Travel is a great passion of mine and has been since I was a little girl. The world is a beautiful and interesting place to explore. Meeting people and learning about their cultures and their views expands my own perspective and allows me to step outside my all too comfortable way of perceiving the world.

For these reasons, I love world travel and have always had multiple trips in the research and planning phases. Then 2020 and the pandemic happened, and all that went into a severe halt. I had to cancel nine planned trips in 2020, one at a time over the 12 months. Very disappointing, and I know you have like had many the same disappointments as well.

Now that there are vaccines and things are opening up, I am back into exploring the world, but that world has changed. The world of travel is different and there are different rules and practices in each destination.

The way I used to experience an airport was pretty much on auto-pilot. I was familiar with the routines and walked through it all easily, almost without thinking. So many things have changed now, that I am no longer able to travel on auto-pilot.

A Trip to France

I recently went to France for three weeks. It was so great to get away, but it really required lots more research than before. Each country has different rules/laws regarding Covid, so I went online to see what the rules were in France.

I found many resources that told me France is requiring everyone to carry a government Health Pass (Passe Sanitaire) that shows you’re vaccinated. There is no entry to museums, restaurants (not even to sit outside), trains, Metro, landmarks, etc. without the pass.

Even When You Think You’re Prepared…

To make sure that I was prepared and ready for France, I applied online at the government website to get my pass. I received an automated email confirming receipt of my application and that it would be 4-6 days for me to receive an email with my electronic pass.

That meant I should receive it just as I arrive in Paris. I like to be prepared and ready, so was feeling very organized and savvy. Well, by the time I reached Paris, I still had not received my pass, so I could not go to a restaurant or climb the stairs at the Eiffel Tower or anything. I asked at the hotel, but they weren’t well informed.

One thing I had read was that I could get a Covid test at any pharmacy and that would give me a pass for 72 hours. I went off and did that, but 72 hours later I had a train to catch. Getting tested every three days was not a good option for me.

I met up with a friend who lives in France, and she told me that I could get the health pass at a pharmacy if I just showed my vaccination record and passport. The process was easy, and I received the pass electronically a few hours later.

That had worked out well, but what if I hadn’t had a friend there to help? I would have had to get tested every 3 days for my whole 3-week visit! My poor nose!

Each Country Has Different and Changing Rules

This story is just to say things have changed, and we need to be as informed as possible when we go to other countries (and come home). France didn’t require a Covid test to fly there, but the US required a test to come back. And by now, maybe all that has changed.

Let me share some tips that will help you get back into travel as the world opens little by little. Enjoy and be ready!

Tips for Travel These Days

• Don’t assume that your airport is going to look or feel the same as it did before.
• Don’t take out your frustrations on the people who work at the airport, hotel, etc.
• Remember that we are all in this together; it is not designed to frustrate only you.
• Do extra research on travel/government websites at your destination country to see what their current rules are. They are likely not quite the same as the rules in your home country.
• Continue to check those websites right until you depart. Also check your home country rules and practices for when you return. Do you need a proof of vaccination? Do you need a Covid test before flying?
• If you only have a paper, hand-written vaccination card, you need to go online where you received the vaccinations and get an electronic card with QR code for travel.
• Don’t assume the hotel staff will know how to help you with local Covid requirements. Have a Plan B (and C & D) at the ready.
• Remember, you are choosing to travel for the pleasure of it, so enjoy that pleasure even when it comes to you disguised as something else.
• Most of all, enjoy the scenery, the people, the culture of where ever you go, starting in your home airport or train station.

Have you traveled internationally in the recent months? What was your experience like? Do you have tips and recommendations for people who would like to return to travel?

If you’ve ever wondered what luxury skincare feels like, wait no more. La Mer, a top luxury beauty brand, has attracted the likes of Kim Kardashian West and Chrissy Teigen, and the source of most of this celeb attention is none other than the brand’s coveted Crème De La Mer moisturizer. However, there’s a new sheriff in town, and thanks to Amazon’s Black Friday sales, her price tag is $333.50 cheaper. Yes, you read that number correctly, and no, we’re not that bad at math.

