Fabulous After 40

Look Ageless with the Right Accessories

The easiest way to stay looking youthful and chic after the age of 40 is to pay close attention to your accessories. While you may be sporting the latest clothing styles, pairing your outfits with dated handbags, jewelry, shoes and belts is a dead giveaway that you’ve been at this fashion game a very long time.

How do you figure out which accessories are too old, too young or just right? Here are 6 popular accessories and the reasons why some will make you look ageless.

Rings

Too Old Can’t part with that gemstone ring your parents or boyfriend bought you when graduated from high school 25 years ago? It may be sentimental, but it will make you look like older than you are. By today’s style, this ring is just too fine and tame.

Too Young Giant chunky cocktail rings are much more in vogue at the moment, however this ring is too eclectic and junky looking for a mature woman to pull off. Butterflies and daises are cute and girly, not sophisticated and chic, therefore better left to teens and twenty-somethings. Can’t you just see this on Paris Hilton or Nicole Ritchie?

Just Right This Tiffany’s emerald cut smokey quartz cocktail ring is s perfect choice for a woman over 40 because it combines both classic and modern elements. It has simple elegant lines which is very traditional, but the unusual chocolate color and contemporary sterling silver setting give it a modern feel. Love the powerful vibe of this ring. It unapolagetically announces, “I’m 40+ and I’m fabulous!”

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Earrings

Too Old Admit it... you probably have a pair of these hanging around your jewelry box. We all do, left over from the 80’s! Shrimp style earrings like these are definitely old hat and will make you look like you are caught in a time warp!

Too Young These dangly double hoop designer earrings that flaunt the Dolce and Gabbana logo may be attractive to the young and impressionable, but a grown up gal needs something less commercial and cutesy. Forget about being a walking fashion billboard and choose earrings that are more subtle and chic.

Just Right A single small to medium sized hoop is always an easy to wear and an elegant choice for a woman who wants to look ageless. These classic diamond encrusted hoops are sophisticated and go with everything from casual wear to an evening out. You can never go wrong with this bit of bling.

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Belts

Too Old Ridem cowboy! Yes, we know, you closet has at least one of these. Too thin, too wild west, too blah. Please donate yours and go get a new updated one!

Too Young The skinny wrap belt-Great look if you have washboard abs, but is it realistic for most of us after 40? This look will definitely emphasize any midlife tummy flab. Best left to your daughter.

Just Right The best belt at 40+ is one that is adjustable. We love this asymmetrical one by Suzi Roher who designs all her belts to have stretch to them, so you can wear them either at your waist or slung down on your hips for slimming effect.

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Watches

Too Old Delicate, fragile, a skinny band and tiny face. That’s what makes this watch look old. If your Grandmother wore it, it probably means that you should think twice before you do.

Too Young As we age, we have to face reality and give things up…like hearts. They’re just not sophisticated enough after 40+. Unless you are a matchmaker, or your last name is Heart, leave this sweet and innocent watch to the younger set.

Just Right If you really want to update your accessories go buy a men’s watch. The watch face will feel big on your wrist at first, but you will get compliments galore. A large men’s watch is also great because it makes your wrist appear smaller. Also, you can replace the band with a woman’s band in a fun color like green or red for everyday sports wear.

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Cropped Sweaters

Too Old Crocheted vests look like doilies and doiles make you look like you are ready for the seniors home. Stay away from this crafty look.

Too Young Cropped sweaters are a fresh alternative to long conservative cardigans, as long as you stay away from extremes. Avoid shrunken cropped sweaters that stop under the bust and hug the body, if you don’t want to look like a mutton dressed like a lamb.

Just Right Cropped sweaters with a little more length that aren’t so tightly form fitted are the perfect choice for boomer babes. This stylish tie neck silk cardigan is a great way to cover not so perfect 40+ arms, and is a soft and fashionable alternative to a stiff jacket.

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Sunglasses

Too Old Nothing like an out of date pair of sunglasses to ruin you entire look! These tired wire rims are just not cool. The lenses are on the small side and the thin arms should be a little thicker to be more current. Looks like something a secret service agent would wear.

Too Young Yes, colored frames are in but this plastic pink pair is too little girlish for a mature women. Leave these for Britney Spears.

