Wear It Wednesday - Hair and Makeup

Many of you have asked for more suggestions for hairstyles and makeup tips, so I will share a few of my personal successes and failures in general. 

(Sometimes, a bad example is a great teacher!)

Let's review: Hair too short, and the bangs need to start further back. There is too much going on around my face. Smaller earrings and one less collar sticking up and no scarf would have been better, but the jacket is also too bulky and boxy. That dark smudge of eye shadow underneath makes me look harsh.

At 54, I felt as if I was dressing up as an older woman instead of embracing who I am and letting my personality show by wearing what I am comfortable in.

Wispy bangs that are too short and brows that were not filled make me look older than my 55 years. I should have left off the earrings.

There isn't anything from that look that is working. This navy jacket worn with jeans and the sleeves pushed up might work but not in this dowdy get-up.

My hair is way too short above. I am wearing too many knit items. At this age (56 here), I need more structured clothing and softer makeup, and longer, less neat hair.

I am more true to myself with long full bangs and softer, more blended makeup. The black trench coat from Express and simple black heels work with everything, including these Chico's boyfriend jeans.

I'm four years older than the first picture, but I am now a lot more confident and comfortable in my skin.

Now for the makeup tips.

• I never put brown on my face... contour powders or bronzers just make my skin look dirty. A bit of rose blush high on the cheekbone is enough.
• A dark lip color on me is too harsh. A color close to my own lip color to give a bit of color and rich moisture is much better. 
• No lines, shadows, or even mascara on the lower lash line. I wear liquid eyeliner, but I put it under and into the upper lash line only, then follow with a smudge of a dark shadow on the top of the lash line and progressively get lighter as my shadow reaches the brows. Blending is the most important part!
• Another eye shadow trick: My eyes are fairly close together, and as we age, the area at the inner corners becomes darker, so I wear a lighter color on the inner third of my eyelid, a little darker color on the center third, and the darkest color of all at the outer third of my eyelid.
• I don't wear a foundation, but I sometimes wear a tinted moisturizer with a high SPF sun protection.
• Remove all makeup and sleep with clean skin. I put on moisturizers only when I wake up in the morning. Otherwise, I will have breakouts.

I get a facial about once a month. I drink lots of water and eat mostly fresh organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, beans, and an occasional glass of wine. I try to get seven (more like five) hours of sleep every night. Those are my skincare tips.

Wear It Wednesday - What Was I Thinking?

In my late forties, I suddenly became fashion-challenged as I struggled to dress appropriately for midlife.

Honestly! Why did I even buy that top or skirt... much less put them together. I was close to my heaviest here, so wild prints and a gathered gauze skirt were the last things I should have been wearing.

This is my Queen Mum look. All that's missing is a pillbox hat.

This is another type of "What was I thinking?" That five-bedroom house and all that landscaping were way too much for me to maintain. I am so delighted I sold it earlier this year!

When Mr. Mickey and I first started dating, I was forty-nine and wanted to dress appropriately for my age and circumstance, but I had no idea what that meant. I was wearing a chartreuse green wool jacket from Talbots with a brown mock neck sweater AND a ribbed white sweater vest. What was I thinking? Green is a horrible color on me! My hair color didn't complement my skin tone either.

This was a sad attempt at casual attire gone woefully wrong. I put so many hours into my company during those years, I didn't take time to think about how I dressed anymore.

At last! I found my fashionable voice and now feel comfortable in my skin and my clothes. I learned a lot in the last decade. 

I'm happy to share my experiences (even the mistakes) in hopes that it helps you.

Wear It Wednesday, Get Dressed

On a recent weekend getaway, we stayed at the Crowne Plaza Hotel as we normally do when we go to Knoxville.

On Sunday morning, we dressed to go down to the hotel restaurant to have tea and enjoy the breakfast buffet, which includes many fresh fruits.

The dark rinse jeggings are from Chico's. I wore them with a black long sleeve tee from Kohl's. The vintage St. John Country jacket was given to me by my dear friend Mitzi. The calf hair d'Orsay animal print shoes are by Sam Edelman via Nordstrom.

Wear It Wednesday Makeup Tools

How often do you wash your makeup brushes? How long do you keep your mascara?

After I apply my makeup on Friday mornings, I wash my brushes and my Beauty Blender Sponge.

A bath in warm soapy dishwater and a thorough rinse under running water is followed by laying everything out on a clean towel to air dry.

I store brushes on my dressing table, far away from the bathroom. All sorts of bacteria live in the bathroom, so makeup and applicators do not belong there.

