My fashion forecast for Autumn and Winter 2012

I received an email recently from About.com's Petite Fashion guide written by Paula Darnell, outlining some of the key looks for Autumn  - or Fall as our American cousins call it.  I'm no fashion expert, as regular readers will testify, but I thought I would give you my own spin on these trends for over 60s, and particularly for those of us who are over 60 and petite.  Many of my warnings should also be taken to heart by anyone who is over 40!

1.  Rich Wine colours

Paula endorses this trend for petites, though she does point out that she can wear these colours, which suggests to me that many people can't.  I recollect from the dim and distant past that although I looked good in our burgundy school blazer, many of my blonde and redhead friends didn't.  As we are fast forwarding nearly fifty years, I am not going to assume that I will still look good in this colour.  I will try on any tops or dresses that I like, but I will be ruthless about whether this shade suits me now and I may restrict any  purchases to accessories.  I suggest that if in doubt you do the same.

One for my Christmas present list?

2.  Winter white hues

Light colours aren't very slimming and, if like me you have a dog in the house, they're not practical either so I think I will give this one a miss.  However for some over 60s white is softer and more flattering worn close to the face than black, so if white suits you don't write it off, just don't wear it on the widest parts of your body unless you want to emphasise your curves.

3.  Big and baggy tops

Just one word for this one - no!  If you're not a petite you may be tempted by this trend, as it hides a multitude of sins, however all over 60s look better in clothes that skim their body rather than shapeless clothes that just emphasise their bulk.  Baggy tops are only for wearing curled up in front of the TV, if at all.

4.  Trouser suits, aka pants suits

This is a good trend for petites, particularly if you choose a dark shade that flatters you, and also for any over 60s who want to look slimmer.  Make sure that the jacket doesn't end at your widest point though, and I would suggest that if you are petite you will look better in single breasted styles.

5.  Velvet

Velvet is good if you are tall and slender, but because of its nap it can add weight to any woman who doesn't have a model figure.  If you're short and not so slender like me it can definitely make you look bulky, so it's best not to combine this trend with the previous one and buy a velvet trouser suit.  A velvet scarf or collar though in a shade that suits you is a good way to embrace this trend.

6.  Embellishments

Jewels, lace, sequins, embroidery, beads - sounds to me like a recipe for disaster for most petites, who are likely to be overwhelmed if they go for this fashion,  and in particular for those of us who are more mature.  I like to wear a dress and not have the dress wear me.  I do have a sequin scarf in my wardrobe though that could add a fashionable touch to some plain tops and dresses.

7.  Military fashion and in particular khaki

This is an ideal trend for over 60s who look good in khaki, although petites like me should avoid double-breasted styles and long coats.  A quick way to update your favourite coat or jacket would be to replace its buttons with metallic ones.  Not being that handy with a needle and thread, I may look for a khaki handbag to update my wardrobe.

My advice is to check out the fashion magazines and websites, decide whether a particular look will suit your shape, your colouring and - we're going to have to be honest with ourselves on this one! - your age.  If the answer is yes, then go ahead and update your wardrobe.

This is tempting, though I would need to try it on in case it is too long for a petite

The good, the bad and the Uglympics

You may or may not have noticed that the 2012 Olympics is taking place in London at the moment. John and I are keen sports fans and have been watching as much of the Games as possible, even to the extent of taking  my smartphone to a concert in our local castle last night and checking the tennis results while the band was warming up.  Such dedication, I hear you say!  Those of us who are over 60 may not be as athletic as we once were, but we can still enjoy watching sport and it may inspire us to great things in the Race for Life that takes place in November.


There are many good things about the Olympics and here are just a few of them:  
- watching personal striving by all the competitors to do their best and admiring their achievements, whether it is an Olympic medal or a new personal best; 
- team spirit, especially in those events when one member of the team is being supported by the others to win a gold medal while their own reward is only the satisfaction if they succeed; 
- patriotism (in a good way).  My fellow countrymen seem so proud to be British, which in itself isn't a very British characteristic;  
- showcasing the host nation's sights (London and the other venues have been looking amazing); 
- inspiration for future generations (I loved the fact that seven promising young athletes lit the Olympic cauldron rather than a "big" name);
- friendships being forged between the different nations.  If we can unite in sport, maybe we can learn to understand each other, to appreciate our differences and respect all the world's citizens.

Is laughter the best medicine?

