Last updated : Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Print | |

 

Fab After 40: Pretty & Polished in 3 Steps

Most women in their forties are either in full-on career mode, re-entering the job market or school, taking care of children or some combination of these. That means precious few forty-somethings have lots of idle time in which to fluff and puff, pamper and preen and generally focus on themselves for great lengths of time. If you do -- yippee for you, but this is for the rest of us.
The chicest women I know have three things in common when it comes to putting themselves together every day:

They have a uniform.

It's a go-to look that gives you confidence and plays up your best features. And by "uniform," I do not mean sweats! (I said chic, not schlub!) But what about the mom who is up at 6AM to dress and feed the kids, drive carpool, run a business from home and be president of her PTA? Sweats could be forgiven, right? Wrong!

One polished mom I know (who does all of that on a typical day) has her go-to outfit of dark jeans, fashionable boots with a comfortable heel and about six or seven different flattering tops and a blazer. She wears some version of this every day, changing the tops and jewelry to suit the needs of the day depending on whether she's meeting with clients or doing cafeteria duty. She looks great every day and never has to wonder what she's going to wear.
Another friend works in a highly creative publishing field and frequently leaves the house at 8AM, not to return until past 10PM, having stopped off at openings, dinners and various product launches. She usually dresses in black or dark solids, and brings a bag to work containing fabulous heels, glam makeup and some sparkly jewelry item. Her base is almost always some version of pencil skirt and simple, form-fitting top or a well-crafted sheath dress. Her accessories are always memorable and flattering. The lesson here is to find a silhouette which works for your lifestyle and body, then buy a few different variations of it. You will never again reach for those sweats.

Get a 'do you can do.

One of the surest ways to save time and look polished is to have a hairstyle you can style with minimum effort. Oftentimes, once a woman hits 40, she chops off her hair in an effort to streamline grooming and (this appalls me!) to look age-appropriate.There is nothing more high-maintenance that that in-between hairstyle which really needs the right amount of curl, lift, or straightening each morning in order to look good. If you have the time, great! Get that fabulous, mid-length layered bob and set it with rollers every morning. But so often there is simply no time for all that and you wind up with badly styled, forgettable hair.

Instead, consider leaving your hair a bit longer. With a good cut and flattering color, it can be a huge time saver and look very pretty. Just below shoulder length is good for most women. Then add bangs, layers and colors that flatter your unique features. This gives you the option of pulling it back into a sleek ponytail, slipping on a headband or twisting it up into and elegant chignon when you are really pressed for time. A weekly blowout on Monday or Tuesday will keep you looking sleek for a few days and can usually be had for around $25.

One of my favorite stylish friends got great china-doll bangs and has a stick straight bob just below her shoulders. She runs a flat iron over it in the morning for about two minutes and she's out the door.
Another woman I know, who travels constantly for work, had the most unruly, curly hair. Now she gets great color, a superb cut and with the help of the right styling products, lets it fall into sleek ringlets below her shoulders.
So don't feel like you have to cut your hair! Unless, of course, you are one of those rare women with superb bone structure and great texture (slightly wavy). In that case go for a rock-star shag or sweet pixie cut and count your lucky stars!

Do Your Makeup in a Flash.

There is no such thing as natural beauty, so said Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias. That certainly holds true for those of us who are fabulous after forty! Make the effort to make up! In five minutes you can apply sunscreen, (which doubles as moisturizer) a swipe of sheer foundation, a blot of powder, mascara and lip gloss. Actually, that sounded like a lot so I just tried it. I applied sunscreen, foundation, powder, blush, eyeliner (and smudged it), eye shadow, two coats of mascara, brow pencil and lip gloss in just under five minutes. If you had given me another minute I could have done false eyelashes. But I'm a professional, so don't try that at home. Simply stick to the basics and I'm certain you can get a pretty face on in five or under.

Carry lip gloss and powder in your bag for touch ups. I also add a smudging brush (the one with very short, rounded bristles) and run it over my eyeliner midday to smooth any feathering. It works like a charm!

Taking the time to spackle up in the morning will improve your outlook immeasurably. Even if you are going to the gym, lip gloss and a touch of waterproof mascara will give your face a lift.
The bottom line in all of this is that when you feel pretty and well groomed, it comes across in your carriage, in your communication, in your energy. Make the effort to look your best each time you step out the door and let's show the world what the new forty-something looks like.

For more beauty tips from Mattie Roberts, click here.

 

Print | |