It’s an odd occurrence that when the cold season comes around, the exercising goes down, and we start to gain the pounds.

It’s tough to keep up any normal exercise routine when all your body wants to do is eat massive amounts of carbs and hibernate for the winter. Even if you can’t afford a gym membership, there are plenty of things that you can do in the house with simple household items. Now, I am nowhere near fully knowledgeable about how to keep your body in perfect condition, but I can however help you out with which clothes to work out in. It can be a little intimidating when you first walk into a sports store and really intimidating when you look at one of the fabric tags. Here is a short but sweet break down of some of the most regularly used fabrics in activewear:

Cotton/ Polyester Blends- Cotton has been the most sought after fabric since its first known cultivation, over 8000 years ago in Mexico. It’s one of the softest materials you can find which makes it a forerunner in active wear. One of the drawbacks of wearing cotton or a cotton jersey is the stretch factor. It doesn’t have much resistance, so when it stretches, that’s it, no going back. However, if you buy something with a cotton/polyester blend you will get the softness of cotton with the stability of polyester.

Antron Nylon – Antron Nylon makes up the orientation of many of those shiny looking garments in workout clothing. Think swimsuits and you’ll get a good picture of what this type of fabric entails. It is a fabric full of strength and durability but not the most comfortable for most things outside of swimming.

Lycra/Supplex – Lycra, the 90’s fabric, is one that is used in almost all forms of clothing. It is a type of spandex that incorporates the characteristics of both Nylon and cotton, giving it the stretch and recovery, as well as the semi-softness of the cotton.  Supplex is the new and improved Lycra for the 21^st century. This fabric tends to dry very quickly and holds its color incredibly

Climalite – Climalite is a fabric produced by Addidas that feels like a cotton jersey and has the characteristic of wicking. Wicking is the wonderful ability of a fabric to take your perspiration and transfer it to the top of the fabric where it can dissipate into the atmosphere. Doesn’t that sound nice? It’s a wonderful fabric and I haven’t found one I like so much that feels the way it feels and does the spectacular. But everyone’s different, so next time your shopping, for activewear or otherwise, check the fabrics, you may be surprised!

By: Brooke Brazil, assistant NYC Image consultant and personal shopper for My Image Expert New york

The famed Sartorialist, Scott Schuman once said that there is a “great difference between fashion and style” and in order to notice the difference, one must master the ‘refinement of detail.’”  For instance, if you work in a corporate office and have to  wear a pant suit every day – think about what makes it different from all of the other people wearing pant suits in the building?  What can you do to add a slight hint of authenticity?

I recently went to see the new movie “Inception”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In the movie, the characters must keep with them a totem or trinket of some sort to remind them what is dream and what is reality. In a dream, the trinket would never fall, yet in reality, gravity would require it to fall. Wouldn’t it be great to have a trinket that would allow your wardrobe a taste of realistic style?  Jewelry pieces work great to add signature style elements to any outfit. It can be a locket,  a bracelet and even a trinket.  A great place to start looking are vintage and/or thrift stores. Your more likely to find something that is one of a kind, just like you. So whenever your having a mundane day (which we all have),  you can look down at a little piece of individuality. It’s a good reminder that you choose what defines you. If the piece you choose to wear is not “work-appropriate” consider a necklace with a long chain so you can drop it behind your blouse only showing what needs to be shown.

By: Brooke Brazil – Assistant Image Consultant for My Image Expert, fashion and image consulting firm.

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The change of seasons will directly affect how your hair looks. Whether it is summer humidity or the brisk breeze in the fall; with the change of season, should come a much needed change of hairstyle. Throwing something new into the groove can give your life that added twist of fun that it’s been lacking. It doesn’t have to be extreme! Just a simple decision to wear bangs or not, can make a world of difference. As much as I love bangs because of the immediate focus it adds to the face, summer time may not be the best season to wear this particular statement style. Remember the hot, sticky yesterdays of, well…yesterday? Who wants to deal with a big mop of hair on your forehead while out on the town or at the beach? This is certainly not an attractive or comfortable style in the least. Summer is the perfect time to have grown out bangs. Ideally, spring is when the growing process should begin, giving you ample time to take advantage of a side swept bang. A longer bang style tends to be the easiest to handle during the growing process and if they get too irritating, a small simple bobby pin should do the trick. By the time summer rolls around you’ll have something to pull back and out of your face! Fall is a great time to try heavier bangs like a blunt bang. The air is cooler and after a hot summer, this style is easier to maintain. Winter can be your wild card! Have fun with it and when spring comes around you’ll know what to do!

By: Brooke Brazil, assistant fashion consultant for My Image Expert New York

The most important tip for summer skin care is to moisturize!  It gives the skin a natural and healthy glow and helps protect the fave from free radicals and sun spots. For the face, our beauty experts and woman’s makeover technicians  recommend Aveeno’s Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer, which also entails an SPF 15. Taking care of your skin is one of the most important things you can do to preserve your natural beauty. Choosing a moisturizer with sun protection is one of the few ways you can choose to protect it. Have you ever put a regular lotion on your face and within minutes your face becomes a waterworks attraction? That’s because body lotion clogs the pores of your face; as a result your face will sweat out the lotion that is clogging those pores. So remember to keep your face moisturizer for your face and your body lotion for you body.  When choosing a moisturizer for your body, keep in mind that there are generally two types of lotions out there: oil-based and water-based lotions. Depending on your skin type, whether naturally oily or dry, the right lotion can make a world of difference.

One thing I would highly recommend all women to do is go and have your eyebrows professionally shaped. It’s one of the best investments a woman can make because it changes the entire layout of your face. You’ll notice after your eyebrows are shaped how much easier it is to get away with less makeup. Each pore on your face houses only three hairs in a lifetime, so eventually your hair will no longer need to be shaped and waxed. It will naturally stay wonderfully coiffed. Beware of waxing above your eyebrow too much (every other waxing should suffice) because it can reduce the elasticity in your brow area, when done too often. Once you get your eyebrows done all you really need to have a fresh and summery pop is some cover up to even out any blotchy skin tones. It is preferable to use a powdered cover-up to avoid the melting problem that liquid foundation can have, similar to body lotion on the face; it can clog the pores and set you up as the next water park side show. Throw on a little mascara and your set! If you’re out in the sun at all you will most likely have a slight sun kiss on your nose and cheekbone area, but if you want to amplify this girl-next-door effect, try throwing on a little blush; bronze if you have olive based skin and pink if you have lighter skin. Feel fresh, and enjoy the summer!

By: Brooke Brazil, assistant Fashion Consultant and Personal Stylist for My image Expert New York