educated Japanese women who quit their jobs say they would not have done so if their employers had allowed flexible working arrangements. The vast majority (77%) of women who take time off work want to return. But only 43% find a job, compared with 73% in America. Of those who do go back to work, 44% are paid less than they were before they took time off, and 40% have to accept less responsibility or a less prestigious title. Goldman Sachs estimates that if Japan made better use of its educated women, it would add 8.2m brains to the workforce and expand the economy by 15%—equivalent to about twice the size of the country’s motor industry.

theeconomist