All posts by gosia.willemse@keytome.co.uk

I'm a lover of all things that make me feel me or inspire me to be happier and better. I love people watching and getting inspired by them. Every day is an opportunity to be better that yesterday. Every day has a new road to walk (preferably in the best shoes) dressed in a smile with a touch of a lipstick. I am a woman since birth, a mother since my son was born, a wife since I married my friend. I am busy doing a Professional Styling course and have already started that journey by image consulting with some fascinating ladies. This blog is to share this and more. To help me be better and inspire women to live their sparkle every single day.
Key to My Style

Key to my hand care (and the best DIY scrub ever)

Hello beautiful people.

I am so grateful for your visits here 🙂

Last night my over dried hands have called for some help and I remembered the best DIY hand scrub that I use and just have to share with you.

Christmas does not just happen, we do all the cleaning, cooking, present wrapping, running in and out in the cold, more cleaning, resting and forgetting to care for our hands, I am not alone here, am I?

Now it’s time to remember the hands and care for them.

So here it goes, most of you will have the ingredient at home, that is exactly what makes me love this scrub. I am all for simple recipe and gorgeous results ;))

 

All you need is:

bowl, spoon, cloth, olive oil, sugar and lemon

 

Mix a little bit of olive oil ( 2 tbs should be enough, I always used to use way too much and ended up with enough scrub to use all over my whole body, not a bad thing at times actually 😉 I wouldn’t use it on my face though) with sugar (the texture really depends on your liking so add slowly until you are happy with the paste and then add few drops of lemon and mix again.

Now indulge in massaging your hands for few minutes. After that I wet the cloth and put in the microwave for 30 seconds and then place it over my both hands for another minute or so (homemade sauna ;))

You may skip the last step if you have no time or just don’t feel like it, the result will be great too, I just love the whole process and the result. At the end I use the cloth to gently clean the remaining scrub off my hands (I feel like that really helps take all the dry skin off) and then wash them  under cold water (no soap).

Your hands will feel very moisturized already. When my hands are dry though (and that seems like always) I add whatever hand cream I use at the time to seal the deal.

Right now my favourite is this (YOPE, naturalny krem do rak, imbir, drzewo sandalowe ), gift from Santa (all the way from Poland).

and voila!

Hope you enjoy treating your hands to some softness.

Have a super day and a great week gorgeous.

Love,

Gosia

xxx

Key to My Style

Key to my hair care

1 Comment

Hi guys and Happy New Year. Hope you have been making the best of the first few days of it. I have been working on my routine and improving my work. It is still very much work in progress but I am fine with it and I am allowing myself to have fun along the way and that is what I wish for you to; have fun with whatever it is you do and spend time on.

Today I decided to share with you couple of thing I do to improve my hair condition. I haven’t coloured my hair in a while now. I used to colour it at home and after some fails I was finally happy with the blue black that worked perfectly with my skin tone. After a while though, being a women, and letting my nature take over, I felt like a change. I let the roots grow…and grow (for a while it was not a pretty state) but I resisted until I could. I went to get it coloured. Wanted highlights (and I had a very specific look in mind) but was worried that bleaching my hair may have a huge effect on its condition. As it turned out, the effect I wanted would take about 6 stages and I was not prepared to go for it. I got some very light highlights and roots refreshed. That was in September and I haven’t done any colouring since. I am now happy embracing the more natural look (even though the colour is not perfectly what I had in mind, but it is a work in progress to). I have even learned to love my few grey hair and I am now focusing on careing for my hair more than ever before.

I have been using various shampoos (nothing fancy) but I find that using moisturizing hair masks couple of times a week has helped hugely. For that I use either coconut oil or combination of oils (caster oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil and few more ).

Few days ago I was offered to try a new product which is also a combination of oils and the ingredient is heavenly so I jumped for it happily. It’s called Hallelujah Oil by Forest and Shore (picture’s provided below). I love that you can use it both, as a hair mask or after a wash. It has a lovely herbal smell and makes the hair feel very soft. I have so far only used it on washed hair and cannot wait to have in on overnight.

