We 50 somethings have now become officially part of a new collective according to Celia Walden, Feature writer for the Telegraph - Quintastic.

There are, of course, categories because we obviously can’t all be the same.

The Inverted Adolescent – eg Sharon Stone & Madonna

The Professional eg Julianne Moore

The Enigma eg Kristin Scott Thomas

The Action Woman eg Sigourney Weaver

The Humorist eg Jennifer Saunders

Want to find out which one you are? Here’s the link to the article

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/7084717/Quintastic-50-is-the-new-30.html

I’m being interviewed tomorrow morning by Karen Knott, the Mid Life expert and coach – can’t wait. She’s really warm and lovely and looks pretty good too (sorry Karen, you look more than just good).  If you have a dilemma and don’t know which way to turn, she’s your woman. www.midlifematters.co.uk for more details. You’ll also be able to get details of how to access our interview so you can partake of my pearls of wisdom too.

Ever had the dilemma where you want to look really spectacular but you only own simple clothing? Well, Simone Micallef is on a mission to help. Featured in Vogue magazine, and with her creations worn by film stars such as Sophie Okonedo ( see her tonight on BBC’s Mrs Mandela) for the Premier Night of Hotel Rwanda, she has captured the art of jewellery transformation. This is what she has to say:

Simone designs and produces all her work by hand. Her designs are singular but varied and have numerous roots in her own life and experience but, overall, they reflect her concern to bring out the beauty of the materials she works with. Her clients appreciate the magic of the metal and stones with which she communicates and many are faithful clients for long periods of time, enjoying the changes in focus and style as they occur. She works on the precious metals so that the two elements come to complement each other and to form an organic whole. As a result, most of her pieces are unique in some degree, just as stones tend to be. Women may try many of them but recognise their own when it comes alive on them. Finding the right home for each piece gives Simone the greatest pleasure. All the necklace stones are carefully selected, redrilled and burred and then individully knotted to maximize their quality and longevity and each one is hallmarked.

If you’re interested in finding out how to own one of her fabulous pieces all for yourself, go to www.simonemicallef.com and PLEASE tell her that you read about her on this blog. Remember too that Valentine’s Day is coming soon. A hint in the right quarters may not go amiss!

Looking at a photo of Audrey HepburnI realised just how she was stylish but stylish in her own unique way. Not for her, the voluptuous, sexiness of Marilyn Munroe or the handsomeness of the other Hepburn, Katherine, but just the simple, chic and elegance of her own made her tiny frame gorgeous, Because she almost did not try to be gorgeous.

That’s what unique style is all about. Not trying too hard and certainly not trying to be someone else. As Annie Morrow Lindberg once said “the most exhausting thing you can be is inauthentic.

With that in mind, I am currently in the process of putting together some Art of Style workshops. They will be held in Central London, close to the West End and all its shopping, at intervals throughout the year. I’m keeping the numbers small so we can really concentrate on honing in on your own unique style. Are you an Audrey waiting to emerge into the style spotlight? If so, call me.

Fancy some really inspirational reading while you’re holed up in the snow? Then take a look at The Leap Year, the launch collection from The Contemporary Women Writers’ Club, which is full of inspirational short stories about life-changing moments.

“Blood and lust in Argentina; secrets and grief in Montreal; passionate reunions in New York; a dance with fear in Barcelona. The Leap Year shows how unexpected moments change 12 women’s lives: from a car-jacking in South Africa, to a ghostly visitation in London; from a honeymoon accident in Kenya, to a divine encounter in Hong Kong…
Leaps of faith, leaps from despair, leaps into love…”

A MUST read.

www.queenbee.co.uk £6.99

If you want some harmony in your life, a sleeker body and a calmer mind but have no money or time to go to the gym, you might want to check out Body In Balance. This is a brilliant channel on Sky ( channel 275) with some great teachers, such as the Kundalini Yoga guru Maya Fiennes pictured, Shiva Rea, Katy Appleton and Caroline Sandry to name but a few. The practices are varied and interesting and cover all levels of ability. I’ve become a huge fan and I’m sure you will too if you enjoy yoga, pilates, tai chi or aerobic workouts. Not a Sky viewer? Then check out their website www.bodyinbalance.tv. As it starts at 6am every day, you have NO excuse!

