As more candles are added to your birthday cake each year, you may start to accumulate more and more retired trinkets in your treasure chest. Women maturing into older age tend to shy away from the style they have built over the years and see trends as something they can no longer keep up with.

In today’s video, Margaret invites the lovely Susan “Honey” Good, a devoted advocate for the empowerment of women over 50, for a lovely talk about the ways women can bring back a bit of punch into their style through accessories.

Mix the Old with the New

We all have that favorite piece of jewelry from our twenties that was a part of our signature style. Most likely, it now lies in the bottom of our jewelry box, waiting to see the light of day. It is often difficult to part with pieces that hold so many of our memories. A good tip is to restructure old accessories into new pieces.

Transform a charm bracelet into a layered necklace. Turn a pair of dangling earrings into interesting brooches or add them as an accessory to a bag or dress. Tie old scarves to your bags and hats or use them on your hair.

Experiment with a Different Style

Why not try out your daughter’s accessories? With permission, you can raid her closet for pieces to borrow, or you can ask a close friend to visit the flea market with you. Loved ones who travel often may bring home unique gifts such as beaded bags and patterned fabrics. Be bold and try on accessories that you would not usually choose for yourself – you may be surprised at how well they go with something you already have!

Change It Up for a Morning and Evening Look

Accessories add versatility to an outfit. In the morning, you could be wearing pearls and sandals with a shift dress. Come evening, you can transition into a glamorous look by exchanging them for gemstone earrings and a shiny pair of pumps.

Travel with Your Collection

While you can only stuff a few pieces of clothing inside your suitcase when traveling, accessories such as belts, scarves, jewelry, and stockings can easily fit inside nooks and crannies. You can bring as much as you can to mix and match and keep your outfits interesting each day of your trip.

You can also take advantage of the different weather or climate to wear daring and over-the-top accessories that may look out of place at home. Blend in with the locals and show appreciation for their culture by exploring the local fair.

Combine Style and Function

Do not listen when people say that accessories are only for the frivolous. Accessories can become an extension of our personality while still providing utility. Take prescription glasses, for example. They are affordable and you can buy them in as many styles as you want. Miniature purses attached to belts are handy when you are running errands around town. Accessories can truly do wonders for women like ourselves, so don’t be afraid to experiment, and most of all, wear them with pride.

What is your favorite piece of accessory? Do you still buy accessories on a whim or do you keep a curated collection? Tell us all about it in the comment section below!

Last month we told you about Sephora’s new sampling program, which gets you five or six “deluxe” samples for between $10 and $25 depending on the brands. Sephora rolled out the Luxe set first with the highest-priced products. Now, the Sephora Favorites Hello! Beauty Icon Set is here and trust me, it’s just as good. The set includes six, sample-sized products for $10, from brands you already know and love. It’s a really fun way to try out new skincare, makeup and haircare before you drop real money on the full sizes.

What do you get inside Hello!? A killer product for face, skin, hair and body. There’s a .05 oz Nars Lipstick in Tolède, .06 oz Nudestix Nudies Matte Blush & Bronze in Sunkissed, .5 oz Youth To The People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser, .27 oz Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream, 1 oz Living Proof Restore Repair Hair Mask and .05 oz Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb. Plus, you get a 15 percent off coupon towards the full-size purchase of each product in the box.

Image: Sephora.

In addition to the Luxe and Hello! sampler sets, Sephora will also roll out Sephora Favorites Pop, which gets you six products for $15. All three sets switch up products periodically so you’ll be able to try new and cult-favorite goods. Although Sephora stores are open in some locations, it’s easiest to grab the Hello! Beauty Icon Set online and have it ship right to you. Grab it now before it’s gone.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

We’re used to seeing hair transformations, especially during this time of staying at home, but Cardi B’s back tattoo is a bit of a body transformation. She posted a video to Instagram showing off the colorful artwork over the long holiday weekend. “Okay guys! Soooo here it is! It took me several months but I’m finally finished,” she wrote in the caption. “This is my back tattoo! It goes from the top of my back to the middle of my thigh.” She thanked SoCal-based artist Jamie Schene in the post.

