Katherine Chloé Cahoon

For all you ladies who have loved Grant – the businessman I featured last week who unwinds as a stand-up comic – he’s back again by popular demand. Before we get into the interview, I just want to say I enjoy hearing from all you girls and reading your relationship questions. I figure it’s best to go straight to the male source for answers, so like last week, today’s dating dilemmas come from you.

How to decipher a guy’s intentions? How can a girl tell if a guy wants a relationship with her, or just wants to use her physically?

Grant: The real question is, Does he make her a part of his life or a part of his night? If the guy reaches out to her on a regular basis, then he’s interested in having a relationship. Whereas, if he’s just there for her when it’s time to get physical, then he’s not.

What are the dating roles? Women hear a lot about equality of the sexes and wonder if that means they’re expected to pay on dates some of the times.

Grant: A girl should never feel like she has to pay. Men like to spoil women, but they also like to know that their efforts are appreciated and the women understand their bank accounts aren’t infinite. If a girl offers to pay and the guy says no, never argue. There comes a point in the relationship where the guy wants to know that the girl cares and is invested, so she might try planning something special. But more important than paying, is the planning because that shows her man that she put thought into the relationship.

What’s a major turnoff? What’s something that kills a relationship?

Grant: Show your partner that you’re having a good time. Don’t put up hoops for him to jump through. He’ll jump through them anyway.

The holidays may be over, but our Winter Wonderland isn’t gone. Twinkle lights are still on the trees and there are still parties to attend. I’m the first to admit to being a style lover. Party style is one of my favorites. Finding an outfit for a soirée adds to the event’s fun. So today I’m showing you my latest, from head to toe. Tasha has long been my go-to for hair gear. This clip is lightweight, stays in place, and shines throughout the night.

My new year’s resolution not to indulge in scrumptious food lasted exactly one day—January 1st! So when the sales lady at Express explained that this dress would look flattering regardless of how many desserts I ate, I was sold. Plus, I love the way it reflects light.

Yesterday, I wrote about the stunning, smart Ivanka Trump. For this outfit, I chose a pair of her shoes that she admitted was one of her favorite designs.

She even signed my shoe and box. Now every time I slip these gems on, I fondly remember meeting this amazing woman.

Seamlessly navigating high profiles and high fashion. That’s Ivanka Trump. I was honored to meet this savvy businesswoman encased in natural beauty.

Ivanka leads the Trump Organization through some of its most important deals while managing her own fashion-and-jewelry house and her young family. In recent months, I’ve become a fan of her shoes. They’re reasonably priced even though they look like they could take a chunk out of your bank account. Tomorrow, for Fashion Friday, I’m wearing an outfit with one of my favorites from her line.

And since it’s now Travel Thursday, we’re going to NYC for a visit to one of Ivanka’s favorite restaurants for date night with her husband. It’s the Egg Shop on the Lower East Side, a casual place with a comfy vibe inspired by “the magic of an egg sandwich.” The eggs served there are organic, locally sourced, and incorporated into a variety of “seemingly infinite recipes.” So if you’re an egg lover, like Ivanka, you’ll love this place.

In my opinion, the most beautiful people are the uplifting ones. True beauty isn’t a set of genes, a certain brand of cosmetics, or having work done by the best plastic surgeon. It’s radiance that emanates from the soul.

I believe, as do many, that the visage of Ingrid Bergman was timelessly exquisite, but she was also radiant. This was obvious from her view of the world.

Bergman once claimed, “I was not beautiful. When I went to Hollywood the beauties were people like Joan Crawford, Hedy Lamarr, Loretta Young. They were incredibly glamorous. I was always the girl next door.”

If you watch her with Goldie Hawn in the classic film Cactus Flower, you will see her genius for channeling the feelings of a wallflower and making everyone smile.

Her personal revelations and subsequent success show that we all have self-doubt, but that doesn’t mean we have to let them define us. Every individual has unique, wonderful qualities.

Meeting Men style….

