This week’s Fashion Flash has some super juicy over 40 style, beauty and health tips on topics such as:
Via: Fashion Flash Summer Dressing, Beauty and Health Tips!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Fashion Flash Summer Dressing, Beauty and Health Tips!
Via: Fashion Flash Summer Dressing, Beauty and Health Tips!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
What To Wear To The Office In Summer?
Wondering what to wear to the office this summer to look casual, but professional? Here’s a great suggestion.
Summer is a time when you want something that is breezy and easy, so we’ve put together this tropical themed outfit.
What are the key elements that make this look work?
Wrap Dress
A wrap dress is always a great way to look chic, plus it flatters every figure. It cinches in gracefully at the waist making you look really feminine and works to create a faux waist even if you think you don’t have much of a waist left! Most wrap dresses like this are made of jersey, so they follow the curves of your body which are usually getting more prominent as your midlife body gets softer and rounder.
One suggestion here, You might want to wear Spanx or some kind of shapewear underneath to smooth out any lumps and bumps. It will make all the difference in the world.
The most attractive wrap dress sits just above, or at the knee.
Also, if you find your wrap dress cuts too deep at the bust we suggest a simple stretch camisole to wear underneath that softly fills in the deep v neckline. It’s a more modest look for work.
The Necklace
You always want to remember that when you have a strong theme like this banana leaf pattern dress you want the jewelry to be in keeping. For example. pearls or sparkly diamonds would not be in keeping with the tropical, natural feel of this print. This necklace works well because it is chunky and tribal and the colors go perfectly with the pattern too.
The Bag
Again, one could not imagine a serious Chanel bag with this exotic print, or some kind of dainty, flowery romantic bag. This look is fun and and a little wild, so you need something that goes with the jungle feel. This rugged leather tote looks like something you’d imagine Indiana Jones or an explorer in the jungle carrying, and so it suits the tropics fashion theme going on here. Notice the bag is a neutral shade which anchors this dress. A green or yellow bag would be too matchy- matchy and frankly a heck of a lot of color with a dress that is bright and busy.
The Shoes
These wedges are casual and natural looking in wood and raw leather, and again the neutral color anchors this strongly patterned dress. In this case we’ve shown a high pair of wedges. You may not want to go this high and that’s fine, but we just wanted to stress that a wedge is a nice casual, summery look with the dress. A pump would work too but would be more formal and less carefree.
The Total Look
This outfit is very versatile because it could take you from the office to out drinks and dinner on a summer patio. If you did have an important meeting during the day, you could just throw a jacket on over top of the dress to show more authority. It’s summer- have fun with this look!
Have you ever worn a tropical look? Send us a photo. We’d love to post it!
Via: What To Wear To The Office In Summer?
Friday, June 8, 2012
What to Wear In Summer When you Hate Showing Your Legs?
Sue Donnelly loves bright tights with summer dresses
Recently we wrote about How to Wear Dresses when you have unattractive legs. One reader responded by asking, “What if you don’t like showing your legs at all? How do you cover up in summer?’ We turned to our good friend, Image Consultant Sue Donnelly, to answer this in a guest post. Enjoy!
SUE: Yes, this is THE season when women of a certain age bury their heads into their hands and wail – 'what do I do about my legs?' Of course, if you have pins to die for, tanned, lean and going up to your armpits, you can move on. No need at all for you to be reading this article. If like the rest of us, the onset of summer is a nightmare then these tips will be your best friend:
1. The obvious – wear pants. Not very original but totally do-able. Linen pants are a great standby in hot weather, keeping you cool and chic at the same time. Capri or ¾ length pants are really chic and show off a slim ankle without revealing the rest of the leg. Wear with a cute kitten heel to lengthen the leg even more. A shorter length colored jean worn with ankle boots, so there is about an inch of flesh on show, is a fabulous way to be totally on trend if it's not yet in the 90's.
2. Try a midi or maxi dress. I've only just succumbed and I'm already hooked. Midi length is fabulous for petites and for those of you who want to show off your fabulous ankles. Wear with flat shoes, flip flops or a small heel. They never look quite right with a towering stiletto.
3. Thanks to Kate Middleton, we can now all wear 10 denier flesh colored tights without feeling 103 years old. Some even have the added advantage of control panels so your tum, bum, thighs are streamlined too. Choose toe-less if you want to wear sandals. You could even go the fishnet route, as they are cooler to wear in hot weather.
