Click here to enter to win a year’s worth of clothing from Shades of Black!
Shades of Black (a Dept. of GOOD company) is running an exclusive month-long contest from November 15th through December 14th, 2018 for Like a Boss Girls readers to enter for a chance to win an entire year’s worth of Shades of Black clothing. Co-founded by innovative entrepreneur and humanitarian Joey Adler with brilliant creative Trey Alligood, Shades of Black is a Los Angeles-based clothing brand designed and crafted to exemplify that fashion, like life, can often benefit from the “less is more” mentality.
Designed for the woman who is bold yet understated and fashion-forward yet minimalist, Shades of Black is the perfect brand to embody this ethos. If this sounds like you or someone in your life, we hope that you will fall in love with our brand and our movement. It’s easy – just head to our website to enter for your chance to win a year’s worth of clothing (a $2,500 value)! This offer includes a style consultation with Shades of Black’s creative director, who will help you craft the perfect minimalist yet chic wardrobe. Click here to enter the contest.
The following post is in partnership with Shades of Black.
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If you’re not a “morning person”, then getting your day started on the right foot can be a struggle. You don’t want to do anything, talk to anyone, or go anywhere — unless it involves going back to bed for another few hours of sleep. However, while there may not be a magical pill or procedure (…yet!) to transform a lifelong night owl into an enthusiastic early bird, there are plenty of strategies you can add to your morning routine to make the early hours of your day more enjoyable. These are seven of the best hacks for smoother mornings, compiled by our friends at Shades of Black and Dept. of Good.
1. Streamline your wardrobe for effortless style
Go through your clothing and pull anything that doesn’t fit or should be stored until next year. This process will not only save time in the morning, but the additional decluttering will increase your productivity and maximize your space. Purchase fewer clothes and focus on styles that are versatile, high-quality staples for your closet.
Maximize your wardrobe with cohesive brands like Shades of Black, a gender-neutral lifestyle brand that embodies “less is more”. These pieces can be incorporated into your wardrobe for great style at a snap of your fingers. Their minimalist and monochromatic styles can be mixed and matched to suit a wide variety of shapes and styles, upgrading any wardrobe.
2. Minimize your skincare and makeup routine
Whether you have a go-to skincare brand or prefer a more DIY routine, keep your go-to products organized in easy-access containers. One great time-saving hack is to purchase empty travel-size pump or spray bottles and fill them with beauty staples you like to keep on hand, like witch hazel or rose water. Making small tweaks like this one to your beauty routine can speed up your morning and keep things simple.
3. Start your day with positive affirmations
Affirmations can be a game-changer for putting a pep in your step each morning. You may be surprised at how much your outlook changes simply by centering your mind and noting a few things you are grateful for each day. You can use a chalk or dry erase marker to write some words that inspire you on your mirror, or you can sprinkle post-it notes with positive daily reminders around your house — on doors, in drawers, or even inside of your fridge. Starting the day with a positive mindset is where greatness begins!
4. Pick your outfit the night before
Check the weather and choose your outfit — including jewelry, bag and shoes — for the next day before you go to bed. This practice not only minimizes the possibility of frantic wardrobe crises in the morning, but it forces you to think through what is on your agenda the next day. This ritual helps to center and calm your mind before bed.
5. Create your own power playlists
Compile a few pump-up playlists and keep them on hand in your music library to pull you through the tough mornings. Listening to music releases dopamine and serotonin (two neurotransmitters that impact your happiness) in the brain. This, paired with music’s energizing effect, can improve your productivity, mood, and focus. Use a great playlist to help you make the best out of your morning routine or daily commute, and you’ll be ready for a productive day.
6. Prep your breakfast and coffee in advance
Prep your coffee maker or teapot the night before (or get a programmable coffee maker so you can auto-schedule a brew start time for the next morning!). This allows you to get your morning beverage in hand with close to zero AM effort. It’s also great to have healthy breakfasts prepped ahead of time or easy to grab-and-go food, like no-bake protein balls, a piece of fruit, or overnight oats).
7. Keep water and vitamins next to your bed
Hydration is essential to keeping your body nourished, your skin and hair healthy, and your mind balanced. Keep a reusable water bottle on your nightstand with any multivitamins or supplements you take daily. Sip water throughout your morning routine, then throw the bottle into your work bag to stay hydrated throughout the day!
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For more Shades of Black: Website // Facebook // Instagram
Enter to win $2,500 worth of Shades of Black clothing!
Listen to Like A Boss Girls’ Mind of a Mentor Episode 37 featuring a conversation with Dept. of GOOD Founder Joey Adler.
Dept. of GOOD is an innovative, for-profit, technology-driven platform for B2B and B2C retail. They create an interwoven ecosystem driven by blockchain, independent retailers, and global communities, manifesting disruption for GOOD. To learn more about Dept. of GOOD’s mission, visit their website.
Shades of Black is a gender-neutral lifestyle brand inspired by “less is more” simplicity coupled with a contemporary design aesthetic. To learn more about the Shades of Black brand, head to their website.
