Hi Girls. Happy Friday. Whether you are having a hectic Easter or a laid back one, or whether you don’t celebrate—have a great, great weekend.
Earlier this morning Bonaparte and I ventured out to run some errands on a cloudy and rainy morning. The weather was gray and cool and I wanted a bit of warm and a bit of bright.
I warmed myself up by wearing a scarf over a sleeveless maxi and topped it off with a denim jacket. I hadn’t worn the scarf in a long time. In fact, it’s been well over a year that I’ve worn it. But the scarf has a nice boho vibe. And just enough boho to be age-appropriate for the “older woman” without appearing costumulicious.
My Antik Batik scarf worn with a black maxi dress and denim jacket!
But there is something about this scarf that is special. It’s about 11 years old. It was a gift from Bonaparte’s aunt, Danièle. The first time I met her, we went shopping at Galeries Lafayette. She insisted on purchasing this scarf for me—I was almost taken aback at her generosity. The scarf cost over 150 euros—and that was quite some time ago. It was my first of many visits to Paris and to be with her.
Here’s a better photo of the scarf. It’s 100% wool–but it is sooooo light and sheer. If you look closely, you can see how sheer it is. The wool isn’t itchy either. As great as wool is, if it itches, I can’t wear it. How about you?
The brand, Antik Batik has been around since 1992 and definitely has a bohemian vibe! They have some pretty cool stuff! Since then, I’ve gone seasons where I’ve worn it a lot. Other seasons had this scarf in my drawer, cozy and comfy surrounded by other scarves. I can wear it now and have crystal clear memories of Danièle, her larger-than-life personality, and all the great times we shared together!
I’ll miss visiting Daniele in her office and miss the photos that graced the bulletin board across from her desk.
We had a lot of fun together! Three oldsters being wild and crazy in the streets of Paris!
Remember to keep accessories—especially if they were given to you by someone special. Those pieces that have a history are the best ones!
That was my warmth today. Having the lightweight wool around my neck also gave me a feeling of comfort and the little metallic discs brightened things up.
Speaking of brightening things up….I decided to go with a bright lip color today!
After prepping my lips with my beloved Chapstick, I lined them with this teriffic liner by Mally. Lip Fence. This is a clear waxy stick that prevents bleeding. It really does! I received this couple of weeks ago when I had my Mally makeover.
Mally Lip Fence. This lip liner can also double to keep brows in place. I’ve been getting a ton of use out of this!
To tell you the truth-I have a funny story for you.
I thought this was eyebrow wax and I was using it after I penciled in my brows with my Mally 24/7 brow pencil and powder. After penciling, I would go over the brow with the Lip Fence and then dab the powder over it. What can I say except this Lip Fence is a great multitasker! I found out it was for lips when I went on Mally’s website! Who knew?? But I love when stuff like that happens—don’t you?
As I was saying, I wanted a brighter lip. I decided to use a lipstick that I recently purchased by Wet ‘n Wild. At ninety-nine cents, this lipstick is a find! The color is 503C, Will You Be With Me? It’s also got a name in French on the label: Seras-tu mon chéri?
This Wet’nWild lipstick is a great find. The color is a beautiful bright pink. Not neon, but truly pink!
This lipstick glides on nicely. It’s creamy and not dry. A good choice for a more mature mouth! The finish is a bit of a cross between matte and satin.
Since I was in the mood for a bit of a shine, I applied iT Cosmetics Vitality Gloss Stain over the lipstick. The color is the sheer “Je Ne Sais Quoi” and I like this because it looks like a very pale, pale pinky white in the tube but goes on very sheer and changes to a brighter pink tint.
I’m a fan of the iT cosmetics lip products and this one in particular! Je Ne Sais Quoi is a great color. I have this in stick form as well. Very hydrating.
I’ll tell you, it takes a village of lip products to make those older lips look pretty—but it works!
See how nice the lip colors all look? Bright but not neon bright. I think this is a great color for we older ladies. See how the Lip Fence keeps the color where it is supposed to stay?
Well, that’s about it for today! I’m going to try to organize around the house. It’s a chore!
Oh! I almost forgot! Old Navy has discontinued THE greatest tee on the face of the earth. The Fitted Tee, short sleeved and crew necked is no longer available in the stores. They are selling the remaining ones online. Let me tell you how pissed I am about this. I wrote a review asking why the hell they discontinued a perfectly great tee. Well, the review wasn’t published but I did receive an email from customer service telling me that they are looking into the matter with the merchant. The drama continues!
The packaging was fine. I’m glad ON sent this in plastic upon plastic–I would not want a wet cardboard box due to all the rain. For an even better fit, order down a size! Old Navy has these shirts on their site for $7.00.
This tee is a blend of 60% cotton and 40% polyester, giving it a nice fit that doesn’t lose shape–even after multiple washings. I ordered a few and received them yesterday.
I’m telling you, this IS a perfect fit!!
When it comes to memories of people you love, I always thing of this song by Simon and Garfunkel: Old Friends—it’s very sweet. XOXOXOXOXOXOXO!!!
Are you as sensitive to scents, smells, odors and fragrances as I am? I mean it. Factors other than a lifetime of allergies and sinus issues have added to my “Scents-it-ivity”.
Hypochondria is a factor. It started when I was about ten years old. I read a biography of a famous person. Damned if I can remember the person I read about, but he died of a brain tumor. And the symptom that leads to the drastic finding was that he smelled odors that weren’t there.
It affected me. If I smell something unusual I will ask Bonaparte or anyone within my space if they smell the same odor. If they do, I feel much better. If not; I panic.
My reaction to many disagreeable odors is usually something like this.
When I’m in my car driving on the highway or any road, the disagreeable odor of exhaust or gas or rubber will waft through to my nasal passages. I will freak out because I will oftentimes think something is wrong with my car or me—only to find out that a massive truck up ahead is polluting the area with the black cloud of poisonous fumes exiting its exhaust pipe. Believe it or not, it gives me great comfort that the stink is not coming from my car. It gives me greater comfort to find that the odor is real and not imagined.
During the holidays I cannot walk into many stores—especially craft stores, because of the goddam cinnamon scent emanating from those piles of pine cones. Pine cones are not supposed to reek of artificial cinnamon. Otherwise they would be called “cinnamon” cones. Pine cones are supposed to smell like pine. And the scent of pine is pleasant and clean. WTF is it with the cinnamon scent anyway? It causes such awful headaches for me that I need to be in bed with the lights off.
These cinnamon scented pine cones are the most vile, disagreeable and offensive odor of all time. My head aches just looking at this!
I’m also that person who shies runs away from perfume counters. Certain perfumes give me horrific headaches. That is why I limit myself to very few scents.
These three scents are the ONLY ones I can wear without getting a headache. From left: L’Instant by Guerlain; La Petite Robe Noire also by Guerlain; Fleur d’Oranger by Fragonard. All other perfumes are merely disagreeable odors to me.
Some people aren’t as scents-it-ive. Example: When we lived in New Jersey, I had the unfortunate event of a dryer fire. (Remember to clean out the MOTOR of your dryer once a year. Cleaning out the lint isn’t enough. I learned the hard way).
Luckily my home was saved but the washer and dryer had to be replaced. The house had extensive smoke damage and I’ll never forget that awful burning scent. However, my son Roman didn’t appear to be bothered by the smell.
The day after the fire, Roman, who was in high school at the time, got dressed and headed off to school. Since I was starting to tackle some of the clean up, I wasn’t paying much attention to his choice of clothing.
A couple of hours later, I received a phone call from the high school office. Mrs. Baker, the greatest high school office secretary of all time, requested that I come to the school immediately with a change of clothing for Roman. This was confusing. I knew that he was far too old to have had made a “mistake” and I explained that I was waiting for the cleanup crew to arrive at my home due to a fire.
Mrs. Baker knew about the fire and proceeded to explain to me that the clothes Roman was wearing were taken out of the burnt dryer. He tried to disguise the burnt smell with an overabundance of cologne and that the classrooms and corridors he had been in—well, they smelled bad.
Dryer+fire+burnt clothing+Curve men’s cologne = One very bad smell!
I got one of my neighbors to wait for the cleaning crew and high tailed it down to the school with a change of clothing that, luckily, hadn’t fallen victim to the fire or to the scent of smoke.
When I arrived at the school, Roman was waiting in the office without a care in the world or any concern of the disagreeable odor surrounding his person. The conversation went something like this:
Me: “OMG. Roman! ” What did you DO?” Why did you wear those clothes? What did you spray on them?” “Ugh!” “It’s awful”.
Roman: “Um. These corduroy’s are new and I didn’t want to get rid of them” “I took them out of the dryer and tried to make them smell good so I sprayed Curve on them” “They don’t smell bad”
Me: “Change into these. I’ll take your other clothes with me and throw them in the trash”
Roman: “Don’t throw them out. They’re new” “I love those corduroys”
Maybe it’s a teenaged boy thing.
Anyway. I’m the one who isn’t sensitive to the scent of a clean detergent. Nor does the scent of a laundry spray bother me—if it’s not too floral. Lately I’m into those scent pellets for the dryer!
I love the very agreeable scent of clean clothing!
And I always have a scented spray in the bathrooms to mask some otherwise offensive odors that come with certain bodily eliminations.
My bestie Mary Beth DiBiase gifted me with these. The beads are great for eliminating kitchen odors–and the Sage & Citrus spray is great for eliminating the odor of food that has exited one’s body through waste!
My purse is filled with flavored gum, Violet candies, and little breath fresheners. You never know when that garlic you ate the night before will seek revenge and leave your body as the worth breath on earth!
I especially have a fondness for Violets. Not only do these little candies smell good but they taste soapy–giving me memories of all those times my mother washed my gutter mouth out!
A spare stick of deodorant has always been kept in my desk at the office (when I had a job), because sometimes stress attacks, not in a pit like a trench, but in the arm pit.
Which brings me to this:
Yesterday I rediscovered a very attractive pair of ballet flats. These shoes were purchased on sale at Banana Republic quite some time ago. Years ago, in fact. When I put them on, I pondered as to why they were sitting in a box and not worn very much.
These shoes really are very flattering to the foot–but it ends there! Read on!
It was only a couple of hours later when I realized just why these were not worn often.
