Off to Artomatic

Off to Artomatic on Saturday! Artomatic is a wonderful even where an entire office building is taken over (this year in Crystal City) in order to display work from artists using different media. The art we saw was so interesting we only made 2 floors of the 8!  But we were rewarded with fabulous and interesting works and installations.  The wonderful part of Artomatic is that any artist who pays $110.00 can have a space to showcase his/her art, so even artists who have never shown before get a chance to display their work.
    Dress had to be very casual since we walked for hours; comfortable shoes a must!  My shoes are by Blowfish, very comfortable criss-cross wedge sandals. Casual Old Navy tee, and Land's End pants in khaki (flat front, side zip with no pockets).  Bag is Prada quilted navy tessuto with chain straps.

Gucci watch. Cluny Grey gemstone necklace featuring aquamarines, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and 14 karat gold-filled accents. My favorite necklace is this Portuguese cross, a Christmas present from my husband when we were in Portugal. 

Perfume: Fracas

Nail Polish: Essie, A-dor-a-bal

What I'm Wearing

The shorts are new for me. I'm not sure how  feel about them yet, but after wearing them a few hours, I've found that they are quite comfortable.  I'm trying them out for our trip to Paris.  We'll be taking my grand-daughter to Euro-Disney and I'm thinking that it is going to be too hot for long pants.  And you know how I feel about crops!  These have a cuff and seem a little dressier than most shorts. I'm wearing them today with a turquoise tee from Old Navy, my favorite Franco Sarto snakeskin sandals, and my Hermes Andalucia scarf.  David Yurman watch. Cluny Grey mixed gemstone necklace.

I find that I often wear my hair in a ponytail.  I wear a high ponytail although I've read that at my age, one isn't supposed to.  But it's the most comfortable for me and I think looks better than a lower ponytail (which also bothers the back of my neck).

Below, in keeping with being truly realistic about what I wear and how I look, I have not done anything to the photo below. (I see some messy eye makeup!)

  Estee Lauder Fresh Air foundation; Armani blush in #10; Estee Lauder lipstick. Underneath, Estee Lauder Daywear moisturizing cream with SPF 15. And yes, my hair needs trimming badly!

How to Look Slimmer for Summer

On my way to do errands. I'm on a diet, trying to do Weight Watchers online. The best part is the being able to keep up with what you eat online and have the app automatically gauge points for me. The hardest part is to get exercise. I get busy and forget to take a walk or do something active. I've got to work on that! Today, I'm wearing very inexpensive clothes. I've had the pants for about 4 years; they are from Land's End and are their side-zip flat fronts that they unfortunately don't make any more (why!?). The tee is also from Land's End. Although the quality of their clothing has sadly decreased lately, I do like their tees that are fitted. They are more slimming as long as you order the right size. The important thing is to wear a bra that fits and to keep everything smooth that you are wearing.

Watch is David Yurman; shoes are Franco Sarto. 

Rutilated quartz bracelet is a Cluny Grey.
I've found a new go-to nail polish that I am loving. It's from Essie and is called A-dor-a-bal. It's a soft, clean but not bright white colour that looks great for summer!

Capris: Please, Just Say NO!

It's that time of year: the time when many otherwise chic, sensible and even elegant women feel the heat and decide to wear that which is lovely on almost no one! I speak of course of cropped pants and/or capris.  I've had a longstanding animosity for what was known in the 'fifties as "pedalpushers" probably because I was so skinny in grade school that my mother would not let me wear shorts, but instead put me in cropped pants.  They usually just covered my kneecap in a very awkward way and sometimes made sitting and other movement problematic because they were binding there - that is, until I had worn them for several hours and they had stretched out or ripped and were even more unsightly.

  I am (just last week) 61 years old, and well aware of the changes time has wrought: no more shorts for me outside of my house and the beach. Cropped pants would seem to be a good alternative to the hot summers here; they would cover my upper legs and yet be cooler than long pants.  I understand why women want to wear them.

