They were Fabulous after 40 on the red carpet last night at the 2009 Academy Awards Show!
We saw plenty of unattractive, trendy, mermaid style strapless dresses on the younger gals, but it was the classic and elegant gowns that Hollywood’s “seasoned” stars wore that made us want to stand up and cheer!
For example:
Meryl Streep ~ Meryl really nailed it! What a flattering dress on her, and she finally found someone to get her hair looking good! This is a great example of how to look sexy, but age appropriate.
Her neckline is low, but not cleavage popping. The fabric drapes nicely, but not too much. Simple, sleek, and not over-done (notice the soft make up that is in harmony with her dress!). We love this custom Alberta Ferretti gown on her.
Meryl likes to be comfortable and she looks it, but she also looks glamorous too!
Sarah Jessica Parker ~ Just clocking in at 40, she is one of the new gals on the block. Young and thin enough to still pull off the strapless Dior gown, she darkened her hair so she would not look so washed out in her gorgeous very light mint green gown (that looked white to most). However, I ( JoJami) loved the look!
The word on the street is that white is the hot “color”. White used to be a no-no because it made you look washed out on TV, but with the arrival of High Definition TV, that’s all changed, and it’s now being touted as the most popular color for celebrities.
The biggest challenge with wearing white is not looking like you are wearing a wedding gown. Sarah’s belt helped tone down this pretty frock and kept it looking red carpet worthy.
Marissa Tomei ~ Here we go again…another white dress.
Marissa, as you can see, has a drop dead gorgeous figure and this dress nicely shows it off. She is certainly on the right style track with her one-shoulder look and loose pretty hair. Take note of the simple cuff on her wrist, the perfect touch, since the dress has a lot going on.
Sophia Loren ~ usually one of our favorite style icons was huge disappointment. Did she pull this out of the back of her closet from 20 years ago?
It looked very dated with the pleated ruffles, Lady Di choker and had way too much “froo froo” going on. When you have a body and face of a star, there’s no need to overdo the glitz.
She needed to just let herself shine by keeping it simple and toning it down in the dress and make-up department. Sadly, Sophia managed to get herself lots of free press by landing on the front page of Billy Norwich’s Worst Dress List and many others!
Goldie Hawn ~ As a presenter this year, she did not walk the red carpet, however she shined on stage in her taupe gown.
Goldie sure knows what looks good on her and always pulls it off! At 64, looking fit and bubbly as ever, she wore a neck baring, flowing gown. She might not have been best dressed, but she certainly looked very pretty.
(Side note: Ms. Hawn seems to like wear tight dresses that tend to squash her “girls.” Maybe she needs to try a size bigger next time! And is it just me, or has she had the same hair style since 1977?)
Are you a potential Glam Gal?? Kind of a half baked cookie that looks pretty good for her age, but with a few more minutes in the oven, you could be, oh SO much more YUMMMY!!!
Think it’s too much work to go that extra mile. Then think again.
Here are 7 simple things you can do to take 10 years off in 10 minutes, and make you look Fabulous!
1. Lower your Neckline
An easy way to turn back the clock a few years is to open up your neckline. Steer clear of tops and t-shirts that sit at the collarbone and opt for lower rounded necklines and v-necks. Another great option is to try a wrap top which will create the illusion of sexy. If you find that too low, just add a camisole to peek out at the V neck. A chunky necklace also helps to fill in the bareness.
2. Layer Your Hair
Want to keep your hair long, but don’t to look like you are desperate to hang onto your youth. Then try this simple tricky. Layer your hair. Too many older women with long hair wear it dead straight like they are still in high school. Follow the lead of celebs like Terri Hatcher, Cindy Crawford, Goldie Hawn, Jaclyn Smith and Renee Russo and add a little bounce with a good cut and a few layers to frame the face and create volume.
3. Get Rid of the Glitter
What is it about some women that makes them want to light themselves up like a Christmas tree- even during the daytime? We’re talking about those 40+ gals that go overboard with glitter and sparkles thinking shiny will make them look young. Maybe this really is a problem that comes with declining eyesight after 40??? Whatever the reason, we encourage you to look a little closer. Too much flash can really age a gal. If you want to sparkle, do it with your jewelry, and keep the glitz on your garments to a minimum.
4. Forgo the Frosted Make up
Some gals who would never wear glittery clothes think nothing of frosted make-up. But you know it’s really the same thing. And it’s no help that the makeup companies, just love to put frost in everything from eye shadow to blush to lipstick to bronzer. Although it can be tempting to wear frost, be forewarned… Frosted eye shadow, really shows up all the little fine lines and creases. If you must, just dab it on right below the brow, for a nice evening shimmer, but other than that, you’d be smart to steer clear.
5. Pass on Small Prints
Conjure up an image of a little dowdy little old lady and you probably visualize a granny in a tiny flower print dress. Small prints (especially ones with little flowers) can look really matronly. And, if you have some meat on your bones, small prints will make you look really fat too. Got the picture??!!
6. Pass on Pearl and Gold Buttons
We know a lot of you are attached to your favorite old cardigans with the pearl buttons and shiny gold buttons, but these look old fashioned and too conservative for a true Glam Gal. Instead opt for sweaters with modern plain flat buttons. And don’t forget you can always replace buttons too. A beautiful button on a plain sweater can create a knock-out look.
7. Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate
So easy to do and so often overlooked, exfoliating your skin can make dull aging skin glow! Once a week will keep your skin looking fresh and flawless. We love Estee Lauder’s Idealist Micro –D Deep Thermal Refinisher. It heats up on your skin creating a warm sensation and leaves you skin dramatically radiant. It’s an at home alternative to microdermabrasion and makes you feel like you’ve shed mask.
We’ve often said that if you are confused about what to wear to look age appropriate find a fashion role model and copy what she does, which brings us to a great article we just read that talks about this very thing.
When in doubt ask yourself … What would Annette Bening do?
Find over 40 fashion inspiration in chic Golden Globe Winner Annette Bening, or sexy Sharon Stone, natural beauty Goldie Hawn, romantic Jayne Seymour or elegant Iman. Pick a woman who you think looks Age-mazing (amazing for her age, as we like to say), and borrow a few style lessons.
The one things we notice that all these gals all have in common is that that they look classy, confident and sexy, in a grown up way. They are also consistently true to their own unique style. They have strong personal brands!
If you are still unsure about what to wear, aso take a good hard look what NOT to wear. Grab a copy of your favorite hollywood tabloid and study the photos of celebs like…………. who seem to latch onto every goofy, trashy fashion trend in a desperate attempt to look young. Burn these pictures in your brain! Don’t go there.
