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15February   {What do you think of this look?}
This week, we headed to NY's fashion week to photograph the style cognoscenti as they brave February's freezing temps. It's not easy to look chic when it's cold outside. Did this FOF succeed?


FOF Terry Gibraltar: "I really don’t like the combination of the jacket and the boots....it should be one or the other. I know it’s hard to look fashionable when it’s below freezing, but she looks like she’s trying too hard!"

-Terry Gibralter is the founder of Bespoke Custom Shopping Tours, carefully-crafted shopping “vacations” and a self-proclaimed, “fashion-obsessed” FOF.
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FOF Susan Grant: “The jacket is begging for simple accessories. A much chicer choice in footwear would be black leather over-the-knee boots along with a large black tote. As worn, the jacket and boots are at war with each other!"

Susan Grant is merchandise manager for Muse, a full-service jewelry showroom.
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FOF Robin Mizrahi: "I see someone who can't decide who she wants to be. The bag has to go! Too green, uptight, and has nothing to do with anything else that she is wearing. The jacket is wonderful, but a bit short. If it were longer and she added a light chiffon scarf, it would take this look away from the ski slopes. I am a fan of these llama-like toasty boots, which elongate the leg, and are warm enough for trekking. And I do love that this woman didn't allow fashion to rule her practical side--being cold is no fun."


Robin Mizrahi is co-owner of Pamela Robbins boutique, buyer, merchandiser and entrepreneur.

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FOF Sherrie Mathieson: "This is the fashion equivalent of overeating--over indulgence on all fronts. Even if her neckline did not reveal her age group--the outfit is not only not age appropriate--it would not be great on any age. She seems like a cast member of one of the "Wives of..." reality shows."

Sherrie Mathieson is a leading style expert and Random House author of Steal this Style and Forever Cool.

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FOF Gail Garramone: "Woah--It's a style tsunami! Way too much of everything except exuberance. Also, the proportions are wrong--the knee-length boots with the short coat evoke hairy spider legs. Warm this look up by cooling it down."
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Gail Garramone is a veteran V.P. of Liz Claiborne Inc. where she traveled around the country with Tim Gunn producing fashion workshops.
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Sandra Soich: "I think the components are all good, but not together. Very nice looking jacket, nice bag, nice boots but not making sense together. Replace the boots with over-the-knee black leather and it all would move."

Sandra Soich is wardrobe stylist to the stars and founder of YourFashionTherapist.com.

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Tell us FOFs: Do you agree with our style experts? What do you think of this outfit?
110 comments   
15February   {Quiz} Which of these WASN’T invented by an FOF?
Eureka! FOFs got it...

We know FOFs are brilliant, but often overlooked are the FOF inventors who changed the way we live. Five of these six genius inventions were created by women over fifty. Can you guess which one WASN’T the brainchild of an FOF?


[QUIZZIN 11]
{Learn the fascinating stories behind these FOF inventions}


In 1934, at the age of 63, Elizabeth Kingsley published the first double-crostic puzzle (a pre-cursor to the crossword puzzle) for the Saturday Review. She went on to write puzzles for the New York Times from 1943 to 1952.
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In 1979, at the age of 64, Rose Totino was granted a patent for the first freezable pizza dough. Inspired by the enormous success of the pizza shop she owned with her husband, Rose formulated the recipe for frozen pizzas that customers could heat and eat at home. She worked with Pilsbury to perfect the crust and later became Pilsbury’s first female corporate vice president. Over 300 million Totino’s pizzas are sold each year.
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In 1985, AZT was patented as a treatment for HIV. Gertrude B. Elion, 77 years old at the time, worked on the drug. Gertrude was a 1988 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. “I had no specific bent toward science until my grandfather died of cancer,” said Gertrude. “I decided nobody should suffer that much.”

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In 1985, a patent was granted to 68-year-old Marion Donovan for DentaLoop, a two-ply dental floss that didn’t have to be wrapped around one’s finger . She thought of the idea while watching her husband struggle with floss each morning. Marion, a prolific inventor, was granted nearly 25 patents over the course of her life, all for household products. She is best known for the waterproof diaper. In a 1975 interview with Barbara Walters, she said she often asked herself, “What do I think will help a lot of people and most certainly will help me?”
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In 1975, a patent for the first life-like prosthetic breast was issued to a woman named Ruth Handler. Ruth was best-known for her invention of the Barbie Doll in the late 1950s and for becoming the CEO of Mattel. She was in her early 40s when the Barbie Doll debuted, but her diagnosis of breast cancer in her 50s prompted her to develop her second great innovation. After her mastectomy, Ruth was frustrated with the options for prosthetic breasts. “The people in this business are men who don’t have to wear these,” said Ruth. She developed, Nearly Me, the first realistic version of a woman’s breast made from foam and silicon. First Lady Betty Ford wore one, and Nearly Me was sold to Kimberly-Clark in 1991.


