Author: Holly

Resale MCommerce: Who Sets the Price?

Posted on by Holly

As the earth becomes more polluted and our society continues its “disposable” mentality, there are some of us who actually prefer resale items. Antiques, after all, enliven a room by bringing provenance (proof of a previous life and history). Historic houses, aside from being carefully built not just thrown together in a month, also enhance our lives by storing memories of previous owners. The same can be said for gently worn women’s clothing, bags, and shoes.

Getting the younger generations to think quality over quantity when cheaply made imports reign is a difficult task. After all, better materials = higher quality = higher price tags! Everyone may want a designer item, but not everyone can afford the item. Enter the resale market.

The Internet now has a plethora of sites dedicated to resale ecommerce. The mobile (not to be left out of anything), now has dozens of apps catering specifically to mCommerce resale. These sites all have their pros and cons, but I chose Poshmark. Granted, my decision was partially based on the fact that they were mobile-first and the first successful mash-up of mCommerce and social. The tougher decision was ahead as I started sorting my closets – keep, sell, donate! In the end, I decided to sell my everyday, trendy items alongside my designer pieces. I’ve spent my entire life collecting (yes, I said collecting) my items, learning designers and fabrics, searching out new designers, coveting antique pieces to be transformed, and ended up with items I’ve never worn or worn just a few times – remember, I used the word closets!!

So, it’s time to sell. These beauties, and their everyday counterparts, need to be loved and worn. How much are they each worth? Who sets the standard for pricing in a relatively newly enlarged market of resale? WE DO! Anything is only worth what someone will pay for it! For decades, eBay has set the standard of pPoshmark Logorice on just about anything. Those days are over!!! Poshers (as we Poshmark users are called) upload enough merchandise to fill Nordstrom’s every two weeks. Thus, I say we set the pricing on resale items. If we acted together as a community, as a driving force, we definitely could become the guideline standard against which other sites (including eBay) would price THEIR items. In other words, don’t overprice but just as importantly, don’t underprice. Everyone loves to score a great item at an inexpensive price, but mark it too low and everyone will question the quality. Mark it too high and no one will even look. Remember, we are not just selling to each other. We are setting THE standard.

I mentioned antiques before. Let’s have an example: a riding crop with provenance that it was carried by George Washington may be valued at $10K. It may sell at auction at $5K or $15K – depending on what someone was willing to pay. Now, let’s use that example in clothing. A sweater from Old Navy was $35 new, so it’s not worth $35 if it has ever been worn. It’s also not worth only $5. Opposite end of the spectrum: a Chanel bag exclusively made for Neiman Marcus (read that as “collectors’ piece”) was $6,000 new. Even if you used it once or twice and it’s still in brand new condition with COA, box and sleeper, that bag is worth more than $6,000. It won’t fly out of your hands at that price, but don’t undervalue just for a quick sell. Everything is worth what someone will pay, but there is a buyer for everything.

Value and price are often misunderstood terms. Every selling site has guidelines, but I say use our own judgment. If you’re a fellow Posher, use Poshmark to research price. Again, if we act as a community, we can OWN the resale pricing. We are not competing with each other – we are competing with other apps to set the standards.

Out With the New, In With the Old

Posted on by Holly

Regarding women’s clothes and accessories, when you hear the word “vintage” do you instantly think frumpy, out-dated pieces or are you the kind of woman who jerks her head so quickly to look that you nearly strain your neck?? If you’re a vintage lover, you know it!!!

Vintage black frame bag, brocade shoes, belt, & necklace dress up a current Juicy Couture sweater dress.

Vintage black frame bag, brocade shoes, belt, & necklace dress up a current Juicy Couture sweater dress.

For informational purposes, clothing is considered vintage if it’s ten years or older, semi-antique at fifty, and antique at 100. If you love vintage, this is for you. If you think you don’t, read on and maybe I’ll convince you to at least give it a try!

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Vintage bow tie blouse (now called pussy bow) with current BCBGMaxAzria blazer & white skirt for a day in the country.

