by Sonia Lovett | Feb 3, 2021 | Fashion
Knit dresses are a great option to dress up a casual look. Freed from the constraints of the ubiquitous joggers or leggings you can dress them up or down to your heart’s content. Here are a few ideas:
Formal and Stylish
Details of this look: My blazer from @T.ba which my sister brought me from Spain and a chic vintage belt from @celine doll up this V neck knit midi dress by @ralphlauren. But the real secret here are my @canopisleeves. They add a collar and cuffs with no bulk under this lightweight cashmere dress. Oversize faux tortoiseshell glasses and an of the moment bag #shopthelook @thequeenbumblee add to the look. Don’t forget coordinating jewelry, (I still have trouble mixing metals) and perhaps a watch for just the right touch of Lady Boss My comfortably heeled boots from years ago @colehaan take me through the day.
Casual and Comfortable
Details: This casual but appropriate for so many occasions look shows off the on trend Shacket purchased from @amazon that comes in many color combinations and is under $40. The @Valentino belt (a great find from @saks50off) cinches the look over a knit turtleneck dress again from @poloralphlauren. Wooden heeled booties from @frye and a @chanel shopper bag purchased from @therealreal compliment this wear anywhere cost effective look. Don’t forget your jewelry! For great statement rings I go to @pharaouncoctailrings silver hoops and some bracelets add just the right touch.
Chic and Casual
Details: A color block knit dress from @armoirestyle goes great with @goldengoose sneakers (or any you have handy) and you can literally run through the day. A casual but iconic @chanel over the shoulder bag always kicks things up a notch without seeming over done. I wear long necklaces @proudpearls to elongate my torso and give the look that extra touch. Rent the colorblock dress from @armoirestyle – a sustainable option!
@solebliss A British company that has been making comfortable shoes for the monarchy for ages now designing shoes for all of us. especially if you have a foot condition. Made in Italy of beautiful leather here is my present favorite.
Take some risks with that knit dress you’ve got and dress it up!
by Sonia Lovett | Jan 31, 2021 | Wellness
Since beauty starts from within, let’s take a look at how we can manage our gut health.
What is Gut Health?
Gut health is described by the function and balance of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. The bacteria located there help you to breakdown food and transform nutrients into energy your body can use. There’s good bacteria and bad bacteria, the good bacteria keep the bad bacteria in check so you won’t develop a digestive illness. Which is why it’s crucial to manage your gut health.
Signs of an Unhealthy Gut
When the bad bacteria exponentially multiples, it becomes difficult for the good bacteria to keep it under control. Some signs of an unhealthy gut are gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and heartburn. The good news is that there are many steps you can take to keep those symptoms under control and manage your gut health.
How to Manage Your Gut Health
Here are some of the ways in which you can balance your gut health:
- Drink more Water
Drinking more water can promote the balance of the good bacteria in the gut and fight bloating. Water also protects the intestines and helps you to digest food better.
- Develop Healthy Eating Habits
Processed food and foods high in sugar and fat can really disrupt the microorganisms in your digestive tract. Adding some more veggies and other plant-based foods in your diet can help to promote a healthy gut. Additionally, fiber is one nutrient that we sometimes forget about. Getting enough of fiber in your diet can lead to a healthy gut microbiome.
- Stop Stressing!
Stress can impact your health negatively in many ways but in the gut, stress can increase sensitivity, cause an imbalance of the bacteria, and reduce blood flow. To reduce your stress, try meditating, working out and doing some deep breathing exercises.
- Support the Good Bacteria in Your Gut
Since probiotics are made up of good bacteria, taking a probiotic supplement can really help balance your gut’s microorganisms and improve your overall health.
Ancient Nutrition’s SBO Probiotics Ultimate
The best probiotic I’ve come across is Ancient Nutrition’s SBO Probiotics Ultimate by Dr. Axe. I have always said beauty starts from within so I decided to take the gut type quiz on Ancient Nutrition’s website and found out I had a ‘yeasty gut.’ I knew it was true since I was craving sugar over the holidays. Ancient Nutrition sent me a concrete action plan for what I should be eating (and avoiding). Since I started following the recommendations and taking the probiotics my cravings have diminished and I’m feeling a lot better.
This wonderful product is a soil-based probiotic which means that it’s hardy and more resistant to harsh environments. These probiotics do not have to be refrigerated and can survive the high heat of your digestive tract. The SBO Probiotics Ultimate even have prebiotics in them for the probiotics to survive and thrive in your gut. With 2 capsules daily and following a healthy diet, you will get all you need to feel great inside out! Take Ancient Nutrition’s gut check quiz to find out your gut type!
