Who Wore It Best - At Any Age

We always check out the latest edition of US Weekly and of course we always love the "Who Wore It Best?" feature which appears in every issue. This week we noticed that the "Who Wore It Best?" column could be entitled, "Who Wore It Best- At Any Age!"

In the photo above, iconic supermodel Christie Brinkley, age 58, and accomplished actress Amy Adams, age 37, both wore Roland Mouret's Herbert dress.

In the photo below, the legendary Jane Fonda, age 74, wears the same sequin Roberto Cavalli gown as George Clooney's ex, Elisabetta Canalis, age 33.

Also on this page, Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, age 51, is wearing the same Alexander McQueen dress as actress Erika Christensen, age 29.

Regardless of their ages, we think all the ladies all look equally amazing in these gorgeous fashions!

Shady Ladies

Louis Vuitton Spring 2012 Runway

Tracy Reese Spring 2012 Runway

Could an accessory of old be making a comeback?  In recent years parasols have been spotted on the runways from designers such as Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, Tracy Reese, Anna Sui and Temperley London.

The parasol is said to have been first used by Egyptian queens to ward off the desert sun and for sun protection for the flawless skin of  Japanese geishas in the 18th century.  Jeni Elizabeth, a fashion style, told First for Women, "Today women love them because they're fun yet functional."  She adds, "Unlike slathering on sunscreen, carrying a parasol looks lovely as it protects-  it's chic sunblock." 

You can find an inexpensive parasol online; go to LunaBazaar.com  and check out the "Tulips and Hummingbirds" 33" parasol which is only $11.95:

Luna Bazaar Tulips & Hummingbirds Parasol $11.95

Another option is Pamela Parasols; they have a cherry blossom parasol in red which retails for $12.95.

Whether or not you are up for trying out a parasol, certainly no summer wardrobe is complete without a hat, an essential must-have for sun protection.

There are styles to flatter every face:

Heart-shaped Faces:  Pick a bell shape.  The long sloping brim mirrors the shape of a heart face "only inverted," forming a diamond shaped effect to call attention to the cheekbones and deflecting from a broad forehead or a pointed chin.

Juicy Couture Colorblock Cloche $58 @ Nordstrom

Round Faces:  Pick a panama hat. The tall crown and band around the hat draw attention upwards so the face appears longer.  

J. Crew Panama Hat $58

Long Faces:  Chose a wide brim because it draws the eye from side to side which makes the cheekbones look wider and pulling the brim down also detracts from a high forehead.

Eric Javits Swinger Rafia Wide Brim Hat $262.50 @ Bloomingdale's

Square Faces:  Fedoras:  A hat with a height, softens the angles of a square jaw.  Additionally, the short brim which stands up takes the eye vertically so you appear to have an elongated face.

Michael Stars Garden Stripe Fedora $42 @ Neiman Marcus

If you've left your hat at home and find yourself in the summer sun, here is a great tip: Run a stick of lip balms with SPF along your part and hairline.  You will get protection for your head and hair and no hat head (as in squashed hairdo)!

Put Your Best Face Forward

The Today Show featured Prevention Magazine's Beauty Editor Jennifer Goldstein for their "Celebrate your Beauty Awards."

While other magazines give awards for beauty products, this award is unique in that there were 1700 items reviewed by 300 participants and overseen by a dermatologist who employed complexion analysis machines and took "before" and "after" photos of the participants to see the improvement in the condition of their skin over six weeks.

The verdicts are in:

Best Cleansing System: Clarisonic Mia 2 Sonic Skin Cleansing System.

Clarisonic Mia 2 Cleansing System $149 @ Nordstrom

The New York Times just did a story in the Style section about the growing popularity of these brushes. Use the system once a day for gentle exfoliation. The facial brush comes with a cleanser but you can use any cleanser of your choice.  By using the Clarisonic, your creams and serums will have deeper penetration.  We both have used the Clarisonic for two years and we swear by it.  The system retails for $149 but Nordstrom is having a promotional on the item which will include an extra brush (which retails for $25; we change the brush every few months). You can chose from two neon colors and a print and it also comes with a traveling pouch. The promotion is part of their upcoming Anniversary Sale which can be previewed or purchased on pre-sale on July 11th if you are a Nordstrom card holder; if you are not a store card holder, you can purchase at the store or on nordstrom.com beginning on Friday, July 20th.

