It's Summer! Do's and Don't's If You Are Over 50!

1. DON'T wear panthose. Now I love pantyhose and hate the bare leg look when it's the least bit cold. But in the summer, pantyhose don't just look hot, they look sweltering!

2. Do: Use a spray tan just on your legs, a light-colored spray tan if you don't use it on your arms or the rest of your body. Otherwise, use leg make-up. I know, sounds awful, but it looks great, actually much nicer than most spray tans! Sally Hansen makes a great one that you can get at the drugstore.

3. DON'T have arm swing. If you like your arms, you can show them off.  But be realistic; are they really toned and smooth? Did you look at your arms from behind, too?

4. DON"T go as short as you can!  Save the mini-skirts for winter when you can wear opaque tights with them.  With bare legs, the mini on someone over 50 just looks wrong... sometimes almost naked, even if your legs are beautiful.

So many things wrong here! 

5. DON'T pile on the bronzer. Be judicious and use a lighter color bronze than you may think you should use.  You don't want to look like a terracotta pot.  What you want is a glow.

Everyone has seen her, but are you sporting the same look with makeup?

6. DON'T go more than one shade darker with your summer foundation. Again, you want a bit of color, but you don't want to sweat brown or have streaks on your face.  Add most of your color with powder.

7. DO: Change your colors.  Try pinks and corals and lighten up on the red.  This not only goes for your lipstick and blush, but also for finger and toe-nails.  Pinks are especially flattering to older skin.  Dark red polish will age your hands and feet.

8. DO: Wear a sunscreen.  All the time, and all over, not just on your face.

9. DO wear underwear the same color as your skin, especially if you are wearing a lot of white.  People who have to look at you from behind will thank you.  By the way, this tip is good for any age, not just those over 50.

10. DON'T wear short-shorts.  Do I even have to mention this? Good.

Why I Love the Duchess's Style!

• 

As I peruse the fashion pages of the many magazines I look at,from Vogue to Lucky, and read different fashion blogs, I am just amazed at how many fashions I simply don't care for. I'm not talking about the younger, kickier stuff that no woman over 40 should wear, but many of the outfits I see on celebrities who are 30+.
 One celebrity that I've fallen in love (her fashion sense, anyway) is Kate Middleton, the new Duchess of Cambridge. Now I am not a special fan of royalty or nobility, and I didn't really care for Princess Diana's style at all. But Kate has something about her look that I love. She's young, so it may be caused by royal restraint, but she epitomizes good taste in fashion. The clothes she wears could be worn by anyone over 40 with very few exceptions (women who don't like their arms won't care to go sleeveless). So am I saying that she is dressing like a middle-aged woman? NO. I am saying that she dresses so well and timelessly that even middle-aged women will look good in the clothes that she wears. In the picture above,you see Kate in jeans (great fitting and slim)with a casual striped top (stripes are so in right now) and a pretty , fitted navy blazer. She looks great. The scarf adds just that extra touch that gives a bit of style. The espadrilles say casual.

  Now what I also love about the Duchess is that she constantly reuses her clothing (some celebrities try never to be seen in the same outfit twice). Below, you see her in the same navy blazer with the great cut, a simple white shirt, the same espadrilles and possibly the same jeans.

I even love her outdoorsy look her. The boots are great, and you are never too old to tuck them into jeans.


Above and below: classic looking coats. It doesn't get any better than this!  The wonderful cut emphasizes Kate's slim figure.  For those of us not so slim, the coats would have an elongating and slimming effect.
 
The blue Missoni coatdress above is perfect for Kate's coloring. I love her monochromatic look which generally makes one appear slimmer (not that she needs it).  She pairs the same outfit with two different pairs of pumps. I love the grey suede! They are a bit high for some of us however.  She changes accessories with the occasion.

Yes, she looks wonderful in red. Note that the dress is well cut and fits her perfectly.  The secret to looking really good often is not an expensive wardrobe, but one that you've taken to a good tailor so that the fit for you is impeccable.
Love this white suit, below.
 

Two great dressy looks.

The lessons here:

• Fit is extremely important. 

How to apply:  Find a tailor, a good one (someone recently suggested to me that a man's tailor is best) and get your clothes tailored to fit you.  Even that wool skirt that you've been wearing for 5 years can benefit from tailoring if your body has changed or if it never fit you quite right to begin with. You'll know when the tailoring is working when your clothes not only look great, but they feel great when wearing them.

• Accessories can make a big difference    

 How to apply: If your budget is limited, spend more on your accessories.  Hermes scarves (or good quality silk scarves), pretty jewelry in sterling silver or genuine gold, different handbags (which can be used for years) can change outfits fast and help you to dress up or down.

  (If you're budget is very, very tight, then buy good quality costume jewelry when it's on sale and buy classic pieces. Try outlet stores for your handbags.)

•  Good shoes are a must

Spend your money also on good shoes, even if you have to buy them on sale.  Your feet will thank you and you will look much better when your feet aren't killing you.

Don't get locked in on the idea that there is only one pair of shoes that you wear with an outfit. Mixing up (and not necessarily matching up) can give you a different look.

