Whether you are staying in for a cozy romantic dinner-for-two or planning a girls night out with your fellow lady bosses we have some ideas for what to wear on the 14th. There is enough to worry about on Valentine’s Day we thought it might be helpful to take all the guess work out of the perfect accessories.

Sending you lots of love and chocolate,

Romantic Dinner-In

You aren’t going out, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want to put a lot of thought into your outfit. You want to look your best while not going over board.

Girls Night

These are your girls and you don’t want to disappoint. This is the time to take style chances and go for that trendy piece you have been dying to try.

First Time Valentine’s Day Casual

You want to come across as confident and totally comfortable. You aren’t sure where this is going but you know you want to make a statement about who you really are.

Classic Formal Night Out

This is your chance to go all out. This is the time to try that statement necklace or cocktail ring, the sky’s the limit.

I know it’s only the first week of February but I can’t help getting excited for Spring and all the new beginnings it represents. I thought I would share with you guys a little sneak peak into the Stephanie Kantis Spring 2017 Collection. Before every collection I do a ton of inspiration research and then create a mood board that can be a reference point during the whole design process.

This Spring it is all about Asian Fusion for the brand. I am inspired by nature and manmade beauty. My focus was on Asian culture and more specially Japanese culture including gardens, lanterns, planks, screens, bridges and more. The materials we chose are mixtures of gold and silver, Jade, Rose Quartz, just to name a few. I wanted to share with you our mood board in hopes it brings a little warmth to your day. I can’t wait to show you the full collection, just a few weeks away, stay tuned!

Till Next Week,

I read an article that said this week is the week most people fall off the resolution bandwagon, meaning they start slacking on the commitments from January 1^st.  In fact, studies show that more than 30% of people quit working towards the goals they made at the new year just two weeks after they made them.

I have included some of my favorite quotes that I hope can serve as motivation when you're feeling weak. I love to be inspired by words and beautiful images. My intention is that you share them as well. We all need a lift, or a kick in the butt, sometimes. 

Til next week,

Ahh January, the month for goal setting and radical changes. This month can be a tricky one for our confidence, because we make big lofty goals and sometimes we don’t follow through. I have been talking to some of my girlfriends and a lot of them are talking about up-leveling their career goals and really going for it in 2017. This makes me so happy, and I want to offer some of my personal advice around this topic.

But this won’t be advice about how to negotiate a better salary or different title. Today I want to talk about how we present ourselves in the office. I have always been a huge believer in dressing for the job you want not the job you have. If you want to be taken seriously, then show up for work like that.

I take a lot of pride in my appearance, I don’t think it’s superficial. Taking the time and energy to look and feel our best will pay off large dividends for our confidence, and don’t we all want to have more of that.

This doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment or cost a lot of money. I am talking about laying out your clothes beforehand, making sure they’re pressed and clean. When in a pinch I love to use my hair dryer to knock out any little creases. I also believe that lipstick is the ultimate upgrade. You will look immediately polished and professional in a shade that fits your coloring and style. It’s just about going that extra mile to show yourself and your boss you’re ready for the next step. You can do this.

All my best, 

Keep your morning rituals. Morning is the best time to take a few moments, and set yourself up for the whole day. I find that if I just take 5-20 minutes in my room before I head out to greet my family or friends, I feel so much better. I will spend this time doing any of the following: stretches, yoga, mediating or listening to soft calming music that inspires me. This has become my favorite part of any day. (Side note: I don’t always have room to bring my yoga mat in my luggage so I will use a bath towel instead, works like a charm.)

As you know I’m in the middle of a renovation and my home is a bit of a construction zone, but that won’t stop me from decorating for the holidays. This time of year is one of my favorites because the simple beauty of nature shines the brightest right now.

I want to share my favorite (and easy) tips for holiday decorating to show you that it doesn’t have to cost a fortune or take a ton of time to make your house feel festive.

 The first tip isn’t necessarily a decoration but more of a sensory experience and that’s music. I love dedicating one genre to a specific day of the week throughout the year. During the holidays I tend to get tired of holiday music because I play it so much, I combat that by only playing holiday music on the weekends or only at night or in the morning, etc. I also love to go even more specific and create playlists for classic holiday music, these older songs really remind me another time and place when life was simpler.

Second tip is to bring the outdoors in. Go outside and start gathering anything you see, nuts, acorns, pinecones, leaves, etc. The trick is to get a bunch of the same thing and place it in a big bowl, vase or unique container to showcase the volume. You can do this with produce at the grocery store as well, like cranberries or red and green apples.

And finally, don’t forget about the bathroom. Bathrooms get neglected during the holidays and it’s important to put a little attention there. I love to add small tea candles and/or small glasses with a flower or two. I know that when I visit and someone as put fresh flowers and good smelling candles in the bathroom, I feel special.

I hope some of these ideas help you get in the holiday spirit without feeling overwhelmed, because if I have one over-all tip for you it’s to enjoy the moment. The memories we make with friends and family will last forever and the holiday decorations will be put away in January.

Happy Holidays!