On Rediscovering Willpower and Self-Control

“The will of man is his happiness.”

Until recently my good friends knew me as an exemplary heavy smoker. My solid relationships with cigarettes continued for 15 years; for the last 8 years I smoked one pack a day on average. I’ve quit about half a year ago.

Since then I never slipped, despite the parties and get-togethers with my smoking friends. Not even when visiting my hometown earlier this month, where you can still smoke in some restaurants and nightclubs. When I say I don’t smoke anymore the first question they often ask is how did I do it. I usually say that you have to want to quit badly and you must start seeing yourself as a non-smoker. They nod and say I’m lucky to have such strong willpower.

That’s where I feel puzzled. I can’t quite comprehend how do I have strong self-discipline skills if I can’t make myself go to gym for a second week in a row? Where does my willpower hide when I’m in a desperate need of losing couple of kilos?

Well, Rich Girls, I’m happy to report that most of my willpower related questions were answered by Roy F. Baumeister – a professor of psychology who presented his new book here in London the other day*. I thought you might want to get familiar with some of his findings.

If you’d like to improve your self-control abilities and be able to achieve much more, consider the following:

Willpower is a limited resource and we use the same self-control mechanism for different activities.

Let’s say you’ve spent this afternoon visiting your favorite boutiques and trying on various gorgeous sets you would like to have in your wardrobe. It wasn’t easy, but you successfully resisted temptation to spend your rent money on a Marc Jacobs’ resort 2012 sundress. You were also heroic enough to ignore new Louboutin collection and you stepped away firmly from a magnificent shoulder bag by Alexander Wang.

Guess what will happen in a coffee shop you are about to enter? When choosing little something to accompany your latte, you will most likely take the best looking and the biggest piece of chocolate brownie they have.

That scenario is common because our willpowers deplete through the day. The self-discipline is like a muscle that gets tired when you use it too much. Good news is, just like a muscle the willpower can be trained. The more you exercise your self-control skills the better you get.

5 stunning ways to improve willpower:

1.   Pick Your Fights Wisely

When you are ready to create a new habit or willing to aim for big win, commit to your choice and put everything else aside. Decide what is one, the most important thing you want to change right now and devote all self-control you have to this precise goal. Your willpower needs as much fuel as possible to take you to the finish line, so don’t waste it on something that is not so critical.

Because the willpower is limited resource, you must begin big-league projects only when you feel you can handle them. If there are too many affairs that stress you out, it is better to postpone The New Life mission and approach it when you don’t have too many things on your plate.

Most importantly, set your goals as specific as you can possibly imagine. You have to define what it is you want to achieve very clearly.

Let’s say you would like to be slimmer than you currently are. Ask yourself, what is your dream weight, put the number on a paper.

Next, list all the reasons why the magic number will make your life better. When describing the reasons you have to be as sincere as possible. Those must be the ideas you truly believe in. Don’t borrow explanations your besty used when she spoke about her perfect weight.

Finally, describe all the actions you have to take to get closer to your goal. Again, be very concrete and specific. Write down small, easy to take daily steps that will bring you closer to tackling the weight loss issue.

2. Block the Exits

Let’s stick to the losing weight example for a bit. When you go for groceries avoid candy & sweets section. Don’t buy any desserts if you know you won’t be able to resist them while watching new episode of Gossip Girl.

Instead, come up with a substitute. Decide what will you do next time you crave for a cheesecake. Say to yourself, when I feel like eating something sweet, I take a yogurt with berries or a fruit.

If you plan to go jogging tomorrow morning, put your sportswear set on a chair next to your bed so it would be the first thing you see when you wake up. Don’t give yourself any chances to reconsider.

3. Mind Your Sugar Level

Here is why dieting is so difficult. Your willpower depends on the amount of sugar in your blood stream. Apparently, self-control and decision making ‘uses’ big amounts of glucose. And when you don’t have enough glucose in your blood your willpower goes down.

That’s why you shouldn’t go to an important interview or business meeting on an empty stomach. If you feel hungry, your decisions most likely will be poor and unreasonable.

In urgent cases when you need a rapid sugar hit, eat a chocolate bar, something that will deliver a lot of glucose into your blood right away.

As for dieting, Roy F. Baumeister recommends try losing weight by making very small changes to your diet and focus on increasing daily sport activities instead.

