CONTENTS About the Author... 3 Lesson #1: Know Your Style Score... 5 Lesson #2: Cook Up a Style Stew to Discover Your Style... 6 Lesson #3: Avoid the Buying on Sale Trap... 9 Lesson #4: Organize Your Dysfunctional Closet... 10 Lesson #5: Learn to Shop Like a Pro... 12 Lesson #6: Thou Shalt Not Buy Bits and Pieces... 14 Lesson #7: Get Clear On Which Styles That Flatter Your Figure... 15 Lesson #8: Zero In On Colors That Make You Come Alive... 21 Lesson #9: Choose Clothes in Sync with Your Personality... 23 Lesson #10: Update your Hair... 28 Lesson # 11: Get New Glasses... 31 Lesson #12: Create a Fun Weekend Wardrobe... 32 My Private Stylist... 35 www.fabulousafter40.com 2
Deborah Boland is the publisher of Fabulous After 40, a global online style magazine delivering daily beauty and fashion tips to help mature women Tweak their Chic. Prior to launching the site, Deborah enjoyed a 20+ year career as an award winning Television Producer and Host, as well as top media image consultant. Now, as chief Glam Gal at Fabulous After 40, Deborah believes that life is too short to be Frumpy! She s on a mission to help women 40, 50 and beyond to look stylish and feel confident, because when you look good you feel good and life is so much more fun! Jumpstart Your Style: 10 Little Lessons to Dump the Frump After 40 is just one of the Ebooks in Deborah s Tweak Your Chic style series that teaches you how to dress to look modern, classy and Age-Amazing. Other ebooks included in the series are: Color Me Fabulous: The Colors You Need to Wear to Make You Look Age-Amazing Chic on the Cheap: Tips and Tricks for Building a Wow Wardrobe on a Budget Mother of the Bride: Secrets to Looking Fab When You are the Mother of the Bride or Groom. www.fabulousafter40.com 3
Q UESTION: Thanks, Pam Cheers, Deborah www.fabulousafter40.com 4
LESSON #1: KNOW YOUR STYLE SCORE Are you somewhere between frumpy and fabulous, but not exactly sure where? Take this simple quiz to get a true self-assessment and find out where your image really stands. The Ultimate Image Scorecard Read each question aloud. Then, without too much thinking, rate your reactions. Circle the number to the right that best corresponds to your answer on a scale of 1 (you rate yourself low) to 10 (you rate yourself high). I have great style! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I love the clothes I have in my closet. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 My closet is very organized. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I always shop with a plan. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 When I shop, I purchase complete outfits. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I know which styles suit my body type. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I know what colors look good on me. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I always get compliments on what I wear. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 My hairstyle is flattering and current. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 My glasses/sunglasses look great on me. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 My weekend wardrobe is fun and updated. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 My Score: www.fabulousafter40.com 5
Then total all the numbers in the last column to get your score. If you scored: 88-110 Congratulations! You project a winning image! 71-87 You are on the right track, but there s room for improvement. 55-70 You could be missing out on opportunities and promotions. 0-54 Get help immediately! How did you do? Were you surprised? For more help, read on! LESSON #2: COOK UP A STYLE STEW TO DISCOVER YOUR STYLE The first step in completing The Ultimate Image Scorecard was to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: I have great style. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - I have no style. 10 - I love my style! How did YOU do? www.fabulousafter40.com 6
O.K, so maybe you're no Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Onassis, or any other icon of style. Maybe these days you feel more like Ugly Betty. Relax... I ve given this test to hundreds of women and the results are always the same. A few women feel, flat out, they have no style and never have. A few others think they have pretty good style, but don't have the wardrobe to match. The majority are embarrassed to admit that their style has become no style. If you identify with this last group of women you know that while you may have felt stylish in the past, your busy career, crazy family life, changing body shape and the overwhelming choice of fashions out there has caused you to lose touch. You just haven't had the time to focus on yourself and have fun connecting to your inner fashionista. So WHAT IS STYLE and how do you get it, (or regain it)? Style is the ultimate expression of who you are. It s when who you are on the inside matches who you appear to be on the outside. It's knowing yourself, what looks good on you and sticking to it. In one of my favorite books, called Effortless Style, celebrity stylist June Ambrose sums it up nicely. She says that the key to style is to define who you are and what works for you and transform that into even more of a power statement. How do you discover who you are and what works for you? The best way to get style juices going is by cooking up a style stew. Take these ideas, toss them together and you'll get a big pot of inspiration. Let that inspiration stew around in your mind for a couple of weeks and the result will be an interesting style dish that is uniquely you! Here s how to do it: People Watch Get out of your fashion rut by opening up your eyes and looking closely at what stylish women are wearing. Go to the city, to a mall, to a busy business area. Sit down and study what women are wearing. What styles and colors do they have on? What do their shoes and purses look like? How are they wearing their hair and make-up? What image do they project? Do this and you'll very quickly learn what you like and don't like, what works and doesn't work. Be on the lookout even at Starbucks. Was the woman waiting in line for her Cafe Grande wearing a fabulous coat? Why not ask her where she got it? How flattering for her, and most women LOVE to share shopping tips! Always carry a notebook to jot down what you've discovered. www.fabulousafter40.com 7