Best day cream: Philosophy Miracle Worker Anti Aging Moisturizer with SPF 55.  

Philosophy Miracle Worker SPF 55 $57 @Sephora

The product contains peptides to boost collagen production and it is very lightweight, not goopy. With the built in sun block, it's one less step for your daily skin care routine.  

Best night serum:  Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair

Neutrogena Rapid Repair Wrinkle Serum $15.99 @Amazon

The product contains retinol; it was measured up to be as good as $100 products that were tested. Excellent for dry skin, it was shown in the study to improve the appearance of wrinkles. 

Best Facial Hair Remover: Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Du

Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo $18.33 @ Amazon

This was the first time Prevention Magazine tested facial hair removers; begin by using the skin guarding balm (contained in the package) before applying product which comes in two different types, one for fine or one for medium to coarse hair. Retails for $22.

Best Wrinkle Reducer: RoC Retinol Correxion Max Wrinkle Resurfacing System 

RoC Retinol Correxion Wrinkle Resurfacing System $26.99 @ drugstore.com

Participants had 20 percent fewer wrinkles after using the product for six weeks.  You can use it each day or every other day if you are sensitive to retinol. 

Best Eye Cream: Lancome Renergie Eye Multiple Action Ultimate Eye Care Duo

Lancome Renergie Eye Multiple Action Ultimate Eye Care Duo $78 @ Nordstrom

This product features powerful eye cream at the bottom and at the top there is a concealer with SPF 15 which is available in three shades. The products retails for $78 but as part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale you can purchase the product at Nordstrom and receive your choice of a Lancome gift beginning July 20 (with pre-sale July 11 for card holders).

To see additional beauty product winners, check out the Today Show web site. 

Susan Says: Express Your Style Indepedence

Jaclyn Smith, age 66, at an event for her Kmart clothing line, looking age defying

Independence Day is the perfect time to be thankful for the many blessings we enjoy, including freedom of expression in our personal fashion and style.  Long ago but not too far away, there were fashion faux pas which ruled our fashion lives.  

Today we can celebrate fashion freedoms. Sleeveless garments can be worn by anyone regardless of your age, as long as you feel confident and comfortable.  I use water weights to help combat arm flab, together with using thick elastic bands to stretch the arms for additional firming.  

Florals were often considered to be aging but if you are over fifty you can pull off a floral top with a solid pant or skirt or, instead, wear a floral shoe, scarf or jewelry.  And as actress Jaclyn Smith displays, leather or leather looks with ladylike blouses or tops are age defying. Or think leather trim on garments which is slated be a big fall trend.

It often was said that hair must be worn short once you've reached the fifty mark.  That depends on your hair type; very fine hair often looks fuller in a shorter cut but if you have a thicker mane, updos and pulled back styles with pretty hair accessories are totally appropriate and loose tousled styles are currently in vogue.

As far as season, the old adage "no white after Labor Day" no longer applies; winter white has been the rage for years.  With air conditioning in hot climates, sweaters in almost all hues are appropriate year round.  

From color blocking to neons and beyond, done with subtly, good taste and a helpful smattering of self confidence, let's celebrate our 4th of July holiday with joy and abandon.

Hats Off NYC

Ale Et Ange Baseball Cap as featured in Vogue Magazine

When in New York, snare a hat.  Not just any hat, but a wondrous work of art by Ale et Ange at their NYC pop-up shop located 40 Rivington Street.  Eloise Simonet calls her design partner, Osore Oyagha, "a textile junkie" who has sourced vintage fabrics from locations such as Nigeria to create menswear.