• No bare legs with "work" clothing (dresses, suits)

Of all the styles lately, the style of not wearing hosiery is the one I deplore most.  In the summer, when it is very, very hot - okay, but not with a business suit. And the rest of the year most women (not just women over 40) do not have skin that looks good without tights or hosiery, yes, even the flesh-toned kind.  Most have too-white skin or spend wasted hours at a tanning salon ruining their skin; leg makeup rubs off on clothes and chairs, and self-tanner is a pain, and really doesn't look very good in the winter.  They always look as though they have forgotten part of their clothing!

• Buy quality, not quantity

This one always bears repeating - buy the best you can afford, but don't feel you have to have a lot.

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!

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.

Ange ou Demon? Perfume Is a Must

Perfume should be a part of every woman's beauty routine.  It should be subtle and should match your mood, identity, or style in some way.

  I tend to like to have a signature fragrance myself, one that I wear constantly and layer in all its forms.  In the 1980's through the 1990's until the formula changed, it was Sung by Alfred Sung.  It just smelled good on me and people commented on it in a positive way constantly.  Then, it was Escada - the original Escada with its wonderful jasmine.  Then Escada became hard to find. I had  Boucheron, and Fracas when the mood struck me, but neither could be my signature.  So, I'm still looking.

  This year while traveling in Africa, I bought perfume and lotion in Maputo, Mozambique - Givenchy's Ange ou Demon.  I love it!  I don't think it can be my signature, but I am enjoying it.  Notes:   top notes are mandarin, white cumin and saffron which open to the florals of lily and orchid combined with ylang-ylang; rosewood and dense oak moss absolute continue and lead to a drydown of  powdery and sensual Tonka and vanilla. It lacks the jasmine I love so much, but for now, it's the perfect Spring fragrance - not too sweet, and just sexy enough.

  Do you have a signature fragrance?

Note: This is not a sponsored post, simply my own opinion.

It's Going to Be a Blue Spring

Blue for Spring

It's going to be a blue Spring - and I mean that in the happiest way possible. Blue, especially aquas and turquoises, are very in for Spring, and that's good news for most of us since blue is an almost universally becoming colour. Feel that you can't afford any of the new blues in these trying economic times? No worry, it's easy to add a touch of the new blue to your wardrobe without going into a personal recession. Think of accessories:

*Great sunglasses in blue from Jil Sander's new sunglassesline

*Blue jewels (try handcrafted artisan jewelry to get both real jewels and an affordable price)

*scarves - yes, they are very in right now especially if they are long enough to double around your neck and hangdown to your waist. *

*Find a shocking turquoise belt to brighten up the tobacco coloured dress or pants from last year (or the year before)or add it to a pair of light grey slacks.

* Turquoise or blue shoes make a real statement when worn with an all-black ensemble or really many different monochromatic outfits. The good news is that if you can't afford them at first, you're probably going to beable to find these on sale just a bit later in the season.

Always remember that dressing chic is mainly an attitude and keep the attitude strong!

Uh, Oh, Fashion Faux Pas on the Celebrity Scene

Okay, we all can't look like Jennifer Lopez does here - but we can try! Great hair, sexy, but well-groomed. Revealing dress, but she has the body for it. Good make-up, but not overdone. Clear complexion, great smile...she really looks beautiful! How close could you come to having someone say the same things about you - no, not look like Jennifer, not even wear that dress, but have well-groomed hair, appropriate to the occasion, wear clothing that shows off (or reveals ) your body in a flattering way. Make-up not overdone, but applied well, sparkling complexion, clear eyes, and, oh, yes, a wonderful smile (we can all smile!)? Oddly enough many celebrities can't live up to these demands as you can see below.

Courtney Cox has gorgeous deep blue eyes, pretty make-up that emphasizes them without being too much and - what pretty hands! However, I want to scream, "Go wash your hair!" Or is it wet?
If this was a deliberate do, whoever did it needs to go off the payroll, pronto!


They were adorable once upon a time; now they are supposedly on their way to becoming fashion icons. ( I'm not sure why.) I always get them mixed up, so I'll just say to the twin on the right - you look good except for that horrible expression that makes you look as though you just got fat injections in your lips. I'm getting really tired of celebrities pursing their lips this way every time a camera comes near.
To the twin on the right - brush your hair!!! I really chose a pretty flattering picture of these two - there are far worse - mostly involving nightmare hair days.

An animal is not a fashion accessory! Nor should they cost as much as a Hermes bag. Have you heard of the Humane Society - there are plenty of animals there that really need a hug.
(But if you do try this old trick becoming new again of using an animal as a fashion accessory, do please get an animal in proportion to your size; any animal that could get lost in your chest area is not proportional).



Do I really have to say anything here?
Yes, I do.
I wore that same dress in the second grade, only it was pink.
And my mother had the good sense not to make me wear black tights with it.

fashion fashion and beauty blog Jennifer Lopez Olsen twins Britney Spears fashion trend accessories shopping hair beauty beauty problems celebrity fashion don'ts celebrity fashion hair style Sarah Silverman