Wearing vintage after 40 can be tough because you run the risk of looking like you’re out of date or an old lady. It is fine to wear vintage when you are young, because it is obvious that you are hip, however when you look like you haven’t thrown out your clothes for the last 20 years, it can be tricky!
This gorgeous vintage piece is age appropriate! photo credit: Atlantis Home
Here is a great example of a lovely gray vintage dress that we found on Atlantis Home. This 80′s silk, jersey dress is super flattering with the way it ties at the hip. The way it drapes would hide the tummy area nicely and is a style that one can wear at any age.
Vintage pieces also tend to have pretty details, like these covered buttons on the sleeve.
Now can you tell the difference between this new outfit that she just bought?
This fabulous bright leather skirt and coordinating sweater from the latest 2010 fall Lyn Devon collection is classic and could be from any era. She has updated it with some super hip, thigh high boots. (This look might be over the top for some, but we think she can certainly pull it off!)
This bright skirt is from the new Lyn Devon collection photo credit: Atlantis Home
So the moral of this is… if you are going to try to pull off vintage, make sure you are going to update it with current shoes and accessories and that you can’t tell that it is vintage.
Taste in clothes is one thing, but are our taste buds still working when it comes to tasting flavors?
This weeks Blogging Boomers Carnival # 175 has more on this and other Boomer topics that you just might enjoy!
Our host this week, is Virgina Cornue, from VaBoomer.com.
Is there a time in life when jeans are no longer appropriate to wear?
I am 60 and am a size 14 pear shape with a very casual life style.
~Sharon B.
Hi Sharon,
Great question! We think you can wear jeans forever, however you really need to keep them updated.
When you are a pear, that means making sure you get the style that fits!
You probably will need to still take them to the tailor to get them to fit.
These jeans are updated and look great, but will not work for a pear shaped body!
Here are some ways to update your jeans:
Wear a cropped jacket with a casual t-shirt
jeans with rips and faded wash are “iffy” for women over 40.
Darker wash jeans are classy and updated!
Wearing jeans with traditional clogs is comfortable, but tend to age women over 40 unless you wear the new high heel version of a clog. (*if you disagree with this comment, go to our past post about clogs)
For fall, boots are the way to go with jeans. Flat ones for casual, heels for a dressier look.
For those that are pear shaped, you can tuck in and wear a belt…so those with other body types, try them with a longer top and belt at the hip or for go the belt all together!
After 40, we find we are all wearing jeans more than ever. Make sure yours fit well and you are wearing the right shoes with them.
Do you have a dress or top that just feels like it is showing too much skin?
Here is a quick tip on how to fix that and feel confident and fabulous after 40!
You can find a similar necklace and more at our fabulous Stella and Dot store!
With all the publicity about the new movie just out, Eat, Pray, Love, the bottom line is, what fun to just get off the track of life and to take a year off and just run around the world! However, this might not be realistic to many of us!
Here is a fun clip to see what we might be able to do to get that “get away” feeling in the comfort of our own home!
We recently had a contest that featured La Ishaproducts and they are being featured again on this program.
I (JoJami) were given some testers to try and let me tell you, I LOVE THEM!!!
Here is why:
they are made out of natural ingredients
they have a lovely scent without perfumes
they feel wonderful and light on the skin
The oils have a plumping effect!
they are specifically formulated for over 40 skin!
Oh boy, It's Blogging Boomer Carnival time, again!
This week it is our turn to host the infamous Blogging Boomers Carnival! Every week we share with you a link to this creative group of Blogging Boomers and this week we have them all here for your reading enjoyment!
Over at Contemporary Retirement, Ann has begun an occasional series of posts about people who are leading interesting and out of the ordinary lives. Head over here now and be inspired by Rita Golden Gelman.
SoBabyBoomer sees the population of boomer stay-at-home caregivers getting larger and the demands of their neighbors and families getting bigger.
What do you think of the guy who quit his airline job by exiting down the emergency chute? TheBoomer Chronicles wants to know.
What’s the scoop on estrogen replacement and menopause? Does it really cause breast cancer or does it just make menopause much easier to take?
Check out the Healthy Aging Blog for the latest research.
Some summer reading to make you feel that much better about yourself, some music you won’t want to miss (hint: Lang, Lang), and international hosting opportunities. All on this week’s Gen Plus List!