4. Make Progress Reports

To achieve your goal you must know what exactly you do and how you spend your time every day. Normally we are able to name the websites we visited yesterday and remember what movies we watched, but we have a very vague idea about how much time we spent on those things. The problem is that if you don’t know what are you doing precisely, you won’t know what it is you need to change to get to your aim faster.

Come up with ways to examine and measure your life. Update your food diary daily, install software that will give you online usage report, track your finances with mobile apps and so on.**

Additionally you could ask your friend to check on you weekly. You can even make a bet with someone to keep yourself accountable. Posting progress updates on your blog or Facebook profile might also be a good idea.

5. Embrace To-Do Lists

Lots of studies say that unfinished tasks annoy and distract us big time. Brain hates half-baked projects and it will keep on trying to remind you about them.

Because the tasks are in your head all the time, they suck up your self-control abilities bits by bits. The more uncompleted things you’ve got on your mind, the less willpower you have to confront them.

Take the jobs half-done out of your head and put them on paper. Classic to-do lists do wonders. Only remember to make the list very specific. Clearly define the next action you must take. Instead of writing “Prepare for a home party” say “Make a guest list”, “Buy 100 Party Balloons” etc.

The best way to handle your to-dos is by working on the most demanding item first thing in the morning, while your willpower is strong and eager to act. Brian Tracy, a well-known motivational speaker, has a great “Eat That Frog” book*** that explains the toughest-thing-first method in details. I promise to tell you more about his technique next time.

That’s it for today Rich Girls! I wish you the very best luck with developing your willpower. Remember, self-disciplined people are like this only because of the way they approach their day-to-day lives. It’s not the superpowers.  It’s all about creating and maintaining positive habits. The more lasting habits you have the less willpower you use to make right decisions.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Come brag about the tasks you tackled and share your tricks that help you to improve your self-control skills!

Yours truly,

Alona

*Must Read Book by Roy F. Baumeister: Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

**Apps and Websites that help to measure and examine your day-to-day life:

• A web tool that allows you to easily understand and optimize how you spend your time and attention: RescueTime
• Google Chrome Extension that helps you stay focused on work by restricting the amount of time you can spend browsing time-wasting websites: StayFocusd
• Online Food Diary: MyFitnessPall
• Finance Tracking Iphone App: iXpenseIt

***Must Read Book by Brian Tracy: Eat That Frog

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7 Ways To Celebrate Valentines Day In Luxury

Valentine’s Day is one of my most favorite days of the year, after my Birthday and New Years. I still remember how we all waited in anticipation this day in school, guessing if this year will be different and we will receive Valentine’s card from that special someone. Well, I received a lot of cute messages and cards on Valentine’s Day when I was studying, but never from someone I really wanted, which always made me feel disappointed. Now I remember it with a smile, back then it was a tragedy of my life.

Valentine’s Day is all about chocolate, red roses, champagne and love. Love between two people, what can be more beautiful and magical? There is no surprise that a lot of people choose Valentine’s Day for marriage or proposal, because everything around screams of love and unity. Together forever! This is the day when you want to believe in eternal love and true soul mates, the day you want to do something special and celebrate in style and luxury.

That is why I selected 7 most exciting and romantic ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in The Ritz-Carlton hotels around the world.

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas – Champagne Sunset Sail

I think that sunset is the most romantic part of the day. What do you think? How would you like to enjoy a beautiful & romantic sunset in the Caribbean waters with a live guitarist on-board?! Well, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas is offering a special Champagne Sunset Sail this Valentine’s Day aboard Lady Lynsey, the resort’s luxury 53-foot catamaran which will pick guests up right from the resort beach.

Toast your romance with a selection of Champagne, savor specialty hors d’oeuvres and enjoy the soothing sounds of a live guitarist on-board as you sail through the serene Caribbean waters and watch one of St. Thomas’s legendary sunsets.

The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island – Fire by The Dunes

How about personal fire in the dunes, where a crackling fire, comfy blankets and the sound of soothing waves draw you closer?! If you and your partner love the beach, then the Fire by The Dunes experience at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island would be perfect choice for you this Valentine’s Day. The beach and fire by the dunes also includes s’mores, a thermos of hot chocolate, thermo cups and high-powered celestial binoculars for star gazing. A personal attendant is nearby to cater to your needs.