Crème De La Mer is a celeb of its own because of its ability to do just about everything good for your skin. It has an ultra-rich formula that deeply moisturizes, heals, and protects. It even minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles—and after all our holiday shopping and wrapping up the year, we sure could use it. But all of this is no match for Mario Badescu’s way more affordable alternative. It calls on similar ingredients like seaweed extract, glycerin, collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid to give your skin all the moisture it deserves—at a fraction of its competitor’s price. 

RELATED: 5 Crème De La Mer Alternatives That Make Your Skin Look Younger & Cost A Fraction Of The Price 

If you still don’t believe that a $17 moisturizer could mimic one that’s $350, head over to the reviews section where more than 1,200 shoppers have given this product a perfect five-star rating. 

“This product is AMAZING. By far the best facial moisturizer I have ever used,” wrote one five-star reviewer. “I previously used La Mer which broke the bank at $175 a container. This product works just as well if not better.”

Courtesy of Amazon.

Usually $22, this La Mer dupe is on sale for Black Friday for just under $17, so you’ll have savings on savings with this buy. 

The oil-free formula is suitable for combination, oily, and sensitive skin types, which is a major bonus since you’ll wake up with a more nourished and illuminated complexion. Not only does it hydrate your skin with hyaluronic acid, it also gives your skin a plump bounce that you’re definitely going to want this chilly winter and beyond. The collagen and elastin, in particular, are packed with proteins that help smooth lines.

“Incredible moisturizer. Instantly hydrating and thick, but does not cause breakouts. I’ve been having problematic skin because of wearing masks in the heat of summer, and this is seriously helping. I’ve been using all kinds of clearing products that dry out the skin, in addition to retinol, which leaves skin feeling tight, but the minute I put this on, all those issues vanish. I wake up with baby soft skin. Seriously impressed with this affordable product,” wrote another shopper.

Now that we’ve hopefully convinced you of this moisturizer’s irresistibly good ingredients and unbelievably effective results, it’s time to check out. Soon, you won’t even remember the name La Mer and will instead be basking in the glory of having healthy, glowing skin all thanks to this Mario Badescu moisturizer.

Let me just start by saying, I feel your pain. On a good day I measure 5’1”. And here’s a little FYI to clothing manufacturers: the average height for women in both the US and the UK is 5’3” or 161.6 cm. So designers, you’re missing a HUGE demographic!

And here’s another FYI for clothing manufacturers: we petites don’t consider 5’4” petite. Buying things, especially slacks or jeans, cut for someone 5’4” means an automatic trip to the tailor for us. Also, many department stores have simply eliminated their petite departments entirely, with the excuse that petite women tend to want to look sexier or more fashion-forward. This might be true for younger women, but it doesn’t do the rest of us over 60 any good.

So, now that I got that off my chest, let’s look into some of the problems and solutions for getting the best fitting garments for women who are petite!

Tailoring

If you just love something and (unless it is a knit) and it’s too long, or the sleeves are too long, or the waist is too big, those alterations are often fairly easy and inexpensive, especially if you’re handy with a sewing machine.

But there are certain things that just can’t be altered without significantly changing the way the garment was designed to look and to hang. Those include arm holes, and very often, shoulder seams.

Unless a style has sleeves that are placed below the shoulder intentionally, as are some knits, you don’t want the arm hole to sit below your shoulder. That will just make you look sloppy, and in fact, shorter. In the warmer weather months, be mindful of the size of the armholes so that your bra or underthings don’t show.

It’s also true that certain silhouettes – like very wide, flared leg pants or blouses with puffy sleeves, or other kinds of “statement” sleeves – can’t be adjusted without changing the line of the garment. And you just can’t change the rise of a pair of slacks or jeans.

Also, keep in mind that you can pretty easily remove extra fabric, but you won’t be able to add much. So, start by looking for things that fit your largest parts first, and then have the garments tailored to fit the rest of you.

