Aging Beautifully: Peggy Lipton

She was my absolute idol when I was 14 and The Mod Squad was a top TV show. I would try to iron my curly hair in vain hopes of looking just a leeetle bit more like Peggy Lipton. And she was so cool as Julie Barnes, the unflappable undercover cop in hippie chic and mini skirts.

Sigh. She had the hair, skin and perfect little nose I dreamed of
in my tender teen years.

And she's aged so beautifully. She still has the cool elegant blonde look, but with a mature beauty. She's had an interesting life:

40 years later, a gorgeous woman. Source.

Like all her Hollywood peers, she has probably had some surgical interventions, but she looks real and un-pulled.

She's 65 (maybe 63 in this pic). I will have what she's having  : >

Have a perfectly wonderful Saturday, and don't forget, Monday, July 2nd is Visible Monday! Everyone is welcome to participate!

ISO: Striped Knit Jacket (Am I Too Late?)

I'm in search of a navy and white (maybe black and white?) knit jacket. It seems I saw a ka-billion of them a few months ago, so maybe I am late to this party. Are they over already, or just out of focus because Fall styles are coming into view?

I think it would look terrific with straight leg jeans for casual outfits or with a full skirt for work. I love the idea of knit, because the usual woven jackets often bind me by the end of the day, around the armholes and neckline.

This is the look I'm craving (but not at this price):

Yummy jacket by Moschino, on sale for $287

The price is much more attractive here, but I'd have to change out
the buttons, yes? And it's not as fabulous.

And a fairly classic version, on clearance for $44. A little boxy,
but I picture it belted, and with a new modern button.

Do you like this piece or are you over it/never cared for it? If you do like, is the Moschino version worth the extra $200+?

Happy Friday to all, and thanks so much for stopping by.

Learning From My Style Oops-es

We learn best though experience, as opposed to mere reading and observing, right? That's why, even though I've read about and observed various wardrobe pieces that I knew wouldn't work for me, I bought them anyway. So I could really learn the lesson.

It's fashion, not surgery, so there's no catastrophic results. And we do have to experiment in real life to find the good new looks. How else would I know that I actually love ankle booties with dresses?

But I've also pulled some style boners in my journey to fabulous-ness. Here are a few:

1.  Big chunky necklaces. I love, love them, but they overwhelm me and end up looking silly/costumey on my small frame. Pendants and more refined necklaces look best.

Gorgeous, but it weighs me down. Source.

This size flatters me much more. Source.

2.  Tiny silk scarves. I've tried tying these around my neck in an oh-so-Parisienne fashion, and they just don't work for me. I need a nice full or long scarf to loop around my neck a time or two.

This scarf's a winner for me. Source.

3.  Hats. I so want to do hats like the beautiful Judith, or Kathleen of That's a Pretty Hat. But I have a really large head and unruly curly hair, and most hats either don't fit, or squish my hair. I do like a pretty scarf headband.

4.  Speaking of hair, straightening it. I've tried Keratin treatments and flat irons. Always a fashion don't for me. A couple of years ago, I finally and firmly committed to letting my curls go free. It's a relief and a style plus, I think.

A serious don't for me, for all the obvious reasons.

5.  Bright colors near my face. I have succombed to this trend a few times, and always regretted it. Brights overpower my pale skin and create too much competition with my face. It's very jarring. Muted colors are my friends.

Pretty top, but a dead color for me. Source.

Ahh, that's much better for my low-contrast coloring. Source.

How about you, dear readers? Any oops-es you care to confess to? Are you wiser than I, and have you avoided the pot-holes?

Visible Monday #52: It Just Has To Go

Welcome to Visible Monday #52! If you want to participate, it's so easy: just go to the bottom of this post for the simple how-to.

I try to find an excuse to wear my blue suede shoes on any given day, even when they don't "match". One of the best lessons I've taken away from the TV show What Not To Wear is: "It doesn't have to match, it just has to go."

So I chose a newly-thrifted Ralph Lauren knit dress and added a boho-vibe cotton scarf to pull in some blue. Then I felt happy about wearing my blue suede platforms. I'm wearing delicate drop earrings and my WendyB "G" ring, and a big goofy smile.

I look pretty happy here, and visible too. The hairdo could use a
little polishing but the humidity's been about 110%!

Sandals by Sofft, a very comfortable brand.

Now, let's see what you're wearing, Visible Women!!

The guidelines to participate in the Visible Monday Link-Up are so simple!

1. Whoever wants to can join in! Just compose a post that includes any outfit, accessory, piece of jewelry, hairstyle, cosmetic or other adornment that makes you feel more confident, alive and visible that day.
2. Include a link to Not Dead Yet Style somewhere in your post.
3. Go to the bottom of this post and click on this cute little link:

In the "Next Step", you crop the pic (easy tool) you want to display, and you're done!