Source: FuturistSpeaker.com, smithosian.org, Encylopedia Britannica, Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame, about.com, gsk.com, women-inventors.com,  Answers.com
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09February   {Giveaway} Secrets to a breathtaking bod
FOF Rosie Battista is giving away the secrets that transformed her body from this:

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.


Enter to win, by commenting below and answering: What part of your body do you love the most?



As she approached her 50th birthday last year, Rosie Battista experienced a true mid-life crisis:

"I had to sell my house in a bad housing market," writes Rosie on her website. "I had a broken-up relationship, a lost, messy floundering business, topped off with seemingly insurmountable life issues... All of this toxicity evidenced itself in the most obvious symptom of a lifestyle gone awry, an overweight, uncomfortable body."

In an effort to get her groove back, Rosie decided to tackle one long-held goal: Compete in a body-building contest. Over the next four months, she completely transformed her body through an intensive dieting and training program. She lost 35 pounds, toned up and placed 17th in the competition.

"I was the oldest one in the competition and my 19-year-old daughter who trained and competed with me was the youngest," says Rosie. "At 50, I am finally comfortable in my own skin and have the confidence to say it. Confidence enables and entitles me to sleep naked!"

Now, Rosie spends her time spreading the love...teaching others how to love their bodies and enjoy their food. She authored three brilliant books: Sleeping Naked After 40, an e-book which includes Rosie's weight-loss and confidence-boosting lessons, Cooking Naked After 40, a cookbook of the recipes that transformed her body and Mini-Treats, a collection of dessert recipes without refined sugar.


Bonus! Preview one of Rosie's recipes from Mini-Treats by clicking here.
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"I LOVE chocolate, but that doesn't mean I have to eat chocolate bars, candy and sugar-laden layer cakes. It is possible to sweeten your life while reducing the sugar you consume."

Chick Pea Brownies

These are a favorite in my house because they freeze so nicely and actually taste like fudge when you remove them from the freezer. With no white flour and no refined white sugar, these treats are delightful and your whole family will be amazed.

Ingredients
1 bag dark chocolate chips
2 cups of garbanzo beans
2/3 cups of agave nectar
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
Walnuts/almonds (optional)

Instructions
1. Melt chocolate in double boiler
2. Mix beans, agave, baking powder, eggs in a blender and mix in chocolate.
3. Pour in pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

(These keep great in the freezer!)
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Enter to win Rosie's books, Cooking Naked After 40, Sleeping Naked After 40 and Mini-Treats plus a 30-minute phone consultation with her by commenting, below: What part of your body do love most?

(See all our past winners, here.)

(See official rules, here.)


Contest closes February 17, 2011

[Read more about Rosie here]
97 comments   
08February   {Quiz} The Sex Lives of FOFs–Test Your Knowledge!
This past November, we asked FOFs to bare all about their sex lives. Over 200 responded to questions about everything from the last time they had sex to the first time they had an orgasm.

How well do you know the sex lives of our fellow FOFs? Take our quiz and find out.
Then tell us: Were you surprised by the results?



[QUIZZIN 10]

Image via Flickr
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07February   {Dating} Land a date for Valentine’s Day: An FOF video guide
Stop waiting for cupid to find you. FOF dating coach Cheryl Savage puts the bow and arrow in your hands. Watch her foolproof guide to landing a date for Valentine's Day.

The best part? Cheryl shows you how to untangle yourself from any awkward entanglements that may arise. She mistakenly chats up a married man, has an uncomfortable exchange with two total duds, but still ends the night with a few solid date prospects.

You'll want to take notes....
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04February   {Weekly Roundup}
Pretty is as pretty does. FOF pretties, did you read this week's best posts from around the web?


"How do you feel about aging?"

Cluttered bag; cluttered mind

The Old Red Hen

Color yourself fabulous!

The classic white shirt

Oldies but goodies: Copper and Tin

"It is a reading kind of weekend"

Love or hate Helen Mirren's new 'do?

Chocolate crinkle cookies

Not Betty Crocker's aprons

Sugar who? Sugarboo

One of the joys of old age: "You don't have to worry about how you look in a bikini" - Iris Apfel

Until Monday, FOFs.

P.S. Show us your true colors.

