Vince top, Helmut Lang pants, Rag & Bone booties, Gryphon jacket, McGinn jacket

 Rag & Bone jacket, pants, and boots, Allsaints t-shirt

Here is a picture of the lovely Liberty Ross, wearing an Emilio Pucci ear wrap in the Net-a-Porter magazine:

Here is the Givenchy version, available here:

I’m on the hunt for something a bit more affordable with the right amount of sparkle and edge!

Remember to do as many reps as you can in the time interval – go fast!

Set 1:  30 secs each, 5 secs rest, 3 times through (~9 mins total)

• mountain climbers (feet on gliders, hands on floor)
• single leg mountain climber – L (left toe on glider, hands on floor)
• jack push-ups (in push up position and both feet on glider, slide feet out, lower into push-up, back to start)
• single leg mountain climber – R (right toe on glider)
• knee-tuck tricep push-up (feet on gliders, tuck knees in and out, perform push-up)
• “around the world” (feet on gliders, tuck knees in, out and around, then out, around and in)

REST 30 seconds

Set 2: 50 secs each, 10 secs rest, 3 times through (12 mins total)

• single-leg squat jump – L (on left leg, bend down, touch the floor, explode up)
• single-leg walk out with peak press – L (on left leg, bend down, touch floor, walk hands out, perform peak push-up, walk hands back and stand up)
• single-leg squat jump – R  (on right leg, bend down, touch the floor, explode up)
• single-leg walk out with peak press – R (on right leg, bend down, touch floor, walk hands out, perform peak push-up, walk hands back and stand up)
  

REST 30 seconds

Set 3:  Repeat Set 1 (~9 mins total)

So what are additions to the wardrobe that will have the greatest likelihood of actually being worn?  Ideally, anything I buy now could be worn throughout the year.  And, following my new commitment to investing only in pieces that really speak to me, and a desire to get away from my standard palette of black, white, navy and gray (well, that is a tall order – maybe a few pieces can have color!)?  Here are a few items, most of which are available now and are calling my name!

What are you buying this season?

1. T by Alexander Wang hoodie
2. Boy by Band of Outsiders maxi skirt
3. Acne jacket
4. Isabel Marant tank
5. Current Elliot overalls
6. Alexander Wang wedge
7. Rag & Bone dress
8. Topshop sandals (similar here)
9. Alexander Wang brogue
10. Ohne Titel leather tank
11. Helmut Lang top
12. Topshop jacket (no longer available)
13. J Brand jumpsuit
14. Aquazzura lace-up sandals
15. Etoile Isabel Marant pant
16. Topshop sweatshirt
17. Topshop tee shirt dress
18. Rag & Bone sandals
19. NSF sweatpants
20. Monrow jacket
21. Topshop jacket
22. Topshop pants
23. J Brand shorts
24. Rag & Bone shirt
25. J Crew boyfriend shorts
26. Isabel Marant sneakers
27. Theory jacket
28. Rag & Bone sweater
29. R13 jeans
30. Alexander Wang heels
31. Alexander Wang shorts

Mango velvet pants and jacket, Hanes tank, 9 West pumps

 Pierre Balmain tank, J Brand jeans, Topshop booties

Having said all that, I am also completely obsessed with shoes regardless of the season.  I mostly wear boots and booties, even in the spring and summer, but I also do love a great oxford, or sandal.  I don’t know how much I will invest this year in spring/summer footwear, but there are lots of (mostly flat) styles out there that I am coveting right now and I thought I would share some with you.  You will notice many of these are appropriate for any time of year.  Enjoy!

J Crew Valentina Mirror Metallic pump

3.1 Phillip Lim Jenny Flat sandals

Golden Goose Young Western boot

J Crew Kira Metallic sandal

Elizabeth and James Cassi loafers

Topshop Amnesty sandal

Prada oxford

Valentino Camo Rockstud flat

3.1 Phillip Lim PJ Cutout boots

Rag & Bone brogue

Rag & Bone Deacon boot

Marni Metallic Wingtip oxford

Marni Buckle Strap sandal

Isabel Marant Dicker boot

AJ Cut Out Heavy boot

And last but not least, a few sneakers.  Truth be told, I’ll likely be wearing sneakers more than anything else!

Barbara Bui Colorblock Hightop sneaker

Puma Speeder Trainers

New Balance 1400

All I can say is, IT IS HARDER THAN IT LOOKS.   And I’m obviously late to the party, since these classes are now pretty much all the rage, and plenty of celebs are crediting them for their lean physiques.  If you haven’t tried it, don’t be fooled by what you might observe or think is going on in these classes.  Every teeny tiny movement takes amazing effort and it is easily one of the hardest workouts I do.   I can honestly say that doing these classes has changed my body the most in this past year, and that is saying a lot for me, especially given my very long history of dedicated exercise, and now being north of the half-century mark!

For those of you who might be curious and haven’t heard of or seen a class like this, let me describe the 60 minute (unheated –  there are some that pump up the temperature) class I typically attend, called Ballet Body.  It starts with an upper body warm-up ala early Jane Fonda – lots of arm circles and presses that set your shoulders on fire!  That is followed by a few sets of pushups, and then the quad component begins.  The first exercise can either be a series of lunges and curtsy lunges, or – my personal favorite – something I call the kneeling squat.  I don’t know what it is actually called, but basically you get in the kneeling position, put a squishy ball between your knees, and sit back on your heels.  Then raise your rear end a couple of inches off your heels – the reps are up and down FROM THERE.  It doesn’t sound bad, and for the first 24 reps or so, it isn’t.  But believe me, your quads will burn after a couple of minutes.  Sometimes we do upper body moves at the same time, with 3-5 lb. weights. Yowza.

We then move to the bar and do more quads – squats, half-squats, lunges, and lifts, both on flat feet and on the toes.  After about 25 minutes, we move on to the glutes, which could be more lunges or squats, but often includes some kind of lifting one leg at a time up and behind for endless reps, and/or on all fours for the classic donkey kick and all of the wonderful variations thereof.  If there is time, we might do some abs at the end.

There are some things to watch out for with this kind of workout.  One standard move for the quad portion is a relevé to demi-pointe (I think those are the correct terms – I googled them to find out, but I could well be using them incorrectly!) in first or second position, or with your heels and toes together. Once in this raised position, you bend your knees into a kind of half-squat, but you are still on your toes.  The very small movement up and down then takes place from that (squat-ish) position.  This movement really works the quads, but can be hard on the knees.  It can also be tough to spend so much time up on the flat part of the toes – there is a lot of pressure on the ball of the foot.  Some people wear cushioned shoes, others stand on a mat for comfort.

If you haven’t tried one of these classes because you feel you are too advanced, or too beginner – get over it!  This workout will absolutely tighten up loose bits and increase your strength and stamina.  Go for it!