Over 50 is a Good Time To Visit Your (adult) Daughter's Closet

From a very young age, girls have donned something from their mother's closet: high heels, hats, sunglasses. Now, according to fashion stylist Sherrie Mathieson, it's time for mothers to invade their (adult) daughter's closets. And in this economy, borrowing clothes may be the only thing you can borrow!

Mathieson says that turning 50 does not mean it's time for "dowdy, box voluminous jackets; pull on pants; gaudy floral blouses; gauze broomstick skirts; and faux ethnic jewelry." Got the picture? And hopefully, you won't find anything like that in your daughter's closet.

In her new book "Steal This Style," Mathieson shows pieces that should be shared and others that should not. But if you're like me and only have sons, you can follow Sherrie's advice below or visit her web site for more tips on dressing with style after 50, 60 and beyond.

"...the point is to look "modern" and ultimately ageless in your style. ...a classic "core"--but with a creative twist and mix. That is "youthful" in spirit, but never inappropriately "young."

Sounds good to me!

http://www.sherriemathieson.com/

Hair Raising

I had my hair cut yesterday and I feel so much better. Not that I ever feel really bad about my hair. I'm lucky to have thick, easy to style hair, but it does grow quickly and I know how important it is to get a good haircut. See the advice of Michele Benza, MNBF (my new best friend, in case you forgot), "Never Underestimate the Value of a Great Haircut."

My hair has been cut in some variation of "short" for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I recall having my "pixie" cut and styled (what's to style?) by the local barber, Mr. Christie. My mother, of course, went to the beauty shop. Never heard of a salon back then. She went twice a week--on Saturdays to have it "done" and on Wednesdays for a "comb-out." Can you imagine not washing your hair for a week!

I had long hair for a brief time in the late 60's when I was in college (that's not a photo of me) and ponytails adorned with scarves were popular. I managed to get enough growth by Christmas to have something my long-haired friends called a "paintbrush." The only thing that mattered to me was that I could tie a scarf around it. By the end of the school year, my hair was about to my shoulders. It was so heavy that I had to constantly move it around to allow the sweat to evaporate from my neck. I soon opted for a "shag" that everyone thought it was a wig!

Except for Mr. Christie, I can't remember the names of any of the barbers/hairdressers who cut my hair, until Dana. I met Dana in a dance class in Boston. He was in front of me and kept turning around and pointing to my head. Bad dancer, I thought. After class he told me he had a haircut for me. He did, and I loved it. New thought--good hairdresser. After a few visits to the salon where he worked, I went to his apartment to get it cut. Not to worry. I always ran into his friends there--drag queens who seemed to find me as interesting as I found them to be. I took it as a compliment.

So now I live in Fort Worth and Erin cuts my hair at CUT on 8th Avenue. My hair is short, and edgy in a soft way. Short hair is a personal preference for me, but Erin agrees that longer lengths can work for women at any age. And she tells her clients that, especially the women who think age 50 is synonymous with short hair.

Need a fresh cut for Fall? Call Erin at CUT. She has some great offers for new clients. MENTION MY BLOG and Erin will give you a deal you can't refuse. Does a free haircut sound good? Call her at 817.923.8886 for an appointment.

Photos: Bing Images

Color Your Wardrobe

Lunched at a neighborhood bistro the other day with my gal-pal Lela (not her real name--must protect the innocent). She looked fabulous. Not the Betty Buckley Broadway Concert star glamorous, but the "over 50" looking good, looking really good! And we were just eating.

We don't meet or talk often so we had a lot of catching up to do. Her family is fine. The dog accompanied her and her husband on a visit to grandma in Florida. And she just got a sweet deal on a new car, in Dallas, of all places! Did I say she looked fabulous?

Lela has recently veered off her career path of 20+ years and has a new job. She loves it. And she looks like she loves it. I couldn't stop complimenting her on her outfit. The color was bright... Nope. Not going to reveal the color. I couldn't do it justice without a photo. Should have used my cell. It made me smile. It was fresh and very flattering. And her new lightened hair color literally topped it off.

I was inspired by Lela's new-found flair with color. (She had confided in me that she was tired of black.) After lunch, I went home and changed out of my dark ensemble. The best I could do was exchange my black pants for something in a shade of white. Yes, there are many shades of white!

Anyway, I have been rummaging around for tips on adding color to my wardrobe. Stumbled on www.50fabulous.com and a contributing stylist who could be my new best friend. I like the way she thinks about women over 50. She was raised in Brussels and lives in the San Francisco area so I will have to translate her style code into Fort Worth-ese. Just kidding. Her style is definitely universal. More about that later.

Thanks Lela!

Dear Betty Lynn (Buckley),

I saw you the other night. Not surprising, since we both live in Fort Worth, Texas. But we were both working that night. You were onstage at the Modern Art Museum singing your heart out and telling wonderful stories about your journey through Broadway. I was checking tickets, passing out programs and selling your cd's. Not a bad volunteer gig, especially since I got to see your show free.

I enjoyed the casual atmosphere and your banter with the audience. Seth, your accompanist, back-up singer, long-time friend, and all-around talented funny guy set the tone when he energetically stepped on stage wearing jeans, an open shirt and sport coat. But Betty, when you entered, you looked like you were caught in an Abby Bradford time warp. Betty Lynn, you can do better than that. Just look at these pictures!

I know you can take criticism. You admitted that Stephen Sondheim didn't like the way you re-interpreted his songs. Fortunately, you weren't "mortified" enough to ban his songs from your repertoire. You sang the selection from "Into the Woods" beautifully, sticking to the original score.

As a woman over 50, I want to see other woman over 50 looking good. It just makes me feel... well, good. And I know from experience, if we feel good, we can do anything, overcome anything, and make a difference when we choose to do so! Besides, you're a celebrity--a star--you're supposed have a hint of drama in your wardrobe.

So Betty, for your show tonight, could you search for a touch of Norma Desmond in your closet?

Last show of the series tonight.

Monday, July 27, 2009 - 7PM

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

http://www.lyricstage.com/

972-252-2787

If you miss Betty tonight, she'll be back August 29 - 31.

Want to hear more from Seth? He hosts "Live From Broadway" on Sirius/XM Radio.