In a book review about good taste, Jeffrey Felner, the witty and often acerbic arbiter of fashion, suggested that, yes, you can learn tricks to develop your personal style, but taste isn’t something you can learn; you’re either born with it or you’re not.

That certainly puts a lot of us out of the running and, frankly, I take exception to this statement. Dig into the DNA of the most refined and elegantly turned out among us and you’ll discover the grunters and grovelers not that far down the family tree.

So the question arises: how did we Neanderthals evolve into taste makers?

More to the Point, What Is Taste?

It’s almost as hard to define taste as it is to define jazz, and actually they have something in common. People with good taste have imbibed – either through cultural osmosis or actual study – the fundamentals of good design and color harmony. Then they improvise on those fundamentals in a way that uniquely expresses who they are.

So, in that sense, Mr. Felner is right. You can teach principles of design but they have to be translated by a savvy individual.

In the non-fashion sense, good taste is synonymous with good behavior and modesty, two things that often spill over into one’s attire. There’s also unpretentious thoughtfulness in those we consider to have good taste.

Also, they radiate an aura of calm. You won’t find them rushing around like bunnies in heat. (When asked the secret to his longevity, Mel Brooks’ Thousand-Year-Old Man explains, “I never ran for a bus.”) It’s also a quality you’ll see in many chic French women: they appear as though they have all the time in the world.

Taste vs. Trend

In the fashion sense, someone with good taste will give a nod to the changing times, but their attire is rarely uber trendy. That means they’ll wear a few high quality and currently fashionable items, and often with a somewhat classical cut, repeatedly rather than a carousel of cheaper ones that get recycled after one season.

It’s been suggested that good taste is the natural result of a bump up in status and income. If that were so, every celebrity would be a shining example of taste.

Besides, dressing tastefully has a different meaning among the echelons of old money where the desire to not stand out has been inbred over generations, most likely so as to not upset the hungry masses. But they also understand that one’s attire should not be so subtle that one would simply disappear into the velvet curtains. That would smack of false pride, which goes against good taste.

Let It Be or Make It So?

Still, cracking the code of good taste isn’t too difficult. It leaves clues. For one thing: forethought. A tasteful outfit may appear casual, simple and effortless but it’s never sloppy. And it’s never wrinkled – unless you’re wearing linen, in which case you get a pass, since wrinkles are part of the linen pedigree. And speaking of fabric, natural fibers are considered more tasteful. (Polyester doesn’t scream “taste.”)

An absolute requirement for an outfit to be considered tasteful is good fit. Too big, too loose, too tight, too short, too long, too-too – all of these run counter to tastefulness.

That means: get a good tailor. It’s nearly impossible to find something off the rack that meets the fit requirement of the truly tasteful dresser.

Also, good taste shares something with good style in that it implies visual harmony. The colors of the garments – and the coloring of the wearer – harmonize with each other in “temperature” (warmth or coolness of tone) and value (range of light and/or darkness in the colors.) And then, there are the nitty gritty details. Patterns and prints, their scale, the size of a fabric’s weave and the textures of the fabrics flatter the person wearing them. And, the proportions of the pieces themselves make sense in terms of their size and their cut.

“I don’t mind bad taste. A little bad taste is like paprika. It’s no taste that I abhor.” Diana Vreeland

But let’s not get too hung up on the details here. Instead of making yourself crazy trying to get it all “just right” you can, with some of the guidelines above, simply make it a lot better. Besides, sometimes good style trumps good taste.

As with Mrs. Vreeland, a real tastemaker can be someone who appreciates what makes her unique, including her so-called figure “faults,” unusual features or atypical proportions. She is supremely comfortable in her own skin and it shows in how she carries herself. In that way, she creates her own version of taste, and by repeating that she establishes a personal signature, which is, after all, the goal… and a pretty noble one at that.

Do you think that fashion taste can be learned? Or, is it something that you are “born with?” On the other hand, should you dress with taste? Do you think good fashion taste is just another thing that tries to define who we should be? Please join the conversation.

Melissa Gorga’s Tan Plain Crop Top and Pants Set

Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 11 Episode 10 Fashion

I had a lot of requests coming through for Melissa Gorga’s tan plaid crop top and pants set from the day the Real Housewives of New Jersey spent with their mom’s on last night’s episode. And whenever a lot of people ask about a cropped set like this I find myself wondering why I was sitting on my a*s during quarantine drinking wine while ya’ll were clearly working out.