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong – Take Your Breath Away

The world’s highest bar Ozone is offering a bespoke “Take Your Breath Away Dining Experience” which includes an exclusive use of the private dining room located at 490 metres above sea level, featuring captivating vistas of the city and Victoria Harbour; a 10-course menu, a bottle of Louis Roederer, Cristal 2004, a bouquet of 99 roses and a box of 99 pieces of chocolates. This exclusive package is available only on February 14 for one couple at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong.

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong – Sensational Spa-cial

Spa pampering is the ultimate Valentine’s Day indulgence for couples that is why The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA this Valentine’s Day will be offering a 90-minute bespoke treatment in the Couple’s Suite, followed by a 60-minute relaxation time when guests can enjoy the Jacuzzi overlooking the Victoria Harbour in the secluded haven of the suite.

A bottle of champagne with chocolate-coated strawberries and red roses, an ESPA gift and an afternoon tea for two at Café 103 are with the Spa’s compliment to complete the sweetest experience ever.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain – Romance Menu And Chocolate Decadence Buffet

This option will be perfect for people, who love chocolate, which is almost everyone of us. The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain restaurant’s à la carte romance menu on Valentine’s Day will include a Chocolate Decadence buffet created by Executive Chef David Serus. Valentine’s Dinner at CORE Kitchen & Wine Bar will feature such main course selections as Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Green Asparagus and Dungeness Crab Béarnaise, Goat Cheese Soufflé Colorado Lamb with Truffle Gnocchi, and Pan-Seared John Dory with Crushed Fingerling Potatoes.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain – Splash Dining

A spectacular outdoor dining experience, Splash Dining, will be offered the evening of February 14th, 2012. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, Splash Dining will include a dinner in a romantic private setting under the stars, as you dine on a specially-prepared menu served in the heated Turquesa Pool, with your legs partially immersed in the stunning shallow-depth Turquesa waters. The Valentine’s Splash Dining experience includes a four-course menu and champagne toast.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain – Just for Us (couple’s experience)

Complementing the resort’s Valentine’s dining experiences, The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Dove Mountain has introduced also an exclusive new couple’s experience, Just for Us, which is available throughout the month of February. Just for Us features a rose petal bath, a 50-minute Ritz-Carlton Together Message, and champagne and strawberries for both guests.

I hope that reading through these magnificent options for Valentine’s Day inspired you to find creative and romantic ways how to celebrate this day of love to remember!

Girls, what would be your perfect Valentine’s Day? Please share your ideas in the comments below.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Yours,

Rich Girl

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Do You Enjoy The Game Of Bingo? Some Celebrities Do!

I am not a gambling kind of person, I don’t believe in playing games to win money, mainly because I hate to lose! I just play for fun and socializing. And the game of bingo is one of my favorite games, which I enjoy playing since I was a little girl. I think my grandmother taught me to play this game, so that I learn how to recognize different numbers fast Anyhow, since then I hosted a couple of bingo games at my house during cold long winter nights in Latvia, when there is nothing else fun to do. I never played bingo online or went to a special establishment, where they host bingo events and where you actually can win or lose money. So, it was interesting to find out that some celebrities also enjoy playing bingo at home, online or at different clubs. Here is a guest post by Craig about some celebrities, that love playing bingo from time to time. Enjoy! Yours, Rich Girl.

How Does the Game go Again?

For the people who are unsure what bingo is, then, seriously where have you been? No, we are only messing. Bingo is a number game that is based mainly on chance. It began in Italy in the 1500s and gradually spread around Europe. The main idea of the bingo game is that every person in the game has tickets with random numbers on them, a person then uses a bingo machines to pick random numbers which they then call out, you then mark the numbers if you have them and the first person to successfully cover their card with the called numbers yells “BINGO” and he/she wins. You can play this game at home with your friends and family, you can go to a special hall or establishment that runs games of bingo or you can play it online. In any case it is a fun and exciting gambling game.

It is not stereotypical to say that the vast population of bingo players are women, because it is a fact. Men love to play poker, women love to play bingo. Simple as that! With the game of bingo being based mostly on socializing rather than the actually game it can be understood that a regular bingo night at home can go on quite some time, way longer than it would take if no talking was allowed. Sharing a few laughs and some drinks is part of the fun when hosting a game of bingo at home.

