Getting Into Smaller Sizes!

Retirement is wonderful! No more alarm clock mornings, no more suits...some days not even wearing makeup or fixing my hair!

However, the refrigerator is waaaayyy too available and sitting is an all too common affliction with results being that I got fat. I tried a couple of exercise/diet apps to lose weight and would actually lose three or four pounds and then gain it back the next week. This went on for far too long, so I returned to a program that allowed me great success many years ago....Weight Watchers.



So far, I have lost 20 pounds and have 12 more to go. Being a bit of a control freak, I find that tracking on my phone or tablet, scanning bar codes at the grocery store to decide what points I want to buy, and measuring and weighing suits my life.

I have learned some terrific new menus (crispy tofu stir fry is my favorite) and feel so much better and healthier.

AND...I am now wearing smaller sizes. That's the best feeling. Going in to a store to buy smaller sizes that actually fit well and seeing my reflection as I approach a store and not seeing a short squat woman mirrored back.  Forward fold in yoga is much easier without my poochy belly in the way. My knees don't hurt like before (did you know that for every one pound lost, it relieves FOUR pounds of pressure on your knees?).

Taking a cardio fit class with weights and a yoga flow class both mean heavy perspiration and drinking a lot of water....more steps to weight loss.



My doctor is proud of my weight loss, not just because it makes me a healthier patient. He said he sees a lot of overweight older women who tell him they cannot lose the weight due to their age and he is pleased that I have proven that this is untrue. He is now going to tell them about Weight Watchers' success rates.

My closets have been cleaned of many of my suits, sweaters and skirts but I kept a few of my favorites and now can wear them again.  I have a vintage yellow silk shantung dress with a matching lined coat that I wore to a wedding many years ago (the couple have now been long divorced) that I can now wear again. It's like shopping for great things but in my closet!

Giving my larger sized clothes away was difficult at first. One buys clothes that are pretty and comfortable and getting rid of them was a tad painful but when I thought about getting new items and how happy the clothes I was giving away would make someone at the thrift store, it was easier to do.

So, if you, like I, have gained significant weight, consider why and if you're ready to commit to losing the weight and feeling and looking like you dream. Then have fun shopping!  Until next post, I remain...

Stylistically yours,

Sooz

 

Dress Codes Are Not Secret!

My last post was many months ago because I really felt I had said it all.

But once in a while, an inspiration strikes.

I want to talk about "uniforms" and how to wear them.  You see, I volunteer and we have a dress code. We wear tan pants or skirts, white shirts and closed toe shoes. Sounds simple but I am often surprised at how many people mess that up.

We are asked to NOT wear white tee shirts, but invariably someone thinks the rules are different for them.  One man wore a deep cut v-neck tee that fit very snugly....a great look if you're cruising a bar but not volunteering.  And another young man wore a white tee with a very stretched out neck....it had no semblance of a normal neckline.



But the worst was a young woman in an ivory lace top with a black bra obviously showing thru. Not an appropriate look for volunteering where children and families go.



A crisp white shirt is easy to find. My favorites are Jones of New York no-iron ones that I find at TJ Maxx.  $22 is the usual cost and that shirt looks great with jeans and a blazer, skirts and pants and it always looks great. No matter where you go, a white dress shirt works beautifully. I own several sleeveless ones and wear under a blazer or cardigan in the summer.



And tan slacks are really inexpensive...from Old Navy's Pixie pants to Beall's Outlet bargains, I own four pairs (some have pockets, some have fake pockets). And every time you shop for pants, be sure to look at a rear view to be sure you get a good fit. 


Closed toe shoes are recommended so there is no injury (and who wants to see some people's ugly feet, right?).  Easy to find and wear them....flats, sneakers, chunky heel...and a couple of women even wear stilettos (my days of standing in those are over).


You can still have your own style when wearing a uniform. Just don't overwhelm yourself.






I wish I could get this info to all the female volunteers where I work so they can feel good about themselves and still dress appropriately.  But this information is also of value to all of us who throw on clothes for a day of errands....a little fine touches makes an ensemble instead of just "schlepping" as you are out and about. 

There are some volunteers who look appropriate in their clothing but have seriously crabby expressions on their faces.  The below quote is right on the button. You're never fully dressed without a smile. 




