Wednesday, December 5, 2018

La Beauté: What Do French Women Have That We Don’t?


By Amy Thomas

Every time I go to Paris, I’m inspired anew. I look at the women with their ruby red lips, their studiously disheveled hair, their outfits that—really, aren’t that exceptional and yet still scream “cool” because of the way they hang on their petite frames or just because of the attitude with which they’re worn—and I think: I can do that!
You see, French women make beauty look so easy. They’re not all made up, hair sprayed and complexion painted to perfection. Their nails don’t match their lips. Their shoes don’t match their bags. They’re not highlighted, bronzed, veneered, acrylic tipped, implanted, injected or perfected. And yet they’re beautiful. So what do they have that we don’t (okay, at least I don’t)?

It all starts with attitude.
My friends who date French women assure me the pretty young things are actually racked with insecurities. But you’d never know it looking at them. French women ooze sex appeal. It’s in the way they walk, the way they talk, and the way they hold their wine glasses. They think, “I’m beautiful,” and it radiates outwards, causing others to look at and admire them which, in turn, makes them feel beautiful—a brilliant cycle if there ever was one.

They celebrate their femininity.
You’d never catch a French woman trying to emulate a man the way we do in the States. Here, we’realways putting on tough girl acts. We’re competitive and try to be uber independent. We even wear power suits and poker faces. Showing that we’re equal to men is a great byproduct of the women’s rights movement. But it’s not so sexy. French women embrace what makes them uniquely feminine—softness, caregiving, short skirts—instead of trying to prove they’re just like men.

They’re good with props.
French women are famous devotees of lacy lingerie and potent perfume. But they’ve got other props up their sleeves, too. Things like cigarettes and compacts and lap dogs—accoutrements that draw attention to themselves and invite others to look at them. And when people are looking at them, you better believe they make sure they look good.

They know how to dress.
As Coco Chanel said, “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.” Clothing matters just as much as hair and makeup when it comes to beauty, and French women know this—and not just what they wear, but how they wear it. If they wear tight jeans, they offset them with loose, billowy blouses. If they wear short skirts, they won’t also give away a lot of cleavage. It’s all about subtlety; French women know there’s nothing sexier than the power of suggestion.

They like to flirt.
The image of a this adorable French woman winking at my friend in a crowded bar is forever etched in my mind. If I had done it, it would have been so cheesy. I would have looked spastic and desperate. But the way she delivered that wink—with a blush, a smile, a quick look down and then back up… French women can flirt like no one’s business. And that gives a power that makes them irresistible.

They don’t strive for perfection.
Freckles, scars, chipped teeth, wild hair—all the things we American girls try to tame and combat are celebrated by French women. They know how to make a freckle or scar sexy (call attention to it! make it a conversation piece!); they don’t let imperfect teeth stop them from smiling; and messy hair looks sexy when it’s tossed up or adorned with sparkly barrettes. American women try too hard to be perfect instead of just reveling in ourselves, our beauty, and what we have to offer.
 

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Over 60 Skin Care

As a woman over 60 my skin is very dry. Using the furnace also dries out my skin and eyes. I think keeping your skin hydrated makes you look healthy. Moisture plumps up the skin filling in fine lines and wrinkles. I use over the counter moisturizing eye drops twice a day to rehydrate my eyes. I switched from drugstore brand skin care products 13 years ago to Clarins skin care because of it's natural botanical ingredients. I like their cleanser for sensitive skin followed by their "Hydra-Quench" serum. In the morning I apply Clarins SPF 30 sunscreen. It's very moisturizing so I don't need a daytime product. In the evening I follow my cleansing and serum with Clarins "Super Restorative Night Creme." It's formulated for women over 50. I also use their lip restorative in the blue tube. It stays on all night to keep my lips hydrated. All of these products are on the main page of this blog. Just click on the picture to order from Amazon.
 