Then there is this: petite doesn’t necessarily mean short and slender. Especially as we age, it can mean that we’re carrying a few extra pounds. One thing I recommend to my clients is to have a tailoring work-up through a service called Fashion Fit Formula.

That site requires you to send in several measurements of your own body (e.g., distance from chin to waist, hip bone to ankle, etc.) and then they send you a printout showing the ideal point at which to have various hemlines as well as things like necklines, necklace lengths, etc. tailored. Using those hemlines will create the most flattering, slimming and lengthening proportions for your specific body.

If you already have a tailor who has a good eye for this, learn what they feel are your ideal lengths for hemlines, sleeves, etc., and carry those measurements with you on your phone.

You’re So Cute!!

One of the biggest challenges at our age is that, although some of us may still be considered “cute” we don’t want clothes that are “cutesy.” Cutesy doesn’t exactly cut it after a certain age. In fact, it’s kind of annoying. We’ve earned our years and would like to be taken a little more seriously when to comes to fashion. I, for one, want to look a little more sophisticated.

Having said that, there are some shopping advantages to being petite. One of a petite’s best kept secrets is that they can shop in the juniors section for many items, and will often pay less for them than they would in the women’s department.

Items to look for in those departments include sweaters, pants, jackets, almost anything, as they are scaled down for a typically smaller body. Unless you are particularly busty, another advantage is that for things like button down shirts, tee-shirts, and even blazers, you can shop in the ‘boys’ section. (Don’t feel awkward doing so either. A good friend of mine shops in the men’s section for work jeans and another buys men’s sneakers for her size 9 ½ feet.)

If you feel your legs are still worth showing off, a petite can often look terrific in shorter skirts. And if your legs are a bit veiny or you feel too fleshy to go bare, wearing leggings or dark stockings with shorter skirts is another great option. In fact, emphasizing your legs can often make you look taller.

And lastly, as many petites know, cropped pants in regular sizes can also be a great option. They are often a perfect ankle-length for us shorties.

Creating Elongation

Speaking of which, there are several tricks to looking taller and slenderer. The first is to create a “columnar” look in your overall line. What that means is don’t cut yourself up by wearing chunks of color, color blocked tops or bottoms or multiple patterns.

Petite Soft Trench Coat Banana Republic

Those delineations can emphasize your height (or lack of height.) So, the obvious option is to create a monochrome column of color, or of slightly different shades of the same color.

Ralph Lauren paisley georgette long sleeve dress

DKNY Plaid single breasted walker coat Macy’s

Petite Softened Double breasted coat at Loft

That could mean wearing slacks and a top in a similar color, a fitted midi dress and matching stockings, or if you are a little too heavy for a fitted dress, a long, hanging looser style with matching stockings or similar length with a longer over coat. It’s a sophisticated and elegant look in general.

Boden Full Skirt ponte midi dress

Then there are necklines. Very high necklines, (not including turtlenecks, which are primarily Classic in their style and can be a part of a column dressing outfit) or those with a lot of detail around a high neckline tend to visually shorten you. V-necklines, surplice tops, or draped softer necklines will make you look taller.

Harriet knitted midi dress Boden

Tilda Wool coat Hobbs London

Talbot’s velour v neck pullover

i.n. studio petite bias printed cowl neckline long sleeve pullover at Dillard’s

Petite shapely surplice top at Soft Surroundings

When it comes to prints, choose those that don’t overpower your frame. Look for ones whose delineating lines are smaller, e.g., thinner stripes, not thick. Especially thick horizontal lines will tend to shorten and widen you. But don’t think you have to forego prints entirely. A general principle about prints – for everyone – is that they should be proportional to your height and girth.

Ralph Lauren Belting print crepe shirt dress

Drapers and Damons Kaleidoscope jewel shirt

Proportion

Unless you are very busty or have a very short waist-to-bust ratio, think of wearing something that is fitted and shorter for your upper body garment, and long and wider for your lower body garment. That could mean a closer fitting blouse or sweater, cropped jacket, and wider leg pants.