Image via Millie Motts
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03February   {Beauty} Ask the Beauty Inventor: Clark Wolfsberger, creator of Beauty Sleep
When we sent BeautySleep to our FOF Beauty Testers, we had no idea if it would work. A beverage that promised to help you sleep better and improve your skin seemed a bit too good to be true. So we were shocked by the unanimously positive reviews. Intrigued, we called Clark Wolfsberger, President of BigQuark, the Missouri-based beverage company that manufactures the supplement to find out exactly how this powerful little potion works.
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How did you come up with BeautySleep?
The three issues boomers are most concerned with are sleep, aging and beauty. We wanted to come up with something that addresses those concerns.

Why is sleep so important?
When you sleep, your body repairs and replenishes itself. Some studies show that if your body doesn't get enough sleep, it produces more cortisol, a hormone that causes you to age faster and gain weight.

Why is sleeping more difficult as we age?
There are many reasons, but one is that, you don't produce as much melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.

How does BeautySleep aid sleep?
It contains melatonin to help set your sleep cycle on course. It also includes chamomile, valerian root, and gava which relax the body and brain.

How does BeautySleep fight aging?
It has antioxidants that protects skin cells. It also includes sensara, a clinically-proven anti-aging ingredient which improves skin hydration, elasticity and lipid content. Lycopene, another ingredient in BeautySleep, is anti-inflammatory. Eliminating inflammation preserves more cell life and there's less damage to the body. Last, it contains vitamin B, which aids circulation and in turn nourishes the skin and pushes toxins out of your system.

Do you use BeautySleep?
Yes. Typically on a Sunday night, if my sleep pattern has been thrown off over the weekend.  I'll drink it to get everything back on track.

Beauty Sleep costs $21.90 for six bottles and is available at Soft Surroundings.com
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02February   {Makeovers} A hilarious duo gets a serious beauty do-over from Soft Surroundings

FOFs Janet Prensky and Anne-Marie Aigner have been best friends since Anne-Marie was Janet’s voice teacher at Emerson College. Over the years they've shared a radio talk show in Boston and a flourishing marketing agency, Aigner/Prensky Group.


In 2009 they launched “The Boomer Broads,” a hilarious web-based talk show "for and about grown-up women!"


To help them get camera-ready, FOF teamed up with Soft Surroundings and gave the sassy, brassy, hilarious duo... a serious beauty do-over.


Farukh Shakeel, Soft Surroundings makeup artist extraordinaire, came armed with her bag of foolproof flaw-fixers from Sue Devitt. "Sue Devitt products are particularly fantastic for FOFs," says Farukh. "They provide great hydration and contain nylon 12, an ingredient that bends and moves with the skin so the product won't settle in lines and creases."



Flaw: Wrinkles and deep lines from spending summers on Cape Cod.
Fixer: "Microquatic Anti-Aging Primer (1) fills in pores and wrinkles so the makeup doesn’t set into fine lines," says Farukh. "Primer is the most important product for FOFs.”
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Flaw: Redness around the cheeks and nose.
Fixer: "Ruddiness can become more pronounced after fifty," ” says Farukh. 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation in 'Tanami' (2) covers the redness in Janet's nose and cheeks, but it's very light--70% water--so it won't look heavy."
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Flaw: Pale, "unfinished" lips.
Fixer: "Balanced Sheer Lipstick in 'Villefranche' (3) is a beautiful, pinky-nude that’s not at all overpowering,” says Farukh. "It gives a slight bit of color, so her lips don't overwhelm."
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Flaw: Sparse eyelashes.
Fixer: "Lash Intensifier Treatment and Lengthening Mascara (4) makes Janet look awake and alive. It brings so much definition to her eyes. And if she uses the conditioning treatment every night, she should see significantly longer lashes in a few weeks."
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*All products listed are from the Sue Devitt Cosmetics line available online at Soft Surroundings or Soft Surroundings retail stores. Call 1-800-240-7076 for more information about products not available online.





Flaw: Dark under-eye circles
Fixer: Bermuda Triangle Undereye Corrector (1) works universally on all skin tones," says Farukh. "The peach undertones camouflage the blue-green of dark circles. It has orchid extract which helps hydrate the under-eye area and fight free radicals. It starts off very creamy and works down to a powdery finish."
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Flaw: Too much mascara and overly lined eyes.
Fixer: "Anne-Marie shouldn't use mascara on the bottom lash because that creates a younger, doe-eyed look," says Farukh. "When all the mascara is on the top lashes, the eyes appear lifted. The Eye Intensifier Pencil in 'Ava' (2) goes on creamy so it doesn't create a hard line around the eye, and the deep purple shade brings out the green specks in Anne-Marie's eyes."
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Flaw: Uneven lip color
Fixer: Ann-Marie's lip line looks heavy, and too dark for the inside of her lip. "Long-Lasting Lip Liner Pencil in 'Safi' is creamy, not hard, when applied, so it won't create a hard line and it won't feather and bleed. Use it to fill in the lip--not just to line." says Farukh. "Balanced Sheer Lipstick in 'Hollywood' (3) is a dusty-rose, perfect to match the pencil and finish the look."
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Flaw: A dull winter complexion
Fixer: "Triple Touch Light Reflecting Bronzer in 'Beausoleil' (4) has graduated color, from light to dark, to prevent a flat, streaky tone. Just brush it lightly over your t-zone--where the sun hits--to liven dull winter skin."
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**All products listed are from the Sue Devitt Cosmetics line available online at Soft Surroundings or Soft Surroundings retail stores. Call 1-800-240-7076 for more information about products not available online.