I went to the mall to make a bra purchase at Victoria’s Secret. VS was having a sale and I’m a fan of the brand’s bras. Also needing exercise, I decided to “walk the mall”—stopping every now and then to try on clothing or perhaps shoes.
This bra is not only perfect for under a tee or knit shirt, but the support it gives to women with saggy girls is incredible! I highly recommend!
As I approached J. Crew, I noticed a 25% off sale in progress. I entered and went straight to the shoe area. I’ve been admiring the Gemma, a pointy-toed flat that I would never pay full price for. And as much as I am not a fan of J. Crew’s most uncomfortable heels, the flats are pretty comfortable. (Even though they stretch out like crazy…..)
Aren’t these Gemma flats adorable? Another addition to my love/hate relationship with J. Crew!
The shoe area was empty and I saw that the pair on display was my size so I slipped my Banana Republic ballet flat off. As soon as the shoe came off, I noticed an odor. This odor was not pleasant. It was downright disagreeable!
I sniffed a bit—like a dog sniffing the air outside on a cool day.
Actually, I sniffed more like this!
I smelled the tartness of vinegar—but nobody was eating a salad with vinaigrette dressing. In that mix, I could detect the slight scent of sweat—but it was apparent that none of the shoppers in the store had come from a taxing workout. This horrible vinegar/sweat smell was incredibly close to me.
The scent was more like red wine vinegar–not as sweet as balsamic!
Then it hit me like my momma’s slap! The odor was coming from my feet. You have never seen anyone put shoes back on and leave an area so quickly! In fact, when I was over by the sale rack, a sales assistant approached me and asked me if I needed help. I asked for the Gemma flats in black, in size 8 1/2. When she asked if I wanted to try them on, I explained, fibbed, lied and told her I had two pairs in other colors. God forbig she should be subjected to the odor from my feet! I should be ashamed for lying during Lent—but I’m not!
And it dawned on me as to why I hadn’t worn those Banana Republic shoes. They are not leather. I should have known! Further proof of this was that there was no indication of the shoe’s material to be found. If the shoe is leather, “leather upper” or some indication of leather will be printed either inside the shoe or on the sole.
At least J. Crew will let the consumer be aware that the shoe is genuine leather. Banana Republic didn’t do this–a clear indication the shoes are synthetic!
This odor issue has only happened twice before and both times the shoes were not leather. They were synthetic materials. And both times I ended up with the humiliating symptom of stinky feet!
Now, I am not one to wear socks with shoes. I’ll wear socks with boots only for comfort reasons. But shoes. No. I like my feet to breathe. And since all my shoes are leather, I don’t feel the need for socks.
But yesterday was different. While I was mortified that the most disagreeable odor was coming from my feet, I later broke down and purchased sheer foot liners. These foot liners have been placed in the box where the Banana Republic flats have been put to rest.
I’m comparing these foot liners to a condom because of the protection they offer!
Fact is, I really love the way these shoes look—but if I dare adorn my narrow feet with them in the future, I’ll need protection. I’ll wear my foot condoms liners!
See–they are cute! And with the liners, I won’t have to deal with stinky feet syndrome!
I wonder if my Vegan friends suffer from stinky feet. I wonder if Vegans suffer from body odor issues if they wear pleather pants or a pleather jacket instead of natural leather.
What say you? Do you have any disagreeable odors that you want to tawk about? It’s ok. We’re friends. Do confess—and you can have a good laugh. After all, we need a fun and silly topic of discussion after the most recent events.
My heart and spirit are with the people of Belgium.
We need laughter to help us heal.
Oh. Before I leave, remember my post from a few days ago about bringing real fashion back? Have a look at this post from my friend Trudy who writes the blog “Rendezvous En New York”. It’s a post about a very fashionable exhibit at the Met in NYC from last year! It’s good read!
What better song than this for today? “That Smell”! XOXOXOXO
Last Friday lent itself well for running errands. It was sunny and warm but cool air was still dominant. And I was too lazy to shave my legs. In addition, I didn’t feel like wearing jeans or pants. Basically, I just wanted to be wallowing in extreme comfort.
And so, with Spring looming overhead, I threw on a gray maxi dress that I bought on sale last year at Loft. I love this dress because the cut is both different and flattering. It’s sleeveless, has a high neck and a waistline that falls just below empire.
My apologies for the quality of the pictures. I buckled and tied the belt at the high waistline and bunched the fabric slightly so that I could wear flat sandals. My hips are big–and the narrow cut of the dress is actually more flattering than a wider fit would be. This dress is made up of 79% Rayon, 17% Polyester and 4% Spandex
Some detailing. I LOVE the higher neckline. My cleavage is getting crepey so a higher neckline looks better. I love the center seam–gives a nice flow to the fabric. That belt? It’s about 20 something years old!
My Rondini Sandals were a perfect shoe for wearing this dress on a nice warm day!
This warm day made it better to further break in my Rondini sandals from last summer. I wore my Bass denim jacket and was off.
I thought the outfit gave off a nice relaxed vibe. I looked good and I felt good. When you wear clothes that make you feel good, your attitude is always great!
I had to post a small pic because the photo is really out of focus. Sorry! But here’s how the dress looks with the denim jacket. A longer jacket or coat would have given a dowdy look. The cropped length of the jacket is perfect!
One of my errands had me stopping at Old Navy to see if I could pick up a few more Perfect Fitted Tee shirts. (And that is another post which I will be ranting about in the future.) As I exited my car and walked from the parking lot to the store, I noticed two younger women looking at me. My reaction was “Oh shit, what ripped?”
As I got closer to the store, they approached me to tell me that they loved the way I looked! I was floored! They continued to tell me that my dress, along with the denim jacket and sandals just looked fantastic. We continued talking for a couple of minutes. I told them where I made the purchases and they also complimented on my hair. My hair was looking good from Adam’s blow out a few days prior. When I told them that I was going to be 61 years old next month, they paid me the highest compliment. They said they want to look like me when they reach my age.
Let me tell you, I was so thankful to these women for such a great compliment. It made my day. It also made me realize something. Kindness counts. We need to compliment more—especially those we don’t know.
And so I thought some more. But this time I thought about how carefully I put this outfit together—even though I wanted a casual and relaxed vibe, I still had to put come effort into achieving this look. And I achieved the look without looking like an older woman who was desperately trying to look young. My outfit did not come off as costumulicious. (My made-up term for dressing as though you are wearing a costume)
Maxi dressing isn’t just for young women who want to stay on trend. Older women can wear a maxi if:
Keep it simple. Keep it light. Don’t overload on accessories!
Pay attention to proportions. Cropped jackets and sweaters work well with longer length dresses.
Mind your fabrics. You want a fabric that drapes and flows nicely.
Fit counts.
Wear appropriate footwear. Sandals are perfect!
Anyway, come on with me and I’ll show you what I mean. We’ll have fun and stay within an affordable budget.
Below is a maxi dress by Cynthia Rowley. I purchased this at Marshalls last year for $29.99.
This dress is “maxi long” which means, if you wear flats, you will be tripping over your feet and the hem will become filthy in a very short time. With a maxi this length, a heeled sandal looks better. This is a dress that could be worn to a fancy dinner—it isn’t the most casual of maxis but it isn’t formal either. To dress it down, I would wear a larger scarf at the neckline.
This dress is made of 82% Rayon and 8% Spandex, giving it a nice drape and fit. It is unlined but the fabric is incredibly opaque. I think it’s a medium—the tag has been ripped out. The shoes are Calvin Klein sandals. These heels are so comfortable. The shoe has a stacked heel and navy elastic straps on the upper. I don’t think the straps in the back are real leather though. This was another Marshalls purchase from…2013 or 2014. I was trying to fix my hair in a 1970’s sort of way. I failed!
I make no apologies for my turkey neck. Screw it. It’s part of me. Gobble. Gobble.Gobble…
The dress is simple, but has a deeper cowl neckline. The right side of the dress is slightly ruched which makes the fit incredibly flattering. The heeled sandals not only look great but are as comfy as all get-out!
If you want to hide turkey neck or a crepey cleavage, a lightweight scarf will do it. The lighter fabric lends itself well to warmer weather. This is a “Lilly for Target” scarf I purchased last year. The lighter blues and pink are a nice contrast to the darker dress.
NOTE: I didn’t accessorize any of the outfits that I’m wearing except for scarves. Why? It’s because I wanted to concentrate on the fit and look of the clothing. What I AM OCD about is the correct footwear for wearing a maxi. Flat sandals, heeled sandals and strappy wedges are the perfect footwear for maxi dressing. In my opinion, a closed shoe ruins the relaxed look.
Next is my favorite maxi. This gray sleeveless maxi from Old Navy. It retails for $29.94 but I purchased it for 40% off. I love this dress so much that I purchased two in gray and one in black. This is the perfect maxi!. The cut is very flattering. I’ve got some high neck love working here and the neckline also protects against the sun hitting the chest area. The cut of the arm holes isn’t so deep either–giving the dress an even better fit. This dress is also very forgiving for those of us who may have gained a few pounds in the middle due to menopause and age. The dress also has darts at the bustline! DARTS! I haven’t seen darts on a knit in a long time!
See how simple this dress is? Old Navy strikes a winner with this one. I purchased multiples because–just my luck–it’ll be discontinued!
Here’s the same dress in black. The shorter length means flat sandals! I paired this with a wider belt sitting at the hips. It makes my torso look longer! The fabric is 70% Modal and 30 % Polyester. However the fabric does breath. Made in Indonesia, the dress is also very well-constructed. Oh–and the knit is tight–nice and opague. Not flimsy at all!
Top detail. DARTS! Who doesn’t love a dress with darts? It gives a nice fit on top! Again, don’t want the gobble gobble neck? Cover with a lightweight scarf…or..if you get a bit chilly, you can top the dress with a cropped sweater!
This dress is “maxi short”. You won’t be tripping over the hem. Because of the shorter length, this is perfect for wearing very flat sandals or flip flops. If you want to dress it up a bit, you can wear a lightweight scarf or a cropped sweater. Speaking of cropped sweaters, if you aren’t too fond of your upper arms, this is a great way to disguise the upper under arm flaps.
