Vibrant Nation

5 ways to look fabulous after 50--in under 10 minutes

The Glam Gals's avatar Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 by The Glam Gals The Glam Gals are image and style experts help women 40 plus look and feel fabulous. They wrote the book, The Glam Plan~ 12 Simple Steps to Take You from Frumpy to Fabulous and are coaches for their Tweak Your Chic, Image make-over program. For more tips, visit their website, fabulousafter40.com.
Feeling like you need a quick midlife lift to look like a Boomer Babe? Here are 5 simple fashion tips that can help you look fabulous after 50, in under 10 minutes.

  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. A chunky necklace also helps to fill in the bareness and make you look fabulous after 50.

  2. Forgo the frosted makeup
    It’s no help that the makeup companies just love to put frost in everything from eye shadow to blush to lipstick to bronzer. But, although it’s tempting to wear some shimmer, be forewarned…If you are over 40 you will find that 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.

  3. Pull your shirt out
    If you are over 40 and haven’t had liposuction you are sure to have a bit of a belly so just remember, chic women don’t tuck in. Tucking your shirt in will accentuate your stomach and make you look dumpy. If you worry that an untucked top will look loose and messy, then you are wearing the wrong top. Try a more fitted t-shirt that follows the curves of your body shirt no matter what your size. A loose shirt pulled out on a size 2 or 24 will only make you look square and boxy.

  4. 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, especially after 50. And, if you have some meat on your bones, small prints will make you look really fat too. Got the picture??!!

  5. Heave-ho to small hot rollers
    Are you still using small hot rollers? Then your hair probably looks out of date! The style today is wavy and loose and is best accomplished with extra large rollers or gently wrapping sections of your air around a curling iron. A 1940’S wave reminiscent of Veronica Lake is the all the rage this fall, so be sure you loosen up those locks to look stylish after 50.

responses (4)

Lois Joy Johnson's avatar Lois Joy …
Lois Joy Johnson said to The Glam Gals
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Sorry but I disagree ! Pucci prints make everyone look cool, shimmery makeup adds life to your face( just choose one spot ),just twist damp hair in a knot at the nape and when you let it down you'll have modern waves, and wear a slim tunic like those by Tory Burch or an empire tee like those by C+ C California or Ella Moss.
JoJami's avatar JoJami
JoJami said to The Glam Gals
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LOL, Pucci is not a small print! It's bold and wild. We love that! We mean tiny little old lady print. Great idea for summer, or cruise. We are back east and all bundled these days.
cecile's avatar cecile
cecile said to The Glam Gals
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What about advice for women of color, who don't have to worry about becoming pale, but may need to attend to other ageing issues when it comes to make up and over doing it.
JoJami's avatar JoJami
JoJami said to The Glam Gals
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Great Question Cecile! We consulted our Fabulous after 40 make-up artist Beke Beau for her thoughts on this, and here's what she said: Women of color do have their own set of challenges when it comes to looking their best after 50, including lack of vibrance and darkness under the eyes and around the nose and mouth. Beke's advice: stay well moisturized and exfoliated. Use an apricot or orange based concealer for dark area and a clear strong blush in moderation, along with a pretty lip that isn't too dark or matte to perk up your complexion. Hope that helps!
Pure and Natural