Life is too short to be miserable, especially when you are over 60 and don't know how many years you've got left to enjoy yourself.  I had a great role model in my mother Joy, who certainly knew how to live up to her name.  No matter what life threw at her, she was able to laugh about it. When I think about my friends, the ones that I am closest to and the ones I feel most comfortable with are those who laugh at life and who can laugh at themselves.  Being with them always makes me feel better, even when life isn't going very smoothly.


Humour is of course a very individual thing.  Apparently when I was a child I would sit stony-faced when the clowns came on at the circus, and even now I don't really find slapstick humour funny.  I prefer situation comedies or humour based on strong characterisation.  I admit that there were slapstick moments in Fawlty Towers but the real humour for me came from the relationships between Basil, Sybil, Polly and Manuel.

Please don't bring on the clowns!

Although I'm not really a fan of Mr Bean, much preferring Blackadder, I did find Rowan Atkinson's contribution to the Olympics Opening Ceremony very entertaining.  I also enjoyed watching "Her Majesty" dropping into the stadium by parachute - that showed a very British sense of humour.


There have been a couple of times though when laughter wasn't what I really needed.  I had a hernia operation when I was living in Gibraltar and two male colleagues came to see me in hospital and "cheer me up".  Thanks, lads, when I have stitches across my stomach I really don't need you keeping me in stitches with your jokes!  A similar thing occurred when I tripped out running and had a muscular spasm.  One of my favourite comedies was on TV that night, but every time I laughed it hurt me, so I was sitting there trying not to laugh.

These are the exceptions.  At the end of the day nothing beats having a good laugh to make you feel healthier, happier and even younger.  Will somebody please put on the "Only fools and horses" DVD?

"Use it or lose it" - part 3

Your spirit or soul - what do those words mean to you?  If you are religious there will be obvious connotations and in the context of "Use it or lose it" no doubt you will be reflecting on the importance of faith in your life and especially as you get older.  Religion can be very comforting in your later years and with a strong faith you can overcome almost anything that life throws at you.

I confess to being not particularly religious, although I was brought up in a Church of England family and my grandfather was a priest.  I would like to believe that there is another life after this one, but I'm not totally convinced, so I believe in making the most of this life and living every day as if it might be your last one. I do have moral values though and try to behave in what I suppose many people would describe as a Christian way, no doubt as a result of my upbringing.

What doesn't help my religious beliefs are the wars that are fought in the name of religion: surely this goes against everything you are supposed to believe in? Religion shouldn't be about hatred, it should be about love. However I also acknowledge the good that many people do in the name of religion, the most powerful example in my opinion being Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Whatever your beliefs, I think the more positive you are the better it is for you.  There are countless stories of people beating serious illnesses through their positive attitude, one of them being my lovely friend Callie who thankfully has survived breast cancer.

On the other hand I had an uncle who always seemed to look on the black side of life and who had a very negative outlook.  Ask him about his latest holiday and he would say "It was all right, apart from the bad weather most days, and the car breaking down.  Our hotel room was too small and the food was dreadful."  My mother, who was his sister and his complete opposite, would say "We had a wonderful holiday.  The sun shone a lot and the people who ran the hotel were really kind and helpful.  It was good to eat out and not have to do any cooking." One of the best holidays of my life was when we took Mum to New England for her 80th birthday, as she so obviously had a great time and her enjoyment was contagious.

Did you hear the joke about the two knitters?  It had me in stitches!

We talk about people being in good spirits and I think that as we get older we should do more things that we really enjoy to raise our spirits.  Things that I find particularly uplifting are listening to a beautiful piece of music, reading a good book, watching a glorious sunset, travelling to foreign countries and spending time with my family.  All of these are good for my soul, as the more I do them the happier I feel. If I feel happy, then I am sure my happiness rubs off on other people.  When I see someone smiling, it usually makes me feel like smiling too.

Do you have anything in particular that you feel is good for your spirits and that would benefit other people? If so, please share it with the rest of us.



 

Use it or lose it - part 2

Today's  "Use it or lose it" is about your body and the importance of keeping fit as you get older.  My mother was my inspiration, as she was still going for long walks and playing badminton in her eighties.

When we were living in London John and I belonged to Serpentine Running Club, so we were both running on a regular basis even in our sixties.  Living in Spain we find it too hot to go running in the summer months, but we go out walking several times a day with our dog, as well as walking into the town centre for shopping or to meet friends.  What I have noticed though amongst friends of a similar age is that, because they have a car and live in the countryside, their walking is limited to a gentle stroll from their car to the shops or restaurant.  This means that  they don't have the stamina that John and I have.

