When I’m Sixty-Four. Oh. Wait! I AM Sixty-Four!

Posted on April 17, 2019 by

I can remember singing along to Paul McCartney as he melodically sang about Vera, Chuck and Dave—the grandchildren on his knee.  And it was all about being the age of 64.

When I get older losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine

First of all, I started to lose my hair way before 64!  I was many years ago—not from now!

Yeah.  I didn’t wait till I turned 64 for this….

Hmmmmmm…but I get to wear wigs so it’s all good fun!

And I still receive Valentines.

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And I still GIVE Valentines!

And Birthday greetings and wine.

I even get birthday greetings from my dog!!

In fact, I turned the page to 64 years of age yesterday!

And might I say that the Frenchman has great taste in birthday cards!

It was an odd one at that—not necessarily the day but the months and weeks and days leading up to it.

You see, my dad passed away when he was 64 and quite frankly, the thought of approaching that same age petrified.

The last photo of my dad. Luckily we got to see him shortly before he left us!  He was only 64 years young!

And it doesn’t help that I work in healthcare.  There are days when I wish I was back in finance—I won’t elaborate.

But then a strange thing happened.  I woke up yesterday morning to a sunny day and it was just like any other day.

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God and Mother Nature gifted me with a bright and sunny morning for my birthday!

The alarm went off at 6AM, I got out of bed and made my way to get ready for work.  All very uneventful—in a good way.

When I looked in the mirror to brush my teeth, I didn’t appear to be any older.  The wrinkles hadn’t gotten any worse.  Granted, I look older than twenty years ago but it still wasn’t a sight that made me shudder.

OK so this photo is a couple of months old. And I did brush my teeth yesterday. And I didn’t look any older than I did in this photo!

And as I got ready to put my makeup on, Bonaparte and Chippy came into the little room to wish me a Happy Birthday and then….my Frenchman handed me an oversized bag.  I was shocked.

This bag.  I was speechless but needed to see more!

In the bag was a huge box.  Again.  I was shocked but a bit excited.

….and the box was huge too!

In the box was a bag that I coveted for years. Years. A Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM bag.

I was so overcome with excitement that I was speechless..and that doesn’t happen too often!

And here she is–my Neverfull MM by Louis Vuitton!

The bag is iconic.  It’s been knocked-off and replicated.  And not just by companies that illegally copy.  Michael Kors has his own knock-off as does Ralph Lauren.

The Michael Kors copy.  What’s the difference between his knock-off and a replica?

Ralph Lauren got in on the replication!

But none are as wonderful as the Louis Vuitton Neverfull. (To tell you the truth, I feel even better about having this bag because Bernard Arnault, the CEO and top shareholder of LVMH, is donating millions to the restoration of Notre Dame in Paris).

I’m going to take such good care of this bag!  It’s such a generous gift from my husband! 

In addition, Chippy gifted me with a pearl choker.  As Chippy barked a birthday greeting to me, Bonaparte explained that it was bothering Chippy that I was walking around in four-dollar Walmart pearls and I needed a good strand for Oona’s wedding.  Hey, I’ll take it!

As you can see, Chippy is beside himself with excitement over my birthday!

The GOOD pearls..and they do feel very luxurious!

I immediately put those pearls on–and how chic they look with my striped nightie!

Since this was a day that I wanted to celebrate, even in a subtle way, I got dressed to the nines for work.

Sage by Estetica Designs was my hair of the day.  Bonaparte loves me in darker hair and with the gift he gave me–I couldn’t resist!

I must say that Sage made great Birthday hair!

I wore my custom fit dress from eShakti.  And it looked wonderful.

My party dress!

In fact, it brought memories of me in fine party attire when I was a child.

Me, at four, in a Christmas Party Dress.  Me, sixty years later in a Birthday Party Dress!

There were no celebrations at the office.  But as I worked, thoughts of aging did enter my mind.  Its weird. Twenty years ago I was forty-four and never gave mortality a thought.  In twenty years from now if I’m extremely lucky, I’ll be 84 and at 64, I think of mortality often and put it in the back of my mind.

No celebrations at the office but I had my Neverfull bag with me to keep me company!

When I arrived home, a vase of beautiful flowers greeted me.  My kids never fail to send flowers on my birthday.  And they all call.  Hearing their voices gives me such a lift and makes me wish they were closer in distance!

A mom’s greatest gift.  Love from the kids!

Is my birthday over?  Nah.  On Saturday night, the Frenchman and I are going out to dinner (which I’ll tell you all about) and next Thursday, I leave for Cincinnati to visit with Oona and have some pre-wedding fun at a luncheon in her honor.

And so, rather than live this year in anxiety and fear, I am facing it with gusto and a smile!

And I’ll always stop to smell the roses!

I’m grateful for my health.  I’m grateful for my family.  My cool-as-can-be husband and my children.  I’m grateful that I can still bend over without pulling a muscle and that I can still run up three flights of stairs every day.  I’m grateful that I have a job and a roof over my head.

And I’m grateful that I have the freedom to write about my feelings on everything and anything.

Thank you for the gift of your presence when you read my words and comment!  It’s a year-round gift to me!