In a world now overcrowded with mass produced, look-alike, not well made, everyone’s wearing it pieces, vintage is definitely a way to embrace and showcase your individual style. Admittedly, I seek out new designers to have their first or second year lines. If you’re not attending Fashion Week somewhere, a great source for discovering new designers is www.ofakind.com. Also, I do rush to Neiman’s to get my new Chanel bag when the yearly line is introduced – again, these are unique, limited edition pieces. Aside from that, and a few long-standing classic designers, vintage is dear to my heart.

Why? Firstly, they are unique as not many survive because they’re usually donated or just thrown out – pause for gasp!! Secondly, they’re usually very well made with hand stitching, hand sewn beading or appliqués, etc. and usually made in Paris, Milan, London, or the USA. Thirdly, what goes around comes around isn’t just about karmic retribution – it applies to clothing as well. Harper’s Bazaar just released, via email, a tribute to the seventies featuring patterned & print dresses. Several of the designers at this week’s NYFW gave their own nod to the sixties or seventies. Tribute, or just reminding us that fashion, like life, is cyclical?

Vintage pieces can readily be found if you know where to look. I sell, and have bought, many vintage pieces at Poshmark.com (check out my selections at poshmark.com/closet/vacat) – necessary self promotion and extra kudos that mine are one-owner pieces – St. John, Escada, Halston (not Halston Heritage), Valentino, Mackie, and many much less known designer pieces from the seventies and eighties. Also, never underestimate the value of your local consignment stores and estate sales. When mother or grandmother dies, their clothing is usually donated unless there’s a fashionista in the family to save them.

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Frumpy – yes, but with some styling……

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Ordinary “Mom” dress, but……..

Here’s a quick example of how to make vintage your new friend. A twenty-something year old friend of mine wanted something different to wear to a wedding. I asked her about trying a vintage trendy mix and she almost fainted!! I brought out a cornflower blue semi-sheer duster from the seventies. She thought it a bit frumpy. Vintage 7Fast forward to getting her to try it on. Ok, it actually wasn’t that fast! Then I added a belt, bag, and shoes in varying shades of orange. Happy face!! Vintage 6Now that’s how to work vintage into your modern wardrobe. Vintage pieces are always classic, always timeless. Trends come and go, but quality stays. Merge the two and you’ve got a look that will keep people asking, “where did you get your outfit?”

M-commerce & Social is Successful! Do We Really Want It?

Posted on by Holly

The country, if not the world, is gleaming with pride as the mash-up of m-commerce with a social aspect is not only succeeding, but thriving. Let’s pull the reins in here just a few minutes and give this some thought. Do we really want it? Can it last?

A quick knee jerk response is – of course we want it, why wouldn’t we! I’ve been doing some insider research on four different sites for the past sixteen months and I’ll disclose my findings. This is my personal opinion based on my personal findings – read that as: I’m not faulting or glorifying any site, this is research!

I’m surrounded by people who invent things. People who are constantly having their visions put into actions, their actions turned into products, their products patented and released. I’m the psych person on the other end reminding them that one fact need always be taken into consideration with any tech invention – think of the very worst case use of this and find a way to keep it from happening BEFORE you release it into the world!

Remember (some of you are probably too young) when everyone was so excited that the iPhone6_34FL_3-Color-Spaced_Homescreen-PRINT_edited-1mobile phone was going cellular? A mobile that would sync automatically into any cell it passed. Fast forward to an increase in auto accidents. Remember the initial concept of texting? Ok, that pays my mortgage, but again an increase in auto accidents and what physical therapists refer to as “texting syndrome” – wrist and hand disorders when used incorrectly! Let’s move on to the built-in camera. Spiffing invention until some morons decided that taking pics of women in changing rooms and gyms (and posting the pics online) without their knowledge or consent was a good idea. The country went crazy, albeit for a short period of time, and demanded that the subject somehow be made aware that the pic was being taken. That never happened! I’ve just skimmed the surface of the mobile industry here, but that’s my focal point. Of course any object used incorrectly, or in the wrong hands, can be damning if not deadly. I’ve got fourteen inch chef’s knives and a .38 that could be used as examples too. Think it through…….always take it to its logical, even absurd conclusion.

