Color and Softness

My aging journey’s guiding style principle is to add softness to what I already have to make it continue to work for me. That includes hair, makeup, clothing, and accessories.

When I visited with my stylist a few days ago, the word “softness” was mentioned repeatedly as we discussed a new cut and style. As I visited my nail technician yesterday, we were discussing makeup application and colors. (She has worked in a luxury Spa for many years and has seen it all.) The word “softness” came up again. Do you see a theme here? As my features and coloring soften with time, so too should my choices. Softness can be reflected in the necklines of our clothing, hairstyle, and makeup application to make those details most flattering.

Soft lines in my hairstyle and blended makeup with brighter lip color and the soft drape of a colorful scarf or blouse can achieve my goal while making the clothing I currently own more flattering. I don’t intend to stop wearing black, but I will add something to the neckline to soften it. While my next purchases may be more colorful, I have made a significant investment in some pieces that I love, which happen in dark colors.

The lip color is Beautycounter Red and Scarlet. I often use more than one color to get the effect I want. I have been using the skincare and makeup from Beautycounter since last fall, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. You can find all of the products from Beautycounter on my site here. (I am a Senior Manager for Beautycounter, so I will receive a small commission if you purchase from this link.)

My choice is to age naturally while making a few subtle changes and tweaks in my style while retaining my personality. Spending time in Europe as a young woman influenced my style choices for the remainder of my life. It was fascinating to see women of every age look so elegant and put together no matter their station in life. As a result, I have always owned mostly black, navy, gray, and white clothing. While I have gone through some style mishap periods, I always return to my basics. Now that I am in my sixties, I am thinking again about the lessons learned while watching those elegant women I admired on the streets of Athens, Córdoba, and other great European cities so long ago. It was never about how much money was spent; instead, it was about making the best choices for her shape, coloring, age, and style personality.

Mr. Mickey and I were on our way to attend an acapella concert by the world-renowned group from the UK, The Swingles. I wore a black long sleeve Simple Comfort top by Covered Perfectly here. (I am an affiliate for Covered Perfectly, so I will receive a small commission from any purchase you make from this link.) The pants are a simple pull-on style from Chico’s a few years ago. The jacket includes tones of blue, black, and charcoal. It is several years old and by BCBGMAXAZRIA. I wore open toe booties because I didn’t want to mess up the beautiful pedicure I had just gotten a few hours before. The booties are a few years old by BCBGeneration. I no longer purchase high heels, but I can still wear those I have for short periods. The handbag is by Tahari, and it is also at least three years old. The one thing that makes this look more appropriate for me is this oversized square silk scarf. I folded it on the bias (step by step example here) and wrapped it around my neck to add color and softness to the neckline.

I hope you have an adventurous weekend!