Michael Kors Petite Down puffer coat at Macy’s

Yes, I know some people feel that wide leg pants will make a short woman look shorter. But it’s not always the case, especially if you wear them with a heeled shoe, like a bootie. The key is that they are not visually out of proportion to the rest of your body or your outfit. Any garment that stands out on its own can make you look smaller.

Another flattering option for many petites could be to wear a shorter fitted top, an unbuttoned blazer or jacket, with a long midi skirt, tights or leggings, and a slightly heeled shoe. And in the summer, slightly flared slacks, and maxi dresses are another terrific option.

Talbot’s Billow Sleeve Fit and Flare velvet dress

The reverse of that is another possibility, especially if you are very busty or are carrying extra weight in your midsection. It also works if you simply want a more relaxed, laid-back look. What that might look like is a looser, longer, tunic-style top worn with leggings or slim pants or jeans. It can be elongating and flattering. The hem length of the tunic top here is crucial. The right proportion of the top can make you look slimmer and taller, and the wrong proportion will do the opposite.

Soft-Brushed Sherpa-Trim Jacket for Women

Dillard’s Petite slim ponte trouser pants

NYDJ Marilyn Jean Petite

Generally, you want to avoid very over-sized garments or voluminous amounts of fabric. They can weigh you down visually.

Morgan Wool Coat in Ivory Petite Studio

And then there is the waistline conundrum. In jackets, adjustability, as with drawstring waists, can be a blessing for a petite. Unless you have a very long torso, wearing a dress, skirt or pants with a slightly higher waistline than your actual waist will lengthen the look of your legs and shorten your torso.

NYDJ Slim trousers

JC Penney Worthington Women’s Petite Perfect trouser

If it is the upper half of your body that is shorter, make sure that the waistline of your garment exactly matches your own waist, or is ever-so-slightly below it. And the right size belt is crucial. It’s a rare petite that can wear a belt more than 2 inches wide or 5.08 cm.

Accessories

Speaking of which, the size of accessories is another important consideration when it comes to petite dressing. A daily handbag shouldn’t be much larger than the size of your body from your front to your back. Any bigger and it starts to look like a burden, not an accessory.

A tote can, of course, be larger but for either, you don’t want the straps or handles to reach mid-hip or hip length. That will visually drag you down.

When it comes to shoes, try to avoid Mary Jane styles as they will truncate the look of your legs, unless you wear exactly matching color stockings, in which case the instep or ankle strap will just visually disappear. And, as mentioned earlier, stockings that match your clothing are a great way to elongate the look of the leg. If you’re buying boots online, always check the height of the shaft of the boot so you don’t end up with boots that hit against the back of your knee.

As for jewelry, don’t be afraid of statement pieces, but keep the length a bit shorter, especially if the material of the necklace is multicolored or a bright color. Longer statement necklaces will overwhelm petite women.

Showy earrings, like chandelier earrings, are fine as long as they don’t graze your shoulders. Keep them only as long as your chin, maximum. And be careful about how much jewelry you wear at one time. Statement necklaces, plus bracelets and earrings are too much all at once. (But that also goes for women of any height.)

As for scarves, it’s hard to find smaller knit scarves, but just avoid super thick or poufy ones.

Lastly – and this is one of my pet peeves – most hangers will stretch the shoulders of petite sweaters, blouses, jackets and coats out of shape. It’s worth investing in a set of hangers specifically made for petites. You can find lots of options online.

Have you shopped in the petite section of a store? Or have you bought petite clothing, even if you aren’t petite? Why? What is your favorite outlet for petite clothing?

Whitney Rose’s Black Moto Ski Suit While Dogsledding in Vail

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 2 Episode 11 Fashion

Although Whitney Rose may not have come properly prepared for dogsledding in Vail with her Zyrtec — which is apparently an allergy medication and not a dog — she did however come prepared with this black moto-style ski suit (and a mango White Claw cleverly belted to her waist ). Which in our opinion made for a cute winter lewk that was definitely the dog’s ruff cat’s meow. 