Many thanks

Many thanks and I hope you enjoyed my birthday!!

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That Seasonal Transition Has Me Getting Organized!

Posted on April 9, 2019 by

I know.  I know. I’m quite possibly jumping the gun here because at any given time during April—it can snow.

I’m jumping into Spring knowing full-well that it can snow tomorrow!

But you know what?  I’m home nursing a cold today.   Rarely do I call out sick from work.  But with the focus on detail that I need to give my tasks, I needed this day to just take it easy.   Working while feeling under the weather can be cause for error and I can’t take that chance.

The first time I ever went into work with only mascara, eybrow makeup and nothing else.  I felt THAT awful!

That being said………when I arrived home from the office yesterday, I felt miserable.  It was a hectic day; my head was so stuffed up that I felt as though a vise was clasping down hard on my skull.  My throat was feeling like coarse-grade sandpaper and I was deep in wonder at how many Weight Watchers points were in phlegm (which, by the way, I found out through Google that there are 25 calories in a half-cup–but who’s counting!). I kid you not.

A hacking cough, sandpaper throat, a vise around my head and the taste of phlegm is not a fun time!

Bonaparte had a late client and I had a couple of hours of alone time…with Chippy by my side.

Chippy doesn’t like when I have a cold either!

So, what did I do?

I went into the garage, took the bins of my summer clothing out, carried them upstairs and went to work.

Making the transition from the winter wardrobe to the warm-weather clothing.

The moment hit me. And with weekends becoming busy—getting the deck ready for those nights where we can dine al fresco. Planting geraniums or other potted flowers.

This coming weekend’s project is geraniums for the deck.  Let’s hope it doesn’t rain.  Or snow!

Headed for day trips on the weekend.  Going out to dinner in two weeks for my birthday.  Going to Cincinnati to see Oona.  I am left with little time to get organized.

Though we won’t be going to France this summer, we will be enjoying relaxing time at the YMCA poos or the shore!

And so, I hit the closets and drawers with a verve and gusto.  Not wasting a second of precious time.

The outside temperature hit 80 yesterday and the indoor temperature on the third floor of our home was also pretty intense.  I sweated a lot but it felt so good.

The wool skirts and pants and sweaters were all placed carefully in the bins that held the summer items.  I bid farewell with a “see you in six months”.

Bye Bye my little friends–I’ll see you in the Fall!

And overall, it felt good.  Now, I’m not the most organized person in the world. But I try.  My pantry and cupboards are a mess—but as long as the cabinet doors are closed. It’s all good.

Shirts hung up to welcome the warmer weather..

Skirts on another side. Notice that I kept my favorite leopard-print skirt out. It’s a year-round delight!

Pants in front of the skirts…

And dresses in the front!

With my clothing—I’m a bit more diligent.  In fact, I knew the time to transition was coming when the Frenchman mentioned a few days ago “Cassee..eur clozzzit  eez bih-cominggg  messy” And that’s usually the time when the transition needs to be done.

Summer shorts in drawers…

..and additional room for warm-weather tee shirts has been set aside!

It’s that seasonal thing.

Toward the end of summer and into early fall we get that “longing” for the humidity to take an exit and make way for that first day of sweater weather.  We want crisp air.  We want that morning chill that wakes us up so.  And truth be told…we do welcome the shorter days because there’s something very warm and fuzzy about coming home from the office to a long evening of cozy, comfy pajamas!

The best thing about winter is that it’s always warm and toasty inside but we all love that first blanketed snowfall!

And we garner end-of-winter emotions as well.  We’re tired of the dark.  We want to be barefoot (well, I do at least) We want to rid ourselves of the layers and dress light and breezy because the warm air will have us out and about and push us to be more active!

Yes!  And when I say “Active” I mean actively sitting at the Ocean’s edge on a beach chair, under an umbrella reading a good book!  Very active!

But back to the clothing and organizing.  I needed to do it for another reason.  As you know I’ve put on a bit of weight over the winter.  With Oona’s wedding now three months away, it’s time to get serious.  When I’m organized, I can feel better about myself to the point where I can focus on the bit of weight I need to drop.

It’s a mindset thing—you know?  Organization just puts me in a more motivated frame of mind.

After my morning coffee, I went downstairs and ironed and folded tee shirts!

I did. I went downstairs and ironed a bunch of tee shirts.  Have you ever seen this “Fold-Away”?  I purchased it when the kids were young–it must be 20 years old and it folds shirts perfectly.  I should have purchased two!

Perfectly folded shirts.  I’ll bet Mary Poppins would approve!! 

How about you?  Do you become seasonally organized?  Does transitioning the clothing for the seasons put you in a better frame of mind?

I think I’ll go clean the pantry now!

Yikes!  I’ll see you in a few days!  Anyone else a pantry slob or am I the only one?

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All Dressed Up With Nowhere to Go? WTF???

Posted on April 4, 2019 by

Dressing up for the office is something that I like to do.  Actually, I love dressing up for work.  Not only do I get a kick out of it, but it makes me feel more professional.

So—you can just imagine my reaction when a co-worker saw me yesterday, looked at me and said “Hey. You’re all dressed with nowhere to go.” I was so stunned that I was at a loss for a comeback—and for me, that’s a tough one!

