Fab at forty One of the most difficult fashion issues facing women over 40 is how to dress for the many changes that occur around this age. As many of you already know – in our early to mid forties both our bodies and our lifestyles are in transition.

Physiologically our bodies are changing and some of us will suffer water retention, thinning hair or duller skin. Lifestyle-wise we may be on the brink of empty nest syndrome, we may be newly divorced or beginning new jobs.

If you are a woman over 40, you need to know that you can look just as sexy and vital as your younger counterparts; you just have to learn how to flatter your body without doing a major style overhaul and without looking like the proverbial mutton dressed as lamb. So, are your pleated trousers giving your age away? Perhaps you’re stuck in an 80’s beauty and style rut? Has your hairstyle barely changed in the past few years? If so… Change!

The key to dealing with the changes and to modernizing your look is to get in tune with what is in fashion. Handbags and shoes are the quickest way to update your look. Look around, browse through magazines, tune into the fashion channel and get a feel for what’s ‘in’. You are not necessarily aiming to be ‘hip and trendy’ but to develop your own timeless signature style. If you need inspiration, look at the ‘mature’ television stars and movie actresses you admire, pick out what you like and emulate their look.

The worst thing you can do is dress younger than you are – all it does is make you look even older and slightly bizarre. So, even if you have great legs, no miniskirts! Avoid baggy, formless clothes and chose pieces that give you shape. When shopping, don’t think you can wear the same colours you did when you were in your twenties, especially not next to your face. Experiment with colours in good lighting to find what flatters your forty-something skin.

Fashion and beauty tricks

Stand-up or turn-up collars are great for disguising a wrinkly neck. They cover the area and bring focus to the face. Wearing white close to one’s face helps too. Soft colours such as pale pink, white, beige or ice blue also bring light to the face and thus detract from the neck.

If you have lost your waistline along the way, wear jackets and pieces that will give you shape.

Look at yourself in the mirror, decide what your best features are and emphasize them. If you have nice hands, manicure them, good cleavage – show it off (in moderation) and so on.

If age spots begin to appear on the back of your hands or face – fight back. Many products are available that will lighten and fade liver spots and at sites like Skin Lightening Advice you’ll find the best skin whitening products articles, guidance and information.

Many forty-somethings suffer from thinning hair. If this is you, explain to your hairdresser what is happening and discuss with her a fresh new style that will help you get the appearance of thicker hair. Ask her advice on products too, there are many on today’s market that are specifically formulated to ‘fatten’ thinning and/or flyaway hair. You can look absolutely fabulous at forty; it just takes a little attention to detail and a few tweaks.

Your brain is an organ and just like the heart and lungs, it requires oxygen and exercise in order to operate at an optimum level. You may be too young to yield to middle-aged worries about ‘ use it or lose it’ or even to start fretting about Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases – however, it’s still important that you focus on keeping your brain in shape.

By regularly engaging in the right types of activities, you can increase your memory, improve your problem-solving skills and boost your creativity. Here are some tips on how to keep your mind active:

Quit smoking

If you are a smoker, quitting is top of the ‘to-do’ list for better mental acuity. This is because smokers can add memory loss to the long list of health problems that come from smoking. Smokers may have twice the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease as do people who have never smoked. Therefore, if the state and health of your mind are so important to you – stop smoking now — it is never too late. If you quit smoking now, you can still reduce your risk of memory loss later in life

Learn a language

Say ‘Ciao!’ to a whole new language. Learning a new tongue keeps your brain flexible and your mind sharp, helping to reduce the slowing of the thought processes that come with ageing. Attend classes, listen to tapes or seek out friends with whom you can converse in your new chosen language. Instead of watching the same television programs you always do, take in a foreign language movie with subtitles and immerse yourself in your new experience.

Play games

Thanks to an ageing baby-boom generation, there are now plenty of mentally stimulating games. As their name implies, brainteasers and other such puzzles are good exercises for the brain. At sites like at sites like Free Printable Sudoku you’ll find the best suduko. Always have a crossword book in your briefcase or purse and work on it while you commute, while you wait for an appointment or when you relax on your coffee break. You will improve your cognitive skills and creative thinking as well as your word power and vocabulary. Try also games that force you to strategize like chess, bridge and solitaire.

Learn a new skill

A long-term goal like learning to play a musical instrument stimulates your brain on many levels over an extended period. A skill like learning to dance is great for the brain because it combines music and movement. Make some of your everyday activities harder You can stimulate your brain just by mixing up your daily routine. For instance, if you are right handed, brush your teeth with your left hand, shower with your eyes closed — anything that will force you to use more of your senses.

Read

Whether it is a website, a novel or a newspaper, keeping your mind engaged in intellectual activity and expanding your vocabulary are two important ways to keep your brain thinking and working. As an extra exercise, repeat facts to yourself that you want to remember a few times – and try to recall them again later.

Socialize

Your brain is the ultimate party animal and loves social activity. Join clubs or seek out other social activities that will surround you with many people and have you interacting. New scenery, new topics of conversation and other multi-sensory activities force the brain to literally form new connections, thus increasing memory capacity.