Cropped sweater by Carmen. Got it at Marshall’s for less than twenty bucks. 78% Rayon, 22% Nylon. It is tightly knit so it’ll keep shape nicely.
I’ll tell you though—at my age, I don’t even care how flabby my arms are. I’m wearing this dress anyway. This is a great vacation dress as well. Wear it to the beach, then wear it touring and out to dinner. With a dress like this, you can pack less!
To finish off this look I pulled out my Kooba Sloane bag from my closet. I like the way the bag compliments the Rondini Tropezienne sandals! Both bag and sandals are years old!
For the mature woman who doesn’t want to go completely sleeveless, this 3/4 sleeve length maxi from GAP is a good choice. This was purchased last year and I’ve gotten a lot of wear out of it. Between childbirth, maybe not exercising as much, and middle-aged spread many of us don’t have the bodies we once had. And it’s OK. You can still wear these dresses. In fact, I like the way they hide my cellulite ridden thighs. If you have a lazy day or three you don’t have to shave the legs. Hell, you can go commando if you want because you don’t have to worry about bending over and displaying your origin of the world! It’s your choice!
The fabric tag has been ripped out but I’m sure it’s a rayon/spandex mix. I like the way this dress is draped. The stripes may make me look a bit wider in the waist area, but I really don’t care. I love the ballet/scooped neckline too. Screw the turkey neck. If I like the dress, I’m wearing it. Embrace the neck!! On my feet are Old Navy flip flops from the year of the flood. They are incredibly comfortable too!
Back to Old Navy and Back to Rugby Stripes. This berry and blue is last year’s model. It’s a longer maxi and I paired it with Crown Vintage wedges from quite a few years ago. DSW carries similar wedges from the same brand.
The dress is 90% Rayon and 5% spandex. It’s a flattering fit. I’ve washed this dress many times and the stitching remains unscathed!
Here’s a detail of the stitching on the seams. This really is well-constructed.
In cooler weather or in heavy A/C I would wear a lightweight, cropped denim jacket with this dress.
Maxi skirts? Remember that proportion is just as important! I ordered this maxi skirt from J. Crew (or was it J. Crew Factory?) last year. I’ll be honest. It isn’t my favorite because the cut is a wider A-line and it feels like an overabundance of fabric. The skirt is composed of 95% Viscose and 5% Elastane (a type of Spandex). But–when wearing a maxi skirt, I think it’s very important to make sure the top you are wearing is fitted. The fitted shirt will flatter the overall look because it won’t look sloppy or frumpy or fundie.
Below looks good…
I may not be crazy about the skirt, but it looks pretty good with this fitted knit shirt by Merona. 95% Cotton (horray!) 5% Spandex. 3/4 sleeves. A bargain for ten bucks at Target. BTW. SIZE DOWN for a very fitted look. Knit shirts have a tendancy to stretch out. Sizing down will ensure a great fit after many wears and washings!
Below is NOT a good look. The shirt is too loose-fitting and the relaxed fit is sloppy. Trust me, I don’t give a shit HOW big my ass is or how wide my hips are but I’ll size down for a great fit in a tee or knit shirt!
Yeah–the photo sucks but take a close look at the tee. It’s just too loose in the shoulders and too loose in the middle. This shirt IS a relaxed fit tee from Old Navy. I sized down to S and will only wear it with skinny jeans. At five bucks I couldn’t resist the “Cote d’ Azur” theme!
Another reason I’m not crazy about this skirt is the waistband. It’s very “bunchy”–and with middle-aged spread, I would not wear a shorter shirt to show this waistband off. Let’s be realistic here!
Below is another maxi skirt. I like this one a lot because the cut is narrow and the slits on the sides make it easy for brisk walking or running away from someone you don’t want to see! This skirt is from Old Navy and I am wearing it with one of my beloved ON Perfect Fitted Tee shirts in S/P. My Bass Denim jacket completes the look. I’ll tell you–denim jackets are NOT just for the younger crowd. Denim jackets + older women = One Great Look!
Two more out-of-focus pics! I’m going from bad to worse here! Click the pics for a full view. LOL! And Yes. I WILL steam this skirt before venturing outside. It’s been rolled up in a ball all winter! Oops–now you know what a true slob I am! The tag has been ripped out so I don’t have fabric info!
Again. Here’s how the fitted tee looks. It’s such a versatile look that can be worn casually or worn under a blazer for a more polished look. I cannot say enough about these Tees!
Last look is a Gap skirt I purchased last year on clearance for $9.99. The skirt was advertised as “maxi” but is really a cross between maxi and midi. I’m surprised at how much I love this skirt! It is 100% cotton! The knit is heavier and drapes very nicely. For a skirt with no stretch, this really keeps it’s shape. It is perfect for this time of year. I would not wear this skirt in the middle of summer due to the weight–but I would actually wear it in winter with high boots! I love the way it looks with my lighter-colored Kut from The Kloth denim jacket!
I’m wearing this with an Ann Taylor stripped boatneck knit top. 3/4 sleeves. The shirt is 60% cotton and 40% Modal. Here’s where trying clothing on before purchasing is important. This shirt is a Medium and is very snug. I’m also wearing Rondini sandals.
More stuff for the old ladies to know:
Don’t hesitate to play around when trying clothing on. I purchased the maxi dress below from Loft last year. I loved the dress but HATED the way the front looked on me…
For obvious reasons, this dress looked like shit on me. Saggy titties do not look pretty! But because I loved the print and the flow of the dress….
I turned it backwards and LOVED the way it looked. I wear this dress when Bonaparte and I go out to dinner during the hot summer months. It looks so much better worn backwards! Especially for us older women. The bustline is more flattering! You don’t even need to wear a bra either!
Shoes like these look great for maxi dressing!
All of these shoes look great with maxi dresses and skirts. Remember, Maxishort = flats. Maxilong = heels or wedges! From the purple flip flops: Purple flip flops from Old Navy; Gold and white slides, J. Crew; Navy Heels, Calvin Klein; Navy flip flops, Old Navy; Tan and blue slides, Jack Rogers; Dr. Scholl’s Exercise sandals; Rondini Sahariennes; Rondini Tropeziennes; Rondini Salome sandals; Espirt black wedge sandals; Crown Vintage wedge sandals.
Don’t forget the bags either. An unstructured bag is much better for this casual way of dressing. Save the structured and lady-like bags for the office or special occasions!
These are the bags I like to use with maxi dressing. All are unstructured and have plenty of room. The tote from Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn doubles as a purse all the time. It’s also a great vacation bag! The Longchamp Le Plaige bag is also a great vacation bag because it can double as a beach bag!
I would also like to add that every outfit was purchased on sale. As many older women are on fixed incomes, it’s important to point out that you do NOT have to spend a fortune to look good when you are older. We old ladies need to show the world that we can rock any look just as well, if not better, than younger women!
We older women are just like everyone else! Age has no limits!
We can have a relaxed vibe and can look great at 50, 60, 70, 80 and up to over a hundred years old! Don’t forget to mess the hair up a bit!
Here’s to all the older women of the world! Mrs. Robinson!
I am not a fashion blogger nor am I a beauty blogger. If I am passionate about an item of clothing or a beauty product that tickles my fancy, I will write about it. I write blog posts because it is fun and I love to connect with the small group of friends who follow and enjoy my blog. And I want to welcome others into my little blogging neighborhood. And I want to show the world that older adults are just like everybody else.
I write about random thoughts that may enter into my mind and elaborate upon that thought.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about fashion. I’ve also been thinking that we need to bring real fashion back.
From Stylecaster.com Spring Trend report. Part of the “best” trends. Excuse me. But these fashion trends are not refined nor are they elegant nor do they even look beautiful. I gather that the models aren’t too thrilled either because they look absolutely miserable in these ensembles.
From New York Fashion Week. It SHOULD be New York Fashion WEAK! J. Crew. Proof that Jenna Lyons needs to get the heave-ho. I’ve seen bag ladies who look more fashionable than this. The styling is horrific. There is nothing good about this look. It is not refined. It is not elegant. It isn’t cutting edge either. it is not fashion. It is a hot mess!
It seems as though fashion—especially writing about fashion has lost its way. Gone are the days of paragraphs and pages about designers and their craft. Instead we are left with blogs containing photographs of collages of clothing and links to the brands of clothing. Allowing the consumer to know where to make the purchase. No detailed descriptions. No fun or interesting stories.
This is my own Polyvore ensemble. I do NOT use these collages as blog posts. I use them as a fun way to put an outfit together. This mix isn’t fashion. It is merely a pragmatic and logical ensemble that I would wear while out and about on a very cold, rainy, damp day. I place these collages on Pinterest.
As a young girl, I looked forward to the Sunday edition of the New York Times because I would get to read about fashion in both the Style section and the Magazine. I loved looking at and studying the photographs. I loved the clothing. I loved the detailed description of each item of clothing. I enjoyed reading about every nuance of the clothes. I loved the story behind the clothes.
I loved this magazine and looked forward to afternoons reading about the latest fashions and the stories behind them!
Back then, I loved what fashion stood for. It represented chic elegance and refinement.
Four women. All dressed in Chanel circa early-1960’s. The suits are fashionable. But yet each woman has her own style of wearing her suit. Nothing over-the-top. Just simple elegance. Oh look. They’re smiling. I would be too if I could afford a Chanel suit! It’s also funny that they are posed in front of Alexander’s –what used to be a great clothing store with discounted pricing on the clothes!
Fashion was a statement and over the decades hemlines went up and down. Shoes went from ladylike to clunky. Fashionable attire went from structured to relaxed. Fashion has even been influenced by military uniforms.
This is one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s military uniforms. I snapped this at Invalides in Paris. MY Bonaparte loved the military history of the museum. I loved the uniforms. I would wear this today. THIS look has inspired many fashion designers over the years. BTW, I would also wear the hat!
Yves St. Laurent made an incredible statement with the pantsuit for women. He may not have created the pantsuit but he brought it into the public eye with a bang. This simple suit also changed forever the way women dressed for the office.
The pantsuit may have been around for quite some time before he made it a staple for women, but Yves St. Laurent popularized this look!
I love the nubby texture of a Chanel Jacket.
…and I want to read all about the fabrics and textures that go into these iconic jackets!
I love the smooth and simple lines of Andre Courrèges. And to think he made polyester fabric look great!
