How Women Over Fifty Can Dress for Success in the Boardroom

How Women Over Fifty Can Dress for Success in the Boardroom

Making a good impression in the workplace starts with how you present yourself, whether it’s your day-to-day look or a special outfit for a boardroom presentation. As you advance in your career, your wardrobe should advance with you, reflecting your growing role and responsibilities.

Women over 50 have a unique opportunity to redefine themselves with a modern, updated look; here are a few tips to achieve it.

Go for a natural look

Heavy makeup tends to settle in fine lines and wrinkles, and powder can accentuate the problem. Look for lighter foundations with a dewy finish to replicate a youthful glow. Makeup experts recommend neutral eye palettes—think creams and taupes—for a brighter, more natural look. Go with your favorite lip color, but avoid layering on too much gloss; it can cause your color to bleed into tiny lip lines.

Update your hairstyle

Unfortunately, many women deal with thinning hair and changing hair textures as they age. The hairstyle that worked great with your 30-something hair might fall flat with your mature locks. Talk to your stylist about a stress-free style that frames your face and highlights your best features. This is a great time to play with highlights and lowlights to add the illusion of fullness and movement and soften any unwanted gray.

Dress strategically

All women, especially mature ones, have figure trouble spots they’d like to disguise. For some, it’s a tummy bulge, for others, it’s upper arm flab or varicose veins. Fortunately, professional dress comes in many different styles—if you’re unhappy with your legs, embrace your pantsuit persona. A French tuck with tailored pants or skirts is a stylish way to disguise your tummy. Talk to a stylist at your favorite department store for tips on how to showcase your strengths and camouflage the parts that sabotage your confidence.

Embrace color

Everyone needs a selection of neutral power suits for the boardroom, but you don’t have to settle for a monochrome black or navy ensemble. Express your personality with pops of color—a bright pink blouse, a boldly patterned scarf or even a fabulous pair of red heels. Mature women have earned the right to show their true colors at work, so accent your workwear with your favorite shades.

Build a strong foundation

Nothing wrecks your confidence like a sagging silhouette, so invest in the foundation garments you need to make you feel strong and supported. Lingerie manufacturers got the memo that mature women want beautiful, functional undergarments; there are more choices than ever in support bras and shapewear. Get properly fitted at a department store before you start shopping—your bra size can change as you hit your 50s.

Play with accessories

Accessories make your wardrobe work harder. You can get multiple looks out of a basic sheath dress just by switching up your accessories. Build a collection of colored belts, textured bags, and statement jewelry pieces you can mix and match to transform your outfits. Do remember Coco Chanel’s words of wisdom, however: Check yourself in the mirror before you leave home and remove one thing. It’s all too easy to go from chic to cluttered.

Women in their fifties are free to break a few ironclad fashion rules that apply to younger ladies working their way up the corporate ladder. So go ahead and highlight your best features, show your personality, and embrace your feminine side with eye-catching colors and accessories. You’ll have boardroom success when you look and feel your best

Special thanks to guest writer Danielle K Roberts

Danielle K Roberts is the co-founder of Boomer Benefits who writes regularly for and is cited by many online publications, including Forbes, where she is a member of the Finance Council. A TCU journalism graduate and former magazine editor, she enjoys sharing her knowledge online.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoomerBenefits/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/boomerbenefits
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellekunkle/

Ten fantastic women over fifty with impeccable style

Ten fantastic women over fifty with impeccable style

Written by HANNAH HARGRAVE, LIVING

Originally posted on MyLumityLife

When it comes to the world of fashion youth used to be currency with rail thin teen models frequently being sent down the runways draped in designer gear. But there has been a very definite shift with women of all shapes, age and sizes being celebrated and we couldn’t be happier.

The tide has most definitely turned in the fashion world with Helena Christensen, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford all ruling the runways, starring in glossy magazine campaigns and out-modelling their twenty-something colleagues.

Meanwhile, over in Canada, Julia Roberts absolutely nailed the red carpets at the Toronto Film Festival this week, which lead to American Vogue declaring that vampy gowns and cocktail dresses are officially on the outs while grown up fashion moves forward to take centre stage.

With London Fashion Week kicking off today, we have decided to join the celebration and take a look at ten of our favourite style icons who are in their fifties and beyond.

Monica Bellucci

We can’t imagine Italian ‘Matrix’ beauty Monica Bellucci, 53, ever slouching around in a pair of tracksuit bottoms. She embraces her curves and flatters them in feminine figure hugging dresses or sleek, tailored suits. She’s rarely without a pair of heels either and has kept glam since her early days as a model.

Isabelle Huppert

The gorgeous French actress, 64, is the epitome of chic. “It’s important how personal and singular you feel in what you wear” she says. Whether she’s walking the red carpet in one of her dreamy tuxedos, boyish suits or a glamorous gown she manages to look impeccable. She oozes style in her day to day life too and keeps to the appeal of French style that less is always more.

Maye Musk

Maye Musk, 70, is the mother of Tesla founder Elon Musk but she was famous long before he was. The silver-haired dietician and five-decade model says she’s determined to be a role model for women and men who fear ageing and her bright and fearless sense of style is an inspiration too.