I also wanted to share with you how using different brushed changed my hair state. For brushing my hair wet, I now only use the wet brush. I got it few years ago and haven’t looked back since. The wide comb or tangle teezer does not work as well for me personally. And for drying the hair and light styling I use the natural hair brush (also no pulling at all). Apart from these I use ordinary brushes on dry hair and very rarely use hair styling tools.

I know that for some of you my hair will not look amazing but knowing its state from just a few months ago I see the difference. I also have it cut straight (no layers) which for me makes it look better and makes the styling easier too. It is all about being resourceful and not needing a cut too often (win win ;)).

 

 

hair washed and towel dried

how gorgeous is this packaging? what is inside makes me even happier, bottle of pure goodness :))

the wet brush

no pulling at all

best for hair drying and light styling

hair dried

#nofilter 😉

Thoughts?

Any tips you guys have or your personal experience, please share.

Have a great day.

Love,

Gosia

 

Key to My Style

key to me – saying goodbye to 2017

2 Comments

 

I have been wanting to make this year’s revision and I have been putting it off.

I think its like with everything that we put off, we are afraid. I am often afraid that I haven’t given it my all and I judge myself instead of cheering myself to what I have been doing and accomplishing.  I am good at both but being hard on myself is easier, I have more practice on it and I can go crazy here (I am a natural ;)). I am also good lately at motivating myself though which feels refreshing. At times it does not feel natural or even possible, all the things that I tell myself I will do, be, get to but I keep saying it, thinking it, writing it down so I can finally feel it and make it happen.

Yesterday I fell for the Instagram trend of #best9. Not really sure how you are meant to choose I just scrolled back to the end of last year and from the beginning of 2017 I took screenshots of pictures that meant the most to me. I ended up with much more than 9… then I managed to somehow ‘close the deal’ on 9. Feeling bad for not including  people that actually meant just as much as the ones that I did include… (being hard on myself again) but then I took a deep breath… tears filled my eyes and I realized how blessed I am. In a year that feels like not that much has been done, I realized I made quite a few long term dreams come true.

I have been places with people that mean the most. I have re-visited home land with my own family.  I spend an evening with a friend I haven’t seen in years. I have taken care of myself and keep reminding myself to put myself first. I organised a ladies get together that gave me more than I imagined and will soon turn into something much bigger. I have turned my passion into a job that I never dreamed possible. I earned money from doing what I love. I have met people that cheer me to it and inspire me to be me. I have watched children grow (deep breath)… and let one go. All this together is bitter sweet but has made me who I am now.

I always knew that bad times are meant to give us the contrast and appreciate the good times more. So I am super grateful for every day. I have survived ! ;)) I am a warrior and will fight for all that I believe in this year (that may just be the most important goal 🤔).

Looking  at myself as if I stepped outside  of my body, I say, ‘you have made more possible that you realise. You remember when you used to dream of the things you now ‘have’ ? That really is your power. Use it wisely ;)’

…. and to all of you and each of you individually, I hope you are well (as I say it often) and I mean it.

I hope you let yourself cry and laugh whenever you feel like it. I hope that you dream as big and ‘impossible’ as when you were a little girl/little boy. I hope you don’t care what boundaries the world told you to believe in.  I hope that you ask yourself  what it is that you like and want (not what the trend to wanting is now). I hope you love like crazy, dance like there is no-one else in the room, I hope that when you stumble, you remember that it’s just part of the dance and that you enjoy getting up and making yourself proud. I hope that you eat what makes you excited, that you look after yourself and that your style speaks who you are.

I am sooooo grateful for you. I love you and wish you best in New Year, your year.

Gosia

xxx

(at no particular order here’s few of this year’s favourite moments :))

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key to Her Style

key to her style – wardrobe audit

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Today I am so thrilled to be sharing with you my recent wardrobe audit. I had a great pleasure to help one of my best friends with her style.

