Packing tips for Pessach in Israel

For those of us staying home for Pessach, we will be cleaning, sorting and cooking in the countdown leading up to the Chag, lucky us!

But for those of you who are going away, whether you are just driving to your destination or flying over to spend the Chag here in the Holy Land, you will be figuring out what to take, getting it into your bags and trying not to take too much.
To make your packing easier here are several tips that will allow you to have everything you need without overpacking.

General rules about Pessach in Israel:
1. Leave your winter clothes at home. No matter where you will be, pack for spring and summer and bring along a shawl, sweater or light jacket just in case it is cooler where you will be.
2. Smart casual looks better then too dressy.

What to take for the week of Pessach?

· Seder outfit (this can be dressier then the rest of your looks for the week)
· 3 skirts (Shabbat/Chag)
· 3 Tops (Shabbat/Chag)
· 2 easy dresses to dress up or down (for dinner or Shabbat/Chag afternoon)
· 2 casual bottoms (pants or skirts)
· 2 T-shirts
· 1 hat/scarf for shul
· 2 tiyul outfits (top, bottom, socks hat)
· low dress heel
· high dress heel
· hiking shoes
· 1 slides/flip-flops (for the pool)
· exercise clothing (top, bottom, socks, sneakers)
· 2 bathing suits
· 1 cover up
· 1 sunglasses
· fun jewelry
· shawl or sweater
· PJ's
· Underwear
· Toiletries and makeup
· pool bag/tiyul bag

After you pull out the items you would like to take, put them on your bed and make sure you can put together several looks with each piece - if you can't, then take it out and put it back!

HAPPY PACKING
Need more help packing? Contact Individual Style

What to wear when working out?

How you present yourself to the world is how people will see you.

Oftentimes people save their ratty old t-shirts for the gym. Although I agree that you must ALWAYS be comfortable while you exercise, it does not mean that you can not also look good!

Today, the variety of exercise clothing on the market is enormous. One does not need to choose between comfort and style - you can have both!The selection in the stores and on- line offers everything you need and the modern-day materials are perfect for all types of weather.

I am not against wearing an old t -shirt and shorts if they are clean and not fraying, but it is not the wisest choice. Cotton does not absorb sweat and does not dry quickly and therefore does not allow your body to stay comfortable during a workout, making your time at the gym even more difficult. The clothing labeled DRI-FIT is best for all sorts of workouts (winter and summer) - try it and you will notice an instant difference.

With all this said: This is absolutely not the time to follow trends. I find it laughable to watch women come to the gym in the latest workout looks, with their hair and makeup all done. There is a time and a place for everything and this is not it.

My advice is if you find items that you love, they fit well, look good and are comfortable, buy a lot. It is completely not important what the latest cut, design or color is.I have been an exercise lover for many years and rarely change my style. I have been wearing the same style running pants and tank-top since I cannot remember when.

Exercise, whether you are at home, in the gym or outside, is about working out and not about a fashion show.

Keep in mind the following tips:

1. clean and neat

2. comfort

3. proper fit (especially tanks and sports bras-bouncing around is a big no-no and quite painful to see)

4. Lots of sun cream for outdoors

You will look good and feel great crossing any finish line.

Oh and make sure that your tops and bottoms meet, it is best to keep muffin tops for later and have them with coffee.

For local shopping options contact:

Hadara Baranovitz at 054-5500176 and tell her Individual Style sent you

Or visit: Time Trail, 15 Kfar Street, Rishpon

Pre or Post Pessach Beauty

As we are getting ready for Pessach and focusing on all that needs to get done around the house, don't forget about yourself.

Here are several beauty tips, because it is not just about your clothes.

Facial: Eti Wolf, 09-957-7120 Eti is in Herzliya Pituach, in the industrial zone. The facility is simple and clean . Eti is from Holland and was trained in Europe, but is completely Israeli. Her facials are customized to your needs on the day of your appointment - they may include acid washes, special moisturizing creams and/or anti-aging masks. Although you may not know what to expect at the start of your visit, you will, without a doubt, leave with your skin looking fabulous.

