One frustrating thing about fashion over 40 is that some of the steps you need to take to look better – like losing weight – take time to achieve.
Long-term goals are great, but there's lots to love about style tweaks that can make you look and feel better instantly. Here are ways to look better today:
- Add a soft element to the top half of your look. Try wearing a shirt with a loose bow at the neckline, sensual fabrics (like satin or cashmere) or curled hair to soften your face.
- Play up a favorite feature (eyes, legs, waist) that you have always liked about yourself. Don't worry that the feature doesn't look as good as it used to. Enjoy who you are today.
- Slow down, and put mascara on all your eyelashes. Pay close attention to the top outer corners.
- Iron your casual clothes. While you may pay attention to work or special occasion looks, sometimes casual jeans and tees may be worn straight from the dryer. Try ironing a few casual pieces to see how crisp and neat this additional step makes these pieces look.
- Wear something whimsical. Maybe it's a pair of funky rainboots or a pair of zebra-print loafers; maybe it's just your feel-good color. The point is to wear something that makes you smile.
- Wear support garments – like Spanx or control camisoles – that you usually reserve for special occasions under your everyday clothes to look sleeker. You may be surprised how great a simple knit top looks on you if you wear a camisole shaper to smooth it out.
- Apply powdered makeup (eyeshadow, blush or bronzer) like the pros do. First, dust off any extra (you can "touch" the brush to a cotton pad or tissue first.) Then, instead of sweeping or brushing it on, softly touch the end of the brush where you want to apply it – if you are putting it in the crease of your eyelids, touch the ends of the brush along the crease to apply. This method avoids streaking your makeup across your face.
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