Now, we are all extremely excited about the successful mash-up of m-commerce and social. The ability to sell items on our mobile devices and chat with the prospective buyer. Again, spiffing idea. However, it begs the question, “how’s that working for ya?”

In my opinion, anytime social is added to anything virtual you’ve just mixed a Molotov cocktail without knowing it. Social in the virtual world is actually not that “social.” Alter-egos and evil twins emerge since “hey, it’s not personal. I’m never going to even meet you.” Social is a double-edged sword. You get the good, but you must accept the bad too. That mentality eludes me. Normal humans are capable of carrying on complete conversations without any name calling, negative comments about appearances, degrading racial references, or physical threats. However, in a virtual world the very same people develop “on-line courage,” as its called. Courage, it is not. It is common, ill-mannered, bullying behavior normally relegated to the sophomoric behavior of teenagers. How much of this type of behavior will real humans tolerate before giving it up on the social selling concept completely? How many personal (yes, it’s personal when your appearance, gender, or race is attacked) jibes would you take without being allowed to respond? Would you take those jibes in person? No? Then why take them online??
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Of course, in any selling venue there will be snippy comments regarding price. Fine, go somewhere else. If I’m in Neiman’s and I don’t like the price, I’m perfectly free to step down to Nordstrom or Saks. That being said, now imagine you’re selling in a social environment where written comment is highly encouraged and jibes allowed. Now, remember you’re not allowed to respond or delete the rude, sometimes vulgar, comments. There’s the sharp edge of the mash-up – the spinach you must eat in order to get your pudding.

The pudding does exist. People swoon over the items you’re selling; refer their friends; announce engagements, births, adoptions, birthdays; share life lessons and stories. Social brings about the ability to form friendships even off-line. Once you’ve finally met in real life, you’re fast friends since you already know so much about each other. Thankfully, I’ve had much more of this than I’ve had of the spinach.

Back to the original question: it’s a success, but do we really want it? Do we force ourselves to endure the spinach to get our pudding? How long will it last? For me, the answer is yet unknown. There’s only a certain amount of spinach I can handle, without dishing some out too. Everyone has a breaking point. Where is yours? In speaking with others during my research, I’ve discovered that I’m not alone. Many, many, oh so many on-line sellers are backing away from the social aspect for this very reason. I’m not happy to report this, but with the interviews I’ve conducted the facts show that jealousy reigns amongst women. Now, everyone calm down! There are women who enable other women and I’m proud to say I’ve met many. However, there are some, for lack of self confidence or just due to bad breeding, who want nothing more than to attack other women to make themselves feel better. They are not jealous of other women’s looks, but are jealous of the products other women are selling.  Odd concept, that a woman of my generation cannot fathom, but then we are the generation that shattered the glass ceiling of business and education for every young girl behind us.
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Certain phrases, words, or symbols are just never in good taste in any social group – on-line or in real life. As the world is finally discovering, even on-line comments have their place. Their place is to stay in your head if it’s not socially acceptable – don’t type every thought! Even Facebook has announced, rather loudly, that they are censoring content and removing anything inappropriate. Instagram and Pinterest reserve the right to remove any photo which is deemed inappropriate by them or by enough community members. Censorship? That’s a harsh word for me to handle. No, moderating the on-line comment has less to do with censorship and much, much more to do with plain, old fashioned, good manners. If you wouldn’t say it out loud to someone’s face, don’t type it!

So, thinking of entering into a mash-up of m-commerce and social? Give this report some thought. Love it or hate it – it’s based on facts! How “social” do you actually want to be with “virtual humans” – the ones who can have your home address with the click of a “buy” button??

Poshmark Meet & Greet Wine Tour Live Party

Posted on by Holly

As most of my followers know, I sell consignment, and some new, as well as vintage clothing through an app called Poshmark (I’m called @vacat). If you don’t know, there will be a blog post on that later. If you’re a fellow posher, I hope you’ll enjoy this. For the sake of this blog, let’s assume you are!