Eyebrows: Smadar, 052-382-8910 Smadar is based in Raanana and works out of her home. She can completely take care of you from head to toe, facials, manicures, pedicures, waxing, massage and more. I think her specialty is eyebrows. She uses the THREADING method and is able to perfectly arch your brow and remove all the unwanted little hairs. Yes it hurts, but it is worth it!

Hair: Miki Buganim, 03-546-3242 Miki works out of his own hair salon in Tel- Aviv. He is known for ALL of his abilities: cut, color and style. The salon is also well-known for their hair extensions, both permanent and semi-permanent ones. Miki and his staff are kind, efficient and across the board excellent. In terms of color: Miki himself does not mix your color (unless you book him directly) but he will oversee the work that is being done and ensure you will not come out with the "Israeli red or purple" tint in your hair (unless you want it). While you are being cared for you can sit back, drink a coffee and watch the "who's who" of Israeli society stop by.

Massage: Sonya, 050-556-0056 Located in Raanana, Sonya will massage away any aches and pains you have. She works out of her apartment or will come to your home. Either way her technique is sheer perfection. I walk in feeling tight, knotted and tense and I leave feeling relaxed, calm and tranquil. Her hands are magical.

When making your appointments tell them Sarah Freund from Individual style sent you

Fashion in Israel

For those of you who read Hebrew please check out the the Israeli fashion website http://www.bamoda.co.il/ it is full of great fashion advice.

Also see the link below, an article about Individual Style

http://www.bamoda.co.il/styling/Articles.aspx?id=593

Defining your Style

You walk into a store and you take a deep breath, you look around and feel overwhelmed by the variety and choice: so many skirts, tops, shoes and bags. You ask yourself, what do I pick, what do I try, what do I buy?
You see ads in magazines, on the street and online all showing beautiful people wearing wonderful clothes and you want to look just like them. You buy what they are wearing and somehow it just does not work, you still do not look like Gwyneth Paltrow in the Tod's advertisement.
Do you want to look and feel good in what you wear but do not enjoy shopping or are too busy (with more important things) to spend hours searching for what is right, only to then have to pull it all together?
Would you like shopping to become less time-consuming, feel less like a chore and seem effortless?
Then begin by defining your style:
The fashion icons most of us think of - such as Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly -all had their own unique look. They were not victims of fashion trends, in fact they set the trend. Jackie O became known for her sunglasses, Audrey Hepburn gave birth to the little black dress and thanks to Gene Kelly we have the Kelly bag from Hermes.
Fashions and trends come and go so quickly it is hard to keep up. But when you develop your own personal style it will be with you forever.
How to start?
1. Know your body and what parts you are happy to accentuate and what parts you would prefer to cover up or hide. If you love your legs, wear shorter skirts. If you have a small waist then wear belts.
2. Decide what colors suit you best. If a camel coat washes you out, do not buy it, as much as you may love it. Stick to the colors that work for your skin tone and hair color. To determine what your best colors are check out: www.wikihow.com/Choose-What-Color-to-Wear
3. Know what is age appropriate: Do not dress too old (you have a whole life ahead of you to grow up) and definitely do not dress too young (there comes a point when we need to accept that it is time to leave youth to the young and the latest trends to them, no matter how young we feel or think we look).
Once you have figured out the above you are on your way to developing your own personal style.
Are you: Classic, Edgy, Bohemian (Boho), Sporty,Whimsical or Chic?

Yes, you can be a mix the above. The most important thing is to make it your own!
Making it your own also includes adapting your look to your lifestyle and where you live.

What is your lifestyle: Do you work in an office, are you a stay-at-home mom, is the place you live in casual or more formal? What is the weather?