  But if you look at the evidence, better to suffer the heat or put on a simple short dress than wear one of the most unbecoming garments ever constructed.

  Above, a young, very pretty, very thin model wears cropped pants and looks, well, okay. Now if you were going to say that she looks fabulous (which she does in face and body), stop and really think about what she is wearing.  Yes, she has long legs and thin ankles - a must for wearing cropped pants.  But look at how disproportionately wide her hips appear in these pants! She would look much sexier wearing shorts or long pants.

  

Above, three chic women who don't look all that chic thanks to the crops.  Cameron Diaz looks ready for the office from the waist up, and ready for the gym shower room from the waist down.

  I adore Gwenyth Paltrow but I have never, ever seen her look worse! If she looks like this, just think how you will look with that 20+ extra pounds you've put on in the last few years.

  Who is thinner than Victoria Beckham with her invisible hips?  Still, not a good look for her either.

Perhaps one of the worst aspects of cropped pants is that they are heavily advertised to, well, heavier women.  The result is not pretty or chic. And if you are dressing to look slimmer, my first tip is to avoid cropped pants.

  Above, she needs balance for those hips, even though she has worn high heels and does have good looking ankles.

Below, if you are an apple, stay wwwwwwwwway away from cropped pants.

These casual cropped cargoes are good if you are on an archeological dig; otherwise, just say no!

Above, these cropped pants stop at the worst possible point on this plus model's heavier legs; she's compounded the squat look by wearing flats with crossed straps that hit right at what should be the thinnest part of the ankles. Yes, this is a fashion problem. Imagine how much better she would look with long pants and even a low heeled pump.

Above, while a bit longer, these crops are wide at the bottom so that they will soon wrinkle and flare out above these flat thongs.

  Cropped pants are not always terrible. If you look below, you see some cropped pants that actually look chic, but note that they are really what some would call "ankle" pants rather than cropped.  The pants stop at the smallest part of the ankle - good if you have pretty ankles and wear the right shoes.

The right shoes are usually heels although not always. Below, since these pants are longer and the model is very thin and tall, she can go for flats. Notice though that while her sandals have crossed straps, they are well below the small of the ankle.

Above, yes, it's one of the Olsen girls; keep her in mind the next time you decide to try on cropped pants if you are under 5'6" and weigh over 130 pounds.

  I realize that some of you may think I'm harsh, but remember, I'm talking about what looks good on a woman over 50, and what will look chic.  I have sweats I like to wear (and often do), but I don't try to accessorize them and think I will look elegant.

  Do you have a picture of yourself in cropped pants that you think looks great? I'd love to see you!  Please share!

Ready to Do Errands!

I like doing errands when I'm on my own; doing them gives a different structure to my day, and often provides me with that wonderful feeling that I've been productive and busy - a feeling that tends to make me more productive and busy.  Sometimes the best time to do errands for me is as early as possible.  Eager to be on the go, I don't really dress up (after all, I'm buying cat food, doing a quick grocery store run, stopping at the hardware store, the frame shop, the post office).  I often don't even dry my hair if I am really in a hurry!  I pull it back in a messy, wet bun and use one of those large clips in a colour the same tone as my hair. And of course, I have to wear my gold Portuguese cross. With it on, I always feel ready for anything!

Just so I'm not too scary, I do put on minimal makeup. I put on a bit of eyeliner and the lightest coat of mascara possible. Lipstick is a must. And yes, my hair is wet here!

   Below, for errands, nothing is quicker than jeans and a white tee.  Low platform sandals are easy to run about in, and cool at the same time.  Mine are Franco Sarto, a brand that fits me well and has the added plus of being very comfortable! Here my cat Cluny decided that he had to get in the picture, too.

On a slightly cooler day I wear a thin cotton, lace-trimmed 3/4 sleeved jacket I bought at Banana Republic over 8 years ago. Underneath, a cotton tee from Old Navy, and cream cotton no waist pants.