It’s All About Aging is on vacation in Maine, trying to get a piece of mom’s famous raspberry-blueberry pie. Did we succeed?
Looking in the mirror can sometimes be a shock, writes LifeTwo’s humor columnist in “Older and Wiser.”
This week the Glam Gals went shopping in the closet for a dress to wear to a summer wedding and found a dress with a “self” belt! Do you keep it or get rid of it? Find out more…
This belt is not flattering and the bow is too cutesy for my taste!
Here is a dress that I (JoJami) have had in my closet for a while. I love how comfortable it is, but the self belt made this dress look too cutesy pie, looking for me. Also, it sort of made my tummy look fat. So I tried it with a wide leather with stretchy in the back belt that I bought recently and it updated the dress immediately! It is also much more figure flattering!
So, why not go in and see what dresses you have that you can change out the belt and look better!
The other day, my Aunt Mary called me to ask me a question on what to wear to an upcoming wedding. She mentioned that this was an evening summer wedding and she wanted to be cool and comfortable, but still look classy and fabulous after 40!
Here were here choices:
A light yellow linen suit
Blue sleeveless cotton pique dress (lined) with self belt. (bought on sale!)
This dress has a "self" belt
I asked her bring over the 2 options. The yellow suit was just too boxy looking and looked a little too casual for an evening wedding. The blue dress was really pretty, but there were 2 issues.
The thin belt that came with the dress was not flattering
She would need to buy a sweater to wear with it.
The first advice I gave her was to try the dress on with NO belt. How many of us feel that, just because a dress comes with a belt, we HAVE to wear it! As we age, our middle thickens and tiny pieces of fabric around our waist does not look so great on many of our middle age bodies! So, we got rid of the belt and the dress looked a million times better on her.
Next, she felt she needed a top or sweater to wear over the dress to hide her arms. I took one look at her arms and said, be proud of your arms! They look fine! Sometimes we are too hard on ourselves!!!
However, she did want to get a sweater, since the evenings are starting to get cool in our area back east. The neckline on this dress is wider than normal, so not every sweater will work.
Here were her marching orders:
Find a sweater that is not too long, best if it is shorter.
Make sure to take the dress with you when you shop, so you can try it with the sweater.
Make sure the sweater is a thin fabric and does not compete with the neckline
Find a pair of nude shoes to go with the dress.
Do not try to wear a necklace with this type of dress. Instead, just wear earnings and a cuff style bracelet.
It ended up that Aunt Mary, went out to find a sweater and and ended up with a new suit, instead for the wedding. Bottom line is, when buying a dress on sale, make sure you LOVE it!
If it comes with a self belt, throw it away and use a leather one or not one at all!
I love those little half booties that were so popular last fall. I see that they are coming out again this year and would love want to buy a pair, but just do not know what or how to wear them? HELP!
Karen G.~ Minnesota.
Hi Karen,
Your timing is perfect! We just saw this add for the DKNY and here they are showing the same shoe with lots of different looks!
This ad from DKNY is an excellent example of how to look updated!
Here is why we like them:
Layering with cropped straight pants:
Great casual look, could do it with flats too! (DKNY)
Add a vest! (try one, you might like it!)
Simple white blouse (untucked)
Flat front straight cropped pants
vest. (Might want try to find one longer, if you want to hide hips)
.(DKNY)
Cute for work or out to dinner:
Back again, this layered look was popular last fall thanks to Michele Obama.
Try a skinny belt and make sure you have a pair of those opaque tights. (the ones with patterns can make your legs look fat, so keep it simple with solid colors unless you have super skinny legs)
(DKNY)
Slim Balloon pant: We are seeing a huge comeback this fall with the balloon pant. Beware this style does not work on all body types. However, if it is well cut, on the slim side, like this one, it might look great on you! Can be a fun style to try. Not so great with flats though…. (DKNY)
Scarf Action!:
Adding a long skinny scarf is an easy way to go from drab to fab! These tight, just to the ankle jeans have a little “poof” at the ankle that can actually be flattering! (DKNY)
This soft jacket pulls the entire look together:
For a modern twist on the navy or grey blazer, try one that is made of a soft fabric. Both comfortable and chic it will knock you up on the style scale! (DKNY)
At the beginning of Spring this year, I (JoJami) decided to give away all my old summer casual skirts that I have been wearing for the past few years. They were the soft , flowing kind, that have been popular, but I felt it was time to move on and update them!
