~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 washes are “iffy” for women over 40. Jane Fonda’s shredded jeans ( see photo below) make her look desperate to be young at 72.

Too trendy jeans on mature women like Jane Fonda resemble a costume.

• 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.

Cheers,
JoJami and Deborah

Has Hillary been reading our ebook  – Tweak your Chic Mother of the Bride?

Quite possibly, because she really looked fabulous at Chelsea’s wedding!

We absolutely loved her choices. The sea foam green caftan she wore to the rehearsal dinner was feminine, chic and etheral. It was such a breath of fresh air to see her out of those pants and into something pretty and stylish.

Hillary’s raspberry Mother of the Bride gown was rich, but still soft..truly magnificent on her. The color made her complexion look creamy and angelic and that soft wavy hair….well, it only added to that classical Grecian goddess look. It looked like it was gently blowing in the breeze. A lesson to remember here- don’t have stiff looking hair. It will age you.

Now back to her dress choice–It really goes to show you that if you wear your right colors of clothing (and make-up) you will shine. Hillary is a summer – ash hair and cool skin and the colors she chose were perfect for her.

A wrong choice would have been if she had worn warm shades in stead of cool. For example, it would have been a mistake to wear a grass green dress ( grass green is warm – it has  yellow in it), instead of the cool sea foam green.

It would have also been a mistake to choose a mother of the bride dress in a bright clear poppy (orangy red) vs. of the muted cool raspberry red. But Hillary got it right!

Both JoJami and I (Deborah), do color analysis, so if you are ever in our neck of the woods give us a call to set up a session.

Also we’re planning a Tweak your Chic day with color analysis included, and want to know where to hold it. Please let us know what area of the country you live in and if you’d be interested in a Tweak Your Chic day in N.Y. or L.A., Philadelphia or Toronto or wherever. We want to come to where you are!!

Finally, if you are going to be a mother of the bride of groom then you won’t want to miss reading our popular Ebook Tweak Your Chic- Mother of the Bride. It’s full of fabulous advice on what to wear on one of the proudest and most important days of your life. Those family wedding pictures are forever and you want to look your best. We’re happy to help.

Hi Glam Gals,

Janet looks Fabulous at 55!

I enjoy your blog and glad there’s finally something for us over 40 women.  I’m sending you a picture because I’m just not sure if puffed sleeves are too young-looking for a 55 year old woman.  Should I donate this dress?  What about the shoes– I thought they were cool looking but maybe I’m trying to look too young.

Thanks!
Janet

Somewhere along the line ( probably from us, as well as other fashion experts) Janet read that puffed sleeves were unflattering on a woman over 40 because they were too cutesy and also put too much emphasis on aging arms.

In general, that is  true, but there are always exceptions to the rule! Here’s how we responded to Janet.

Hi Janet!

OH Wow, wow ,wow!! You are FAB!!!  Thanks for writing us and sending us the photo! You are so fit and look fantastic in that dress and the shoes.

You should definitely keep them both! Your arms are toned and those puff sleeves are really not puffy at all. Plus, they’re on the long side which makes the sleeves look much more relaxed, so so you can totally pull them off! Love the shoes too.

Imagine if everyone followed all the fashion rules, then…… No minis Jennifer Aniston really shouldn’t be wearing a mini (but doesn’t this dress make her look darn sexy at 41!)
Only show a hint of cleavage If everyone followed fashion rules,then Halle Berry (44)  shouldn’t be showing off so much cleavage (Silly! – it would be sad to cover up that beautiful bosom)
Opt for a one Piece instead of 2 piece swimsuit If everyone followed fashion rules, then Helen Mirren (age 64) shouldn’t ever wear a bikini ( utter nonsense- she’s a boomer babe)
Steer Clear of Spagetti Straps If everyone followed fashion rules,then Lauren Hutton (age 61) should stay away from spagetti straps which are really for twenty-somethings. ( a crazy rule in Lauren’s case)
Forget Long Hair. It doesn’t look age appropriate. If everyone followed fashion rules,then no woman over 40 should have long hair (Yah right! Any woman would die to have hair like Brooke Shields – age  45)
Do you see what we are saying? We can give you guidelines for what’s age appropriate, but if you have the right body and attitude you can look Fabulous after 40 in just about anything. Try some things on. Have a full length mirror. Listen to your gut. Be honest!

Enter today to win this month contest featuring items from Lilli & Van

Ladies don’t miss out and sign up for this months contest!

This months give away is featuring a bonanza of  Lilly & Van merchandise!

This new line loved by celebs who are Fabulous After 40, like Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford—that’s affordable and perfect for summer.
A sportswear collection that celebrates the spirit of eternal summer, Lilly & Van exudes a sunny chic vibe that’s reminiscent of Palm Beach.

Tangy tropical colors define each design and punch up your everyday casual look.  Designed by husband and wife team Lilly (god daughter of Lilly Pulitzer) and Barry “Van” van Gerbig, (grandson of Douglas Fairbanks Jr.)  the line offers bold and colorful prints, all of which are Van’s original designs. From dresses to shorts to tops to jackets, the line was designed to inspire happiness.

“Van’s artwork is unique. It’s bright, beautiful colors. He likes to hide little details in every print,” Lilly mentions.

The duo’s inspiration comes from Lilly’s godmother, designer Lilly Pulitzer, who set the pair up on a blind date.