It was the monthly gathering of the Feel Fab at 50 social group last night, with 4 new members braving the heavy snow to check us out – they loved it. One of our lovely ladies looked particularly spectacular and really trendy. On being pressed, she sheepishly told us where she purchased her outfit and how much it cost. The coat, £10 from Peacocks and the dress £5 from Primark. She is 57 years old and looked amazing. Just shows it can be done if you put time, effort and knowledge into your shopping.

Many of my clients assume shopping is easier if you have a great figure. The answer to that is ‘no, it isn’t’. Being average size and weight can bring too much choice which can be as overwhelming as not enough. Hilary Alexander, from The Telegraph, likens it to love. I’m paraphrasing but in essence she says that finding the right person and keeping the relationship strong takes hard work and effort but is easier than being with the wrong person. It takes perseverance, commitment, energy and effort. Finding the right garment or outfit is pretty much the same but knowing where to look and what does and doesn’t suit you makes all the difference.

A make up that looks so natural that it really harmonises with your own complexion sounds a little too good to be true but it is. Ellis Faas is a renowned make up artist in the USA and has created her own range which is due to arrive in the UK next month.  I can’t wait to try. Read on for more info:

Versatility Of Looks
Human Colours® is all about going back to nature without having to appear natural. This is because the colours can be used to achieve a subdued natural look in an extravagant theatrical way – and any style in between. In the near future, ELLIS FAAS will also provide you with shimmery powders, holographic and metal shimmers, plus various glosses to give your look a more festive appearance.

Textures
All products are fluids, not only so they all fit in same sized “bullets”, but also because an enormous part of the human body consists of water. Therefore liquid makeup tends to blend into the skin more easily than solid makeup: the products will melt into the skin instead of lie on it.

A recent survey by Mintel suggests that although the over 55 age group has the money they are not being serviced when it comes to clothing choices. Some 44% of shoppers in this age group felt that stores only target young people and there were few high street stores they actually enjoyed visiting. Only 17% of men and women interviewed followed the latest trends but said they were thwarted before they even began by the lack of options available. The majority also said they shopped for comfort and not style, which is really sad. However, the ‘comfort’ shoppers have steadily decreased during the past few years so perhaps we are recognising we can combine comfort with looking modern without the mutton dressed as lamb syndrome kicking in.

It is shameful that we have so many older designers in the UK – Paul Smith, Betty Jackson, Nicole Farhi even Jaegar, to name but a few – who still seem to design more for the younger person, especially when it comes to female workwear. The USA is way ahead of us when it comes to dressing the older woman. Take a look at Donna Karan and Caroline Herrera for example. I know their clothes are very expensive and probably out of most our own leagues, but once this trend catches on it will filter down to the more affordable high street BUT we have to start the trend first!

Following on from my post yesterday, I have a confession to make. As I’m short sighted and pretty well known for my eye-wear, I get really cheesed off with looking the same as every other spectacle wearer in the UK. As soon as a style becomes popular, I change mine pronto. Fed up with bumping into others wearing my Specsavers/Vision Express/D&A models, I turned to Tom Davies a couple of years ago to have mine tailor made (see previous blogs).

However, on having a new pair created for me over the Christmas period, I stumbled on some Raybans. Really geeky, I loved them. I look like someone who should be in a Woody Allen film. Yes, they might be too young and trendy for me but this could be my bad taste moment and I do LOVE paprika!!

www.tdtomdavies.com can be found online but I use two of his affiliated and brilliant opticians who really do help you assemble exactly the right style for your face and your personality:

The Oculist, Peterborough 01733 555621

http://www.theoculist.com/

Park Vision, Nottingham  0845 604 1681

http://www.nottinghamparkclinic.co.uk/ParkVision.html