Create a Style Binder Ever notice how teenage girls tear fashion photos out of magazines and pin them up on their walls? Whether they realize it or not, they are developing a style map that will guide them through the rest of their lives. If you've lost your way, collecting photos is a great way to get back on the style track. To start your own personal Style Binder you will need a three ring binder and lots of plastic sleeves. Start pulling pictures you love from catalogues, fashion and celebrity magazines. (Don't stop to think about why you like the pictures, just tear them out. A pattern will emerge and the answer will become clearer later.) Add in your notes from your style notepad and any other inspirational bits you find, like pieces of material, color chips, whatever inspires you. Look at this book often. Absorb the styles you see. Explore New Stores Go window shopping! No pressure here, so ignore prices for now and go exploring with your style binder tucked under your arm so you can look at things that are similar to what you've cut out. To shake things up visit stores that are opposite to where you would normally shop. If you typically shop at stores a, b and c, experiment by shopping at stores d, e and f. Don't be afraid to check out some of those fancy high end boutiques you've been too intimidated to go in. We're just looking, remember? www.fabulousafter40.com 8
Also, if you usually head straight to your favorite section (i.e. sportswear), start in a section you're not as big on, like shoes or dresses. If you are a shoe person, start by checking out the belts and scarves, etc. Lastly, if you always shop alone, take a friend or vice versa. Change is good and stimulating. Play Dress Up Once you are in the stores, for heaven s sake, try some things on. Lots of things! Again, No buying just looking and trying on all kinds of things on that you may never had considered. What outfits make you feel confident, energetic or silly and embarrassed? Which flatter your figure and which make you look like you are trying too hard? There's no quicker way to know what like and what looks good for sure than to try it on! Go ahead and ask salespeople to suggest things. Get a variety of opinions but don't take any of them too seriously. Toss them all into the pot. NOW STIR ALL THESE NEW IDEAS AND INSPIRATION TOGETHER AND LET STEW... The answers to your style dilemma will start bubbling through to the top. After a couple of weeks you will have a clearer idea of what you like, what suits you and what to buy. That's the time to TAKE ACTION and start by buying a few pieces. As your confidence increases, style evolves. And don't think you can t ever be stylish because you are on a budget. Style is not a price tag! It is an attitude. LESSON #3: AVOID THE BUYING ON SALE TRAP The next step in completing the Ultimate Image scorecard was to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: I love the clothes I have in my closet. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - I don t love any of the clothes I have. 10 - I love everything in my closet. How did YOU do? www.fabulousafter40.com 9
If you have a closet bursting full of clothes, this question has probably made you realize that you only really wear a few of your favorite things over and over and over. In fact most women only wear 20% of the clothes in their closet. 20%! That means that if you have 10 outfits, you really mostly wear 2. Why? There are several reasons that we don't wear all that is in our closet. For example, sometimes we buy things that don't suit our lifestyle. You buy a silk cocktail dress because it's really cute, when you have three small kids and rarely go out. Other times, we make the mistake of buying a piece here and a piece there and end up with all these pieces and nothing matches. Also, we get stuck wearing the same thing because it's too much work to sort through our jammed packed closet. But the main reason most women don't wear everything they've bought is that often times many of these clothes have been bought on sale. Now it's not your fault you've bought too much stuff on sale. You have been brainwashed. Yes, that's right, all these years you thought you thought you were doing the right thing. You have been frugal. You have been diligent. You have been thrifty. You have ONLY Shopped sales. Too bad no one told you that shopping sales can be a dangerous thing. Why? Because you end up buying things that are a great deal, but not necessarily the things that you really love. You end up buying on impulse. Often, we re so caught up with a great price that we ignore the fact that the piece of clothing is: Not really the right color for us. Doesn't really fit. Isn't really our style. Isn't something we would normally buy if it was full price! So, ask yourself, If the item wasn't on sale would I still buy it? There is a place for sale items in your wardrobe. You just have to be very disciplined and picky when you shop for things on sale. So, here s a shopping challenge: Stay clear of the sale rack. Instead, go straight to the new arrivals and if you find something you love and adore. Then, treat yourself. Remember, you don't really a closet packed full of clothes. It's better to just buy a few really nice, good quality pieces that you adore, instead of buying tons of ho-hum ones! LESSON #4: ORGANIZE YOUR DYSFUNCTIONAL CLOSET To complete the Ultimate Image Scorecard I also asked you rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: www.fabulousafter40.com 10
