Click to view Kitten Lounge's Mother's Day Guide 2013 on GLOSSI.COM

Whether you're a mom, you're gifting your mom or you have a mother figure that is in your life, Mother's Day is May 12th (yes next Sunday)! I have picked a number of items that are a must within this season's Glossi including Linea Pelle, Blee Inara, Pura Vida, Curvy Couture, Beautiful Bottoms, Brooklyn Fox, Sholdit, BesoBeso by Luka, The Body Shop, Southern Hospitality, Ellie and Chan Luu.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural Lingerie FW which kicked off Fri night with a runway show, contained 2 presentations that were multibranded on Saturday and closed with a runway show by Affinitas Intimates and Parfait on Sat with a closing party at the Metropolitan Pavilion. With a premise on the importance of having a series of shows focused on the lingerie industry, it was a great way to see a number of designers within the underpinnings world. In addition, those who relaxed in the lounge were also able to become familiar with brands that are within the lingerie industry but not the garments themselves - Soak (which is detergent that ensures to keep your clothes fresh without having harmful soaps that can irrate them) displayed their product at the event as well as a number of publications.

Click to view 14 Valentine's Day Picks on GLOSSI.COM

Last week the Love Guide which focuses on pre-Spring picks launched on Kitten Lounge. This is a great way to buy items that are perfect for Valentine's gifting and to begin building your closet. The 14 Picks for Valentine's helps you buy the perfect look for Valentine's Day as well as what you can purchase for your significant other. Our picks include a number of my favorites from Ana Reign, Fallon Jewelry, Linea Pelle and Va Bien - find out what the other picks are!

My early memories involve us bumping into one another at the tents of NY Fashion Week, tech events and anything glam and amazing. We would tell our life stories in a matter of minutes or maybe a few hours! To know her is to be drawn to her and recently I love that we have been able to hang out more! If you heard my radio interview with her earlier this year then you know that Shoshi (Yolanda Shoshana) is the Modern Day Courtesan and Luscious Lifestyle Diva! She teaches us how to still retain our natural sexiness and how to initiate it in a world where many times our focuses are all over the place. Bi weekly she will share her sexy insights with us and I'm so happy that she is on board! In keeping with her name, her segments are Keeping it Luscious! Last week she laid out a fab plan to maintain sexiness in our relationships. Today we look at ways that we can be aware as well as to do a number of things that maintain sensuality for ourselves and others!

When we are young, we are taught about the five senses and how important they are. As we get older, it becomes a bit harder to stay in tune with our senses because we are a society on the go, plus for some reason there are times when we hold back because we worry about what other people may think.

Remembering to take time to please the senses can change your life. Here are six things to arouse your senses for pleasure which lead to a luscious life!

Feast on Aphrodisiacs- Aphrodisiacs are foods that are thought to lead to more sexual desire and arousal. There is something extremely decedent about these foods. Not to mention, some believe they can really spice things up during foreplay and during the real deal in the bedroom. Some noted aphrodisiacs are strawberries, honey, green tea, and oysters. It is quite easy to incorporate aphrodisiacs into your daily life. Don’t you think it is time to play with your food?

Scent- Do you have a signature scent? I always recommend for a woman to have a signature scent that makes people think of her. It is one of the reasons I started making perfume oil, because I am such a firm believer in the power of scent. Scent has always been written about for having the power to attract people into our lives. The scent you choose should be a unique scent, not the same perfume that everyone else is wearing. Search for something different that leaves the right touch of you as you saunter away.

Make a Mixed CD- Make a mixed CD of your favorite songs so that you can pop it in whenever you need a pick me up, you feel joy, or just because. Music is magical for setting a mood, so have a mixed CD for every mood. If it is not music that does it for you, think about what you like to listen to that brings you please and pop that on a CD.

Try Tantric Massage- A massage can be erotic, but add tantra in the mix to unleash a surge of sexual energy. The purpose of tantric massage is awaken the kundalini, a very intense and healing form of energy that is lying dormant at the base of the spine. The kudalini draws out sexual energy in the body. Sexual energy is creative energy and vice versa.

Get luscious lingerie- Toss your old tired cotton panties and step up your game with sexy lingerie made from silk, satin, or lace. Wearing it under your clothes will make you feel sexy and confident. Also, go for a sexy piece that would not be typical for you to wear. You will walk with a new sexy spring in your step, plus it will feel wonderful against your skin.

Follow your desires- Desires are your friend. They are the things that nudge you toward your dreams and goals. Listen to your desires because it is your soul talking to you about which path you should follow. Do not stifle yourself; it will only make you unhappy. All of your desires mean something; it is up to you to listen.

Be open- Last but not least, being open to try things in your life will give you pleasure. It gives you chances for spontaneity, creativity, and is way more fun. It also allows you to feel free to as you experience new things, places, and people.

Yolanda Shoshana “Shoshi” is a media personality, courtesan coach, sensualist, speaker, writer living in New York City known as the Luscious Lifestyle Diva. Self growth and following her bliss has always been a key part of her life. Shoshi followed her entrepreneur spirit by starting a lifestyle company that engages the senses to help people live lusciously. The services include: courtesan coaching™,workshops/classes, pleasure planning, image consulting, empowerment through media, wedding officiating, etc. She is the founder of the School of Courtisane Moderne, a modern day courtesan school which teaches women the art of seduction. She also is the creatrix and sensualist of luscious creams, potions, etc. that helps women unleash their inner courtesan!