Celebrities are just the same as some regular Joes at heart, so why would they wouldn’t do “regular things” just like ourselves? Bingo being one of them. You may be surprised to see your favorite female actresses and celebrity judges enjoying a game of bingo, below are a few guilty celebrities who dabble in the game. I wonder how much their initial ticket prices are when hosting a bingo night?

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Catherine Zeta-Jones hosts regular bingo parties at her home. Catherine’s father won £100,000 at bingo when she was just in her early teens; it looks like the excitement of the game passed from father to daughter. It is said that Catherine loves to host a bingo party at Christmas for her close friends and family. I wonder who she invites? She has also appeared as a guest bingo caller at charity bingo to raise money.

Paris Hilton

It is not just Catherine Zeta-Jones who has appeared at charity bingo events, but also Courtney Cox, Daryl Hannah and Paris Hilton.

Denise Van Outen

Denise Van Outen is so into bingo that she once tried to get a few of her radio co-stars to go to her local bingo club to have a few games with her. Imagine if you saw her at your local bingo club, I bet you would be so star struck that you would miss the called numbers. The famous television presenter has been spotted on a few occasions at her local Essex Bingo club.

Gary Barlow

The X Factor Judge, Gary Barlow and his wife, Dawn decided to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary at London’s Mandarin Oriental hotel with a bingo night back in January 2010. Some females who made the bingo bash were: Kimberley Walsh, Cheryl Cole, Fearne Cotton, Denise Van Outon, Alesha Dixon and Lulu.

Katie Price

As you will beware, there are literally 100s of online bingo sites on the web and it is extremely hard to choose one, if you gonna decide to play this game online. Here is a fun fact not many people know: Katie Price used to be the celebrity face of the online bingo site, called Foxy Bingo. Katie once said that she loves to play online bingo.

So who knows, maybe next time when you will be playing bingo game online, there will be some kind of celebrity playing in the same bingo room as yourself. “Katie Price has just won £25.50” may one day pop-up on your screen, but we highly doubt that Katie’s bingo alias is her real name. Maybe Jordon224, perhaps?

Author’s Bio: The following article was a guest post by Craig Crossland who is the owner of the Love to Play Bingo, a bingo comparison site that does not just compare bingo sites but is the informational portal for confused bingo players.

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New Year Goals and Resolutions: Ways to Persevere

I am really proud and happy to share a great article written by a dear friend of mine, Alona! The author shares valuable information and tips on how to set your goals correctly and follow them through. Something which I definitely need to improve and work on. The article is extremely well written and I am sure you will be delighted to read it through and it will encourage you to implement these ideas into your life. I really hope that there will be more articles by this author on Rich Girls Club in the nearest future. Fingers crossed! Enjoy! Yours, Rich Girl.

Hello Dear Rich Girls! I just realized it is almost the end of January 2012. Have you noticed, that smart researchers from all over the world started to warn us that we enter the critical timeline when most people will forget dieting and workouts, resume smoking, give up on reading at least 30 minutes a day and neglect ‘Goals to achieve’ notebook completely. Where do you stand on your New Year Resolutions?

I intend to persevere this time, no matter how tempting it might seem to pull back. Following through on the resolutions is actually part of my Great 2012 To-Do Plan.

In order to cut off escape routes I’ve decided to find out why do we dodge the resolutions so surprisingly easy. And is there a way not to fall into the ‘Maybe Next Year’ philosophy.

I’ve started by reading Peter Bregman’s blog at Harvard Business Review. He wrote loads of articles on motivation and productivity and constantly shares practical techniques we can use to accomplish more.

Here is what Peter says about keeping your resolutions alive and kicking.

First, let’s determine why do we often fail miserably at fulfilling the dreams and aims.

Bregman noticed, that people only like to put the very big things in their resolution list. We usually say something like:

These are all grandiose intentions. And they all are extremely challenging. Such goals made it to our list because we believe these are the things that will change the quality of life dramatically.

What we don’t always realize is that ambitious desires require big advanced planning and it will be a long journey to the moment when the dreams come true.

Don’t worry though, the super achievers don’t lie when tell you something inspiring.

3 Big Obstacles On the Way to Your Goal

1. Some goals are too huge and general to comprehend. If your wish to become a millionaire by the end of this year, you have to outline the very specific and concrete sub goals first.

To get going smoothly, you should admit that it won’t be simple and pleasant all the way through, but every little step you make counts.

