To those who have been following my blog and ezine, would know that I recently got married. And one of the best part of planning an elegant wedding is picking a wedding dress!
Hi everyone, I thought I’ll just post somethings since I reinstalled Snow Leopard unto my computer, I forgot my password to my elegantwoman blog.
I’ve always loved reading, and have been an avid reader of novels since I was a child. When I became an adult, I read things more relevant to work, business, life, God. I forgot the joys of reading. While I take pleasure in reading non fiction books, it is a completely different sense of pleasure when you can sit back and pause on your life, and go into someone else’s world for a change. Kind of like in a movie but with unlimited imagination.
Point is, I used to think reading fiction books were a waste of time. But lately I’ve thought differently. Reading improves your mind and your command of language, which is important to elegance. (I get several emails from time to time criticizing my command of English! I don’t wish to defend myself but I love to write as though I’m speaking to someone.)
Remember the story “My Fair Lady”? or rather, the movie? I don’t know what it is like in your country but it is certainly true in mine that people can tell a bit of your background by how you speak.
Reading also expands your mind. It enables you to understand other people, culture etc etc. It will increase your tolerances for differences and make you a better, elegant person.
Hello everyone!
I’m married! I apologize for disappearing for a couple of weeks. I intended to blog and write throughout my wedding but I suppose that was an unrealistic goal. I did blog and write but only privately. I definitely look forward to reviewing my notes in the next couple of weeks.
Right now I’m trying to catch up with emails, writing my thank you notes, and just dealing with some housekeeping. I hope everyone had a wonderful christmas and new year! I foresee this year will be year of many exciting things. Take care for now, and we will be keeping in touch!
Much love,
Eunice
“Countenance” is defined as a “a person’s face or facial expression”.
Not everyone is born with great looks, but everyone can control their ‘countenance’ more than they realize.
What do I mean by that?
When you walk down the street, you may people watch. Watch all the people passing by, walking, heading to their destination.
When you go to a party, sit down at a dinner table filled with friends or strangers, and after you say hello…you can easily read everyone’s expression.
Have you noticed sometimes you feel warm and welcomed, sometimes you feel a little uncomfortable because you have been greeted with icy stares or tight smiles?
While we cannot control other people’s countenance, we can influence ourselves and our countenance. I want my presence to fill the room or my company with joy (of the Lord), warmth and friendliness. I want to feel comfortable around people and them to feel comfortable around me.
I’ve also noticed that even if someone has a pretty face, she may not necessarily have a pleasant countenance. It’s a vibe that you get, you almost can’t explain.
I’ve also said before that whatever’s in your heart turns up on your face. Apart from our regular beauty treatments, care and attention to our skin/face (Thank God for them definitely), we also have to look after our heart. Guard our heart.
This means for one, is to refrain from complaining. Try to see the good in everyone, positive in every situation, try to like at least something about whatever.
P.s. I made that statement bold because I have to remind myself not to.
True to my heart, I’ve often wondered why some pretty faces look elegant and some don’t. Some rather plain faces look smarter, classier, more elegant, wealthier than the pretty ones. Is it the language that they speak? the make up? the clothes? the education? Surely all of them play a part, but I still believe they play a small part.
That is why, my favourite quote of all time and it is the signature on my email, “A truly elegant taste is generally accompanied with excellency of heart.” If you want an elegant & classy countenance, refrain from complaining and guard your heart to excellence.
So as I’m preparing to be a bride, I will guard my heart and catch myself whenever I complain.
’till my next entry of “60 days to an elegant you”! All the best in your elegant journey.
One of the things I really want to work on is my posture.
I believe it’s more important than how pretty my dress is!
I also believe why actors and actresses keep looking better and better is because they have learnt to edit. Because they constantly see themselves on the silver screen, heard themselves speak, watched themselves walk, stand, carry themselves… they’ve got something they see that they don’t like and adjust…thus knowing how to edit.
How to make slight changes to control their movement, posture, smile.
Just a thought that I’ve been chewing on. For about an extended few minutes and hopefully an hour a day I try to think about my posture. I try to hold my stomach in, shoulders down and relaxed, head straight and walk with my feet facing front and without bobbing.