4. Sounds crazy I know but I started a new trend the other year by wearing black, patterned or colored tights with summer dresses and I'm talking 40 denier or higher. It sounds bizarre but actually looks amazing with lighter colored shoes or sandals and is especially good if you are stuck in an air conditioned room for any length of time. Hitch your hemline up a bit to make the most of good shaped legs. Just remember that you choose either a shorter hemline or a lower neckline. Never both. That's just tarty
5. Like it – the tan, I mean. If your legs are just pasty, then this is the way to go. Alternatively, you could show off your beautiful, white skin as long as it's like alabaster and not blue veined cheese!
6. Leggings. These cover a multitude of sins. Wear them under tunics and dresses as an alternative to tights. Adjust the bottom hem so they look good on your legs. Some women look better with them worn nearer to the knee, others nearer the ankles.
7. Divert attention. The oldest trick in the book but it works. Move the focus upwards by wearing a fabulous hat, bright lipstick, dramatic jewelry, a must-have scarf. Your legs won't even be noticed!
Experiment and play. Laugh if it all goes wrong – it's not the end of the world. Pretend it's a new trend, like I did, and then you get to set your own rules.
Like to lean more?
Sue Donnelly www.suedonnelly.com Style for your Soul, Spirit and Silhouette
Via: What to Wear In Summer When you Hate Showing Your Legs?
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
How Do I Accessorize This Dress for a Summer Wedding?
For more tips like this you might enjoy our newest e-book:
How to Dress the Mother of the Bride or Groom.
Via: How Do I Accessorize This Dress for a Summer Wedding?
Gold Sandals -Why theyre a great summer choice
Deb's gold sandals
Deborah: I was at the hairdresser the other day when I complimented my stylist on her new sandals and somehow got into this great conversation about gold sandals and how they are the perfect summer shoe.
After chatting about how much we loved rich metallic shoes I realized that pretty much all my summer sandals were gold!
So I went home and counted. 8 pairs out the 12 pairs I own are gold.
So I asked JoJami, “Is it just me or do you like gold?” Turns out, she has a few pairs herself. Why so many?
1. Gold is a fab neutral - It goes with everything, while black can be harsh an white tacky, brown too earthy gold is perfect.
2. Gold matches my skin- I’m warm spring and it flows. it looks a part of my skin and gives my legs a nice lean line. Even if not warm skinned, anyone with even hint of tan looks fab in gold.
3. Gold looks rich and elegant- not matter how summery I look in shorts, or a sundress, I always feel more elegant with gold shoe. It adds that touch of class.
Will I buy more? Yes, I’ll keep going for the gold. Here are a few new gold sandals JoJami and I found online that we would love to add to our collections. How about you?
Do you have a Favorite gold sandal? Please send us an email and we would love to post your photo.
Via: Gold Sandals -Why theyre a great summer choice
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Does Chocolate Break You Out? Quick Fix for Red Bumps on Face.
Is chocolate causing your skin to break out?
It was innocent enough…I was visiting my daughter recently when I spied a large box of Godiva chocolate that her boyfriend had given her and asked if I could have a piece. She replied, “Go ahead, there is SOOOO much of it!” With permission to go for it, I dove in and tried several yummy nuggets! I don’t eat chocolates like that often so I was in heaven!
However the next day, I awoke with a surprise. Much to my horror, my face had 4 large red bumps! Oh NO!! What had I done…I looked terrible!!
I googled, “Large red bumps on face”…and found that one of the causes can be from food like chocolate especially rich chocolate. I have noticed in the past that after splurging on confections I have noticed my skin react but this was worse than I remember!
The products form Somme Institute feel so soothing and are easy to use!
So being desperate I looked at my stock of beauty products and realized that I had not yet opened some new products that The Somme Institutehad recently sent to us to try. The packaging was simple and clean and the information claimed that it has been tested and proved to work wonders on skin that has discoloration or breakouts. Bingo! ”Let’s hope this works,” I thought! So I got right to work on my skin.
The packaging was color coded and came with a guide on which product to use and in what order. I don’t know about you, but I find most writing on beauty products is so tiny and hard to read and I can never remember which cream to put on first. However, these products are clearly marked and even color coded! Next, as I got to work on my face, I noticed the products were fragrance free and were soothing to the skin. My skin felt wonderful!
I have been using them morning and night now for 4 days and have definitely seen my skin respond quickly! I’m down to only 1 bump and it’s almost gone! After checking out their website, seems that these products are helpful to those with problem skin, sun damage and for those who have rosacea too! They can be found at Nordstrom and on line.