Who knew that polyester could be used as a fabric for beautiful clothing? Andre Courrèges remains my all time favorite designer (R.I.P.). His clothing is just the perfect example of simple and timeless fashion. I am lucky to own one of his ensembles!
Fashion is every step that goes into making an article of clothing. It isn’t only about the design. Fashion is about the drapingof a fabric. It is about the textureof the fabric. It is the way the article of clothing, whether a dress, jacket or trousers lies against the body—how it fits. It is the cut and the construction and the quality. Fashion is about every. single. detail. of the clothes.
This incredible photo of a Dior ensemble tells it all without words. Look at the way the skirt swings. The hours of work that went into that must have been incredibly long. Look at the lines. It is such a simple suit even with the intricate trim on the collar and bottom hem of the jacket. THIS is fashion photography at it’s best! You can see the way the skirt drapes. You can see the texture of the fabric. You can see that perfect fit!
My favorite childhood fashion memory was the Mondrian dress by YSL. I wanted so badly to be grown up just so I could buy one of these dresses and wear it every day. (Even as a child I was delusional–as if I could afford a YSL designer dress!)
YSL’s Mondrian dresses were the part of my obsession with fashion at a young age. I also love the length of these dresses. How ironic that I’m not a fan of abstract art but am a fan of the dress!
Style is the way in which you put that fashion together. Many people today confuse fashion with style and vice versa.
Audrey Hepburn was not a fashion icon but was a style icon.
Scarf tied around her chin. Look at the neckline of the sweater she is wearing under the coat. See how simple it is? A beautiful attention to detail. The coat loosely tied. The gloves-oohhh those gloves. This is a timeless and classic way of styling and so simple!
Jane Birkin had an innocent and fun sense of style. Before the infamous Birkin Bag came to be, she carried around a basket as a purse and as much as it may have been a bit eccentric, it was every bit as charming. BTW, The Birkin Bag has a great story.
This outfit is proof that Jane Birkin was (and still remains) a master of style. This is an outfit that can be worn today. This ensemble is epic! Two thin gold chains and that basket. I love this so much!
Diana Vreeland was a true fashion visionary. She was exciting. She was not bland. She was not boring and she had a great joi d’vivre. She was also one terrific fashion writer.
Vreeland was a total fashion and style visionary. Her creativity is surely missed.
..and if you get the chance, try to catch “The Eye Has To Travel” it’s an entertaining documentary about Ms. Vreeland.
Anna Wintour is a visionary too. She has managed to turn the vision of Vogue from a true fashion magazine into a glossy celebrity rag. Over the years, I was becoming more dismayed with her use of celebrities on the magazine’s cover. My days of reading Vogue ended when she put Kardashian and West on the cover.
Vogue magazine–when it was worth reading. No celebrities on the cover. Great articles. Not a rag–just a great fashion magazine…
This was the issue that caused my final divorce from Vogue magazine. Putting Pee-Pee Kardashian and her trashy no-talented husband on the cover was the absolute end for me. This magazine has been reduced to The National Inquirer of the fashion trade!
Which brings me to fashion bloggers. I enjoy reading blogs about fashion. Fashion history, fashion designers, and new trends in fashion, classic fashion and reinventing fashion. However, blogs about REAL fashion are few and far between. Where are they to be found??? Please lead the way for me.
I’m tired of looking at the thousands upon thousands of fashion experts’ blogs (and I use the term “expert” lightly) who do nothing more than post photos of themselves in various overpriced ensembles that come directly off a store’s mannequin. I’m bored with looking at self-proclaimed experts whose idea of fashion means putting every imaginable pattern and stripe and color mixed together and think they are cutting edge.
Two different blogs. The same mismatched look…. although I will admit the bottom look is slightly better due to the fit of the clothing. The gold bag in the top photo looks like it came from a cheap street vendor.
This look still is not cohesive. If you are mixing patterns and stripes and animal prints you need something that ties it all together….
Understand the clothing you are advertising wearing. You may not realize this, but some readers are interested in the clothing. They are not interested in your cute poses such as bending down to sniff roses or hailing a cab on the wrong side of the street!
..and if I see one more pair of pink Hunter boots–or ANY Hunter boots worn as every day footwear, I shall scream. These boots are NOT a fashion statement. They are rain boots and should only be worn in the rain. In addition, I’ve seen at least a dozen different blogs with this same outfit. The bag is another issue onto itself. Leave the structured bags for the office. A softer less constructed leather bag or a canvas tote would be more appropriate for this photograph of clothing.
I have nothing against fashion blogs or fashion bloggers. But, I want to read about the details of the clothing you are wearing. I am nosey. Give me the scoop on the construction. Are the seams in the dress French seams? Is the knit bonded? If the fabric is a print how does it match up at the seams? Are the buttons secured? Is the collar reinforced? How’s the quality of the workmanship? Is the clothing well-constructed? Where is the clothing made? Where does the waist fall? Is the zipper of good quality? Is it lined? If it is a particular brand you shill write about—is the sizing consistent?
Can you tell me if the seams are French seams? Do you know what a French seam is?
Is this too much to ask?
If you want another very educational and informative documentary on fashion and what goes into it, by all means, watch “Dior and I’. It chronicles the steps in making a collection.
Hands down–THE best fashion documentary ever. It follows the entire process of clothing for the runway. I have to hand it to Raf Simons and his absolute love for haute couture. I wish he was still at Dior. He wanted to bring that elegance back! I’m going to watch it again after I finish writing this post!
Simons brought this Dior look back. That’s Marion Cotillard on the right! THAT’s fashion!
I am now making a promise to anyone who reads my blog. Moving forward, whenever I write about clothing, I vow to give you as much detail as I possibly can. I will turn those clothes inside out and upside down and learn about every aspect. It’s the least I can do for you. I tried to describe this trench the best that I could in “Drenched and Entrenched” but will continue to improve.
That’s my rant for today. Bonaparte has been vocalizing his big wish that I organize my closet. Why is it that closets are so hard to keep in order? I’m off see if there are any hidden treasures in those dark deep corners!
While I realize this post is about fashion, I have to play some music close to my roots. Here’s a set dance that Oona used to dance to played by the great feis musician Billy Furlong from his CD Strings for the Sets. Presenting, “King of the Fairies”. And I still listen to this CD every now and then!
Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit! Happy St. Patrick’s Day to You! XOXOXO!
Oona from her Irish Dance days. I love the fashion of the Irish Dance Costume. This one is my favorite!
Go ahead. Admit it. You have a pair or two of favorite shoes that have been sitting in your closet for years. Decades maybe. They may sit in a box or they may be hidden under piles of old clothing. They could be stored in your garage on a shelf and long forgotten. The leather upper could be split at the seams and stitching could be undone. The sole could be separating from that beautiful, soft cowhide. The heels could be completely worn down on one side. They could very well be falling apart. But you just cannot let go. Or, if you are like me, you still wear them. A lot.
Oona’s old jig shoes. They are worn, torn, taped together. They’ve been resoled, stretched out. She’s lost competitions and won competitions in these shoes. And they are in a box in our garage. I just cannot bring myself to get rid of them!
These are the “Eternal Sunshine” shoes! I know—the movie with almost the same title is about forgetting. Or is it? It’s the same with old shoes. Sometimes you might want to forget those clunky old disco era shoes that you wore while clubbing and erase them from your mind. Or maybe not.
One of my favorite movies of all time. Kate Winslet’s boots aren’t looking too worn in now, are they?
You may have worn these shoes through breakups and first meetings with a special person in your life. You could have possibly worn them while taking your first-born child on long walks. You wore them during the summer. And fall. And winter. And spring. Perhaps you never wore socks with them, giving your feet and chance to meet, greet, and become best friends with the leather or other material. You had quite a bit of fun in them while running through puddles of rain water. You slipped them on early in the morning to retrieve your newspaper from the edge of the driveway while dressed in your PJ’s and that tattered old robe. You wore them to picnics. You wore them to the grocery store. You wore them well!
For you, it may be a pair of dress shoes. Or baseball or soccer cleats.
..and also in the bowels of our garage are old baseball cleats along with baseball gloves.
Or a pair of fuck me pumps that bring you back to a carnal place of your memory.
Hmmmm…shoes like this can bring back very naughty but fun memories. A true walk of shame shoe!
Or well worn, well torn, ragged laced sneakers.
Whew. I can smell the stink from old sneakers like the one above. Can you?
It just that shoe. The shoe that has been perfectly molded to the curves and bumps in your feet. And it took years for that fit to develop.
For me, it’s an old 20+ year pair of Bass loafers. It is also the first pair of Rondini sandals I purchased many years ago during my first visit to St. Tropez. My closet houses many, many pairs of shoes, but these are the pairs of footwear that I absolutely love and emotionally need. I don’t ever want these two pairs to be forgotten. They are my “Eternal Sunshine” shoes.
It’s funny. As much as I love the way my feet look whenever I am wearing a pair of pointy-toed stilettos or kitten heels—both of which bear beautiful toe cleavage, I am most comfortable and feel most like me when I am wearing either pair of these old and almost misshapen shoes. Let me explain.
My well worn in 20+ year Bass loafers. I’m so happy because I just last week got them back from being repaired!
The loafers. I’ve been wearing loafers ever since I was a student attending St. Patrick’s Elementary School. Our choices of footwear during these years were limited to either loafers or oxford shoes to accompany the plaid skirts, green blazers and white blouses that completed our uniform. For my mother, it was easier to have five children slipping loafers on their feet rather than to spend time tying and untying oxfords. My parents should have purchased stock in Bass Shoe Company.
Yeah. And 1965 was around the time I started wearing these Weejuns. And so did my siblings. And my classmates. And my friends!
As I made the transition to high school, the “uniform” look followed me. The Weejuns still remained essential footwear. Between my sisters and me, we amassed quite the collection of these cordovan colored beauties. It wasn’t just about the penny loafers. Oh no. We had Weejuns with metal bars placed across the shoe’s upper vamp.
Aren’t they beautiful. I had this model when I was in high school. I wish Bass would bring vintage Weejuns back into circulation!
We owned that rare model of Weejun which was adorned with a colorful ribbon over the kilted fringe of the vamp. We wore Weejuns adorned with tassles. As sisters oftentimes do, we even fought over these shoes.
