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Originally posted at: Madison LeCroy’s Ivory Tie Jacket and Pants Set

I first became familiar with the phrase “color, texture and shine” a few years back while working with Stacy London, whose hit show “What Not To Wear” became the epitome of the before and after makeovers.

As she shared her fashion expertise with us, she always spoke in terms of color, texture and shine, almost insisting that a woman had to have the daily requirement of those three components before she walked out the door.

She encouraged us to use this rule, teach this rule and live personally by this rule. Even now, I always make sure that I have ticked all three of these boxes before leaving the house.

Let’s take a look at each of these three elements of fashion for women over 60.

Color – Improve Your Mood and Make a Great First Impression

The use of color in your daily garb not only flatters your overall appearance, but it can influence your mood as well as the mood of others around you. The first thing that people notice about you is the color you are wearing!

As all of us “black” lovers know, the power of that color can instantly erase 10 pounds! The power of a “real” color can erase about 10 years from your look by complementing your hair and skin tone.

Pick up a color wheel at any art supply or craft store as it can help you figure out which colors in your wardrobe can be mixed and matched.

First, simply look at colors that are opposite on the color wheel, for example, purple and yellow or blue and orange. These opposite colors work very well together because they contrast.

Secondly, notice how red and purple, situated next to each other on the color wheel, look great together because they complement each other. Use the two “C” words, contrast and complement, to your advantage.

The third way to use the color wheel is to dress in one color, but in different hues. Using several shades of the same color, from light to dark will give you a polished look.

Color is the most important component of your look and it’s the easiest way to freshen your wardrobe and reflect your own personal style.

Remember that color can be pulled into your look with fabrics, accessories, shoes, and even your lipstick or nail polish.

Texture – Give Your Outfit Depth and Interest

The texture could be the weave of the fabric, the density of the cloth, the “skin” of the belt or even the composition of the necklace.

When working with clients, I often use texture to either accentuate the assets or disguise the liabilities. Here’s one example for both categories.

Let’s say your body proportion is bigger on the bottom and we need to balance out your silhouette by adding a bit of volume to the top of your frame. The best way to do this is by using a textured jacket or a blouse, something tweedy, nubby and perhaps colorful.

Or, we would add color or shine with the accessories (scarves, necklaces) to bring the eye away from the (bigger on the bottom liability) up to your beautiful face and neckline (accentuating the assets).

Shine – Learn to Love Your Accessories

Shine could be your glossy lipstick, your patent leather shoe, your silky shimmery blouse and, of course, your bling! Let’s talk about bling specifically. After all, most women love their jewels!

I personally do not leave the house without my 4-point jewelry checklist – earrings, watch, multiple bracelets and a necklace.

I wish I could say that I vary my earrings, but I am lazy and love my diamonds. My watches are a choice of two, one dressy and one a bit sportier with a leather band. My necklaces and bracelets are where I really express myself.

I have been a bit of a collector, over time, and have made sure that I have the demure and chunky gold, as well as the demure and chunky silver.

I have pearls but I never wear them. Somehow, I wore them more in my 20s, when we were wearing those obligatory menswear suits and floppy bow ties. Oh my! How far we have come! Perhaps my decision to pack the pearls away was a bit more ceremonial than I realized!

These days, I opt for statement pieces. I can’t think of a better way to change up an outfit than with your necklace – there it is, front and center, begging for attention!

It’s not rocket science ladies. It’s just a creative process. Build your wardrobe and build your outfit before you walk out the door! Remember – fashion is supposed to be FUN!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How would you describe your personal style? Which of the guidelines mentioned in this article do you already follow? Are there any that you disagree with? Please join the conversation.

Is it me or is it the productions? Two out of the eight plays presented here are old – and those are the ones that resonated with me. Granted, staying power says a lot about a play, a book, a movie. And the themes of these two plays, Greek tragedy and assassination, are timeless. Only one play on this list was a waste of time and money for me. Such is the nature of toad kissing.

In two weeks, I’m diving in again with a new production by Mary Zimmerman at Goodman Theatre, The Matchbox Magic Flute at a matinee. That evening it’s a new production at Steppenwolf entitled Purpose, a Black family saga. So, it’s pucker-up time again.

