Featuring Janna Beatty, Co-Author Of Quintessential Style

Janna Beatty wrote one of my favorite style guides with Sharon White. I learned so much from this book that I thought I would introduce you to the author Janna Beatty. I am turning the blog over to her today to get to know her a little more.

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Janna Beatty in her studio.

      “Fifty Not Frumpy,” what a remarkable blog site. Wow, I was so excited to be invited to contribute to Susan’s blog.  I’ve been working with women for over 30 years, and we all need to be reminded that age doesn’t mean much—it’s all about attitude.

            
      I was recently a guest on a radio talk show, and the host made this comment after reading our book: “I have highlighted something on almost every page of Quintessential Style. I’m 47 years old, and I feel like I’m learning about my style all over again.” This comment has been repeated by hundreds of clients over the years. Mid-life seems to be a transitional time for most--empty-nesting, returning to the workforce, losing loved ones, divorce, and physical changes. Women regularly seek my services during some kind of “shift” in their lives.

Janna shows clients which patterns and prints are most complementary.

      
      When I read Susan’s blog, I could understand immediately why she has such an enormous following. Susan’s story of transformation during mid-life could be any of ours. She went from “now to WOW.”
           
      In the busyness of day-to-day living, we can lose our identities—especially women, who are natural caregivers and frequently don’t take time for themselves. More often than not, when I meet a client, I predominantly hear negative self-talk rather than positivity. “I’m fat, I’m getting jowls, I have wrinkles.”  Their confidence levels are sometimes at an all-time low.

Janna shows clients which colors look best on them.

      When I meet a client for the first time, I see none of that. My eyes focus only on their marvelous attributes: a beautiful smile, high cheekbones, amazing eye color, gorgeous hair.

      Most women engage in too much negative self-talk. And over the years, like our bodies, our hair, and our skin change, we no longer see the vibrancy in the mirror. Our tendency is to envision an older, less attractive version of ourselves. We may begin comparing ourselves to others or who we used to be. It is all very self-critical and detrimental.

      I went through this myself. And even though I am a professional image consultant and have been advising women for years, I had to figure out what to do when I no longer reflected the vibrant, energetic person I once was. After all, it was my job to be the expert.

      I went through what I term in the book as “My Falloff Point.” It means a point I had reached the point where even though I was putting more and more effort in, I couldn’t quite get myself looking as good as I once had.

      I began to learn what was causing my “fall off.” I started putting systems into place to combat the changes. I had to reevaluate my life and ask myself: “Who am I, TODAY?”  I focused on the present, not 20 or 30 years ago.

            

Janna and Sharon co-wrote the book.

      Thus became the inspiration for our book: Quintessential Style: Cultivate and Communicate Your Signature Look.  It was a 3-year project. My co-writer, Sharon White, researched book after book before we began writing. What we found was this: Every book on the market talks about how to dress. QStyle talks about how to dress YOU. It is meant to speak to each individual reader about her life’s journey, no matter the age.  What do you want to communicate? How can you do it? QStyle’s intention is to enable every woman to “see” her magnificence more clearly.

      Susan reevaluated her life at age 54 and made changes to support her wants and needs. Then she went even further to share her journey with the world. Brava Susan! Sharon and I hope we can help women at any age realize that change is inevitable, and you must flow with it. But if you need a little guidance, take the first step and figure out, “Who you are—TODAY?

Janna designs custom jewelry based on color types.

The link below is a special offer for Fifty, not Frumpy readers, to get $10 off the book.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Makeovers4U?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Antelope Ankle Booties

This is such a beautiful time of year to go for a walk in east Tennesse.

My new Antelope ankle booties were the perfect choice for a Sunday afternoon walk. These booties are so comfortable!

They are made from supreme raw leather that was cut by hand! The remarkable craftsmanship shows in every detail on the inside and the outside.

