{Giveaway} An FOFoolproof scarf from Liscaro

Lisa Devereaux of Liscaro is giving away one of her FOFuss-free scarves. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: What is your favorite way to wear a scarf?

In 1987, when FOF Lisa Devereaux was a young commercial production assistant, she came across an idea that stuck with her. “A company had produced a square scarf with a slit on the end of it, so you could pull it through and not have to fuss with tying it,” said Lisa.

Years later, remembering what she had seen, Lisa sewed something similar for her grandmother, who had arthritis. “She’d always wore scarves, but was having a hard time [tying them]. I made it less square so it had a softer look and added elastic to the hole.”

Lisa showed her prototype to a few store owners in the Dallas area who put in orders right away. She brought it before QVC reps who ordered 5,000 on the spot. Shortly after, in 2010, Lisa put her interior design business on hold, hired a seamstress to help her, and began working full time on Liscaro, the new name for her scarf business. “I had a waiting list of clients for interior decorating, but I farmed them out to other decorators and make this my sole focus.”

“All you do is thread it through,” is the catchphrase for Lisa’s FOFuss-free scarves, which have an elasticized “eye” at the end for easy tying. (Watch this great video tutorial, where Lisa demonstrates all the ways to wear them.) The scarves come in silk and silk-blend, but primarily polyester, which Lisa says is wrinkle-free, good for traveling and washes well.

Lisa is already hard at work on her next product: the Riviera Wrap. “It has the same elasticized eye, and you can wear it as a cape, pareo, sarong, shawl, dress and a shirt,” she says. “Everything I create has more than one use. Lisa tells us something she hears over and over when people see her scarves is…’why didn’t I think of this?’…begging the question…why didn’t we think of this?

Enter to win an FOFuss-free scarf from Lisa Devereaux of Liscaro by answering in the comments below: What is your favorite way to wear a scarf?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

One FOF will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes January 26, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.

Can’t wait to find out if you won? FOFs receive 30% off all orders of Liscaro scarves when you enter “FOF” at checkout.

{Giveaway} A festive bag by Betty Audish

Betty Audish is giving away two of her “quintessential holiday” handbags–a bronze, leather clutch and a gold evening bag with a bow. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Are you the kinda gal who thinks wearing bows is a go–or a “no?”

In 2001, fashion buyer Betty Audish’s mother passed away. The event made Betty realize just how precious life is, and she decided she couldn’t waste any more time before tackling her lifelong dream–designing her own handbag line. That year, Betty Audish handbags was born.

The first bags in her collection were luncheon-style, in honor of her mother. “My mom was very classic and carried small luncheon bags like the ones in Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” says Betty. “She always had trouble finding them, which made me realize there was a real whole in the market.”

Since then, Betty’s line has expanded to bags of all styles–day bags, totes, evening bags and clutches. In 2006 she introduced bags made with exotic skins–now her bestsellers. “Python is the new black,” says Betty, who manufactures bags in 19 colors of python and 13 colors of crocodile.

Betty’s warehouse and company headquarters is in Pearland, Texas, but her bags are sold in high-end specialty stores across the country. Betty’s bags were recently feature in Houston magazine and chosen as the “Item of the Day” in  Accessories Magazine who called them “timeless pull-it-out-in-10-years-and-it’s-still-as-amazing bags.”

To find a retailer of Betty Audish bags in your area or order one of the bags featured above (ships nationwide) call: 281-300-3202.


Enter to win one of two leather bags by
Betty Audish by answering in the comments below: Are you the kinda gal who thinks wearing bows is a go–or a “no?”

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

Two FOFs will win.(See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes December 29, 2011 at midnight E.S.T.

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{Giveaway} A 30-minute horoscope reading and an astrological scarf

Win a 30-minute horoscope reading with bestselling author and astrologer, FOF Joanna Martine Woolfolk, plus her gorgeous Hermes-inspired astrological scarf. One FOF will win this grand prize. Twelve FOFs will win one of Joanna’s new Sun Signs books, which tell you all about your zodiac sign. To enter, comment below and answer: What is your zodiac sign?