Describe in details all small actions you have to take in order to achieve your big goal and follow the instructions strictly.

2. This might seem strange, but we abandon bunch of goals only because we are very scared. We often are worried that whatever it is we’d like to do won’t work out the way we imagine.

If you suspect that the fear of failure is something that stops you, try to imagine the worst-case scenario. Peter Bregman offers to ‘relive’ the possible failure entirely and move on. Now you can focus on figuring out what it is you must do to come closer to your goal. And remember that in case you fail, there will be countless other opportunities.

3. The last trap to avoid is having a goal list with too many items on it. There simply can’t be too many things in your agenda. Our resources (time and energy) are limited. We must leave enough time to rest and recharge. If you are seriously interested in reaching your goals, Peter Bregman advises to have up to 5 of them per year.

Limit yourself. Think hard what it is you want the most. And stick to those 5 goals you want to accomplish.

Here is a simple and efficient system from Peter that will help you organize time and move towards your goals fast.

Daily 6-Box To-Do List

5 goals to reach this year are established. What’s next?

1. Each morning make a worksheet with 6 to-do boxes and put your 5 goals of the year in five of the boxes; leave the 6th box empty for now.

Put specific things to be done in every box. The 5 annual goals that you set are your main reference points.

Let’s say one of your goals is promotion at work. Think about all the activities, which can be done today, and which will lead you closer to getting the higher position. It might be writing a sales proposal, or presenting new marketing campaign, doing extra research on competitors, etc.

Approach other four boxes the same way. The most important thing is to remember, that these are five areas where you should spend 95% of your working time.

Everything that doesn’t get you closer to one of these aims must be taken off your daily to-do list.

What about the sixth box? You probably noticed, that the 6th area on the image below is labeled ‘The Other 5%’. This box can contain some critical activities that must be done, although they won’t help you to reach your goals. You should never spend more than 5% of your time on them.

Download Original Daily To Do List at PeterBregman.com

2. Look at your six-box to-do list and move the most important items for the day into your calendar. It’s very important to decide when and where you will execute these sub-goals. Whenever you set a specific deadline for your to-do items, the chances of getting them done grow tremendously.

Some activities, like answering on emails or making phone calls must be done every day. Dedicate a specific time of the day for such to-do things and stick to it. Set a concrete hour for checking your email box and do it only at that time.

3. Make a firm agreement with someone about how you will spend your working time. Talk with your boss or partner about your six-box to-do list and about your daily calendar. Explain them what you plan to achieve today and how it fits in with your general yearly plan. This way you create deeper level of commitment and accountability.

That’s it for today, Rich Girls! Stay strong and dedicated and come share your tips and tricks to conquer the list of New Years resolutions!

Yours truly,

Alona

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Oscar Nominations 2012. What Do You Think, Girls?

The nominees for the 2012 Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday morning, and for the first time in my life they made me sad. Sad, because out of all these movies I literally watched only 8 out of the whole list (including cartoons, special effects nominations, etc), which are: “The Descendants”, “Moneyball”, “Bridesmaids”, “Margin Call”, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”, “Rio”, “Rango”, “Kung Fu Panda 2″. And out of these 8 movies, only 2 are nominated for the best movie award: “Moneyball” and “The Descendants”. So, I can’t even be excited for the upcoming event as I don’t know what to expect and hope for. Which is sad, because usually I know the majority of the movies and have my personal favorites.

This is the only downcast part for me of living in Spain, all the movies in theaters are dubbed in Spanish and there is hardly one movie in English (original version) per week. When I lived in Latvia I used to go to the movies almost every week, sometimes we even went to see a few movies on the same day. I love going to cinema, instead of watching movies at home, because it is a great fun. Dressing up, watching the trailers, watching people, buying popcorn, hating someone in the audience for being a jerk, this is all part of the experience. Of course people are different and only today I was reading one blog, where a girl was stating the exact opposite things. She said that she actually hates to go to the cinema and prefers to watch everything at home, without annoying people, who chew their popcorn way too loud.

Anyway, so as I haven’t seen the majority of the movies, I can’t judge if the nominations are fair or not. For example, I don’t think that “Moneyball” was some kind of special movie to be even considered for nomination, but it is only me. I loved “The Descendants” a lot, mostly because of the Clooney and I was reading the glorious reviews about “The Artist”, so I probably should watch this movie somehow before the Oscars night. And I also want to watch “Hugo”, as this Martin Scorsese’s movie earned 11 nominations. Oh, and “The Help” of course.