And the tasseled version is a shoe I wear to this day. These are my go-to shoes. I slide them on as I take Chippy outside to do his business.
See how beautifully molded these loafers are to my feet? Ahhhh such comfort!
They are the last item to dress me when I’m on my way to an errand run. I love the way it feels when I’m sitting with one knee draped over the other and my shoe is half-on, half-off and I dangle my loafer off my toes and swing it from side to side. That little action has a calming effect on me.
The loafer is a great shoe to just dangle off your toes. It’s a feeling of calm!
Sometimes I look down at my tasseled buddies and think “whatever happened to the cordovan”? I rarely see shoes in this richly colored burgundy leather anymore. Hmmm. Silly. Right? But I can’t help it. I want to return to the richness of a good pair of shoes—that’s all.
Really. When did cordovan lose popularity? These are my “newer” loafers. They are about nine years old and need more breaking in!
Then there’s my Sahariennes. These hold a special place for me because they are the first sandals I ever purchased at Rondini in St. Tropez. Over the years, I’ve added to my collection but this pair is the one that started my love for Rondini’s custom made sandals.
The first of my collection of Rondini sandals. Simple, elegant, timeless and incredibly comfortable!
There is a feeling of luxury and elegance as I slide my narrow foot into the leather thongs. And when I slip them onto my feet, I am taken back to each time I enter into Rondini’s small and charming shop. I feel like Cinderella as my foot is measured and the sandal so carefully cut and created to fit just me and only me.
This is my “have-to-get-here” stop when in St. Tropez.
And over the years, the leather takes on a certain worn sheen and the color darkens slightly—almost like a chameleon that has the ability to change its color. These sandals have the markings and the image of me imbedded into their left and right soul, giving them their own personal history.
Look at the sheen on the inner sole. Look closely and you can see the darkened leather where my toes fit. The straps kind of face inward–just the way I stand. I love these sandals so much!
These two pairs of shoes are the shoes, that if I was stranded on a remote desert island, would be with me. They will never be thrown in the trash. They will never be donated to Goodwill. I will selfishly keep them with me wherever I may go.
See my loafers and sandals? I keep them in the little straw boxes under the hook and bench in the entry of our home. This way, they are always waiting for me when I am ready to go outside! They are my eternal sunshine of shoes!
Do you have Eternal Sunshine shoes? If you do, I would love to hear about how you love them and the memories that they give you. It would be fun!
There is a song that goes so well with today’s post. It is from the movie “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm”. One of my favorite childhood movies. And in it, Shirley Temple, who plays Rebecca, sings of and old straw hat, a pair of overalls and “A Worn Out Pair Of Shoes”! Enjoy the day! XOXOXOXO
Three days later, I’m still traumatized from the after effects of baking my face. In fact, I’ve established a new medical term “BTSD” Baked Traumatic Stress Disorder. Don’t judge. It isn’t the only disorder I’ve gone through. I have a long list—OK?
Coming to terms with the thick paste of cosmetics bringing my deep ravine of wrinkles to the surface, it was difficult to focus on anything else but me. (Now that’s a real surprise-but then it’s always about me!)
Then, on Friday, I received a phone call. The call was from a sales assistant at Ulta Cosmetics. She called to remind me about a makeover that I was scheduled to have. The makeover was to take place Saturday, yesterday, at noon. Mally Beauty was having an event and Mally Roncal, the creator and makeup artist supreme, was going to be there in person.
This is the event I signed up for–and was so traumatized by overcooking my face, I almost didn’t show up!
Previous to my infamous face baking, I had signed up to be made over during this event. Under normal circumstances, I despise in-store makeovers. I’ve never, ever, walked away from one of those makeovers without looking like a circus clown, or an oxidized Jackie-O-Lantern version of myself, or being pressured into purchasing every piece of shit that was slopped onto my face. In addition, the contracted makeup artists do not give a damn about what your beauty needs, concerns, or preferences are. They are there for a sale. Period. End of story.
Another reason for showing up is that I was gifted with this bag when I signed up to receive a makeover. I would feel bad after receiving this and not showing up. This’ll make another great shopping tote!
In all honestly, I was going to brush this little makeover event off. And it wasn’t until the last minute that I decided to attend. First of all, I needed to get out of the house. Secondly, I am intrigued by Mally Roncal. I’ve seen her on QVC. Although I’ve never purchased any of her cosmetics, I’ve always enjoyed watching her. She is just so goddam adorable and enthusiastic and passionate. Her smile is irresistible and she just seems—well, she seems likeable and truly kind!
I also figured that any makeover couldn’t possibly make me look as bad as baking did.
Ulta was a mob scene when I arrived. It was rock concert mobbed. And what I found of great interest was the age range of women. There were many young girls there with their mothers. There were college girls and professional women. But what I found incredibly encouraging was that there were women that were in their fifties and up to their seventiesat the event. I also noticed that the makeup artists were seemingly enjoying themselves and engaging with their customers. From the corner of my eye, I noticed one artist who was incredibly animated. He was smiling and laughing and was doing a damn good job on the woman he was making over. I crossed my fingers and then crossed my eyes a bit more in hopes that I would get him to do my makeup.
When my name was called and I was escorted through the crowd, I was still hoping. I couldn’t believe it. I was led to the artist I wished for. Adrian introduced himself to me with a smile and we immediately clicked. I explained to him that, in my efforts to have skin like my beauty icons, Pandora Boxx and Miss Richfield 1981, I baked my face. I also explained that I was overdone and that any desert on earth was more hydrated than my face was. I told him that I was going to be 61 years old next month and I felt that I looked more like 161 years old.
Adrian and I clicked when I told him my beauty icons were Miss Richfield 1981 and the beautiful Pandora Boxx, above. Like Pandy, I needed a little something something too!
Adrian was so kind! He told me that I did not look 161 years old and he also told me that I should never bake and baking was not for an everyday look. He proceeded to work some very cool magic on my face.
Adrian opted for a BB cream foundation for me and did so with a light hand and light brush.
He applied Mally’s Face Defender BB Cream Foundation in Light. BTW, I’m adding the links to the products so you can click to get a better description. I want you to click because these products are GREAT for “mature” skin! *wink*!
He did my brows. Now—I have to tell you, my brows are a bone of contention between Bonaparte and me. I’ll admit, I have a tendency to get a bit heavy-handed but I’m trying to capture the essence of what my brows once were before menopause thinned them out in an unattractive way. I use a black shadow or sometimes a gel to brush in a heavier brow look. It can come off as harsh, but I like to think it looks better than the “no brow” look.
Left, 24/7 Brow Express in Sable. I KNOW–it looks light but it is a true taupe. On the right is a gift with the purchase. A brow gel to set the pencil.
The other end of the 24/7 Brow Express houses a brow powder to further fill the brows in. This is a great product. I’m glad I made the purchase.
When Adrian handed me the mirror after doing my brows, I was shocked! Seriously shocked. The brows that looked back at me from the shiny metallic looking glass were not black, but a brownish taupe. Not orange/brown, but a true neutral. My brows were not thick nor were they pencil thin. They were brows that even Goldilocks would have chosen. They were just right. They looked beautiful!
Left. The eye that Adrian did. See how natural the brow is? He also applied from the Mally Nude Attitude Shadow Palette “Cafe Au Lait” as an all over color and Chestnut on my lids. Right eye. I duped this today. I need a bit more practice with the brow–I need a lighter hand but I kept it thinner than usual. I used my Stila In The Know Palette’s “driftwood” shadow on my lid and Wet ‘n Wild’s “Brulee” as an all over color. I’m sorry there is no link for the Stila palette but it is no longer sold. I’m so angry at myself for not purchasing the Nude Attitude palette because it is sold out at Ulta. Dumb move on my part for not making the purchase! What do you think though? Did I do a decent job duplicating Adrian’s look?
Next he applied shadow on my lids just up to the crease. He chose a dark but cool hued brown. I asked him why he chose that particular brown and he said that my eyes had flecks of green and the brown would work to bring out the green. (He was correct, my eyes are Hazel).
See the green mixed in with the brown? My eyes are true Hazel–but are a darker Hazel.
He smudged a bit of the color as liner on the bottom then went with black eyeliner which he smudged. He applied a cream highlighter as well—both under my eyes and under the brows.
This under eye brightener certainly does have an appropriate name–Perfect Prep! It may look like mustard, but it does a great job of brightening and getting rid of that blueish tint under the eyes!
He explained what he was doing as he applied each product and why he chose to do so. He asked me what kind of lip color I preferred. I told him that I usually went with a neutral but I wouldn’t mind a bright pink.
Left is Mally’s H3 Lipstick in Flush. It goes on a more bright but pretty pink. It glides on smoothly and has excellent lasting power. On the right is the High Shine Liquid Lipstick in Must Have Pink. It is nice and shiny and gives the lips a bit of a plumbing up. And that plumbing is just what 60+ lips need to look younger!
Adrian picked out the perfect pink lipstick and went over it with a shiny gloss. Just the way I like to apply lip color. Gloss over lipstick. His last steps were taking a bit of the lipstick to use as blush, a bit more highlighter and he completed the job!
When he handed the mirror to me for final approval, I was so awestruck that I dropped it. Yeah. Thank God the mirror didn’t break—I’ve had enough bad luck to last a lifetime. OK? But I just could not believe the me that was looking back at me!! I wasn’t overcooked! I was medium rare!!!!! The dewy layer of BB cream foundation was lighter than a regular liquid or stick foundation. The brows were perfect. My face had a healthy pink glow and I looked hydrated! I swear I looked 20 years younger. OK maybe not 20 years but Adrian did manage to take a few years off my face with a light hand and age-friendly cosmetics.
Yo! Adrian!!!! Didn’t he do a fantastic job??? I wish he could do my makeup all the time! I’m so happy with the job he did. He’s such a sweetie pie!!!
I didn’t get to meet Mally but I did see her from afar with her mega-watt smile and very pretty floral dress. She looked like an ethereal sprite. But I was fortunate because I had Adrian!!
It’s ok Mally! I’m not upset that you didn’t run over to me so we could tawk. I mean, we’re both born New Yorkers–but I realize you were way, way busy. And you look so adorable in real life. I wanted to run up to you and pinch you but I would have gotten arrested!