You all know I am a great believer in colour analysis and that is how I start all my style services. It is up to a client what she does with my advice but I must say up to now, all my clients really enjoyed the new knowledge and the guidance it gives them in areas of clothes, make up and hair.

First I share the theory with her and ask a lot of questions. Then we go into her wardrobe, pull EVERYTHING out and confront it with her skin tone guidance and make sure everything she has compliments her skin tone but also her body shape and her lifestyle.

I help her come up with new outfits, show her how to wear it; tuck a shirt in (and how), pin a sweater, roll up sleeves or trousers (and how much), add accessories (what type, where exactly to put a belt, how to tie it and wear it, what a difference a necklace can make (good and bad).   All these little pieces out together are for her to create a style that is exciting and consistent.

I advise on what does not compliment her style, body and skin as well. I never force a decision on anyone but it is my job to make sure I explain it well so that she is left with only pieces she actually loves and will wear.  I also advise on what to avoid in terms of colours, shapes, textures, patterns and anything else that is relevant so that she feels in charge of her newly updates style. I want all my clients to be excited about getting dressed and going shopping for themselves .

 

 

_______________________________________________

 

Dzisiaj mam niezwykłą przyjemność dzielić się z Wami efektami pracy nad stylem i szafą jednej z moich najlepszych przyjaciółek.

Jak wiecie, uwielbiam analizę kolorystyczną i to jak ułatwia pracę nad stylem, dlatego każde spotkanie z klientka zaczynam właśnie od odkrycia jej typu urody. Od klientki zależy czy będzie podążać za wskazówkami, które jej daje, ale muszę przyznać że każda z Pan, ż którymi pracowałam do tej pory cieszy się nowoodkryta wiedza i tym że ułatwia im nie tylko łączenie ubrać ale i dobor kosmetyków i dopasowanie koloru włosów.

Zaczynamy od teorii i od wielu pytań, które zadaje klientce, aby dopasować moje usługi do jej potrzeb. Wtedy zabieramy się do roboty, z szafy wyciągamy WSZYSTKO i ubranie po ubraniu analizujemy pod względem koloru, kroju, materiału  i stylu klientki.

Zwracam uwagę klientki również na to czego powinna unikać pod względem jej typu urody, budowy ciała i stylu. Nigdy nie zmuszam klientki do niczego ale moim zadaniem jest upewnienie się żeby jej szafa była wypełniona jedynie rzeczami które kocha i chce nosić. Wszystko to ma na celu doprowadzenie do sytuacji, w której będzie się czuła pewnie łącząc ubrania i robiąc zakupy samodzielnie.

 

 

warm or cool / cieply czy zimny ?

spring, autumn, summer or winter / wiosna, jesien, lato czy zima?

tuck the shirt in, one button open (every detail matters) / bluzka w spodnie, guziczek rozpiety (kazdy detal robi roznice)

show those legs off, balance the body out / odsłon nogi, stwórz zbalansowany zestaw

very subtle differance in colour can make a great differance in your appearance / malenka roznica w kolorze bluzki moze diametralnie zminic Twoj wyglad

when belt adds the cool but also does couple of magic tricks;), type of jacket and a way to wear it is important too / kiedy pasek jest fajnym dodatkiem ale rowzniez gra za magika ;), marynarka i sposob jej noszenia musi byc dobrany do sylwetki

black isn’t always slimming, fabric playa a great role too.  Sometimes an interesting patter and a cool accessory can be a better option. / Czarne nie zawsze wyszczupla, material ma również ogromne znaczenie. Czasem ciekawy wzór na bluzce i fajny wisior moga stworzyć bardziej interesujące połączenie.

trying it all on, piece by piece / wszystko trzeba przymierzyc i wyprobowac nowe polaczenia

evening make up (using only the colours complimenting to her skin tone ) / makijaz wieczorowy (kolory dobralysmy w zgodzie z typem urody)

almost there / juz prawie gotowe

viola! :))

Isn’t she lovely ?? (yes I am actully singing now :))) / Czyż ona nie piekna?