Here are a few ideas on how to update you casual skirt wardrobe and what to give away:
Just right, this bold print, stiff cotton is Age-mazing!:
Just bought one like this at the J. Crew outlet! What I love that I can dress it down with a casual t-shirt or up with a nice blouse! Flat or strapy heels work just fine! Love these nude shoes they are showing with it, here!
This skirt from J.Crew is a great one to update your skirt wardrobe!
Too Young Looking :
Do you have a skirt like this? It might be time to give it away. The gathering will cause your middle to appear larger than it is and it is too short for most gals over 40, unless you are wearing it as a coverup for the beach. P.S. Make sure your not “tucking” in your top, it can be aging as well! (Nordstoms)
This is too young and short
Beware! The Long Hippy Skirt can be aging:
If you are still trying to wear this look, be careful! There are a few problems with trying to look like a hippy. First of all, if you want to do long, you should go one of the newer long dresses not a skirt. Next, this look is one that has circled back from our past and our daughters might be wearing it. We over 40 gals, if you want to look more sophisticated should try something more a-line or pencil style, depending on your body type. (Nordstrom)
Last year we posted an inspirational story of one of our readers Jill Knapp, who after finding out that she had Type 2 Diabetes, pulled herself together, lost 100 pounds and even entered and placed in a state beauty pageant!
Since last year, Jill has appeared on The Dr. Oz show and this week First For Women Magazine has a wonderful article on her and how she has changed her diet to a lifestyle that she can live with. Moreover, she is going to compete once again, at this years Mrs. Idaho International Pageant! Go Jill!!!
Jill's article can be found in the latest issue of First for Women, magazine!
JoJami recently interviewed Jill to see how she has been able to keep the weight off!
You can listen here:
Thanks Jill for keeping us inspired and thanks to all who sent in their questions!!
After 40, many or should we say MOST of us have that belly pouch that just seems so darn annoying!
Trying to fit into clothes that we used to wear is now challenging!
If you want some help losing weight, please read the article below – it just might change your life.
Why You Are Not Losing Belly Fat…
If you are like most people with a weight problem,
you already know the answer. (Consuming more calories
than you burn). And you probably know exactly what you have to do in order to lose it. Are we right? You probably have multiple books that
all work. Then why aren’t you doing it?
Most people will tell you that all you need is more,
”will power”, however they couldn’t be more wrong! Here is why…
According to the latest research*, ”will power” is a
limited resource. When you ”will” yourself to stay away from bad foods,
it takes away your ability to concentrate on even the
simplest of day to day activities.
For example, when subjects were told not to eat chocolate
chip cookies, their persistence in puzzle solving
deteriorated. And when they were told to suppress an
emotional reaction to a movie, they had problems solving
a simple anagram.
In short, any act of suppression is virtually unsustainable…
This is why once you start having to think about other stuff, it becomes almost impossible for you to stay away from the cookies, the burgers, the tacos, the beer, the chips, and the soda. Even worse, whatever habits you have developed around eating
lie deep in your unconscious mind. This dictates your ”default”
eating choices, and any changes to this using ”will power” are
met with massive resistance. And this is a battle you don’t want to fight, because the
unconscious mind always wins.
So if you want to get trim, you have to change your unconscious
”default” eating choices. It is the only real way to get results
that stick – and it is a whole lot easier…
How do you work with the unconscious mind, you ask?
Sometimes repetition works, and establishing rituals one at
a time can help…But the only method that is validated by current science and
mainstream organizations like The American Medical Association
is calledmedical hypnosis.
Hypnosis is basically the study of creating unconscious changes.
Over 80 years of clinical research have demonstrated that with
the aid of hypnosis, people are able to have control where they
had none before.
Get this; at the University of Iowa they are doing MRI studies where you actually see the brain shutting off feelings of pain in the brain. . . all under hypnosis. If hypnosis can teach you to block pain, it certainly can help you change your eating habits. But make sure you get the real thing. You don’t want help
from a ”stage hypnotist” – you want to find someone with a
proven clinical track record. And finding somebody in
person with a proven track record for weight loss is
extremely difficult.
Over 50,000 people have now used this program, and the
satisfaction rate is 92%. This means that over 9 out of 10 people are able to change
their eating behaviors and get the slim body they deserve
using her hypnosis sessions.