As a young girl, FOF Joanna Martine Woolfolk wanted to be an astronomer or an actress. She didn’t end up a star in the traditional sense, but she certainly spends a lot of time studying them. “My love for astronomy translated into a career in astrology,” says Joanna. “What the stars and planets have to say about us, our relationships and how we react to life’s events is much more interesting to me then figuring out where to find Jupiter in the sky.”Joanna has been practicing astrology for over forty years. She’s written multiple books on the topic, including The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need, a 20-year bestseller, and Sexual Astrology, now in it’s 50th printing in the U.S., where it has sold over a million copies. She’s been interviewed by Barbara Walters, Regis Philbin and Sally Jessy Raphael.

Joanna is also a contributing editor for Marie Claire where she has written the monthly horoscope column for eight years. But astrology isn’t just for teenagers who want to know the fate of their crushes, she insists. Here, she explains how FOFs can find answers by looking to the stars….

What got you into astrology?
I was interested in the stars and the planets since I was young. As an adult, I began to study astrology on my own. I started doing an astrology column in the 70s for Viva, Bob Guccione’s [publisher of Penthouse] magazine for women, and things took off from there. I enrolled in the American Federation of Astrologers program to become certified. It was sort of a long, circuitous route, but when you talk to women over 50, that’s what our lives are. We’ve taken this side path or married this man and even in our careers, very few of us start out at the age of 15 and say I’m going to be a brain surgeon and then continue on that path.

Very true. Do you think being a Libra has affected your destiny?
I believe our lives play out in the way they were destined to, but, within that we have choices. As I said before, I know a lot of women over 50 who have taken many different side paths. Our destiny is two-fold–it arrives, and then we make a choice. Your choices are based on what you need and who you are.

How is our zodiac sign determined?
Your astrological sign is the sign in the zodiac that the sun was traveling through at the time of your birth. Our zodiac is divided into 12 signs (i.e. Aries, Taurus, Gemini) and the sun spends approximately one month in each sign.

What’s the correct terminology–sun sign or zodiac sign?
In astrology, it is called your ‘sun sign,’ but in ordinary conversation is usually referred to as just your ‘sign’ or ‘zodiac sign.’ However, everyone is born with a whole chart. The moon was somewhere when you were born; Venus was somewhere, and Mars, etc. Your sun sign (the position of the sun when you were born) represents what Freud would call the Ego — your role in life and your drive. Your moon sign (the position of the moon when you were born), represents the Id, your inner life, secrets and longings. The ascendant, or the rising sign, is what Freud would call your super-ego or how you want the world to see you.

How can an FOF find out where the sun, the moon and the planets were when she was born?
My book, The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need, covers everything–your sun sign, your moon sign, your ascendant, where the planets were when you were born. It goes through piece by piece so you can create an entire chart.

What else are you working on?

I’ve just come out with my new Sun Signs series, one book for each sign of the Zodiac.

Tell me about your beautiful astrology scarves.
Years ago I saw a fabulous Hermes scarf based around the ’12 Days of Christmas.’ I thought ‘what a wonderful idea.’ I worked with an artist on a design for a scarf based around the sun signs.

Is astrology a viable career for someone over 50?
Yes. I would say the person would have to be interested in psychology–what makes people tick–that is key. If they wanted to write an astrology column, it’s not as easy. There aren’t that many magazines that need a horoscope columnist. It’s about as competitive as breaking into show business.

Are there astrology skeptics? What do you say to them?
People who say astrology is a bunch of whatever–that’s fine. I’ve noticed that many of them still read their horoscopes. What’s fascinating about astrology is it’s about you, and as human beings we find that irresistible.

What can we expect for next year?
Saturn is the great disciplinarian of astrology. It represents your lessons, hardships, your struggles, and, in the end, the reward you get for putting in that kind of work. Next year Saturn is going to move out of Libra and into Scorpio, so I can say the struggle that Saturn has been bringing to each of our lives is going to culminate early in the year and will be finished with by autumn. If we are wise, we will learn from what we have been through and move into the next cycle with greater knowledge. Jupiter, the planet of abundance and expansion, has recently entered Taurus, the sign of getting and gaining. Depending on an individual’s chart, this may mean gaining financially or in learning or expertise.  It may mean one experiences an addition to the family (such as a new child), or even the gain of weight!

Enter to win a a 30-minute horoscope reading with bestselling author and astrologer, FOF Joanna Martine Woolfolk, plus her gorgeous Hermes-inspired astrological scarf. One FOF will win this grand prize. Twelve FOFs will win one of Joanna’s new Sun Signs books, which tell you all about your zodiac sign. Leave a comment below to enter.