This is my second pair of Antelope boots. I wore my great looking black pair on this blog post. My new khaki ankle booties are the perfect casual look with faded boyfriend jeans, a long sleeve tee, and a soft, comfortable jacket. 

Antelope ships free across the US and Canada!

A Speaking Engagement

The talk at the Johnson City Seniors' Center went really well on Thursday evening. Mr. Mickey graciously agreed to video the event for all of you who couldn't be there.

We learned that my camera is not up to the task. Even though I had used the largest data card available, it wasn't enough to record all of the talk. What we did capture is included in the two YouTube videos linked below.

I wanted to show respect to the people who came out to hear me speak, so I dressed up a bit. I wore black dress slacks from Saks Off 5th with a black tank from Chico's and a slightly fitted jacket by Tahari via Dillard's. The shoes are by Louise et Cie via Nordstrom. The silver necklace is from Cali and York.

During my talk, I featured the perfect long sleeve top, which is from Covered Perfectly. You can shop for it here.

This first video includes Part One of the talk.

Almost all of Part Two of the talk is in the second video below.

It was such a great pleasure to meet so many Fifty, not Frumpy followers and several women who did not yet know about the blog. Many of them stayed afterward to ask more questions and take notes.

Oil and Water

There is always a pretty glass of water on my desk. I sip water throughout the day, and I always take a small bottle of water when I am in the car for any length of time.

Our bodies are about 60% water.

Drinking water throughout the day helped me to lose weight and to keep it off. 

Drinking water helps my skin to remain clear and fresh looking.

If your lips are often chapped, it is likely because you are not drinking enough water.

If you have tummy issues or can't go as often or as easily as you would like, you may need to drink more water.

If you have headaches often or have trouble concentrating, you may need to drink more water.

If you feel sluggish, you may need to drink more water.

Mild dehydration (fluid loss of 1-3%) can impair energy levels and mood and lead to major memory and brain performance reductions.

I can tell the difference in my hair, eyes, and skin quality, and tone when I am so busy, I don't drink enough water for even one day. When I come home from a trip or get up in the morning, the first thing I do is get a glass of water and sip it slowly over the next hour. I feel revived quickly.

Olive oil is perfect to use for the relief of the uncomfortable feeling of dry skin. Just put a few drops in your palm and slowly massage it into your skin. It absorbs in a few minutes, and the salad smell goes away also.

A Dress Three Ways

Do you also enjoy wearing well-made classics that can be worn in a variety of ways?

This very comfortable and versatile corduroy shirtdress is from J.Jill.

I can casually wear the dress with black tights and over the knee boots from Vince Camuto. The crossbody bag was from Ross last year. The opaque black tights are by Yummie Tummie.

This dress can also be worn with a low slung hook belt and high heel ankle boots. Style tip: Never button all the buttons. The clutch is from Express. The belt is from Chico's. The boots are from Saks Off 5th.

For a more continental look, I can pair the shirtdress with a silk scarf and flats.

The sunglasses are by Tommy Hilfiger via T.J.Maxx. The scarf is so old I don't recall its origin. The bag is Italian made via T.J.Maxx. The shoes are by Rockport.

I have always been a fan of shirtdresses! This one will certainly get worn a lot this winter. It comes in two colors, balsam, and walnut which is the color I am wearing. 

You can find similar dresses and lots of other great classics at J.Jill.

Coldwater Creek Tunic

What do you wear on a cold rainy morning after a pedicure?

This look worked for me. The sandals are by Aerosoles, and the jeans are old from Chico's.

This soft and comfortable sporty casual tunic is from Coldwater Creek. Did you know they still have a website, and they still send out a catalog?

Leaf Peeping in North Carolina

Finding a great pair of jeans with just the right amount of fading and a fit that lasts all day makes the search worthwhile!

I wore my new smooth-fit slim ankle jeans from J.Jill for the first time On Sunday. I paired them with a faux suede jacket from Chico's, an old long sleeve white tee, and a large square scarf.

Each fall, we look forward to a long ride into North Carolina's mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway to enjoy the changing of the leaves.