My Little Navy Dress, a strand of tiny pearls, navy pumps and  a remark of being all dressed up nowhere to go.  Really?  Well……I went to the mail room and then to the ladies room and spent the rest of the time in my cubicile so I did have somewhere to go!

There’s something emotionally uplifting about choosing the outfit to be worn, coordinating separates, choosing shoes…. it’s a ritualistic for me.

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It really is–getting my clothing ready. It’s as ritualistic as the nuns taking my classmates and me to church on the First Friday of the month to pray all afternoon.

When I was in my early twenties into my early thirties, I worked on Wall Street.  Back then, in the mid-1970’s to early 1980’s, everyone dressed for work.  It was what you did.  You felt good entering an office building dressed for success.  It was a matter of self-pride and self-respect—not to mention there was a strict corporate dress code that nobody cared to challenge.

It’s the strangest thing.  I wore what she’s wearing.  I had that same Coach bag and wish it would be reissued.  But hey–we Yuppies loved our dress codes!

Even during the years when I was a stay-at-home mom I still dressed up a bit when I left the house. I’m not talking about dressing up to the nines nor am I saying I wore a little black dress to the grocery store.  It’s just that I didn’t dress like a slob or that I didn’t care. about how I looked.  I wanted to look nice….for me!

The funny thing is that I dress the same way now that I did when I was a stay-at-home mom. This is definitely a mom outfit!

After my first marriage broke up, I re-entered the work force.  I worked at a local bank and there was a dress code—and the staff always dressed office-appropriate.

From the years I started working at that bank and onto other positions, with every job change came a less stringent dress code—to the point that where I’m now employed, the dress code seems to be null and void.

Welcome to my life.  And I won’t get rid of the business professional clothing!

Welcome to the casual workplace.

Throw a blazer of it and you have instant office polish!

I don’t know what your thinking is but my train of thought is that we Americans have gone way too casual.

First…people started dressing like slobs at airports and even going so far as wearing pajama bottoms with flip flops to their destinations.  That is an exercise in vulgarity—I always end up on long flights sitting across people with the most disgusting feet that are showcased for all to see….and sniff.

Snookie and Brittney Spears make slovenly bookends for the one in her pj’s at the airport.  No wonder the airlines treat us like cattle.

Then it was noticeable during the winter when men were venturing outside in shorts to shovel snow.  Not only that, but even at casual restaurants diners at times take things a bit too casually.  My mother never allowed my brothers to wear baseball caps or any cap in the house

Compared to the average Joe, Jack Nicholson is wearing formal attire here!

Now it’s the normal to see men in department stores, grocery stores, restaurants and even church wearing baseball caps with their favorite teams or logos.  You know—it’s kind of crude.

I don’t know what’s more offensive. The fact he’s wearing a cap indoors or the fact the cap is polyester!

Is this what turned the office environment into an “anything goes” as far as dressing is concerned?  It’s just so weird.  I knew parents who were so put off by children wearing uniforms to school that they tried to have uniforms banned—and they failed.  Their reasoning was “it stifles my child’s creativity”.  Screw that–give your child a box of crayons and paper and let them get creative by drawing.  And when they get older, they can express themselves with clothing after school!  I tell you, I’m the biggest proponent of uniforms because it sets the tone for professional dressing…when need be!

A “Jeans Friday” look.  But with a blazer thrown over it…………for polish!! 

At the office where I work we have “Jeans Friday”—and it’s somewhat of a  mystery to me because on Monday through Friday many co-workers wear jeans.  And leggings.  And what appears to be workout pants.

And don’t get me started on workout clothing and activewear at work!

And so, I’m the odd ball out with my carefully thought-out ensembles.  Oh yes. I will take advantage of the casualness of work but when I do, I make sure it’s a polished version of casual.

Yo!  I said put a blazer over it…………………..for polish!!  And a scarf too…

…and perhaps metallic heels to finish the look!

Too casual with dressing means a too-casual demeanor and in the workplace, I don’t think it’s a good thing to be too casual. Dressing in a more professional manner helps me to work better and give off a better impression.

And in this work-from-home day, you can be a total slob,  But when you are going to the office, it wouldn’t hurt to just dress up a bit and not arrive as though you just rolled out of bed.

…yeah…that’s about right!

If I seem snobby, I certainly don’t mean to be.  Look.  The job I have now is, most likely, the lowest-paying job I’ve ever had so I’m not rushing to the mall every payday to buy new clothing.  In fact, it’s just the opposite.  My closet is my boutique and there are a lot of clothes from over the years that I wear on repeat.  I can bet good money that most of my outfits cost less than the leggings, sweaters, workout pants and jeans that many workers throughout the country are wearing.  It isn’t a matter of snobbishness for me.

I wore this today. J. Crew Pixie pants that are about seven years old.  A J. Crew Blazer I got on sale for $29.99 about five years ago, a Gap Tee that was around five bucks on clearance.  See the photo of the shoes. They are so old that they are falling apart.  But I love them.  My closet is my boutique!

