A Summer Face. And the Cold Shoulder Just Got Hot!

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Catherine

Well, technically, it isn’t summer yet.  But with all the rain and chilly weather we’ve had, it’s more like March or October!

On second thought, maybe I should be happy it isn’t full-on summer yet! I don’t want to be shark food!

Perhaps I should be watching the movie “A Summer Place” to get into the mood of summer!

Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue as the young lovers of “A Summer Place”. The movie was greatness and bordered on camp. Summer Camp!

But, if you really want to get prepped for your summer place, start with the summer face! Heavy foundation—actually, foundation in general, can seem very heavy during the summer months.  And when you’ve been out and about in the sun, your face is going get a shade or two darker—even with tons of sunscreen.

Since I don’t feel like spending money on a darker foundation, and as I like my face to breathe a bit when the heat and humidity roll in.  I normally forgo foundation completely and rely on bronzer and a bit of blush to even out my blotchy skin.

Anyway, I rediscovered tinted moisturizer this morning while getting ready for work and it was an “aha” moment.  There was an old tube of elf tinted moisturizer in my makeup cache so I figured what the heck. And decided to apply it.

As you can plainly see from the looks of the tube, this tube of tinted moisturizer has been around for a while!

I must say, I was pleased with the results.  Coverage wasn’t something I was going after. Instead I just wanted to even out a few bits on the visage and it worked.  At $3.00 a tube, I’ll make a purchase before we leave for France next week.  In fact, I wrote about this tinted moisturizer last fall. For transitioning into cooler weather makeup, I wasn’t enthralled about this product. However, transitioning into hot weather, it’s much better!

Top right before I applied the tinted moisturizer. Bottom right gives you a good look before blending. It’s light and really doesn’t give great coverage.  Photo left. The end result.  It gives a nice finish for a warm-weather face!

Did I ever mention my love for drugstore mascara?  I’ve purchased high-end brands and was always pleased but for the price, the right cheap mascara works just as well.  My present favorite mascara is Maybelline’s “The Falsies”.  However, in my supreme cheapness, I’ve noticed the price has risen—at Walmart no less!

My fave mascara on the right–Maybelline’s The Falsies. It made my “Best of 2016″ listing!

Ever the mascara cheapskate, I went on the prowl and discovered this mascara by Essence.  Essence has great budget lipstick and glosses so I went for it and was very happy.

Forbidden Volume Mascara. I am liking this a lot!!1

Snapping these pics this morning almost made me late for work!!  Left pic. Before the mascara.  Middle Pic. First Coat.  Right pic.  Second Coat.  Cannot complain about the result!

At $3.99, I’ll pick up a few more!

Ok. Let’s talk shoulders!  The new trend, which sort of isn’t new at all, since Lucy stomped grapes with this look, of the off-the-shoulder look is going strong.

Well, it’s more of an Off-ONE-Shoulder. But do you see the leopard scarf around her head. Lucy was a trend-setter!

Here’s our Lucy in a more demure state and both shoulders are displayed. Thank you Tumblr!

The look is summeradorableness but not all off-the-shoulder looks are created equal.  I’ve tried quite a few tops and many of them had shoulder roam. The off-shoulder didn’t stay off and crept up. Also, wearing the right bra can be challenging.  Truth be told,  I either just tuck my bra straps inside my bra or take the damned bra off and go braless.

Lets have a look-see, shall we?

I picked this shirt up at Marshall’s the other day. I am in love with it..

The shoulders are more angled which make the fit fantastic!

See the sleeves?  just below 3/4 and the sleeves tie. It’s really a great look for summer.

 

And it buttons up the back!!  Don’t pay attention to the unbuttoned one. Actually, the button fell off and now I have to sew another one one. 

I really love this shirt. Notice the mess in the background. I still have to pack and the pile is only getting worse.  BTW, I’m not wearing a bra and you can’t even tell!

My denim Off-the-shoulder dress from Primark. This dress is great!  Comfy and pretty!

At $16.00 the quality is outstanding!

The ruffle isn’t overpowering…

It’s slightly A-Lined. Ever so slightly!

Oh dear God. Bonaparte is going to have a fit because of the mess behind me. He’s sure to be even more upset that I had the nerve to post a photo with a horrific pile of clothing to be packed! Believe me–the rest of our home is spotless (except my bathroom)

OK. Here’s where the Off-the-Shoulder look is just “meh”.  This is the dress from J. Crew that I had to size down from a Medium to a Small. The ruffle is just overwhelming.  Don’t get me wrong–the weight of this dress is super light and great for hot, hot days, but I like the Primark dress much better!! Luckily, I got this on sale for $35.  I’ll still wear it though!

I’m waiting for the fashun experts to come out in force blabbing that women of a certain age shouldn’t be wearing this look.  But you know what?  This look was made for us. We get to show those beautiful shoulders of ours that have been hidden for years.

Although not a fan of smoking, take a look at that beautiful dress our Lucy is wearing. It’s a stunner. Note the neckace–it’s just a tad longer than a choker and doesn’t dangle. I love this look..

More proof this look isn’t a trend. It’s just been revived is all.  Why can’t I find a top like the green plaid one?

It’s a great look—off-the-shoulder ruffles are their own accessory!  You don’t need a scarf and I find you don’t even need necklaces—less is more!

What do you think? Have you tried this look? Thinkin’ about it?  Do tell!

Naturally, there was only one song that could relate to “A Summer Face”—the theme song to “A Summer Place” Ladies—Percy Faith.  Remember this goodie? I still get goosebumps listening to this because I was five years old when this movie/song came out and I can still remember my parents listening to it.

 

 

 

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My Anti-Social Media Personality is On The Rise

Posted on June 4, 2017 by Catherine

When I started this blog just over two years ago, I never gave much thought to social media.

My vision was to write about the life of one 59-year old woman and her misadventures and life as both an empty-nester and one of living with a Frenchman. Over time, the blog evolved into more—I started writing about fashion, cosmetics, food, traveling, and randomness but all with a sense of humor.

Me as Little Edie Beale from my post about Edie Beale as my fashion icon. It was humorous but respectful to my Edie! And it actually was one of my personal favorite blog posts!

Sounds simple. Right?

Then, as I started to become a bit (and I mean a bit) more educated about the world of blogging, and started to research on how to make my blog more “popular” (i.e. followers) it was always stressed at how important social media was. To have a successful blog, it meant taking steps to be a part of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

I get that. To a point.

I opened a Twitter account and started to “Tweet”—but realized three things.  1. I am not a celebrity nor am I a mega-blogger so my tweets basically went unnoticed. Which is fine because tweeting is too much of an effort for me.   2.  Since Trump became president, I’ve tweeted some nasty stuff and saw that the nasty stuff I’ve written shows up on the sidebar of my blog.  I don’t want to mix my politics with my blog because there is enough political shit roaming around cyberspace. And—I didn’t want to offend any of the more reserved readers of my blog with my tweets toward a certain political figure.  3. My Twitter Account isn’t even in my blog’s name and it’s too much of a bother to change it.  So—I’ve stopped tweeting for now.

I’ll just keep my personal twitter account.  It’s too much bother to have one in my blog’s name. I can’t believe I actually tweeted over 2,000 times!

I’ve been on Facebook for a few years now. And what I absolutely loved (and I say loved because I no longer feel that way) about FB was the ability to connect with friends I’ve had since my childhood days and old friends from my New York and New Jersey days.

But, FB has become a weird place. It has brought out the worst in me because of the way I feel about a certain person who was elected President. That’s all I will mention on that subject.   But, slowly I noticed many “sponsored” posts popping up. I do not want to see posts about healthcare or people who need prayers (and no—I’m not against prayer. I pray all the time. I just do not want that stuff shoved in my face). I don’t want to see ads. All I want to see on my private FB page are posts from my friends and posts from those in the groups I belong to.

I‘m a fan of NARS cosmetics but I don’t want to see this on Facebook or any form of social media.  Leave me alone!

Separating my private life from my blog, I do have a Facebook page for my blog. And at first, I was very “gung ho” about it.  Now I’m very lazy—and it isn’t because I don’t want people to read my posts, it’s because I’ve become disillusioned with Facebook in general.

I need to get back to being friends with my blog’s FB page, but…

I don’t wanna deal with all of this!  I want simplicity! This is too complicated!