Don't forget that your heart is a muscle and still needs regular exercise to keep it in good shape: you don't have to run marathons, but regular walking will help to keep you fit and help to keep your heart healthy.

Weight-bearing exercise is especially important for women after the menopause to help them avoid osteoporosis.  Walking is one of the best forms of exercise in this respect and has the advantages of being easy to do and cheap, but dancing and low-impact aerobics are also good.

Strength training is another important element in building bone density, but don't panic as I'm not talking about using heavy weights and building up huge muscles.  You don't even have to use weights for this as you can use resistance bands or just your own body weight as in push-ups.  If you do want to use free weights, I would recommend going to a gym in the first instance to learn good technique, but then you can continue using them at home.

This discussion is about keeping your body in good condition, which includes suppleness as well as stamina and strength.  When I was living in London I regularly went to Pilates and yoga classes in my local gym.  I now use fitness videos at home, though once my Spanish has improved I will look for a Pilates class locally as I enjoy exercising in a group. Again, I would recommend doing some Pilates classes in a gym if you are a novice before trying to do it at home, to ensure that you are doing the exercises correctly.  Even doing simple stretches on a daily basis will help to keep your body flexible - I like to boast that I can still touch my toes!

Remember that exercise doesn't have to be boring: I have some Zumba videos and have great fun trying to dance along to them, though our dog Lisa gives me some funny looks!  The important things to remember are to include Stamina, Strength and Suppleness in your exercise programme for overall fitness, to build up your fitness slowly, to consult with your doctor if you have any medical problems and/or if you are over 40 and to learn the correct techniques if you are a beginner before exercising at home.

Are you over 60?  What exercises do you enjoy doing to keep your body in good condition?

Use it or lose it - part 1

"Use it or lose it" is of particular significance to those of us who are over 60 - or are heading there rapidly.  I have already worked out what I will say in "Use it or lose it" parts 1 and 2, which will be about mind and body.  I am hoping that some other blogger will offer to guest blog for me and write about spirit or soul.  (Please, pretty please!) Alternatively, can anyone point me to an appropriate blog for part 3?

I think we all expect and accept that we will have a few problems with our short-term memory as we get older.  I remember sitting with a group of running friends when we were all in our forties and fifties, talking about "what's her name?".  We all knew whom we were talking about, but what was her name?   "I think it begins with M" was my contribution.  "Yes! Mary?  Marie?" was one response.  "Marianne?" " Melissa?"  We eventually agreed that it was Maureen and sighed with relief that our memories weren't too bad.

But is it inevitable?  Is there anything we can do to improve things?

6 down - 5 letters beginning with B

My mother always enjoyed doing crosswords and would sit with her "elevenses" of a cup of coffee and a biscuit every morning while trying to complete the crossword in her daily newspaper.  She could also beat everyone at Scrabble and - though sometimes we accused her of making up words - they were always in her dictionary.  Going into her eighties, Mum was still very sharp and aware  and it was only when I noticed that she was no longer doing the crossword at the age of 84 that I realised she was starting to age.  Sadly she died in her 85th year, but even at the end she didn't lose her sense of humour and love of life.

John and I didn't know much Spanish when we decided to move to a small Spanish town where hardly anybody speaks English.  We go to Spanish lessons twice a week with four British friends who are all over the age of 60.  We don't find it easy, and it is made more challenging by the fact that our Spanish teacher doesn't speak any English, but we agree that it is good to learn another language even at our advanced age.

So is it important to exercise your mind?  I think it is just as important as exercising your body and it helps to stave off boredom when you are no longer working.  Learn a new language.  Do a crossword or other puzzle. If you want to watch TV then watch quiz shows and see if you can beat them.  University Challenge anyone?

Bloggers Tag

Today is a bit of fun for those of us who are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  Thanks to Susan Wilson for choosing me as one of her 11 bloggers to play ‘Bloggers Tag’. I’m only too happy to oblige! 

First the rules:

1. Post rules
2. Answer the question your taggers sent you or create new ones, the choice is yours.
3. Tag eleven people
4. Tell these people they have been tagged.

And now the questions:

1 What gets you out of bed each day?

Every other day I have to get out of bed to walk our dog Lisa, as my husband John and I take it in turns to take her out first thing. However, even if it's John's turn to walk Lisa, I still have to get up, as my task on alternative mornings is to make breakfast!  What also gets me out of bed is the sunshine, which is a bonus for those of us who live in Spain.

