Jaklin Idris, 44, fills a room with quiet energy. Perfectly groomed and classically dressed, this Chanel specialist at Saks Fifth Avenue’s Indy store exudes style and sophistication.

Originally from Bulgaria, Idris is one of those rare leap-year babies. She went to a French-language high school and along the way learned the language of fashion.

“(In Bulgaria) the whole press was so censored,” she says. “Knowing a Western (European) language gave me the opportunity to read French magazines.”

Idris studied journalism as well as aesthetics in Bulgaria.

“All European women know about skin care from their mothers,” she says, but Idris took a two-year course.

When she came to the States in 1992, she enrolled in the Christine Valmy International School in New York. Eventually, Idris worked for New York’s prestigious spa, CLAY, as well as EstéLauder. Her experiences in the spa industry led her to write her book, “By Word of Mouth,” which is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. She is also certified in Reiki, the practice of reducing stress by focusing energy.

Recently, after seeing a Chanel suit, a young girl told Idris she wanted to become a lawyer so she could buy beautiful clothes. Idris was impressed that the girl chose to earn the money herself — and not depend on a rich spouse.

“If Chanel can inspire somebody to think that way, that’s great.”

»Indiana is filled with trees, but I’m betting you haven’t paid any attention to them recently. Tim Kennedy , on the other hand, pays homage to our trees — and the wood they produce — on a daily basis. The Fishers-based artist has been creating wooden bowls for about five years, but as an architectural detailer, Kennedy says he’s always done a little bit of woodworking.

“My son wanted to buy something,” he says. “I said, ‘Well, we can make that.’ He quickly lost interest, but I kept going. I love the challenge.”

The result is gorgeous: woods that glow under smoothed and polished curves.

Kennedy’s pieces are available through his Etsy shop, timsturnery.etsy.com, starting at $10 and going into the $100 range. You can also contact Kennedy at tim@timsturnery .com.

» Thinking of giving chocolates for Valentine’s Day? Save the calories and your skin with the Philip B gift set of chocolate milk-flavored bubble bath and skin crè ($62.50). Available through www.philipb.com, this package is a box of chocolates that won’t go straight to your hips.

» Your man can’t dress. Shaking your head over his ill-conceived outfits is too subtle. Try slipping him “The Handbook of Style: A Man’s Guide to Looking Good” from the editors of Esquire magazine. This guy’s guide to all things sartorial gives pointers for finding the perfect suit, jeans and shirts. Complete with photos of well-dressed celebs and illustrations, the guide truly speaks the male lingo and taps into men’s need for visual representation.

On her amazing eyebrows: I do them myself.

On makeup: Makeup starts with well-taken-care-of skin. If there is something that bothers you, consult a facialist. Tailor (your makeup) to what you do in life.

On style: I like solid colors. Black. It takes time to create a style. It takes time to discover who you are. It takes time to create taste. My style philosophy is well-fitted clothes that are age-appropriate and season-appropriate.

On jewelry: You’d better have a few unique pieces. I also go to TJ Maxx — you can find nice pieces there.

On paying a lot for high-name brands:

I prefer to do a little Reiki and go to a museum.