An Alternative Wedding Ring - Like or No?

I've always worn the simple, elegant white-and-yellow gold band my husband gave me on our wedding day. He wears a similar one, all the time too.

I've never been a real-diamond woman, though. I did buy a gorgeous 3-stone Moissanite ring and I wear it sometimes, maybe one or two days a week. It's very "dressy" to my eye, and not an everyday ring.

This one's similar to mine.

So some days, I wear my simple band on my left ring finger, and some other fab rings on my middle finger and right hand. For the last few months it's been my new fave, the WendyB "G" ring:

OMG, I love my WendyB ring so much. Buy them here.

I am most definitely going to add Wendy's other letters to make my own special messages, heh. And I like  the hashtag ring that Judith is sporting in her blog post today.

I also bought a beautiful vintage silver and chocolate garnet ring at a local antique fair, and I wear it with my wedding band quite a bit. It was under $100, but looks lovely as an "engagement" ring.

Mine looks like this one, for sale at eBay now.

What say you all? Are the married/engaged/otherwise partnered among you traditional band-plus-diamond women? Are you into alternative rings or no rings at all? No wrong answers of course, it's all good, and it means love.


Have a wonderful Saturday, and don't forget, Monday, June 25th is Visible Monday! Everyone is welcome to participate!

The Greatest Tee In the World?

I'm a sucker for anything that starts with "The Greatest . . ."  I was delighted that in New York City, there are hundreds of World's Greatest Pizzas, Hamburgers and Coffees.

So I had to investigate the Greatest Tee In The World, via the snarky/funny gadget blog, Gizmodo. And I was actually intrigued enough to check out the site, and the reviews of the product.

The tee in question is the Tech Tee by Icebreaker, a New Zealand company. It's made of ultra-thin merino wool, and is supposed to be super-comfortable in both hot and cold weather, keep its shape, wash like a dream, dry quickly, and never smell bad.

The Gizmodo article is about the guy's tee, natch, but there's also a couple of women's versions, in a nice variety of colors. The price is high for a tee, $65, but if it really is so magical, it might be worth the investment.

This one's sold via Blue Ridge Mountain Sports

And you can get this one via 6pm.com for $45.99

It's difficult to contemplate a wool tee shirt, in Florida, in June, but I might give one a try. It's the Greatest, after all . . .

Anyone have any experience with this brand?

Italian Chic: A Few Take-Aways

I've been enjoying a vintage (1992) fashion/style book, Italian Chic: The Italian Approach to Affordable Elegance, by Susan Sommers.

She's having entirely too much fun for a book cover, I think . . .

While some of the photos look very early-90's, many are perfect, classic pieces that wear well today:

Simple knit top and pants, slim cut and minimalistic. Her hair looks fab too.
I feel like adding a scarf though!

Over-sized cashmere sweaters, a menswear watch and simple gold
jewelry look natural for a certain casual style today. I'd replace the
turtle with a vee-neck.

One chapter offers advice on how to get the Italian Chic look for less, and it's worth the read. While not new, I found some useful tips and some thought-provoking ones. I'm contemplating the following ideas, and if/how they'll work into my own wardrobe philosophy:

1. Adopt a minimalist style. "Pare your look down to the barest essentials and cut out the extraneous. In this way, you'll buy much, much less, so you can afford to spend more for each item." The author suggests we spend on signature items like a fabulous piece of jewelry to wear every day; paring down to just black and white items; and/or changing hair and makeup frequently as a fashion statement.
   
   This appeals to the left side of my brain so much - and, I've not been able to do it yet, and I'm 57. Perhaps in my next fashion iteration, I can pull off a minimalist approach, because I do daydream about the perfectly curated closet, a couple of WendyB pieces, and a divine red lipstick.
   
   Alternately to the black-and-white minimalism, Ms. Sommers suggests cultivating a "subtle color scheme", a "palette of understated colors in the same tones". An outfit of shades of grey, or ivories, or olives. I like this too, as it steers away from brights, which wear on my eyes quickly. Still minimal, but incorporating one's favorite colors.


2. Collect key pieces. "Italians build their look with a few traditional, tried-and-true pieces that they purchase over the years." Ms. Sommers is talking about the cashmere and silk shawl, shearling jacket and fine handbag we can wear for decades. She also mentions the fine leather shoes Italian women like to collect, and illustrates with some fab Pradas I would love to have in the closet right now.
   
   Again, this sounds wonderful to me, but I've not made any real progress in this direction. I do have some favorite boots and shoes that have been good investments. But I tend to get bored before I get my cost-per-wear out of higher-end pieces. I am still working on how to incorporate this one.
   
   
3. Learn when to go cheap. Know when it's smart to buy "dirt-cheap", Ms. Sommers says. Jeans are not investments; they get washed so frequently, they're destined to wear out. But combine them with an Hermes scarf or cashmere sweater, to "wear them as if they are expensive". I do like that idea.
   