My closet is very organized. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - My closet is very disorganized. 10 - My closet is very organized. How did YOU do? Many gals who've taken this test are embarrassed to admit that their closets are a big fat mess. They're stuffed full of clothes that they've forgotten they even have and they're stressed and afraid to open the door to that dark abyss that is their closet. What should you do will all that STUFF? How do you know what to keep and what to throw out? Everyone asks me: How long should I keep my clothes before having to get rid of things? Let's be honest. There is no magic number. Just make sure the article in question is in good condition, fits you and it a color and style that is current and flattering to you. Specifically, keep: High quality items like cashmere Classic styles. For example, a classic trench is always in style vs. a poncho which may go out of style in a few years. Any item you love that makes you feel wonderful Get rid of anything that: Has stains or rips White shirts after one or two seasons because they yellow Anything with shoulder pads (the 80's are over!) Clothes that you bought because they were 'practical' but you never really loved Odd pieces that don't match anything www.fabulousafter40.com 11
Also, if you don't use it, make sure you lose it! Tuck away: (somewhere other than in your closet. Get a bag and label it, 'One day') Classic clothes that don't fit you anymore Anything that was really expensive or is a sentimental favorite I suggest that you allow yourself to tuck away only 2 of these special items a year. Finally, never ever hold onto clothes thinking they will come back in style again. Yes, a fashion trend may come back ten years later, but you can be sure it will be ever so slightly different. After all, designers and retailers are in the business of selling clothes! Remember, Less clothes in closet = Happy Closet + Happy YOU. Stuffed closet = Unhappy closet + dazed and confused YOU. LESSON #5: LEARN TO SHOP LIKE A PRO I asked you to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: I always shop with a plan. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - I never shop with a plan. 10 - I always shop with a plan. How did YOU do? Don't feel bad. Most women do not shop with a plan. They're either shopping just for fun, or desperately looking for that perfect outfit and ending up with clothing they don t need or like. No matter which camp you fall into, you can start building a wonderful wardrobe that is fun and fashionable by simply doing a little planning and research. One time, I was walking around Newberry Street in Boston, and while waiting to cross the street we saw this woman who looked amazing. Here we were all bundled up in the cold, and she had on a crisp orange coat, dark green oversized sunglasses, a beautiful navy tam on her head, and a scarf that pulled the entire outfit together. She had successfully put together an attractive and head-turning outfit. Needless to say I took notes! This leads me to Research Find someone who is dressed beautifully, study what she is wearing and copy her look. This could be a real person, a magazine, catalogue or even a mannequin at the store. www.fabulousafter40.com 12
It was no accident that the woman in Boston looked so fabulous looking fashionable takes planning and foresight. This brings us to Shop with a Plan Before going out shopping decide what you want to update, or add to your wardrobe. If you don't plan ahead, you will end up with bits and pieces, and come home from shopping with that empty feeling that you never have anything to wear. Do your homework. Have you ever gone to the grocery store without your shopping list? You probably came home with doubles of things that you already had, or forgot the most important ingredient to the lasagna recipe you had planned to make. Before you shop, make a list. For example, write down the elements you need to put together a look (i.e. the items of clothing and accessories that made up that stylish Boston woman's outfit). When you shop don't worry about trying to find the exact brand or style. It s just about getting the general look and feel of an outfit right. Mix-Up New Trends with Both Discount and Luxury Brands You don t have to be wearing designer or expensive clothes head toe to look great. Mix it up. Case in point the first time I noticed women tucking skinny jeans into boots and then adding a long sweater I wanted to get in on this trend. So, I went to Old Navy and found great skinny jeans for only $30. The sweater was my main focal point so I decided to splurge and buy long cashmere designer sweaters for about $200. After rifling around in my closet I found that I had a great belt that worked with the sweater. So, I was pretty much set. A sale coupon came in from Payless so I went there and found a very comfortable pair of tall leather boots for $95. I put together this great look without breaking the bank. You could use the exact same strategy, skimping and splurging, if you wanted to emulate the Boston woman's look. Style comes in many price points. Choose what matters most to www.fabulousafter40.com 13