Trust me, when I’m home, and not expecting any guests, I dress like a total pig!

My sentiments exactly.  When I’m at work, and out and about I make an effort.  When home–it’s piggly wiggly time!

Rather, it’s a matter of professionalism.  And self-respect and just wanting to have a nice appearance.  Is this train of thought old-school?  It is a Baby Boomer thing?  Is it a pro-aging thing?

On Monday I went all yellow and blue..and Chippy licked my fake tanned legs..

On Tuesday I went with Blue and Yellow. As you can see, I don’t stray too far from my comfort zone!

And Wednesday’s outfit which was cause for comment…

I also wore this cute coat all week…so far..Monday through Thursday. Tomorrow I wear jeans!

What say you?  Am I the only one who is “All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go”? What are your views?  Do you work at home?  Do you commute to an office every day?  I’m very curious about this because I was almost offended by that remark made to me.

Another favorite work outfit!  I love metallic heels!

Seriously.  What’re your views on dressing.  Are we too casual?  Is office casual the new normal?  What do we do with our good clothes?  XOXOXOXO

 

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Baseball. Barbecues. Beach. And Hat Hair!

Posted on March 31, 2019 by

It’s that time of year—well, at least for one of the B’s—and that’s Baseball.  We’ll have to wait a month or so for Barbecues and Beach!

 

Hey Batta Batta Batta!!!  Hey Batta Batta Batta!  He can’t hit!  But Henry Margu hit a home run with this great Hair Accent!  Hair on a Baseball Cap!!

In the meantime, it’s time to get ready for the warmer weather.

And that can sometimes be daunting for the wig wearer!

This is my frustration at trying to wear a wig under a baseball cap!  Ohhhhhh  I am a Celts fan though!

Fear not though, my buddies at Henry Margu sent me a great summer accessory for review—and just in time for the three B’s—Baseball, Barbeques and Beach!

THE perfect wig hat for summer!   I’m wearing the Classic 8″ length on the beige baseball cap.  What’s not to love?

The funny thing is, I love the look of a baseball cap for the summer.  The brim is well-needed for protection (with the use of sunscreen) against the sun’s harmful rays!

The wide brim will be a tremendous assist in protecting against the sun’s harmful rays–and I know because I had skin cancer!

When I had my full head of bio hair, I always wore a baseball cap with my hair pulled through the back in a ponytail.  Due to the fact that my bio hair was also ridiculously thick, the baseball cap never looked good with my bio hair down because my hair stuck out too much.  Even when blown out to straight perfection.

Ummmmm…nah.  My bio hair (what’s left of it) doesn’t cut the mustard on the Philly Pretzel of hair under a cap!

Even if worn in a pony, it still just doesn’t look good.

And the time wasted on trying to get a full wig to look decent under any cap is a harrowing experience!

Hey. I love my Swami wig but it is so thick and trying to get ANY cap to fit over this one is a pain-in-the……..and the proportions are so wrong.  Arrows point to the shoddy fit of the cap over the wig and the hair sticking out of the wig. 

And so, I was pretty much intrigued when I was asked to review.  I was a bit skeptical because I couldn’t imagine the “hat hair” (as I’m prone to call it) would look or perform well.

Any doubts were gone after I tried this cap on!

But, after wearing it out and about for a day and getting comfortable with it while writing this post and filming a YouTube review, I have to say that I’m very happy with this and will definitely be wearing to the shore this summer—look for me wearing this at Stone Harbor!

And this goes so well with a Lacoste dress!

Let’s take a look why this Hair Accent by Henry Margu should be a summer essential in any wig-wearer’s collection.

The Cap:  The cap is 100% cotton.  It’s strong with being lightweight.  Cotton breathes and therefore, during the hottest days, the comfort level will be high.

Breathable cotton, unlike polyester which holds the heat, is a weather-friendly plus for comfort of this wig/hat combo!

The cap adjusts in the back with two plastic strips that can be snapped together for allowance from a smaller head to a larger head.  You can also adjust it tighter for extra security.

Adustable plastic band straps give for a secure fit for any sized head!

The Hair: The hair is securely attached between the cap and a breathable lace reinforcement.  Although not thick, the hair is dense enough to give the appearance of a full head of hair without being thick.  It’s a well-suited amount of hair for summer months.

The hair is secured with double reinforcement from the lace and the fabric band..

The mesh fabric in the back adds for additional comfort!

The Fit:  Adjustable straps notwithstanding, the fit is very comfortable.  If you are fussy about baseball caps, fear not with the fit of this.  Henry Margu picked out a winner of a cap that not only feels and fits great—but it looks great too!

The fit is great from all angles–as is the density of the hair. You can hit the shore with ease and confidence!

A back view.  Mind you, I’m not even wearing a wig cap. I simply pinned my bio hair up and shoved it into the cap!

How’s the appearance?  Come see!

The shade I’m wearing is 8H…and Henry Margu has some of the greatest hair colors ever!

The fact that the Hair Accents is cap to scalp (or..if you do have bio hair, you can just stuff the hair into the cap and it’s still a comfortable fit) allows for a better fit of the cap.

The cap that I received is the Classic 8” in the shade 8H.  The cap can be worn with the hair down or tucked behind the ears.