The styles of Milan, New York and Paris are beautiful but do not always translate well to all climates. Use the fashions as inspiration so when living in Israel, where the weather is hot, the sun is strong and the lifestyle is casual, you need to take these factors into account.

Once you have figured out your style, you might be wondering: can you buy a trendy piece?
Yes! You can purchase trends and add them to your own style and make it your own. This is a great way of keeping your basic look current.
BUT IF THE TREND DOES NOT WORK FOR YOU, THEN DO NOT BUY IT.
Personal style does not happen overnight, it evolves with time, so be patient, do not be scared to try new things, if it works you will know, you will feel confident, comfortable and great.
If you incorporate these tips, the next time you walk into a store you will be efficient, feel at ease and go home with clothes that you love.

For further guidance contact us at Individual Style

Turn your closet into a boutique

March is almost over, spring is in the air and Pessach(passover) is around the corner. Yes it is time to open or enter your closet, clean it out and straighten it up.

How?
Where do you start?
What to keep?
What to give away?

These are some of the questions that daunt many women (and men) and therefore push off the task.
But this year is different!
This year most of us will be shopping in our closets for new looks and will try to stay away from the stores.
So here are several tips to help you organize your own boutique in your closet:

1. Empty all the contents and try on every item. (this takes time but it is worth it)

2. All your clothes should fit you now (not when you lose "the weight"). If it can fit with alterations then fix it. If not, pass it along (maybe you can even make some cash on eBay).

3. Divide and sort : winter/summer

4. Store all winter items away, make sure they are all clean (the longer a stain sits on your clothes the harder it is for it to come out). If you need to store winter items out of your closet, buy clear plastic bins, (they can be purchased at most hardware stores), list the contents on the outside for easy reference next fall. Oh ! make sure you add moth balls to your sweaters.

Back to spring and summer:

5. Look at your closet and decide what you would like to hang and what you would like to fold.

6. Fold and hang all like items together from white to black. To Help fold your tops buy the flipper, it will make sure that all your tops are folded to perfection. it can be found at http://www.flipper.co.il/

7. Basic hangers are fine they do not take up a lot of room and they do the job, for special care items buy the sponge tops for the hangers, this will help keep the shape of your knits and will prevent spaghetti straps from slipping. Do not use wire hangers, they ruin all types of clothes. I have not found a hanger supplier here in Israel, but when I do I will let you know. In the mean time check out: http://www.hangers.com/ plastic top and bottom hangers.

8. Keep the clothing you use the most easily accessible. (If you work in an office, make sure those clothes are easy to see, reach and use.)

9. Shoes and hats: Ideally, remove all your shoes from the boxes and place then heel to toe on the shelves. If you can't, and you need to store your shoes in boxes, take pictures and place them on the outside of the box. Here too make sure the shoes you will wear most often are easy to access.
Hats: Hats worn everyday should be on a hat rack or low shelves. For those hats reserved for special occasions put them in a box marked with a picture and place them at the top of the closet.
10. Here in Israel the dust goes everywhere. Especially around Pessach, after we clean our homes the sand storms come. It does not seem to matter if our windows are Marvin or Belgium, the dust makes it through to every nook and cranny of our house. The shoulders of every jacket,dress and top seem to be the final destination of the holy dust that travels through the air. Therefore I recommend plastic shoulder covers for those special items that you do not wear often. They are like garment bags but only cover the top part of the garment. http://www.hangers.com/ If you can not get your hands on any, here is a tip I got from a friend: Ask your dry cleaner to cut you a few plastic covers and use them instead.

Now once you have emptied, tried on, gotten rid of, altered, separated, sorted, folded, hanged. You will see what you have and be able to begin to mix and match and create many new styles from what you didn't even know was there.
Okay, okay you probably will still want to buy a few new things this season, but at least you will not come back from the store with another pair of black pants, jean skirt or top that was hidden under a pile, in the corner all the way in the back of your closet.