And then there’s the piece de resistance of all social media (well, at least in my eyes). Instagram!

I started an Instagram account maybe a bit over a year ago in my blog’s name. The reason being that we have no internet service at the apartment we rent in Theoule but I thought it would be fun to snap pics and post them when I had the opportunity to be in an area with Wi-Fi.  And I thought it would be great to have a glimpse into the lives of others through their photos.

And all was well until recently. I noticed that my favorite “feeds” from those I followed weren’t showing up and those who I follow, I follow for a reason!  I love their posts and photos! I also noticed that more and more “sponsored” ads were showing up in my feed.  I do not like that.

Why is this showing up in my IG feed?  I am not a follower nor do I plan to be. My loyalty to scent is with Guerlain!

My suspicions were validated when I read a blog post from “Not Dressed As Lamb”  The post is “Why Instagram Really Isn’t Much Fun Anymore“.  Honestly, click and read her post to get a better understanding of the demise of Instagram.  She’s got a nice blog and is very generous in her link ups.  And her name is Catherine *ahem*. What a lovely name for a lovey woman!

My posts were being inundated with comments from sites that advertised to me I could get more “likes” and exposure if I paid them.  Oh, hell no—no way would I pay for a “like”!

Uh unh.  Catherine don’t PAY that game!

Nothing was in chronological order anymore!

Yeah Instagram. You are being rude by taking the people I follow regularly and hiding their feeds from me. And you are being rude with all those ads, and allowing follow-to-unfollow…

Worse yet, was the “follow-to-unfollow” trend that I was being baited with.  In case you don’t know what “follow-to-unfollow” is, it is an incredibly dishonest and unethical means of getting your account numbers to rise—thusly, having your account become very intriguing to “brands”.

You “follow to unfollow” me and you will have one less follower!

A IG’er will suddenly “follow” you. And, being polite, you follow back.  Many times, these are bloggers who are after big numbers. A day or so later, you will notice that same person who followed you has “unfollowed” you.  This was happening quite often to me—so I did some sleuthing and discovered these Instagrammers/bloggers had something like 20,000 followers and were only following about 50 people. I became wise to that little activity and uploaded an app for that.  Now if someone follows to unfollow me, I can find out who they are and “click”—their number just went down a follower.  Does it make a dent in their numbers?  Nope!  But it makes me feel a whole bunch better!

You got that right.  (Caveat–this is referring to Instagram only. I “lost” many “friends” from FB due to my politics–and I’m better off!)

My blog is my baby. I look forward to coming home from work to write.  I never know what’ll pop into my head and I let my thoughts collect then start blogging.  I love the people who read my blog because it’s an excellent group. We’ve become friends who’ve never met and we all respect each other.

And with or without Social Media, I’m pleased as punch to keep writing, to keep venting, to keep others laughing and to keep having fun.

With or without Social Media, I got a loverly group of Atypical60 friends!!

And speaking of fun, I did a bit of shopping for our upcoming trip.  I can’t believe we leave for France in two weeks!

Whadaya think??

You will NOT believe this.  I happened to stop at Primark after work on Thursday looking for another pair of those $13 jeans.  Well, THIS dress was randomly hanging on a rack. It was the last one. And my size. $16 worth of heaven. I like it better than the one I bought at J. Crew! It also looks just like the one Oona bought at Zara.

Try-on’s at Marshalls.  The white jeans and checked top from the middle pic came home with me and are now in the huge pile to be squeezed into the carry-on!

This hat was a great buy for $12.99.  The top is SPF 50 fabric, which will also protect my fake hair from getting all tangled up like it can with straw.  The brim is nice and wide to protect my face in the sun.  I freakin’ love this hat.  Notice the color of my “hair”?  It’s the Juno wig from It’s A Wig and I got her for $9.99!

I wasn’t very good in journaling my outfits this week.  Here’s Friday’s casual look.  I love this sweater but, alas, it is now too warm to wear it.

This was my favorite look of the week.  A pocketed skirt that I picked up last year at Uniqlo paired with a $4.00 Tee from Old Navy. Black Repettos and a French Market basket as tote gave me a bit of a Bardot vibe! (well, if Bardot wore fake black hair and was cross-eyed and wore glasses and was about 20 pounds heavier and wasn’t French!)

A maxi from last year–Old Navy gave me a day without having to shave my legs!

I’m wearing this now!!

Hey. What say you?  Are you into social media?  Whether or not you are a blogger, I am really curious!!!

What other song could I have possibly played today except this one—Follow You Follow Me from Genesis! Have a great end to the weekend!!

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A Diller, A Dollar, A Bargain Time Scholar!

Posted on May 31, 2017 by Catherine

It started with a trip to the local dollar store last Saturday.  I needed bobby pins to secure my hair under the wigs I wear.

Ohhh. Dollar Tree!  I could spend hours in here. I mean it. I really could!

Naturally, I couldn’t just go into a dollar store and buy one item and leave. God forbid!

So, I looked around but I didn’t have much time to do so because Officer Bonaparte, my spending police was waiting for me in the car. (Talk about trust! How bad is it that the man doesn’t even trust me in a dollar store!  A dollar store—OK?)

Yeah Bonaparte. You stay in the car with Chippy and listen to your Mozart. I’ll be but a minute…..or more.

My spirit was gleeful as I spotted a fan!  Not a fan you plug into an outlet but one of those plastic and fabric fans.  This was a Chinese foldable fan and I figured that it could be a very pragmatic purchase if the air conditioning at home broke down.  And for a buck—I purchased it!

This will also be wonderful for those menopausal moments of hot flashes! And a dollar!! It’s so pretty!

Not stopping there, I had to check out the cosmetics aisle.  Time was ticking away like a bomb—I knew Bonaparte would never step foot in this or any dollar store. His Frenchness would not allow it.  But—I’m pretty much lower on the cultural ladder.  However, I knew if I wasted too much time he would be mumbling in his native tongue all the way home.

With a street named after him, Bonaparte is too refined to step into my dollar store haunts!  And I like it that way!

And so, I grabbed a cute little palette of eye shadows.

This neutral palette is great!  A great mix of sparkly and matte and the shadows have very good pigmentation. Hey, and for on-the-go, that little sponge applicator isn’t all that bad!

Housed in a discreet faux leather case, this little cosmetic nugget could prove to be a great purchase!

The faux-leather case with a band for a closure is very discreet.  I should go back for another to throw in my purse!

The brand is L.A. Colors and the shadows worked well.

I went home and couldn’t wait to play!

This is the look “eye” achieved with about three of the shadows.  Very nice for an everyday look. AND, the shadows lasted all day without primer!

Let me say this.  Sometimes you need to go out of your box of high-end brands and embrace the inexpensive bargain!

The verdict on this dollar bargain.  Excellent. This is a great palette for the summer.  If you go to the beach or a pool, chances are you are like me and don’t do the whole makeup thing on the eyes.  Mascara runs off in sweaty heat.  Swimming washes any makeup off.

But, if you are planning to go out and about directly upon leaving these places, you want to look decent.  Two minutes with your car’s mirror and you can get a great look!

This palette is already in my travel bag for our trip to France!

Next bargain is this pair of jeans from Primark.   (Click the link–but their website sucks!!  It’s easier to just go into the store!) I like my jeans skinny.  However, I do like a bit of stretch to them.  And, in the warm weather I tend to keep away from heavy denim.

Wow!  In any other country, I’m a moose!  I’ll take the USA numbers!  But this is the Primark brand, Denim Co.

These jeans are Primark’s “Denim Company” jeans.  Not as stretchy as a jegging but not a heavy jean, the fit is excellent.  And the cotton is light enough that will allow for comfort in the heat of the summer.  The color selection is very good. I already have a pair in cream and went back for the black.  I want to get the fatigue green.  At $13 a pair—this is an excellent bargain.

See how nicely this pair of $13 jeans fits?  Don’t mind the mess in the room–I’m still packing and unpacking.  

Here’s another look…

And the best I could do from behind. I wanted to get a good ass shot because these jeans are dubbed “push up” jeans and they do a decent job of pushing up the butt a bit.  What I really like about these jeans is that they keep their shape after wearing them all day!