There was no doubt that my friend Grant had the trifecta of great traits going for him…fun, witty and hot. So once I learned that he did stand-up comedy, I just had to collaborate on a skit. I had a concept for a vignette depicting a calamity of gym errors. I knew everyone would be working out about now trying to keep those New Year’s resolutions…that would last at least a whole week.

We had such a blast putting this together. Grant was so hilarious when I filmed it that sometimes I just couldn’t keep from laughing:)

That’s New Year’s Eve. I realize that we live in a world filled with serious, unanswered questions – What will 2015 bring? Will we find love? Hold onto love? Achieve career success? Have meaningful experiences? – But I believe that New Year’s Eve is a time to free ourselves from all them and just have fun! That’s what I intent to do.

I’ve already started by selecting a festive dress.

After seeing Ariana Grande’s coquettish-feathered mini in her performance of Santa Tell Me, I began a search to help you find a similar one. I even did a post on the look. Then I decided to treat myself to the style.

As you can see, Guess is a prime destination for sequins and feathers.

While you’re partying the night away, stay safe loves. See you all in 2015.

If there is ever a party holiday it’s New Year’s Eve, and my nails are ready to ring in 2015. By now, you all know my #1 manicurist, Julie. Well today, we’re introducing the Kylie Nail, named after her adorable seven-year-old granddaughter.

She’s the perfect inspiration for this look, since her favorite color is pink and she loves sparkles.

To begin my NYE look, Julie applied a base of OPI’s Flashbulb Fuchsia.

Then she added a diagonal streak of silver sparkle…aka OPI’s My Voice is a Little Norse. This time, she made the accent wider than in the past. After all, NYE calls for a little extra glitter.

And a girl can never leave a nail salon without admiring her new look!

New Year’s Eve is a great excuse to have extra fun getting ready, from head to toe…and that includes your nails:)

…Becky G Style! With New Year’s Eve – aka a time to dance the night away – coming up, I’m doing my part to help you make it memorable. Today is Meeting Men Monday, and I can’t think of a better way to meet men than on the dance floor. Over the weekend, I posted this choreography tutorial for Can’t Stop Dancin’.

And today I’m breaking down two of Becky G’s flirty dance outfits so you can get your sexy on come Wednesday night…no matter what your budget. One of the looks is straight from her music video for Can’t Stop Dancin’ and the other is from her rehearsal. Combining high-waists with bare midriffs are high on the list of style hits, and this girl does it to perfection.

Scrimp. Here are pieces similar to Becky G’s that will make your budget happy. The entire outfit rings up for under $70, accessories and all! Topshop is at the top of the list for the cropped trend. I’ve paired their best with floral shorts and yellow bangles from other lines.

Then there’s Becky G’s seductive little rehearsal ensemble. Who else could be so alluring while sweating out a song in a dance studio? As you can tell, this lady knows her crop tops.

Splurge. The Wolford leggings I found that are similar to the songbird’s are much pricier than anything in Scrimp, but verifiably figure-flattering. And I can attest to the fact that every piece this company makes is of supreme quality—which means that your fashion investment here will pay off because their clothes stay looking fresh for a long time.

I have worn Wolford leggings everywhere from swinging upside on a silk trapeze to dancing the night away at a party, and they have yet to let me down. If you can, stop by one of their stores to test the selection. Since a pair of Wolford’s leggings can cost over $200, it’s important to take your time with this decision, and there is no way better than in person.

I didn’t see a crop top in Wolford’s current line, but Nasty Gal has one similar to Becky G’s for $48. It has a shape-enhancing bandage design, low neckline, cap sleeves, and all the stretch a dancin’ gal could want.

If you decide to pop for the Wolford leggings but need to save more on your overall outfit, try a dance-friendly black crop top from Discount Dance. They have one for under $20. The sleeves are a little longer than Becky G’s and the neck is higher, but you can get your dance on just as well—the brand name says it all.

As the legendary James Brown said, “The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing.” I hope you can make it part of your New Year’s Eve plans.

This year Santa Claus brought some dance moves down the chimney along with his presents:) Merry Christmas loves.

