Do They Know Me, Or What?

Hi all!

So, today I become a year older. And I love my birthday! I love the phone calls, birthday cards, Facebook messages, Skype calls, hugs, smiles and compliments, but there's also that moment of reflection. That time where you stop to think about where you are in your life, if it's where you'd like to be, if you wish this or that were different... I guess it's part of becoming "more experienced"; at least for me it is!

With all the reflection going on today and in the last few days, I got to think about my circle. The people who are a part of my life, those who've verb around since I was born, for a long time, for a short time... All the people that have been a part of this journey so far, and have contributed and continue contributing to this roller coaster ride that is my life thus far. I wonder what each of them has to say about this past year, what their predictions will be for the next one, what advice they have for me and, most importantly, which of those I will take, or wish I'd taken!

When arriving home from work today, I opened my mailbox and found myself face to face with probably one of the best birthday cards I've seen in a while. My dearest childhood friend hit the nail on the head when she picked the following card to send me:

Hilariousness aside, this is a perfect example of how well my friends know me! Not only does this express exactly what I would like to be doing right now (man, I miss the beach!!), but also what I believe is the best way to enjoy the sun: in whatever way you feel is right for you! 

If anything, I want today to be about celebrating feeling well, enjoying life, and having the free spirit  to go out and experience everything that that is still on the bucket list. And to add some more things to that list as well! I would like for today, and for all days for that matter, to be about making the best of things, and doing that while being surrounded with the people that make all these experiences so special. It's having these special people in my life that makes every great moment I've had become timeless.  

Hope you all are also having a good day today! Mine has been awesome!

Happy Swimsuit Hunting! 

Carnaval Is Not Over If You Want It

Oh, Ash Wednesday… Perhaps here in North America the feeling isn’t as grey. But if you’ve ever been to Brazil during this beautiful time of year, you know exactly how everyone there is feeling today. It’s not just that Carnaval is over, it also represents the unofficial beginning of the year. Brazilians are used to the expression “Só depois do Carnaval!”, which basically means that important things will only begin once Carnaval is over. And as funny as that sounds, in most cases it is true!

Although the official holiday is over, perhaps we could find a way to keep that good vibe going. If you think about it, swimsuits are first to come to mind when we think of Carnaval costumes, it’s always the image of the woman in a bikini with a big decorative piece on her head. Truth be told, swimwear is just as important as any other piece of clothing when creating Carnaval costumes, but in this case we could use that “fame” to our advantage.

Now, before you think: is she suggesting what I think she’s suggesting? The answer is: No, I’m not! You do not need to be a Rainha da Bateria to maintain the Carnaval spirit.  All I would like to propose is to bring the joy and fun of Carnaval into our swimsuit prints. Sound more doable? Great! So on that note, why don’t we go over a few ideas.

The classic, simple  deck card costume is the inspiration for the suit on the right. You'd think this print would look strange, or maybe out of proportion, but notice how the swimsuit only has one queen (as opposed to the mirrored image), which makes it less busy, and large enough that with only one look you know exactly what the print relates to. This is such a fun swimsuit, you could probably wear it with a short black skirt and still pull off a nice deck card costume. Keep an eye out for this print next time you go shopping!

This next one speaks for itself. 

As a longtime fan of Wonder Woman, I now am feeling a bit embarrassed that it never occurred to me that I should own one of these swimsuits! I mean, can it get any more cool? OK, maybe you're not as big a fan as I am, but let's give this a little more thought. She was probably one of the oldest and sexiest super heroes, and could have written the book on successful women in a predominantly men's environment. She was always brave yet classy, strong yet feminine. With all said, I can't think of any other way to describe this suit except BADASS!! And, the golden belt creates a waist, the stars at the bottom are great for balancing out thin hips with a larger chest... basically this suit is a winner! Next time you see it on a store window, make sure you go in and buy it. You just never know when it'll come in handy! Your wonder woman days may be closer than you think!!

Last but not least, I'd like to pay a small tribute to her, who was such an important Carnaval character, and spread the word of this amazing celebration all over the world. Carmem Miranda is to this day a great inspiration and legend. Although there are many, many items with drawings, pictures, songs and quotes from her, my favorite can't be anything other than a swimsuit. I actually tried this same print on when shopping during my last trip, but the particular tone of green just didn't match my skin tone very well. Too bad, but I'm sure many of you all out there will do her justice when wearing the suit below. 