You can watch the Boomer Broads makeover, with all their commentary, here.

“She did a great job,” says Janet. “I like it, and I didn’t think I would. Now I’m going to have to go home and keep playing the video back so that I can replicate it.”

“This is the first time anyone has done my makeup. Isn’t it every woman’s dream?” says Anne-Marie. “Farukh from Soft Surroundings is a miracle worker. Now, she’s going to have to come home with us.”

"Hot dates tonight ladies?" We asked the pair. "Umm...Is American Idol on?" jokes Anne-Marie.

Images by Katherine McPherson for FabOverFifty.com
6 comments   
02February   {Giveaway} Win a custom color beauty system from Jill Kirsh “guru of hue”
FOF Jill Kirsh, "Hollywood's guru of hue," is giving away her foolproof custom color system, worth over $240. It includes her ultimate makeup kit, a patented swatch book to take with you when you shop and an on-the-go mini compact. To enter, visit Jill's page at Soft Surroundings to determine which of Jill's color collections is right for you. Then tell us in the comments below!

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.


You may love the color baby blue, but does baby blue love you?

"Before Jill Kirsh came to the FOF offices to explain her color system, avocado was the last color I would have ever worn," says FOF Founder, Geri Brin. "After she left, I literally ran to H&M to buy an avocado shirt."

Jill's system is based on a simple concept: your most flattering shades are dictated by your hair. "It's not your skin color," says Jill. "Your hair is what frames your face."

She breaks us into four hair color categories: deep brunettes, warm blondes, ash blondes/greys, golden browns/redheads. Each category corresponds to a palette of 30 colors you can wear, either alone or in combination, and to a complete set of makeup.

For example, Geri's hair color type--golden brown/redhead--looks best in these these colors:


Of course, "there's no law that says, you can't wear other colors," says Jill, but she promises that these colors look best.



Since her color consultation with Jill, Geri takes her treasured swatch book everywhere. "She even takes it to Starbucks," says her sister, Shelley.


Enter to win Jill's complete color system by visiting her page on Soft Surroundings to determine which of the four hair color categories fits you best. Then tell us which one you are in the comments below!

(See all our past winners, here.)

(See official rules, here.)


Contest closes February 10, 2011

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

[Read more about Jill, here]
289 comments   
01February   {Makeovers} 4 unbelievable celeb color makeovers!
According to FOF Jill Kirsh, "Hollywood's guru of hue," any FOF can look younger, thinner and more radiant, with just a little bit of color intervention. Her clever system is based on hair color, and includes makeup kits and a portable booklet of fabric swatches to help you identify your best colors.

We were intrigued, but skeptical. What about skin tone or eye color? "No, no" says Jill. "The hair rules the day."

"We'll believe it when we see it," we said, and put Jill to the test.

The challenge: Take 4 FOF celebs and tell us, were their Golden Globes dresses a hits or misses? If it was a hit, show us why. If it was a miss, work your color magic and help that star shine.

The results: Ta-da! 4 show-stopping color transformations.


She missed. "The warm champagne tone of the dress that Helen wore to the Golden Globes takes away from her silver hair and drags her down. Icy blue would have been a better choice for her. It lifts the attention up to her face and makes her look more vibrant."



She hit...sort of. "Black is great, it's basic and we all love it," says Jill. "The black dress Melissa Leo wore to the Golden Globes works. But, eggplant should really be her new black. The eggplant dress brings out the warmth of her face and auburn hair."



She hit. "Catherine Zeta Jones nailed it with the forest green dress she wore to the Golden Globes," says Jill. "Since she's a deep brunette, she really pops in forest green. If the dress were a different shade, such as olive, she would fade right into it."



She hit. The marigold that Kyra Sedgwick picked for the Golden Globes was a great choice for her warm blond hair coloring. She looks vibrant and alive," says Jill. A taupe would have grayed her out and made her look older."


[Enter to win one of Jill's complete color kits, here.]


Images via American Superstar Mag
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