2  If an alien landed on earth, what would your top tip ‘for living here’ be?

You probably think that we're all a bit weird, but remember that we think you're strange too, so let's all live in harmony and accept each other for what we are.

3 What is your ‘happy song’?

I have a couple: "Dancing Queen" by Abba always makes me want to get up and dance. I am also a Queen fan and chose "Don't Stop Me Now" for my entrance when John and I got married: it was the second marriage for both of us.

4 Do you have a special place real or imagined?

I enjoy sitting out on our balcony, looking at the Sierra de Santa Ana and Sierra del Carche, especially in the evening when the sun is setting.

New Year's Eve over Santa Ana

5 What childhood fable, fairy tale or movie stretched your imagination and sticks with you today?

I loved "The Secret Garden" as a child, and even now I enjoy discovering "secret" gardens.  As an adult living in London I used to run in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens with my friends and there I found my own secret garden.  We used to stand admiring "our" garden (a good excuse to catch our breath!) and marvel at the number of people who used to walk straight past, without even glancing at it.  I visited the Royal Alcazar in Seville recently with my daughters, and we all enjoyed strolling through its delightful gardens.

6 What is your idea of a perfect evening?

During the summer months in Jumilla, where we now live, the Ruta del Vino holds a series of concerts in local wineries.  Nothing beats listening to good music while enjoying some of the best Jumilla wines accompanied by tasty local dishes, and surrounded by friends and neighbours all having a good time. Especially on a lovely summer's evening.

7 As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?

When I was younger I wanted to be a ballet dancer and although I never had any lessons I would practise my pirouettes in the back garden.  However I also wanted to be a writer, so at least I have achieved one of my ambitions.

8 What is your favorite type of movie?

Not surprisingly, given some of my previous answers, I love musicals.  I enjoy the singing, the dancing and above all the feel-good factor.

9 If you won the lottery would you tell anyone?

Apart from my family and close friends, I don't think so.  I would like to help my favourite charities of course, but I don't think I could handle begging letters.

10 If you could visit anywhere in the world where would it be?

The Taj Mahal as it's such a romantic story apart from the sheer beauty of the place.

11 Do you believe in Destiny?

I believe that you make your own destiny.  Having said that, sometimes I get the feeling that something was just meant to be.  What I find fascinating in life is that when you have to make a choice, what happens next is governed by your choice.  We will never know what would have happened if we had reached a different decision.

You've been tagged!:

If you've been tagged before, or if this isn't your type of thing, I won't be offended if you choose not to participate. Well, if I'm being honest, I'll only be a teeny bit offended!  I like the idea of expressing thanks though to those of you whose blogs I've enjoyed, through tagging you here.  Hope you don't mind!

1. Johnson talks about sharing unplanned abundance: this happens a lot to us in Spain, especially during the fruit season!  http://toscasac.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/sharing-unplanned-abundance.html
2. Jackie Bledsoe, thanks for the warning - can I wait until after this Challenge to follow your advice? http://jackiebledsoe.com/is-sitting-killing-you/
3. Cheri describes her blog as Random thoughts on life......  I guess I am a bit random too!  http://cherisidlechatter.blogspot.co.uk/
4. Keith at  http://www.keithaddison.co.uk/sleeplessinnewcastle/ always gives me something to think about when I read his posts.
5. Harriet, I totally agree with your thoughts on the Olympics Opening Ceremony.  We stayed up late to watch it (Spain is one hour ahead of the UK) and loved it.  http://www.harrietstack.com/  
6. Lena has some encouraging words on finding your own style: look at her photos of the plus-size blogger.  Far more inspiring than photos of skinny models! http://www.lenapenteado.com/blog/
7. Dot gives some good advice on natural health and I will be giving my friend the link to her post on Treatment for Arthritis:  http://dothurleyblog.co.uk/
8. Nikki has had to face challenges in her life that most of us thankfully haven't experienced.  Two of my cousins have Cystic Fibrosis so this resonated with me:  http://itsslimply-life.blogspot.co.uk/
9. Laurie's latest post is on a topic close to my heart: words.  The blog is mainly about Pilates and riding, though I recommend Pilates for any sports person, anyone with back problems - in fact, for anyone!  https://coreconnexxions.wordpress.com/  
10. Lori gives lots of good advice about getting fit naturally and I like the helpful photos and videos: http://www.get-fit-naturally.org/
11. Jes In The World combines two interests of mine: travel and photography.  http://www.jesintheworld.com/

 The above are just a few of the many excellent blogs taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge: if you haven't already seen them, why not check them out now?