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to See Her ASOS 4505 Ski Suit

Click Here For Info on Her Sunglasses

Fanny Pack By Louis Vuitton

Originally posted at: Whitney Rose’s Black Moto Ski Suit

It seems many women feel stuck and hopeless after 60. Some of the responses to my article “3 Essential Elements to Getting What You Want” are the living proof.

I vividly remember that place, those lost years. I remember thinking, “I’m just marking time, waiting to die.” Once I’d given words to that feeling, I knew I had to make big changes. I didn’t want to depart my precious time on this earth with regrets.

I was approaching 60, married, living my husband’s life and working in partnership with him in a job that wasn’t suited for me. It was my fifth marriage, and it wasn’t working, but I couldn’t face the shame of yet another divorce.

I’d crafted a well-put-together public persona, a buttoned-up, Ralph Lauren sophistication – call it a mask – that hid the insecurity and fear from a lifetime of poor choices.

People often commented on what a calm, competent, successful person I was. That’s exactly what I wanted them to believe. But living a lie takes a toll.

Desperate?

When I realized that I was marking time instead of living, desperation set in.

I knew I didn’t want my current life, but what did I want in its place? I knew I presented a believable façade, yet underneath – who was I really?

The questions haunted me. Self-help books teetered on my nightstand. Journaling took on new importance. About that time the economy plunged and financial distress was added to my growing despair.

There was something about hitting bottom that felt deserved. Perhaps it was that point of hopelessness that made me feel like I’d paid the price for my mistakes and now could move on. The crawl out of the depths took a couple of years, but crawl out I did. Here’s what worked for me:

Preparing Lists

I began to list things I loved; things, not people, because it was only about me. I wrote: sunlight streaming through french doors, uninterrupted vistas, clouds, daydreaming. Over months, whenever I thought of something new I’d add it to the list.

Past Experiences

I dug around in the past. What had I enjoyed doing once upon a time that I no longer did? I had played the piano, guitar, flute. I’d sung, danced, traveled. I’d loved to write.

Revisit Long Lost Dreams

I explored unfinished dreams. At various times I’d wanted to be a foreign correspondent, an actress, a jockey, an attorney. I’d become none of them. What would be meaningful to me as I aged? I scratched jockey off the list!

Discovery Writing

I invented discovery writing. Every morning I jotted down whatever came through my mind whether it made sense or not. When something caught my attention, I stopped to ask myself a ‘why’ question about it.

I used only why, never what, when, where or how. After each of my answers I would ask another why question about that answer until it brought me to a startling discovery about myself. Often, the trail of why filled pages.

Self-Discovery

Many self-help books take the reader through a process of answering questions. Those answers come from the stories we’ve always told ourselves. The author doesn’t know who we are and can only ask generic questions.

When we frame our own questions, and persist in following the trail to its source, the results will revolutionize our understanding of what motivates us. So much of what we believe about ourselves and others is based on information that was gathered and stored in our subconscious mind before the age of six, and no longer applies. Some of it is simply not true.

This kind of self-questioning, crazy as it sounds, takes us to the core of our beliefs. Only when we know the forces behind our choices, can we make sweeping changes in our lives.

Key Elements to Consider

Many of us are not in the habit of giving to ourselves. Hard work is familiar. Putting self last, or not at all, is a pattern of neglect that has to stop. At first, just the idea of taking time to think about what I loved seemed wildly indulgent. Delicious. It made me cry.

How could I give myself the tropics in a frigid Minnesota winter? I create fiery heat and exotic scents with candles and incense. I made a habit of buying myself a bouquet while shopping for groceries.

Small acts of kindness to self eventually make it possible to believe we can have all of what we want.

I’ve pared down the process to its bones, but if you’re sick enough of the way things are, and tired of making excuses that keep you small and sad, this will get you moving in the right direction. We have enormous power to change our circumstances. Nobody else can do it for us.

I invite you to check out my blog “Writing for Self-Discovery – Creating a Life that Fits Like Skin” and imagine what a life that fits you as intimately as your skin would look like for you.

What are the stories you tell yourself that keep you stuck? Are you telling yourself right now that you can’t do this? Why can’t you do this? Please share your thoughts below.