I’m having a Seattle winter holiday adventure. It began at the Sheraton, with huge gingerbread scenes made from candies and based on favorite seasonal songs like Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, and I’ll Be Home for Christmas. One of my favorites was this Seattle replica…,/p>

…complete with the Space Needle and Big Wheel—one of the largest Ferris wheels in the US.

Some of the best local architects joined the Sheraton’s culinary team to create these holiday confections, but they’re just too awesome to eat.

The event runs around the clock through January 5th. Visitors are encouraged to make donations supporting research into cures for type 1 diabetes and its complications.

…in anticipation of Christmas Eve. The holiday season really got going with my grandma’s rest home party. You may think that elderly people are mellow, but she and her friends – the over-eighty set – know how to party! And Grandma made me promise to dress up as Mrs. Claus.

I celebrate Christmas, but have close friends with a variety of religious beliefs and love their traditions too. So as I left Grandma’s party, I snapped this pic with Santa on my left and a menorah on my right.

Then I went straight to Snowflake Lane, where people in a town that usually features winter rain waited in anticipation of…

…snow…

…and all the fun characters and music that make up this tradition.

Some of these pics were taken earlier in the season, when Santa made a guest appearance. He’s a little too busy to be there right now:)

And this holiday just wouldn’t be complete without Christmas Dance Wars. Celebrities Maria Menounos, Derek Hough, Julianne Hough and Mark Ballas began the fun tradition of having families and friends create their own holiday dance videos. Here is one I put together flaunting Seattle spunk!

There are so many things to love about this season, but at the top of my list is the spirit of love and compassion that brings peace regardless of where we are or what we’re facing.

For the holiday season, I’ve taken the milkmaid braid and added a festive flavor. Today, I’ll teach you how to recreate the basic style, which can be worn anytime of year, sans the holly sprigs. It’s so quick you’ll be on your way off to an exciting adventure in just minutes …looking quite trendy I might add!

But before we plunge into the tutorial, I want to give a fashion shout-out to Free People. This dress caught my eye and lured me into the store. The lace gives it a vintage vibe and the essence is cozy.

For the milkmaid style, begin by dividing your hair into two sections.

Then braid them.

Pull each braid behind an ear and over your head. Use bobby pins to secure everything in place.

In keeping with the holidays, I made another trip to the arts-and-crafts store and bought frosted holly. It came on a long strand, so I cut off the sprigs…each about two inches long…and pinned them into my braid.

The holidays aren’t over yet so we still have plenty of celebrating to do, which is always a great opportunity to experiment with style and dress up.

If you’ve never seen Pacific Northwest Ballet’s (“PNB”) famous Nutcracker, now is the time. This Seattle tradition – choreographed 31 years ago by the Company’s then artistic director Kent Stowell with vibrant sets by esteemed children’s author Maurice Sendak (“Where the Wild Things Are”) – will be retired when the final curtain comes down. The production is close to my heart because I danced in it hundreds of times growing up.

Stowell created this ballet when his company was young. As his ballet grew in fame, so did his ballet company. When I trained there, PNB was always ranked as one of the top three-to-five companies in the nation. Stowell has said that he wanted this distinctive Nutcracker “to establish our own identity.” One of the traits I admired most in him was that he also wanted his dancers to establish their own identities. We called him Kent, and we loved him for caring so much about us and helping us give our roles personal flair.

One of my favorites was Mother Mouse. This is a solo where the wife of the Mouse King starts the battle by defending her babies and chasing Clara off the stage. Kent told me the essence of what to portray, but he left the steps and mannerisms up to me. This made each performance a unique experience. My baby mice had so much fun backstage as we decided how we would craft the scene that night.

Of course, like most romantic ballets, in the Nutcracker Clara gets the prince. Since this is Meeting Men Monday, I want to chat about that for a moment. I realize the real world isn’t always like a ballet. Last weekend, a friend told me that she was sad this holiday season because she wasn’t in a relationship, and asked for advice. I said that regardless of her dating status, the Christmas lights can sparkle just as bright and time with friends and family can be just as much fun. Life is what you make of it.