Sanctuary City, Produced by Steppenwolf Theatre, Written by Martyna Majok

A play about friendship and love, immigration and naturalization, and consequences. Two illegal immigrants, dreamers and friends, a young man and a young woman, both from families where there is violence that the injured cannot report because they are illegal. When the home living conditions become too bad, they move in together for safety and companionship. Both work under the radar until, through a twist of fate, the young woman is naturalized and wins a scholarship to study at a prestigious university away from their home.

To protect her friend from the authorities, the two marry, too young to consider the long-term consequences. This first part of the play is a series of monologues rather than a dialogue. I felt it unhinged until I synched with the rhythm. The play goes through their years together and apart until at last he introduces his gay lover into the triangle.

Here, the play becomes more traditional, with a stage set and traditional dialogue. Now it’s a love triangle, but the boy and girl were never in love. She just made an enormous sacrifice for her friend that now seems unappreciated. Consider wisely, my friends, before making large decisions…

Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, a Theatrical Adaptation of Jim Henson’s Television Special

This seemed to have it all: puppets, people, jug band music, Christmas theme – Emmet Otter, here I come! The otters may have enthralled children, but for adults, it was a crashing bore. The play entertained some attendees familiar with the TV original, but I didn’t even know it existed. I would say, skip this one if it comes to your local theater next Christmas.

Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol, A Manual Cinema Production, Adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens, Devised by Manual Cinema, Additional Writing by Nate Marshall

Then you have Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol based on the novel by Charles Dickens. Adapted loosely because it’s the story of a newly deceased man who annually presents a Christmas Carol puppet show for his family. Now his resentful wife is attempting to carry on the tradition for people she does not like, to honor her husband’s memory.

Manual Cinema presents puppet theater on a grand scale, mostly with shadow images of all sizes. Their cache shows how they make the sausage. Besides the puppet show, you see how all the puppeteers work, using multiple overhead projectors (remember those?), the image of the actual puppet stage of the actual show while you also see the puppeteers handling the puppets that are projected. As usual, it’s a delight. Follow Manual Cinema to see when they are coming to your area. It’s not-miss entertainment. And their website is a delight.

Highway Patrol starring Dana Delany and based on Ms. Delany’s digital archives

Ms. Delany plays herself, working a grueling schedule on a television show that leaves little time for personal life. She isolates her digital life because it’s so easy for stalkers to find their way into emails, Twitter, etc. But Cam, a 13-year-old boy with a critical medical condition, appears on her Twitter feed one day and sucks Delany into the vortex of his life.

The staging is excellent because this relationship is based on the written word. Tweets and DMs flow upward on a large screen occupying half of the stage. Sometimes the flow stops, and the characters speak the messages between Delany and Cam – and sometimes between Delany and Gram, Cam’s apparent guardian. Of course, no good comes from this, but it makes good theater and Ms. Delany is a delight. Recommended.

The Writer by Ella Hickson, directed by Georgette Verdin produced by Steep Theatre

Women like this play; men hate it. The play is a screed against misogyny and patriarchy in the theater. It’s a man’s world on the stage, especially in writing and directing. In this play, within a play, within a play, Hickson rails – likely with good reason – against the control that men exercise. But this is a slap in the face rather than a thoughtful rationale.

The writing is excellent; the actors were spellbinding; the plot was not so much. Whenever a contemporary play writer or author bring in extraneous lesbian sex, I cringe. And here it did nothing but dampen the ardor of the argument against men. I doubt this play would hang together if produced by a lesser company than Steep. I recommend it with reservations.

The Nacirema Society written by Pearl Cleage, directed by Lili-Anne Brown produced by Goodman Theatre

This play cried to be directed as a comedy. Unfortunately, the only character allowed to go for a laugh was the maid, who had no lines.

The great E. Faye Butler played the matriarch of an upper-class Black family in the south. They live in a city with a tradition of Black cotillions for debutants, just as the whites have their Mardi Gras and other cotillions. This is so wide open for mining the humor, but I fear everyone involved felt this would be disrespectful. So, you end up with a rather dull play.

Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl directed by Braden Abraham produced by Writers Theater

Based on the Greek tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice, Ruhl took the story into her hands 20 years ago, and it is as fresh today under Abraham’s direction. This play is like watching your fondest dream, with a sad plot (remember Eurydice is dead), a dashing hero who woos Eurydice back with music, a wacky father, and a proper villain.