Needless to say, these products get a thumbs up!
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration.
Via: Does Chocolate Break You Out? Quick Fix for Red Bumps on Face.
Fashion Flash: Over 40 Style, Health and Beauty Tips
Welcome to our weekly Fashion Flash!
We Glam Gals are so excited to be a part of this dynamic group of bloggers and one of our newest members is hosting for the first time, please welcome Prime Beauty!
Make sure to click on this blue link and read more on these hot fashion and style tips for the over 40 gal:
What’s the Fashion Flash? This is a our weekly fashion report from the top over 40 fashion, beauty and health bloggers. Every week one of our experts “hosts” the Fashion Flash and link to the full articles of an array of topics. Enjoy!
Via: Fashion Flash: Over 40 Style, Health and Beauty Tips
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Fashion Flash
It’s time to be gearing up for this season’s round of graduations, reunions, weddings and outdoor fun! See what great fashion, health and beauty tips we have in store for you with this week’s Fashion Flash!
The Fashion Flash is our weekly run down of tips from some of the top over 40 fashion bloggers. Here you will find links to them and the full articles on a variety of over 40 style tips and more.
Our host is Jackie Silver from her aptly named blog Aging Backwards!
Enjoy this weeks tips on:
Via: Fashion Flash
Poor Fit = Frumpy After 40!
Are you drowning in your clothing? Do your pants bag? Does your top look like a tent? Go the mirror now. Take a good look. Be honest. Baggy, poorly fitted clothes are a big problem after 40.
You’ve gained a few pounds, you don’t feel really good about your body and you cover up- big time. But you are not fooling anyone!
Big baggy clothes will not make you look slimmer. They will make you look heavier- much heavier than you really are and they make you look frumpy as frumpy can be!
Case in point. Look at the problem with this outfit on the left. The sweater is too heavy and baggy, the skirt too long and loose- rather dowdy wouldn’t you say, but look what happens when we put her into this outfit on the right.- a slimmer fitted sweater with a more open neckline, shorter skirt with nice pencil style. Viola- absolute difference.
Before- baggy
After
Lesson here is poor fit = frumpy.
Embrace the body you are in now and wear clothes that skim your silhouette no matter what your size. Not too tight, not too loose- but just right.
Take your clothes in- men do it all the time but we feel we have to buy off the rack. We give you permission to take something in, or throw it out and start all over. Dump the frump and get the right fit!
Here are some things to think about when you are trying to get the right fit:
1. Sleeves on jackets should just cover your wrist bones when you hangs hang down at your sides.
2. Shoulders of a jacket should sit perfectly straight on the shoulders with no drag or pull to one side.
3. A jacket should not cling or be snug across the back – no horizontal lines across the back or it is too tight.
4. Skirts lengths should be at the knee or up to 2″ above the knee if you have great legs.
5. Side seams on skirts or pants should lie flat and hang hang straight from the waist.
6. The rise is the key fit area on pants. Make sure the crotch is not too low or you will look short, too high and it is distasteful.
7. The hem of your pants should touch your instep in front and gently slopes back down covering half of your heel.
Do you have an outfit that you are not sure about the fit? Send an email and photo to questions@fabulousafter40.com and we will tell you.
Cheers!
Via: Poor Fit = Frumpy After 40!
How to Pick the Perfect Mother of the Bride Shoes
Just imagine, you’re filled with excitement of the news that your son or daughter is going to be married…but then panic sets in when you think, “Oh, what am I going to wear?”
Of course that is a huge issue and we know how stressful the entire process can be when wanting to look your best for this life changing event!
So today we are going to break it down and just talk about the shoes.
You can find the most gorgeous dress but if the shoes don’t complement it, you can really ruin the entire outfit.
Here are some tips we got from Sissy Harris, owner of one of our favorite shoe stores, Peter Kate Shoes. Make sure to check out their website for shoes and accessories. They make shopping easy since their store is well edited and full of beautiful things. You just can’t go wrong or make a mistake at this online shop!
Some things to remember when shopping for Mother of the bride or groom shoes that you might not have known:
For more in-depth tips like these check out our popular e-book, How to Dress the Mother of the Bride or Groom.
This book will take you step by step in helping you find a dress. These tips will make shopping stress-free so you can feel confident that you will look radiant on the big day. The choices can seem overwhelming but this e-book is chock full of tips and tools that will direct you to the perfect style for your body type and personality.
