Spring Wardrobe Update

April 13, 2012 By 8 Comments
Photo of blossoms in tree

A new wardrobe of beautiful blossoms for a bare tree

Spring is here! Flowers are showing up, trees are blossoming with new growth. It’s time for us to join in the promise of beauty this season. In other words, it’s time to update the clothing in our closets!

The urge to purge seems to show up every spring. Perhaps it’s that inspiration to start fresh after the heavy winter season begins to fade. Maybe it’s because the beautiful blossoms, gentle rains that make everything sparkle when the sun shows up, compel us to follow nature’s calling to start anew.

When clearing clutter, many of us head for our closets, ready to store the heavy clothing and start looking at spring and summer clothing.

There are many ways to clean your closets and update your wardrobe. This year, how about trying something different? How about listening to what your clothing is telling

you? It will make a huge difference in how you decide what to keep and what no longer serves you. The labor is short-lived compared to the joyful feeling you get for the rest of the season. Here’s what to do.

  • As you go through your wardrobe, try on your clothing and ask, “What is this outfit telling me? If it’s saying, “You look fabulous,” create a “Fabulous Pile.” Another way to do this is to ask yourself, “How do I feel when I put this on?” Take a good look and decide why you look so good. Is it the fabric? The fit? The color? Probably all three.
  • Does an outfit say, “You look sloppy and I don’t flatter you?”  Was it a bargain? Was it a gift? Was it a last minute buy? Has it simply seen too many washings? You can learn a lot from this pile. Put this in your “Toss Pile.” (Toss means give, consign or throw it away).
  • If the outfit tells you, “It’s okay to wear this. It’ll do,” ask what it needs to make it pop. Maybe it needs alterations or maybe it needs great accessories. This goes into the “Update Pile.”
  • Then there’s the “Someday Pile,” You know the one! That’s the one with clothing we want to get into some day soon. This one may be say, “Watch your diet, start exercising, cut out the sugar, chocolates, fries, etc. Ask yourself why you want that “someday” outfit and how badly do you want it. I had a “Someday Pile” that I finally put into the Toss (aka give away) Pile. I figured that after 5 years it didn’t matter how much I paid for it. It was dated and I’d never be that shape and size again. It also gave me an excuse to buy something I needed and could wear immediately.

Wardrobe tip: When you clear the clutter in your closet, you’ll make space for something that makes you feel significantly wonderful.  Because that’s who you are, that’s what you should have. So when you buy something new, buy it only if it tells you, “This looks significantly wonderful on you!” Keep that as your new shopping motto.

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What we can learn from the Academy Awards

February 27, 2012 By 8 Comments

Did you watch the Academy Awards last night?

Because I’m a single woman I like to invite other single women for a night of snacks and fashion gossip. It’s a fun way to view the Oscar night fashions and ooooh and aaaah over their impossibly perfect figures mostly clad in almost painted-on gorgeous gowns. Mostly the gowns were beautifully simple with only a couple of them bordering on indecent exposure.

This was the first time, though, that I felt inspired at the richness and depth of the older actors who respect their craft and continue to perfect it. It gives me hope that as a society, we’ll someday get to the point where becoming older (and who isn’t!) is respected and admired as much as it is in other countries.

Best Actress Academy Award

Best Actress Academy Award (Photo credit: cliff1066™)

Throughout the years, on and off, I have watched some great Oscar nights and quite a few disappointing ones. Last night, I thought, was one of the best but what moved me want to write about it was Christopher Plummer winning theBest Actor Award at age 82!

Just shows that doing what you love, continuing to learn, and taking a few risks is what makes for an award-winning life.

In my last article I wrote about all the things I noticed about aging as Meryl Streep played Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Whether or not you’re a Streep fan, there’s no doubt that she’s a sensational woman who takes on roles that expand her talents. The makeup that transformed Streep into the young Thatcher and old Thatcher, Oscar also went to her makeup artists, Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland. Well deserved for the job they did. I also noted that many who received awards said it was a life dream come true.

The motivation to write this is also the question, “What can we do to make our own lives worthy of an Oscar?” Not necessarily aHollywood-type one, but a personal, perhaps spiritual or loving, award from family and people whose lives you have touched.

Here are some thoughts I got from last night’s performance.