you and spend on one item, not all. Follow these steps, start adding new things into your wardrobe and you will feel updated, chic and most importantly you will really wear what you have bought! LESSON #6: THOU SHALT NOT BUY BITS AND PIECES The next step in filling out your Ultimate Image Scorecard was to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: When I shop, I purchase complete outfits. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - I often buy bits and pieces. 10 - I only buy entire outfits. How did YOU do? If there is one shopping habit that is the hardest to break, it is the habit of impulsively buying pieces of clothing here and there with no clear idea of what you'll wear it with. Typically it's what happens when: You are out with your girlfriend and you spot a pretty little t-shirt, and she says, 'That is SOOOOO cute!'...so, you buy it. Or, when you're out and about shopping for a fall coat but you see a 75% off summer sale rack full of mish-mash summer fashions that you can't resist picking through. On a whim, you end up buying a pair of funky canary yellow capris because after all they are a designer brand, but on super discount! Finally, you know you've committed the bit and pieces style sin when you tell yourself (our favorite line that that just cracks us up): 'It will go with jeans!' (We know, we know, we've handed ourselves this line too!) Oh, and of course if it is your FRIEND who is using this rationalization, feel free to throw back your head and cackle like the Wicked Witch of the West. The reason this statement is so funny is that if jeans are the only thing your great find will go with, then you don't need it in your closet in the first place! The real danger of buying bits and pieces is that they tend to collect and multiply in your closet, faster than rabbits on a nice day. The goal should be to fill your closet with only wonderful clothes that work together. www.fabulousafter40.com 14
THE GOLDEN RULE IS if you see a cute piece to buy, make sure you have something to go with it. If you really love it, and it doesn't go with anything, keep shopping until you have found the entire outfit. (The pants, top, shoes, belt, accessories it needs to make it work for you.) Resist that urge to buy just to buy. Your closet and your wallet will thank you. LESSON #7: GET CLEAR ON WHICH STYLES THAT FLATTER YOUR FIGURE To complete the Ultimate Image Scorecard we had you rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement I know which styles suit my body type. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 I have no idea what styles suit me. 10 I know exactly what fits my body. How did YOU do? If you are still unclear try this exercise. Step behind a white sheet and see your silhouette, what shape would you be? Triangle (pear) Inverted Triangle Rectangle Hourglass Round Once you understand and are aware of your body type, your goal is to dress your body to accentuate your best assets and downplay your problem areas and create balance. www.fabulousafter40.com 15
Triangle Shaped (Pear) The Challenge: Narrow shoulders, defined waistline, wide hips with a small upper body. Since your lower body is heavier than your upper body you want to balance your shape by drawing attention away from your hips, thighs and bottom. What to wear: Jackets with strong structured shoulder lines will do the trick. If you want to wear a sweater set be sure to tie the cardigan around your shoulders for extra width. Collared shirts and Boat neck tops are also good. Dark-colored, straight or wide legged pants are best. Boot cut jeans balance the hips. Stay away from pants with pleats, side pockets, drawstrings which add bulk to hips and never wear a tapered leg which will make your hips look even wider. A-line skirts, or skirts that drape softly over the hips in a solid color or small patterned print, look best on a triangular shaped woman. www.fabulousafter40.com 16
Inverted Triangle Think Linda Evans in dynasty days - broad shoulders, narrow hips, undefined waist and larger bust. The Challenge: You need to balance your broad shoulders with your small waist and hips. What to wear: As most weight is carried in the top half, go for v or scoop neck tops which draw attention away from your broad shoulders. Stay away from puffed sleeves. Shorter jackets that flare out slightly at the hips will broaden your hips and balance your figure. Avoid double breasted jackets. Skirts that add volume to your hips, such as pleated or tulip skirts work best. Avoid pencil skirts which can make you look top-heavy. The best pants for an inverted triangle are fitted with straight legs. Pocket flaps on the back will make your bottom look bigger. Play up your great bottom half by wearing pleated and tiered skirts to add fullness. Palazzo pants that widen at the hip to the hem will balance out your shape too. www.fabulousafter40.com 17
Rectangle Shaped Typically, your shoulders, waist and hips are all about the same width. You have no defined waist. The Challenge: Rectangles can wear most anything but look best with some volume added to your bottom. What to wear: Wrap tops and dresses create the illusion of a nipped in waistline. You can wear fun jackets, even double breasted since you are thin. Round collar jackets that skim the waist work well as do belted jackets and cardigans. You likely have skinny legs, so boot cut and straight leg pants are you best choice. A line skirts give your bottom half some shape. Trumpet skirts also add curves and you look great in pencil skirts too. www.fabulousafter40.com 18
