Glamour Puss 4: Y'all are green with envy!

[IceAlisa]

Oh I have the dress gene and the shoe gene. Sigh.

[vesperholly]

I have a jewelry gene ... cheap jewelry at least

[Scintillation]

I have the hair care/skin care gene. I don't even want to know how much I've spent on skin care recently. The knowledge might give me an instant heart attack.
As far as perfume goes, I found Origins ginger essence several months back and I can't wear anything else now. It is just perfect for me.

[myhoneyhoney]

I was so plain before, now I have make up and nail polish genes. I'm starting to get the haircare gene. I'm also addicted with buying swimsuits and boots but that's another story, lol

[skategal]

I have the coat gene....and the nail polish gene....but I am trying to fight nature on the nail polish one...

[PRlady]

In my twenties I was indifferent to hair and nails and liked makeup, but cheap drugstore makeup. As for clothes, let's just say my own style combined with the '80s makes me look back and shiver.

I only started taking care of my skin maybe 10 years ago but it is unfairly unwrinkled, given my tanning and smoking history. Just the luck of the draw. And perfume was up to what my husband wanted me to smell like....

Now I have ALL the genes but unfortunately a lot of clothes I like are too young for me.

[Veronika]

I've always had the makeup gene...and I take care of my skin. I smoked socially for a few years (mostly college), and I stay out of the sun for most part. I hope that means I will look young forever.

[Christina]

Now I have ALL the genes but unfortunately a lot of clothes I like are too young for me.

We should do a thread about where to shop once you hit forty but aren't over 55. I'm too old for most of the stuff out there, and I'm too young for some of the other stuff out there. I have yet to figure out where I am supposed to shop.

Add in that sometimes I'm a 14 and sometimes a 16 or an 18, and that's another issue in itself.

[myhoneyhoney]

Used the argan oil today... NICE! My hair is not as crunchy! I hope it'll get even better with continued use. I need to defrizz my hair with the curling iron later and I plan to use a thermal protector with argan oil in it so hopefully my hair will be ok.

BTW, I'm 35 now so I'm also trying to find a new style of clothing. I'm too old for the Jr's section but the other sections look, well.... I'll match my Mom if I shop there, lol. I don't know. Right now I'm sticking with my bootcut or skinny jeans and a t-shirt/sweater. Classic mommy attire, right?! hehehe I wanna shop for new clothes though, since I've lost @ 30 lbs I NEED new clothes. I just don't know what to get Oh, and don't even get me started on bras, I can't find one that fits me properly at the moment! grrrr

[vesperholly]

We should do a thread about where to shop once you hit forty but aren't over 55. I'm too old for most of the stuff out there, and I'm too young for some of the other stuff out there. I have yet to figure out where I am supposed to shop.

Add in that sometimes I'm a 14 and sometimes a 16 or an 18, and that's another issue in itself.

Have you tried Avenue or Dress Barn? I always thought they were hideous, cheap, stodgy old lady places, but I've ventured into both recently and was pleasantly surprised. You do have to pick and choose, because if you dress head-to-toe in their style, it's not the most on-trend. I blend the stuff I've bought with more trendy stuff from Old Navy/Gap/H&M/Forever 21 and it works great. They're also fairly inexpensive and have coupons often.

I found a great light coat at Dress Barn, and several pairs of cheap jeans (always my hardest thing to shop for) and a really nice top at Avenue. I really need to go back to Avenue to check out their boots - wide width and wide calf! Their sizing starts at 14/16 and goes up from there, and Dress Barn is split between misses and plus, with a lot of the same styles on both sides.

My biggest problem lately is that I've lost just enough weight that size 20 pants are too big, but 18s are too tight. Gotta be more vigilant in my low-carbing so I can get into those 18s!

[Christina]

Have you tried Avenue or Dress Barn? I always thought they were hideous, cheap, stodgy old lady places, but I've ventured into both recently and was pleasantly surprised. You do have to pick and choose, because if you dress head-to-toe in their style, it's not the most on-trend. I blend the stuff I've bought with more trendy stuff from Old Navy/Gap/H&M/Forever 21 and it works great. They're also fairly inexpensive and have coupons often.

