Throwing ourselves into and devoting ourselves to one particular thing is as important as finding the thing by which to devote ourselves to in the first place. Fashion is so much more than loving the word and the hashtags; fashion is an art, a relationship and is something that needs just as much upkeep and management as eyebrow shaping or a house clean. The Japanese have this beautiful way of doing everything to the fullest, giving 100% of themselves every day; the rest of us must learn from this art and decree a life of doing everything wholly. Yet, we must bear in mind our talents, body types and personalities in everything that we do or wear. That being said, how is one to adhere to these rules if she is 6.5 months pregnant and the only clothing that fit over her consistently expanding mid-section are large, non-trendy cotton dresses and long-line cardigans, which are totally not her normal style or preference at all??
Pregnancy has been tough on me as a fashionista, considering the incredible styles and trends occurring at present: fishnet tights, velvet mini dresses, over the knee boots, and silks paired with fur; OTN boots don’t fit over my swollen knees and ankles, and fishnets would be the least flattering look for a pregnant woman carrying heavily! I find myself at a crossroads: I understand that its hard to stray from my particular tastes and what flatter me normally (and in all stages) and therefore, I decided to partner with a budding fashion designer here in Tel Aviv so we can help other women of all shapes and sizes to create the style that best suits their particular body types, aesthetics, and budgets, worldwide!
We started our collaboration with a pregnancy photo-shoot by the ever-so-talented Pnin Yehudai! The shoot encouraged me to see and to comprehend the beauty of my present body: I may have gained 13-14 kilos so far, and while I love my soon-to-be-daughter more than anything in this world, I do feel that I am missing on the styles out right now, as well as am missing my body bp: before pregnancy. Yet, I must embrace that which I can do, and that which I am (at any stage), so I can dress as the best me and always represent who I am as a fashion lover: chic, edgy, femme!
My partner, the designer Lee Kaufman of Leeka, designs clothing for so many different styles and body types. Her designs encapsulate various patterns, colors and textures: leather, fishnet and animal print are accompanied by flowy, covered and very femme-focused cuts, which for me, luckily, work well at the moment! She styled me for the shoot and set me up with the best looks for my tastes and current body, helping me to feel as beautiful as humanly possible and the most like myself normally- a win win for everyone!
In this collaboration, we are offering women, all around the world, big or small the ability to design the ideal garment for her body type, color and texture preferences, as well as so much more. Half of fashion is turning it into what we love and what works for us as individuals, and what better way to guide a collaboration than with my particular message of individuality resonating through. After all, what is life and what is fashion if not lived authentically and uniquely and of course, without recipes….
A Life Without Recipes 