I throw out mascara, eyeliner, and eyeliner pencils every three months. Bacteria builds up on these products, and I don't want to chance an eye infection.

Once a year, I throw away old eyeshadow and blush. Makeup changes as it gets older and bacteria grow, so it's good to start fresh.

Never pump your mascara wand into the tube. You cause it to dry out faster.

I recently added this lucite organizer to my dressing table. I love having all the items I use most often at my fingertips.

My dressing table is this little antique desk I bought when I lived near New Orleans a few years ago. 

My parents gave me a small bench.

The best lighting I have ever gotten from a makeup mirror comes from this one by Ott.

I also use this type of mirror with 5x magnifying on one side.

The few minutes you spend putting on makeup each morning should be comfortable and pleasant. Your makeup should enhance your beauty, not cause health problems. 

This is the type of mirror I pack to take with me for travel. I sit in front of a window to put on makeup if possible.

What tips would you share for storing and keeping your products safe to use?

Cali and York Animal Print Bag

Animal print continues to be extremely popular for all seasons but especially in fall.

This animal print Blingiton Bag is from Cali and York.

My love of animal print is no secret. However, I limit myself to one piece per outfit. I also wear it with solid neutral basics most of the time.

Animal prints with many golds in them are not good with my cool complexion, but I do love a belt, shoes, or bag as interesting additions are worn away from my face.

I am wearing it here with black jeans, a gray long sleeve tee, and a white trench coat for a late day lunch with Mr. Mickey.

Be sure to check out all three Wear It Wednesday posts for today!

Wear It Wednesday - Textures

You already know that leather is a big fashion statement this fall.

Have you seen people wearing three or more leather items at once? Too many leather pieces at once can come off as very harsh for most of us. Especially if those items are black.

Combining lighter and darker pieces in suede, leather, fur, or animal print calf-hair is a much more flattering look for most people.

For example, a long cozy sweater with leather leggings would look great, but the same leggings with a leather jacket would be too harsh. Mix up the textures for a more interesting and wearable look.

Wear It Wednesday - Choices

A few years ago, I was about fifty pounds over my ideal weight, and I was ill quite often. My fashion choices were plunging into the depths of frumpy old lady styles. I had given away all of my jeans and cool shoes because I was convinced I should start dressing in a more mature style.

A print knit top with ugly khaki slacks and a strange summer weight scarf to top it all off was my look for our tour of the Barnsley Garden ruins in the early spring of 2010. Check out those sensible shoes.

In 2011 I read the book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It gave me the information I needed to help me make healthier choices at mealtime. 

Over the next few months, I lost more than forty pounds and found my confidence again. My health improved dramatically. I returned to wearing my lifelong favorites, including jeans and solids in neutral colors. I now have many styles and colors of jeans and wear them with attractive shoes almost every day. I am honoring my true self.

The top photo was taken when I was four years younger, but the extra weight and clothing style makes me appear ten to fifteen years older.

The choices we make at every meal, and each time we get dressed, reflect our self-image. Your clothing selection is silent communication with those who see you, but those clothes also send messages to your inner self. Each time I saw myself in a picture or caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror during that earlier time, I was filled with self-loathing. My inner voice would always say, "What has happened to you?" 

It makes a monumental difference when I am at or near my ideal weight and wear clothes that feel comfortable. Not just comfortable on my body but also clothes that reflect who I really am. I grew up on a farm in western North Carolina, so I was always a bit of a tomboy. Floral prints, dresses, and ruffles are entirely against my nature.

The moral of this post is, wear what makes you feel comfortable. Wear what reflects your true self. Don't try to fit anyone's perception of what is right for you. Be your best self, and celebrate who you truly are every day.

The black jacket, white tank, and jeans are from Chico's. The belt is from T.J.Maxx. The shoes are by Nine West from Ross. The bag is from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, NC.

Wear It Wednesday - Jeans

Jeans are one of my all-time favorite items of clothing. That being said, they provide a lot of frustration for me as well.

The jeans I am wearing above are the least favorite pair in my closet. The trendy gray/brown "dirty" tint to the wash and the slouchy fit is not flattering.

Mr. Mickey and I were going out for bagels and coffee, so I thought I looked OK until I saw this picture. The jeans are now in the To-Go Bag!

Trends in jeans are not always a good idea for us ladies of a certain age. These Junya Watanabe jeans are $1,165!

While they might look cute on an eighteen-year-old, they certainly would not be right for this fifty-eight-year-old.

These Atlantic Sea dark wash jeans would be a much better choice for most of us.

The slim straight leg allows me to wear heels or flats with them—jeans by Chico's.