Just Right Darling!! These oversized Versace Glam Glasses sides ooze movie star magic. Your face shape will depend on what style glasses to go for, but overall, you want a larger lense as these have with a wider side, in black or tortoise shell is always chic. Make sure you have something at the side for interest like these Medusa coins or some fun crystals to complete the look.

Giving Tree Jewelry

Finding your life's passion,supporting starving artists, and doing it all with your daughter by your side...

This is the true and touching, real life story of Boomer, Judith and her daughter, who have teamed up to create a wonderful world of off the beaten track destination and combined it with high tech sensibility.

Giving Tree Jewelry l.Located in a refurbished barn, deep in the woods in Cape Cod, is a sanctuary for special and unique jewelry made by designers you won't see in your local mall. The best part is, that you don't ever have to leave the comfort of your home office to check it out, since you can view it right on line.

Giving Tree Jewelry contains pieces from over 30 different designers. Three of those designers being Alex Woo (Recently Eva Longoria has been seen wearing Alex Woo's piece "little numbers"), Me & Ro,(Mariska Hargitay wears "Fearlessness necklace") and Love Rocks NY (Sarah Jessica Parker wore Locket on the cover of Glamour recently)

After doing a bit of research on the site we couldn't help but to pick out a few pieces  to share with you-

  <We Love these  Gold Lucite Flair Hoops earrings by the talented and "Hot, hot , hot", designer, Alexis Bittar. Well known, for his Lucite Collection and many of his designs are being seen on some of Hollywoods A- list stars!

We also feel for this fabulous Crescent Moon Necklace by SYdney Evan. >

These Bangles from Alex and Ali, are the perfect mix of "uptown elegance with downtown cool". This is weekend wear jewelry to make you feel pretty!

We are big girls now, and that calls for updating our fine jewelry. How about this conversation piece, the Infinity Ring by Love Rocks NY.

You can find all of these products plus so much more at www.givingtreejewelry.com

Need a new purse? Why buy when you can rent?

Are you gearing up for the holiday parties?

Are you starting to think about what you are going to wear?

In last week's newsletter, about the importance of the "little black dress", we mentioned that accessories are one way to show off your individuality.

But buying the latest it bag can be expensive, and not to mention wasteful, if your only going to use it for a party or two.

So why not just rent one? There is a great site out there called Bag, Borrow or Steal. www.bagborroworsteal.com 

Here you can have fun fantasizing what it would feel like to carry something a little more wild, or expensive than you're used too!

How would you like it if you could just get on-line and for between $60 to $120.00 , you can have a genuine Channel clutch in your mailbox a few days latter! 

They even have a section that shows what the stars are carrying and then you can search to see if they have one for you to borrow!

For example, here is Terri Hatcher  with a pretty little purse from Moschino. Yes, it's for rent too!

They also have expanded their site to include jewelry as well, but we think they do purses the best!

We think, why fake it, when you can have the real thing.

How Cool are Your Sunglasses?

Aaah!!! Bye bye winter blues and hello sunshine!   

Don't be caught looking like a frumpy boomer this spring in boring, scratched up, out of date shades. Stylish sunglasses are a simple way to help you look Age-mazing™!

Oversized sunglasses are hot at the moment. Think 60's and Jackie O. White and metallic rims are the newest trend, but black and tortisheshell always work too.

Watch out for wildy overpriced designer shades that don't deliver anything special other than their status name. Here are 3 pairs we like - quality glasses that will give you lots of glam for your dollar!                                                                           

Kate Spade has some high stylin designs that won't break the bank. They look classy, sophisticated, hip, and not overly trendy. www.nordstroms.com

For a little more casual look, we think this goldtone Lacoste pair are great value. They look modern and rich and the alligator logo on the side is a fun detail.

Next, we spotted some good old classic Ray Bans. They've been popping up on all kinds of celebrities. Seems that they are back in style, and if you don't have room in your purse for the larger frames, these are a great alternative.  www.sunglasshut.com

If you wear reading glasses and don't want to keep switching back and forth between sunglasses and reading glasses, then you can always try a pair of reading sunglasses. Fashionable and functional they are a real hit with the baby boomer crowd!