   Other go-cheap items include, in her opinion: tees, undies and socks, gloves, a dark straight skirt, ballet flats and bodysuits (hey, it's 1992).
   

Here's a nice example of concept #1, a "subtle color scheme", very pleasing to
my eyes without going stark black and white minimalistic. Source.

I do think the book is an enjoyable vintage read, and if you can pick it up used, it's just a few dollars. What are your thoughts on adopting a minimalist, key-pieces kind of style? Is it really a money-saver in the end? Does it lead to boredom or true style satisfaction? Are you tired of French Chic and ready for the Italian version?  : >

Visible Monday #51: Karina Dresses Make Me Visible

Welcome to Visible Monday #51! If you want to participate, it's so easy: just go to the bottom of this post for the simple how-to.

I've been a huge fan of Karina dresses for a long time, and when I saw the new version of  the "Audrey" dress, I was beyond delighted. This creation by Karina features one the most beloved style icons of the 20th century, in her classic Breakfast at Tiffany's pose.

While in New York City, I had the privilege of meeting up with Karina and her partner at a cool Japanese restaurant, and the designer herself was wearing . . . Audrey! And looking fabulous. I was wearing a Karina Megan and feeling pretty sassy as well.

A few important tidbits about Karina designs:

• The dresses are made from imported microfiber blend fabric with four-way stretch. They're machine and sink-washable and perfect for travel, as I can happily testify.
• Every dress is made in a limited edition print, produced in their Brooklyn facility.
• "Made in the USA" means sparing the environment the gas, oil and diesel that is burned to transport most of our clothes.
• Some of their styles fit up to a traditional size 20, and are designed for all figure types and all ages (yippee!). Karina and I shocked my husband when we told him we could swap dresses right there and still look perfect. (Her designs are amazing this way: Karina and I don't usually wear the same size dress.)

Looks like I enjoyed my cocktails a bit too much . . .
Karina is so lovely inside and out.

I love this dress. I added a scarf-as-belt that picks up all the colors.
This is a great weekend/date/lunch look.

Oh yes, Audrey from the back view too.

And perfect for work (casual office) with a black tee and skinny belt.

And Happy Times: For all readers of my blog, here is a $30 discount code for any full price Karina dress:

$30 Off Any Full Price Dress  - GIBP30

You can use your discount code online at:
http://karinadresses.myshopify.com/collections/all

This discount is a terrific way to experience a Karina dress that's likely to become one of your best wardrobe friends.

Now, let's see what you're wearing, Visible Women!!

The guidelines to participate in the Visible Monday Link-Up are so simple!

1. Whoever wants to can join in! Just compose a post that includes any outfit, accessory, piece of jewelry, hairstyle, cosmetic or other adornment that makes you feel more confident, alive and visible that day.
2. Include a link to Not Dead Yet Style somewhere in your post.
3. Go to the bottom of this post and click on this cute little link:

In the "Next Step", you crop the pic (easy tool) you want to display, and you're done!

Aging Beautifully: Charlotte Rampling

Beautiful and wildly talented, British actress Charlotte Rampling, age 66, has always looked mysterious and elegant to me.

She started working as a model in her teens, has acted in dozens of movies steadily through every decade of her life, and is still making films.

As my blogger friend, the jewelry designer WendyB said, youth is inherently beautiful. Here is Ms. Rampling in her early acting days:

As seen in Vogue UK, 1971. Breathtaking, no?

And here she is in 2009:

I love the deeply hooded eyes. It looks like she has wonderful
secrets. Source.

And in a drawing from 2003:

Pencil drawing by David James. Source.

Have a wonderful day, and don't forget, Monday, June 18th is Visible Monday! Everyone is welcome to participate!

Out With The Drab, In With The Fab, Part II

Last week we talked about the power of The Shoe to elevate an outfit. Today I've been pondering The Scarf.

I have to preface this with a confession: I am a hapless scarf-arranger. I have studied the very helpful videos that abound on the 'nets. I've practiced in front of the mirror. But I still cannot finish looking as chic as Une Femme or Pam, or so many other stylish bloggers who've mastered the art.

That said, I am re-introducing the scarf into my wardrobe with enthusiasm. I have sorted through my scarf drawer and eliminated the drab: mousy prints, tired chiffon squares. I've identified the "fab" scarves and moved them to the front.

A fab scarf has personality, like these, in my humblest opinion:

Nordstroms, $14 (yes!)

Nordstroms, $25

While I'd love to own an Hermes, I haven't paid very much for any of my scarves. I usually find them at thrifts and consignments, or buy them on eBay. I've had very good luck at this eBay Store.