And when Adrian was done with me, he didn’t give me the hard sell. We discussed what I could use and I made a few purchases. The brow products, the lip products and the little pot of yellow highlighting concealer.
I don’t know if Mally Roncal is aware that her products are incredibly “old lady” “mature woman” friendly, but they, along with the fabulous Adrian, made this old lady extremely happy. And when I arrived home, Bonaparte was in awe of my brows! Actually, he mentioned that my face looked beautiful! So thank you, Adrian. Thank you for giving me my groove back. And thank you Mally, thank you for a cosmetics line that truly is mature woman friendly!
I tried to channel my inner Adrian as much as I could with my new products. The lips, eyes, and brows do look great. And I don’t look over cooked or over baked! LOOK!! I’M MEDIUM RARE!! Nice and Pink!
Speaking of baking, I noticed that I had a couple of packets of yeast that were coming close to the expiration date. Too lazy to look up a recipe for a quick bread, I created my own. Here’s what I did:
I emptied the contents of the 2 yeast packages into a cup of hot water from the tap. I let them sit while I measured 4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour into the bowl of my kitchen aid stand mixer. I then added 2 Tablespoons of Kosher Salt to the flour and mixed these dry ingredients with my dough hook just to blend the salt with the flour. I then added two cups of warm tap water to the flour and salt and turned the mixer on to low just to get the flour/salt moistened and then added the yeast in the one cup of water to the mix. I turned the speed to medium high, set the timer for 7 minutes and sat down to a game of Soda Crush.
After 7 minutes were up, I turned the dough onto a floured surface, did a few kneads and turned the ends of the dough under. I placed the dough in a bowl that I thinly coated with grapeseed oil. I loosely placed plastic wrap over the bowl, covered with a kitchen towel and placed in a warm area of the kitchen (in this case it was the microwave) and let the dough rise for two hours. After two hours, the dough rose quite a bit, I punched the dough down and set it in a corner for another hour to rise again.
The hour over, I turned the dough onto a floured surface, divided the dough into two parts. With one part of the dough, I formed it into a rounded rectangle and cut three slits into the top. I baked in a 375 oven for 50 minutes. The end result was a lightly crusted loaf with a nicely chewy inside. I divided the other part into 6 separate parts and formed them into balls. I placed them into a 375 oven for 30 minutes and had some nice dinner rolls.
My “I’m-Too-Lazy-To-Read-A-Recipe” dinner rolls. They turned out great!
A rustic loaf of bread from the same recipe–which also turned out great. I shall stick to THIS type of baking from now on!
That’s the kind of baking I’ll stick to from now on! Beautiful me. Beautiful bread! (Sorry for the hypocrisy but I went full-on gluten this weekend!)
Christina Aguilera “Beautiful”. A beautiful song written by the beautiful and talented Linda Perry. I thought this would be a great song because we are all beautiful! XOXOXOXOXO!
In another month I’ll be 61 years old. Not that I’m freaking out or anything—but the fine lines on my face are forming into bona fide wrinkles OK? This doesn’t make me too happy because, delusionally, I want to remain forever young. If not in body, then in face—I don’t ask for much.
The experts say that hydration is good for aging skin. I’m drinking so much water that I just may be able to find a new career as a human fire hydrant. I’m surprised that the dogs in the neighborhood don’t raise their hind legs on my feet when they walk past me!
I’m not going to be wearing red shoes any time soon!
Drinking a ton of water is supposed to be good for my skin. My skin is still as dry as the Sahara desert. I find that the only thing drinking all that water is good for is to keep the plumbing in our home in working order.
Besides, when I take photos for narcissistic selfies the blog, I want to look a bit…less wrinkled and more dewy and luminescent.
Yeah. That’s right baby. Pucker up for the camera. Put those lip lines to good use!
I visited my only friend Google. Google knows what I want. And I did more research on “Beauty for women over 50+”. As usual, there isn’t much out there but I did find out about a process called “Baking” or “Cooking”. Oh this is GOOD!!
Baking—or cooking, is a process that drag queens have used for years to set their highlights and concealers. This process allows for a doll-like finish and is supposed to ensure that you look great in photographs. Personally, 99 percent of drag queens are much prettier than I am; so if this procedure makes me as pretty as Pandora Boxx or my beloved twin, Miss Richfield 1981, then I’m in a good place! Besides, I’ve always been jealous of the perfection that drag queens have in makeup application. Maybe I can look as good as my beauty icons!!
Look how pretty Pandora Boxx is. Her makeup is perfect. I. Want. My. Makeup. To. Be. As. Smooth. As. Pandora Boxx!
And look at my adorable twin. Miss Richfield 1981. Christ–her legs are so much better than mine! Look at how matte and gorgeous her skin is. Look at her beautiful lipstick. Her eyeliner is perfection. Her big hair is just so heavenly! I want to be besties with her!
In addition, this cooking and baking business is right up my alley! I’m always in the kitchen whipping up great dishes and elaborate meals. So why not cook and bake my face while I’m at it?
Look! I can whip up a batch of…FACE!!!!!
The other advantage is that I’m on a permanent a diet so this will give me the opportunity to bake and cook without caloric or fat intake! How good is that??
I followed YouTube instruction from Nisha of “Sugar Puff and Fluff”. I also realized that Nisha’s idea of “mature” was just a tad different than MY idea of mature. About 20 years different.
I would say Nisha is a good 20 years less “mature” than I am!
Regardless, I decided to try baking—or cooking my face yesterday morning. I was so excited about doing this that I forgot to apply primer. That was a huge mistake. Now you have an idea of where this went. OK?
I applied my moisturizer and ended up going full on with everything else. I had my blender sponges and brushes at the ready.
I loaded up on concealer.
I think I went through half of this jar of concealer in order to bake. I can also see wrinkles coming to the surface. Hi God. Why is it called concealer if my wrinkles are worse than ever?
Oops! I needed to find powder. I had to rifle through the bowels of beauty products that I don’t use anymore. I found powder.
I kid you not. I found this powder at the bottom of my very old makeup case. Its the place where unused beauty products go–kind of like a cosmetics purgatory! Look how dusty the powder is–isn’t powder supposed to be dusty anyway?
According to instruction, ingredients foundation is applied before the big deposit of concealer and the heavy load of powder. I think.
It was very daunting for me because the only way my face will look unblemished and smooth as a baby’s butt is if I win the lottery, check myself into New York’s Hospital of Special Surgery and have my face lifted by the most qualified plastic surgeon on this planet.
But I digress. I smoothed on my foundation and buffed.
I loaded up on more concealer, highlight and contour. All were blended with my Real Techniques beauty sponge.
I worked the creamy products in and layered a ton of powder over them.
Eh. I wasn’t looking that great.
Look at this! Can you believe it? Forget baking–I need to IRON my face smooth! Hmmm. I DO have a steam iron……
Here’s where the cook/bake comes in. While the powder is lying atop the concealer, you let it “set” anywhere from five to thirty minutes. (Different experts vary the time).
It has also been strongly suggested that while the makeup is setting—or “cooking” to apply all eye makeup. I did my eyes and did them in a very neutral palette. I also used fiber mascara because any product that would fall would be brushed off then blended.
After about 20 minutes I brushed the powder off. I looked like shit.
THIS is what baking did to my face! I never even REALIZED I had THAT many wrinkles. Maybe Bonaparte will feel sorry for me after he reads this and gets me juiced up with Botox for my birthday! Ladies! This is harsh lighting–but it’s reality!
See. Even Pandora is shocked. Maybe she’ll take pity on me and come to my house to bake me. I’ll bet she’s a better baker than I am!
I had white spots all over. Instead of washing all these layers of makeup off my face, I took the lazy way out and buffed.
I buffed so hard that I now have well-defined muscles in my right arm! I have a nice Simonized glow to my upper cheek!
It didn’t look that bad from about 100, 200 300 feet away; but I certainly was not as beautiful as my beloved Pandora Boxx or Miss Richfield! My skin was super dry and my wrinkles were so deep that they resembled ravines. I swear to god my face looked like the Grand Canyon! FML.
This may LOOK like the Grand Canyon but in reality it is a microscopic photo of my wrinkly face!
Did I mention that I also watched a vlog by Wayne Goss? I love his tutorials but I think I missed the part where he happened to mention that if you are of a “certain” age and have dry skin and wrinkles, you might not want to try this. Uh. I don’t wanna talk about it.
Wayne is more of a cook than a baker. I really should have listened to him! He’s one of my faves!
And that was it. I overbaked and overcooked. I got burned and ruined the recipe!
After the final buffing. The lighting in the room was too kind–trust me. At the end of the day I almost needed a pick to take all this crap off my face! I was beyond “well done”!
Earlier today I ran a few errands. Because I’m so kind and such a giver, I applied a bit of makeup to my face. I didn’t want to scare the masses. However, my lighter makeup application looked much, much better. The wrinkles? Yeah. They’re still there but don’t look as deep because I decided to skip cooking and baking.
Today. Less makeup. I’m like a Jello No-Bake Cheesecake. I didn’t powder or conceal or buff. If I’m gonna have wrinkles let them look more natural!
My recipe may have failed but the good thing is that I learned to leave well enough alone. I accept my fine-lines-morphing-into-wrinkles because they are a part of me. And knowing this makes me want to pat myself on the back in self adoration for realizing that I’m becoming wiser through my mistakes. Mistakes are nothing more than a learning experience!
I also learned that I needed a stronger moisturizer!
I’m hoping that this moisturizer and water work wonders! This is loaded with sunscreen and that’s a good thing!
I don’t think I do want to be forever young after all! But I’ll let Rod Stewart explain it! XOXOXO
Classic dressing is pretty much my style. Non-fussy. Basic. I know what I like. I know what I want. What I want is a plain old classic Trench Coat!
I want a lady version of this coat–just not as widely double-breasted!
I did inherit steal a “drench coat” (my personal term for raincoat) from Bonaparte. It is his uncle Yves’ clay-colored drench that is many, many years old. The coat is missing its belt, and, on me is an oversized delight. This drench coat lends itself well to layering blazers and heavy sweaters underneath. For me—it is that perfect winter coat. I also love the longer length.