Ant there you have it, just a few simple but really fun ideas to keep the Carnaval spirit going. You don't have to know much about Carnaval to be inspired by it, just think of your favorite costume, and go from there. Or pick a really different, colorful print that you'd never wear otherwise, and see if it wouldn't look good as swimwear. Either way, I'm sure you'll surprise yourself with how creative you can be! 

Hope this has inspired you all to keep that party mood going! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here we are again with yet another Valentine’s Day before us. My, how time flies! 

I’ve just stopped by to wish each and every one of you all a wonderful day, with lots of love and happiness. May love continue to fill your other 364 days of the year, for life without it is just not as fun. And remember: the first person we must fall in love with is ourselves.

Below are a few ideas for some Valentine’s Day themed swimwear. Which doesn't mean they can't be worn at any other occasion :)

I love this piece! It's not just a great Valentine's Day color, but it's also one of those things you can't look at and not smile. This will probably not be your everyday swimsuit, but I'm sure that if it was in your drawer you'd find the perfect day (or days) to wear it. This piece is for sale at Aliexpress.com for a little over 8 US dollars. Now, I know we were talked earlier this week about online shopping and how it could be rather unsuccessful, and this might be the type of suit that you may have a hard time finding at a local store to try on. The good thing is that Aliexpress has a table with the sizes in centimeters and inches, which makes it possible to find suits locally and with the same measures to try on. Make sure you should pick something of similar color, to make sure it goes with your skin tone, and if the suit fits: order it!!

Nothing says love like the word! And this lovely one piece has the word all over it! This is cool because it can actually be worn with trousers or shorts, as well as for swimming. Like the idea? Then go to raverswag.com and check it out. Not as cheap as the first one (more like 30 bucks each), but remember: there may be more than one occasion where you'll want to wear this one. And this website also has a table with full measures for each size, making it easier to find something local to try on that has the exact same size. Love is not just in the air, it could very well be on your swimsuit as well! 

 These last two are the classic heart print. As little girls we probably wore this print on many of our outfits, and maybe grew out of it with time. But both these suits (and many other heart print ones) are here to show that there is no age for having hearts printed on your outfits, and swimsuits are no exception! On the right, this pink 2 piece suit can be found at Victoria's Secret, so easy as a wink to go try it on to make sure it fits you nicely. On the left is a Forever21 piece. Cool, right? Thinking of getting one myself!

Happy Valentine's Day, you all!! See you again soon!!

Try The Darn Thing On!!

I’ve recently learned that a group of friends of mine went away for their “winter escape” and, instead of coming to see me, they decided to purchase their bathing suits online. One of them had done the initial consultation, but couldn’t bring herself to come back for the fitting portion.

Obviously a lot was going through my mind as I was hearing this, but I guess the main question I had was: Why? Why the heck would one decide to buy a swimsuit online?

OK, so you’re too embarrassed to stand in front of me and try on different types, colors and patterns of swimsuits. Fair enough. As I’ve stated several times, it’s probably the most exposed you’ll ever be in public, or in front of a stranger (AKA me!). I get that part.

But if you don’t want to do it in front of me, the VERY LEAST you could do is make your way into a store or two, and try on a few different models. Don’t want anyone to see “how bad” (and of course I say that loosely) you look? That’s what the fitting room is for. But come on, you owe it to yourself to at least pick something that you want to see reflecting in the mirror, and not some shot in the dark.

There’s only one way to find out if something suits you or not: it’s by trying it on. If you don’t, then you run the serious risk of wearing something that enhances your least favourite parts, and hides your good ones. I hate to break it to you all, but buying swimsuits (or any clothes, for that matter) without trying them on is the best way to look your worst. And it isn't the swimsuit or the clothes that are to blame for that, it is the person standing in front of the mirror: you!!

Do you see great deals online? Awesome! Go to a store that sells that brand, or that has something practically the same as what you’ve seen, and TRY IT ON FIRST!! Figure out what suits you, what colors are good for your skin tone, the exact size and brand, and then go buy it online. But please, how are we ever going to look good if we don’t make the least amount of effort? And when did we become too tired or busy to try our own clothes on?

Do not give up on your wardrobe, and especially not on your bathing suit. I have absolute confidence that it is perfectly possible for every woman to look great in swimwear. All it takes is a little bit of patience, especially to try some things on, and a little faith. And I am sure you’ll feel so much better when you look in the mirror and see something you like. Just that feeling deserves our effort.