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day keeps your entire body hydrated as well as your skin. My favorite way to hydrate is drinking Evian water. It not only tastes delicious but contains natural spring minerals that are good for our bones.  The items I've listed are a little expensive to some but I think it's good self care to use products that provide positive benefits and make us more comfortable.

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Hat Etiquette

SOCIAL STUDIES The 'Whens' And 'Wheres' of Wearing A Hat
Since Meghan Markle has recently been credited with reviving the panama hat, amongst many other things that we didn't know we should like until the Duchess gave it her stamp of approval, the question now isn't 'why wear a hat?' but when and where?
Hats aren't as popular as they once were although I have a feeling that the tides might be turning on the style front with the newest royal as a potential ambassador.
Just as important as finding the perfect hat for your noggin is knowing when a hat should or shouldn't be worn and of course, when to remove it.
Removing a hat in certain instances is a gesture of respect. Men were expected to take off their hats in places of worship, when greeting their boss, when they entered someone’s home and always in the presence of a lady, regardless of the place or circumstances.
On the other hand, ladies and their millinery had carte blanche when it came to the rules, they could wear them whenever and wherever they liked and were not required to take them off at all.
Times have changed in many aspects of society and the stately hat has not been spared the after effects of a more casual social order. The late '60s ushered in a turnabout fashion evolution and the hat was one of its noble victims (can you tell I really dig hats?! ) The younger generation stopped wearing them and along with the hat went the knowledge of its situational appropriateness.
Since I am not one to leave you in the lurk especially when it comes to something as delightful as the hat, here’s when it’s proper to wear your hat and when it’s not:
Men
Hats should be left on...
in office lobbies and elevators,
on the bus, train, subway, or in your Uber,
in the outdoors,
in public buildings like banks, airports and hotels,
at indoor and outdoor athletic events.
Hats should not be worn...
in someone's home,
in restaurants and coffee shops,
at a movie theatre, the opera or any performance held indoors,
in churches or places of worship unless it is required that you cover your head,
at mealtimes or while sitting at the table,
while being introduced to someone,
at work if your job is in an office,
in schools and library,
at a courthouse, town hall or government building,
And most importantly when your country's national anthem is played.
(it's an absolutely charming touch to remove it when any country's national anthem is played but I leave that up to you)
Women
While gender inequality usually works against us, this is one area (albeit a small one) where the ladies rein supreme!
Hats can be worn…
Any old time and any old place!
Hats can be removed...
anytime it blocks someone’s view, such as at a wedding or in a theater
and indoors at work unless it's part of a uniform.

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Kentucky Fashion Social Media Accounts

When Polyvore.com was bought by another company over 200 of my clothing design Sets disappeared from this blog.  I'm grateful that I was able to Pin 100% of my Sets to my Pinterest boards so at least they can still be viewed.  My purpose for creating the majority of my Sets was to inspire women over 50 to style outfits for themselves. I also created professional Sets for women in funeral service because I am in funeral service myself.  Although I miss creating Sets I know that my time might be better spent writing on this blog more frequently. I post something on my Kentucky Fashion Facebook page nearly every day. I have that account synced to my Twitter account by the same name.  I have been posting Vintage items that I find beautiful or interesting on my Instagram account.  All links to my accounts are at the bottom of this page. Please Like and Follow me if you are interested. Feel free to email me at: kentuckyfashion@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/kentuckyfashion
https://www.pinterest.com/KentuckyFashion/                  
https://twitter.com/kentuckyfashion
https://www.instagram.com/pamela_owen/

It took this photo of my dressing table and accessories to inspire women my age to gather their beautiful things together in one place simply because they love them.  I call this photo "My Favorite Things."

Pamela Owen                                           

Friday, May 4, 2018

10 Tips for Attending the Kentucky Derby

I've invited my good friend Mary Gayle to be a guest blogger today to help you get ready for going to Churchill Downs. She and her husband entertained out of town business guests for years. I don't think anyone has better advice for me to share with you.