“I’m living proof that [you can] find work for an older woman,” says the style guru. “I’ve never worked so much as I do now,” and she always does it with great earrings and lipstick too.

Melanie Kobayashi

Canadian model, blogger and artist Melanie Kobayashi wants to prove you can be stylish and confident at any age. Her blog ‘Bag and a Beret’ aims to show off her self confessed “shameless” fun and rock n roll style.

Wendy Packer

The name of former lawyer Wendy Packer’s popular blog is ‘Fashion Over Fifty’ so it makes sense that she has a confident and brilliant sense of style which has garnered her 14.5k Instagram followers and a legion of fans.

“My mission,” she says. “Is to help every woman feel her inner and outer beauty no matter what her age.”

Lyn Slater

Her style might not be for everyone but there’s no denying ‘Accidental Icon’ Lyn Slater knows fashion. A huge fan of Japanese designs, you can count on the 64-year-old former university professor to make bold statements when it comes to what she wears and she always manages to pull it off.

Michelle Obama

She wasn’t just the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama was also the dubbed the First Lady of Fashion. An obsession over what she wore was boosted when she admitted she loved shopping at ‘J Crew’ and online. The 54-year-old has been consistently on point with her style ever since.

Sofie Fontanel

Her face is usually covered with her phone in her mirror selfies but French journalist Sofie Fontanel, 56, still gives her followers plenty to look at with her easy to replicate outfits. Her simple styling is effective, chic and follow.

Caryn Franklin

Fashion guru Caryn Franklin is a “mannish dresser” who loves print clash and she makes no excuses for it. The former ‘The Clothes Show’ presenter, stylist, editor, activist and professor has an incredible eye for fashion but she also insists she wears the clothes that make her feel good about herself whether other people like it or not.

Linda Fargo

Linda Fargo has been branded “the eyes of Bergdorf Goodman”. She is the senior vice president of the fashion office and store presentation. So she knows a thing or two about looking good. She’s not scared of leopard print and she admits she loves timeless classics “with a bit of a bite”.

If you’re inspired by these women to up your game in the style stakes why not also take some tips from a fitness expert and find out the best way to get in shape after 50. You might be interested in makeup advice for the over fifties too.

Read the original article.

Mindi Smith on Sustainable Kids Fashion – Buy Well Buy Once

Mindi Smith on Sustainable Kids Fashion – Buy Well Buy Once

We sat down with veteran fashion stylist and mother Mindi Smith, creative director and founder of The Little Red Planet, an online children’s boutique. On the brink of 50, Mindi shifted gears, changed careers, and is on a mission to transform the way we shop. Here are her thoughts on sustainability and design for the little people in your life.

Originally posted by Mindi Smith on September 1, 2018.

Sustainable fashion for kids is not an oxymoron. I’m sure you’ve heard it all before: buying nice clothing for kids is a waste of money because they outgrow them so fast. Or kids destroy their clothes so why bother buying anything nice for them? Or my personal favorite, my kid only wears ____ (insert tacky chain store clothing item here).

I’m here to tell you it’s SIMPLY NOT TRUE. My personal shopping-for-kids philosophy is that you, your child, and the planet are ALL much better off when you follow the “buy well, buy once” mantra. Let me explain…it all boils down to these three little things: fit, quality, and style.

FIT

The fit of a garment is what gives it longevity. Good designs are made to grow WITH your child, taking them through multiple seasons. A great example of this is the dress: say you buy a dress for your little girl with room to grow … sure it’s a bit big the first season. Roll those sleeves up, belt it, and don’t worry about the hemline. Nowadays hemlines fluctuate from mid calf to mid thigh. It’s all about the attitude and individuality with kids, they have an amazing knack of pushing the fashion envelope. Fast forward to the next season….those generously cut sleeves fit perfectly, and the length is a bit shorter—perfect. And finally, because you’ve purchased a quality garment, that dress dances it’s way into the season after as a tunic, worn over jeans or leggings. Cardis and tights take it from hot summers to cold winters on a dime.

QUALITY

While fit is crucial to extending the life of your child’s wardrobe, it doesn’t mean a whole lot if the fabric is of poor quality. Cheaply woven or synthetic fabrics will not have that soft “feel to the touch” that kids (and parents) love plus they don’t breathe very well. Who wants to be hot and sweaty in any season because they are baking inside cheaply made clothes? NO ONE. Texture sensitivity aside, have you noticed that cheaply made garments tend to shrink way way down when you wash them? Quality fabrics such as soft jersey knit and linens will retain their shape and even soften with every wash

STYLE

Do I really need to say anything about this? If you’re reading this article, the answer is most likely a resounding NO but for those that need a gentle reminder or any unconverted husbands out there wondering why their wife doesn’t just shop High Street, this last point is for you. Design is important! It’s not just the extra spring in their step, the smile on their face or the positive giddiness that is enhanced by a “good outfit” day (ever catch a kid dancing in front of the mirror in their new shoes?) . Superior clothing design is performance-enhancing! From the skate park to the classroom, grandma’s dinner table to the street, well-made stylish clothing keeps kids comfortable and cozy, cool and collected.