  • If you have a dream, do what you can to make it come true. It will take work, mostly pushing away those gremlins whose only job is to create fear in your mind… to protect you, of course! You may need to confront or push them away daily, maybe even hourly! The idea is to take some action to make your dream a reality. It’s also evident that it’s important not to become too attached to the outcome but to steadily move yourself in the direction of what you want. An example of this is in Streep’s acceptance speech (see link below). Why? When we become attached to the way we want things to be in the end, we close off some of the other blessings that may come our way. Also, we can become discouraged, while moving toward your dream and taking action will bring more inspiration through daily victories.
  • Do what you love and keep doing more of it. This can be a struggle for some as we love to do too many things. Sadly, too many of us don’t do what we love and feel we’re stuck in a no-win situation. The truth is that the only person who can “unstick” us is ourselves. When we invest our time on things that truly matter, the outcome will always be rewarding. spending time on things that don’t matter in the long run, can trigger a bout of procrastination, something I can personally vouch for.
  • Work a bit harder to create the healthiest body we can. Trying for a perfect shape is not as important as it to try for perfect health. We only have one body and it’s ours, like it of not. If it was somewhat abused over the holidays and it’s still gasping for air, hoping to be rescued, right now is the perfect time to take care of it. For me, it means getting off my butt, moving out of my comfortable chair, stretching and walking. It doesn’t have to be excessive, it just has to happen.

Do you love what you do and do you have a dream? If you want to share it with us, we’d love to hear about it.

 

 

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10 Ways to Look 10 Years Younger

January 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

So much of looking younger is thinking and feeling younger. Our faces, bodies and attitudes are what create a total, youthful package.

I recently saw Iron Lady with Meryl Streep. I think she is an absolutely a fabulous actor and watching her on screen as she depicts Margaret Thatcher, was a marvel. I watched the way she walked, her posture, to say nothing of her incredible makeup and saw how she carried herself as a young, confident Thatcher and as the older Thatcher. It’s an insightful look at youth and age in one film.

English: Margaret Thatcher, former UK PM. Fran...

Margaret Thatcher Image via Wikipedia

Here were my thoughts on looking younger as I viewed the film:

  1. Posture: The way you carry yourself tells a lot about your persona, age and attitude. Holding your head high and your back straight goes a long way toward looking and feeling younger.
  2. Dress: A youthful look dresses to body shape, emphasizing the best features and curves. The difference in her dress as a young Prime Minister compared to her later wardrobe was a great example of this.
  3. Makekup: As so graphically shown in the picture, makeup can transform your looks. That being said, I notice that heavy, thick foundations, don’t hide wrinkles. When you look at the makeup on Streep as the old Thatcher, you immediately see that there’s no way makeup could hide all the wrinkles and lines. The lesson here is to ignore the lines and work on the best features.
  4. Choosing Your Basic Makeup Go for sheer foundations that even out skin tone. Use concealer subtly and in the same color as your skin. Bright spots covering dark ones only shout SPOT! SPOT! SPOT! As we get older, our skin loses some of its color, but go lightly on blush and stay away from  purple or orange blush. Purple blush can look like you’re bruised and orange or coral blushes scream FAKE! FAKE! FAKE!
  5. Skin: A good moisturizer and sunscreen are your best allies. Dried up skin is not youthful.
  6. Lipstick: Yes, I know bright red is the new retro color. I think we’re retro enough already, so stick to the rosy ones but do wear something even if it’s a light gloss.
  7. Teeth: Healthy teeth and gums create lovely smiles, your biggest asset. Smiles and laughter are youth enhancing. Smiles can change your entire demeanor and leave a delightful impression, often enough that age is not even an issue.
  8. Hair: Ah…my nemesis! This would take an hour to write about but for now, just make sure it’s shiny and clean and has a flattering cut. Color and style again is something that news headlines are made of. The different ways Streep’s hair was styled for the different ages was brilliant and interesting to observe.
  9. Voice: Work on keeping it strong and clear. Sing even if it’s off key (in your car or shower, please:) and breathe deeply.
  10. Move Your Body: Sometimes feet, arms, legs ache. The key here is to find out what that’s about and then find good therapy for that. For a while my legs and back ached and it was sometimes hard to walk. A few trips to a physical therapist took care of that in a very short time.

Let me know if you have any other tips or if you have comments on anti-aging ideas. And if you enjoyed this article, I would LOVE it if you would “like” and” tweet” me. Simply click the icons below this blog.

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Summer Skin Care Tips

July 1, 2011 By 6 Comments


Picture of sunbathers at the beach

Baking in the Sun

Ready for some fun in the sun?

With the rain and cloudy skies this month, true summer hasn’t shown its sunny side yet. While walking by the water a couple of days ago, I realized that even though the sun isn’t showing its full force yet. it can still do some skin damage. I was glad that I routinely apply sunscreen the way I apply my moisturizer, all the time.