Perfume for errands? A light spritz of Bulgari's Jasmin Noir, fresh, light, and unobtrusive. Gucci watch.

SALES For Summer!

I hear so many people griping about the price of clothing and accessories, and the truth is, they are expensive. But with some judicious shopping, you can find some very nice things. I love internet shopping for sales at high end stores. Of course, I have a good idea of the size that I will take, and a knowledge of what will work for me and what won't. I have also learned not to be fooled by the skinny models who look unbelievably chic and sexy and to do some simple things like look to see what material clothing is made from. Here are some things that can be found on the net right now.

At SAKS: Have you always wanted one of those unbelievably beautiful Judith Leiber jeweled bags but couldn't afford it? Try sunglasses instead. Judith Leiber makes quality products and her sunglasses are tres chic! These can be had for $139.00, and there are others. SAKS Judith Leiber

Yoana Baraschi Cap-Sleeve Dress/Red:  If you have the figure for it, this is a great dress for summer dining out. And it is still available in sizes 8, 10, and 12. The curved pockets are quite slimming (providing you don't put anything in them), and at 89.00 this is a steal! It is made of viscose which does breathe. The cap sleeves hide just enough of the underarm to be attractive.

  The next dress is also Yoana Baraschi and also is 89.00. In black with wonderfully slimming vertical blue lines, this dress is sure to be a favorite.  Both can be found here.

I love flats! These are perfect for summer since they are decoratively vented. They also come in tan and black. Pour le Victoire flats are only 69.00.

Don't you need a new watch for summer?  Breil square stainless steel and mother of pearl chronograph watch is fairly easy to read and looks great on your wrist with its bone-colored band and rose gold plated rim. Retail price is normally about $750.00, but it is on sale for 215.00

I'm Loving Pink!

It's been years since I've worn pink lipstick, but lately I'm loving it for Spring. Below, the pink lips look great with my pink cashmere jacket (worn for the last time this year since 80 degree weather is on the horizon).

I like to wear hot pink with black and white; in this, case, cream slacks, black tee, pink cashmere jacket, pink Cole Haan loafers - my favorites because they are sooooo comfortable.  I can wear their driving shoes (like these) for hours and hours of walking,  They're great for doing errands on a busy day!

Below, I'm wearing my Portuguese cross, Cluny Grey gemstone longer necklaces, and David Yurman ring and bracelets.  I love piling on bracelets!

I'm also loving L'Occitane Verbena hand lotion - a sharp dash of freshness everytime I put it on my hands. Thank you, Fernanda!

Clothes for Women over 60

Yes, I admit that I'm over 60;  next month I'll be 61. I still try to dress fashionably but comfortably as well since comfort means a lot to me these days.  Yesterday was a grey day here in D.C. so I dressed to match with grey cotton (with 2% stretch) pants (Eddie Bauer) with a Hollywood waist (that is no waist and the pant curves slightly about your natural waist - very comfortable and leaving no marks), a white Carole Little tee with a curved neckline and a fitted shape, and a 3/4 sleeve light grey cotton cardigan with a ruffle around the bottom. Anne Klein loafers and trouser socks completed my outfit. I wore a Cluny Grey necklace and my David Yurman watch.

My diet starts today; there is nothing like putting a picture of yourself on the internet to see that you need to lose weight!

Long Hair Styles for Mature Women: We're Keeping Our Locks!

 So, yes, I've turned 60 (actually last May), and no, I am NOT going to cut my hair!  Above, a smoother look, and below, caught off-guard.

  I am so tired of everyone assuming that just because one is une femme d'une certain age that one must cut one's hair.  I love my long hair.  It's versatile, it's good to hide behind occasionally and I love the way it feels more than anything. And yes, I'm on a crusade: Don't cut your hair just because you are over 60, or 50, or 40.

Below, Jaclyn Smith looks gorgeous with her long layers of hair. I'm not sure of her exact age (some sources say that she is 66), but she is definitely over 60 and looks great with her long hair.