I don’t know how the line got there. I wasn’t doing the Limbo Rock!  But, I wanted to show you how nice and form-fitting these jeans are at the ankle. Do you know how hard it is to find a pair of jeans that fit like this at the ankle?

A decent blend–71% Cotton, 27% poly and 2% elastin. It provides a decent fit.

Not all bargains are heaven sent.  I purchased a ponytail for nine bucks. I figured it could prove to be useful for summer hair wear.  I just couldn’t make it work. In the photos, it looks fine but don’t forget, that’s ‘cause I’m standing still.  After a few moves of the body the hair just wasn’t working.

It photographed well, but just didn’t work!  I’m still not giving up on it though!

As a “fall” (remember those), it would have worked so well if it were much denser. Oh well, I’m going to continue to play with this to make it work as a huge bun. We’ll see!

I say bring back the “falls” of the 1960’s. Recognize the model?  It’s Lauren Hutton! I love that hairdo!

Sometimes you just need a good bargain. Tomorrow’s bargain can very well turn out to be that elusive gem!!   Do you have any recent bargains?  Are you a secret bargain hunter?  Do tell!

I think a great song for today would be “Shop Around”! The Miracles!!!

 

 

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Summer Sandals, the GOAT of Totes and a Talented Friend!

Posted on May 29, 2017 by Catherine

I would not consider myself a flashy or formal dresser by any means.  Accessories are not my important thing either. I’m very basic.

Casuality is more the vibe that I dig.  And when it comes to summer footwear and bags, I tend to lean toward the super chill.

Summertime and the feet need a break from the winter confinement!

Don’t get me wrong. I love dressing for work. And when Bonaparte and I have a date night, or when the kids come to visit and we go out, I like to step the look up a bit.

But when it comes to travel, weekends, and “time off”, I love a no-fuss, simple look.

And with summer footwear, it’s sandals.

Ok. So these aren’t sandals–but they are somewhere between a bootie and sandal and these are the most comfortable shoes of all time.  I wouldn’t wear them in the dead of winter, but they can be worn from late spring into early fall. And, gray is a sort-of neutral–right???

These wedge sandals are by Crown Vintage. I love them but I do have issues wearing them. My foot is very narrow–and the strap was buckled on the third hole for the past two years. Due to stretch, the buckle is now in the fourth hole the one closest to my ankle  And due to my very high instep (pictured), I have a problem keeping these on. It’s a shame because I really love these but I cannot wear them often.  It’s really a beautiful wedge!

With bags, it’s a tote!  I lug a lot of “stuff” around in the summertime.  When traveling, I need a huge bag because it needs to go from pool or beach to touring to grocery shopping.  Even when not traveling, I like a tote-as-bag in the summer.  When out and about, you never know what you can pick up—and I like to carry my notebooks around too.  Totes offer more room.

In addition, I like to keep to a neutral color palette for the footwear and totes.  During these warm months, sandals are my footwear of choice.  I think a neutral color elongates the legs.  Along with a neutral tote, you don’t have to keep rotating bags.  I like routine.

My summer footwear and bag palette. I don’t stray far from my comfort zone!

This summer brings me pretty much set on footwear and bags. Although I did spot this beauty at Barnes and Noble on Saturday. Unfortunately, Bonaparte was with me—and that meant the spending police officer was accompanying me. And that meant I couldn’t sneak the purchase in.  But—she will be mine. Oh. Yes. She will be mine!

I dig this.  A lot.  And I’m still pissed off that Bonaparte had to police me from spending only $19.99 on this fun summer tote! I hope Barnes and Noble doesn’t sell out of this before next week!

Back to sandals.  I’m extremely brand loyal to Rondini. (click on the link to see the beautiful sandals they have to offer) I swear to you, I can’t wear any other sandals.  I look around, yes, I do. And the price point at Nordstrom and Bloomingdales, J. Crew, and other shops have me scratching my head in wonder at the unreasonable prices for goods that are mostly made in China.  For less than the cost of a pair of Tory Burch Miller Sandals, I can have a pair of sandals, custom fit and made for me within moments in the small shop of this wonderful and trustworthy family run business.  The notable thing is that you can order online from them and they will walk you all the way through your purchase.

 

This is the Tory Burch Miller sandal. It’s incredibly popular and at $195. I feel it is ridiculously overpriced. Look at the sole–it’s thin and rubbery!

Rondini Salome Vernis.  These were purchased two years ago.  This year they are priced at $140 euros–that’s $156.USD today.  This is the only pair I have that is out of my color palette and I need to wear these more often! Still less expensive than Tory Burch…

My very first pair of Rondini’s.  Sahariennes–they are now 130 euros. I wear these as beach flip-flops and running errands.  They are at least six years old and have been worn constantly.Rondini Tropeziennes. The sandal that started it all. See how my toes have made an imprint on the insole?  These have molded to my feet perfectly.  I was thrilled when the folks at Rondini were able to fix these sandals after Chippy snacked on one of the straps. You cannot tell there is a replacement strap on this pair! We were able to drop them off in the morning and they were ready after lunch!  Service is excellent!

 My beloved Bikini sandals. OMG. I love these so much. They can be dressed up or down.  I wanted to show you how they look from the back as well. (After contorting my body for this pic, I can tell you that I could perform with Cirque du Soleil!) I love these.  At 145 euros, they are still less than the mass-produced sandals in upscale department stores.  Ugh. I need to fake tan.  

And the construction is also remarkable…

The sandals are wrapped and placed in a nice storage bag.  I can’t wait to add another pair to my collection!

And then, there were Dr. Scholls!  These get a lot of love from me.  And have since I was in high school!

With the totes, it’s almost the same. I have many of the Longchamp Le Pliage nylon and leather bags. This brown one is my most-used and favorite. It comes to France with me every summer.  It’s so friggin’ old that I use it as a beach bag and after the beach, it is used as a catch-all tote—and I even put other totes inside of it for grocery shopping.  My Wythe Hotel bag gets housed inside this baby!

This well-worn, hot mess of a Longchamp bag is in constant use during the summer. Look at the photo on the bottom right. That’s French beach sand!  I know, I really should empty it out…

See what I mean?  The Wythe tote goes into the Longchamp.  I’m leaving the Scholl’s home this summer.  On second thought…..

I also like to use this well-worn French Market tote as a bag during the summer months as well. It’s beginning to look a bit raggy and I’m planning on buying one when we are in France—they are inexpensive as all get out. I think I paid the equivalent of $10 USD when I purchased this in Chartres.

Although usually kept in my car for grocery outings, I do like to use this as a tote during the summer!

My new and favorite tote is this monogrammed number. Is this not the greatest?  It was done by a childhood friend and schoolmate, Kathy Torre Innace.

I love everything about this tote.  The magnetized closure is handy and the length of the straps is perfect for staying on the shoulder.  Look at the monogram job Kathy did–this is absolutely perfect!

She has a business of her own these days.  Sew Spectacular—click on the name for the link to her FB page.   Her talent is remarkable—she embroidered this tote.  The second I saw it, I had to have it.  in my opinion, it is the G.O.A.T. (that’s Greatest Of All Time!) of totes!

Here’s Kathy!!  I love her glasses and she’s the best grandmother on earth!  She and I were just a couple of many girls who shared the same first name at St. Patrick’s Grammar School!

Trust me, if you order anything from her, you will be more than 100% satisfied.

Next on my list of things to buy from Kathy are her stemware coasters. The coasters fit over the bottom of the stemware. My wine glasses need this.  Have you ever seen anything this clever??  I haven’t!! Ugh. I wish I had a wedding shower to go to because this would be a great gift to give!  I’ll just have to gift myself!

I could drink wine all day with coasters like these.  They are designer shoes for wine glasses!!!

Well, my weight loss journey is moving along very slowly. I gained a pound and now lost a pound—so I’m steady at 144 but I really want to get down to 140. It’ll take a while but at least my clothing still fits.

Here’s a look at what I wore last week.  And I’ve made the transition from winter to summer fake hair!  In no particular order…

Well, I finally wore the “Heels on Fire” tee. I love it. And to add, I wore red heels and rel nails and a red watchband!  

Neon and navy. Not a bad combo!

I loved this look because it was feminine with an edge!

Maxi Dressing!  I didn’t shave my legs and this worked perfectly for those lazy days. I LOVE the cut in armholes on this dress. It is very flattering for all arms!!!