Via: How to Pick the Perfect Mother of the Bride Shoes
Over 40 Fashion Tips: Help with Aging Necklines, Bronzers, Belly Fat and more
It’s our turn to host the Fashion Flash and introduce you to our group of fabulous bloggers who specialize in over 40 fashion, health and beauty topics! We know you will enjoy exploring all of these wonderful and informative blogs! Just click the blue links to read more on each topic.
Here they are:
Black Cat Plus:
The recent agreement among Vogue editors to use healthy models can be a start to affect change and should include the decision to use plus size models which represent women of all shapes, ages, and sizes.
Aging Backwards:
Has one California woman found the Fountain of Youth? Jackie Silver from
AgingBackwards.com spoke to Tamara Yapp, CEO and founder of real food.real
life about her "accidental" discovery.
Menopause Makeover:
More than 70% of women ages 55 to 75 are overweight, is menopause to blame? Staness Jonekos, creator of the Menopause Makeover, has tips to conquer menopausal belly fat.
Fav Over Forty:
Start your summer out right with one of these must-have bronzers favored by Fab Over Forty.
Female Fat Loss Over 40:
Female Fat Loss expert, Shawna K gives some pointers on how you can learn one of the toughest exercises around.
No -Nonsense Beauty:
Now that warm weather has finally arrived, Deb of No-Nonsense Beauty Blog explores anti-aging options for the décolleté
Prime Beauty:
Cindy from Prime Beauty finds a less expensive alternative to her beloved WEN Cleansing Conditoner with the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Collection, in her latest Splurge v.s. Steal!
Une Femme d’un Certain Age:
In case you missed it, here at Fabulous After 40 we asked the question, “What is one of the biggest mistakes mature women make that can cause them to look frumpy and dated?” Are you making this fashion after 40, style faux pas?
Via: Over 40 Fashion Tips: Help with Aging Necklines, Bronzers, Belly Fat and more
Sunglasses After 40 How to Choose the Right Ones
Guest Author: Molly Borter
With summer on the horizon, sandals and sundresses are at the top of our shopping lists, yet many of us forget about the most necessary item: the perfect pair of sunglasses. Aside from offering important protection from the sun , the right pair of sunnies are the icing on the cake for your signature summer look. They take any outfit from mediocre to pulled-together in one swoop.
How do you find the perfect pair for you? By understanding the unique angles and lines of your face.
FIND YOUR FACE SHAPE
Is your face square or circular? Oval or heart-shaped? Sometimes the hardest part of this process is deciphering which category your face falls into.
Here's a quick trick: Stand directly in front of a mirror, making sure to pull any loose hair away from your face. Using a washable utensil—lipstick, soap, or a dry erase marker will work—trace the outline of your face on the mirror's surface. Although everyone's bone structure is unique, most faces fall into four categories: round (circular), square (rectangular), oval (oblong), or heart (triangular).
Take a step back, and try to match your outline with the face shape most similar to yours. You can use these sketches as a guide:
Round
Round faces are characterized by a smooth, circular shape free of harsh angles. Your jawline is round and full, your face is about as wide as it is long, and your rounded cheekbones are the widest part of the face.
Square
Square faces are distinguished by a broad, boxy jawline, with the forehead, cheekbones and jaw being the same width. The sides of your face are straight, and your hairline is most likely straight as well.
Oval
For oval and oblong faces, your face is longer than it is wide with a softly rounded jawline and hairline. Your face is free of harsh angles and is widest at the cheekbones.
Heart
Heart and triangular face shapes are characterized by a wide forehead and long, pointed jawline. Your forehead is the widest part of your face or the same width as your cheekbones, with your chin as the narrowest part.
PICK YOU YOUR BEST PAIR
Now that you've mastered your face shape, choose frames that accentuate your best features.
If you're round: Know that opposites attract. Balance soft lines with harsh, square-angled frames like classic wayfarers or oversized square sunnies. Vintage-looking cat eye shapes will also add definition to soft features. Steer clear from round or oval shapes, which will only add extra width to this face shape.
If you're square: Square faces call for softening up harsh angles. Combat boxy silhouettes with round shapes like oval glasses or always-in-style aviators. Cat eyes and trendy rimless sunglasses will work to soften square faces, too.
If you're oval: Oval faces are the envy of all other shapes, because they can wear just about any frame style! Oval and oblong faces DO need to keep in mind proportion: petite faces need to stick with chic smaller frames, while longer, broader faces can experiment with the oversized trend. Oval faces pull off aviator and wayfarer styles well.