There is no possible way that I will be able to see all the movies, so girls, please help me out here. What are your most favorite movies from the list of Oscar Nominations for 2012? Is there a movie you strongly recommend to see? What are your predictions/hopes for the Oscars night? Who is your favorite actress, that deserves the Oscar this year? I would love to hear your opinion in the comments below.

Well, I don’t know who is going to win the Oscar in 2012, but one thing I know for sure, that on the 26th of February our favorite celebrity girls will be rocking their amazing dresses on the red carpet. And this is what I am really dying to see.

Yours,

Rich Girl

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Vera Wang On Gossip Girl

I was watching the latest episode of Gossip Girls today and was surprised to see Vera Wang there. Blair and Dan were visiting Vera Wang’s boutique on Madison Avenue for the wedding dress fitting and Vera Wang herself came to assist them.

It was nice to get inside the Vera Wang boutique, since I haven’t been there yet. Also I was surprised to see that the designer is a such tiny lady. They say that TV adds like 10 pounds to your appearance, well I just imagine how Vera Wang looks in real life.

Other than Vera Wang’s appearance, the latest Gossip Girl episode was a little bit sad to watch. I can’t stand how the writers are torturing pure Chuck and Blair, sometimes even without a common sense. One more thing that I noticed is that the parties on Gossip Girl are not too exciting anymore, like they used to be in the beginning when the show just started. In this episode they are celebrating New Year at Nate’s office, how lame is that?

Anyway, I am really waiting for the Wedding episode, which will also be the 100th episode of Gossip Girl, to be something special and spectacular, although I still want Chuck and Blair be together. Let’s wait and see.

Girls, what do you think about Gossip Girl? Are you watching it?

Yours,

Rich Girl

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14 Best Dresses From Golden Globes 2012

So girls, what do you think about the Golden Globe Awards this year? Have all your favorite actresses and actors win? I am really sad for Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, it seems like they never will be able to win anything. They are both great actors, but somehow every time they are nominated for an award there is always someone better in the same category. Like George Clooney, for example I love Clooney, but I wanted for Brad or Leo to win this time. Well, there is always a hope for the Oscars.

Anyway, I think that the show was great and everyone received the deserved prizes. I was particularly happy for the “Modern Family”, because I love this show! But what I really want to talk about is the red carpet and the dresses. To tell you the truth, at first I was a little bit disappointed with the dresses that our beloved celebrities have chosen for the awards’ red carpet. I thought that some of the dresses were plain boring and some were just stupid, but as I was looking at the same pictures again and again, I started to get some of the dresses and even liked a few.

Here is my “Top 11 Best Golden Globe 2012 Celebrity Red Carpet Dresses”

11 – Zooey Deschanel in Prada

I loved this dress because of the interesting top and dramatic back. I have never seen green and black look so organically together.

10 – Jessica Alba in Gucci

The dress all by itself maybe is not something extraordinary, but it looks great on Jessica Alba. I just wonder what would not look great on Alba? She is gorgeous.

9 – Jenna Dewan in Maria Lucia Hohan

I love the color, the top and the back of this dress. All in all it works great for Jenna, although if there were a lot of other amazing dresses on the red carpet I probably wouldn’t pick this one at all.

8 – Emma Stone in Lanvin

I loved the dress, chosen by Emma, it looked great on her. What I would suggest her for the next red carpet event is to review her makeup. I think she overdone her eyes a little bit too much.

7 – Viola Davis in Pucci

Viola Davis looked stunning and elegant in this Pucci dress. I don’t know what the color is called exactly, but it looks wonderful on Viola!

6 – Claire Danes in J.Mendel

This J.Mendel dress was an excellent choice for Claire Danes. I loved the dramatic back and black and white color combination.

The above listed dresses were elegant and beautiful, but to my mind a little bit too simple for such a grand event as Golden Globe Award ceremony. These dresses would be absolutely amazing choices for attending a wedding, but to stand out on a red carpet you need to try harder and therefore here is my Top 5 Best Dresses. I won’t even explain why I love these dresses the most. What I just want to say is that dress can be beautiful or amazing all by itself, but it is the girl that makes the dress look spectacular!