Friday’s look.  The unironed tee drove me nuts all day. But–I cannot begin to tell you how many compliments I received on the shorter bobbed wig!

Saturday’s look was my favorite. Completely basic.  $13 jeans.  $4.00 tee.  Hair at $19.99. What’s not to love?

One of my favorite summer songs of all time:  War’s “Summer”–it’s just so relaxing and chill and just reminds me of summer!

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Leave Me Alone! I’m Tired of Adulting!

Posted on May 28, 2017 by Catherine

That’s right!  At the tender age of 62, I will now admit that today, I am tired of “Adulting”.That’s right.  I’m not being an adult today…

I want to do things like shoot hoops in my driveway–which is what I did when the kids were younger and we lived in New Jersey!

Memorial Day Weekend can be blamed.

We have no plans for the weekend.  I’m now convinced that the “Big Three”—Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Labor Day weekend, are reserved for children, the young, single adults, and families that have not reached the status of Empty Nest!

Yes it is–and I want that wig!!!!

When I woke up this morning, it hit me.  There will be no cookouts.

Bonaparte and I both fear the grill.

Yup!  Fear of the grill is one thing Bonaparte and I have in common. I would rather slave over a hot stove than grill!

There will be no parade action. 

From my years growing up on Long Island in Bay Shore to the years of living in Pennington, NJ,  there was a sense of township pride when it came to events like Memorial Day parades.   When you don’t “adult” you can enjoy these holidays more!

I have no idea what goes on in the town I live in.  I live in a beautiful townhouse community but everyone stays in their own space.   Between work, writing, cooking and all that other stuff, there is no time to discover the nearby downtown area of Phoenixville that I pretty much would like to discover!

Beautiful downtown Phoenixville. Home of “The Blob”! Phoenixville hosts a “Blob Festival” each year! Phoenixville is becoming more and more hip with every new building that is erected.

For now, I’ll rely on my memories of Memorial Day festivities past—especially while I still have my memories as well as my memory!

I may have been born in NYC, but when my parents moved to Long Island, they never realized that Memorial Day Weekend would be the opener for THIS. All. Summer. Long.  I want to go back to that time–luckily I have a ton of great memories!

Bonaparte’s dad is very ill.  He got the phone call a few days ago. Dany fell and broke his hip. At 97 years old, this is not a good thing.  My Frenchman has been on edge.  Selfishly, I hope Dany heals in time for our visit in three weeks.  He has stopped eating and that is what worries me.  What self-respecting Frenchman stops eating???   And Dany’s appetite is the eighth wonder of the world—I know this, I’ve dined with him!

Yeah. THIS guy!  HE’s the adult–not me and I want him to STAY the adult for a while! He can out eat anyone!

There is a backstory here that I’ll keep to myself for now. But in the four years that we’ve been visiting him in St. Tropez, there is never a dull moment.  I want those fun moments back.  Now!!  And yes, I am having a child-like and very immature tantrum about this!  Adulting sucks at times like these!

Is Bonaparte “adulting” with his father??  Truthfully, he was born an adult. I will take the backseat and be the non-adult thank you!

Please allow me to stay in touch with my inner child and go back to when I realized that red was my color!

Speaking of ill, I’m tired of worrying about my health.  The future does not look too good for people like me. I’m talking about those of us in our sixties and above and those on affordable health care which, most certainly, DOES work. I know this.  I pay into it and can get healthcare.

Speaking of NOT wanting to adult, this moron is the acme.  Well, now we won’t even HAVE healthcare –so the complication won’t even exist.  I need to stop now..

Oops!  I slipped into political darkness. Let me get out!

True dat!  I want to curl up with a good book!

Sometimes I just want to curl up in a corner with a delightful book and escape for hours on end with words and my imagination.  My mind’s movie theatre–where I can see words coming to life. Let the cooking and cleaning be the responsibility of someone else for a while. 

This is MY own little corner of the world. My space where I can let go of adulting momentarily.  And YES, I still read Madeline..”In an old house in Paris, that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls, in two straight lines..”  I can quote the entire book

The ironing awaits me. And as much as I find ironing a very relaxing and Zen experience, while taking a break from adulting, I don’t wanna iron today!

I’ll awaken early tomorrow morning to tackle the pile of ironing.  Today, I just don’t wanna deal!

Yesterday I made a Crème Caramel.  It steamed in a Bain Marie so that Bonaparte could take his mind off of adulting and be brought back to times when he enjoyed his favorite childhood dessert!

Bonaparte’s favorite dessert.  I had none of this–it was made only for him and just for him and there is a sliver left over for this evening…

I burned myself taking the dessert out of the oven and had to take care of the injury myself. I didn’t want to adult that burn. I wanted my mommy! I kid you not!

Looking on the POSITIVE side, at least the blister wasn’t from sunburn!

Hey!  Mom!!  Can you come back to life and take care of me for a day or so????????

Ma!! Can you come back to life momentarily to take care of me for a day?  I’ll be good!

Even though it drove me crazy with the thickness and unruliness, I want my hair back.  Yeah. It’s my fault that it’s gone but I want that chance to stop the pulling and tugging and picking that left permanent damage.  Well—on second thought if I hadn’t pulled and tugged and picked my hair, I could have ended up doing something worse.  Besides. I get to wear cool wigs now!

Actually, the store-bought hair IS the hair I always wanted!  Who am I kidding??

There is a pile of stuff that is half-packed for our upcoming trip to France. More attention is needed on what will be placed in my luggage.  But for now, I just don’t feel like dealing with it!

This pile has doubled in a week!  I’m not dealing with it today!

The sun is shining and I really, really should get in the car and go to the nursery to buy geraniums for the deck—but I can’t be bothered.  Deciding on which pots of luscious, blooming flowers to get is too much adulting for me right now. I want to be indecisive today!

Truthfully,  I could make a simple task such as picking out Geraniums into the most complex, indecisive moment in history. I’ll pass on it until tomorrow.  

And as I sit here, with the contents of a bottle of hair dye plopped atop the locks that are thinning faster than one with an eating disorder, I am looking directly into our living room. And I love what I see.

I see a room in a house that is mine. After losing a home during my divorce, I thought I would never, ever own another home in my life.  And through arduous work, not spending money, and paying off debtors thanks to the stern assistance of one particular Frenchman, I am able to enjoy a structure that is ours!

OK. So the walls need to be painted but that is another ADULT decision that is needed to be made soon and I keep procrastinating!  But I love my chateau!

I also see a dog who is close by—he depends on me and he gives me unconditional love in exchange for food and a belly rub.

I like to think Chippy is looking at me with love for ME rather than what treats I will give him!

You know what?  Adulting really isn’t that bad after all!

In the long run, Adulting is kind of fun–especially when your kids are adulting along with you!

Let me get that ironing done!

Have a wonderful holiday. And remember—it’s ok to not want to adult every now and then!

Happy Memorial Day. Country Before Party!  I want my beautiful and welcoming America back!

Remember that song by Helen Reddy?  Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)?  Yeah. I was singing the chorus at the top of my lungs before I wrote the post!!

 

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Some Five-Minute Reviews and a Note on GREAT Customer Service!

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Catherine

Before I go into a few reviews on a few cosmetic items, I need to show you another customer service email I received.

This.  From J. Crew Factory.  Let me backtrack. On Saturday, Bonaparte and I went to J. Crew Factory because I had seen a couple of items that I wanted to check out.  I also had a “Rewards Card” and coupon and was itching to use both.

While I did purchase the two short-sleeved sweaters I wrote about in my previous post, and a pair of shorts that were on clearance, I had to pass on the one item I really wanted—a pair of shorts in a Pink Flamingo print.

I honestly cannot begin to tell you how much I love these sweaters. The sleeve length is the greatest on earth!

Yes. Navy shorts with Pink Flamingos standing in all their glory.  Those shorts were meant for me. Until I tried them on.  At 3” length, I had to come to terms that they just were not appropriate for me.  I would need a bikini wax if I sat the wrong way. Lord knows if I had to bend all the way over, I would need more than a bikini wax.

These shorts. I’m so in love. Those pink flamingos.  *Sigh* I wanted to make them mine–if only they were an inch longer!!