 Can you imagine Jane Seymour without her long hair? She is 61 years old.  Can you imagine her in a butch cut or a pixie?

 Catherine Deneuve is supposedly 68 years old. She looks great with her longer locks. Above is a picture taken this year. Below is a picture taken when she was over 50.

So Jennifer Lopez is only over 40, but do you think she's ever going to cut that gorgeous hair! I think not!

Below, at age 60. Lynda Carter is still beautiful.  Her hair is part of her attraction. The second picture was taken before she was 60 (a couple of years ago) and her long hair is smashing!

Remember Catherine Bach from the Dukes of Hazzard. Her hair still rocks!

In the 1970s, Marisa Berenson was known for her gorgeous hair that was sometimes, sleek and smooth, sometimes wild and unruly, but always fabulous. She is well over 60 now, and her hair looks perfect for her! 

  If you are a mature woman and long hair looks great on you, why cut it? It can also help camoflauge a sagging chin! Tweet

Casual Style

Okay, we all hate to roll out of bed in the morning, and if you have little ones (or not so little ones) to get off to school, it can be very tempting to throw on anything just to get them there. But if you don't have to go on to work, or as so many of us, you work at home and can wear whatever you want, are you guilty of looking, well, frumpy? Check out these celebrities who are known for their style on their morning school runs. What they have on is deceptively easy to put together, and looks very - put-together!

 Above, Kate Winslet looks great!. Yes, she has an expensive handbag and Chanel shoes, but anyone can copy this look for much, much less!   What to do: pin clean hair up in a messy bun; slip on comfortable flats (the Chanel look in ballerinas is so easy to find at almost all price points), and throw on a black short-sleeved dress. What makes this so simple is the shift dress (you can even try a knit polo style dress), bun, and shoes. Quick, and you'll still look fantastic.

Okay, it's Angelina Jolie. But look how simple: if you have long hair, comb it straight back and let it fall naturally. If you wash your hair every morning, all you need here is a blow dry that you do yourself, save the hot rollers or curling iron for when you get back home. One sweater, cashmere is ideal, a pencil skirt, and tall heels in black. The only real upkeep with skirts and dresses is keeping your legs waxed/shaved.

Jeans can look great and don't have to look like "mom" jeans. The key here is fit.  They cannot be baggy in the rear, hips, or thighs. Jennifer Garner looks put-together with simple flats, a white tee, and a short black jacket. Her hair is simple. If you don't trust your locks to stay quite as sleek, pull them back in a low pony tail.

 Below, Claudia does the jean thing, too.  Here they are slightly flared, but fit well in the rear, hips, and thighs.  A simple button top worn over the jeans needs nothing more than a scarf and sunglasses to look chic. Again, don't think your morning hair will look like this? Pull it back in a sleek ponytail or a messy bun.

Lips and the Best Mascaras

As we get older, our lashes often thin, and mine are no exception. I got tired of wearing false eyelashes for the lush look that was a part of my signature eye makeup and have been looking ever since for a mascara that both lengths and thickens my lashes with making them look spidery.

 I've finally found the right concoction! I am using two, yes, two mascaras, and both are by Maybelline. I first put on Illegal Lengths mascara to get the length that I want, being careful not to let it dry between coats. It goes on best if you apply until you get the length that you want without letting it dry between coats. Then, I use the Volume Express mascara, Falsies, for thickness.  If this sounds, goopy and like too much, it really isn't.  I like the "winged" Falsies best, I think.  I apply a couple of coats of it starting close to the lash base, and finally, I have the lashes I want!  The Falsies in waterproof is also decent, too.  I used it lately when I was in South Africa and Mozambique to keep away racoon eyes.  It worked!

 Beauty Tip:  If you have very dry lips all the time, try this. Your toothpaste may be drying your lips.  Before brushing anytime, put a thick coat of vaseline on your lips, then be sure to rinse lips after you finish brushing.  Toothpastes containing baking soda are especially drying to the lips.  I've tried this and my every so dry lips are finally getting soft and smooth!