Looks great tucked behind the ears too!  Remind me to apply sunscreen to my ears!

 

This also comes in a curly version but I’ll tell you, I prefer the straight for me.

Here’s the curly-haired version.  Even though I prefer the straighter version…after looking at this I think I would also wear this.  Yes. I would!

Many online vendors sell this.  Among them are:  Pattispearls.com; NameBrandWigs.com; WowWigs.com; Amazon.com; Galleryofwigs.com; Theheadshoponline.com; Wilshirewigs.com

Whether you are new to wigs or wear wigs regularly or…even if you don’t want to ruin your bio hair at the beach (because if you have hair that tends to frizz, we know what the ocean air can do to hair that’s been blown out), this Hair Accent is a great Hair Asset!

Now howza ’bout some MLB Hair Accents???

My one suggestion to my friends at Henry Margu Wigs is—can’t you work something out with MLB to manufacture “team” baseball caps with hair?  Yeah.  I would be thrilled with a Boston Red Sox Hair Accent…or a NY Yankees…or a Cubbies….or a Cincinnati Reds Cap with hair!!

Or what about College team hats?  I’m a Longhorn mom!  And a Terps mom!  Yeah…. I think we’re on to something hair!!!!!!

Henry Margu Hair Accents = A Grand Slam!!

Overall rating:  A+ on the hat hair!

Here’s another look from my YouTube channel!

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No Country for Old Women…Or..Try This On For (S)Eyes!

Posted on March 27, 2019 by

Ok guys.  This is one of those weird posts. I planned to start out with a bit of a rant but then I had a change of heart.  My original thought was to go into yet another blog post on how our demographic and every woman over the age of …60, 70 and upwards (and I’ll add mid-to-high-50’s too) is ignored by the beauty industry.

This is me,  begging cosmetics companies to pay attention to our demographic.  As you can see, I’m ignored!

Kind of like No Country for Old Women—but beauty-related!

True dat.  We are the girly version of “No Country for Old Men”! (Do you like the look I gave to Javier Bardem?)

But seriously—how many times can I write about the lack of inclusion?

How many times can I go on about the beauty industry not being truly diverse when they don’t recognize us?

No!  I’m NOT going away!  You need to include my peers…and me!!!

As much as I love and admire the beautiful Helen Mirren—just because a cosmetics or skincare company uses her in an ad doesn’t mean they are being inclusive.  In fact, sometimes I think it’s a bit patronizing!

But overall, I love me some Mirren because she embraces her lines and she’s age proud!

And so, I’ve decided to change my tune to a more positive note because we need those cosmetics.  Those cosmetics not only make us look good but they make us feel good.

Truth be told, this is how I feel after I put on a full face of makeup!  

Screw it.  It’s not about them. It’s about us! 

Wanna know what I’m doing?  I’m Age Crashing! That’s right I’m crossing the boundaries into the land of over-photoshopped, over-filled, completely unnatural Instagram, Blogging, Pinterest and Brand Name Cosmetics website galleries to do makeup geared to the way we can wear it!

That’s right. I am shasaying and sauntering my way across the age border to take charge of makeup that is not marketed to the mature woman.  Come to think of it there aren’t any cosmetics companies exclusively marketed to the mature woman!

A couple of weeks ago I took a chance and ordered a lip balm and a palette by the brand “Winky-Lux”.  This is a brand marketed to the very young.  The palette I ordered is named “Mini Uptown Kitten Palette”.  Word to the wise—any makeup with “kitten” in the name is not geared to your average older woman.  Regardless, I made the purchase.

When I first opened the box, I thought the palette was covered in sandpaper. Then I realized it was glittery glimmer!

The palette, six shadows.  Three shimmery shades and three mattes.  I would say overall; these shades are in the berry family.  But—this actually is a pro-aging, mature woman friendly palette.  The shadows are not heavily pigmented and would work very well for a no-eye makeup look—understated but with a hint of something-something.  I’ve worn the shadows once (and didn’t take a pic) and liked the way the shadows blended.  The shimmery shades are very subtle with a hint of glimmer so this is a great palette for those who shy away from shimmery shadows.

Surprisingly pro-age friendly!  These shadows are not heavily pigmented and blend well.  I’ll be taking pics of an eye look with this over the weekend to share with you!

The lip balm in Rosé is beautiful.  It’s really a bit more than a balm because it has decent staying and wear power.  It changes color.  From first look, the balm has bits of golden shimmer, but once it touches the lips, it changes into a gorgeous pink.  I have to say I really, really love this!

The Winky Lux Lip Balm in Rose.  See the glitter?  But see the top of the bullet–it’s pink.  That’s from use…

Goes on pink. I LOVE this stuff!!!

Both were purchased, along with a metallic Winky-Lux cosmetic bag for $21.00 and it was a very good deal!

My love for Jeffree Star knows no limits.  I have his Sarcophagus highlighter and I absolutely love it.  But recently I purchased one of his lipsticks.  Beam Me Up.  This is another glimmery lipstick that, back in my youth, I would say it’s a frosted shade.  I’ve been wearing it under the Winky-Lux lip balm and am very happy.    At $18.00 on Beautylish, it’s a great buy.