And when I went home, as is my usual routine, I went on the J. Crew Factory site and wrote reviews. I wrote glowing reviews about the sweaters and a sad review about the shorts:

My sweater review was filled with love….Below is the actual review on the J.C. Crew Factory site and the correspondence that transpired.

Not mature woman friendly

May 21, 2017

Ok, JCFactory. When I saw these shorts I wanted them because the Flamingo print stole my heart and the pink/navy thing melted it. At 3″ I didn’t care. I tried them on anyway.
At 62 years old, 5’6″ and 140 lbs, the 8 was a great fit –but wayyyy to short !! I would need a bikini wax to be running around in these!!!! Couldn’t you have offered this adorable print in longer lengths??? 4″ and 5″ would have been perfect for the older ladies!!!!show less

Cathe

 

I never ever expected a response:

Hello,

I’m so sorry to hear about the disappointment in these shorts – I’ll be sure to pass along your comments to the appropriate teams for you. I’d be happy to see what I can do to help, but I wasn’t able to locate any online orders for these shorts under your email. Did you happen to use a different email address to purchase them? Or, did you happen to purchase these in store?  If so, do you happen to recall the date of purchase, the store you bought them from, as well as the last 4 digits of the credit card used? With this information I’d be able to look into this further for you. 

I look forward to your response! 

Best,

Marisa Z  J.Crew Factory Customer Service

I responded and then I received THIS:

Hi Catherine,

Thanks for getting back to us! Please know that your comments about the shorts have been shared with my team – hopefully we can offer the same print in a longer length in the future. In the meantime, we have 5″ Chino Shorts in solid colors (item 21760), the 5″ Printed Chino Shorts in Pink Multi, Navy Pineapple, Ivory Navy, Blue Ivory, and Deep Navy Red (G2319).

Please let me know if I can help with anything else; have a wonderful week!

Best,

Marina, J.Crew Factory Customer Service

Comments about the shorts will be shared with Marina’s team. How can I not be happy with this??  Especially after the response from the Urban Decay company about the eye pencil.

I’ve been pleased as punch with the customer service at J. Crew—they are the ones who “found” my Stewart plaid Lady Jacket when it was on sale.   Kudo’s to my favorite store for stellar customer service. This older lady thanks you!

The beautiful Stewart Plaid J. Crew Lady Jacket. FOUND by the J. Crew Customer Service Folks!

Ok. Now for a few reviews….

First. I’ve “rediscovered” this Illuminating Palette by Wet ‘n Wild. I’m using it as summery eye shadow.  It hit me the other day when the thought of a lighter, brighter eye might look good for the warmer weather.

I’ve had this about a year…it’s a great lower end product..

Blended together they make a nice illuminating product. But…

Separately, the colors make a nice summery eye look!

The notable thing is that this is a multi-tasking product. It’s an illuminating product but can double as eyeshadow and at a price point of fewer than five dollars, it is a great summer travel item!

Nice and bright–right?  Don’t pay attention to the lips–I didn’t put lipstick on yet!

Next up is the Charlotte Tilbury Mini Miracle Eye Wand.

Tilbury’s Mini Magic Eye Wand–I like it as a lip treatment as well!

This is a two-step product. On one end, the first step is a hydrating eye cream. It does go on smoothly and is hydrating.

This is step 2 and the photo is way out of focus!

The other end is a highlighter—a twin for the YSL Touché Eclat, which I have.  The difference is that with the Tilbury product, you get a cream as well.

I decided to use this on my lips instead.  I like the way it hydrates the area around my mouth and I can “line” my lips with the highlighter.  A two-for-one product which makes it excellent for travel.  An eye and lip product!

I use it on my eyes then apply step 1, cream, to the upper areas of the lip then line with step 2. Works for me!

Since I’m running low on blush, I thought it would be an excellent idea to try the Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in “Las Salinas”.    This is a beautiful, bright, pinkish-coral color stick for both cheeks and lips.  I’ll stick to using it solely as a cheek color.

Las Salinas Beach Stick is probably one of the prettiest cheek colors I’ve ever seen and used!

Here’s another view of the color..

..and how it looks on my pasty-fish belly white skin!! (this is the inside of my wrist)

I dot it on my cheeks and blend with a soft brush. I’m really diggin’ this. It is a great summer color. At $45, it is a bit pricier than the NARS Multiple stick but It’ll last a long time.

Dot, dot, dot and blend, blend, blend…

I have the Nars in “Riviera” and love it.  I’ve had it for over two years and have hardly put a dent in it. A little goes a long way. It’s a great winter coloor.  Same with the Beach Stick—a little goes a long way. This is a fantastic summer color and the price per use will be pennies!

I’m wearing the Las Salinas Beach Stick in this photo. It is so subtle and not clownish at all. Very natural.  I’m also wearing the Model Model “Storm” wig!

And last of all—a little tip.  You know how much I love my Chapstick and use it as a “blur” product. Lip Balms have a ton of uses.  Well the other day I smudged mascara while applying it. I hate when that happens. I grabbed my L’Occitane lip balm and wiped the mascara off in one fell swoop.  The L’Occitane is a bit creamier than the Chapstick and worked like a charm.  It really worked wonderfully to get rid of any smudges or eyeliner “mistakes”!

More than a lip balm.  Last summer I picked up the GREATEST lip balm of all time for one euro. I’m going to load up on it this summer!

Try it—it works!

Any multitaskers for you?  Do you have a favorite product that does more than one task? Share it with us!!!

Do you remember this song by Carly Simon?  Coming Around Again? It reminds me of all the multi-tasking we did when our kids were younger…

 

 

 

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Welcome to Crazytown. I’ve Begun to Pack for Our Trip Back to France.

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Catherine

It’s almost that time of year.  In less than a month, Bonaparte and I will be flying back to the apartment in Theoule-sur-Mer, France.

Our little apartment.  I can’t wait to open the front door and relax for a coupla weeks!

I’ve started to prepare. I’m a bit behind my usual timeline because, with a full-time job, I find that preparing is more challenging.  Time is of the essence, and I have not been focusing.   If you have been reading this blog since the beginning, you are well-aware that my packing obsession has always started way, way, way ahead of the time of departure!

I need to get myself emotionally prepared first.  I’ve been listing to my French pop music on the way to the office and then on the way home.  Listening to the music repeatedly helps me to learn the language better. No. Seriously. It does.  Georges Brassens has the clearest voice ever. He sings his words slow and purposely. I realized that one of his songs is about friendship and the buddies he grew up with –it only took me four years of listening to the song to figure it out!

It’s true. I start my prep work by listening to French pop music and Georges Brassens!  I’ll be on the lookout for more music this summer.  I’ve amassed quite the collection over the years!

Oh yeah. Welcome to Crazytown–Atypical60 style!

Bonaparte would have a total meltdown or stroke if he walked into the little guest room that doubles as my makeup and wig room.  Basically, I keep the door closed at all times so he can’t see the unorganization, untidy display, state of absolute  slight messiness that is occurring.  I call it the “storm before the calm”.

Bonaparte would have a stroke if he walked in on this–luckily, I cleaned it up. It is now in a pile on the floor!

Today I started to pack.

Sort of.

totes

The little pom-pom clutch will come in handy when we go out to dinner. I don’t want to carry a ton of stuff. The Wythe Hotel tote will be traveling for the 4th time to France. This tote is strong as all get out and will carry wine, champagne and creme de cassis with no problem. The Fragonard tote will be used to haul groceries and other shopping goodies–it can double as a beach/pool bag!

Travel tip:  Going to France?  Don’t forget to bring tote bags and bags for the grocery haul. You have to pay for the little shopping bags over there–they aren’t free.  Spend your money wisely and bring bags.

Every year I’ve overpacked. When Danièle was alive we would always spend time in Paris before heading South. That meant packing two wardrobes.  A dressier and cooler weather wardrobe for Paris and a more casual one for Theoule.  This summer, it’s casual only.

I have a binder that is chock-full of information I’ve collected over the years and still use it as a reference point. I make notes and do a ton of writing. See the little insert pic?  I have tabs for notes and blog posts….

I like to keep my important information close to me.  The market information is also very valuable.  Yes–and I also have a favorite little “souvenir” shop where I get T-shirts. The people who own the little shop are very, very nice. 