When the elements of fit, quality, and style are all present in a child’s garment, that garment is likely to last much longer than apparel of it’s chain store counterpart. A well-loved garment with great design will be happily passed along to siblings, neighbors and friends. It becomes a cherished piece of your family’s story and will definitely not end up in a landfill six weeks after purchase.

Please let me know if I can answer any questions or help in any way at styling@thelittleredplanet.com !

Originally posted by Mindi Smith on September 1, 2018. Read the original post here.

Why I decided to write a one woman show and my experience creating this show.

Why I decided to write a one woman show and my experience creating this show.

“Ageless Wonders: A Grown up kids Guide to Growing Newer”

written and starring

Mindy Fradkin

Directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson

Music by Roland Mousaa

Lyrics written by Mindy Fradkin & Roland Mousaa

I am in my 6th decade now and started feeling like I entered a new universe. People began talking to me differently. “Are you retired? Are you still working?” People at a previous job were mostly in their twenties, and I was older than their parents. Weird. One day you wake up and its a new reality. Maybe I have more wrinkles, brown spots? I must look different! In my thinking, I don’t feel any different. I had a job that was awful, and I came home one day very exhausted, more tired than ever, and I began writing this show about ageism in America, and my experience being a “senior” in our youth driven USA culture.

It’s also harder to be an “older” woman in our society in many ways. It may be better or worse in the UK. I am not saying its easy for men either, but there is more bias against us women. Men are “distinguished” while women don’t have flattering terms like “old bag” or “old ladies”.Times are changing though. Through writing my show about ageism in America, I started meeting women who had a similar goal to shift perceptions about aging, realizing we are no longer in the youth club.

I had never written a one woman show. I had been performing a one woman improv, interactive show for decades promoting designer hats that I created, and would sell them at the end. After a while, women’s clubs, senior homes, charity events would book me to perform. I wore outrageous outfits, and my art to wear hats and wigs. I previously was a wardrobe stylist for print ads, and billboards. I did costumes for a film, and the whole time, one of the actors, said I needed to be in front of the camera, not behind, and I could just get up and talk and everyone would be laughing. After that summer, I took a comedy class in Manhattan. I proceeded to do stand up comedy after the 10 week class, which led to going to hat school at FIT. I didn’t like working late at night in clubs, smoke filled and drinking. But, of course, hat making was wonderful, but I needed to still perform, so I created a hat performance which is part of my one woman show, Ageless Wonders.

Years later, on my Dad’s deathbed, he gave me a big grin. That smile changed my life for the better. He rarely smiled, as he had a terrible tragedy as a child. I was inspired to start a movement about the healing power of a genuine smile. The Smile Revolution was born. I started a blog, had a radio show, with celebrity guests, like Pete Seeger, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, Buffy St. Marie and more. My wasband( ex-husband), Roland Mousaa, introduced me to them, and worked with them. He and I wrote a series of smile songs that we sing in my show.

After my radio show ended, I was developing a TV to promote The Smile Revolution. Nothing was working out. I went to Los Angeles, and saw my actor friends who said, “Why don’t you do a one woman show, and here’s a coach?” I immediately contacted Jessica Lynn Johnson, an award winning Best National Solo Artist, and Director of Solo Shows. I could never have written and performed this play without her direction and guidance. I started writing a show about my childhood, but after a few months I paused as it felt really hard. After 9 months ( like giving birth!), I was working at a job that I hated, and one night being very exhausted, I started writing my new show. I contacted Jessica and we immediately started work on it. It’s been a tremendous amount of work and financial investment, but its the most rewarding experience of my life. I feel fulfilled and happy, yet stressed at times too! My show has a metaphysical twist to it, which gives others hope, and a new perception on aging.

In my show, I speak directly to the audience sharing personal stories as well as inspiring stories about aging that help shift perceptions, mainly for women, since its harder for us in U.S.A. I do an interactive ‘Hat Parade” with my designer hats, sing original smile songs with my was-band, ex-husband, Roland Mousaa, promoting the healing power of a simple smile. I interviewed in a 2 minute video, Anthony Mancinelli, who at 107 has been cutting hair for 95 years, works full time, and drives. He is a true “Ageless Wonders” and knew he would inspire my audience to realize they are not old!
I have one SOLD OUT show on October 6, and am selling tickets for Wednesday, September 26 at 3:30pm. My special guest is Anthony Mancinelli, at this matinee. Tickets: $47.25 at box office or Telecharge 212-239-6200 or http://unitedsolo.org.us/agelesswonders-2018 ( extra fees apply)

Professional Reviews:
“Mindy is a wonderful, living, work of art.” Nohoartsdistrict.com
“Mindy is zippy, zesty, and full of life!” Bonnie Priever, Curtain Up
“She leaves the smiles and laughter for keeps.” Paul Smart, Woodstock Times

Article by permission from Advantagesofage.com

www.mindyfradkin.com
@agelesswonderstheshow on Instagram
twitter @ageless_wonders
facebook.com/agelesswonderstheshow

        

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