Here’s why. After years of ignoring the warnings, I noticed brown spots, bigger than freckles, slowly appearing on my face. They were more the size of almonds and I got concerned about what they were. A trip to the dermatologist who burned them off with liquid nitrogen made me get religion!. I had the mistaken belief that because I have olive skin, I wouldn’t have a problem with a lot of exposure to the sun. I also didn’t realize that sun damage to your skin is cumulative. The skin on my face still reflects the carelessness of my younger days.

Sad but true, as we get older our skin becomes dryer, more fragile, and is more easily burned in the sun. It’s still a shock to me how many women boast that they do nothing yet complain about or ignore the lines, spots and wrinkles that inevitably show up.

Now I’m a believer! The two best anti-aging skin care products are a good sunscreen and a daily moisturizer. If you simply make a habit of using sunscreen under your makeup, or even without makeup, you will go a long way to keep the sun from damaging your skin.

We sometimes take our skin for granted and forget that we have only one face and and our skin reflects the care we give it. After all, we want to look youthful for as long as possible. More than that, it’s a way help prevent skin cancer.

FIVE TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM SUN DAMAGE

  1. Some makeup boasts sunscreen at 15, 20 or even 30. That’s not enough to protect your skin because ideally, makeup should be applied very lightly.
  2. Check the ingredients and AVOID: oxybenzone or vitamin A. Neither are healthy for your skin and could cause more damage.
  3. Don’t trust the SPF that’s too high (the number is length of minutes you can spend in the sun before reapplying) and make sure it has UVA protection. Regardless of the SPF, being in the direct sun for 70 minutes can still do harm to your skin.
  4. If you’re going to be in the direct sun, wear a hat that will give the biggest amount of shade possible.
  5. During the summer weather, if it’s hot and humid, you may not need a moisturizer as well as a sunscreen. Wearing both, unless your skin is extremely dry, can clog the pores on your skin.

Three listed below have no harmful ingredients as rated by EWG…the Environmental Working Group that researches chemicals in consumer products.  Their site is: http://www.ewg.org/

  1. Kiss My Face All-Natural Sun Sticks, SPF 30
  2. Tropical Sands All-Natural SPF 30
  3. Badger Sunscreen and Baby Sunscreen SPF 30+

Take a look at their website article that lists questionable or worst offenders. It has great information and ratings on the safety of chemicals used in products consumers buy.

___________________________

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Bored? 5 Ways To Leave The Bored Room

June 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When life becomes boring, what do you do? When a job or task becomes boring, what do you do?

Boredom, and its close cousin, comfort, can be debilitating.

Where does boredom come from?

Many places. Lack of sleep, lack of goals, and absence of challenges, loneliness, maybe even a poor diet! I believe that the absence of challenges in your life will quickly turn into boredom, loneliness and low energy. It can also take on the mantle of depression.

We spend a lot of energy trying to get to a “comfortable” place. What drives us is the search for comfort is part of the human condition. We work all our lives to get there. When we feel successful at overcoming obstacles to get to a level of comfort, we forget that it’s the search that keeps the juices flowing whether we succeed or fail.

I’m not talking about physical comfort, such as climbing into your own bed after a hard day. What I’m addressing here is that boredom that leaves you saying, “Is that all there is?” or that feeling of “I hate what I’m doing,” or “I don’t have the energy to do this.” It’s that listlessness that we see in teens when their chief occupation is watching TV or texting. There is no real connection to another except for the electronic relationship. Personal connection with others is so very important in keeping boredom at bay.

The cocoon

It’s easy to settle into a cozy cocoon and stay there. I find myself slipping into that spot quite often. It’s nice. It feels good. If I stay in there too long I find myself gaining weight, looking awful and not moving very much. The parts of my body that are already going south take a fast trip to the bottom. To quote Alan Caruba, who once created a media spoof called The Boring Institute,  “Boredom is your mind demanding to be “fed”, “stimulated”, fulfilled in the same way the body must be fed and for the same reason we explore different foods as opposed to eating the same thing every day.”

So if you’re bored or your life has become boring, here are some suggestions based on what has helped me, of course.

What to do

  • Create a master list of all the things you want to do to and tackle them one at a time. Idle time is greatly overrated.
  • Start something new. Have you wanted to learn a foreign language, or learn pottery, or do some other craft?
  • Join a group where people have similar interests to yours, such as book groups, writers groups, artists gatherings, etc. Take a leadership role or become truly eng
  • If you have those boxes of pictures you haven’t opened for years, start with one box and start getting rid of duplicates, people you no longer remember, and divide them up to send to friends or relatives who might want them. Another option is to have them scanned into CD’s for easier storage.
  • Use your creative juices to turn a favorite, not so healthy recipe, into a healthy one.