Travel Tip:  Take notes. Buy an inexpensive binder or organizer.  Notes can be used for reference or for information when friends and relatives visit whatever places you have.  Keep info such as hours of operation for museums, beaches you like, schedules of water taxis, restaurants you like..it’s all fun!

And here’s the thing.  I’m not packing a very fashionable load of clothing.  We’ll be at the pool and the beach nearly every day. That’ll mean bathing suits and a simple dress to cover.  I love the idea of dresses so that I don’t have to change before sightseeing.  Plus, it’s one-step dressing. I throw the dress over my head and I’m done.

This inexpensive cotton/linen shift is perfect for a lunch at the beach. Well, that’s if slob-o me doesn’t spill anything on it!  I love the lace detail and its one-stop dressing! It is rolled up and packed.

This is the off-the-shoulder dress from J. Crew that I sized down in. I’m so upset that it didn’t photograph well because it really is a cute dress.  I would wear this out to a casual dinner.  I’m also packing the hair that I’m wearing in this pic. It’s light and summery! The dress is rolled and packed!

The debate is on as to whether I’ll pack a pair of jeans.  As I write this, the decision is “no”.  My decision could change next week.

Three pairs of shorts should be sufficient and tops.  Tops will be the item that I will be sure to pack plenty of.

I picked up this yellow short sleeved sweater, as well as one in navy at J. Crew Factory.  Don’t you love the length of the TRUE short sleeves?  The sweater is a light and breathable cotton blend. I will wear the sweater with these navy and white dotted shorts also from J. Crew Factory. This is a nice look for a few hours at a museum..

I really dig this combo!

Here’s the navy sweater I picked up. I’m telling you, I am in LOVE with these sweaters! The shorts are from a few years ago. They fit me again–got ’em at Old Navy!

The last shorts outfit!  Uniqlo shorts and a very comfy shirt from last summer–Old Navy.  I may re-think this. It’s packed for now. 

And YES!  Older ladies CAN wear shorts!!! I don’t care how flabby my thighs are. When it’s hot I’m dressing for the weather!

I picked two bathing suits up at Target.  Currently, all swimsuits are on sale with a buy one, get one for half price.  I got two for fifty bucks.

At WHAT age should women stop wearing bikinis you ask? At NO age!!  Even though I lost over 20 pounds, I’m not skinny–nor do I aspire to be.  I HAVE flabby thighs. I HAVE a belly–from three pregnancies, and one ten-pounder in the oven, I better have a bit of a gut! But I don’t care because I am at the pool/beach to cool off and the less I wear means the cooler I am.  A bikini lends itself well to not have to keep tugging on the bottom of a one-piece that keeps riding up my butt. This is 62–not 26!  I’ll be going through a lot of sunscreen!

This year I’ll also be packing hair.  I’ve purchased a couple of lightweight wigs that’ll do fine.  I had enough hair last summer that I only needed a topper when I wore my hair down.  When I wore it up, I needed nothing extra.  On the positive side, I won’t be fussing with my hair at all. I’ll just pin it up and plop a wig on. What could be better?

Riley. My ten-buck wig. Light and airy and a great length for sitting around the pool or at the beach. And I’ll pin her up when I swim. The fine art of swimming while not getting my hair wet is one that I practice!

Makeup.  I started my travel bag already but I did pick up my favorite low-end foundation today. The six-buck elf flawless.  I try to bring as many low-end cosmetics just in case I leave something behind.

I travel with the cheap stuff.  I don’t even wear foundation except for when Bonaparte and I go out to dinner so why bother bringing the expensive foundation?  This elf foundation works well for me.

I don’t think I’ll bring heels.  I want to be a total beach bum so it’ll be sandals and sneakers.

A fancier dress for dining out. Not super fancy just a step up from the casual frocks I’ll be running around in.  The Rondini Bikini sandals will fare very well with any dress!

My Rondini Bikini Sandals. OMG. I love these so much and I can’t wait to get to Rondini to add another pair to my collection!

Underwear, camera battery, phone chargers…I need to start gathering that stuff up soon!

I’m packing this dress too. I wear it to the pool and beach. THIS is the infamous shift that started my weight loss.  Bonaparte snapped a pic of me last summer in this dress–when I saw how much weight I gained I was disgusted. The dress fits much better this year!

I won’t bring my laptop.  As much as I love my blog—I take a vacation from everything!  It makes it more fun upon my return to write and have fresh memories!

Here’s how the packing is shaping up so far:

I always travel with a satin pillowcase. It doubles as protection for the clothing when packed!

Shirts (of which I most likely have packed too many) are nestled into a velcro-envelope of sorts which I….

…close and pack at the bottom of my Longchamp carry on. It gives more structure to the bottom of the oversized bag.

The satin pillowcase is placed over the “envelope” housing the shirts.

I start to layer some of the outfits–like lasagna!! I place a folded, flattened white garbage bag in between each “layer” of clothing lasagna–as pictured above!

The layering continues…

Dresses are rolled and packed.

I pack underwear in this zippered compartment.  This still needs to be done.

Totes, bathing suits, most of the clothing is packed and there is plenty of room.

For the record, I will bring a suitcase to check in. Toiletries,  small electronics, some hair, beach towels, will be added but–there will be plenty of space for all the goods I’ll bring home!

TRAVEL TIP:  From Susan at  “une femme d’un certain âge” blog. She’s the most pragmatic traveler I’ve ever read.  Trust me–if she reads this she’ll be horrified at the way I pack! I always get great travel tips from her reads.  This time I learned that a piece of foam is great for cleaning up small spots like deodorant lines.  She calls it “Schmutz- B-Gone” –could you die??? I’m going to take a few of the foam strips that come with my wigs and pack them!

After a peek into some of the clothing I’m packing—here’s a look at what I wore this week.  I gained three pounds. I’m up to 145—so I’m really trying to pay attention to what I’m eating.

NOTE:  Before you check out the pics–I disabled my “word ads”.  At first, I didn’t mind having a little ad underneath my post. Then recently I noticed more ads were sneaking in. Nuh unh. Not on my time.  I can’t stand reading blogs that are chock-full of ads. In fact, I’ve stopped reading many of them because of the ads.  I don’t want my blog to be that way. This is for reading entertainment only!

Yesterday was “Slob Saturday” because sometimes, you just have to bring out your inner slob! (In MY case it is my outter slob!)

I did not wear jeans on jeans Friday. It was too hot. Instead, I opted for this lightweight and loose dress from J. Crew Factory and wore a comfortable pair of Rondini Tropeziennes!

Thursday (or was it Wednesday?) I went Maxi because I was too lazy to shave my legs.  Dr. Scholls sandals and a little camel necklace. Can you guess the riddle in the photo above my headshot?  Let me know in the comments if you figure it out!  I’m wearing my Justine wig by “It’s a Wig”. Justine is coming to France with me!

Yeah. This was Wednesday. I got my gray dress back from the dry cleaners and it remained stain-free for the day.  Hmmm. I should pack this dress for the trip! 

Tuesday’s look was my favorite for the week!  I love the pencil skirt and button down shirt.  This had a very office-polished look!

Monday’s look wasn’t one I was crazy about but I was running late.  The shirt reminded me of the days I was pregnant!

I did like the hair though. It was freshly washed the day before so I was able to lead the hair fibers on and placed a topper atop my noggin’.  When I see pics like this, it makes me miss my bio hair–OMG I had so much of it.  Oh well!

Oh. I got new prescription sunglasses. Aren’t they nice? They are the same RayBan frames as my regular glasses only in a tortoiseshell color . I can be really lazy with the eye makeup when I go to the beach! Ugh.  That “fang” tooth of mine keeps inching its way into every photo. That’s right. I have a fang tooth and I refuse to have it drilled down. Dentists have tried but I love my fang–it’s part of me. I just don’t like when it wants to photobomb me!

Thanks for reading!!!

Is this not the cutest?  Really. Thanks a latte for reading today’s blog post!

Have a listen to some Georges Brassens and listen to how clearly he sings!  “Les Coopains d’abord”. Thank you Javier Angulo for posting this to YouTube!

©Copyright 2017 Atypical60.com

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OMG!!! It’s a Crisis!!!!