So we all know that this month we have been focusing on THINK CITRUS - I definitely wanted to include this in here as well (maybe I am thinking of this as more of a "grapefruit" element). I love camis and boy bottoms. I think they're so cute to wear around the house but you can also wear the top out over a pair of jeans (you can also think about wearing this under a cute blazer as well). Anyway,  when I was out at Project, Accessories Show and the Lingerie show in Las Vegas, I received emails from the amazing ladies of Smart Ass Intimates who created such an amazing collection of pieces.

I love the old world style of this piece -  known as the Eurotrash Camisole Black Scroll and how cute it looks. I love how sheer this is and how it definitely has sexy elements to it. In addition, when you visit the site, check out their signature thongs that have quite a few cheeky phrases that are definitely going to bring a smile as you prepare to set about your day.

So we all know that this month we have been focusing on THINK CITRUS - I definitely wanted to include this in here as well (maybe I am thinking of this as more of a "grapefruit" element). I love camis and boy bottoms. I think they're so cute to wear around the house but you can also wear the top out over a pair of jeans (you can also think about wearing this under a cute blazer as well). Anyway,  when I was out at Project, Accessories Show and the Lingerie show in Las Vegas, I received emails from the amazing ladies of Smart Ass Intimates who created such an amazing collection of pieces.

I love the old world style of this piece -  known as the Eurotrash Camisole Black Scroll and how cute it looks. I love how sheer this is and how it definitely has sexy elements to it. In addition, when you visit the site, check out their signature thongs that have quite a few cheeky phrases that are definitely going to bring a smile as you prepare to set about your day.

Traditionally on "Mingling Mondays", I like to talk about a great restaurant or event since mingling is all about coming together and exchanging ideas - what better way to do this then with food and something to look at? But I have to say that earlier this week I read something that made me want to share it with you and to provide my thoughts on this subject. It would be unfair for me to provide this exchange without including an excerpt of the original which will be listed below in italics. A friend of mine who runs a showroom here in the city sent this out to her buyers and I thought that it was not only brave but a view that I believe in as a designer and something that is uplifting for all of us!

As many of you know, I work for a luxury sportswear brand and earlier this year as I sat in our Sales Meeting we discussed the fact that due to the current economical situation and it being an election year that it was going to be a tough one. Brands would survive and stores would still buy but the fact is that to maintain (or obtain your place if you're trying to break in) your place you would have to work harder to be considered as 1 of 8 options as opposed to 1 of 10. Ultimately, it would be a matter of taking someone else's share in order to increase your own. That can be seen as something scary but I like to think of it as an opportunity.

I spent an entire week at Vegas for Project, Magic, Lingerie Show and the Accessories Show. Not only did I go to see friends that I knew but also those that were new designers. It is my belief that for those of us that are still scratching to get out there, that this is the time to show how we are different! As I walked the show floors there were a variety of buyers out there and although we can complain that buyers should be looking for those of us that are different, we have to ask ourselves "Are we going out there and showing our angle on style?" In order for buyers to take a chance on what we bring to the table, we need to believe in ourselves and take that step as well. Presenting a variation of what has already been done will only make your intended target pass over your work and purchase items from the designer that has already established themselves in that niche.

As the designer and owner of Kitten Couture, I must say that there have been times that I have been slightly frustrated that people like my pieces but they don't feel that it's the look they are going for in their store's product mix; however, it is that difference that will set me apart. I use this analogy when you decide to present a product: "You have to decide do you want to be Mc Donald's where it is available wherever you look or do you want to be Ritz Carlton?" Both of these places are coveted spots but it is a matter of whether you want to position yourself everywhere or would you rather have a smaller point of distribution and be more exclusive? I choose the Ritz Carlton school of thought and I choose to maintain my way of designing since it is times like these that someone may be more willing to take a risk and present their customers with new looks in their store. It is my opinion that even in the bad times, there are those that succeed and those of us that have been out there for a few years trying to get noticed - this is when we need to push so that next year we are considered by more individuals. I highlight Ziordia who is not only a designer who I respect because she worked in the handbag industry but I am encouraged by her passion and efforts to get her line out there and that she continues to stay true to her concepts. It wasn't easy but to initially see her in her showroom and then to see her doing so well at Project, this encouraged me.

To become noticed or to increase our share in the market, it is going to require that as designers we come together and get creative! Maybe this means we decide to combine our contacts and come up with trunk shows and shopping events. We look for ways that we do photoshoots that we incorporate our pieces together. I am always open to options (I am always looking for people to put on here at Kitten Lounge and also on See Pretty Things) and if I can help you directly or pass you on to someone else who can - that just makes it better for all of us! Tough year yes but it is not a year that will go by with only those known labels making successes. This is an open letter to all of us out there to continue to make strides because we are not that far away and although there are those preaching brace ourselves for the worse I am saying brace ourselves for the unexpected and access to areas that we couldn't have believed simply because we chose to take a stand, maintain our innovation and we didn't stop pushing forward.

Original Excerpt from My Friend
R is for RETAIL!Stop reading all the bad news out there. How many national   shows since early January [10 ]did we all hear the R word discussed. This   is just FEBRUARY!!!

This is going to be a very challenging retail year.
But,   one that still brings opportunities and niches to fill.  

As store buyers and   owners, you have to really shop and open your eyes to everything. Travel,   surf the web, review the fashion magazines, click on to the fashion runway   shows...and at the retail level, what is truly important is giving "perceived   value" in the items you buy. You need to understand how much more   profitable an item business will continue to be and how margin builders   is this year's mantra. A proven basic: You have to give   the customer a "reason to buy"