Hourglass Shaped Curvy - you have equal measurement for bust and hips with a smaller waistline and shapely calves. The Challenge: This desirable and sexy figure type can be hard to fit. Clothes off the rack may need to be altered to accommodate your Marilyn Monroe measurements. It is a challenge to conceal your wide hips and thighs. What to wear: Fitted, stretchy, but not tight clothing that shows off your curves. Choose tops in soft stretchy materials, and jackets that are fitted and stop just above the hipline to emphasize your small waist. Belts look great on a curvy woman. Typically, you need to buy pants in a size to fit your hips and then take them in at the waist. Solid color flat front pants are best. Choose boot-cut or wide legged trousers with some stretch to conceal wide hips and thighs. Pencil skirts that are slightly tapered will show off your sexy body and a great belt will highlight your enviable waistline. A-line skirts will conceal a round bottom and large hips. www.fabulousafter40.com 19
Round O-Shaped (Apple) Typically, you have a rounded figure with fuller bust and midsection, an undefined waist, narrow hips and shapely lower legs. The Challenge: To conceal your round abdomen. What to wear: You will look best in anything with a V-neck. Empire waist tops can provide good bust support and will disguise a bulging stomach. Keep your tops simple and classic lines. Lots of frills or ruffles add bulk. Single breasted jackets also work for you. Even if you are big on top, if your calves and ankles are shapely and on the thin side, you will look great in A-line skirts that hit just below the knee. This will conceal your round bottom and large hips. Keep pants simple and clean. Stay away from pants with too much detail at the waist and choose plain flat front pants. Pants that are tapered will make you look top heavy, so go for boot cut and wide leg trouser jeans. Fitted sheath dresses and wrap dresses work best for a round body. www.fabulousafter40.com 20
LESSON #8: ZERO IN ON COLORS THAT MAKE YOU COME ALIVE While completing the Ultimate Image Scorecard I asked you to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: I know what colors look good on me. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - I have no idea what colors suit me. 10 - I know exactly what suit me. How did YOU do? Most women score a 5 on this. They know some of the colors that suit them, but they don t know their wow colors. Wow colors are colors that that match perfectly with your skin, hair and eye coloring and make you look fabulous! I also find that after 40, too many women fall into a bad habit of wearing black almost all the time. It s a syndrome we ve dubbed Abundant Black Disorder - when you can t stop buying and wearing black clothing and you fall into a boring black hole. There are numerous reasons why this occurs. For instance, women may not be feeling good about their 40+ body and want to disappear into the crowd. Also, let s face it, black is everywhere- it s the most abundant color around in the stores when you go to shop, so why wouldn t you buy it? But here is the problem. At 40, 50 and beyond, black is very harsh and drains your fading skin and hair of life. Navy or chocolate is usually a softer, better choice or you can just add pops of color to black, especially up by your face where there is the highest contrast. Knowing what specific shades looks good on you can make or break your wardrobe. www.fabulousafter40.com 21
Who will ever forget Nicole Kidman at the Academy Awards one year in that glamorous green silk designer gown she wore on the arm of Tom Cruise? Or Halle Berry in her gorgeous maroon dress with sheer top that made her skin glow on the night she won her Oscar? They re both great examples of knowing and wearing your wow colors. Finding your wow colors involves determining whether your natural skin, hair and eye color is cool (has blue undertones), or if it is warm (has golden or yellow undertones). From there, you discover which seasonal category you fall under. Are you cool: winter or summer, or warm: spring or autumn? Each season has its own unique palette of colors that flatter. www.fabulousafter40.com 22
If you have never had your colors done, chances are that you are not aware of what colors really will perk you up and make you shine. Or, more importantly, if you've had them done, were they done right? One woman I spoke to recently, said she was told 15 years ago that she was a winter. But after draping her in various colors, I immediately saw that she came alive in fall colors. She looked great because she was now wearing a warm instead of cool palette that matched her warm skin tone. When she walked in to the room wearing her new colors she looked fabulous. We saw her, not a shock of color. She wore the colors, the colors didn't wear her, and that's how you know you've got it right. The best way to get a true Color Analysis reading is to leave it to an expert. We suggest you have a professional color analysis done by a qualified Image expert to determine whether you are a Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter and will show you the colors that will make you look Fabulous at any age. LESSON #9: CHOOSE CLOTHES IN SYNC WITH YOUR PERSONALITY We asked you to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: I always get compliments on what I wear. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - I never get compliments. 10 - I get compliments daily. How did YOU do? Not sure if your clothing fully expresses who you are? I ve found that there are 3 parts to looking great. One is wearing the right colors that suit your skin, hair and eyes; the second is wearing the perfect styles that suit your particular body type, and the third is wearing clothes that are true to who you really are. www.fabulousafter40.com 23