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

One FOF will win.
(See all our past winners, here.)
(See official rules, here.)
Contest closes December 22, 2011 at midnight E.S.T.

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{Giveaway} Jouany Perfumes

Christophe Jouany is giving away two his Jouany Perfumes, inspired by exotic travel destinations ($125 each). One FOF will win “Marrakech,” the other will win “St. Barthélemy. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Which fragrance would you most want to try?

If you’re looking for a fragrance that drives FOF men crazy–who better to ask than an FOF man? “I was in touch with my sense of smell since I was young,” says Christophe Jouany, the FOF perfumer behind Jouany Fragrances, a collection that launched this fall at Henri Bendel and is already turning heads…er…noses.

Christophe spent most his life as a fashion photographer, snapping shots for Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire and Glamour. (He was even the official photographer for the royal family of Jordan.) A few years ago, while on a photo shoot in Miami, Christophe wandered into a store that sold essential oils. “I was like a kid in a candy store,” he says.

Right then and there, Christophe created the prototype of his first scent. “Everyone kept asking me what it was and where they could get it–even my cab driver,” he says. A long-time perfumer friend confirmed the scent was extremely well structured, and Christophe got to work manufacturing it for mass market. “It was like building a machine engine,” he says. “So many moving parts.” The biggest obstacle, according to Christophe, was finding an inexpensive source for essential oils. “When you use essential oils in a fragrances, it’s like the difference between an expensive wine and a cheap wine,” he says.

Christophe believes that the sense of smell is the most underrated. “When people come back from a trip, they talk about what they did, but not the smell of the air,” he says. Christophe’s collection aims to bottle the “scent memories,” a person has when they visit exotic destinations. He is creating one scent per city and started with St. Barthélemy, his hometown. “It’s a very hippie-chic place, so I used Jasmine and Patchouli for that one,” he says. “In my second fragrance, Marrakech, I used orange blossom. Marrakech is the biggest producer of oranges.”

Christophe presented his line at Sniffapalooza, a major perfume industry event, this past April. A Henri Bendel buyer got a whiff of it, and before Christophe knew it, his perfumes were being stocked in their store. “Henri Bendel is very chichi and they only carry about ten fragrance lines. They thought mine was beautiful enough in presentation and in smell to carry at their store.”

Enter to win one of two Jouany Perfumes by answering in the comments below: Which fragrance would you most want to try–“Marrakech” or St. Barthélemy?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

Two FOFs will win.

(See all our past winners, here.)
(See official rules, here.)

Contest closes December 8, 2011 at midnight E.S.T.

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{Giveaway} Win a custom, embroidered locket

Jennifer Shingelo is giving away a locket embroidered with a letter of your choice from her Etsy shop, Stella Saves the Day. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Whose picture would you keep in a locket?

Lockets, all the rage during the Victorian era, haven’t quite fallen out of style, but they’ve fallen out of style. Let us explain. A recent search for “locket” on Google, turned up a most uninspiring collection of trinkets. That is, until we found Jennifer Shingelo’s Etsy shop, Stella Saves the Day. After we stopped oohing and ahhing of the hand-stitched designs, we wondered just who is Stella? And how does Jennifer craft these gorgeous, one-of-a-kind pieces?

Her collection is named after her great grandmother, Stella. Jenn was inspired to create lockets after years of adoring her grandmother’s jewelry box. “I opened my Etsy shop in 2009 and sold my first piece in 2011,” says Jenn, a trained sculptor. “In sculpting, you also make items that hold memory. I did that for a ten years but wanted to do something where I’d be interacting with people more. This business has been very touching and personal.” Jenn says her customers often share their personal stories. “A man just sent me pictures of his baby twin sons,” she says. “He wants them represented by two embroidered acorns in a locket for his wife.”

An advisor at the Pratt Institute of Design by day, Jennifer crafts the jewelry in her Brooklyn kitchen at night. (“Some day I’ll have a studio,” she says.) Her lockets are sourced from a small, father-daughter owned company in New England (“I actually have to pick up the phone and call them to place orders!” she says.) Jenn hand-embroiders inserts for the lockets using patterns she finds in antique Victorian books about locket making. “For me, it’s all about the history,” she explains.