10 Tips for Attending the Kentucky Oaks and Derby

1. Comfy shoes.
2. Bandaids, ibuprofen, etc.
3. Poncho, clear is nice so your dress can still be seen.
4. Foldable, lightweight tote bag and paper hand towels to wrap Mint Julip and Lilly glasses to take home.
5. Snack mix in clear baggies. Food lines can be long and you need to keep food in your stomach if you are drinking alcohol.
6. Cell phone service is scattered, make sure your family knows this.
7. Loose change to tip the bathroom attendants. They are wonderful and most have mints and other handy things.
8. In case of a chill, stick a scarf in your bag.
(Or tie it to the handle of your handbag to look chic! Pam)
9. Place your Derby bet way before post time. Men are notorious for the last minute bet. There may be lots of shoving and stepping on toes.
10. Sing "My Old Kentucky Home" loud and proud!  You are already a winner because you are lucky enough to attend!
Should you have the winning ticket and want to wait to avoid lines you have weeks to go back and collect.
               https://www.facebook.com/kentuckyfashion
                https://www.pinterest.com/KentuckyFashion/
https://twitter.com/kentuckyfashion
            https://www.instagram.com/pamela_owen/
     E-mail: kentuckyfashion@gmail.com  

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Kentucky Derby Hat Advice

If you plan to wear a hat to the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby please pull the brim down on your forehead. If you try to keep your bangs from getting messed up you could end up looking like you are wearing a costume. Face it...your hairstyle is going to get trashed by your hat so you might as well pull that brim down to keep the sun out of your eyes. Don't be a "Little Debbie," "Annie Oakley" or "Polyanna" at Churchill Downs.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Purging Your Closet

It's January 2nd, 2018 and it's very cold in Kentucky.  I spent some time on New Year's Day viewing YouTube videos about closet re-designs and organization. The trend is to make your closet resemble and clothing and accessory boutique. This apparently gives the owner the feeling of shopping in their own closet. I agree that an organized closet is an asset when you don't have a lot of time to get ready in the morning but I don't know about making a closet look like a retail store.  The majority of women that I know don't have that much space for storing their clothing.  Many have the basic closets found in many homes today with one rod and a shelf above it.  The one thing I DO agree with is purging the closet to get rid of what you no longer wear. That is difficult even for me because I still wear clothing that could be 10 years or older. I love vintage everything so I tend to hold on to clothing, shoes, handbags, scarves and jewelry that is very beautiful despite it's age. When I designed our home almost 30 years ago I gave myself and small room off our master bathroom for my dressing room. It has four basic closets with folding, mirrored doors. One closet is all shelves for folded clothing, one closet has double rods for jackets and tops and the other two have one rod with two shelves above them for shoes. I have a dressing table in front of the large window and a lingerie chest that matches.  I also have a size 12 dress form that I use to style my outfits. I'm thinking about redecorating my dressing room this year to reflect not only current interior design trends but to make it more functional.  Many modern closets have islands in the center of the space with drawers for accessories and mirrored tops to reflect a beautiful chandelier above.  As an interior designer I realized that I could make an island out of two, matching chest of drawers placed back to back. Then I could add a piece of custom cut mirror to put on top. This would give me more drawer space than I have in my lingerie chest and dressing table and take up much less space. I will be looking for new wallpaper too and heavy drapes for the window. I love having all the natural light from the window but since it faces our street I have to have privacy as well. So, if you are tired of your current closet set up the first thing you need to do is purge it of everything you know you will never wear again.  Professional style clothing can be donated to the "Dress for Success" organization nearest you. You can donate other types of things to churches with "Clothes Closets" and give the rest to homeless outreach organizations.  Remember that if a garment doesn't make you feel good when you look at it in your closet or drawer it won't make you feel good when it's on your body. Happy 2018 and happy purging!


Lily Pulitzer