Sunday, November 30, 2014

Holiday Gifts for Women Over 50



Am I the only American who wasn't out shopping this weekend? Probably not, but do wonder sometimes. I'm well aware that I am missing out on huge savings by avoiding the "Black Weekend" sales. On Friday, the New York Times was so thick with store circulars it looked like the Sunday Times. Every year I'm tempted to venture out to the stores, but then visions of crowds and chaos keep me at home, where I wait patiently for Cyber Monday.

I love Cyber Monday. I love shopping and saving on holiday gifts, while enjoying the peace and solitude of my home. Over the weekend, I made up a list of gift ideas for my girlfriends, sisters, and sister-in-laws over 50. This afternoon, I did a little pre-Cyber Monday search of the items to see if they were on sale anywhere. I was pleased to find that many (though not all) of my gift ideas are either priced below $50 or are reduced to under $50 during Cyber Monday sales. For example, these perky red Valloire Dotty Gloves are $48.

For my gift shopping list for the women over 50 in my life,  scroll down. And for links to many of the Cyber Monday sales, visit On Sale.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Still Learnning: My Role in the "Am I Pretty or Ugly?" Trend

Girls are skipping classes on days when they don’t think they look good. Young women are skipping job interviews for the same reason. Girls and young women are posting videos on YouTube entitled "Am I Pretty or Ugly?" and asking strangers to rate their appearance. (If you haven't seen one of these videos, visit YouTube and search "Am I Pretty or Ugly.") Our cultures obsession with appearance and the definition of beauty is preventing our girls and young women from reaching their potential. This is not a new topic and lots of educational programs have been created to help girls and young women learn to value themselves for things other than their physical image. Unfortunately, research shows those efforts aren’t working. And I may be partly to blame.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Fall Work Outfit: Long Sweater and Skirt



November 2014 has been a particularly fickle fall month in terms of temperature. In the course of one week, I've grabbed a wool coat one day, a down jacket another day, and, yes, just a sweater on still other days. I hate to admit it, but the eradicate weather has made me a slave to checking the temperature on my phone before getting dressed each morning. Today, the weather people were predicting a high of 58 degrees, so I reached for a long sweater to wear to work. Long sweaters have become a wardrobe staple for me. I love the way you can dress them up with a skirt for work or dress them down with jeans for the weekend. For today's work outfit, I paired an long, patterned sweater with a white blouse and a black vest, skirt, tight and short boots for work(above). All that black helps to create a slimmer silhouette, but the patterned sweater keeps the look from being too severe. FYI: Tomorrow the weather people are predicting snow for my area.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Still Learning: Toothpaste's Menacing Effect



Warning: Toothpaste may be hazardous to your clothing. That's the lesson I learned recently. Was the garment--my black lace blouse (above)--ruined? Not in my opinion. However, I will be more careful about when and how I brush my teeth in the future.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Probelle Nail Repair: Help for Damaged Nails



Thank you Probelle for letting me try your nail repair products!

I like to wear nail polish. I don't wear it all the time, but I do go through a nail-polishing phase for three or four months every year. The minute I stop polishing my nails, however, I have to deal with the punishing effects of nail polish. The polish seems to zap the moisture out of my nails, leaving them chalky dry and rough. A sad sight, indeed. In the past, I've worked my strongest-acting body cream into the nails to restore the lost moisture. Eventually, the nails return to a healthier state.

Six weeks ago, after nail polishing during the spring and summer months, I stopped polishing. As usual, my nails looked awful, like frosted window panes on a bitter cold winter day. Instead of reaching for the hand cream, however, I tried Touch 'N Glow ($14.00) nail repair formula by Probelle. The 'Touch 'N Glow' formula has been developed to repair and restore damaged nails, especially thin nails prone to cracking, splitting and breaking often. My nails aren't particularly thin and they don't crack or split. However, I was hoping the product would restore my nails' natural color and moisture, and help them grow.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Houndstooth: A Fall Favorite



There are certain prints I can't imagine ever banning from my wardrobe. Houndstooth is one of them. I was a teenager when I wore my first houndstooth print garment--a jumper. Suffice it to say, there have been many, many tops, skirts, scarves and more in the favorite print since then. Houndstooth is simple, classic and easy to style, which makes it a great look for women over 50. Scroll down for a sample of houndstooth print fashions and accessories.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

7 Tips For Styling A Monochromatic Look



Cyndee, a Flattering50 reader, recently wrote: “Do you have any tips on monochromatic looks for over 50 gals? I think it looks very elegant and can fit any budget.” Wow—I couldn’t agree more! Since turning 50, I don’t think any other look has influenced my style more than the monochromatic look. I'm mad about monochromatic styling, which basically means creating outfits with pieces from one color group, because it's...
  • Flattering—During my 40s, my “uniform” was a bright top with a black skirt or slacks. It took me till my 50s to realize that pairing contrasting colors cut my figure in half at the waist. With the monochromatic look, the color scheme is constant from shoulder to hem. That continuous line of color is slimming and elongating. 
  • Sophisticated—I love the monochromatic look because it is simple, subtle, and classic. Yes, it’s a flattering look for women of any age. However, I feel monochromatic styling exudes the quiet confidence of women over 50 who know what they want from life. 
  • Affordable—While my over 50 girlfriends and I wear clothing in a mix of colors, there are certain shades that predominate our wardrobes. With some many pieces in the same color or shades of the color, creating monochromatic looks is pretty easy and inexpensive.
As usual, I don’t pretend to be an expert, but I’m happy to share with Cyndee and you what I’ve learned by experimenting with monochromatic styling.