5 – Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang

4 – Evan Rachel Wood in Gucci

3 – Lea Michele in Marchesa

2 – Diana Argon in Giles

1 – Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace

And while Angelina Jolie was the ultimate star on the red carpet, there were also 3 more dresses that are worth mentioning:

Paris Hilton at the Golden Globe Awards 2012 after party:

Kim Kardashian in Bruce Oldfield dress:

Miranda Kerr in Dolce & Gabbana

Now I have mentioned everyone I liked Although I still think that the dresses that I have chosen for this event myself, were much more amazing than the ones chosen by celebrities. There, I said it!

So, rich girls, what do you think about the dresses? Did you like or hate something in particular? Let me know your opinion in the comments below!

Yours,

Rich Girl

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What Would You Wear For Golden Globe Awards 2012 Red Carpet?

While all celebrity rich girls are getting ready to sparkle and take our breath away on the Golden Globes red carpet tonight, I decided to join them in their search for that perfect dress. Well, I will only be searching and picking the dress in my dreams, but who knows, maybe one day I will be choosing my evening gown for Golden Globes red carpet for real! Everything is possible, right?!

So, before starting to browse all these numerous amazing evening dress options, I need to know what exactly am I looking for, because picking the right dress for Golden Globe Awards is crucial for celebrities. They can either be praised for a long time in numerous online resources, tv-shows and magazines, which is great publicity or they can be trashed as worst dressed, which is upsetting, but still good for publicity. And the worst case scenario would be total ignore, this is when the dress is so boring that no one is interested and all the efforts die in vain.

When you are getting dressed for a party you want to stand out from the crowd, right? Now imagine that the whole world will be waiting to see what you gonna wear and you need to upstage the most beautiful and glamorous girls in the world?! What a pressure and responsibility, right?! Of course, every celebrity has a team of people helping her to make the right choice, but I still believe that the final decision is hers to make.

So, anyway what I would be looking in a dress (when I will be attending Golden Globes one day, he-he ) is something elegant, but also a little bit over the top, to make sure that I stand out from the other girls. And as the dress code for the event is black tie, the gown should definitely be long.

So, here we go, dresses which I would wear for Golden Globe Awards 2012 red carpet:

My top three picks are the following gorgeous dresses: red dress by Zac Posen, dark blue gown also by Zac Posen and black crystal-embellished gown by Antonio Berardi. I think that these dresses are elegant with a tiny touch of crazy, just exactly what I like.

Zac Posen

Zac Posen

Antonio Berardi

Antonio Berardi

The other three choices would be these magnificent dresses by Monique Lhuillier. These are more classy choices and for those celebrities who like to play it safe, because there is no way that you can end up on the worst dressed list by wearing these gowns.

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier

If I were pregnant during Golden Globe Awards, I would choose this simple yet elegant dress by Monique Lhuillier.

Monique Lhuillier

And finally three dresses for celebrities who are risk takers, because you never know what people will think of these gowns, either you will be the most extravagantly and awesomely dressed or you will end up on the worst dressed list. Your fate will be in the hands of fashion editors.

Marchesa

Alexander McQueen

Armani Prive

The last look I picked based on the hat, I wonder how many celebrities will be wearing hats this year? After English Aristocrats were rocking hats at the Royal wedding last April, I would love to see some Hollywood celebrities with exquisite hair accessories or hats.

So, these are my choices of evening dresses for the Golden Globe Awards 2012 red carpet. It is really hard to pick one, but thank God there are numerous after parties, so you can always have at least three or four dresses stocked.

What do you think about these dresses, rich girls? Do you like any of them? What would you wear Golden Globe Awards red carpet? Are you going to watch Golden Globe Awards 2012 tonight?

I really can’t wait to see the girls on the red carpet. I hope they won’t disappoint us with their choices of fancy evening dresses.

Yours,

Rich Girl

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Miss America 2012: Laura Kaeppeler

Yesterday, on the 14th of January 2012, during the 91st Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas, Miss Wisconsin – Laura Kaeppeler – was crowned the new Miss America 2012.

Along with the title, Laura won a $50,000 scholarship which she plans to use for becoming a lawyer, specializing in helping children of incarcerated adults.

Laura Kaeppeler, 23, has an unusual past. Her father served 18 months in federal prison for mail fraud when Laura just started college. Laura Kaeppeler made her father’s jail time part of her pageant platform and her mission, which is to help children of incarcerated adults feel less alone, to have mentoring and as much of a relationship with their parents as possible.