My “drench” coat. I couldn’t make the photo bigger because it was way too out of focus. But it isn’t a trench! Very French. Very Drench. My French Drench Coat!
But I really wanted that classic trench. I covet that khaki colored item of outerwear that will turn me into a mysterious, glamorous woman. And the trench will offer a “devil-may-care” attitude about the casual way I gloriously put myself together.
Yes. I want to be just like Audrey in my trench!
I want a trench that can be worn in a coquettish way—like Bardot. Like on a bed!
Bardot and I could pass for trench twins! Sort of. OK. Not at all–but I can still have my delusions. Besides we both have trench coats!
My requirements were pretty specific. I didn’t want to spend a fortune because it wouldn’t be worn on a constant basis. Oh. It would be worn regularly during the spring because it’s incredibly damp and rainy here in the Northeast. It would hang in the closet during the summer because the atmosphere gets way too hot and humid to be bothered with a coat of any kind—even in a thunderstorm!
I also wanted a bit of a modification on the classic men’s double-breasted version. A true double-breasted coat is very busy and fussy for my body. A simpler version would do.
I wanted a longer belt because I want to either tie the belt around my waist or tie it in the back of the coat.
A darker khaki would be better for me due to the fact I’m pretty much the biggest natural slob on earth. I spill things on myself. I bump into things. Dirt follows me.
I am the female version of Pig Pen. Perhaps my name should be changed to Pig Penny! Light colors don’t work for me for obvious reasons!
Good detailing and good construction would also be wanted. I want a lined coat because in these damp and chilly springs and autumns the lining can give a bit of warmth and protect the coat.
Nothing with a hood either. Good God! When Bonaparte and I were in DC a couple of weeks ago, we stopped into TJ Maxx. The store had a display of coats that were advertised as “trench” but they weren’t. The coats were hooded—which I think is just awful. Hoods belong on jackets—not coats. They also looked cheaply constructed. Coats with hoods = Drench coats. Not Trench coats.
This is NOT a trench. It is a hooded drench jacket/coat by (ugh) Michael Kors…
Another fake Michael Kors trench. It has a hood. That makes it a regular rain coat or “drench” coat. Hoods on a coat like this ruin the look.
Next stop was the B & M J. Crew. Crew had the “Washed Cotton Trench” on display. Let me tell you. This coat resembles nothing like the washed cotton trench on their website. This real life model was a mass of wrinkles draped on a hanger. Although I do like casual clothing to stop short of perfect, this coat was just a mess. And it wasn’t a good mess either. I wanted something a bit more constructed.
This is a photo of the J. Crew “Washed Cotton Trench”. This is fake advertising for the coat because in real life it is nothing more than a mass of wrinkles.
I know, I know. I sound incredibly fussy and particular. But I have a vision in my mind of what I want and I won’t settle.
Anyway, Bonaparte had the afternoon off from seeing clients yesterday and he asked, insisted forced me to get out of my pajamas, get dressed and accompany him to the outlets. I think he’s starting to worry about my emotional state because he told me that if I saw anything I wanted or needed to let him know.
Our first stop was J. Crew Factory because he loves the socks sold there. He’s quite whimsical in his fun choice of patterned socks!
That’s the coat I wanted. The perfect trench for me–and I found it at J. Crew Factory!
I started to mope look around and there, hanging up on a wall display was the trench coat that I envisioned! I swear the coat was illuminated and I heard music! (Oh wait. I did hear music. The store was playing Indy CD’s.) I walked over, in a complete trench trance, to the hung coats. The first coat on the rack was a size 00. WTF wears that size anyway? The next size was a 2—I guess that’s the bulimic size. The last coat on the rack was a 10. It was a great fit. With the 40% off the price of $178.00, the final cost would be $106.80. A terrific value for a coat that I would be wearing for many years to come.
Bonaparte loved the way it looked even more than I did and I’m happy to say that I have finally added this classic piece to my wardrobe.
Other than the fit, what’s to like?
The color. It isn’t a light khaki. It’s more of a deeper tan which I like. The dirt that follows me will blend.
I love the darker color because for my natural born slobness, spills and dirt won’t show up as much!
The detailing. The stitching around the pockets and trim is even and tight. The belt holes are reinforced with a ton of stitching.
The stitching is nice and tight and even. It gives the coat a richer look.
The little holes for the belt buckle are reinforced with a ton of stitching.
The buttons. They are a good tortoise shell color. The buttons don’t look cheap and won’t have to be replaced.
The buttons don’t look cheap…
And they are sewn on quite strongly. I HATE when buttons are practically basted on–it’s so shoddy. These babies aren’t coming off any time soon!
The back. I am digging the back flap it lays nicely against the shoulder area.
That flap won’t be flipping in the wind. This is a well-constructed trench.
It’s fully lined and drapes nicely on the body.
The coat has a nice looking lining which will be added protection!
Anything I don’t like?
The pleats in the collar when it is folded down. I noticed that when I got home but it doesn’t make the coat returnable. My hair is long enough to hide the pleats and when the collar is popped up its smooth—and I like the stitching underneath the collar.
Just a small detail I noticed when I got home, but it isn’t a deal breaker!
Finding this coat has given me hope that at some point, maybe J. Crew will return to the classic roots that it once had, rather than trying to be the kid who tries too hard. Listening to me Jenna Lyons???
But it isn’t just that. Wearing a trench coat gives off a vintage, cool, film noir, mysterious kind of vibe..
See this ’60’s look?
I can do that with my trench coat and Hermes scarf!
In my trench coat, I can channel Kate Moss….
The heavier version! OK/ The older version too!
Wearing a trench gives off one of those “Oh, I’m not concerned about how I look” tones–but you just know you look great in that trench!
I wanna be a cross between Liv Tyler and the wonderful Charlotte Rampling!
Look–I’m both. My jeans and shirt are like Liv’s but my coat and my age are closer to Charlotte’s!
Even on those days where you just want to dress lazy, the trench will make you look better.
I can even be more comfortable when I channel Columbo.
My inner and outer slob!
So yeah. I’m so glad that my basic wardrobe is now more basic and more complete and I’ve got that eternally simple trench coat. Who’d a thunk I found it at J. Crew Factory????
I’m telling you–if you are in want of a classic trench, this is one coat that I highly recommend! Get your Film Noir on!!!
Now what song could be more appropriate for wearing a trench coat on a dark, foggy night? Picture Bogart and Becall. “As Time Goes By”. XOXOXOXO!!!
The time has come for me to renew my driver’s license.
And that is where I spent time yesterday. Here is my tale.
About three weeks ago, I received a notice in the mail from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reminding me that it was time to renew my driver’s license.
The PA Department of Transportation was more than kind to send out a reminder–but they wanted their money!
My license expires next month and I’m very obsessive about following any government regulations. I would be petrified to so much as start my car with an expired license. Personally, I find this obsession quite odd because half the shit in our pantry and fridge is stamped with dates that have expired quite some time ago. Go figure!
Go figure THAT one out. I won’t drive with an expired license, but I’ll put expired food items into my body. BTW, I tasted this expired milk this morning and it’s fine. The expired cream cheese was never opened until today. It’s also fine!
Bonaparte sent a check to pay the for this renewal fee. The Department of Transportation then sent me another bit of documentation which allowed me to proceed to our local Department of Motor Vehicles location so that I could have my photo taken and an updated license would be issued.
So far the procedure sounds pretty simple. Right?
It should be. But it isn’t. DMV rules and regulations for a driver’s license vary from state to state.
When I moved from New York to New Jersey, the process of attaining my license was the worst experience I had ever gone through. I had to take the written test over.
Actually, it was my fault that I had to take the written test over because I was supposed to switch my NY license within 90 days of the move. I waited over a year!
And the stress of actually knowing and comprehending the rules of the road made me physically ill. I despise tests. After months of practically memorizing the New Jersey manual, I aced the test. It was time to move on to the vision test. Obviously by looking at my crossed-eyes it’s obvious that corrective lenses are needed. When I lived in New York, I was able to be tested wearing my eyeglasses.
I failed the NJ vision test. Those bastids actually made me take my eyeglasses off to take the test!
Not so in New Jersey. I failed. The powers that be would NOT give me a license unless I had a note from the eye doctor. The rest of that day was spent scrambling around town—a town I was new to– trying to find an optometrist who could spare a few moments to see me. Minutes before the DMV office closed, I was able to attain the coveted little piece of plastic that proved my value as a New Jersey driver. Don’t even—there’s so much more that I can say but I won’t.
When I moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, I was almost crippled with stress knowing that I would have to switch my driver’s license yet again. I believe I had a few Zoloft pills swimming around in the bottom of one of my purses to keep my anxiety at bay.
And might I add relieves stress due to dealing with the Department of Motor Vehicles!
Although Pennsylvania’s rules were a bit kinder—there was no testing, the experience was just as stressful and angst-ridden. I decided to have this switch done at the DMV location closest to where I was working at the time. In Norristown, PA. My boss told me to “take the rest of the day off” as I left to take this task on. I believe I left the office at around 10:30 in the morning. I told my boss that I would be returning to the office after this chore was completed.
When I arrived there was a line out the door and around the building. It never occurred to me that this was normal. I thought something horrible happened. As I approached the line, I asked someone what was wrong. He laughed and explained to me that this particular DMV office was always this crowded.
Yes. The line at the Norristown DMV’s License Center was almost as bad as this line at another DMV.
Three-and-a-half hours later, I was back in my car and understood completely why I was told to take the remainder of the day off. There was no way to function normally after that experience. I drove home and drank heavily. Looking on the bright side, I didn’t have to suffer through a vision test—and the way many Pennsylvanian’s drive, I would say maybe it’s time for PA to make a vision test a necessity when switching or renewing a driver’s license!
This was pretty much what I looked like after spending half a day at the DMV. The only difference was that I didn’t smoke.
I vowed never to set foot in that particular DMV location again.
Four years later, it was time to renew my Pennsylvania license. This time I chose a location close to where Bonaparte and I were living at the time. A little branch of the DMV in a strip mall in Malvern, PA
Since I didn’t want to take advantage of my boss’s good graces by taking another afternoon off, it just seemed more practical to have the renewal done on a Saturday morning. This location was conveniently opened on Saturday.