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Catherine

I need to reblog this post because I’m so grateful for all the wonderful responses and suggestions. Man. I love you so much. I have THE best blog readers on earth!
And secondly, because I HAVE to share the response Urban Decay sent me. I am not happy with the patronizing tone. Thoughts?

Posted in Uncategorized | 15 Comments

OMG!!! It’s a Crisis!!!!

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Catherine

UPDATE!!!  I RECEIVED A REPLY FROM URBAN DECAY. IT IS A FORMULATIC REPLY. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH IT.  IT IS PATRONIZING.  FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT–HERE IT IS:

We highly recommend using our UD Grindhouse Double Barrel Sharpener which is designed specifically for our entire pencil lineup.

Also, don’t worry, we definitely have not forgotten about our mature makeup lovers which is why our makeup is designed with such diversity from our subtle nude shades to our edgy bold shades! We absolutely love all of our UD Fans no matter their age, we want to cater to all of your make up needs!

If you haven’t already, sign up for our newsletter. You’ll be among the first to know about our latest and greatest products. You’ll get a chance to enter contests and win cool prizes. You’ll get insider tips on makeup application, plus so much more!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reply to this email. That’s what we’re here for!

Sincerely,

Jaz

In response to MY  email:

General comments/questions
Message: First of all, I’m a huge UD fan. I’ve written about your products on my blog many times. My Naked Palettes are in constant use AND your 24/7 eyeliner pencil has ALWAYS been in my constant rotation. That 24/7 Velvet eye pencil is my favorite. I recently set about to purchase my 6th one and the store (Ulta) was out of stock. So I purchased the 24/7 Watermark pencil instead. WHAT HAPPENED? OMG. I had a major crisis because the pencil was a horrific item to sharpen–it wouldn’t and I literally wasted more than half a pencil trying to sharpen it. I wrote about it in my blog: https://atypical60.com/2017/05/16/omg-its-a-crisis/ Yes. I wrote about a beloved brand of mine and the less-than-stellar experience. Look–I write with humor so it is’t a mean post–I’m just so upset about what happened. And while I’m at it, you should realize that we women over 50, 60 still wear cosmetics–do not shut us out. Include us. We spend a lot of money on cosmetics!! Thank you, and I hope you come up with a better pencil to sharpen. Best, Cathe Urbanski

It is true ladies. I am in crisis mode right now. And it all started with an eye pencil!

Well, yeah!! It IS happening.  It’s a crisis!

I’m sure I’ve written about the Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Eye Pencil.  In fact, I know that somewhere in the bowels of Atypical60’s archives, there has to be something about how great the 24/7 Velvet Eye Pencil is.  I’ve purchased this pencil multiple times. It has always served me well.

Image result for urban decay 24/7 velvet glide on

I’ve always been happy with this eyeliner!

You see, I love to tightline my eyes.  This is a process that makes the eyes look a bit livelier.  You very carefully line the eyes close to the waterline and in between the lashes.  You need a very pliable and soft pointed pencil to do this with or one false move and you’ll be walking with a seeing-eye dog.

This is a close up of tightlining. I DID go over the mess with a Q-Tip. Also, note the red spot on my nose. Wanna know what happened?  I was making a feeble attempt to stiple my foundation on just the way Jay did when I had my makeover and I stipled a bit too hard.

The Urban Decay Velvet Eye Pencil has always been my go-to.

Runner up is the inexpensive elf liner pencil. But, in my atypical fashion, I really use the elf pencil for my brows and when I’m in-between the Urban Decay, it’ll work to tightline.

Shadow & Liner Duo Stix

Three bucks..and I use it as a brow pencil!

The elf pencil costs $3.00 The Urban Decay costs $20.

And so, last month I drove to Ulta to repurchase the UD Velvet Eye Pencil.  As is my usual bout of luck, my color, Velvet Black, was out of stock.

However, what I did spot was the brand’s 24/7 Waterline Pencil.  I figured it was probably even better than the Velvet pencil because it was made for the waterline which is great for tightlining,

I purchased the pencil in the color “Legend” which is just another name for the color black. The purchase price was the same as the other Urban Decay pencil –twenty bucks.

Image result for urban decay legend watermark eyeliner

I should only HOPE my pencil stays this big!

The price didn’t even bother me because I’m pretty-much brand loyal when I find something I like.

The next morning, I was very excited as I used my new pencil. It did a magnificent job and my liner stayed on all day.

Understand. Since this is a very soft pencil, it must be sharpened more often than a harder pencil.

And here’s where the crisis began.  After about a week of tightlining, it was time to sharpen the tip a bit.  Caveat—when I say “sharpen” I don’t mean into a sharp point. If that were the case, I would hear Ralphie chanting to me “You’ll shoot your eye out kid old lady!”

Image result for ralphie you'll shoot your eye out kid

And we have almost the same glasses! I will try to not shoot my eye out Ralphie!

It is now the last week in April since I made the purchase of the pencil.

I started to sharpen the pencil in my special eye pencil sharpener. One side is for a thinner pencil and the other for the wider pencil.

There is never an issue sharpening the elf pencil. She sharpens beautifully.

Look how nicely the elf pencil sharpens. And I’ve had this pencil for a few months now. The sharpener is over a year old!

There was ne’er an issue with my 24/7 Velvet pencils either. They sharpened beautifully on the same sharpener. In fact, I could sharpen the Velvet pencil down to the nub and use every bit of black tar-like coal to line my eyes.

This pencil was having a bit of difficulty sharpening.  It kept getting stuck as I rotated it. I cleaned the sharpener thinking that perhaps there was a bit of old pencil stuck in it.

See what a mess my hands are after sharpening the pencil? Ugh- my nails are even worse.  How did that random strand of hair get in this pic?  Oh..that’s right–I shed like a dog!

After a huge black mess on my hands and my clothing, I tried to sharpen the pencil again.  I was left with an uneven point that broke off. So back in the sharpener again. A lot of wasted product and a pencil that was growing smaller with each rotating turn.

I had no idea where the point went and I was left with a plateau and tried to make the best of it.

My plateau point!

After a few days with the plateau point, I scratched the inside of my waterline.  Time to resharpen.

You know that I do get a bit emotional at times.   Well, this pencil was now putting me into crisis mode.  I downright refused to use the elf pencil because it was the principle of the matter. I friggin’ spent twenty bucks on a pencil that was made for tightlining and the damned thing would not sharpen correctly.

So, I tried an experiment—and this is disgusting. I saved the shavings from the Urban Decay pencil and the shavings from the elf pencil.  Not only was I now the proud owner of a rather enormous collection of pencil shavings, but they were falling on the carpet and creating stains.

Yes ladies!  THIS is how my sick mind works!  I needed to see just how much of the pencil I sharpened off  so I tried an experiment.  Just call me Nigella Degrasse Tyson–I’m like a scientist!  Check out yet another random strand of falling hair!

Image result for neil degrasse tyson

I would venture to say my scientific ability puts me up there with Neil Degrasse Tyson! 

Bonaparte was now in crisis because the carpet in my make-up room, the room he never goes into was stained and Bonaparte Felix Unger was going ballistic with his French naughty talk-and not the delightful naughty talk either!

That twenty dollar pencil is going to cost me the price of a Stanley Steemer visit!

A month later and I’m left with half a pencil that has the most awful point in history.

 

I’m so disgusted. This is a crisis worse than spilled milk!

My crisis is bigly.   I will have to look for an eyeliner pencil that can be sharpened. Do I search in vain for the 24/7 Velvet pencil in Black? Do I look for a different brand?

This is so pathetic.  All because of a stubborn pencil that refuses to sharpen correctly!

No!!  I’m going to remedy this crisis and ask you to help me.  What eye pencils do you like?  What’s your favorite?  I need one that stays put, that glides on nicely and that sharpens well!

Can you help me?  Please?

On another note, I went beyond hitting pan earlier this evening.

When I arrive home from work, I like to relax in a soothing and hot bath. It is my “me” time and it’s better than drinking.  I save my aperitifs for the weekend.

Last year—or maybe the year before, Oona took a trip to Mackinac Island in Michigan.  ( My daughter has become a Mid-Westerner with Northeast political ideals!) I think she went to Wisconsin too. Regardless—she brought a jar of body scrub home for me. I’m a huge fan of body scrubs because they really do an excellent job of exfoliating the skin.