So, you’re a Poshmark fanatic and you’ve decided you want to finally meet some local poshers. A live Meet & Greet is your answer. I highly recommend this for every posher. There’s NO better way to actually get to know each other, put a face with a name when you’re chatting on Poshmark, find all the poshers in your area, and perchance even make new real life friends.

Last Saturday, October 25, I hosted a Meet & Greet wine tour in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains. Yes, Virginia there is beautiful autumn foliage and yes there is award winning vineyards in them thar hills!!!

Posh Party 7First, it’s important to note that this was an intimate (read that as small) get together, but it was a huge success. Lesson 1) keep the gathering intimate so you can REALLY talk. Over various wine pairings, breads and cheeses, we shared stories of our birthplaces, families, marriages, locations we had lived, and of course poshing. No loud music, no games, no inebriated men to hit on us. Ok, maybe we are old, but it does still happen! See, you’re laughing already and you weren’t even there.

How did we accomplish this? Glad you asked because I learned it’s not as easy as it seems to teleport “virtual” people into “real” people in one location. So, there are other lessons embedded here. This is not a PowerPoint bulleted presentation – stay awake! To determine if there was any interest, I put out feelers last Autumn about a wine tour. When I had determined that there were actually dozens of poshers interested, I posted an invite on Poshmark. Lesson 2) find out if anyone is interested in attending and don’t just assume that because you like the location everyone else will. Everyone loves you on-line, but maybe not enough to endure a mariachi band in real life.

Posh Party 1Since the states are so small up here (sorry, but I’m a Texan and I haven’t gotten used to being in three states in less than hour!), I added the surrounding states in the title. Lesson 3) include abbreviations for the surrounding states. You never know if someone from another state might see the invite and be willing to make the drive. I posted the invite eight weeks in advance. Lesson 4) give everyone plenty of time to arrange their hectic schedules, find babysitters, etc. Of course, if you live in a very urban area, you can probably just call poshers you already know and pull together an impromptu meeting anytime – this is not for you! This is how to get to that stage.

Since the vineyards are a ninety minute drive from DC, I arranged for everyone to call in and book their seats on a tour bus. Three ladies actually bought their tour bus tickets in time before the bus was filled with wide-eyed tourists. The others decided to drive so they could enjoy the scenery and make stops (shopping perhaps?) along the route. Lesson 5) clearly post time frames for RSVP and advise everyone of transportation, then pray they heed your advice. (Note: if you’re an attendee, be courteous to your host and make certain you can afford the bus ticket or taxi fare to the destination! Everyone loves you, but not enough to be your chauffeur).

About two weeks in advance, I emailed Poshmark and requested swag for the event. They provided pins, shipping cards, stickers, and pencils. Posh Party 5 Nice touches for the parting gift bags, but it needed a personal touch. I added a silver wine glass charm (fashion themed of course), homemade pumpkin cookies, and brochures of the wine country all in my signature paw print bags and tissue. Posh Party 6My lovely fellow posher Virginia (yes, that’s her real name – coincidence, hmm), who is @cody7150 on Poshmark, hand painted wine glasses for the bags. Lesson 6) get the swag and put together themed parting gift bags with added personal touches. Let others contribute, if they ask. Your guests will be treated to something they can cherish long after the event is over.

Truth be told, we had a few issues. About half of the committed attendees had a change in plan, the pairings at the first vineyard were not enough to substitute for lunch (my bad – as I believed them without seeing it first for myself and they wouldn’t let me cater the event). Lesson 7) do a test run by yourself to make sure everything is actually as described by the provider. Still, we had so much fun and I am now blessed with new real life friends. As you can see from these pictures, we started the day very proper. By the time we reached the second vineyard, everyone was much more relaxed. Strangers no more – friends always!

Posh Party 3The best lesson: post the invite, stick to the RSVP date, show up, don’t worry about the cancellations (be prepared to just absorb those lost dollars), relax, and HAVE FUN!! It’s a party, not a ninja special op! Oh wait, that’s me!!!!