This really wasn’t the brightest of ideas. The parking lot was jammed packed with cars—and not for shoppers to the other stores in the strip mall. I would find that most of the cars had the drivers squished into the DMV—packed like sardines in a small can that smelled of rotting oil. Yeah. The ventilation in the small building wasn’t that great. And when people get stressed, the effects of their deodorant quickly wear off. And there were a lot of stressed people.
This is a common scene at the DMV on a Saturday. What a way to spend the day.
I had no happy pills either. Bonaparte made sure that they had been flushed down the toilet. At least our plumbing was joyously cheery!
This was no way to spend a warm, sunny early spring Saturday morning. At least the wait wasn’t as long as the one four years prior had been. THIS was a mere two-and-a-half hours.
So you can see how I wasn’t looking forward to returning to the DMV to complete my license renewal process. It can literally drive you crazy!!
I would rather go through the birthing process again. Three more times. And I gave birth to a ten-pounder! Naturally! Without drugs! OK?
I would rather watch paint dry.
I would rather go to the dentist and get a cavity filled without receiving an injection of Novocain first.
I would rather take a pick and chip at my tooth myself to dig that cavity.
I would rather go through the procedure of the night before a colonoscopy
Picture of a dental anesthesia before the treatment
Getting my teeth filled WITHOUG the Novocaine needle would be more pleasant than spending time at the DMV. I’m not kidding either!
Yes. I would rather do all of the above than have to spend hours at the DMV!
I was trying to figure the right time to go about this. As luck would have it, I had a job interview set for yesterday morning. Late in the morning at 11:00AM. I figured to kill two birds with one stone. I made sure that my ensemble businesslike for the interview and my hair and makeup would be camera ready. Trust me; I’m the queen of lousy license and passport photos. The photo is never “clicked” at the right time.
My license and passport photos look very similar to this. Why can’t they just let me take a selfie?
In addition, I made sure my phone was loaded up with juice because it was important to be able to while away the many hours of waiting between gaming and creative commenting on Facebook!
I’m on level 305 of Soda Crush. Even if I had to spend the day, I wouldn’t get past this level–it’s difficult!
The interview went ok. It wasn’t the best. It wasn’t the worst. It just was.
But—the good thing is that the office where my interview was held was close to the Malvern location of the DMV. I could do some shopping at the dollar store afterwards—if it was still opened.
My heart skipped a beat as I approached the DMV. In fact, I thought it was closed. There wasn’t a mob scene. When I opened the door and entered, there was no scent of sweat and stale body odor. There were only four people waiting!
There were no lines. No sign of humanity. I thought it was closed. Do you like the product placement of the Goodwill store sign?
This was at 11:45 in the morning! Virtual emptiness!
Look at these empty seats! I thought I was dreaming!
Can you believe it? At first I thought I stepped in to an episode of “American Horror Story” and someone would come after me with a knife!
My only issue was the photograph. I had my pose all set. When I was sitting down, I looked up at the camera so as to give the appearance of a longer neck and smoother jawline. Very coquettish, if you will!
Unfortunately my eyeglasses gave off a glare so I had to look down. The result is a photograph I’m not crazy about. Jowls and puffiness galore. Who cares? I was in and out in fifteen minutes!!
Well, at least I’m an organ donor! The lighting on that pic is horrific. The DMV needs filters for the photos. Should I write to them requesting this?
One of the workers mentioned that it was an exceptionally slow day. I almost leapt with joy when I heard that.
What he said made me realize something. Timing is everything! My job search had me so discouraged that I almost cancelled the interview. But—having the interview was the push I needed to get to the nearby DMV to finalize my license renewal. And if I didn’t have that interview at precisely 11:00 AM, the timing of my visit to the DMV would have been slightly off.
It is so true timing IS everything!
And as I exited the DMV, a stream of people entered, validating my thought that timing is everything.
Chances are I won’t be called back for a second interview due to my age. But that’s the norm these days. On the other hand, I feel safer and more relaxed to know that I won’t be driving around any time soon with an expired license.
Life is good.
Let’s give a hand or two to celebrate life’s good timing!
Speaking of license photos—Ringo and “Photograph”. You’re welcome. XOXOXOX!!
NOTE: I try to keep politics out of my posts. However, after observing many issues, I felt compelled to put my thoughts in a letter to our great President. I have always supported him and continue to do so. He has had struggles as our POTUS and overall he has done many great things–there are just a few critiques that I have. Read on and you may agree or disagree but I welcome your thoughts because I truly desire a country united of her people! Thanks and I hope to have given you food for thought! XOXOXOXO!
Our President looks so much more relaxed when he is smiling!
Dear President Obama,
I am writing this letter to you to give you my honest opinion on the last eight years that you have been the leader of our United States of America. You will be delighted at some of what I have to say and you may not be delighted at other things I have to say, but what I have to say will give you food for thought.
Since I voted for you twice, I feel that as a citizen of our country, I’m validated in my opinion.
First of all, I realize how difficult it must have been for you to enter into a presidency to clean up the mess that was left to you. That cleanup is still going to take years to finish. And I applaud you for saving the automobile industry. You saved many jobs and an important industry in our country. You also allowed parents to keep adult children up to the age of 26 on their medical insurance. Doing away with the “pre-existing” medical issues was another great act toward helping all fellow Americans.
In theory, “Obamacare” was great—but the execution missed points. I don’t blame you. I blame the republican congress and the fact that these people were and continue to sleep with medical insurance companies and the lobbyists who work for them.
I can attest that you definitely created jobs because I’ve been on a ton of job interviews and didn’t get any. Um—we need to talk. About “Ageism”. Call or email me.
You represented hope on so many levels.
I remember being in Paris just one month after you were sworn in for your first term. The French were incredibly happy that you were elected. They loved you. They, too, had hopes that you would bring people together.
So why did you fall short? I have a theory. I may be wrong, I may be right; I may be in the middle.
You were stymied by the Republicans. I realize that. But why didn’t you have the balls to fight them more aggressively? *Sigh* I know it isn’t your nature—you’re a laid back kinda guy—but you are the POTUS!! Man—you are supposed to be a LEADER! Threats of government walkouts. Spewing hate. You needed to rein these bozos in and call them out for what they are—hate filled individuals who care nothing about “we the people”—and you remained silent for the most part.
Your people skills—I have to tell you—they could be a little better. You made a huge mistake by not participating in the solidarity march in France after the Charlie Hebdo attacks. The Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy all joined François Hollande. Damn—even Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined together to show their solidarity. Where were you? The French loved you and rooted for you from afar. You couldn’t fly over there for a day? Come on. You have your own plane for crissakes!
But here’s the big one. I delusionally thought and believed that you were finally the link to bring the races together. I know. Stop laughing. I’m too delusional and idealistic!
You may be the first President to be a person of color and it’s a wonderful, wonderful thing. You are bi-racial. You represent the best of two races! You could have brought an end to racial tension. Seriously. I really believe that. I do.
The way things stand now. Black people don’t trust white people. White people don’t trust black people. We have groups that hate the police and groups that support the police. We now have separate “Lives Matter” groups. Let me tell you this. ALL lives matter. Nobody should be turned away from getting medical help or an education. Respect for everyone. I’m rambling….
Look, I’m not asking you to “embrace” your white side by any means. All you needed to do was recognize it. Just recognize the grandparents who raised you. You could have spoken more about your mom. (Although, it’s just like a son to ignore his mom when he gets older and independent—you are just like all the sons out there—black, white, bi-racial, yellow, polka dotted—don’t get me, a mom, started!)
I feel you did an injustice to bi-racial people by not recognizing your entire roots. Look. Personal roots are important. It’s what our country is based on. We’re a melting pot. I’m second generation American. My “roots” are Irish and I identify with the Irish traditions my grandparents brought to this country. You have it even better because you have a great heritage. You have your African roots and European roots. How cool is that?
You are the melting pot of Presidents!!! You are every person!
And it’s cool that you identify more with your African roots than your European roots. That isn’t the issue.
The issue remains, for me, that you could have picked up where Dr. King left off.
Maybe it’s because I’m almost 61 years old and I see that life is short. In our lifetime, we need more kindness toward each other. We need to get along as a people. All races need to understand and respect each other. We need to learn more about each other.
We cannot hate. We cannot mistrust. We cannot bully nor can we hurt or murder or make anyone feel like less of a person because of who they are.
My heart and my spirit both hurt right now. I see the hatred and the racial maelstrom that has been created over the past few years. The situation looks dire. Wait a second. I have to get a tissue because I started to cry. (I’m very emotional)
Basically, I wanted to see race relations as one of those delicious Black & White cookies. The two races on the same dessert dish with each other. I thought that your two terms would bring visions of black and white people walking on the same side of the street, greeting each other with “Good Mornings” and “Good Afternoons” as they smile. And as they pass by give that hand motion of “I’ll call you”. You know, that motion where you mouth the words and point to yourself then pretend you have your phone to your ear and then point to the other person? I wanted that between races!
I wanted to see beauty products that both African American women and White women can use together! I wanted women of color and women devoid of color to get their hair done at the same salons! No segregation of beauty! (Hey. I am deeply shallow)
I just want a country racially united. Not divided.
You had the power to do this—and you failed. Why??????
Look at what’s going on now. Look at the hate spewed by the likes of Trump and Cruz and the rest of the circus. If any of these men become our next President, we will be a people divided. And it will be a situation so much worse than it is now.
How did our political system become hate based? Whatever happened to wanting the best for American people? What is going to happen to our country?
President Obama. It isn’t too late for you to go out and try to bring the two races together. Time may be of the essence but I still have hope.
You can never run out of hope and I am counting on you to step up to the plate as your one last task. (Well, that and finding someone to fill that empty seat in the Supreme Court). You have to try to bring everyone together.
You are our last chance.
Sincerely,
Cathe
PS–How does Michelle manage to make the best of J. Crew clothing? Jenna Lyons vision sucks and our First Lady wears J. Crew so much better! Michelle needs to write a style book. She rocks the clothing!
Some detailing. I LOVE the higher neckline. My cleavage is getting crepey so a higher neckline looks better. I love the center seam–gives a nice flow to the fabric. That belt? It’s about 20 something years old! 