 

As per usual share your views guys, give me a shout if you’d like a little make over yourself. / Jak zwykle dajcie znac co myslicie, piszcie bezpośrednio jesli ktoras z Was ma ochote na mala metamorfoze?

PS- czy podoba Wam sie post po angielsku/polsku, łączony?

 

 

 

 

 

Key to Her Style, Key to My Style

Key to wearing leggings

Hello lovely ladies,

I feel like this may be very relevant to all us mommies out there.

I personally have loved leggings since I was little. Apparently I loved them more than anything else since I was walking. My mom wanted nothing else but to have me wear dresses, yet I had a different idea (having two older boys already, she said she made dresses for me herself,  I don’t blame her for being a bit disappointing and I am starting to feel her pain since my 3 year old has a mind on his own with the choice of clothes, sometimes beyond ridiculous). Anyway, back to leggings, why do we love them so much? COMFORT! no questions about it. I used to own all sorts of patterned leggings. I used to didn’t think in terms of an outfit though, I just liked things, and I wore them.

I still love what I wear but find it much easier to put things together since I DO think of the whole outfit. I plan before I shop and that helps hugely. I now also own only couple of pairs of leggings and don’t seem to grab them as much as I used to.

Don’t take me wrong, there is nothing wrong with leggings but there is a rule to wearing them that a lot of ladies seem to ignore, the rule is, they are a ‘substitute’ to tights not to pants. What that means is that anything that we wear with them should be covering the bum area. Unless you are working out, your leggings are not for showing your hips off. If you really need to do that, grab skinny jeans please.

There is really countless ways of wearing leggings, that is flattering, but also in line with a dress code.

Here is at least a few that I put together one afternoon to show you that you can even go day to night with leggings.

 

This is something you can wear to a lunch date with girlfriends as well as cinema date with your husband; date to night.

 

Same here, this is so easy to wear and comfortable but because you swapped your cotton leggings for sequin ones, you can wear this even to an evening out and feel fab.

 

This is one of my favourites. Add a classic white shirt to your leggings and layer it with a cosy vest, accessories will do all the talking.

 

This is very much similar, just make sure to keep the vest on. If you were to take it off, your shirt needs to be covering your hips.

 

Again, this is simply swapping your black tights this season for some sparkly leggings to dress the outfit up a little.

 

For a super simple combo, and for those of you who love a tee and leggings set, make the tee long, add metallic flats and a cute hat to make the whole look a little more interesting.

 

Let me finish with the simplest possible way to wear leggings; tee, leggings and trainers, I like to add a little colour here, since the rest was black to start with, but you can do your converse here too, as long as the tee is long enough to cover what needs to be covered again. Simply finish the look by putting the denim jacket on and voila!

It really takes 5 minutes to plan the outfit so that you can be comfy but look stylish. Have fun with it ladies.

Love,

Gosia

Key to Her Style, Key to My Style

Key to rocking the trend -all red

RED TO TOE

Although colours are only one facet of a garments design, colour is usually the first thing to attract us to clothing. The more you know about colour and how it compliments your unique features, the more fun you can have with it (not to mention the obvious; the way you will blossom ;))

I have gone through high street shops for you ladies. As you may notice yourselves, red plays a great part this season and you can all rock it. True red is a colour that we can all wear well, no matter what skin tone.

This autumn, if you are feeling brave you can even go ‘red to toe’ and let it make you fell and look fabulous. However, if you are new to red and would rather start with a little sample of if you can do it by:

  • adding red earnings to otherwise neutral outfit,
  • adding slightly bigger accessory (or two) such as belt, shoes or a statement necklace,
  • popping  a red lip on (one of my personal favorite mood boosters ;)),
  • getting a red shirt and rocking it ass opposed to a white one at times,
  • wearing a little red dress (you cannot go wrong with getting one),
  • getting a red coat (only if that’s you and you know you will be able to wear it often).

If terms of wearing those pieces often, remember that they will be very memorable and wearing them day by day may not be an option, black or neutral coat for example may be a better investment and you can wear it daily.