 

Turns out – We are All Colorblind

Posted on by Holly

I’m kidding of course, but whilst awaiting my Pantone 2015 color wheel, I was musing over the 2014 colors. After playing a few games of “name this color” with friends, I determined we have all become colorblind!! Sure, we knew the general pigment name, but the newly chosen names – none of us got them right. Here’s an example.

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Go ahead, you know you want to guess! General consensus here was that this color was navy blue, second place was royal blue. Actual name – Princess Blue! Say what??

Don’t get me wrong, I love when designers actually create a new color. That’s half the fun of fashion, but assigning a new name to an an already existing color keeps us constantly guessing. This is probably not that important to anyone except those of us selling consignment clothing. I can’t possibly give a prospective customer the exact color name of an item made last year, bear less a vintage piece made thirty years ago. So, I take my best guess and remind them that color is subjective. Surprisingly enough, my iPhone camera picks up color quite nicely – except black, oh excuse me – I mean Jet Black.

Color is indeed subjective when working without a color wheel. Monitors and cameras lie too! Of course, lighting plays the largest role. A hint of this, a hue of that, and you’re certain you’re looking at one color whilst your friend next to you sees it totally differently. So, we decide “natural light” is best. Natural light where? What time of the day? Diffused, or full sun? If you’ve never given this any thought, take a look at even your hair color. Chances are, it changes depending on where you’re standing. Me, I’m either blonde, strawberry blonde, ash blonde, or completely white haired depending on the light. Like beauty, color is in the eye of the beholder!

So, here’s a game. Take your best guess and tell me the name of this color, without a color wheel. Want to play?

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“Autumn-ize” White

Posted on by Holly

It’s that time of the year again. The time when the age old “no white after Labor Day and definitely not after the first day of autumn” fashion rule rears its ugly head! Whilst there is no concrete data on how this became a rule, there can still be damning ramifications for those who break code.

Caution: History Alert Ahead! As I was taught, white was worn during “season” – the summer of debuts and cotillions. In order to help distinguish the aristocracy and upper class from the nouveau riche and the middle class, the little secret was hatched. At a glance, social position could be instantly determined. No respectable lady, or gentleman for that matter, would wear white at summer’s end. (They later began teaching the newly rich proper dress codes such as which wool was for walking and which was for shooting matches, black tie vs. white tie, and they gave up the little white secret as well. Then, it became another piece of folklore.) Remember, practicality factored in too, of course. Those were the days of muddy roads, dirty snow-blanketed sidewalks, and most of the elite no longer had servants to unroll a carpet for them to step onto (roll out the red carpet – more on that at a later time).

So, now it’s 2014 and most fashion designers and icons alike are certain they have debunked the code, yet everyone is still talking about it!! I’m certainly not suggesting that anyone follow or break the “no white” rule. However, I also don’t believe in the “anything goes anytime, anywhere” fashions of late. There is a place and time for everything! There is a fine line with late year whites and I believe it can be achieved gracefully not by relinquishing your white pieces to the back of your closet, but rather by intermingling them with autumn colors! Here’s a suggestion: how about we wear our whites, just “Autumn-ize” them. That’s right – add the autumnal colors with white and create a new look. Here’s an example that works (note the dark knee high boots) even if you’re not to the manor born! Autumn-ize White

And a more casual variation for those autumn cooled evenings on the veranda:

Autumn-ize Whites

Here’s another proving that the crisp white shirt will never be restricted by season.

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As for white shoes, bags, and jeans – I still follow the rule. Wait, sneakers don’t count do they?

Posh Party Preview

Posted on by Holly

091514_pp preview_vacatI am absolutely delighted to be featured in this week’s Posh Party Preview for Thursday night’s Back to Basics Poshmark party. Thank you, Poshmark for this wonderful opportunity for me to share my selections with the community. Please take some time to join us this Thursday, September 18th, 2014 10pm – midnight Eastern (7pm – 9pm Pacific).

Scroll down and select “View Original” (Poshmark Blog) to see a preview of my picks.