According to Schene, the ultra-colorful, huge tattoo took more than 60 hours in more than 10 cities. “It was an awesome project and a crazy experience,” he wrote on Instagram. “Thanks for the dedication, strength, and hospitality.” You can see the bright orange, purple, blue and red flowers. They’re so vibrant, they look like they almost glow. The detail of the tattoo is incredible. The butterflies scattered throughout the flowers look lifelike.

Source: Instagram

Cardi continued to show off the ink all weekend, including while wearing a neon green Fashionnova floss bikini. (She’s a spokesperson for the brand.) Fans are obsessed with the look. Musician Mariah the Scientist proclaimed “that tattoo so fye” and others commented on how she’s matching her hair to her purse. It’s true. Her blue wig perfectly matches her cobalt Hermès Birkin bag. There’s no doubt Cardi did this on purpose. She wore a pink wig with a lavender bikini on Monday. The girl knows how to accessorize.

We can’t wait to see how else she shows off the new ink.

Kyle Richards’ Black Crystal Embellished Sandals on Instastories

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Instagram Fashion 2020

Although we may be extremely jealous of Kyle Richards’ pretty quarantine pedicure in this pic from her Instastories over the weekend (um, how did she do that?!) thankfully there is no need to be jealous of her super cute black crystal embellished sandals. Because lucky enough they’re still in stock and totally ready for us to dip our much less attractive toes into this summer. 

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Mystique X Stephanie Gottlieb Sandals

Click Here to Shop Them in Leopard

Photo & Info: @KyleRichards18

Originally posted at: Kyle Richards’ Black Crystal Embellished Sandals

A couple of weeks ago we did a drive by for my grandson’s seventh birthday. It was the second grandchild birthday that I’ve had to miss due to the Covid pandemic. It was also the first time since quarantining that I’d actually seen any of my grandchildren in person.

We did the drive by and stopped and chatted for a bit with my son and daughter-in-law – all of this from inside of our car while they stood on their driveway. We said hi to the kids and watched them play. And then, I couldn’t take it anymore.

I said to my husband, “We’ve got to go.” I held it together, smiled, and waved goodbye to them all. But as soon as we pulled away, I began to sob. Ugly crying. The whole way home.

I told myself that I needed to calm down and stop the rivers because others have it much worse. People are sick and dying. Others can’t be with their loved ones who are sick. People are out of work. And I’m crying simply because I miss my grandchildren. How selfish of me.

Feelings Are Vital

The “I’m being selfish because I’m upset about ______ when others have it so much worse” mentality is a common one, particularly among women. What this mentality does is that it completely invalidates our feelings.

Our own emotions and feelings are always important and valid. And it’s healthy to let them out and be aware of them.

What is not healthy is to repress them because we feel that they’re not important enough to share – either internally or with our loved ones.

This Is Always the Case, But Especially Now

We are all living in a time when there is so much uncertainty. Most of us have never experienced anything like this. Anxiety levels are high even on a seemingly good day. So, when we find ourselves in an emotional situation, our breaking point is much more easily reached.

Here are 5 strategies to get you through those pity party times:

Don’t Keep Your Feelings Inside

Allow yourself to feel the feelings that are eating you on the inside and have a good cry.

Start a Journal

If you don’t do this already, start a journal – writing down your feelings is very cathartic.  Missing these kiddos so intensely has inspired me to start a “grandma journal” to help me feel more connected to them until we can be together again.

Take a Walk

Whether you choose the nearby park or the woods in your backyard, take a long brisk walk in the fresh air to clear your head and simply breathe in.

You’re Not Alone

Reach out to a friend who “gets it.” You’re really not alone in this situation and mutually sharing your feelings can be beneficial for both parties.

Take a Different Perspective

While feeling guilty because someone else may have a worse situation than you is not a healthy place to be, being able to have perspective can help. Being aware that others are suffering, even as you are suffering, is not selfish.

In fact, it demonstrates a level of empathy, compassion, and selflessness. Having this perspective, as long as you are not denying yourself your real feelings in the process, can help you begin to practice gratitude. And being grateful and sad at the same time is real and possible.

We have to allow ourselves to feel our feelings and to validate them. We have to, these days more than ever, be kind to ourselves.

Have you had any pity parties for yourself during the pandemic? Did you feel guilty about them because others have it worse? What strategies are you using to keep yourself in a positive frame of mind? Please share with our community and let’s have a conversation!