If you're heart: Frame styles that sweep upward will naturally soften the severe jawline of a heart or triangle face shape. Popular cat eye and angular wayfarer frames will not only make a fashion statement this summer, but will highlight this face shape's gorgeous cheekbones.
Guest Author: Molly is a content writer and fashion consultant for Scarves.net. When she's not styling summer scarves or browsing the best sunnies, she loves cooking new dishes, reorganizing her house, and spending time with her precious nieces.
Via: Sunglasses After 40 How to Choose the Right Ones
Over 40 Dressing: Lost weight and now what looks good on me?
I love you site. It has become a favorite!
I am 52 and recently lost 30 pounds. Both my kids will be in High School and I feel like I'm starting life over. I'm a size 6 at most stores and love shopping again. However, it's a whole new world as I'm not 30 anymore and I'm not quite sure what's age appropriate. I am desperately fearful on looking foolish or like I am trying too hard.
I recently purchased a pair of shoes, but every time I put them on I feel like "I'm trying too hard". I'm pairing them with a semi-fitted t shirt with rushing and straight leg jeans (which I've never worn in public for the same reason) or a cuffed Capri jean. Please help me. What do you think?
Thanks so much!
Diana
Hi Diana,
Well first off we want to congratulate you on your weight loss! How exciting to be starting off this part of your life with confidence and a new body! As far as your question goes, a common complaint we hear from women who have lots weight, is that they are confused on how to dress their new figure. But the good news is that we think you are right on track!
For example, we think the shoes are wonderful!
If you want a more casual dressing look and to stay cool:
Via: Over 40 Dressing: Lost weight and now what looks good on me?
Update Your Spring Wardrobe to Look Fabulous After 40
Nude wedges with a cork sole (Peter Kate Shoes)
The other day, Deborah and I were chatting about how our closets had become stuffed full with too many clothes.
We agreed to both get a large shopping bag and start getting rid of the things that we were not wearing. Do you have that problem too? “Give a girl a closet and she’ll just fill it up!” ,as the old saying goes.
Once that was done we started to look around for new things to update our wardrobes.
When you want to look Fabulous After 40, a new pair of shoes or a fun accessory can make an old outfit seem new.
Here’s a shoe we loved that’s fun and goes with most anything. Plus wedges are so comfy. Would you wear this shoe? With what?
Via: Update Your Spring Wardrobe to Look Fabulous After 40
Beauty Tips for Women Avoid Lip Liner Horror over 40
It’s really shocking but we’re still seeing this – women who line their lips too darkly and end up looking like drag queens. We’re always taken aback when we meet these gals. Don’t they realize their lips look harsh and scary?
Now we understand the reason behind it. As we age lipstick starts to bleed, so it’s natural to want to use a nice liner to contain the lipstick, or even to use the liner to draw over the lip a tad and make it seem slighter larger ( It beats injections and getting trout pout) The problem occurs when you can’t see that your lip liner color is so dark and heavy that it sticks out like a sore thumb. Many women who do this wear a darkish brown or pinky brown liner and they’ve filled their lips in with a much lighter color or even a gloss.
It’s hard to talk to these gals face to face without staring at their wild crazy lips.
Maybe these women just need glasses?? We’ll admit that as the eyes start to go applying the right amount of make-up gets more challenging. Or maybe it’s just that these women don’t know any better.
Here are some lip liner tips for you, so you never fall into this strange middle age no-no.
1. Choose a lip liner that is as close to your natural lip color as possible. Just bought Bobbi Brown – ballet pink – and it’s a great shade! See if it works for you.
2. Apply your lipstick first and then your lip liner. This way you don’t have to fiddle around trying to keep the lipstick within the liner border.
3. If you like you can line your lips, then fill them in entirely with lip liner. Next, apply a lip gloss. That’s what we do. Why? We find gloss gives a more natural look than heavy lipstick and filling in the lips with liner makes your gloss stay on much longer.
4. Last tip is, if you do go with a lipstick + liner- make sure lipstick is not too light compared to the liner or too Betty Davis – Baby Jane dark. Too dark a lipstick against pale, aging skin is harsh and haunting. Choose a natural liner and a nice peach or pink lipstick instead of dark red, or heaven forbid, brown or mauvey brown lipstick which looks like you are ready for the funeral parlor.
Do you line your lips? Tell us your tips and tricks
Via: Beauty Tips for Women Avoid Lip Liner Horror over 40