A healthy gut can process food better and eliminate waste with less difficulty. So, learning to manage your gut health is vital to living a long and healthy life!
by Sonia Lovett | Jan 27, 2021 | Fashion, Wellness
Should you be dressing for the job you want even in lockdown? Can what we choose to wear while working at home affect our mood, behavior, and productivity?
The adage “dress for the job you want not the job you have” encourages people to look their best in order to project a persona of confidence on the people around them. However, due to coronavirus a lot of people don’t feel the need to dress up or make an effort to look presentable since they won’t be leaving the house.
I believe in looking your best at all times. The act of dressing up itself, is an act of self-love and appreciation. Looking presentable should not just be reserved for impressing those around us or posting on Instagram. Dressing for success boosts your confidence and helps you to be productive as well so why not do it for ourselves?
How the Lockdown Affected Our Dressing Sense
As the pandemic hit us hard, the government mandated lockdowns across the nation. Everyone had 
to transition from going to the workplace every day to working at home – a unique situation for most of us. As there was no need to look well-dressed to others due to all of the virtual meetings, a lot of people began dressing more informally and some even stayed in their pajamas. Perhaps to cope with all of the changes the pandemic brought on, most people sought comfort.
With comfort in mind, loungewear and activewear were the two types of clothing styles being marketed to the public. Although, those styles of clothing make us feel cozy, do they inspire us to work hard? Or does dressing down affect our mental-health?
How Your Attitude is Affected by What You Wear
Ever notice whenever you try to look your absolute best you feel so good about yourself? When we wear what makes us look and feel beautiful, the act instantly enhances our mood. My maroon coat paired with black dress pants and a pair of leopard-print shoes make me feel chic, trendy, powerful and ready to take on the world. Even if I have nowhere to go, how I feel when I dress well motivates me to accomplish even more.
The clothes we choose to wear can definitely influence our mental health. Since people have not been able to leave the house for a while now, it’s easy to feel miserable and just live in sweatpants. But that does not have to be the case. We can take steps to feeling better just by trying to look put-together. Psychologists suggest sticking to your pre-pandemic routine during lockdown to help cope with all of the changes. So, try wearing a professional trendy attire to breakfast with your family and your zoom meetings. Your mood will instantly improve and might even make you want to work harder during those virtual meetings.
Why You Should Dress Up
Setting aside an outfit and your favorite accessories the night before can boost your self-esteem in the morning. As you start dressing up for the job you want even in lockdown, you will begin to feel empowered and confident. This can propel you to work towards your full potential and say yes to more opportunities. So, when you dress up every day like it’s a special day, you feel better and when you feel better you do better.
What do you think? Do you feel inspired to dress up now?
by Sonia Lovett | Dec 31, 2020 | Lifestyle, Travel, Wellness
With the New Year around the corner, what’s better than learning the history behind your champagne? In 2019, I had the opportunity to drive an hour and a half outside of Paris, France to tour the champagne cellars of Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot, and Taittinger in Reims. The image of the beautiful hills and hundreds of thousands of wine bottles I saw beneath the ground remains fresh in my mind. The trip of a lifetime! Each cellar had a unique history, but Veuve Clicquot could inspire you to add something that seems impossible to your New Year resolution list.
While I was in Reims, I learned the Clicquot House was established in 1772, but Madame Clicquot, who was in her 20’s, decided to take over the vineyard after she lost her husband in 1805…hence, “Veuve” meaning Widow in French. Madame Clicquot became one of the first businesswomen of her time by taking creative action like sending over 10,000 bottles of her champagne to Russia after they were victorious over France in war. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate a victory with a champagne from their enemy’s home country? Brilliant marketing, Madame Clicquot. This rich history of Veuve Clicquot makes the delicious champagne even more appreciable. A hard-working, young woman who challenged herself and the culture of her own community.
When I make it back to France, I will be visiting Madame Clicquot’s picture that hangs on a cellar wall where she has inspired many people, young or old, to reach for the impossible. In the meantime, I’ll be drinking Veuve on my couch in Dallas, TX, while dreaming about the day I return to Reims.
Make sure you enjoy this champagne when you’re celebrating the end of 2020 and beginning a fresh trip around the sun. Let me know what you think about Veuve Clicquot, the history behind it, and when you’re taking your trip to the cellars. Until then, cheers to the New Year!