You may get compliments by wearing the right styles or colors, but if you add in wearing clothes that reflect your personality, you'll be at your knock-out best! How do you figure out what styles go with your personality? Hillary Clinton - Classic Betsey Johnson - Creative Imagine for a moment Hillary Clinton - capable, confident, and powerful. Now picture her in a vintage, flowery, tiny print dress with ruffles, or in a mod retro 60's mini dress. Now picture fashion designer Betsey Johnson - wild, creative and funky. Can you see her in a conservative pinstripe suit and sensible low heeled pumps? These images just don't work. The clothing we've described is not authentic to who these women are. When you wear clothing that doesn't match your personality you feel phony and uncomfortable which leads to sending out negative vibes. If you wear clothes that express your authentic self, you'll stand straighter, be more confident, feel more relaxed and transmit those positive vibes. The result... a happier you and a wave of wonderful compliments! There are many different personality types and dozens of ways to name and describe them but I relate most to the 7 fashion personality types, as identified in the personal online style program, My Private Stylist. Don t worry if you feel like you may be a combination of 2 or 3 types. Most women are. To discover your style personality, take this FREE Style Personality Quiz! www.fabulousafter40.com 24
Natural Is your favorite item of clothing a pair of jeans? Are you most comfortable in sweaters and casual clothes in natural fabrics that allow a lot of movement? If you answer yes to these questions, you are a natural sporty. Naturals are friendly, informal, unpretentious an optimistic. Their clothing reflects this. Classic Do you have an organized, no nonsense personality? Do you like clothes that are beautifully tailored, tasteful, and appropriate in traditional colors and fabrics? Then, like Laura Bush you are a Classic. Classics have an attitude of authority and reliability. They are seen as trustworthy and loyal. They avoid extremes and their clothing reflects this. www.fabulousafter40.com 25
Elegant Do you love a clean, sleek look? Are you the epitome of refinement, formality and wealth. (Meryl Streep in the Devil wore Prada.) Elegants demand the finest fabrics, perfect cuts, and pay meticulous attention to detail when it comes to their clothing. In all things-only the best will do. Feminine Do you have a soft, feminine, personality? Do you love soft, flowing fabrics in gentle colors and ruffles like Nicole Kidman? Feminine types are romantic, relaxed, caring and gentle. Their clothing reflects this quiet confidence and graceful style. www.fabulousafter40.com 26
Sexy Vavoom! If you have a voluptuous and enjoy showing it off, then you are a sexy woman like Miranda (Kim Cattrall) from Sex and the City. Your style is glamorous, seductive and feminine. You like things short, fitted and bright. You love make-up, big flowing hair and loose flowing hair and dangly jewelry. It matches your confident, seductive personality. Creative A creative dresser can pull together the most unrelated colors, patterns and accessories and somehow make them work. Creatives, like Sarah Jessica Parker, step out of the norm and wear things that are offbeat or vintage because they appreciate artistic flare. Creatives are imaginative, unconventional, extreme and unique like their clothes. www.fabulousafter40.com 27
Dramatic Dramatic women love to be the center of attention. They walk into a room and heads turn. They love black, strong colors and exaggerated shapes. Dramatics need energy and excitement- bold lives and bold clothes. Fashion forward actress Tilda Swinson, is a perfect example of this strong trendsetter type. LESSON #10: UPDATE YOUR HAIR For the Ultimate Image Scorecard we asked you to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: My hairstyle is flattering and current. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1-It s been years since updating my style. 10-My hair is very flattering and current. How did YOU do? If you are unsure whether your hair looks good or is dragging you down, then consider this: nothing will make you look old like an outdated hairstyle. Your hair is your most important fashion accessory and needs to be updated every two years. Also, your hairdresser should always be suggesting ways to change up your look and if he's not, it's time to find a new stylist. Your hair looks fab when... www.fabulousafter40.com 28
Your Cut is Current There really is no one set style anymore. Not since Princess Diana or Jennifer Aniston have we had a real trend setting look that every woman has to have. Longer lengths have been popular for the last few years and will continue, but the look is wavier- loose romantic curls are the newest accessory replacing dead straight hair. If you choose to wear your hair long be sure to have some layers to soften your face ( i.e. Terri Hatcher), or else you will look like you've just stepped out of your high school yearbook 30+ years later! Short styles are always popular, too and bobs that are long on top and short at the nape, pixies and flirty layered hair. Ellen Barkin Chris Jenner Jane Fonda www.fabulousafter40.com 29