Until next post, I remain,

Stylistically yours,

Sooz

Glowing Out Loud!

So didja miss me?

It has actually been since January of this year that I last posted. But I need to share some new cosmetics tips with you, my friends.

I have found an amazing new (to me) line:  It used to be Boots No. 7...now it goes by No. 7. You can buy it in Target stores, Walgreens and cosmetics shops.  They are great quality products and, I am happy to report, they do NOT test on animals. This British line is in easy to handle containers with clean, clear labeling.

And the Lift and Luminate Foundation is, no lie, a great make up for women "of a certain age"!
I went to a specific Walgreens that does No. 7 Foundation matching through a "scientific" system. It was an unimpressive system and was actually wrong. The Cosmetics rep tried to put me in a foundation that was two shades darker than my skin and it made my skin look muddy. But they do let you try it on in the store, so you can find the best true color for your face. (They have makeup wipes to clean your skin before and during the tests). I ended up buying Cool Vanilla which was the lightest color available and it is a perfect match.

Here's the reason it rocks:  It actually does luminate my face.  I have a glow on my face.  A shine. And it is flattering and makes me look more youthful.  I wore it to my volunteer job and kept getting compliments from a sweet young man who just raved about how good I looked.  It was the foundation.

I was watching "Grace and Frankie" on Netflix and noticed that Jane Fonda (who looks so freaking beautiful) has a glowy face. She has that dewy glisten on her cheekbones, forehead and looks great.

I have since decided not to put any on my nose or chin, because I get extra shiny there. So I just put primer and powder on those areas. And I even add some additional MAC Strobe Creme on my cheek bones (being round faced, they are hard to find).  I don't use any powder on the remainder of my face. And I love how I look with this great makeup.

I also have their Face Serum, based on a recommendation my little sister saw on a TV show. I haven't seen any improvement but it sure feels good.

And when my current mascara and lipsticks run out, I'm going to buy their brand, as well.

So, ladies, it isn't expensive (approx. $17), it is flattering and God's creatures will thank you for not buying from brands that torture animals to sell product.

If you do decide to buy it, please let me know what you think. I hope you will find it to be exactly what you want in a youthful, less ageing face.

This quote is perfect for today's post:

Until next time, I remain,

Stylistically yours,

Sooz

Do You Smell What I Smell?

It has been waaay too long since I posted. Not because I'm lazy (okay, maybe a little) but mostly because I had run out of topics.

But today, it is chilly outside so I feel this is a great time to talk about winter wear.

First, let me say that my old Moto jacket that I wrote about a couple of years ago finally had to go to the trash. If you recall, it was black vinyl with shiny "gold" zippers that I bought at Ross for next to nothing and I loved it. However, having hung it in an upstairs closet all summer, the heat "cooked" it and the first cold day this season, when I wore it, it started shredding and falling apart. It took me a month to be able to throw it away.

So Santa brought me a lambskin leather one. It is sooo soft and has a card that came with it that it comes from a farm that states "the leather used in this garment originates from animals reared on farms for food purposes, never from animals reared solely for the purpose of commercializing their hides."  Somehow, that makes me feel better about wearing it.

Now back to my post....

It is cold outside, no matter where you live, and here's today's topic....smells.

Do you store your wool and cashmere in mothballs and then pull them out to wear?  If you do, do you notice people moving away from you in cashier lines and other crowds. Hopefully, you don't use mothballs because they are so toxic in your breathing.

I have found cedar to be much nicer for your clothes, your lungs and your home. I buy cedar squares and put them in my closets, drawers and stored clothing.  Every Spring season, I spray them with cedar spray that I buy at Ace Hardware to refresh the cedar's ability to repel moths and worms.
   


And for my new jacket, I am going back to Ace Hardware for a nice leather protection cream before I store it for next year. And am packing a couple of silica packets in with it. Mildew can be a problem in damp old Florida.

If you do use mothballs, be sure to spray with a mixture of vinegar and water and hang the garment in the sun. You may have to do that several times to get rid of the odor.

Cedar's odor, however, is lovely and will not offend. It might even make you feel you are walking in a forest!

So, enjoy wearing your warmer clothes out and wash your hands to avoid colds and flu!

Until next time, I remain,

Stylistically yours,

Sooz