Strategies To Love Your Body Now... And Always

At Canvas we are firm believers that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. We encourage each other to exercise, meditate and take time to nurture ourselves. We also always try to do the same with our client. With so many pressures around us, it's important to remember that nobody is perfect and no body is perfect.

That's why we really appreciate Refinery29's current series promoting positive image.  With summer around the corner, they have posted a number of articles on body acceptance. One of our favorites is "7 Expert Strategies for Improving Your Body Image." One of the tips suggests setting a get ready timer if you tend to focus too much on your appearance in the morning and always end up being late.

There's so much more to this conversation than just these articles. So we want to hear from you... what is your favorite strategy for maintaining a strong body image and nurturing yourself from the inside out?

xox,
K&M

The Ultimate Guide To Removing Stains (your life just got easier)

It's Murphy's Law - you buy something new, wear it once and somehow manage to get a stain on it that won't come out. Coffee on white seems to be a big one at the Canvas Office. 

This stain charts has to be one of our favorites. The person that created it is pretty much genius in our book. White chalk for oil...who knew?

Posted by B As/Is on Tuesday, October 27, 2015

We recommend that you bookmark this chart, print it and keep it handy for those summer stains that are guaranteed to happen at some point.

And now that we all don't have to live in fear of ruining white, here are a few of our favorite white pieces for Spring (click on the image for more details).

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Marie Claire Reviews Rent The Runway - And We're On the Same Page

It looks like we aren't the only fashionistas to take Rent the Runway for a spin and review our experience. Marie Claire's April magazine has an article featuring their fashion editor's experience with the subscription-based clothing service.

With our Technology + Fashion series is wrapping up this month, we loved reading what Marie Claire's editor Brittany Kozerski thought. It turns out her experience was more or less in line with ours.

Her conclusion: "Besides money, it saved me time and closet space by refreshing my wardrobe without having to shop. ...here I could test drive accessories without having to commit."

Pick up the April edition of Marie Claire to read the article in full.

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Tech + Fashion Update: Are We Loving Style Delivery Services?

Megan's Update:
After canceling my Le Tote subscription, I decided to try out Stitch Fix. To get started, you fill out a style profile to give them a better idea of your preferences. I've heard that it can take a few deliveries to get into the groove and I agree.

A screenshot of the style profile survey.

Stitch Fix is different from Le Tote in that 5 items are selected for you by a Stitch Fix Stylist and you decide what you want to keep and what you want to send back. I am disappointed that they don't send you complete outfits, so while some of the 5 pieces may be great you aren't getting all of the elements to create a cohesive look. Plus, the quality wasn't what I'd expect given the price of the items.

My conclusion: It's fun it you don't have time to shop and want to add one-off pieces to your closet. But buyer beware- you may end up with a closet full of pieces that don't match, which will require you to shop more.

Kimberly's Update:

I've continued to use Rent The Runway Unlimited and have had a good overall experience. The premise I still love--having access to on trend designer pieces without having to shell out thousands. The last delivery was positive and I ended up keeping several pieces and wearing them to different events.

My pain point however, continues--it takes too long to sort through their filters and there are bugs in selecting Unlimited items from the site. There is also limited opportunity to give feedback on specific items without calling customer care. For example two of the items from my last order should have been taken out of rotation due to wear and tear and over dry cleaning. There were set in stains and the pilling was so intense on one sweater that I actually had to pullout my sweater shaver before wearing it. 

If you are looking to change up our wardrobe frequently with new pieces it is going to take a lot of time and planning to get what you want when you want it. Returning items takes about 3 days in the mail before you can order a new item and then 2-3 days to ship out a new item. 

This service is perfect if you have a few special events on your calendar or want enjoy a few new staples for a season.

Stay stylish, 

K&M

Spring Fling! Dresses we are loving for now and later

The birds are singing, rainbows are bending around the corner and a rather large bunny will be hopping around our hood this weekend--all signs that Spring has sprung and we are ready for change.  Here are some of our favorite Spring Dresses that celebrate a brighter season.

Kimberly's Picks:

Karen Millen Orchid Scuba Dress, $350- A fresh take on the modern floral. 

Alice + Olivia Fierra Dress, $198- Perfect for layering with a sweater or jacket now and enjoying solo for summer.

Fringe Striped Shift, $148- Fun and versatile for work or play.

Megan's Picks:

Mara Hoffman Star Blast Maxi Dress, $312- Playful, feminine and flirty.

Wayf Belted FloralPrint Dress, $138- Incredible floral print with a tie back closure that adds the perfect pop of interest.

J.Crew Drapey Chambray Shirtdress, $98- This relaxed style is like a blank canvas with tons of options for accessorizing.

Stay Stylish,
K&M

The Best (& Most Healthy) Nail Salons in San Francisco

Awhile back, we blogged about the best non-toxic nail polishes of the season. Taking it one step further, the San Francisco Department of the Environment just released a list of the healthiest nail salons in the city. Titled "Pretty Shouldn't Stink" all of the salons on the list use less toxic products, safer practices and have better ventilation.

Below are some of the salons on their list. Click here to see their entire list (with a handy map included). 

Castro Nail Salon, 431 Castro St., 415-252-1657

LUX SF, 490 Hayes St, 415-255-4589

Rendez-Vous Nails, 3247 Sacramento St, 415-474-2205

Sophia's Beauty Lounge, 3420 Cesar Chavez St, 415-285-9777

Stay Stylish (and healthy),
K&M

Modern Laptop Bags for On-The-Go

We often get asked for recommendations for laptop bags (no surprise in a tech city like San Francisco). Carrying your computer with you has become as common as carrying your phone. We have to say- laptop bags have come a long way in recent years. Here are our top picks for modern computer bags that won't break the bank. We focused on backpacks, since they are very on-trend right not. But don't worry, we threw in a few shoulder bags as well!

Step Into Spring With Our New Playlist

We are kicking Monday off right with a new playlist to help you dance through the week (and get adjusted to daylight savings time)! Here are a few song's we are listening to why we are out and about, shopping for clients and relaxing at home.

STEPPING INTO SPRING PLAYLIST

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Our Fav Rainy Day Activities in San Francisco

When it rains it pours. And this weekend is looking like nothing but lots of wet weather. While San Francisco is known for it's amazing outdoor activities, there are tons of fun ways to spend a rainy day in the city. So grab your umbrella, throw on your raincoat and let's go!

1. Oscar de la Renta Exhibit The Retrospecitive at the de Young Musuem
We got to check out the exhibit yesterday before it opens to the public on Saturday. It includes 130 ensembles that span his career through the 20th and 21st centuries. After checking out the exhibit, grab a tea in the cafe and people watch. Bonus: spotting Andre Leon Talley there! 

2. Urban Wine Tour
Forget Napa, sample some of the best California wines at tasting rooms located throughout the city. Start in downtown and end in the Dogpatch where you can pop into Serpentine for an early dinner.  

3. Head to Kabuki for a Movie Marathon
Easily our favorite theater in the city, Kabuki inJapantown screens both indie and mainstream movies. Get there early to grab a snack and cocktail in the lounge and then get comfy in one of their oversized chairs to the film of your choice.

4. Catch Some Air
Grab some friends and head over to House of Air in the Presidio for some indoor trampoline fun. Highlights include a freestyle trampoline modeled after skate parks, The Colosseum, - 22 connected trampolines used for dodge ball, and a bounce house for kids.  

5. Stay Home & Chill
There's always the option to curl up on the couch and just relax. Looking for a good movie or TV show to watch? A few of our favorites are Iris - the Iris Apfel documentary, netflix's new show Love, and Chef's Table.

Stay dry,
K&M