Laura also won an additional $2,000 in scholarship funds for her victory in the preliminary talent competition, for her performance of “Il Bacio” by Luigi Arditi.

So, what can I say?! Congratulations to new Miss America 2012! She looks cute and has a beautiful singing voice. She is also smart, as she introduced herself to pageant viewers by referencing her home state’s Green Bay Packers, the NFL’s defending Super Bowl champions, and used the television prime time to ask Aaron Rodgers (superstar quarterback) to call her. Very smart move!

Good luck to Laura in her future endeavors and I have a feeling that we will hear a lot about this girl in the future. She definitely has a potential of a future celebrity rich girl! Let’s wait and see if I am right

Yours,

Rich Girl

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Occasions for Wearing Pearl Jewellery

Prior to the most romantic holiday of all times – the Valentine’s day, we continue featuring jewelry related articles. Here is a guest post about the several occasions when wearing pearls would be the best choice. Enjoy! ~ Rich Girl

It is fair to say that pearls are one of the most luxurious and sought after forms of jewellery but they are not suitable for every occasion. There are certain social situations, however, that are tailored made for pearl necklaces or earrings and if you’re looking to add a touch of luxury to an outfit, pearl jewellery is the best way of achieving it.

Below are some of the main scenarios where pearl jewellery is likely to be the perfect accessory for your outfit:

Weddings – There is no occasion where pearl jewellery is more fitting than that of a wedding, particularly a winter wedding. Pearl earrings or a striking necklace are the perfect accompaniment to any wedding dress and will elevate your wedding outfit to a whole new level. There are many different types of pearls available, of course, but when it comes to complimenting a wedding dress, styles such as Akoya and Tahitian pearls are one of the best choices. Take a look at a stunning Tahitian pearl necklace below:

Cocktail Parties – There are invariably occasions where you want to make your mark and look a million dollars and pearl jewellery is the perfect way of doing this. When attending an upscale cocktail party, you will need to match your choice of jewellery with your outfit and this is why pearls are such an ideal solution as pearl earrings and necklaces can be used to compliment almost any elegant outfit. Once you’ve found a cocktail dress that is to your liking, your attention must turn to the jewellery that you are going to wear to accompany it – how about some of the examples below, which include one of the most stunning pearl necklace:

Job Interview – Needless to say, you need to make a positive first impression when attending a job interview and nothing exudes more elegance and sophistication than the pearl jewellery and, for this reason, it is the perfect accessory to wear to that important job interview. As the old saying goes, “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” and you won’t need any second chances if you turn up to your interview wearing a stylish pearl bracelet or an understated and sophisticated pearl necklace. The pearls below are ideal for attending a job interview:

If you have occasion coming up where you truly want to stand out from the crowd for your grace and sophistication, you are certainly unlikely to go too far wrong by choosing pearl necklaces, earrings or bracelets to accessorize your chosen outfit. Whether you opt for South Sea pearls, Tahitian, Akoya or Freshwater pearls, you know that you are wearing a piece of jewelry that is timeless as it is elegant and which is perfect for all upmarket occasions in your life.

Matching your Pearl Jewelry

It goes without saying that most women will want to wear a number of different types of jewellery with their outfit and when it comes to pearls, there is jewelry that doesn’t compliment pearls. For example, if you wear pearl necklace, you may wish to accessorize it with a pair of diamond earrings and this is a look which will add significant level of sophistication to your outfit, but avoid mixing it with cheap plastic accessories. Providing that the jewellery that you’re wearing (whether it be pearls, gold, silver or diamonds) are all of a similar quality and style, there is no reason that different jewels can’t be worn together successfully. But make sure you don’t over do it. If in doubt, only wear one piece of jewelry at any one time. Keep it simple, and follow the rule of elegance – less is more.

If you’re thinking that you really want to stand out from the crowd with your choice of pearl jewelry, it may be worth thinking about pink, gold or even black pearls – these unusual and unique forms of jewellery are the perfect choice for any occasion and will bring your outfit to life with their elegant shimmer and understated grace. Take a look at a breathtaking black pearl necklace below:

Author’s Bio: James is a luxury jewellery and fashion blogger who has a particular interest in pearl jewellery and the types of situations in which breath taking accessories such as pearl earrings and necklaces can be worn.

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