To know how to add a touch of colour to otherwise natural or black outfit, I am inviting you to check out my post on ‘Key to wearing black’.

It is great staying on top of the trends but remember that they come and go and if you are investing in pieces, be sure to have their versatility in mind.

My personal opinion is that every woman should at least try a red lip, so I’d start there however if the colour is not new to you go brave, go big and rock it.

Here is a little photo gallery from my recent trip to the shops. As you see, there’s no way you’d miss the red 😉

Karren Millen

Next

Monsoon

New Look

Dorothy Perkins

It is very interesting how shops suggest colour coordinating to us. Be aware of it and know your best way to wearing it. It is all driven by latest trends of course but on top of that I have noticed that the placement of the pieces created perfect colour combos for particular skin tones. You may get an inspiration if you are an autumn skin tone looking at the placement of the garments in Next (first three pictures), winter skin tone in Monsoon and Karren Millen or winter/summer skin tone in New Look.

I love getting inspired by watching it all but please remember to always have your own features in mind and do not let shop’s beautiful display stir you away from that.

Have an amazing day ladies.

Love,

Gosia

Key to Her Style, Key to My Style

Key to wearing black

2 Comments

So autumn is here. How are you all feeling about it in terms of your style? I personally love the leyers, boots, thicker textures and all the fun I can have with it. It can be challenging though. The shops will now be filled with earthy colours and as fun as it may seem it is not a complimenting option for all of us. Only some of us can wear it well (me excluding). With that in mind a lot of us will want to stick or turn to black. A lot of ladies turn to it as it tends to make one feel slimmer, smarter and possibly more powerful. However the season tones recommend only winter tones individuals wear the colour black.

With that in mind I put together few tips on how to successfully wear black (because we can’t all give it up).

  • Black looks its absolute best when worn with one or combination of neutral tones (e.g. white, grey, cream, tan, gold, silver, bronze or brown).

 

 

  • When wearing black with a colour, be sure to add another neutral tone to the ensemble – it looks less dated that way.

  • It isn’t easy to look good in black when worn from head to toe, but it can be done. Make sure that each item of outfit is of a different texture. The trick is to “add dimension” and avoid ” looking flat”.

 

  • Black items need to be very black! As soon as they start to lose their colour – the overall flattering effect is lost. To avoid them fading to fast, wash them in very low temperature, away from different colours.

  • Refrain from wearing black all the time. It has the power to “drain” one’s appearance. Remember to alternate with other colours that suit your skin tone.

 

Above all, make sure you feel comfortable in it and that it represents who you are. Get inspired by others but make it your own.

Here is to a sunny and memorable week.

Love,

Gosia

Key to Her Style, Key to My Style

Key to me – my passion

I am the best stylist I can be today. I will be better tomorrow. I will never be perfect. I am happy to learn for and from my clients. I get inspired for and by them. I put together ideas, outfits and ways to live a live when they love their style so that they can grasp the life they dream of.

Money is not an issue. Never. I can make you shine like a star, regardless of your budget. You will love the colours of your rainbow and let others love theirs.

I have only this life and it blossoms because I could not be more excited to share it with you. Your goals are my goals.

Your style is important. It is the clothes, it is you shoes, your hair, your make up, your accessories and your posture.

Your style then is your walk, your talk, your dance, your relationships, your job and your hobbies, it is your routines, your attitude and your approach to today and to tomorrow….. .

 

Key to My Style

Key to my happiness

6 Comments

 

 

There is no key…. there isn’t. The key is me. I lost the awareness of it for a while. First time, when I finally had a life that I love. When my marriage was finally on the track that I envisioned, meaning kids. I got so happy that I remember telling my husband that I am so content that even if we stay in the flat that we are in at the moment for many more years, I am happy and will be. I couldn’t wait to see his smile and approval. I did not see it though. Instead I saw disappointment. ‘Are you kidding me’ He said…. It took me a while to understand that it does not mean that he isn’t as happy as I am, and it does not mean that he is embarrassed to live where we do. It simply means that he wants better for us and our family. So I got so confused with the whole happiness and for a while I stayed that way.