Describing the line, NY Magazine writes, "Although the wares convey a certain international sensibility—Oyagha hails from West London; Simonet, from France—all the clothing is manufactured in New York in limited runs."

This summer, the partners have created a line of locally made baseball caps with unusually and unbelievably beautiful exotic prints.

We saw the hats featured in Vogue magazine and we both flipped for them. Although the hats retail at $175, we consider them a great buy for such a unique piece. Wear one and you'll to make a fashion statement extraordinaire.

Wax Jeans: DIY or Great Buys

J Brand 901 Wax Coated Leggings $103.99 @ Piperlime

If you are coveting a pair of leather jeans for fall but you can't justify the hefty price tags that go along with them, consider wax jeans.  You can buy a pair right now at great sale prices on Piperlime.com (free shipping, free returns!). 

If you really want to be thrifty, be a do-it-yourselfer. We saw this great instructional video posted on The Coveted:

Here's how:

One pair of clean jeans

Otter Wax (Made in Portland)

A hair dryer

Apply the wax in long, smooth strokes.  The friction generates absorption.  Continue until all areas look darkened; that means the wax was absorbed.  You can use your hair dryer to soften the wax; smooth out with your fingertips, to create an even surface.  You can hang the jeans to dry in a cool, dark spot or if you want to speed up the drying process, it is said you can place the jeans in a freezer. When washing, don't soak the jeans in water for a protracted period and dry cleaning is always preferable.

If you would rather buy a pair than try to DIY, here are the Piperline deals (sign up for their emails and get an additional 15% off): They have a wide variety of J Brand wax styles at deep discounts; check out the selection and see what they have in your size. They even have a pair of J Brand wax shorts, so you can get started on the style this summer! 

In addition to J Brand, Piperlime also has Paige Denim Verdugo Wax for $101.97 (original price: $209) and Rich & Skinny Jeans The Legacy: $75.97; (original price: $165). There are also styles by Hudson and 7 For All Mankind. Shop quickly as sizes are going fast!

The dog days of summer are the best time to get in on a fall trend that will get you noticed.

Susan Says: Let's Hear It For the Boys

We talk a lot on our blog about mothers and daughters sharing clothes, but can you share clothes with your husbands, sons and significant others? A very fashionable (female!) sales associate with whom I work gave me some great advice:  Shop the boys and menswear departments.  This tip also was featured on The Today Show the other day when Lilliana Vazquez extolled the virtues of raiding your husband's closet.

Here are the best examples:

Blazers:  Think Brooks Brothers.  A beautiful classic blazer can be yours in the Boys Department.  A size 18 (the largest boy's size) will fit a woman's size 8-10.  The model on The Today Show wore a madras blazer which is currently at Brooks Brothers retailing at $90.  

For some inspiration, check out Reese Witherspoon, who modeled a Brooks Brothers boys blazer on a cover of InStyle Magazine:

Reese Witherspoon in a Brooks Brothers Boys Blazer InStyle Nov. 2009

Brooks Brothers 'Prep' Suit Jacket $89.90 @ Nordstrom

Shirts: I have purchased Ralph Lauren boys shirts in size 10 (I wear a women's size small).  Men's Lacoste shirts in size extra small is another one of my favs.

Ralph Lauren Classic Fit Boy's Polo Shirt $39.50 @ Ralph Lauren

Shorts:  For comfortable, relaxed shorts, go to chubbieshorts.com and snare a pair of these men's shorts with elasticized waist and pair with a slouchy sweater to cover. Add jewelry to complete the look.

Chubbie Shorts $59.50 

Bow Ties:  Look for pastels, polka dots or florals and wear with a flirty skirt and flats. How adorable is this one from Barneys?

Barneys New York Bold Floral Bow Tie $80

When shopping the Internet for menswear, be sure to check the measurements against your own and size down for a shrunken, body hugging look.

Shopping in the men's and boys' department is a good way to recession proof your fall shopping for high-quality fashion at great prices- and who knows? By hanging out in the men's department, you could even find romance!