But really it all just further confirms my hypothesis that the Blondetourage Babes have to be the hottest group of girls around. And now that you can get your hands on Melissa’s matching set, things are about to get a little bit hotter.

Thank you to @Eleniantarakis for the tip!

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop the Cara Santana Collection “She Loves Attention” Bralette

Click Here to Shop the Matching Pants

Originally posted at: Melissa Gorga’s Tan Plain Crop Top and Pants Set

I’m very excited to share with you today my picks for the makeup products that can absolutely make the biggest difference in how we look – especially for those of us who are over 50. They are game-changers. And I have a pretty good hunch that two of these products may be totally new to you.

In the accompanying video, I’ll share with you some of my favorite products in each of these categories.

A Skin Care Game-Changer

Since how our skin looks certainly makes a huge difference in how our makeup looks, let’s start there. The first product is a skincare game-changer. It’s an exfoliating product.

Most skin care experts recommend we exfoliate our skin twice a week because regular exfoliation helps prevent dull skin, clogged pores and even skin discoloration by ridding the skin of dead skin cells. And, if you use any serums or special creams, regular exfoliation also allows these skincare products to better penetrate the skin and provide superior results.

Now our skin does shed dead skin cells, but not as often as we get older. Unfortunately, these skin cells don’t just dissipate into the air. They cling to our skin which makes it look duller. They also clog our pores and highlight lines and wrinkles. Just about every skincare and makeup line makes some kind of exfoliating product, so fortunately they’re easy to find.

An Eye-Opening Product for Our Eyes

Product #2 is eye shadow primer – and, it’s a great product to use even if you don’t wear eyeshadow. If you do wear eyeshadow, a good primer keeps the shadow from creasing or smudging and provides a base so the color goes on evenly.

But it’s also a good investment even if you don’t wear eyeshadow, and here’s why. Almost all of us have some discoloration in our eyelid area – it’s one of those interesting little changes that happen for most of us as we get older.

So, using an eyeshadow primer that matches our skin tone can totally cover up discoloration on our eyelids which helps our eyes look bigger and brighter – and let’s face it, younger.

Help for Those Under-Eye Dark Circles

Since many of us deal with dark circles, or just darkness under our eyes from the shadow created by eye bags, a color corrector can make a world of difference. Most of us are used to using concealer under our eyes, but using a color corrector first – before our concealer – really helps cancel out the darkness.

That’s because most of the darkness is a bluish/purplish tone. By using a color corrector in a peach or salmon color that is a complementary color to the blue/purple color, we can effectively eliminate the darkness.

Using a concealer alone – without a color corrector underneath it – doesn’t do as effective a job of eliminating the darkness and sometimes it can also make our under eye area look ashy. So, color correct first, then gently pat on a concealer that matches your skin tone or is half to one shade lighter.

Open Up Those Eyes Even More

Our fourth product definitely helps our eyes look bigger. Many of us have experienced our lashes getting thinner or sparser, so curling them creates the look of greater length and volume. I highly recommend using an eyelash curler to really open up and emphasize our eyes.

Erase Those Fine Lines

I have to say up front that I was skeptical about this product, which I was given to try out. It’s called Tight Eye and it’s from a company called ScienceSerum. The purpose of the product is to firm and tighten the area around the eye in order to decrease fine lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet.

You use one pump of the product to swipe it under and around each eye. It takes 10-15 minutes to dry and then you rinse it off with lukewarm water. They also make a moisturizer to apply on the eye area after rinsing off the product.

I don’t have terribly heavy lines on the outer area of my eye, but they were definitely there. You may have noticed that I just used the past tense were – and that’s because after two weeks of using Tight Eye those lines almost completely disappeared. I was frankly, amazed.

ScienceSerum also makes Tight Neck and Tight Lips as well as some other products. They were very kind to send me the Tight Neck product as well. Tight Neck also helps to tighten and firm fine lines and wrinkles on the neck and chest area and is meant to improve skin tone, resiliency and elasticity.

I definitely also saw improvement in the lines on my neck. And I also saw some tightening in what I affectionately call my “turkey neck.” It wasn’t a dramatic improvement, but it was noticeable. And frankly, I was really surprised to see any improvement since the extent of the lose skin on my neck is pretty dramatic.

Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 50+. Don’t forget to subscribe!

Hooded Eye Help

Our sixth product is for those of us with hooded eyes. Frankly, I have not personally tried this product yet, but I definitely intend to do so. I’m talking about it here because I’ve seen some amazing demonstrations and wanted to let you know about it.

It’s called Lids by Design and it consists of eyelid correcting strips that are available in six different sizes depending on how hooded the eyes are. It’s a one-time use product and is made from medical grade materials that are hypoallergenic and latex free.

You clean and dry your eyelids first and then carefully place the strip across the eyelid fold. Next, you press and hold the strip down for several seconds to insure a complete bond to the skin. And that’s all there is to it. Each box contains 80 eyelid tapes. Makeup can be worn over the strips if you apply the company’s Colorset All in One Pencil over the strip and eyelid before applying makeup.

Blur Those Pores

Many of us end up developing larger pores as we get older, and there are some excellent face primers that help to blur out the look of these pores before applying foundation or concealer.

Regain Some Glow

There’s no question that our skin doesn’t quite have that beautiful radiance that it once did, so we’re fortunate that there’s a makeup product that can re-create that beautiful glow for us – the highlighter. Since our skin usually gets a bit drier as we get older, a cream or liquid highlighter can work really well.

A Subtle, But Beautiful Finish

The ninth product is one that makes a subtle difference, but it’s a beautiful, subtle difference. It’s finishing powder. Now in addition to finishing powder, there’s also setting powder. Here’s the difference between the two.

Setting powder is applied after foundation and before other makeup, and its purpose is to absorb excess oil. A finishing powder is meant to be applied after all of our makeup, and its purpose is to provide a subtle blur of pores, wrinkles, fine lines and uneven skin texture. It’s a perfect finishing touch to makeup application.

Create Some Life for Lips

The next two products are for lips. First is a product which helps prevent our lipstick from feathering into those little lines that just seem to automatically start developing around our lips. It’s a clear, waxy pencil that helps fill in those lines around the lips so our lipstick doesn’t migrate into them.

Several brands make a product like this. The one I love is from L’Oreal’s Age Perfect line because it’s a colored lip liner that also has ingredients in it that prevent lipstick from feathering. Since I have pretty deep vertical lines around my lips, I apply this product a couple of times in the areas where the lines are especially prominent.

Next up is lip gloss. Our lips do get smaller as we get older, so by adding lip gloss to our lips, we’re adding light reflecting elements to our lips which makes them not only look fuller, but also healthier and brighter.

Two Must-Have Tools

The last two products are two very important tools: a foundation buffing brush and a makeup sponge. You can certainly apply products with your fingers, but there are a few advantages to using either a brush or a dampened makeup sponge.

First let’s talk about the importance of a buffing brush. What a buffing brush does is work the foundation into the skin so it looks more natural and seamless. It creates a natural skin-like look without any streaks or brush lines.

When you use a dampened makeup sponge, you’re adding moisture to the face, and sponges also provide a seamless, natural look to the makeup. Dampened makeup sponges can also help sheer out our makeup so it looks even more natural. And some sponges, because of their shape and size, can also get into the nooks and crannies of our face.

My personal preference is to blend in foundation with my buffing brush and then use a dampened makeup sponge to go over all my makeup before applying my finishing powder. This ensures that I have no harsh edges anywhere around my face and helps all the products on my face blend together beautifully.

What beauty products have worked especially well for you? Which are the top 3 that you use every day? Please share them with us!

My connection to Europe was strong from the get-go. Before the age of 20, I’d worked enough odd jobs to begin my travel quest. Waiting on tables and commandeering a taxi around Manhattan paid for trips to Greece, Israel, and England.

Then, after college, my career choices leaned toward jobs with ample opportunities for travel. (You mean I can get paid for this?) Much of it overseas. Primarily to countries like France, Portugal, Germany, and Italy.

I thrived on those brief but frequent periods of immersion. Dabbled in the romance of their languages. Tuned myself down or sped myself up in accordance with the pace of each venue. I was comfortable with the set of sensibilities inherent with each different culture.

Yet even after decades of travel delirium, the notion of moving lock, stock, and barrel to another continent had not presented itself as a serious choice.

Until I met up with Spain.