I recently suffered another miscarriage. I lost a boy that is, second boy to be exact. When we lost Zac (first miscarriage) I was fully and utterly devoted to sadness and ‘blameness’, so much so that I opened myself to hearing it and accepting it from others. So much so that all I was telling myself was that ‘I lost a baby’, ‘I am not pregnant’, ‘Everyone else is pregnant or getting pregnant’ , ‘Everyone else has two or more children and they are not even trying’.

The game of comparison is our unique and tailor made hell. There is no escape. The is no help. No matter how hard we try we loose. I was loosing.  Don’t take me wrong when that happened, Ben our first born was just over one year old and not only he kept me alive, he healed me daily too and I was also happy.

But I know now, and I finally feel it and get it, after loosing Gabriel (our second loss), that I cannot rely on my children, number of years between them, their health or their moods to make me happy. I cannot control any of that fully and it is simply not fair to depend on my children to make mama happy. That’s bullshit! I need to keep ‘my cup full’ and overflowing to share the happiness and make the best use of my talents and blessings to keep my family well.

There is one thing I always used to say as a little girl. I’d say ‘I am always happy, I just have bad days sometimes’. I don’t think I fully understood it then but I felt it and isn’t that the key? Feeling the life as opposed to overthinking it? It surely doesn’t serve me well when I do that. When I do that, I let fear decide and I focus on obstacles instead of being driven to grow.

So today, my message to self is, feel it girl, whatever you trying to think and overthink, drop it, step outside, dream it and dance your life like no one is watching. I have tangibly felt how fragile life is. It didn’t happen when I was ready and nothing else will. I can live a life that I desire today and today I do.

No matter what people tell me, I smile, I put make up on, I dress up, I have fun, I cry, I sing, I share my story and I heal. I don’t care about what is appropriate and what ‘should’ be done now. I am HAPPY and I always will.

Here is to crazy happy today.

I wish all of you bad days, good days, crazy days, fun filled ones and happy life.

Here are few of my very good days ;))

 

 

 

 

Love,

Gosia

Key to My Style

Key to getting inspired as opposed to coping looks

I have never understood the idea of ‘I need this dress’ when seeing someone looking amazing in theirs. I mean I have been in love with looks and still get the feeling but I don’t see the point in getting the very outfit someone else is rocking.

If it is one piece e.g. dress, jumpsuit, coat that I am feeling in love with and I feel that it is something that I could wear too, I wonder whether I already have something similar. If not I may shop for something similar, never really the same thing though.

If it’s an outfit that I feel drawn to, I wonder is the whole look something that could work with my body and skin tone, is it a detail in the outfit or is it the colours that I noticed? Then I let myself get INSPIRED. I go through my clothes and make it MINE. Sometimes it will look very similar to the inspiration, other times it won’t. It is super fun and it makes me realize that there really is always something to wear. You can do it by browsing through magazines or internet. I find Pintrest being the easiest lately. It’s so easy and fun making style boards, or any boards really.

I am sharing with you 4 different looks I put together this afternoon, it took 10 minutes. It really is that simple and helps you plan for shopping, you’ll spend less too 😉

I saw this and knew I have a simple grey t-shirt and this awesome turquoise necklace and here it is.

Here is another simple combo, I saw this and knew straight away that I can have the look with my top and skirt but added different accessories.

That’s when I reached for my shorts that I usually pair with a tank top. Love this idea of having it with a white shirt and a pop of colour heel.

This is when I got reminded to add belt to denim shorts. Also loved the idea of a statement necklace. Win win ;))

So please, next time you see someone wearing something you love, compliment them but stay yourself, if you must, get the same dress but in a different colour. Another thing you’ll avoid too is the game of comparison.

I hope that no matter what you are wearing today, you are loving it.

Love yourself and love your style.

Gosia,  xxx