P.S. My name is Senna, and I have the privilege of working with Style Beyond Age. I am a sister to three brothers and the youngest in my family. Life moves quickly while I am working towards my degree and plan to graduate college in May 2021. Fortunately, Sonia has welcomed me into the Style Beyond Age community as she teaches me more about social media platforms and gives me inspiration to live in the moment. The planning that goes into social media and transparency of the individuals behind the accounts and websites is something I love learning about each day. How about a toast to all these wonderful people that allow us to see a glimpse of their world!
by Sonia Lovett | Dec 14, 2020 | Fashion, Lifestyle
The holidays are quickly approaching, but instead of flooding your social channels with yet another gift guide, I figured I would share some of my friends’ beautiful thoughts.
Suzanne has such a beautiful home and she did a beautiful Christmas tour of it recently. The secret to why our homes smell so good, Nest Candles. Seriously, I can’t find a scent I love more than these candles and I love gifting them to everyone on my list! My pro tip… I put them on candle warmers so I don’t have to light the candles and get smoke everywhere.
Who doesn’t crave comfort food when the weather gets cold?! I immediately went for the Truffle Mac and Cheese Crazy Blonde Life recommended because it just looked so good!
I think the perfect gift for any friend or party hostess is an Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar set! Tanya Foster picked out the perfect one from Terrain. Check out her other suggestions for Hostess, Friends & Neighbors here.
I met Annette in LA year’s ago. What a vivacious woman! Besides loving vinyl records and including them on her 2020 gift guide, she has something I already own.
The Bey-Berk Shaving Set sits beautifully on my husband’s bathroom counter already, and it works great for him, it might fit under your tree as well.
This beautiful Leather Airpods Case recommended by Reinventing 50’s will make sure you keep your Airpods straight from anyone else’s!
I definitely don’t consider myself a Techie by any means, but this gift guide by the She She Show really spoke to me!
With these Airpods, I am able to tune out all of the extra noise around the house! Combined with Annette’s Airpod Case, you have a good gift idea.
Herbs can be so expensive and perish quickly, so the Techie Indoor Garden is a perfect way to make sure they’re always fresh and you’re creating less waste as well.
Cathy and I met last year and it turns out we have a lot in common! Love for good PJs being one of them…
Usually, my PJ game is not on point, but it’s so easy now to change that. Comfy fashion-forward and super smooth fabric. I could live in these! I totally agree with The Middle Page’s recommendation of these stylish PJs.
Beth always has great ideas and even better advice. Her 2020 gift guides were no exception!
My husband uses his Yeti everywhere we go and it keeps his water cold and his coffee hot all day long! Style at a Certain Age recommends it as a gift and I do too!
One of the great pieces she recommends is this gorgeous Crossbody Croc Purse from Madewell. This is definitely on my wish list as the perfect around town bag.
Sonia’s Holiday Picks
Alright, so I couldn’t resist giving you just a few of my own tips and ideas!
For both of you…
A Texas Staycation! Why not take a weekend and treat yourself to a staycation at the Crescent Court Hotel in Dallas?! I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in the Presidential Suite and love dining in the Crescent Club after a day of pampering at the Spa. Whether it’s for yourself or a special someone, this is the perfect gift to escape from reality and live the high life for a while!
Another beautiful spot to visit in the great state of Texas is Camp Lucy! This gorgeous little resort sits right in the heart of Texas Hill Country and I had a wonderful time enjoying all of its luxuries.
For her…
Le Labo Perfume — Men, if you don’t already have a nice perfume wrapped up for your special lady under the tree, you better be adding to cart now! This is the perfect elegant gift for someone you love. Order my favorite scent from Le Labo here.
Style Beyond Age Not-So-Subtle Hint
Do him a favor with this helpful hint… Throughout the year I take anything I’m interested in and tear it out of the magazine I’m reading and put it in a folder in his desk. Then when it comes time for the holidays, hopefully, he looks there for ideas. This can be anything from cute stationery to a great stay!
For him…
Toledo Knives — These gorgeous knives are light as a feather and are beautiful to display on your kitchen counter. These knives would go perfectly with…
Traeger Grill — What man doesn’t want to fire up some steaks on the grill? Order yours here!
For the wine connoisseur…
Coravin — Sometimes I want to open a bottle of wine at dinner, but I’m not always going to finish the whole bottle in one evening! This preservation kit is perfect to keep your favorite or nicest bottle of wine fresh!
Wine Wand — Do you get headaches like I do when drinking red wine? These wands are my greatest find of 2020! They take all of the toxins out of your wine and let you have a fun night without the terrible morning after.
P.S. These wine glasses make for a great ($300+) stocking stuffer!
Happy gift giving!
