Ms. Fabulous Mother's Day Gift Guide

I'm off to visit my family in Toronto. With me as always, I am bringing gifts to the wonderful women in my life. It will be Mother's Day, so my childhood friend, sister and actual Mom will be getting some of the goodies here.

Citizen watches are fast becoming a favorite of mine. This stainless steel Citizen Ladies' Diamond one is a posh treat for Mother's Day that I have decided to keep for myself, (sorry Mom!) I just fell in love with it. I am super picky with my watches. I like them sleek and dressy enough for the most formal occasion, but can look great with jeans too. I really groove on their Eco-Drive technology, not just for the eco-friendly aspect but because I am lazy and hate to change batteries. 

Mom loves color. MyWalit has a great collection of brightly colored wallets with beautiful leathers and color-block design straight from Italy. I thought she could use a compact wallet ($68) with lots of pockets to brighten her purse.

Those of you who follow me a lot know that I also moonlight as an embellishment designer for other brands. If you wanted a pretty accessory for yourself, I have been producing one-of-a-kind embellished headbands, cuff bracelets, necklaces and belts under the label Weng Meng Design Studio. Supermodel Carol Alt and actress Genevieve Rodriguez have worn them, why don't you take a look? 

I was introduced to DCL Skincare  by Ms. Fab contributor Geraldine. It was developed with serious science to treat your skin at multiple levels. One of the few drawbacks with looking young for your age (runs in the family, don't hate me) is you still get breakouts long after you should have stopped. The "Build Your Beauty" ritual function on the website is very helpful in finding the products for specific for your needs. Now that I have tried a few, I am a convert. I brought up the Spot Therapy ($32) product for my family to try.

I brought Modern Doll Cocktail Lab enhancements ($10) for the tired Moms this weekend to spike their coffees and teas with. Each variety was inspired by a strong woman in the arts of an earlier generation.  Cocoa Canelle is a chocolate and cinnamon bark infused liqueur with fashion icon Coco Chanel as the muse. The Vicious Purple was inspired by writer Dorothy Parker. The bitters are made from flowers like hibiscus, lavender and elder-flower.

I recently went a little crazy during the Bauble Bar sale. The dramatic crystal necklace is going to my Mom. She is going to look amazing in it. 

For my sister, she has more Minimalist taste. This delicate Ilana Ariel necklace is elegant and small enough not to get in the way of her hectic day.

The ladies in my family love our hair products. I was already a big fan of Strivectin skincare and jumped at the chance to try their haircare too. I already blazed through the shampoo and conditioner. Dry hair and annoying wispy little baby hairs run in my family, the Bodifying Radiance Serum is going to be our secret weapon. Since my family travels a lot, the UV protection helps too.

Mom is traveling to China, Lithuania and Russia this year. I got her this trio of Diane Von Furstenburg leather pouches ($70) for her toiletries, vitamins and jewelry. Three of them in super bright colors are nestled into one another like Russian Dolls (felt appropriate). They are very cute on their own as a clutch bag and easy to maneuver in a filled suitcase on a big trip. Hope she loves them!

Ok, what is everyone else getting the Moms in their life? If you're a Mom, treat YOURSELF. You more than deserve it. Happy Mother's Day!!!

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Mywalit is Making My Season of Color

It’s finally spring! As a New Yorker, I am often accused of wearing too much black. For my spring 2016 resolution, I am vowing to make it a season of color. I started with a cute leather good that I received from Mywalit, a brand founded in Italy in 2005.

Their collections of handbags and wallets are designed with a distinctive color block style. Each piece is stitched and cut by hand. The company sources super soft leathers from around the world for the best quality and feel of the product.

Every season, Mywalit collections celebrate different cities around the globe. The colors are inspired by the energy and people of that location. This season’s feature is Cape Town. My wallet’s colors of sunny orange, seafoam, violet and fuchsia find its muse in the South African city. South Africa can be characterized as a location where the sea meets the sun. Drummers, dancers and vibrant street art are also part of South African culture. 

My Hubby gave me an incredible painting over the holidays that echo the same spirit. It has rays of global colors shooting all around me as I stand in front of it. My jacket is a mix of traditional fabrics and textures that were sourced from around the world and embroidered with worry dolls that I thought would match the Mywalit shades. My nails are a darker violet than the one on the wallet, but accented with huge sparkles like the night sky.

Anchoring your outfit of the day around your favorite accessory can be a fun way to go. Starting with the wallet’s color palette, I chose my shoes, handbag, jewelry and ultimately clothing to complement the hues. I found this was a much more interesting way to build an #OOTD. Most days I start with a little black dress and inevitably keep adding more and more black.

Spring is for new beginnings, new colors, new ideas and new labels to shop. Mywalit has beautifully made pieces that are perfect to update your wardrobe for the new season. If you haven’t heard of them before, this is a lovely label to check out. They are not trendy, but design driven. The craftsmanship is meant to last through multiple seasons. As opposed to fast fashion, leather goods are worth investing in. Explore their other styles by connecting with them on Mywalit's Instagram for spring style inspiration.

Sponsored by Single Edition Media on behalf of Mywalit.

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