Why Spain for Expat Life?

Spain has a pulse. It’s lit up with an energy that’s palpably youthful, the ambient qualities of which are infectious wherever you turn.

A list of its attributes is long and satisfying. Varied regional cuisine. A temperate climate. Classic and progressive architecture. World class museums. A healthcare system ranking in the global top 10. A first class transportation infrastructure. Thousands of miles of livable coastline.

Affordable. Diverse. It’s a lifestyle calculated to tantalize. And one that considers balance and well-being a top priority.

Spain, as an expat destination, was a no-brainer. Which left the selection of a city within its borders the next critical decision.

Why Valencia Might Well Be the Premier Expat City in Spain

After a few years in a popular southern California resort area, we’re anxious to reignite our senses. All of them. Give us now the constant hum of noise and language. Morning coffee and sweet rolls at a neighborhood cafe. Mercados with abundant displays of local fresh fish and colorful vegetables. Late and lazy lunches. Languorous dinners. Nursing a bottle of wine with friends.

And people watching. Lots of people watching.

Barcelona and Madrid seemed like obvious choices. But we were in search of a city less dense. Less overrun by tourists. Boasting a mix of historical influences and vibrant contemporary culture. Easy to maneuver through and around. Lush parks and gardens.

A city tailor-made for a rich experience. One not too jaded or taken with itself to provide it.

We found that place just three hours south of Barcelona. Nesting comfortably beside the Mediterranean. The third largest city in Spain. And one that hit all of the right notes for us.

Valencia was the clear winner.

In addition to its more visceral benefits, excellent healthcare is available and inexpensive when compared to the United States. It’s largely considered a safe city to walk around late into the night. And logistically speaking, as our master plan includes extensive travel, the rest of Europe is highly accessible by air, rail, sea, or land.

As a bonus, close friends – themselves expats – currently live in Valencia. Their coaching has proven to be invaluable as we untangle the specifics of our own journey.

Moving Past the Ephemeral Excitement of a New Life

It’s easy to paint a hearty picture about the positive aspects of life abroad. But digging deeper and looking ahead at how it will actually feel when we get there is the real challenge. Much has been written about disappointed expats who’ve gone home because of an inability to adapt.

A huge factor in the success of expat life lies in an ability to make new friends. There’s enough science to prove that the largest impediment to elder adult happiness is loneliness. For us the solution to this potential dilemma will run on two tracks.

Prior to our departure from the United States, we’re planning a farewell tour to share our news with friends. Yes, we’ll be saying adios for now. But we want to take them along for the journey. Part of that experience-sharing will be accomplished through blogging about our travels. Part will be to encourage visits to Spain. And lastly, we want to acknowledge their amazing contribution to our lives, thus far.

Once on the flip side of the globe, we’ll jump-start the building process for strong new relationships. Easier said than done at our age, I’m told. But not impossible with a bit of trial and error, and a willingness to make some mistakes along the way.

Our intent to live permanently in Spain should provide a better pathway toward friendship. Especially with skeptical Spaniards or other expats who might consider us temporary.

Everything Is Timing

Yes. Covid has thrown a wrench into our plans. The promise of relief through global vaccination, however, has opened a window of hope for a 2021 departure. We’ll put the brakes on if there is doubt about health and safety. We are – after all – at that certain age where vulnerability comes with the territory.

In the meantime, we’ll continue to add depth to our knowledge of Spain. Read articles. Watch videos. Study the language. Keep our energy up about exciting prospects for our new, self-determined life.

Have you decided to become an expat? Which country would be your first destination? Why there? What fascinates you the most? Are you planning a farewell trip before you go? If you’re already an expat – how did you choose your destination? Looking back now, would your choice have been different if you had to move home now? Please share with the community!

Teresa Giudice’s Black and White Tie Dye Leggings and Velvet Jacket

Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 11 Episode 10 Fashion

Teresa Giudice’s black and white tie dye leggings, worn with a black velvet jacket, talking to her daughter Gia and ex-husband Joe claim to help cover up cellulite.  But based on what we’ve learned in this scene there’s one thing that they seemingly don’t cover up, and that’s your dating status.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her SEASUM Leggings

Click Here to Shop her Puma Jacket in Limited Stock

Originally posted at: Teresa Giudice’s Black and White Tie Dye Leggings