The most important thing about all of this is to put your own self into it. If I’m doing something because I think it will please people, I do what I think they want and I’m left out of the loop. But that’s another article, and one I’m qualified to write because I’m a people-pleaser in recovery.

Till next time…be sensational!

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Dressing for Leadership Interview

May 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Today I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Bea Fields about my upcoming program, Sensational You! Bea Fields is a top leadership coach, author, speaker and teacher, who works with high-level executive leaders in high growth companies, so I’m honored that she wanted to interview me.

She’s an insightful interviewer and it was fun to see and comment on the slides of some of the world’s most famous women and to discuss what statement each of their images projects.

To hear the interview and to see the slides, go here.  It’s in a Fuze Meeting platform, so open it, wait till it loads, sit back, watch, listen and enjoy.

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Do Anti-Aging Products Really Work?

May 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Have you noticed how many anti-aging products are on the market? Each “serum” or cream promises to restore youthful beauty. You’ve all heard those enticing commercials, “In only two weeks you’ll look 20 years younger…and “If you call today, you can have a free trial for only $19.95! and if you call immediately, we’ll double the offer.” What? Beauty and a Bargain? These ads are powerful and huge moneymakers.

Why? Because most women (and men too…but that’s a different story) want to retain the beauty they have enjoyed in younger days. Some products actually do provide quality; however, what to try is always the question, especially if you’re curious. They all tell us that we can drink from the fountain of youth (with shipping and handling, of course).

So, do anti-aging products really work? The answer is a big NO, if you want to look the way when you were 20 or 30. Some products do provide some comfort and probably some improvement in overall care…skin, hair, body, etc., and it may be what you want. A youthful appearance, however is in the energy and confidence you have in who you are.

I’ll admit I’ve ordered a few “bargains,” a couple of offers that I was really pleased with (and still order and would recommend) and a couple that I returned. If you really are intrigued with a product and you decide to order it, check out their return and cancellation policy, actual shipping charges and how to get product help.

The phrase, “anti-aging” is a strange phrase to me as it really tells you that aging is not a good thing. We will age and no matter what we do, we’ll still be as old as we are. How we think and what we do with our life as we age is what’s important to living a full, happy life.

In fact, that’s the reason I’ve created the Sensational You course, to show women around and over 60 that we can be fashionable, elegant and beautiful regardless of our age. We owe it to ourselves to feel and look great and to enjoy the age we are with beauty, charm and grace.

There will always be that everlasting admonition, “Don’t spend time on yourself. That’s selfish!”

Typically, most women spend very little time and money on themselves. As as result, that feeling of looking a bit dumpy or frumpy slowly creeps in and self-esteem and energy drop.

This is a prime time to celebrate that extra window of time that has been given to our generation. It can be a time to rejoice about the many choices we have and how much more easily we can get the information and training we want to take us to a more fulfilling level.

If you haven’t looked over the course outline for the Six-Week Sensational You course, why not do that now? This is the best time in your life to be all that you can be and to regain that confidence in yourself that you can only get when you know you look your best. Go here now or click on the Sensational You image on the right.

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Five Tips on Turning Bad Hair Days Into Great Hair Days

May 3, 2011 By 2 Comments
Picture of cat with bad hair

A Bad Hair Day!

I often commute on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) when going to San Francisco. For the 20 minute ride, I can’t help but people-watch, which I like to do anyway. The last time I took BART, there seemed to be an unusual amount of women in the car. As I looked around I saw a woman who looked so “with it.” As I looked more closely, I thought, “She has a great haircut that is really flattering not only to her face but to the rest of her persona.”

During that ride I counted only her as having a great hairstyle and wondered what is being taught in the thousands of beauty schools around the country. Having had my share of bad hair days, I can relate to the women are stuck in wondering what to do to create that crowning glory to which most of us are entitled.

Here are some thoughts about how to get a hairstyle you’ll feel good about. Much more about care, grooming and styling will be covered in the Sensational You course that starts on May 24th. In the meantime, here are some tips for you about hair care.

There are some things hairdressers do that tell me this is not the place I want to be.

