How to be a savvy dresser

Dear Lucy,

I want to update my look. I am a pretty savvy dresser — if I were to believe my friends — but of late, I have this itch to step out of my sense of style. I want a fresh take but at the same time still be me. Help! 

Anne

This should be fun for you. Since you really did not go into specifics, I will just share with you bullet points of what I use as my guideline, if you can call it that. I’m sure you will have plenty to add to this list in no time at all.

• Wear a dress, more than just sometimes. A dress is just so pretty and there are many silhouettes to choose from. Think ladylike dressing, the way stylish women looked when they traveled, back when the world was more old-world and glamorous.

• Instead of the de rigueur LBD, start loving the Little White Dress. Especially because we live in a tropical country, wearing an LWD just makes so much sense. Depending on the fabric and the way you accessorize, it can easily go from day to night.

• Get yourself clutch bags in different colors. Think of these as investment pieces, something you would want to use over and over through the years so always go for quality. It does not matter if you have to build your collection slowly. Let every clutch you own have a story.

• Love lace. And you do not necessarily always have to wear it with pearls.

• Use men’s perfume. You will be surprised how clean and fresh it smells on a woman. Let it be your secret, no one has to know.

• Wear cocktail rings and cuffs. Jul B. Dizon Jewellery Salon makes beautiful ones. Invest in real jewellery, do not have all the old ones you inherited reworked. Your taste will change through the years and what you do not quite love now you just might adore in the future.

• Mix different eras. No need to be matchy-matchy!

• Always wear beautiful shoes. They can make any outfit look special.

• A good tailor is every woman’s best friend. Always remember that. 

• Dress appropriately for your age. And don’t dress to impress, that should just be incidental.

• Don’t give up on twin sets. They are stylish, efficient, and classic. That said, get very good ones.

• Do not be afraid to wear pretty, delicate details. It will not make you look old or mature, if that is ever a concern.

Lucy

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Facing Aging

Dear Ms. Tingting,

Could you kindly share some practical tips on aging gracefully?

Leah

Aging is inevitable. There’s no way around it, bar cosmetic surgery. As we age, our eyes droop, crow’s-feet appear, under-eye circles deepen, and eyelids begin to take on a creepy texture. The complexion appears less luminous, pores enlarge, lines become more prominent, and the skin sags.

Makeup? You have to be very careful where it goes. That means not into the cracks and crevices. Expert application is the key to success. The right makeup can really take years off your face.

I wear the Seventies’ style-eyeliner and lip liner, which is aging. My children tell me to lighten my eye makeup and adapt to a softer, gentler face and short hair.

Makeup artists agree that as a woman ages, it’s far more flattering to use less foundation and much less powder. There are light-diffusing foundations on the market that are specifically targeted towards the older woman. Estee Lauder and Chanel both have excellent ranges. These formulations will leave the skin looking more moist and more radiant. An ultra-matt face is no longer the mantra for the mature woman. Too much face powder can collect like snowdriffs in lines. Some natural shine is a far more flattering option. I get it with vitamin C and Biorica combined. The amount of powder you would need to stop shine could result in a cakey, pastry mask. Rather than using powder over foundation, press tissue over foundation to absorb oil and keep shine to a minimum. Blush can be used in either powder of cream formulations, less powder blush. Apply on just the apple of the cheek, helping to make the complexion appear more youthful. Forget about any form of sculpting or shading. That can really be aging.

Eyebrows are the next challenge. This is not the time to start plucking because as we age, brows not only stop growing, they can actually fall out. Tidy what you have into a shapely line, and use a soft eyebrow powder with a square-tipped brush to fill them out. Use a shade lighter, not darker than your natural color, and no hard lines. Mascara needs to be approached in a similar way — no spiky or congealed lashes, no bright colors. If under-eye circles are a problem, keep the area luminous by skipping mascara on the bottom lashes. And the trick is in applying dark liquid eyeliner at the base of the top lashes. It’s this definition of the lash line that older women need, as it really brings out the eyes.  

As lips tend to shrink with age, liner may be necessary to give added definition, but use a shade that is close to your real lip color and don’t go too far over the natural lip line.

Tingting

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It’s Raining Jackets

Dear Rissa,

The rainy season is here already and I don’t want to look like a drowned rat in the rain. What should I look for in a rain jacket? Can you suggest where to look for stylish jackets?

Sofie G.

To keep you dry from the rainy season, the best rain jackets are those that have waterproof or water-resistant fabric and sealed seams for warmth and comfort. If you need to do a lot of walking or commuting, an attached adjustable hood is a must. Zippered pockets are a necessary detail often overlooked — they serve as good storage to keep your essentials handy and dry. Do check out the women’s jackets of premium apparel brand Gas (stores located at Greenbelt 3, Makati and Edsa Shangri-La Mall). Their nylon zip-up jackets are perfect for the wet weather. Nylon is a very strong but lightweight material. It is difficult to tear or damage, lasts a long time, and often can be machine-washed and dried. Apart from being water-resistant, the jackets feature zippered pockets. You’ll love how the fuchsia and lavender colors are trimmed with fashionable gold hardware.

Virtually wrinkle-resistant, this helps every fashionista like you look your best when you’re running in and out of the rain.

Rissa

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Send e-mail to tingtingcojuangco@yahoo.com, ltg@pldtdsl.com, and stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com.