LOOK IN KC

BY Susan Cannon Gifting in Style

IN SEARCH OF LOVELY LITTLE THINGS THAT ARE GIFT WORTHY, SUBTLE STYLE THAT’S WELLDESIGNED WITH A GENEROUS DOSE OF MODERN LUXURY THAT’S WELLDESIGNED WITH A GENEROUS DOSE OF MODERN LUXURY

Former Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey has teamed up with Kansas City’s Annie Hurlbut, the founder of Peruvian Connection, to o er fans the new PC x GB Collection, which is comprised of many Peruvian-inspired alpaca signature Fair Isle pieces in bold colors. What caught my eye was the cropped Kodiak jacket in pu ed leather with plush shearling trim and was the cropped Kodiak jacket in pu ed leather with plush shearling trim and long sleeves, $2,495. Available at Peruvian Connection (Crestwood Shops). A luxurious little nest for your jewelry by leather-goods artisans A luxurious little nest for your jewelry by leather-goods artisans Bartleby Objects is a chic addition to your bedroom decor. e leather tray is lined with alpaca, which acts as a natural metal protector so your gold, bronze, and silver pieces won’t oxidize. Small Soft Tray by Bartleby Objects, $390. Within the tray is the Roca ear cu by Faris, $45, and the Pina Chain by Laura Lombardy, $100. All available at Finefolk (4502 State Line Road).

A gorgeous classic, the Cintrée tank watch A gorgeous classic, the Cintrée tank watch in a yellow-gold case, beaded crown set in a yellow-gold case, beaded crown set with a sapphire cabochon, golden dial, and with a sapphire cabochon, golden dial, and brown alligator-skin strap is a men’s style, brown alligator-skin strap is a men’s style, but is certainly unisex. It should make a but is certainly unisex. It should make a pretty fabulous heirloom to pass down one pretty fabulous heirloom to pass down one day. Price upon request. Available at day. Price upon request. Available at TIVOL (Country Club Plaza and Hawthorne Plaza). (Country Club Plaza and Hawthorne Plaza).

e humble nature of local milliner Amina Hood belies her wicked talent for precision workmanship and style, whether it be in her bespoke, sculpted headpieces, or her classic berets and ball caps. Wide Brim Fur Felt Fedora in brandy, with a yak-wool needle-felted band (left), $350. Wide Brim Fur Felt Fedora in pecan (right), $300. Each is custom made with a three-to- ve-week lead time. Available through aminahood.com. Warm your tootsies. ese ribbed, extra-soft cashmere slippers with leather soles are made for cozy moments at home, $120, by COS. Available at cos.com.

BY Susan Cannon

Elevated Beauty

WHEN THE HOLIDAYS ROLL AROUND, A LITTLE BIT OF LUXURY GOES A LONG WAY WITH THESE BEAUTIFULLY PRODUCED GIFTS

THE CULTIVATED Maison Trudon, the oldest known candlemaker, opened shop on rue Saint Honoré in Paris in 1643, developed the whitening of candle beeswax in 1702, expanded outside of Paris in 1737, and began supplying the Imperial Court of France in 1811. Not too shabby. Nor are the swoon-worthy scents developed in 2007, which celebrate the artisan process and gilded packaging, mixed with inventive branding. Trudon describes its “Dada” tea- and vetiver-scented candle as, “. . .a touch of tea and vetiver, ornated with crumpled mint leaves and eucalyptus, this clever scent confuses the mind. Sharp and expansive, it opens us to the magnetic eld of the Dada movement, to the artistic dizziness and surrealist experiences.” ey had me at “Dada” and the scent does not disappoint. Trudon Dada Classic Candle, $125 is exclusively available locally at Clique Boutique (Shops at Prairie Village).

THE ALCHEMIST Oribe Canales was the king of hair during the heyday of supermodels and glam fashion shows, opening his salon in 1987 and creating his luxury haircare line Oribe in 2008. It has grown since his passing in 2018. Oribe’s newest haircare collection launched this past summer— Hair Alchemy Resilience shampoo, condiHair Alchemy Resilience shampoo, conditioner, and fortifying treatment serum. e tioner, and fortifying treatment serum. e line is already award-winning and proving to be the most popular Oribe collection to date. Made with a blend of chia seed, bio-fermented bamboo leaf, and plant-based protein, it penetrates the hair cortex to build strength from within while forming a sca old around each hair ber to reinforce strands, creating ultra-smooth, strong, resilient hair with elasticity and a divine scent. Mother Nature to make the highest quality plant-based

