An Elegant Attitude

A blog follower has asked me to share ten tips for being more elegant. My first thought is that it has no price tag. (1) Elegance is a mindset.

(2) Dress in classic shapes, neutral colors, and don’t overdo the accessories or makeup.
(3) Be mindful of your posture. Stand and sit with your back straight and your head held high. Carry yourself with grace and confidence.
(4) Take small bites, chew with your lips closed, and only eat while sitting down at a table. Relax and enjoy your food. Never stand, walk around or drive while eating. Employ good table manners, even when you are alone.
(5) Practice good grooming and hygiene from your styled natural looking hair to your clean short nails painted a nude or red color. Do not wear so much perfume that it enters the room before you do. Fragrance should be noticed only when someone comes close enough for a hug. Spray it into the air and then walk through it to get the lightest application.
(6) Speak and laugh in low tones. Never dominate the conversation but always be well-read enough to participate.
(7) Give and accept compliments gracefully. Send handwritten thank-you notes.
(8) Wear a scarf around your neck, tied to your bag, or draped across your shoulders. Scarves add instant elegance and pull your look together, even if you are wearing jeans.
(9) Avoid clutter. There is nothing elegant about clutter, in your home, at your desk, in your car, in your handbag, in your way of dressing, even in your thoughts.
(10) Be generous. Help others in any way that you can. It might be holding a door for the person behind you or donating money to fund a community project.

My skincare products and makeup, as well as my shampoo, are all from Beautycounter here.

The occasion and the weather called for wearing my more than thirty-year-old faux fur trimmed velvet opera coat in the style of Erté. The leather gloves are also fur trimmed. I wore a long black on a black paisley scarf for extra warmth and lug-sole high heeled boots (old by Calvin Klien) for walking a very short distance in the snow. I still enjoy wearing some of my high heels at night. The first layer of this look is a long sleeve, Covered Perfectly black simple comfort top, which is almost always my first winter layer. The pants are a couple of years old from Chico’s. The stunning IC Collection jacket is on sale right now at My Fair Lady.

I always try to get the companies I shop with to give you a discount. When you shop with Covered Perfectly, you can buy two and get the third top for free. Susan After 60, followers can get a 20% discount on up to two items. Use the discount code FNF20 when you check out at Covered Perfectly. There are several great styles to choose from, and the discount will apply on up to two items; after that, you can take advantage of the buy 2 get 1 FREE special. Only one discount will work per order. This is the link to the Covered Perfectly site here.

Mr. Mickey wanted all his fans to know that he is back to neatly groomed hair and beard. His piano scarf is from TheMusicStand.com.

We snapped these photos as we were on our way to dinner and the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas performance. Funding for our beloved Orchestra is always a struggle, as it is for many. My dear friend, Belinda Kiener, devised a plan which worked beautifully. She formed Bellissima!, a group of prominent women from our community who have each committed to contributing the same amount each year. At the concert, she announced our collective contribution, which will fund a Master Concert and partially fund other concerts throughout the year. She is very adept at fundraising. Brava, Belinda! The arts and beautiful music are essential in every civilized society.