Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Any Mad Men fans out there?

I decided to dedicate a blog to Mad Men for couples looking for some inspiration for their aisle style. I must admit, I was a little late to the Mad Men party, but now I’m obsessed!

Perhaps this isn’t breaking news but Donald Draper (John Hamm) is HOT!

Will you just look at him?!

He is the essence of cool, and even when his integrity is off-kilter (i.e. extramarital liaisons), he is STILL hot.

What makes Don so appealing? His impeccable style!

Don Draper is perfectly groomed. His suits are fitted and perfectly pressed; his shirts are crisp; his skinny, 1960’s ties are mod and sleek; he wears cufflinks, shiny shoes and has amazing hair.

As fine a specimen of manhood as Don is (oh, and he is), we must also talk about his gorgeous wife Betty (January Jones).

Housewife and mother Betty Draper is one of the few female characters with enough money to dress in expensive clothes, and I love to watch what she is going to wear next. On the surface, she totally looks like a stepford wife, but there's so much more to her than aprons and feather dusters. Betty's wardrobe is so much fun because it's relentlessly feminine.

Betty is unbelievably classic and everything she wears screams elegance and beauty.

I’m certainly not the first to pay tribute to the amazing vintage fashion in this period drama about an ad agency in New York - it has inspired the collections of runway designers like Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, and Prada as well as mass retailers such as Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, and Coach.

And it is little wonder. Sterling Cooper - a place where ad-men in sharp three-button suits sip Scotch in the office, chain smoke, and openly ogle their secretaries - has been beautifully retro-styled. It's beautiful to watch.

If you looking to dress your bridesmaids in similar retro-style you can select dresses like this one from http://www.perkuponline.com/


Now for the guys...

The Emmy-winning show's costume director, Janie Bryant, has teamed up with Brooks Brothers to create a “Mad Men” edition suit inspired by Draper and the other well-dressed cads at fictional ad firm Sterling Cooper.

The limited run of suits — only 250 — will be available through the show's season finale on Nov. 8 - so get moving!!!

Brooks Brothers has made this so easy too! They have launched a special website to promote the suits - just click here!


Friday, October 9, 2009

My friend Ed invited me to Washington, DC last Wednesday to join him for lunch with Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY). Although I definitely anticipated the discussion to cover the merits of a public option with regard to health care reform, I didn’t realize we would spend so much time talking about phlegm.

You read correctly… phlegm.

Phlegm, a nagging cough, and our respective battles with a cold that seemed to be ‘going around’ played a significant role in our conversation. It definitely got me thinking…

Staying healthy is obviously important for our nation’s leaders, but it’s important for all of us - especially when preparing for a major event. With all the excitement (a.k.a. nerves) and stress leading up to a wedding day for example, your immune system will definitely be compromised.

Following are some preventative tips to keep illness from ruining the happiest day of your life!

Eat and Drink Well:
This is a no-brainer right?!. An impending wedding is sure to mean lots of celebratory eating and food on the go. Don’t let nutrition fly out the window during this important time. Make healthy choices, like opting to drink water instead of soda, and exercising portion control.

Don’t Starve Yourself:
If you’re trying to lose weight, make sure you do it in a healthy, gradual way. It’s just not worth it to starve yourself, and any weight lost this way will catch up with you in the long run. Obviously, if you are overweight, a wedding can be a great motivator for getting to a healthy weight but you should talk to your physician or a personal trainer to find out about healthy ways to reach your goal weight.

Eat Chocolate: Are you loving me right now? I am sure by now you’ve heard about the health benefits of dark chocolate – it’s good for blood pressure, zapping of free radicals, and a host of other benefits. But don’t forget that chocolate also stimulates production of feel-good serotonin, a hormone that can help with stress and ease your moods.

Stay Active: Wedding plans have a nasty way of sucking your time and energy, making even couples with a dedication to exercise forget about fitness every now and then. While it’s perfectly fine to cut back for the sake of your sanity, still try to find at least a little time to be active, whether it’s a walk around the block or a quick lunchtime trip to the gym.

Sleep, Sleep, and More Sleep:
Give yourself the energy you need to juggle it all by sticking to a regular sleep schedule. Make sure you’re getting adequate rest for you to stay on top of your game. Do your best to avoid any late-night planning. Staying up into the wee hours to plan your wedding is one of the worst things you can do for pre-wedding health. By depriving yourself of sleep, you’re at risk for an impaired ability to heal if a cold does come on and you’ll probably end up crabby in the morning.

Kick the Caffeine:
I know, I know… you need that jolt in the morning to get yourself going, but in the long run it will suck your much-needed energy. Get energy from drinking lots of water and eating healthy fruits and vegetables.

See Your Doctor:
Do I really need to say it? Well, just in case... In addition to your annual physical, if you’re not already on a multivitamin, ask your doctor to recommend one for you. Also, depending on where you are going on your honeymoon you may need immunizations. Why not get them out of the way as early as possible? This way, any illness or complications resulting from the immunization can be dealt with well before your big day and trip.

Pre-wedding health is not all about losing pounds and spa treatments (although those are definitely fun). Couples need to focus on staying healthy and with smart choices and good habits. Ones that will last you a lifetime :)

A Swine Flu Wedding?!?!?!

A mere 48 hours before their wedding - Illinois residents Ilana Jackson and Jeremy Fierstien tested positive for Swine Flu. In spite of their unfortunate condition, they decided to move forward with their wedding, donning face masks and latex gloves throughout the ceremony and reception. Determined to make the most of a bad situation, they even gave out hand sanitizer as wedding favors!