If you wear loafers or other flats or perhaps boots with your jeans, you might enjoy a boot cut pair of jeans. Note: I wear athletic shoes with jeans or yoga pants ONLY when running or walking for exercise in the neighborhood. 

These jeans are Levi's.

In most cases, jeans with a jacket or a nice sweater are perfectly acceptable in most situations. I would never wear jeans to a job interview, to a court date or a business meeting, to a gallery opening, or to the symphony. Nor would I wear them when giving a dinner party, to a wedding, or a funeral.

Some of my favorite jeans are Talbots, Chico's, Not Your Daughter's Jeans, Michael Kors, Kut from the Kloth, and Levi's. I look for straight legs, a dark wash, and no embellishments. When buying jeans that stretch, I buy a size smaller than I normally wear. After I have them on for an hour, I am so glad I did.

I usually add a third element, such as a jacket, a vest, or a cardigan, when I wear jeans. I feel more appropriate and also much more comfortable.

Not all my jeans are blue. I love black jeans most of all, but I do have lots of white and on occasion, I have worn brown or red. The tone on tone patterned jeans below was out of character for me, but I like them.

Speaking of white jeans or white jackets... I wear them all year long in dry weather. No white after Labor Day is an incredibly outdated fashion rule.

Wear It Wednesday - Casual

The first thing an image consultant will ask you to do is make a graph showing your wardrobe needs for your lead's lifestyle.

I am often asked what I wear for casual days, but it is a rare day that isn't filled with appointments or social functions. 

Today I will share some casual looks and my thoughts on why they work well or maybe not so much.

On a recent Sunday, I did take the day off to rest and read. With nothing more on the agenda than going to pick up a pizza, I am barely even wearing any makeup.

If I wear capris or cropped pants, I wear a platform or wedge shoe. This style of pants is very unattractive on most people, and flip flops or other flat shoes will make the legs look really short and thick.

Do you believe that a long tunic covers everything?  Unless you have a tiny flat behind, this is a flawed theory. The back of the tunic actually shows the bottom you are trying to hide even more.

A much better option is a long jacket or waterfall cardigan with movement and an open front. The layers are much more flattering because your body is no longer cut into distinct blocks. The eye is moving over the whole look rather than focusing on the one thing you are trying to conceal.

If the jacket or top ends about two-thirds of the way down the bottom, it is much more flattering. The legs look longer, and the behind looks smaller.

Wear It Wednesday - Packing

Packing to go away for the weekend has always been a challenge for me. I bring too many dark pieces, or else the pieces I bring are wrong together and or look wrong with the shoes I brought.

My selections for this trip served me very well. I know from experience that a day spent with Mr. Mickey can involve two or three clothes changes, so I brought items that could be worn in several combinations.

Inventory for this trip:

Jeans: 1 black, 1 blue, 1 off white, 1 black waxed (leather look) All jeans from Chico's.

Jackets: 1 black (from Express), 1 red (from Nordstrom)

Tops: 1 white tank (from Chico's), 1 white blouse (from Express), 1 denim/chambray (from Chico's), 1 black (from Chico's), 1 sequined blue dressy top (from Chico's)

Shoes: Animal print booties (from Nordstrom), black pumps (very old ?), nude heels (Jessica Simpson from T.J.Maxx)

Bags: Dove gray Calvin Klein (from T.J.Maxx)

Gray evening clutch (old from T.J.Maxx)

I wore basic jewelry in silver tones that I could later wear in combinations or alone.

The jackets were placed in a hanging bag, but the other items fit into a DVF weekender bag I have had for many years. (As seen in this photo from an earlier blog post.)

When packing, I considered the fact that we would be having dinner for two evenings and that we would be attending a play at the Barter Theater. Casual items would be fine for daytime activities such as shopping or breakfast, but I needed to look a little more put together for dinner and the play.

From the other blog posts for this week, you can see how I wore this mini wardrobe in different combinations to look appropriate for various activities.

I hope this post helps make packing for your next trip a little easier.

Wear It Wednesday - Prints

These pants are one of the very few print items I bought this year.

Prints are memorable, and they limit the outfit combinations they can be a part of. I rarely even look at them when I am shopping.

These pants were at the end of the summer clearance rack at Talbot's. This will be the only time I wear them this year, so at less than $20, I didn't mind buying them to wear to my family reunion. The look is fun and comfortable for lakeside activities at the beautiful home of my cousin.

The top is from Chico's. The shoes are from T.J.Maxx.

These photos were shot by Mr. Mickey in the historic old town section of Johnson City.

This is an alternative shoe suggestion for those who don't wear heels or wedges.