Cinzia started her handbag line because she could not find a bag that fit her style.
You see, Cinzia’s first love is music and she is a singer/songwriter. You might have heard her since she wrote 2 songs and performed on the Dawson’s Creek sound track!
When going to gigs she didn’t want to be stuck carrying around a stuffy designer bag and was frustrated she could not find one that looked hip, cool and gently worn in. So she began making them for herself. After getting so many compliments and inquiries about where to buy them, Moni Moni was born.
Enter to win this beautiful, Italian Leather bag from Moni Moni!
Now her designs are on the arms of many celebrities (like Halle Berry) who swear they are their favorite “go to” bags!
Known for their luscious supple Italian leather, gorgeous designs and festive colors, these bags are functional, comfortable and unique!
Cinzia on stage with JoJami's son Cam who often drums for her band
We are thrilled to be offering one lucky lady the chance to win this wonderful bag!
BUT, if you can’t wait and have to have one right away to brighten up your 2012 Spring wardrobe…Moni Moni is going to give all our Fabulous After 40 gals, 20% off and free shippinguntil Feb. 14th!! (enter code: LOVE20)
Recently, Deborah and I were chatting about our favorite purchases of 2011 and how she had fallen in love with wearing a knit dress! “They are so comfortable, I have started collecting them and now have a few of them in my closet!”
So today we have another How To style video to help you take a knit dress and accessorize it up or down with just a few “tweaks”!
Here is Deborah in her favorite knit dress with some black opaque hose and simple black pumps.
Depending on the weight of the knit, you can wear them in most climates. Deborah lives in Toronto where it can get really chilly so of course they work there. I’m traveling around the US in a motorcoach and have been staying in the warm climates but have still had a chance to bring out my knit dress, especially when a cold snap hits!
JoJami dressed down her white knit dress with a long colorful sweater and casual stretch belt.
Trying to dress comfortable when we are over 40 can certainly be a challenge. We feel that this can be the answer to “How can I be comfortable, but still look updated and chic?”
Why not get that knit dress out of the back of your closet or if you don’t have one go out and try one on!
One note, you will want to wear shape wear underneath to smooth out any bumps or lumps that many of us over 40 gals have!
Tamara took this photo of the young sales girl wearing a headband. Would you wear this as a woman over 40?
I have seen all kinds of head-wear lately – cute little headbands with pretty accents (see picture on the right). I’m wondering if those types of head-wear are appropriate for over 40?
Thanks, Tamara
Thanks, Tamara for sending in this question!
We posted this question over on our Facebook page and we got so many comments that we wanted to share them with you all here as well!
While a simple headband can be fine no matter what your age, when you start trying to add all sorts of flowers, bows and large do-dads, then you are treading in some risky waters!
The young gal in the photo certainly looks adorable in this headband and it works well with her romantic lace top, we feel the effect would certainly be different when you add maturity into the mix.
With fashion tips, it is a good rule never like to say “never,” however, we would highly recommend that you think twice about trying this hot trend. While we’re sure there is someone out there that could pull this off, for the rest of us… trying to sport a large, flouncy bow, well… it might come across as almost “costumey.”
We suggest leaving fancy headbands to the younger set.
What are your thoughts on headbands? Please comment below:
I’m recently divorced, back on the dating scene and have no idea how to dress. What can I wear that looks sexy, but isn’t so skimpy it reveals everything? Thanks,Liz P.
Hi Liz,
We get this question all the time. Who wants to go out looking like a 21-year-old dressed for night of clubbing? Where’s the fine line between that looking sexy, and looking sleazy, especially after 40?
Our friend, Anne Berit Oslvik looks sexy in her wrap dress
Our answer is always the same. If you want to look feminine, alluring and classy, we suggest you try a wrap dress. Diane Von Furstenberg’s classic wrap dress from the 70′s is back and more popular than ever. Its figure flattering, waist clinching, bust enhancing ability, makes it the perfect pick for almost any woman. Even if you have a few extra pounds, the way this dress drapes will make you look sculpted and 10 pounds lighter.
We’ve both just bought one think it’s the perfect dress for almost anything and can be dressed up or down with accessories. Plus, it travels like a dream. It’s lightweight you can throw it in your bag and it’s always so comfy because it’s made of its soft jersey silk fabric.
Here are some tips for wearing a wrap dress:
If you are not planning to wear hose and want to keep things looking smooth, wear some shapewear like Spanx to eliminate any panty lines, bumps and bulges.
Some wrap dresses have a tendency to come open at the top. Make sure that you buy the correct size or wear a camisole underneath. We find that the non-lace ones look better with this tailored look.
If you are not that busty, this is a great time to have some fun with a pretty padded push up bra!
O.k. What about the shoes? The formality of the print and the size of print will dictate the heel. The wilder the print, the chunkier you can go with the heel . That means you can do anything from a more delicate heel to a wedge.
As Diane would say, “Feel like a woman, wear a dress!”
I see that scarves are so popular these days and many of my friends wear them and always look so stylish. However, I have no idea how to tie a scarf! Help!
Thanks, Celine W.
While we all know how to tie a turkey leg together, when it comes to tying a scarf that can be a different matter!