Happy Monday! The weekly Posh Party line-up has been announced and we can’t wait to get shopping with you all! Be sure to join us on Tuesday when Julianne of The Wink Blog and Holly of Vintage Chic and Unique will be sharing her favorite Posh Finds for a night of curated and stylish shopping.

Daily Dose of Fashion Party, Tuesday, September 16

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Julianne | @juliannecronin

What can we expect to see shared to the Host Picks Showroom?

As we transition into the end of summer and cooler weather, I’m all about incorporating fall pieces into your summer wardrobe. Think wool blazers with sleeveless dresses, ankle booties with skirts, and cozy sweaters with maxi dresses. I will be sharing pieces such as silk blouses, below-the-ankle booties, scarves, pencil skirts, and thick sweaters.

What are your favorite Daily Dose of Fashion pieces or trends?

I’m really loving mules for fall! They’re…

View original post 231 more words

To Swimsuit or Not to Swimsuit??

Posted on by Holly

Here’s another line that has passed into folklore without a shred of evidence: men can carry their middle-aged weight gain better than women. Seriously? Why have we, uhm…mature ladies, decided to accept that? We have even stopped going to beaches due to the dreaded fear of something much worse than jellyfish or even shark attacks – SWIMSUITS!!!!

If we do go, we shroud ourselves in beachwear or huge old fashioned swimwear with built-in tummy binding and thigh hiding skirts. All the while, men frolic about enjoying the sand and surf with their bellies hanging over their swimwear like a child’s inflated pool buddy!! Is it that they just don’t care? Do they know something that we don’t? Or maybe, just maybe, they accept themselves for who they are and are not bound by society’s image of how they “should” look. Ding!!!!, but thank you for playing. I believe the answer is: all of the above! Men NEVER try to mimic supermodels, our society does not look down upon them for their weight gain, and frankly, they just don’t care what others think!

If you’ve ever been to any beach in Europe, you’ve seen quite a few men’s enlarged bellies hanging over Speedos. Now, that’s just not attractive – I don’t care who you are, royalty or not!! To be fair, I’ll admit I was lucky. I didn’t give up bikinis until my mid-forties. Until just a few years ago, I was perfectly comfortable in a one-piece. After menopause and it’s inevitable weight gain, I am no longer up to a so called “fun weekend” at the beach. Insecurity factors in here, certainly, but more prolific are the ideals we have had hammered into our brains since childhood (can we say thank you Barbie doll and Twiggy?).

It’s time for us to stop thinking of ourselves as “not swimsuit ready” and just roll (no pun intended) with the tide and enjoy being alive and active.

I’m about to say something that will shock all men, especially my own husband – we could learn something from men. Oh my, did I just say that out loud?! I did, but, for the sake of us all, don’t tell them! The pleasure is in being at the beach, enjoying the summer, sand, and sun – not caring about how we look in our outfits. As we baby boomers are aging, are we to be the first post-Twiggy generation of post-menopausal women to declare our independence from “ideal bodies” and just enjoy a day at the beach? Let’s post that up – sorry, felt like I needed to say “post” one more time!

Now, to swimsuit or not to swimsuit – that is the question.

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All ages, all body types, all sizes. They’re having fun and making memories!

Luxury, but Essential Skincare: Natura Bisse (Bubble Facial)

Posted on by Holly

I was recently invited to attend a “bubble facial” at Neiman Marcus – Willowbend (Dallas). Quick, no-brainier here – of course I’ll be there. To be fair, this was my third bubble event and I was immediately on board!! Here’s why: this facial experience is like none other! In my many, many, oh so many decades, I have been privileged to travel quite a bit and had facials in some quite reputable spas worldwide. I know – tough job, but somebody has to do it so it might as well be ME! To date, nothing even compares to this event! Seriously!!

Some background info might be useful here. Natura Bisse is a Barcelona based company that is famous for it’s Diamond line of skincare. They have other lines for different skin needs, but again I’m old, so the Diamond line is mine, mine, mine! I’ll cover more on this company and their products in a separate blog (detailing the benefits I’ve seen with the products I use), but now back to this “better than sex” facial.