The collection evokes a lifestyle of leisure and luxury while still remaining affordable.

“Everything we wanted in the line we got,” the Florida designer says of the partnership with QVC. “It’s hard being a designer; there are restraints put on you. You can’t always do what you want to do. They totally embraced our vision.”

You can also tune-in to check out Lilly & Van’s newest looks when they return to QVC on

June 18 at 2 pm EST

To enter contest click here!

Beyond the Cleavage, is her new tell all book and should certainly be an interesting read, from this actress turned entrepreneur!

France’s first lady Carl Bruni has also been an elegant inspiration for how to dress at any age,

…and so has the very beautiful 41 year Queen of Jordan, Queen Rania -  simple, modern and so graceful.

Now you can add another first lady to that inspiring list. She is 45 year old Mehriban Aliyevan of Azerbaijan.

Take a look at these fashion photos and let us know how you’d rate her style in comparison to these other first ladies.

Glasses with evening wear is not easy to pull off!

We recently posted some amazing before and after photos of several “average” looking women who in 12 short hours turned into eye popping goddesses!

With that, several of you commented that some of the women wore glasses in their “before” photos and then had them off in the after!

Well, one of the reasons that none of the women were wearing eyeglasses in the “after” is that they all had on evening gowns.

Let’s face it, wearing your everyday glasses with a formal gown in not an easy look to pull off, unless you’re Sophia Lauren!

However, you can still be fabulous with glasses on a daily basis.

Here are our tips on this eye popping subject!

1) If you wear glasses on a daily basis, make sure you have a pair that is updated and looks good with your style of dressing.

2) Decide if you want your glasses to be a fashion statement or not.

You hardly notice that Sarah Palin is wearing rimless glasses!

Rimless glasses are a conservative choice and literally “disappear”.  Sarah Palin is a good example of how to wear this style of eyeglasses.

3) If you are going to a formal event and have to wear your glasses, make sure to pick a dress that will be simple and not compete with your glasses.

4) If you have had your glasses for over 2 to 3 years, you should think about updating them.

Tina Fey looks chic and smart in these updated frames.

5) Glasses can be a way to express your creativity. If you are ready for a new pair, why not go out on a limb and try something that is colorful or a new style.

6) Know your face shape. Try on frames that will contrast with your face shape to balance you out. (e.g. If you have a long face, a more rounded frame will be best for you)

Just because you wear glasses does not mean that you can’t look chic or stylish. Just make sure that you have an entire look that is harmonious and that fits your lifestyle!

With updated hair, makeup and clothes, wearing glasses can be festive and fabulous!

Just when Jane Fonda said she would never get cosmetic surgery again, she sneaked in and did it. ..I guess it’s that new boyfriend she has!

You don’t see a lot of difference at first, until you look down at her neck. She looks pretty good!

You know our stand on all of this; it’s such a personal thing. There’s no right or wrong. It’s all up to how you  feel. We know some of you may disagree and that’s why we throw this post in. It makes for lively conversation.

We’d love to hear your views and experiences, pro and con. What do you think of Jane’s decision to have more cosmetic surgery at 72?

Is there anything wrong with wanting to be a “Glamorous Grandma”, as Jane calls it?

<<Remember her famous sparkle one, or

when Michelle wore a cardigan to meet the Queen?>>

We like cardigans for many reasons:

1) they’re comfy

2) they’re a great cover -up for our arms which are chilly because of  all the sleeveless tops out there

3) cardigans hide any arm flab

4) they brighten up a plain outfit by adding texture, color and interest.

There are frumpy cardigans out there, for sure, but there are also so many cute ones to choose from… long, short, fitted, loose, in all kinds of knits.

Here’s a few we discovered that  are only slightly different from the classic 1950′s type, but look totally modern today because of a simple tweak.

Sweet Sweater: It’s called the Diamond disco sweater, and we agree  this “disc go really well with dis skirt!” (LOL).. Just enough glam without being over the top. What a pretty complement to the floral skirt which is so in this spring. (Nordstrom)
Grrr..eat! A sexy animal print and we love the modern color combo……… O.k. Here’s the “dump the frump” lesson for today.. the style of this sweater alone may scream old, but the mix of the brown and turquoise with a touch of yellow is what zips it up and transforms it into a hip and updated great find. (Nordstrom and Saks )
Ruffle: Ruffles are in right now and this cardigan has just the right amount to look pretty but not baby- girlish on a grown up gal. Love this color! (Nordstrom)
Rosy touch: Soft and romantic this feminine cardigan stand on it’s own with jeans or be dressed up with jewelry and a pretty skirt for a night out. (Nordstrom)
Modern Mix: Coral and turquoise combine in modern floral pattern that brings warm skin tones to life. (Nordstrom)
Honeycomb: Simple and elegant.Now isn’t this nicer than wearing a big old sweatshirt around the house? (Nordstrom)

It led to this email…

Hi Ladies:

My husband and I recently went to see the movie It’s Complicated.  Loved everything about it.  Loved Meryl’s fashion style.  But really noted her Jewelry .  Would you ladies have any idea who makes it?  Would love something similar.
Susan F.

So ladies… here’s a great site we found that gives you the scoop on what a celebrity is wearing and where to find it!

It is called:

I Saw It In (www.isawitin.com)

This site will show you where to find celebrity fashions

Have fun and please let us know if you found what you wanted. Also, let us know of any other similar sites you like!