The Jeffree Star “Beam Me Up” lipstick.  I have been using this under all the lipsticks I use and this is good.  I feel like I’m revisiting all my frosted lipsticks from the 70’s!!

I only wish Jeffree was inclusive of the mature woman.

Today I wore the Jeffree Star Beam Me Up underneath the Winky Lux Rose Lip Balm.  It’s a great office look!

And now…. for the greatest purchase in eyeshadow palettes.  Anastasia Beverly Hills Riviera Palette!

I swore up and down I wouldn’t buy it.  But I did.  And I’m so happy that I did!

A mix of neutrals and Easter-egg colors and is just fun and perfect for the upcoming warm weather and it’s so …. well…it’s just plain ol’ feminine!

This palette is like a basket of bright colored Easter Eggs, but with the shades, Estate, Yacht, Coastline, Palm and Sails, you can achieve a beautiful neutral look!

Now—I’ll tell you, I have seen many reviews and all the reviews were by younger women ranging in age from around 19-ish to 30.  And most of the reviews had “looks” that not only would not suffice the more mature woman…but would be questionable under normal, everyday situations like at the office or a trip to the OB/GYN!

I’ll leave this look to every Instagramer and YouTube reviewer.  But a more subtle and understated look CAN be achieved with this palette.

But anyway, I decided to pull the cash outta my wallet and I bit the bullet.  Here’s another look at the palette.

And in my ultra clumsy way, I’ve managed to mess the Seychelles shadow a bit.  The Bahamas,  Cannes and Palm shades are all pure pigments.  It’s instructed to use caution with these shades as they may irritate.  I used all three –two as liner and they were fine!

Isn’t it beautiful?

The beauty industry loves fabulosity.  And flamboyancy.  And makeup looks that, if you left your home and ventured outside under normal circumstances, you would get a ton of side eye.  But—our young peers can carry those looks off with no problem.

If you are interested in leaving your comfort zone, these looks are actually pretty darn creative and the YouTube channel,  Annette’s Makeup Corner is a good makeup channel.  This young woman has a very nice way about her and I may try the bottom left look.  It’s colorful but not over-the top!

I prefer a more…. sedated look and the Riviera palette offers that.  That’s what I love about it.  You can go with the brights one day then tone it down for the office the next.  Take a look at how I used these shadows!

Sunday’s look.  I washed lid to brow bone with the white shade “Sail”. It’s very pigmented and gives a good base color.  Then I went into the crease with “Cannes” and blended it out.  I lined my lid with the pigment shade “Bahamas” and lined the bottom lid with “Yacht”.

The color is there but it’s pretty-much toned down.

Monday’s look was more subtle.  I went with “Estate” on the lid and used it as a transition shade.  Then ever-so-slighty, I took the pigmented  “Palm” and went into the crease.  Again, “Yacht” lined the lower lids and I lined my upper lid with “Seychelles”.

Here’s today’s look. Neutrals with a punch! I used “Sail” as an allover wash up to the browbone.  Then used  “Cabana” as a transition shade and lightly added a bit of “Palm” to the crease.  I got very bold and applied “Inheritance” to the inner corners of the lid and touched the brush with both “Monte Carlo” and “Bahamas” and dotted it to the center of my lid.  “Yacht” is very popular with me as a liner for the bottom lids.  There’s a lot to love with this palette!

What do you think?  Are you willing to crash the age border with me?  I do have to say, the Anastasia Beverly Hills is quickly becoming a favorite brand for me.  The shadow palettes are wonderful and the dipBrow is my HG brow product.

Have a great mid-week.  I’ll be back with what I wore this week in a couple of days!!!

 

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Thanks To The Frenchman, I’m Shook On eShakti–More Dress Talk!

Posted on March 21, 2019 by

OK—so we are now familiar with the search for the Mother-of-the-Bride dress.  And we have a couple of other weddings coming up.  Basically, I need a few new dresses.

My constant complaining must’ve hit a nerve with Bonaparte because shortly after our trip to Lord & Taylor, he took it upon himself to peruse the internet to find some place, any place where I could order a dress to customize to my measurements and taste.

Remember the dress with the floral bottom and the black knit top that I liked but A. it was too short and B. Oona thought it too casual for the wedding.  Well, I loved that dress and apparently, even though it was a bit short for the husband’s liking, he found a similar dress.

Remember this dress from my MOB post?

What he found was a site, eShakti—their motto being, We Design.  You Customize.

Not gonna lie.  The dress he found was stunning.  But—could this be a reliable site?

Here’s the eShakti dress Bonaparte found–leave it to a Frenchman–huh??  It’s similar but not the same as the dress above it!

With Bonaparte paying, and me handing him a tape measure, we went to it with measuring and customizing.

By the way, this came as a freebie with the dress I ended up ordering–read on…

Dress chosen, I added measurements and my height.

For the faint-of-heart when it comes to measuring–the site has step-by-step instructions!

I changed the neckline, the sleeves and the length of the dress—all to my specifications.

The height inquiry really piqued my interest—that’s something that dress manufacturers never take into consideration!