Here are some of them:

  • Take you to the washbasin immediately
  • Have you sit and wait with wet hair while they finish the last customer
  • Dirty or wet towels around your neck
  • Talking to everyone around them without addressing your needs

Here’s what’s really important:

  • The hairdresser will see you before your hair is washed
  • Will ask you what would make a great haircut in your view for your lifestyle. Are you a swimmer, hiker, indoor person, do you attend formal events, etc.?
  • Will push your hair around your face so that you can see where fullness or length will flatter the shape of your face.
  • Will pay attention to the texture, color and type of hair you have…curly, straight, fine, etc.
  • Discuss color and highlights that will flatter your skintone

It’s a tall order but if you’re happy with the results and the experience, there’s no doubt you will become a repeat customer and will refer your friends to them.

So why don’t they get this? I think there’s too much focus on running a salon like a cash register or fast food restaurant. What they don’t recognize is that repeat customer and referrals will add to their bottom line for a much longer time.

The Sensational You course is starting to fill up, so don’t wait, reserve your spot today since attendance is limited.

 

 

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Did You Attend the Wedding?

April 29, 2011 By 1 Comment

The buzz about the royal wedding will go on for a long time. Although I’m not one of the thousands who set their alarms to watch it, I was awake at 2:00 a.m. and did get to see the last part of the ceremony.

Looking at the lovely Kate Middleton and her prince, it was relief from so much disaster in the world, to see the excited, happy, delighted faces of their families and to hear the cheers of the millions of well-wishers.

Everything about the event was beautifully orchestrated, from the gown, the outlandish hats, to the music. The long-awaited look at the bridal gown was not a disappointment. The beauty and simplicity of the design will no doubt set a trend for women all over the world and hopefully, something all women, including those of us over 60, can wear with ease.

So, if you didn’t get up early, and even if you did, you may enjoy the articles and photos in the links included below. You can also go here to enjoy the breathtaking photos of Westminster Abbey and the wedding.

This weekend, find a spot of sunlight and beauty in your own life.

__________________

P. S. If you haven’t already, please check out the six-week makeover coaching event where we can discuss the style and silhouette that will show you off to your best advantage. We may not have the body of Kate Middleton, but we can look pretty darn good! Simply click on the image on the right of the screen and it will take you to the course outline where you can see what you will get when you sign up. Or you can go to the page here.Enhanced by Zemanta

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How to Create a Signature Style

April 24, 2011 By 1 Comment

There’s no doubt that personal style, also known as a signature style, can change your view of how you see the world and how the world sees you.

When you think of the many style icons who have created an impression on you and how you view them, is there an image that comes to mind? Some of the few that you may be familiar with are:

  • Audrey Hepburn – the classy, understated gamin look.
  • Grace Kelly – Elegance personified.
  • Helen Mirren – Romantic charm

    Photo of Halle Berry & Helen Mirren

    Halle Berry & Helen Mirren

  • Halle Berry – A spiky haircut to show her beautiful facial structure
  • Lady Gaga – Outrageous and wild – a bid for attention

You can see that a signature style can be quietly elegant or outlandishly wild. To try creating a signature look without knowing who you are and what you love is like eating a dish you don’t like because it’s “good” for you. Style has to work for you, not the other way around.

Style killers!

  • Trying too hard to look like you did when you were 20 or 30;
  • Not understanding what flatters your body shape;
  • Hating your age rather than embracing it;
  • Trying to copy someone else’s style.

If you want to create your own special style and aren’t too sure about what that really means for you, you can experience it through the “Sensational You 6-week Coaching Course,” that starts on May 24. You can create your own signature look and it doesn’t have to break the bank. All you need is to understand how to apply some of the principles and secrets that are so basic and easy to use once you know what to do.

To start creating your own signature style, begin by leafing through magazines and cutting out the styles you like. What do you like about those styles? Are they colorful, artistic, conservative, sporty, business-like or romantic? Perhaps you like a combination of those styles. Keep searching until you have ALL the styles you like. Once you find them, put a one-word description beneath each one about how that style makes you feel. For example, “I like this style makes me feel ______ (like it’s me, delighted, inspired). It’s the feeling you get when you see something you like that will draw you to seeing the possibilities for yourself.

I’m excited about presenting part of this course on personal style because there is so little attention paid to the 60 plus woman. This could be the one course you take that is devoted only to you, how you feel about yourself and how you look. Because I like easy, it’s all been put together in easy steps that will boost your confidence and your image like very few things (other than falling in love, of course) can do.

You can go here to learn more about the course; however, it is limited to only 10 women, so if you really feel this is for you, I would encourage you to sign up today.

 

 

 

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