If only all of you knew me, from young I was conscious that I had a terrible walk. I wouldn’t say I have a terrible walk & posture now but I think I’ve had to work extra hard to undo all the bad habits I’ve accumulated.
One thing I know, that you need to exercise to have good posture. Hard fact to face but true! I was quite against exercise for a while because I took my slim body for granted. In school, I was active, played a lot of sports and have general aptitude for physical activity. So I was naturally slim and I loved to dance. Oh did I mention? Dancing is good exercise.
If you want to improve your posture: Edit yourself. Sit/stand in front of a mirror when you are working, watching television, cooking etc as much as you can. Have someone video tape you. Take photos of yourself.
The second thing is do posture-enchancing exercises…strengthing your core. Ballet, pilates are really good. So is ballroom dancing. Those are the fun stuff. The rest, I suggest you google, “strengthening your core exercises” to get expert help in that area.
Now I just hope I can ALWAYS, always have good posture.
Till my next entry guys!
60 days to an elegant you (or bride) will be continued…
Hello everyone!
I’m not sure who reads this apart from my main page. But yes, I would like to announce that I will be taking a break from writing from www.elegantwoman.org
I have had so many articles planned (at least 70) and unfortunately I really have to get down to organize a wedding – my own, as some of you would have noticed from our Facebook page.
Meanwhile, you have 235 articles on my website to chew on, digest, agree or disagree with me. And for more information, as I certainly did not come up with all these elegant ideas on my own, but inspired, sewn, woven, mixed, cooked, fused from many books, movies, songs, experiences, most importantly people. I’ve liberally listed them here…http://www.elegantwoman.org/elegant-references.html
Also, about a month back, I knew I had 60 days to my wedding. I’ve been journalling my experiences and my plans on being the dream person on my wedding day. Of course, you can never say that you have arrived but I wanted to just place a cut-off date to inspire myself.
The theme leading up to my wedding is : 60 days to be the best elegant you. I hope I will have the time to blog a little about it, but it will be in a haphazard manner, because there is little time to do formatting, editing etc. After I get married, I will organize them and show them to you.
So in the mean time, I will be reviewing my own work as it will help me become the best me! Funny that you can write about it but you still are never perfect.
Remember perfection is never what we are going for, but the process of refinement.
God bless you all and have an amazing week!
Love, Eunice
This is from etiquette fashioned from the 9th century. How fascinating!
Glad to know that somethings don’t change. People.
Learn to laugh when it happens.
Written by John Lichfield , in Paris
It is turning into a poor week for the French first family. First, Nicolas Sarkozy was accused of nepotism for failing to curb the political ambitions of his son, Jean (23).
Now, a newspaper has conducted a poll to find the most chic woman in Paris — and Carla came fifth.
The winner — who represents the “ultimate chic, urban classiness, and unflappable elegance” of the Parisian woman — is another former model, Ines de la Fressange (52).
Named most elegant woman in Paris
Carla’s poor performance in the Le Figaro contest to find “La Parisienne 2009″ implies that her hold on the French public is fading. In truth, the spell which she has cast since she became first lady 20 months ago, has always been more powerful outside France.
Figaroscope asked its internet readers to choose between 10 women whom it said represented the “ideal” of Parisian womanhood. The winner would be “urban, curious, rebellious, contradictory, elegant, loving and cultivated”.
Champagne
The 10 women nominated included Ms Bruni-Sarkozy, the actress Chiara Mastroianni (the daughter of Catherine Deneuve) and the actress and comedian, Valerie Lemercier.
The overwhelming winner was Ms de la Fressange, who was once the face of Chanel. Le Figaro said of her: “She bubbles like a glass of champagne.”
The French first lady (41) is unlikely to share her feelings on the subject with the public but she does at least have an outlet.
In a television programme to be shown next month, she reveals that she has been seeing psychiatrists on and off since the death of her father. Although the publicity for the programme says she has been seeing a psychiatrist for eight years, her father died 13 years ago.