Natura Bisse BubbleFirst, yep that’s the famous bubble!! If you’ve seen this contraption at any Neiman Marcus, you may have thought it was an alien ship arriving from some far distant planet. Of course, Neiman’s is my mothership so that would be totally understandable to me. Once you step inside, you KNOW this is heaven sent!

Not an oxygen facial, but the inflated bubble keeps the oxygen at optimum levels by constantly cleansing the air. This alone immediately puts me into “spa mode.” Before entering, you are escorted, and yes I mean escorted, to a changing room of your very own where you undress and slip into their cotton mesh liner, a fresh terry cloth robe, and matching slippers. Then, you are escorted a few feet into the bubble. Relax on the table while your hair is being protected, pillows under knees, and the bubble re-inflates with clean, perfectly oxygenated air.

Now, the esthetician begins the one hour magical facial. First, cleansing with Diamond White Cleanser and toner. Now, the Extreme GlycoPeel to remove dead skin cells is gently swept onto the face and the back of hands. While this works its tingling magic for ten minutes, a neck and shoulder massage so well executed as to make my masseuse envious. Removal of product, and start layering serums with deep facial massages at each stage. (Your serum would be selected based on your skin’s needs.) The Inhibit Tensolift is the final serum and I highly recommend it for anyone over the age of twenty-five. Then, the deliciously smooth Diamond Extreme moisturizer is massaged into the face, followed by the Diamond Drops which act as a catalyst and lock in all the elixirs. Follow this with a hand and arm, then foot and calf massage.

I know it’s long, but bear with me I’m almost finished raving about this! The facial is complete and you are left to inhale, exhale the Diamond Mist for a few seconds, come back to reality for a few minutes, then the heavenly world bubble is unzipped and you know you must exit back into reality. At this point, I’m reluctant to leave but do so feeling refreshed, re-energized, and ready for the season’s new makeup colors.

If you ever get the opportunity to have this facial, by all means DO IT! I schedule my trips to Dallas around the bubble event – it’s that good!! Please keep in mind that the products used for me may not be the same for you, but I’m betting the experience will be. Also, this is my own experience and I was not endorsed to write this – although I would take free products, if they ever offered. Cost of the facial: free at Neiman Marcus with purchase of product expected, but not required; at the Natura Bisse Spa roughly $1200. Got my point now? Rush to the phone to find out if there’s a bubble event near you.

Fifty, Fashionable, & Fabulous! Really???

Posted on by Holly

I keep reading that fifty is the new thirty. Honestly, I feel about thirty most days, but I can promise you fifty is definitely NOT thirty! In my late teenage years, I spent eighteen months under the tutelage of Miss Prentiss learning the social graces a young Southern lady is supposed to possess. Most of what I learned has helped me in both my private and professional life. 20140527-220843-79723721.jpg However, as I’m aging apparently more rapidly than I ever imagined, one of the things I learned is troubling me – “women over forty should dress their age.” What exactly does that even mean? Well, back then it meant matronly suits, low chunky heels, long sleeves, loose trousers paired only with loose, long blouses, and by all means no cleavage or even décolleté! Admittedly, I’ve seen women who could benefit from that piece of wisdom and some of them were in their twenties! When I was eighteen, I agreed with said notion. Now that I’m staring fifty-three smack in the face, I’m thinking that saying has passed into folklore without a shred of evidence!!

Shouldn’t fashion be more about what we like, how we feel in it, and how we look rather than a number? I think so! Am I destined to loose trousers and blouses just because of my age? God, I hope not! Some of the most fashionably dressed, and beautiful, women I’ve seen are over 40, 50, even – dare I say it, 60. Just to be clear, I am excluding Hollywood’s elite for we mere mortals don’t have their stylists, trainers, chefs, dietitians, plastic surgeons, and such.
So, what are we do to – us older ladies? Bow to the rule of “dressing our age” or dress as we want? My vote goes to dress for confidence! Find your own personal style and enjoy it. In the end, all that matters is that we had a good time while we were here, so ladies over forty – let’s unite and debunk the myth!