The Color Enhances Your Great Haircut and Makes it 'Pop' Lighter, warmer shades are in at the moment, rather than cool and dark. Red and auburn are popular choices, as are rich chocolate browns and cinnamon tones. Blondes are multidimensional using soft tones to add more depth. Gray hair is also in fashion so long as the cut is modern and well cared for not full of fly away coarse hairs. Make sure you keep gray hair shiny. New hair glazes on the market keep your locks looking super healthy and shiny in between touch-ups, no matter what color your hair. Your Hair is Styled in a Modern Way Do I need to mention that old fashioned all over perms are definitely out? Large Velcro rollers give natural curl, or try experimenting with a flat iron to smooth and flip. Make sure you are using up to date styling techniques which can really help you move into the now! Why not book an appointment with your stylist for a hair blow-drying lesson? If you have never had one, you might be surprised with a trick or two that will make a more youthful appearance! Your Hair, Personality and Wardrobe Are in Sync I recently met a gorgeous, successful corporate woman, who was having a problem with this. This gal had a great short, chic haircut and wore cool contemporary glasses that looked fantastic. Only problem- the way she dressed did not suit this look at all. Her clothes were very subtle and understated... mostly very conservative outfits in solid cream or black and really rather boring. She felt she had no style, but in fact it was really only her clothes that were dragging her down I told her she needed to work fixing her mixed messages problem. Her hair was saying, I'm hip and creative but her clothes were saying I'm safe and unassuming. She didn t need to go out and buy all kinds of really funky outfits to match her hair, but she did need to do something to get her clothes more in keeping with her look. We suggested she purchase some classic outfits with a twist. For example, a beautiful suit with some really interesting buttons, a lovely sheath dress in a bright color or bold graphic pattern, or just some fabulous www.fabulousafter40.com 30
statement jewelry to reveal her personality. These small changes would give that much needed congruency between her hair, glasses, clothes and personality. If you want to experiment with which new hair style suits and your style, zip over to this very fun website, The Virtual Hair Stylist! LESSON # 11: GET NEW GLASSES How did you rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this next statement? My glasses/sunglasses look great on me. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - They don t flatter me at all. 10 - They look fabulous on me. How did YOU do? If you've been putting off updating those tired old glasses you've had for years, now's the time to get something modern and hip and that expresses your personality. How do you know which are the latest styles and what will suit you best? Glasses are your most important fashion accessory. They're front and center on your face, giving the world nonverbal messages about who you are and what you stand for. So it's important that your glasses never be cookie cutter average. Your glasses should be as special as you are - a true reflection of your personality. A great example Once, I was with a friend of mine who is an etiquette coach. When the menu arrived, she pulled out her new pair of dark tortoise shell reading glasses with a few crystal rhinestones on the side. How classy, I thought! They suited her perfectly and helped project an image that was modern, chic and perfectly suited to her line of work. www.fabulousafter40.com 31
The first thing you need to think about when choosing glasses is your lifestyle. Is it casual, elegant, or business professional? For example, if your lifestyle is mainly casual you may want to opt for some relaxed plastic frames. Maybe even something funky, and fun in a bold color to make a statement. Rimless or wire frame that almost disappear on your face suit a more elegant lifestyle. For a business types, classic frames in tortoise, black or neutral look most professional. It really is hard to find one frame that works with all aspects of your life, so it's best to own a few pairs that you can change around to match the occasion, your outfits and your mood. When choosing glasses you also need to think about what suits your face. The rule used to be: match glasses to the shape of your face. For example, if you had a round face, buy round glasses, a rectangular face, buy rectangular glasses. But these days the only thing that really matters is that you match your frames to your bone structure. This means fine frames if you are fine boned, medium size frames if you are medium bones, and heavier, thicker frames if you are big boned. For a really modern look, try contrasting your glasses with the shape of our face. Here are some more tips for buying glasses: Buy glasses with blended lenses that don't show the line that reveals you wear bifocal Try titanium frames and polycarbonate lenses which are extremely light to avoid pain from pressure points Skin tone, eye color and hair color are the main determinants in choosing color of glasses. The lighter your skin and hair the lighter your frames, the darker your skin and hair the darker your frames. Gold, beige and warm brown is great if you have warm skin, hair and eyes, while black, gray and silver will suit you more if your skin, hair and eyes are more on the cool side. It is best to look around and try on lots of frames. But when it comes time to buy don't think it has to be from the optometrist. Amazon.com has a surprising selection of modern styles and many are very reasonably priced. LESSON #12: CREATE A FUN WEEKEND WARDROBE How Fun is Your Weekend Wardrobe? The next step was to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on this statement: www.fabulousafter40.com 32