Anyway, I always had a jar of Bath and Body Works Orange Ginger Body Scrub on hand until they changed the thing to “Energy” and rebranded it and it became more difficult to find it in the stores.

Upon her return from Mackinac and Wisconsin, Oona gifted me with a jar of Cinnamon Clove Organic Body Polish by a brand-named Trillium.

This stuff lasted for a long, long time and was excellent.  It didn’t even smell of Cinnamon (not my favorite scent) but it smelled lightly of clove. Very relaxing and really made my crepey skin soft.  I hit to bottom of the jar tonight and am going to order a jar from the site.  It’s great stuff and you don’t need a pencil sharpener to enjoy it or reap the benefits.

I also didn’t need shaving cream for my legs with this stuff. I need a refill!!

It bothers me when a product doesn’t live up to what it should live up to.  Pencils need to be sharpened.   Why then, would a cosmetics company create a pencil that is near impossible to sharpen without wasting over half the product away?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all our crises were as “critical” as an eyeliner pencil?  Our world would be remarkable now—wouldn’t it?

It would be even better if we could solve world issues with eyeliner pencils and sharpeners. The country who gets the most wear out of the pencil without sharpening it would be the winner.

It’s a thought!

The eyes turned out very well today. Even with the plateau tip!!

Here’s a cool song “Lazy Eye”—Hmmmm it must’ve been written about me and my lazy eye!  Silversun Pickups. Maybe it’s a song about underperforming eyeliner pencil!

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Observant Observations from An Older Observer

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Catherine

It started with an Instagram post that I saw yesterday morning.  A lovely ensemble showcasing my kind of sweater. The sweater read “jolie”.  It’s beautiful. The “jolie” sweater is from the Maison Scotch  & Soda website.

I want that sweater!  It spoke to me. It told me that I’m “jolie” brunette!

So, I went on the Maison Scotch & Soda website and clicked on “women” in the menu bar. There were no women photographed.  The correct verbiage should have been “young women” because throughout the entire site there was not one photo of an actual “woman”—you know, a lady over 30 or 40 or older.  In fact, I never see any older women on hip clothing sites.  We are still thought of as old farts.

This is a woman according to Scotch & Soda..

So’s this…

…and this.  They are girls.  Women are older. Stop advertising “women” when you don’t show older women!

I’m observing more and more these days that surveys are for fools! Another moronic survey showed that women should stop wearing jeans at the age of 53. 53!!!  What idiot came up with the idea of that survey anyway?  I’ll bet that it was someone very young who looks awful in jeans—one who has an older aunt or mother who rocks the jeans.  Jealousy is not a good thing. Don’t hate on the older woman because she is more beautiful or because she wears the tighter denim better! I’m proof. I wrote about it here!

62 year old mommy rocks the jeans.  

And no matter what kind of jeans you wear…Happy Mother’s Day!!!

This morning while I was getting ready, I had an “aha” moment. Why do they call it “putting on my face” and “doing my hair”?

In my case, it’s “doing my face” and “putting on my hair”.  I much prefer my way!

Image result for atypical60 lipstick

Hi there!  I just did my face. ….

…and I put on my hair!  It’s so much easier to put my hair on rather than “do” it these days!

Why are the lines in our face called “wrinkles”?  Clothing gets wrinkled.  It gets wrinkled because of the way we move and sit and sweat and all sorts of things add to wrinkled clothing.

Excuse me?  I don’t have wrinkles. My clothes have wrinkles and I iron them out.  My face has lines of wisdom!

Our facial lines are “earned” over the years. They should be called “lines of wisdom”.  Don’t you think that is much more “aging friendly” than wrinkles?  “With age comes wisdom” as the saying goes—and so, with age comes wisdom lines!

Why do the French women get all the credit for fashion?  I like to take a few fashion tips from French men!  Many Frenchmen wear their suits just a hair short of being too small, and the fit is incredible. My tomgirl looks are inspired by both Frenchmen and French military looks!

Yeah. That’s right!  I like to take my fashion tips from Frenchmen instead of French women. Gaspard Ulliel can rock the scarf in that suit.  The middle guy–I dunno who he is but the sweater with the suit….and Romain Duris in that tweed is making me want winter back. Notice how none of them are wearing ties!  

I saw this military ensemble at Invalides in Paris. I’m inspired by Military Fashion. This is an actual uniform that the other Bonaparte wore. I wanted to steal it out of the display case. My Bonaparte walked away from me when I tried! I would wear this and I would wear the hat too!

How come every fashion blogger is obsessed with looking down at their pigeon-toed feet.  I’ve observed this horrific trend too many times. Note to bloggers. You look ridiculous with the pigeon-toed pose. Turn your damned feet out and stand like a normal person for chrissakes! No female over the age of two should pose like that. Not now. Not ever. Never!

Oh! Look At Me!  I’m so bashfull-0f-myself and demure–that’s why I take photos of me in dopey poses like this and display them all over the blogosphere!  Let me get a better look at my feet turned in as though there is something wrong with them.  Damn. I think I just killed a ladybug with those turned in toes!

I’ve also observed that I will refer to those little chin whiskers as “displaced eyelashes”. It sounds better. And perhaps I can save up enough of those little “displaced eyelashes” on my chin to make a strip or two of fake eyelashes. Then they won’t be “fake” eyelashes but real eyelashes that can be placed back onto my eyelids with glue!

These aren’t lashes. They are chin hairs that I had made into eyelashes.  Just kidding!!!  But I’m thinking that maybe I should collect those “displaced” lashes and do this!!

Yesterday I was at Michael’s Arts and Craft’s store. Two women were in front of me and were given “Senior” discounts.  When it was my turn to pay, I asked if I could have the Senior discount.  The guy didn’t believe me and I had to show proof of age.  While I was a bit happy about it, I started to think about that discount.  “Seniors” are students. They are usually in high school or college.

I’m not a senior.  The name should be changed from “Senior” discount to “Life Earned” discount.  We earned that discount from all the trials and tribulations we’ve been through during our lives.  At a certain age, we shouldn’t be called “Senior” Citizens.  We’re citizens like everyone else. Stop labeling.

This illustration is such a pathetic insult to all men and women over the age of 60. We all aren’t gray hairs with ill-fitting clothing.  This literally makes me ill. Ageism at it’s worst!  And the older women that I DO know with gray hair have it styled very chic and current!

Why is organ meat called “offal” when it’s really delicious and quite good? It isn’t offal—it’s delicious!

Yum. Yum. I make kidneys in a Cognac Cream Mustard sauce and they are delicious. Why is it called offal when it’s offally good?

I’ve also observed a lack of kindness and compassion toward each other lately.  I’m not going to get political here but you know what I’m talking about.  Let’s start by signaling when you are moving from lane to lane in your car.

That is so true.  Be considerate of others. Be a kind driver and USE YA BLINKAH!!!

Or saying, “excuse me” if you need to pass someone by who may be standing in front of a store display and pondering whether to buy something.  It’s the trivial things that count.

Ellen is correct–but lately, I have not observed this and miss it!

love happy season 11 episode 14 rod flanders GIF

Let’s try to observe more kindness!

What have you observed lately?  Tell me, please!

Another thing I’ve observed is that the May weather hasn’t been that great so far.  I was back to heavier clothing this week.  Have an observation on what I wore during the week!

Monday I wore my Frenchman tomgirl look.  Unfortunately within three seconds of getting dressed I stained my white shirt. Do Frenchmen stain their shirts?

Tuesday was cold but sunny–I don’t know why I took a photo of my sunroom but it was back to wearing cold-weather pants.

On Wednesday, I “springed” this look by getting rid of the black tights I wore during the winter. I love this look with bare legs.  My two girls, Dorothy and Ruby are always with me!

Thursday was lady-dress day.  A dress that didn’t fit for a long time is now fitting nicely..

Jeans Friday had me honoring all college graduates by wearing a UT Longhorn tee.  My oldest son, Jake, is a UT graduate.  Let me tell you, this tee is Oona’s from when she was in middle school and this shirt was way too small for me. I wore a blazer over it! Like my makeup case???

Observing and looking.  Here’s a great song from the very underrated Robert Palmer who left us too young.  And I must say, he may not be a Frenchman, but he looked mighty fine in a suit!

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