I was speaking from personal experience, and the Nutcacker is a reminder. I’ve said that I grew up dancing in it. But what I didn’t mention is that I did not get in to the production for the first four years that I was old enough to audition because I was too tall. The children’s roles in the Stowell/Sendak production have height limitations so they will resemble toys. I got my height early and, as my dad joked, “stubbed out at 5’6’’.” I was so tall in elementary school that one of my best friends recalls, “Katherine was a giant. She looked down on everyone’s heads, even the boys.”

I remember crying every year because I was the only girl in my ballet class who didn’t get to dance in the Nutcracker. I would watch all my friends leave for rehearsals as I was left behind. But there was a lot of good that came from this experience. I refused to let that keep my holidays from being magical. And when I did get in to the production, I appreciated every second more than some who had been performing since day one. I also learned to love just taking ballet class…for four years that was all I had. I’m relating this story, because being cut out of Nutcracker excitement – like going through the holidays without romance – doesn’t mean you can’t still love the holidays. So embrace this truly special season regardless of your relationship status.

Isn’t over yet! We always hear about the Ugly Christmas Sweater parties. Well, I’m all for throwing a Pretty Christmas Sweater party. And I’m always on the hunt for cute holiday fashions.

I spied this sweater in a store window a few years back. Right now, Wildfox is a go-to for adorable season-appropriate outfits. Actually, I’ve found more holiday options in stores this year than online. So I guess we all know what that means… An excuse to go shopping!

Until the 26th, when the decorations disappear…

I’m enjoying every second of this season.

Happy Holidays, my dears!

After posting yesterday’s Guerlain makeup video, I received a lot of messages asking how I came up with the concept and put it together. The time is right to answer those questions since this is Travel Thursday, Guerlain has a romantic French history, and we’re in a magical season. If you haven’t seen my video yet, here it is.

The moment the amazing markup artist, Marcus Monson, showed me the Petrouchka Palette, I was taken with how the packaging looked like a Christmas gift. I grew up dancing in Kent Stowell’s Nutcracker with Pacific Northwest Ballet. My favorite scene was when the Christmas tree grew so big that the dancers looked like toys. That was my inspiration. I wanted the Palette to look like a giant package set off by tiny ballet dancers.

But I couldn’t construct two-story replicas of the cosmetics, set them on a stage and bring in a ballet company:) So I shot the Palette on my coffee table. Then I hung some green paper in my living room, strapped on my decade-old pointe shoes and cloned footage of myself dancing in front of it.

To make the products and me look like we were onstage, I laid shiny black material under the makeup, and left enough room on the coffee table to drop in my clones when I imported the image into Final Cut. To make the coffee table look like a cove, I kept unrolling the material and raised it up behind the products. The sunlight above and to the sides of the backdrop gave the products their highlights. To keep them in place, I used clay. Since I only own one Palette, I took two pictures, one with it open and the other with it closed, and then combined them into one image. I added the snow at the end with Apple’s Motion by going to Particle Emitters.

Now for the romantic history behind these products… The House of Guerlain began in early 19th-Century France and quickly rose to fame. Chemist Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain was a great perfumer who built a house of beauty sought after by high society.

Queen Victoria, Queen Isabella of Spain and Tsar Alexander III were devoted customers.

Today, Guerlain is still an adored luxury line featuring makeup, fragrance, and skincare.

I have absolutely fallen in love with Guerlain’s Petrouchka Palette and the advice from phenomenal makeup artist Marcus Monson. So much so, that it became my go-to for holiday galas. Last weekend, I wore the look dancing and had so much fun that when 4:30 am rolled around, in my mind it still hadn’t struck midnight! I received many compliments on the tones, and some girls I didn’t even know asked what I was wearing.

Since I’ve danced many nights away wearing this Palette, I decided to create a short dance video featuring it. My scheme may have gotten a little out of control considering the fact that I don’t have a studio, I haven’t strapped on pointe shoes in over ten years, and I didn’t know how to do the film-editing effects I dreamed up. I decided not to let little issues like that stop me. I unrolled some green paper in my living area and went for it.

Here’s the result. I hope you like it.

As you can see from the video, the Palette comes with a small brush set. So you can throw everything in your purse and make it your glam-saver anytime you need to go directly from day to night and from night to early morning.