Deborah and I were out at the malls recently and spotted this beautiful over 40 gal! This square scarf really added some style to a simple top and leather skirt.
chic accent
If you have a long skinny scarf, there are lots of ways to tie it, but today we have a short video to show you one of our favorite versions! Why not try it out this week at your Thanksgiving feast?
Please make sure to comment and let us know if you like this!
Happy Holidays!
Over on our Facebook page one of our loyal readers Celeste Dickson recently posted this photo:
Now this is a great find, a faux vest for only $30.00 at T.J.Max
She wrote:
I admit it – I have shamelessly copied JoJami with this purchase of this faux vest. I would never have tried something on like this until I saw how great she looked in a similar one. And mine, though lifelike, is FAUX! Machine washable acrylic/poly. It really does look like suede and fur, but isn’t. And it’s reversible! $30 at TJ Maxx.
Thanks for sharing Celeste! You will certainly enjoy this purchase guilt free since you found it for a great price, it’s faux fur and you can wear it 2 ways!
Not only that, but a vest is a great “transition” piece to go from fall into winter or just to wear all winter if you come from parts of the country that don’t get all that cold.
We think you might have seen JoBee (my mother) in one too…She was my fashion inspiration to buy a black vest!
Here is JoJami's mother JoBee (age 75) rockin her fur vest!
Do you have a new fall purchase that you are excited about? We want to hear all about it, so please comment below:
JoJami here, just back from the Eat it Make it Grow food festival in Culver City, California.
It’s always a challenge to try to find something to wear on the weekends and there is no better place than Los Angeles to people watch and see what the hip cool ladies are sporting when dressing casual.
Had to share with you a few of the stand outs today as I walked around this outdoor event that brought out the local foodies as well as these fabulous after 40 gals:
Veronica was staying cool while looking hot!
Veronica (age 51) was rocking her strapless top and khaki pants! What made her stand out was the way she pulled it all together:
Here is how she did it:
She likes quality accessories and so was wearing this gorgeous necklace right from one of her favorite Beverly Hills stores, Victorian Rose.
Of course you know I was loving her fedora (see more on that here).
Her oversized straw bag was purchased at another local fair.
Her gorgeous flat sandals were from another Beverly Hills boutique called Madison.
Nancy (age 48) was out with her family and teenage daughter. I was certainly impressed that she was looking so lovely in her Trina Turk white cotton dress, Michael Kors handbag and J.Crew nude wedges.
This Michael Kors handbag gave her outfit a more casual air
Looking for a simple way to go from Frumpy to Fabulous after 40? Simply add a great necklace.
Whether it’s a subtle accent or a giant statement piece, a beautiful necklace frames your face and completes your look.
But getting just the right necklace takes some thought.
Here are 5 Do’s and Donts to help you look like a knockout in a necklace.
1. Don’t Wear a Necklace that is Too Tiny
Too plain This bold jacket and matching top is a lovely, fresh color, but overall it looks a little too plain and bare without jewelry.
Too tiny Add a traditional, delicate, tiny gold necklace, and it still doesn’t look right. The necklace is dated and looks lost on the neck.
Just Right Instead try adding a fuller necklace to fill in the open space. A fuller necklace is more modern and it is more suited to the crispness and weight of this jacket. Also, because this necklace is a mix of gold, cream and silver beads, it nicely picks up on the large cream and silver button on the jacket.
2. Don’t Wear a Necklace that Competes with your Top
Too overpowering Big round gold link necklaces may be in fashion, but that doesn’t mean they go with everything. This necklace is much too contemporary, geometric and bold for this soft, flowing Grecian top with its smooth, draped fabric.
Too distracting It might be tempting to wear this gorgeous top with a more refined classic flat gold necklace in order to match the snake pin, however if you’re honest, you’ll see that the necklace competes with the pin and takes away from the stunning sweeping neckline.
Simple and Elegant This unique top is a showpiece itself. Leave well enough alone and in this case, forget about a necklace. The best way to accessorize this top would be by wearing a striking pair of gold hoop earrings or long dangles, and a stunning wide gold cuff.
3. Do wear necklaces that match your skin tone
Warm Skin The general rule of thumb is to match your jewelry to your skin tone. Deborah (shown here) has warm skin. See how beautiful the warm reds, oranges and browns in her top complement her yellow undertones.
Wrong color for skin The silver necklace is very cold and icy on her and is a stark contrast to a very warm look.
Right color for skin A better choice is a warm gold necklace. The little charms have gold and orange in them and blend in with her look. It all flows together very naturally.
4. Do Theme your Necklace to your Outfit
Too uninspired This gorgeous tropical print is busy and so many may think to leave jewelry out of the mix, but the opposite is true. This fun dress is calling out for a fun necklace.
Too conservative See how this plain gold box chain adds nothing to the dress. It’s far too prim and proper to do this exotic theme justice.
Perfect for the theme Instead you need to enhance the tropical feel and a large chunkier necklace made of irregularly shaped beads and stones is more natural and earthy looking, so in keeping with this tropical theme.
5. Don’t Settle for Just One Necklace
Too bare Many women are confused about what kind of necklace to wear with a wrap dress and so often go bare.
Too ordinary A long single chain can look nice.
Modern and Fashionable But the layered look is really popular this season. So, instead of wearing a single chain that looks “just OK,” take it to the next level, wrap it around your neck a couple of times. Then add a second chain for a fashion forward look!