Oribe Hair Alchemy Shampoo, $49; Conditioner, $52; Treatment Serum, $64. Available at Flock Salon and Gallery (Crossroads). THE ULTIMATE With game-changing technology, the LYMA Laser is touted as the world’s safest and most e ective clinic-grade laser for home use, with the big guns in the beauty industry applauding fervently, including top makeup artists, spa owners and plastic surgeons. e LYMA Laser can reach deep down into the base layer of the dermis, where the light energy triggers a genetic switch inside the skin cells telling them not to die o , but to regenerate, recharge, and repair. e destruction of healthy skin cells is reversed. e light energy of the LYMA Laser also instructs the existing cells to produce more proteins to ght free radicals. Fewer free radicals means more collagen and elastin. It works on all skin tones and types on both face and body with no pain or downtime. LYMA Laser, $2,695. lyma.life/us

THE HOLISTIC Olive oil is the hero ingredient of Wonder Valley unisex skincare products, which are co-created with Mother Nature to make the highest quality plant-based ingredients that nourish and heal the skin. e Little Wonder four-piece microbiome-friendly set provides a complete regime for daily skincare and is the perfect holiday gift for trying out the products and re lling each glass bottle for travel. It is comprised of an antioxidant-rich oil cleanser that deep cleans, leaving the skin luminous and pH balanced, a potent yet lightweight face oil that paci es sun damage and in ammation and controls breakouts, a hydrating wonder serum that improves tone and elasticity and boosts collagen, and an intoxicating Hinoki body oil that penetrates deeply to hydrate and smooth the body’s skin. Little Wonder Skincare Set by Wonder Valley, $72. Available at Welwythn (Shops at Prairie Village).

BY Susan Cannon

Are the Kids Alright?

Developmental psychologist and licensed psychotherapist Chris Sexton (drchrissexton.com) maintains that this is an urgent time for seeking mental-health care due to the fear, stress, grief, and isolation that is in part created by Covid-19. “Especially vulnerable are children and teens who have missed developmentally critical cognitive and social milestones. I’ve seen a dramatic increase in referrals during this time. By all objective mental-health measures—school days missed, ER visits for mental health, drug use, suicide attempts—kids and teens are showing us that they are not okay,” Sexton says. During the isolation of the pandemic, not only our kids, but most of us were nding ourselves compelled to be on social media more to stay connected. However, this fueled an already dangerous pattern of technology addiction on a global scale in today’s youth. According to Catie Herst, a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Monarch Family erapy (monarchfamilytherapy.net), “ e most interconnected generation of all time who has instant access to thousands of humans at any given moment are at risk for new and challenging social and mental health struggles unknown to previous generations. Preteens and teens currently face di culties with emotional regulation, self-control, bullying, loneliness, self-esteem, concentration, body-image, sleep, and safety in large measure due to extensive technology usage and social media. Consequently, they are also facing brain development and rewiring issues that we cannot fully understand at this time.”

In Herst’s work with teens and young adults, she observes their need to “keep up” with peers while portraying themselves in a glori ed way is oftentimes anxiety producing. “ e ability to see where everyone is (and learn where you are not) can become both addicting and heart-wrenching, even for those who are in healthy social circles. While we do not yet know the full extent on the body, research shows us that addiction to social media may compromise the part of our brain which prioritizes concentration. We see withdrawal symptoms from technology mirror withdrawal symptoms from other substances, including irritability, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness. While new technology a ords us unlimited access to the world and possibilities for connection, the potential danger of this ‘tool’ and its life-altering views of reality are not to be underestimated,” she says.

Sexton promotes the validation process with patients. “ ere is tremendous power in naming and validating your emotions. Put simply, validation is the act of understanding why you are right to feel how you feel. As parents, we have great responsibility in helping our children feel validated, but when we don’t have the space to validate our own emotions, it can be impossible for us to consistently respond with compassion to our children.”

She also encourages separating your emotions from your thoughts, or the stories you are telling yourself about what is happening, and that doing so allows us to understand how di erent experiences a ect us. “A therapist can help you challenge an old story about yourself that isn’t serving you and break out of unhelpful patterns of behavior. For young children and teens, a family approach can also be helpful to foster validation of di cult emotions, as well as to increase social interactions and other activities that will boost mood and reverse the downward cycle of anxiety and depression.”

Follow @itslennnie on Instagram for some lighthearted ramblings by an animated little blob to get a daily dose of validation. ere’s no age limit!