The publisher provides you with a year to try the program,
and they even let you sample it for 28 days by just paying shipping.
So if you struggle with, ”will power” – then this program
is truly a, ”no brainer”.
Good luck!
The Glam Gals
P.S.
I , JoJami, have personally tried this and other of the Hypnosis Networks CD’s and found them to be a terrific tool! Feel free to ask us questions or comment below!
This is a great blog that is full of tips for things to do in the Big Apple specifically for “women who aren’t kids!”(Well, we might still feel like a kid, but you know what they mean…)
Not only that, but they are having a cool contest to win a free overnight!
Here is the scoop:
It’s for an overnight stay for 2 at the beautifully renovated Surrey Hotel in NYC
plus, (2)treatments at their spa.
Valued at $1,000!!!
Check it out…we are big fans of this site and just so happen to be their style experts too!
With all the hullabaloo about the new i-phone, it seems there is other options out there to keep you up with the times.
If you are a bit hesitant to get a new phone, you just need to bite the bullet and go for it. New technology changes so fast, that if you don’t keep upgrading and learning the newest way to work things you are going to be left in the techno dust.
This weeks Blogging Boomers Carnival has a good story and video, demonstrating another new phone called, The Droid, so you can see a quick and easy overview of the next generation of calling options.
Hosting this week is the Boomer Blog, It’s All About Aging, where you will find this and other cool Boomer topics to tickle your brain cells!
This week our host, Rhea Becker from The Blogging Chronicles, is featuring lots of wonderful articles from The Blogging Boomers.
Find out why it is never too late to try set new goal, like long-distance swimmer, Diana Nyad who at age 60 has returned to the sport and is now trying to establish a new record!
Beach in reece by Empress229 featuring J Crew top
We recently posted some lovely coverups to go to the beach, but here are is a great “look” to use as inspiration for something more casual. Here are some more ideas that might help:
Love the color of the one piece, no need for black when a deep purple will be just as flattering!
This white coverup from J. Crew is both chic and affordable!
The wedge sandle is perfect to give your leg a little length with out looking too sexy. It is also the updated version of the “kitten heel”.
The hat is a must, to keep the sun off our delicate face!
Bangles, bangles bangles…how fun! Mixing up the textures and thickness makes them work.
The only thing missing is some oversized sunglasses!
Sign up now to be eligible for your $10.00 discount !
If you missed last nights call with Carol Tuttle on how to dress your truth, you can listen now! (just push the yellow button below, be patient, it takes a little bit of time for it to load and get started)
Sign up here and you will be eligible to get a $10.00 discount for the The Beauty Profile Bundle.
Dear Glam Gals,
I am really enjoying your blog and the information that you provide. I was just wondering why you continually use young models to display the clothes and styles you suggest women wear who are 40 and over? It seems counter intuitive to suggest that we embrace our age and aging bodies, yet all the styles are shown on young models, who have no bodies and are not anywhere near the age of 40! Of course we all know that clothes look better on models without curves, but doesn’t that just make it harder to embrace our age, our style, and reality? Just wondering…:-)
Thanks. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Sincerely, Wendy B
Hi Wendy,
We get this question all the time and we are frustrated too… you see to there are just no photos of “real women” out there in current clothes that you can buy! We want to be able to show you things that you can go out and buy, but all the stores insists on using ultra young and super skinny models!
A few years back, we were excited to start working with a NYC modeling agency for women over 40, but they went out of business!
That is why we try to find women on the street photos, but it can be frustrating for our readers, since most of the time the outfits the women are wearing was purchased a last season and can’t be found now.
One note, most of the styles that we suggest can be worn on most body types, it is just that they are being modeled by young, thin women!
If anyone has suggestions or ideas we would love to hear them!
If you are into looking good, you probably want your brain to be in shape as well.
This week the Blogging Boomers Carnival #168 has a fun site that you can go to, to literally exercise your brain!
The Blogging Boomers are a group of bloggers that write on a variety of topics. This weeks host is John Agno from So BabyBoomer.com
Check it out and feel free to make comments on them!
Wearing vintage after 40 can be tough because you run the risk of looking like you’re out of date or an old lady. It is fine to wear vintage when you are young, because it is obvious that you are hip, however when you look like you haven’t thrown out your clothes for the last 20 years, it can be tricky!