The set almost makes the production – a steep slope separating earth from hell. Human stones who line the river Styx, sunning themselves in lawn chairs are the Greek chorus. I inwardly gasped each time a performer walked up or down the slope. It was that steep. Ruhl has won Pulitzer Prizes for her playwriting – but don’t overlook this gem from her early career.

Assassins, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman produced by Theo, formerly Theo Ubique (I’m glad they abbreviated their name. No one could pronounce Ubique.)

Second time I’ve seen Assassins, and I loved it just as much. Certainly not one of Sondheim’s greatest, but it is Sondheim and therefore more than worthy. The subject is the men and women who assassinated U.S. presidents, or attempted assassination. And there are lots of guns used on stage.

Theo is in a new theater – a large square multi-purpose room that is configured as needed. For Assassins, the audience sat on three sides, so wherever you sat, the action was directly in front.

There are nine assassinations, so lots of meaty short stories. And the assassins interact, teasing and ridiculing each other. I highly recommend it, but not if you don’t like guns pointing at the audience.

Read more play/theater/opera/festival/book reviews.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you have a local theater? How often do you visit it to see a play? When was the last time you went? Which play did you see? What can you tell us about the production?

If you struggle with your weight, you may have labeled yourself as “good” or “bad” based on the food you eat or your weight. That’s your inner critic talking!

You might say things like:

• I was SO bad this week. I ate a ton of cookies.
• I was really bad this week, I’m up a couple pounds.
• I was so good this week, all I ate was vegetables.
• I was good this week, I lost a pound.

It might seem like no big deal to talk like this about yourself, but the truth is that judging yourself as good or bad based on the food you eat, or the number on the scale, can sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Your Thoughts and Words Affect Your Emotions

Imagine yourself as a small child.

Next, imagine you just ate something that your adult self would consider “bad.” Maybe it was several cookies, or a bag of chips or a carton of ice cream.

Now, imagine your adult-self telling your child-self how “bad” she is. Go ahead and be a little harsh with your words. You might say things like:

• Wow, I can’t believe you ate all that. You were pretty bad today.
• Don’t you know you shouldn’t eat chocolate? What’s wrong with you?
• You know you shouldn’t be eating that, right? It’s just going to show up on the scale.
• You blew it. Why did you do that?

How did this make you feel? How did it make your child-self feel?

Chances are neither of you are feeling very good about this. You might feel sad, angry, ashamed and defensive. And you’re probably NOT inspired to eat a carrot right about now!

If you’re judging yourself as “bad” based on your food choices, either consciously or subconsciously, you’re likely stirring up some emotions that feel uncomfortable. The next thing you know you’re in the pantry or raiding the fridge, looking for “something” to help you feel better.

Your Emotions Also Affect Your Physical Body

In addition to feeling bad and causing you to eat to feel better, your emotions can also trigger what is called the stress response that causes you to gain weight.

Emotional stress affects your physiology by triggering the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. High levels of cortisol and adrenaline contribute to weight gain, digestive issues, memory and concentration problems, and anxiety.

I tell my clients that eating food under the influence of guilt and shame, which is what happens when you tell yourself you are “bad” because of your food choices, is a recipe for disaster.

The extra cortisol and adrenaline make it nearly impossible to lose weight and they actually cause weight gain.

How Can We Change This Behavior?

Doing the above visualization with your child-self gave you some valuable insight into how much your thoughts and words can affect your body and your ability to lose weight.

This is a great first step!

Now, let’s use some positive words so you can experience what it feels like to be more kind to yourself.

Try saying these positive phrases below, even if they don’t feel true just yet.

• I’m a really good person, regardless of what I eat.
• My food choices don’t define my worthiness.
• Food is just food, and what I eat doesn’t make me good or bad.

What did you notice?

Maybe you felt peaceful. Or calm. Or loved.

Most likely you did not feel the same negative emotions you felt when you were being critical of yourself.

The truth is that you’ve got to silence your inner critic to lose weight. It takes some practice, but it’s definitely possible!

My clients who “turn off” their inner critic and “turn on” their inner coach are losing weight and you can do this too!

If you want to learn how to be your best inner coach so you can lose weight, watch this short 4-minute video.  

Further read, WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT BUT STRUGGLE WITH MENU PLANNING AND FOOD PREP?

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you always struggled to silence your inner critic? What does this voice tell you? Have you tried to be more kind to yourself?

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Originally posted at: Katie Maloney’s Black Short Sleeve Button Up