I found a great light coat at Dress Barn, and several pairs of cheap jeans (always my hardest thing to shop for) and a really nice top at Avenue. I really need to go back to Avenue to check out their boots - wide width and wide calf! Their sizing starts at 14/16 and goes up from there, and Dress Barn is split between misses and plus, with a lot of the same styles on both sides.

My biggest problem lately is that I've lost just enough weight that size 20 pants are too big, but 18s are too tight. Gotta be more vigilant in my low-carbing so I can get into those 18s!

Hmmm, there is an Avenue about 35 miles from me. I'll have to check them out while shopping. I'd forgotten about them - I used to shop there when I lived in Philly years ago. Of course, I could just watch what I eat and get back into my size 14 that I have a ton of.

I was going to hit Lane Bryant in Orlando this weekend to check out their boots, but I'll definitely hit Avenue to see them there as well. Thanks!

[Cyn]

Wheeeeeeee - I found out through a little birdie that my sister is getting me Lancôme's Visionnaire and their Rénergie Multiple Action Eye Cream for Chanukah - the two skincare items I've been salivating over but cannot afford to treat myself to these days .

[PRlady]

I've been trying out different sources of clothing for four years, since I lost 15 pounds. (And by the way, I AM 55, I just don't want to dress in the matronly, meter-maid suit look that is normal in DC.)

For a while I went overboard at Anthropologie, until my daughter made a crack about my Bavarian barmaid look. I think I was so thrilled to be back in size 8, not to mention post-divorce syndrome, that I went a little too young and funky. One day I discovered I had nothing to wear to an editorial board meeting and decided I needed some grownup basics.

So....Banana Republic and occasionally Ann Taylor for basic slacks and blazers and some blouses. I still buy accent pieces at Anthropologie and even Urban Outfitters, carefully selected. But my real finds are bridge line clothes, Trina Turk and Theory and especially Elie Tahari (who makes jackets) either at Filene's basement, Loehmanns or at the half-yearly sale at Nordstroms. I'll spend $150 on a great jacket because I'll wear it a lot for years, but I won't spend $400.

Thus I have fashionable, mix-and-match separates that are grownup looking enough but not dowdy. At least that's what I'm shooting for. Also, once you're on the BR and AT mailing lists you will never pay full price for anything.

[myhoneyhoney]

Ok, I've been using MAC Face and Body again for the past week and so far no breakouts! I am using my trusty Smashbox Primer under it so maybe that's the difference? I adore how MAC F&B looks, luminous and doesn't show my dry flaky cheeks and fine lines under my eyes. It's also enough coverage to mask my under eye circles. I hope I don't break out again.

[IceAlisa]

PRLady, like you I luurve Elie Tahari and like you, will not usually pay full price. My favorite thing to wear to work are dresses like this.

I also like well-made pencil skirts and a fitted blouse or something like this topped off with a well-fitting jacket. This top totally reminds me of a Vera Wang creation for Kwan. I've always loved late career Kwan's skating dresses.

I rarely pay full price and if I do, I check back the site several times to see if the item had gone on sale. Many times it does and I get back.

[Lanie]

I love that dress, IA. I wish I could wear stuff like that but being 4'11" and stocky... well... I would look ridiculous. No matter how fit I am or how much I weigh I have no waist and my stomach sticks out. Oh well! I will stick to my jeans and cute empire waist tops.

[IceAlisa]

Empire waists are god's gift to short women. I am not much taller than you.

[myhoneyhoney]

Empire waists are god's gift to short women. I am not much taller than you.

Same here, I'm a statuesque 5 feet exactly, lol

Speaking of Elie Tahari... I ♥ this dress. If only it came in the dark pink/red color and cost just about $100. sigh...

[vesperholly]

Empire waists are god's gift to short women. I am not much taller than you.

And pear shapes. It's the only cut of dress I can wear because I'm a different size on top and on bottom.

[IceAlisa]

That's a very nice dress, myhoneyhoney!