I must point you to the more skilled scarf-ers for ideas on how to best style your treasures. For now I am draping them around my neck, with maybe one loose wrap, like this:

Source

Or tying one into my hair like this:

Source

Or onto my purse:

Source

Or as a belt:

I love this look! Source.

Do you use scarves to brighten your wardrobe? Are you a scarf novice or a ninja?

The Invisible Woman, Revisited

It's been about a year since I wrote the post The Invisible Woman. I wrote it after a trip to New York City, during which the changes of middle age were pressing on me. I was feeling and mourning the loss of youthful beauty and all the power our culture attaches to it.

I returned to NYC this year for the same event (the World Science Festival), and did many of the same activities as last year. I tried hard not to force any feelings about (in)visibility because I want my evolution to be (always) authentic as possible.

There is an evolution going on - not a revolution, to be sure. Writing on this blog and reading dozens of others has been a large part of it. Understanding that I am part of a whole, not on an aging journey alone, has helped tremendously. An attitude of gratitude for all I have: a joyful marriage, good health, and a fulfilling career, helps me "major in the majors," not focus on physical flaws.

Well since you asked . . . Yes!

Walking down Manhattan streets this last visit, I held my shoulders more proudly and let the sheer joy of being in my favorite city slip out. I trained my attention not on my own appearance, but outwardly on the beauty (yes, the city has great beauty) around me. Old and young people, old and new buildings - all have beauty and stories to tell.

The new Freedom Tower under construction, seen from Washington Square Park

On one of my walks I was wearing a long black skirt, black tee and colorful scarf. I had my hair pulled up and wore a small silk scarf around my head and large sunglasses. Nothing very Vogue, but my walk was confident, my mood serene. A charming 70-something man said softly as he passed me, "So elegant, you are." Ahhhh, the smile lingered on my face for many a block.

I have been reflecting on, and have adapted, a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: "No one can make you feel inferior [or invisible] without your consent." Italics mine, from her 1937 book, This Is My Story. So I am not going to consent to feel invisible!

How about you? I think I know the answers, and I love to read them.

Visible Monday #50: A Bohemian Interlude

Welcome to Visible Monday #50! If you want to participate, it's so easy: just go to the bottom of this post for the simple how-to.

I felt a Bohemian inspiration in my new wrap skirt, purchased at a street fair in New York. I love the prints, and it's reversible! Two skirts for $15, what a thrifty shopper I am.

From a distance, I see that the black tee looks kind of stark against the skirt, and I think I'll go with a lighter top next wearing. I do love the way the green sandals (Nine West, similar) pick up the green in the print, and the platforms even harmonize with the skirt. Matchy time!

The bangle was thrifted at the Humane Society Thrift, and the leaf pendant is from Forever21 (similar).

Batteries low, laser cat is recharging  : >

That's the print on the reverse side of the skirt.

Too matchy? Or happily Visible?

Now, let's see what you're wearing, Visible Women!!

The guidelines to participate in the Visible Monday Link-Up are so simple!

1. Any Monday, whoever wants to can join in! Just compose a post that includes any outfit, accessory, piece of jewelry, hairstyle, cosmetic or other adornment that makes you feel more confident, alive and visible that day.
2. Include a link to Not Dead Yet Style somewhere in your post.
3. Go to the bottom of this post and click on this cute little link:

In the "Next Step", you crop the pic (easy tool) you want to display, and you're done!

Out With The Drab, In With The Fab: Part I

During some down-time at work yesterday, I was thinking about what makes my wardrobe "sing." I'm at a stage in life where I've accumulated plenty of basics, and I pretty much know what flatters me and what to avoid (although I still step in a manhole from time to time).

So I started doodling about the extras, the "icing", the special pieces that take an outfit from good/acceptable to fun/can't wait to wear. I made a list!

New Yorker cartoon by Robert Mankoff

One definite spicy seasoning for me is The Shoe. And that's fairly recent in my life. For many decades I stuck with safe choices. In my corporate years, the nice stacked pump or sling-back. Simple flats or brown sandals made do for casual hours.

Now I find myself attracted to Fabulous Shoes as a way of expressing more creativity with my outfits. These shoes also have to be Comfortable, because middle age is not for sissies, my friends.

I recently acquired these cobalt suede shoes by Sofft, and I love wearing them. I think I wear them every day it doesn't rain:

Source

I have my eyes on these, but they are above my usual price range, so I have to either a) work more hours; or b) buy them anyway and decide not to feel guilty:

This style, the Kate, but in red. Re-Mix shoes, $198.

And Sally of Already Pretty just introduced me to Oh! brand, supposed to be ultra-comfortable:

The Daisy, such a cool version of the classic work sandal, $190.

I have more stuff on my list, and will write about it later. What's on your list of things that make your outfits more intoxicating?


Have a wonderful day, and don't forget, Monday, June 11th is Visible Monday! Everyone is welcome to participate!