So there WAS supposed to be music.  Unfortunately, it was nixed as it we don’t own the rights.  I don’t just dance around like a maniac in silence (well maybe I do, but that’s another post…)  BUT there will be music, really not-so-cool-elevator-music music, but it will make things more fun and slightly more professional – maybe….  Hope you enjoy and make sure to check back for another sweet Revlon contest coming up very shortly!

I LOVE the PhotoReady Airbrush Mousse Makeup.  Goes on like a dream!

xxo,

Anyhoot, the sun is protruding her gorgeous little face (and I think she might be staying this time) and although I would love to slather myself in baby oil and get-that-glow, I recently  sat through hours of ‘sun lectures’ and have finally decided to heed the expert’s advice and seriously take a look at protecting my skin.  I’ve been religiously using an SPF on my face (wrinkles/vanity) but never gave much thought to the rest of my body….

This video woke me up out of my state of ignorant bliss:

Some sunscreen facts and tips:

-SUN SCREEN EXPIRES!  Don’t go digging in your toiletry bag for some sunscreen that you got for your high school trip to Cancun.  It has a shelf life so read the label

-Choose broad spectrum

-Just because it says SPF 100 doesn’t mean your getting triple the protection of say an SPF 30 (The Beauty Geeks go into more fab detail HERE)

-Unfortunately just because you’re using sunscreen doesn’t mean you’re fully protected.  A lot has to do with the amount, so don’t use it sparingly.  Go nuts!

- Black may not crack, but it CAN get skin cancer.  In fact because there is a misconception that the melanin in darker skinned people is a ‘get out of cancer jail free pass’ but in many cases of Melanoma in ethnic minorities goes unchecked making us more at risk for fatalities.

-You CAN get skin damage from reflected (or radial) light through windows

-You may have done most of the damage to your skin in your adolescence, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do more to harm yourself now.

- My Skin Check is a great resource to learn more and even track moles

Think skin protection is important yet? Here are some of my favourite ways to protect my skin:

joe fresh, skinceuticals, vichy, clinique, la roche-posay

So this long weekend, slather it on, cover it up and have a really, really good time!  The sun is a beautiful life source that can do magnificent things, but just like other things of magnificence (champagne, chocolate) overdoing it can have some harsh side effects so take care and be aware!  (the poetry just won’t quit!)

xo,

via

Enjoy and read on while I go and buy up all my favorites before you all do lolol!

Name: Cara
Age: A lady never tells!
Location: Sydney, Australia
Occupation: Ex-lawyer/attorney, current vintage buyer/dealer/seller/obsessive; owner of Cara Mia Vintage

Collecting vintage for such a long time, I think its safe to call you an expert. What are some of the things that you have found (i.e. quality, stitching, materials used) while collecting vintage items that differ, for example what makes a piece made in the 70s as opposed to a piece made in the 90s?

There is definitely a huge difference in quality between pieces dating back to the first half of the century and more recent pieces. I will often find pieces dating to the 1950′s that are completely or at least in part hand-sewn, even when they have been produced by quite an established, well known label – for example, I have a jacket by Mainbocher dating back to the 50′s which is partially hand-stitched and also has the most amazing quilted silk lining inside it – the attention to detail that is there in the older pieces is a lot harder to find in the newer ones. But on the flipside, advancements in technology have allowed modern designers to play around with things like material and print, so you get these fabulous 1980′s & 90′s pieces by Versace & Moschino with incredible computer generated prints and little details like peace sign shaped zipper pulls that wouldn’t have been possible to produce earlier in the century. I think that this is why it is so hard for me to pick a favourite era – every one has something unique to offer and appreciate!

How often do you travel? Do you find that you are open to finding more vintage pieces in other cities as opposed to your own?

I travel as often as I possibly can and one of my favourite things to do upon arriving in a new city is to check out the local flea markets. One of the things that I love the most about vintage pieces is that they are literally relics from the past, and I think that you can learn so much about a culture or a community by the objects they have discarded. I like to look for vintage in my own city as well, but as Australia is a relatively young country with a small population it is a lot harder to find those gems – they are there though!

Describe your closet in five words:
Eclectic, fanciful, colourful, tactile and expensive!!!

You have a few pieces that your describe in your etsy store as ‘museum pieces’. How did you find those pieces?
Happening across those kind of pieces is a combination of being in the right place at the right time and having the knowledge to identify those pieces when you come across them. One of my favourite writers Malcolm Gladwell describes his ’10,000 hours’ theory in the book ‘Outliers’ which basically says that anyone can become an expert at anything if they spend 10,000 hours practicing that discipline. While it may be strange to think of buying vintage in those terms, I think it is because I have literally spent so much time searching eBay, researching designers from different eras & reading old fashion magazines & books that I am able to pick out a piece that is ‘important’ amidst a room full of junk!

They say every vintage piece has a story behind it. Whats the craziest story that accompanies a piece you’ve purchased?
There are so many that it is hard to choose, but a definite highlight would include stumbling upon a street full of optometrists in Hanoi, Vietnam that had the most amazing stock of vintage designer sunglasses – from Dior to YSL to Cazal and beyond – I thought I had died and gone to heaven! On a more recent buying trip to New York, I found an amazing 90′s Versace ensemble in a little store in the East Village. The owner of the store told me that a few minutes before I had come in Chloe Sevigny had tried on the same outfit and wanted to buy it but wanted to take some time to think it over. Needless to say I snapped it up – sorry, Chloe – you snooze, you lose!

You can find some of Cara Mia’s awesome pieces on her etsy store or on her website – caramiavintage.com
follow cara mia vintage on Twitter
instagram: caramiavintage

As a plus-sized girl in her early 30’s it would be naive to ignore my own family health history and the physical changes I feel in my body. I can’t ignore issues like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. My father passed away from a heart attack so I know that these diseases are very real.

Everyone who’s met me knows that I’ve always been happy with my size and self-image, but losing 30-70lb (about 3 – 6 Stone) to avoid medical issues and live a more active life seems well worth it to me. I accept that it is going to be a lot of work but I’m excited for the challenge.

In the spirit of the Olympics, as I’m also currently based in London, I need to ‘GET FIT’ and with the help of Nuffield Health (www.nuffieldhealth.com/fitness-and-wellbeing) and my Fuji 150XP camera (water proof and extremely durable, perfect for my Aqua Classes!!), I will be doing a this blog series recording my physical progress and commenting on the products fitness events that I love and will be using or wearing.

A lot of us plus size women feel uncomfortable going out there and pushing ourselves and I want to show that it can be fun and rewarding. By showing the various fitness gear created for plus size women, I believe it will further motivate us to get up and get moving!

This challenge is going beyond us here at Coco&Cowe. Cyrena Arnold of London based fashion lifestyle site freakdeluxe.co.uk and style blog www.letmeseeyourwears.com will also be ‘taking the challenge’!

In the end I hope that this blog series will educate and inspire other people to do what’s necessary to heal their bodies and minds. This will not be easy; it will truly test my will power and endurance!

Next step; my body M.O.T (http://www.nuffieldhealth.com/fitness-and-wellbeing/free-health-mot) and my personalized, aqua based, training regiment!…I’ll keep you posted!

Sunshine!