My weekend wardrobe is fun and updated. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - My weekend wardrobe is boring and frumpy. 10 - My weekend wardrobe is very fun and updated. How did YOU do? If you are like most women you probably don't think much about your weekend wardrobe, except for buying the odd party outfit here and there. Since weekends signify down time, many of us assume that applies to our personal style too. But the reality is whether you are running errands, going shopping, seeing a movie with the kids, exercising, going out to dinner with your husband and friends, or even staying home and entertaining, you'll actually enjoy your weekends more, if you feel like you look pulled together and weekend fashionable. How do you spice up your wardrobe to create a weekend look that is casual but fun? Here's where to start: Analyze that weekend outfit. We all have one...that comfy 'uniform' we just throw on, over and over when we are feeling casual. It's usually jeans and a t-shirt, sweats and a favorite top--easy but not stylish. True, Weekend dressing is generally lower key, but low key doesn't have to mean low style! One way to add some pizzazz is start to think of your weekend as a series of activities rather than just one big leisurely lump, and then put together outfits for each one. This summer, why not dump those regular jeans for a pair of brightly colored ones? Instead of the t-shirt, try a V neck top or flowy blouse. You may want to try layering a pretty dress with a soft cashmere sweater. A cute skirt and simple top always looks great, too. How about a Going to the movies or shopping look? Try leggings or capris with a long top. Add a funky pair of flats or wedges, a fun pair of dangly earrings, and an interesting weekend bag and you've got a cool, youthful outfit. It's so easy - comfortable clothes plus attention to detail will take you from weekend boring to weekend wow. What about an off to the gym look? Do you have a brightly colored, pretty lightweight coat? One of these in your closet will hide a multitude of fashion sins. Slip it on over, your workout clothes, with a slip on sandal and you're good to go! www.fabulousafter40.com 33
Dinner with friends look? Now, if you're going to be socializing out for dinner, fun with friends don't be so safe. That's for the weekdays. Dress up a little. It will feel good. Try some sexy heels, a metallic clutch, and some statement jewelry. Hang those pants back up in the closet and pull out a dress. Weekends are a time to really enjoying being feminine. Other great tips on how to have stylish weekends Think of Your Weekends as a Time to Tinker and Test Experiment with new hairstyles If you always wear it down, try it up. If you always wear it pulled back, let it down and add some waves. If you have short hair, try clipping on hair extensions. You'll be amazed what a difference a small change can make in the way you feel and how exciting it can feel to look different for even just an evening. Play With New Make-Up Weekends are a fantastic time to try something new. Book an appointment with a make-up artist at your favorite make-up counter and get an update. Something as a new eye shadow or new type of application, (like a smoky eye) can really change your look and mood and make your weekend look more glamorous and fun. Treat Yourself to a Wow Splurge Shop for a really fun piece that will become your weekend treasure. Try an avant-garde pair of boots, an antique beaded handbag, and an artistic hand-blown glass necklace something that makes you look forward to the weekend and being able to wear it out on the town. Pamper Yourself This is the most important tip of all when it comes to the weekend. If you're going out on a Saturday night, don't rush home at 6 p.m., jump into an outfit and rush out the door. Enjoy pampering yourself long before your dinner date and I absolutely guarantee you'll enjoy your night more. Start a good two to three hours before you are to go out. Lay out your clothes, light some candles, take a long bath, read a magazine, have glass of wine, play with your make-up and hair and then leisurely get dressed, leaving some time to simply primp and fuss in front of your mirror. This pampering ritual will slow you down, get you in touch with yourself, and make you feel like a goddess. You'll not only look gorgeous, but you'll feel gorgeous too and when Monday rolls around you'll feel great because you've had a beautiful weekend. Study My 12 Little Lessons www.fabulousafter40.com 34
So there you have it 12 Little Lessons to Jumpstart Your Style and get you back on the fashion track, at 40, 50, 60 and beyond. I hope we ve inspired you to think more about who you are and how you want to dress for phase 2, as I like to call it. MY PRIVATE STYLIST I ve only scratched the surface on how to get started looking Fabulous after 40. If you want to dig deeper and discover How to Look Stylish Classy and 10 Years Younger, then be sure to check out a cool new style tool I love called My Private Stylist. If you want to look Fabulous after 40, it s not enough to know what s in fashion. You need to know the exact styles that suit your particular figure. No matter what your shape you can look Age-Amazing by choosing the right clothes that play up your best parts and downplay the parts of your body you are not so happy with. You see, dressing is an illusion and once you know how to highlight and camouflage your shape using clothing you will look like a knockout! My Private Stylist is an online style program that allows you to input your exact measurements and receive back a full personalized computer printout of your shape and the styles you need to wear to flatter it. Plus, you get detailed examples of the exact styles of clothing you should be purchasing to look WOW. No more guessing, no more wasting money on outfits that don t flatter your figure. My Private Stylist makes shopping a breeze. To get started order your My Private Stylist report today. Remember Ladies: Life is too short to be Frumpy! When you look good, you feel good and life is so much more fun, and Glam Gal, you deserve some fun! So get out there and start experimenting. I m here to help you Tweak your Chic and look and feel Age-Amazing! Look Fabulous!!! Cheers, Deborah Boland Image and Style Expert Publisher Fabulous After 40 www.fabulousafter40.com 35