We placed the order and waited!

Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect.

The dress arrived much earlier than anticipated—less than a week, in fact.  The box large but not huge. It was an excellent example of pragmatic packaging.  I carefully opened it and when I took the dress out—I was shocked at how beautiful it was.

Here’s the box the dress came in–this pic was taken AFTER I practically destroyed it.  But I’ll tell you, I was impressed that there was no wasted space in the box the dress was delivered in!

It wasn’t shoddy. It was well-constructed.  The zipper was sewn in perfectly.  The detailing was fine!

And when I tried the dress on, I felt like a princess.  Have a look why doncha!!

I really should have changed my hair but I was just so excited about the dress!  The fit is gorgeous.  You can see how I changed the dress a bit.  I made the length a bit shorter, and I changed the deep-V neckline to a boat neckline..

The dress pictured on eShakti’s site has the sash tied in the back. I prefer it tied in the front!

The top comes down at my proper waist.  I love that because way too many dresses are made for the short of waist!

I am seriously in love with the sleeve length–and I love the look separates in a dress!

The length of the dress is below the knee and with a higher heel, I’m feeling very vintage!

 

Pockets!!!!!!!!!!  I think I’ll wear my Jamison wig with this delightful party dress!  Or perhaps a longer wig in an updo!

At a price of around 69.00 including shipping and customization, this was well-worth it!

Here’s a sampling of more dresses–there are a ton of dresses on the website to choose from–in  fact, eShakti offers shirts and skirts too!  Click on the link to the site–but pour yourself either a glass of wine, or a cuppa tea or a mug of coffee because you’ll be looking for a while!

This is on my wishlist.  I would change the sleeves to just above elbow and I would definitely wear pointy-toed heels!

Got a party?  Or a special event?

I tell you, if Oona was getting married in the fall or winter, THIS would be my Mother-of-the-Bride dress!  It’s tons nicer than the dresses I saw at Nordstrom and over $100 cheaper!

Today I received an email from eShakti containing a $20 coupon to be used toward my next purchase—and I can assure you that coupon will be used very soon!

Now that Winter is over and Spring is officially here, I’m somewhat making the transition to springtime clothing.  That means bare legs and, as my daughter calls it “badly faked tanned legs”. As far as the legs go, I don’t care if they are a bit streaked because I’m always in a hurry when I apply the product.

My St. Patrick’s Day outfit.  I’ve worn this sweater every year since my Da passed away.  It was his favorite and he got it in….Ireland!  I even wore ginger hair!

However, my pasty-white legs do look better with some color!

I went with Ocean Potion self-tanning lotion fron Walmart this week!  

Here’s what I wore so far this week with the farewell to Winter!

I wore black velvet pants and my plaid J. Crew Lady Jacket on Monday. I kept my Irish hair!  

Tuesday I went red and gray–and the red matched my bloodshot eye. I think I’m allergic to a new skincare product that I started using last week.  Either that or I’m working too hard!! 

Yesterday I went with an old reliable outfit–my leopard-print skirt!

And today, I shopped in my closet and wore this J.Crew dress that I’ve had for years!!!!

This was last Saturday’s ensemble and I think I’ll wear it for Jeans Friday tomorrow!

And on a last note, eShakti sent me a referral code so if you would like to order, just follow the instructions below then when you order you can get a referral code and so on.  It’s a good deal if you decide to make a purchase!

Say mah name, say mah name–and get an additional 15% off your initial order!  The code is my name in caps!

Easy-to-follow instructions –at the end of your order look for the Apply box and add the CATHERINELARTIGUE code!

A nice party dress–or any decent dress for that matter is a daunting search but thanks to my husband, I was able to find a dress that I love and it’ll be appropriate for Oona’s wedding shower!

If you check out the site, let me know what you think in the comments below!  We’ll talk about it!  XOXOXOXOXOX

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Would You Cheat for Your Children?

Posted on March 19, 2019 by

Ever since the news broke about Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin’s mega-bucks spending sprees to acquire college admission for their children, I can’t get that question out of my mind.

A seemingly innocent aunt of a Full House and a Desparate Housewife–cheating and thieving to send their kids to a good school.  How rude!!!

If I had their, or any other persons of extreme wealth’s funds, I wouldn’t.  What I would do is hire a proper tutor or SAT coach to further educate them and give them pointers but I wouldn’t buy a spot in a college or university for them.

The first I heard of the news was actually online and was focused on Huffman’s “scandal” and when I saw the recent photo of her, all I could think was “Wow—I wish I had her money and plastic surgeon because she looks great!”

Check out the before and after pics of Huffman.  I’m telling money is better spent on great plastic surgery than cheating.  Hey Felicity–my birthday is coming up and I’m poor AF–can you treat me to your plastic surgeon?  

And then it sunk in along with the $500,000 that Aunt Becky and her designer husband paid to get their daughters into USC.

Hmmm.  Is Lori Loughlin’s husband tan-gifted naturally, or is he fake tanned like all of Hollywood–and me?

So many thoughts were swimming around in my gray matter.  I was shocked, disgusted, angry and fed up—but yet, I wasn’t surprised.