Enter to win a locket embroidered with a letter of your choice by answering in the comments below: Whose picture would you keep in a locket?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

One FOF will win.

(See all our past winners, here.)
(See official rules, here.)

Contest closes December 1, 2011 at midnight E.S.T.

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{Giveaway} Carmen Marc Valvo Glasses

Carmen Marc Valvo is giving away glasses to four lucky FOFs. The winners can choose any pair of optical or sunglasses from this season’s line. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Do you have good eyesight?

How has a 40-something male fashion designer become the go-to eyewear designer for FOF women? Just ask Carmen Marc Valvo. From the day he launched his line, in 1989, his designs have been a hit with FOFs, including Iman, Oprah, Jessica Lange and Kim Catrall. Perhaps it’s because Valvo got his start as a ready-to-wear designer for Nina Ricci, who started her wildly successful clothing line at age 49.
Carmen also knows what FOFs want, because he surrounds himself with them–Vanessa Williams is a long-time friend who he partnered with in 2008 on a public service campaign about the importance of colorectal cancer screenings (he was diagnosed with the disease in 2003). In 2005 he joined Katie Couric and the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) for the Be Seen, Be Screened campaign.
Valvo launched his eyewear collection in 2007, with an emphasis on glasses that transition from day to evening. “I wear and work with the brand because it fits my lifestyle,” says FOF Renee Edelstein, Western Regional Sales Director for the company. “I can go from casual to formal and my eyewear works for both.”
To find a retailer of Carmen Marc Valvo eyewear in your area, visit www.SigEye.com.

Enter to win glasses from Carmen Marc Valvo by answering in the comments below: Do you have good eyesight?

Four FOFs will win. The winners can choose ANY pair of optical or sunglasses from this season’s line.

(See all our past winners, here.)
(See official rules, here.)

Contest closes November 17, 2011 at midnight E.S.T.

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

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{Giveaway} W.H. Petronela python-skin wallet worth $200

FOFs Peggy Patterson and Judy Vojtech are giving away this stunning python-skin wallet from W.H. Petronela. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Have you ever lost your wallet?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

Two Cleveland-based FOFriends, Peggy Patterson and Judy Vojtech, started a non-profit called H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Everyday) in 2008 with the mission of giving support to 18-22 year olds coming out of social services or the juvenile justice system. “Peggy and I were never blessed with kids, so our hearts were set on helping children. There’s one girl I’ve taken in as my ‘pretend daughter.’ She was born a heroin addict and she recently told me she finally realizes she has to be the one to take the stop and will do whatever it takes. It’s been very rewarding.”

Peggy and Judy ran the non-profit for a year, powered by their own money and some outside donations, but soon realized they needed to come up with other ways of fund-raising to truly fulfill their mission. “It’s tough to always count on family and friends for donations. We really need to do something,” says Judy.

In 2009, Peggy and Judy launched W.H. Petronela, a handbag label featuring timeless leather bags and accessories made from exotic skins. Peggy had always been an avid handbag collector, and Judy graduated from L.I.M. fashion school in New York.

They decided initially 10% of the profits from the handbags will support H.O.P.E., and they will up the percentage as they grow.

And my, are they growing! Last year their handbags were ‘discovered’ at a Henri Bendel open call for new designers. “We stood on line for three hours in the freezing cold and everyone was getting rejected,” says Judy. “Then, when they saw ours, they asked us to do a trunk show. They liked the price point, the impeccable quality and the real exotic skins we use such as crocodile, sting ray, python, lizard and ostrich.”

Since the trunk show at Bendel’s, they’ve received international orders, a boom in business and even got the opportunity to display their bags in the window at the Henri Bendel store on Fifth Avenue. “They said it was the highest grossing sales from a window display they’ve ever had,” said Judy.

“The bigger we get, the more we’d be able to donate to H.O.P.E.” she says. Doesn’t this story just tug on your purse-…er…heartstrings?

Enter to win a stunning python-skin wallet from W.H. Petronela by answering in the comments below: Have you ever lost your wallet?

(See all our past winners, here.)
(See official rules, here.)

Contest closes November 10, 2011 at midnight E.S.T.