We stopped in Blowing Rock for lunch at the Six Pence Pub and then sat in the park with our scoop of ice cream from Kilwin's. (That is a requirement if you are visiting Blowing Rock!) On this Sunday, there was a live concert by the Watauga Community Band.

We were joined by at least a million other people who had the same idea on this beautiful fall day. That means parking was almost impossible! We had to resort to one of our secret spots off a side street.

Halfway through the day, and my new jeans are holding up to my fit-test really well! No sagging seat and constant pulling up of these jeans! 

After lunch, we continued our journey toward Grandfather Mountain and Linville.

Grandfather Mountain has its own weather. It can be covered in clouds when the rest of the area is enjoying clear blue skies.

The Linn Cove Viaduct was the last section of the Blue Ridge Parkway to be completed. Breathtaking views can be enjoyed from every angle as you travel across this marvel of engineering.

Going for a walk in the woods in the fall has been a joy for me ever since childhood.

This scarecrow in Newland was made from lampshades! Mr. Mickey said to tell you he has never ever worn one of these on his head at a party. I don't believe him, do you?

At the end of a long day of traveling, the J.Jill jeans still fit the same as they did this morning!

You can tell from this photo that I just folded the square scarf into a triangle and then draped it across my shoulders. When I put the jacket on, it holds the scarf in place to not have to tie it at all.

A Celebration!

A dear friend's daughter passed the Bar exam on Friday! That evening we attended a small celebration in her honor.

I wore my black cold shoulder tunic from Chico's with their coated black jeans from last year. The necklace is also from Chico's.

The box clutch is old from T.J.Maxx. The sandals are by Bar III Annetta from Macy's.

Style tip: When wearing a long tunic or oversized jacket, the pants must be long and slim-fitting. The shoes should be the same color as the pants. If you combine cropped wider leg pants with a longer top and a different color of shoes, your legs will look very short.

There are some rules of proportion that you can not break. The outdated rule about not wearing white after Labor Day, you can safely break.

Port Corduroy Tunic

Believe me when I tell you port, merlot, wine, burgundy... any of these colors can be your new best friend.

The deep color reflects nicely against most skin tones and makes your face look rosy and healthy. The trick is to find the right tone.

It is the perfect neutral because it goes with almost every other color. (Except maybe red.)

I especially love this port corduroy tunic from J.Jill. It has structural details in the seams at the sides, and it buttons all the way down the front. I can also wear it as a light jacket with a long sleeve tee or a turtleneck when our weather is cooler.

Corduroy is a great texture to add with suede, and the port looks wonderful with animal print. Style tip: Turn up the cuffs and button only the three buttons in the middle to look more current.

Fringe sandals from Macy's by Steve Madden. Jeans from Chico's. Bag from Express.

J.Jill has long been one of my favorite sources for casual classics. These pieces last for years!

A Sister Day

My sweet sister and I recently spent the day together shopping and having a delicious lunch at 128 Pecan in Abingdon, Virginia.

I am wearing flat shoes!

That's my fabulous friend Karen. She is the owner of Foxglove Antiques Etc. in Abingdon. I always find something special there. When I saw those bronze and marble lidded urn cachepots from across the room, I said, "Come to momma!"

There are so many beautiful objects and quite a large selection of design books in the shop.

The garden statuary behind the shop is not to be missed!

Below is a picture of my living room with the new additions to the mantle. When I see something that speaks to me, there is no doubt in my mind when I buy it. Whether it is urns or a fabulous handbag, I know immediately that I want it. If I have to talk myself into something, I walk away. This ensures that I am always happy with the objects I choose to bring into my life. I don't buy anything now unless it takes my breath away.

On this casual sister day, I wore jeans and a silver-gray tank and an old necklace from Chico's with an off-white blazer from Express. The crocodile-embossed leather satchel via Saks Off 5th. The flat shoes are by Halogen via Nordstrom.