Apparently, this practice has been going on for a long time. Wealthy people securing a place for their less-than-intellectually-gifted children into Ivy League or other institutes of higher education by way of the almighty donation.  Money.  A building.  A wing.  Name your price.  Get my idiot child into your school.

I have NO idea what school these guys are from but the “A” isn’t for behaving like Hester Pryne!  Judging from the aura of inbreeding, I’m sure these are blue-bloods who’s parents’ cheated old-school style to get the fruits of their loins into institutes of higher education!

And it’s so wrong on every level.

It’s cheating.  It’s white-collar crime.  It’s vulgar.  It’s entitlement at it’s worst.  It’s basically saying “I have money, therefore I’m better than you”

Pretty-much says it all-doesn’t it?

And it reminds me of something my father told me. He said “Katie—you are no better than anyone and nobody is better than you”

Think about those words—they ring so true.  No one person is better than anyone else.  Does anyone $hit gold medallions?  I think not.  We all have the same bodily waste.  We’re all on an equal par.

Or are we?  The cheating starts early—and it’s the parents to blame.

I think back to when my own kids were in school.  They did their own projects.  If assistance was needed in the form of my bringing in treats to coincide with a project, I would do so for them.  But they did the work and the research and the final product!

And its one thing that has always irked me—the project.  As God is my judge I’ll never forget when my daughter, Oona, was in third grade and the students had a project where they had to dress like a character and recite an oral speech.  Parents were invited for a fun time.

One of her classmates came dressed as Pocahontas.  Her grandmother made an elaborate outfit and the child had to refer to index cards because she couldn’t even pronounce many of the words she had to recite.  Who gets the grade?  Grandma?

In my time as a mom, I’ve come across a percentage of parents who would do their child’s homework; parents who called up the coach because their child didn’t make the team and parents who challenged the school system because their child didn’t have the smarts to get into an AP Class.  Yet, the parents insisted their child get into said class and therefore dragging the rest of the class down.

These are forms of cheating. It’s being dishonest and it isn’t giving your child true values or an exercise in real life.

So true.  I would be surprised if these women did any time–yet a person of color goes to jail for years over a stolen candy bar!  These women stole college tuition and a career from a student who SHOULD have gotten into school on merit!

I may not have been the perfect mom but I damn well sure as hell would never cheat to get my child ahead in school or extra-curricular activities.  It takes a spot away from one who deserves it.

Yes. I was the mom with the “saucy” vocabulary–but I gave my kids a terrific set of values.  

What message are these people giving their entitled spoiled brats?  That it’s ok to cheat your way in life.

I have absolutely no sympathy for Ms. Huffman and even less sympathy for Loughlin and her husband, the designer Mossimo Giannulli!

Actor Felicity Huffman (R) appears in this court sketch at an initial hearing for defendants in a racketeering case involving the allegedly fraudulent admission of children to elite universities, at the U.S. federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 12, 2019. Image created March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Mona Edwards

While I do give Ms. Huffman (of the stellar plastic surgery) credit for appearing humble, she still doesn’t get a pass from me.

But Aunt Becky?  Look at the arrogance!  Where Huffman appeared humble, Loughlin looks like an entitled bitch. I hope she goes to jail!

So far Hallmark has dropped Loughlin from her present project with them and there will be no more projects.  Netflix has dropped her from the upcoming season of Fuller House.  It looks like she ruined her career—and rightly so.

Yeah honey. Hopefully nobody is gonna have mercy on your cheatin’ arrogance!

Her daughter, Olivia Jade, who is a huge Instagram and YouTube influencer has been dropped by Sephora, TRESSeme and other companies she’s collaborated with.  This young entitled brat has gone on record (on her YouTube channel) to wax poetic about how she can’t stand school.  Meanwhile, somewhere out there is a 19-year-old who studied hard all through high school, took SAT courses, did well and did not get into USC or their choice of Ivy League college and some privileged little snot did.

Something tells me that these two aren’t smiling now!

Can any good come out of this?

No Felicity–we will talk about your plastic surgery later but your crime today!

And take a look at how your husband is handling this!

Well…hopefully it should and I hope it does.  Our institutes of higher education are money makers—many schools sit on millions to billions of dollars and tuition rates climb.  For what?  Will these kids get a good return on the money spent?   They will stress while the wealthy entitled will end up getting a great job because mommy and daddy know people.

I, for one would love to see free college in this country—but that’s another can of worms.

I want this expose to linger.  I want the guilty parties exposed. I want them to go to jail—yes, I do.  They lied. They cheated.  And people of lesser incomes go to jail for a longer time for lesser crimes.

So perhaps our system will change a bit.

For me—this whole scandalous incident makes me even more proud of my three children than I’ve ever been.  They worked hard during their college years.  Harder than many people because nothing was handed to them on a silver platter—not even a Chinet © plate! All three are successful adults and they did it on their own.  And each of them will still manage to say that they could have worked harder.

While the children of stars and the wealthy are getting wasted,  I can rest assured that my three kids were hitting the books and got into school on their own merit!

What’s your take on this?  I’m wondering if you are as disgusted and angry as I am.  Voice your opinion in the comments~

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