{Giveaway} Shabby Chic accent table worth $180

FOF Rachel Ashwell is giving away a Shabby Chic® distressed hand painted accent table from her new QVC ‘Treasures’ line launching October 26th. To enter, tell us in the comments below: What is your decorating style?

Shabby Chic® Queen Rachel Ashwell is at it again! Her new line, “Treasures by Shabby Chic® for QVC” inspired by her favorite flea market finds, launches next week.

Known for her deliberately distressed, mismatched and imperfect furniture, bedding and fabrics, Rachel got her start as a Hollywood movie set designer and stylist more than twenty years ago.

In 1989, Rachel dreamed of opening a small shop where she could sell “pretty things,” without spending much time away from her children. Her first shop in Santa Monica, California, became the cornerstone of her “Shabby Chic” empire. Today her products and textiles can be found in Target, Michaels, and most recently QVC, and the term Shabby Chic®, is used to refer to an entire style of decorating. Rachel has written half a dozen books on decorating in her Shabby Chic® style.

‘Treasure” hunting is in Rachel’s blood. Her mother was a restorer and seller of antique dolls, and her father was a rare book dealer. They introduced Rachel to flea markets and antique stores at a young age. Her all-time favorite finds were the inspiration for her newest collection and book, Shabby Chic Inspirations and Beautiful Spaces.

Enter to win a shabby chic accent table from Rachel Ashwell’s new “Treasures” collection for QVC by telling us in the comments below: What is you decorating style?

(See all our past winners. See official rules. See QVC’s official rules. One winner is chosen at random from all those commenters who answer the question. Contest closes October 27, 2011.)

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

{Giveaway} Instant Breast Lifts by Bring It Up

20 FOFs will get to test Instant Breast Lifts by Bring It Up. To enter, answer in the comments below: Has your cup size changed over the years?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.


Newton said “what goes up, must come down,” and unfortunately, our FOF breasts are certainly no exception.

However, Denise Cooper, the genius behind Bring It Up Instant Breast Lifts won’t give in to gravity. A Los Angeles-based luxury salon owner, Denise listened to her female clients complain about their own sagging breasts for over twenty years — and was downright tired of it.

In 2001 she invented her Instant Breast Lifts, crescent-moon shaped, transparent, waterproof and hypoallergenic adhesives that work by lifting the breasts from the top.

“[The] product is a true beauty breakthrough,” says Denise. “Our ‘lift from the top’ method provides full support, without a bra.”

Since Denise introduced the product, they’ve been featured everywhere from Glamour and The Rachael Ray Show to that “best things” bible, O magazine. In 2009 Denise was awarded a U.S. patent for Bring It Up’s “method of lifting and supporting human breast tissue.”

The company claims the lifters can raise breasts up to six inches. Could it be true? Twenty FOFs will get to put this product to the test, then report back.

Enter to test Instant Breast Lifts by Bring It Up. 20 FOFs will win. To enter, answer in the comments below: Has your cup size changed over the years?

Can’t wait to find out if you’ve won? Need this product ASAP!? Bring it Up is offering a special discount to FOFs on Instant Breast Lifts and their other beauty fixers, this month only. Enter code FAB50 at checkout to receive $10 off your purchase of $25 or more.

(See all our past winners. See official rules. One winner is chosen at random from all those commenters who answer the question. Contest closes October 18, 2011.)

{Giveaway} Hand-painted scarves in your most flattering shades

FOF color guru Jill Kirsh is giving away a hand-painted scarf in your most flattering colors. To enter, tell us in the comments below: Which of Jill’s color categories is right for you?


Jill Kirsh is known as Hollywood’s “Guru of Hue,” because she finds people’s most flattering shades. Her color matching system has been featured in InStyle, Woman’s World, The Los Angeles Times and dozens of other publications and television shows.

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:

Each category corresponds to a palette of 30 colors you can wear, either alone or in combination.

Recently, Jill teamed up with friend and artist Chel and created hand-painted, one-of-a-kind, silk scarves to match each of her four color categories. Previously only available to her private clientele, the scarves debuted on Jill’s website this fall and at the FabOverFifty Beauty Bash, where they quickly sold out. “Each scarf is an explosion of color that will rock any outfit,” says Jill.

Enter to win one of Jill’s hand-painted scarves by telling us in the comments below: Which of Jill’s four color categories suits you best? (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes October 13, 2011

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.