The Dreaded Days of Bathing Suit Shopping

The Dreaded Days of Bathing Suit Shopping

Summer is on our doorstep and for many of us in our fabulous fifties and then some, this is the only time our zeal for shopping wanes. One glance at the tantalizing bathing suits dangling from hangers makes us wince.

We may not share our bathing suit fears with others, but let’s be honest; exposing what we consider our physical flaws to the public is enough to fill us with trepidation as we set off to the beach or the pool.

Take heart! Here are some guidelines to help you select the almost perfect bathing suit for a less than perfect body. But remember, the best way to feel comfortable wearing a bathing suit is to feel comfortable in your own skin even if the years have given up the fight with gravity. Accept your body as it is. Confidence is your best accessory!

And if you need a reminder, look around. We’re all in the same boat so you’re in very good company!

You body type is an ‘8’ or an ‘Hourglass’

Shoulders and hips and a narrow waist make your silhouette perfect. Your shoulders and hips are approximately the same width.

For you everything works and you can indulge your whims. Bikinis and one-piece suits look equally flattering.

This season’s vibrant color trends with maxi motifs and geometric patterns will suit you well.

Your body type is an ‘Inverted Pyramid’

Narrow hips and wide shoulders characterize your silhouette. Since this shape tends to have more masculine lines, you need to feminize it more.

Choose a swimsuit with narrow straps that emphasize your décolleté. The goal here is to draw the eye downward toward the lower part of your body, so your hips appear balanced with your shoulders.

Your body type is ‘Rectangular’

Shoulders and hips are the same width but your waist is not well defined. Your goal is to define your waist and accentuate the curves.

Best for you is a one-piece bathing suit with graphic motifs. If a two-piece bathing suit is your preference, choose one with a triangular lower half so as to break up your rectangular lines. Avoid ‘boy cut’ bottoms.

Your body type is ‘Pyramid’

Shoulders are narrower than the hips so your goal is to place the focus on your shoulders.

Pick a bathing suit with a large wide v-neck or asymmetrical neckline. This will create the illusion that you have broad shoulders and make you look more in proportion.

Absolutely no horizontal lines in the lower area. A ‘pareo’ is your best cover-up and will mask the roundness of your hips.

***

If you have large breasts, select a bathing suit with a built-in bra. A crisscross design is very flattering and will create a minimizing effect. For a large stomach, a bathing suit with a panel across the midriff will help slenderize this area. And if you are uncomfortable showing too much of your thighs your best bet is a swim-dress which provides more coverage.

Beach Bag Check List

Before you leave home, make sure your beach bag contains the following:

• Sun Hat
• Sunscreen
• Beach towel
• Roll up beach mat
• Bath towel
• Hairbrush
• Tissues
• Water
• MP3 player/iPod
• Reading material

Lastly, when in doubt, it’s best to cover more inches than less. A lovely, long flowing beach cover-up will create a graceful entrance to either the pool or on the beach.

Now go out, catch some sun and have fun!
Michele


Work with Michele! You can now work with Michele on-line or face to face. Call or email for an appointment. You’ll be thrilled with the results. Michele Benza, Image Consulting & Posture www.michelebenza.com email: Michele@mbenza.com phone: 415-956-3025 Michele Benza Send your Style questions to me at Michele@mbenza.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Never Underestimate the Inpact Value of a Great Haircut

My longtime friend, Valerie, recently wrote to me and shared her frustration about having just received a disastrous haircut.
She’d decided to scale back on haircuts and went to a hair stylist who was more than half the price of her usual stylist, a co-owner of a prestigious New York salon. The added cost of not only tipping her wonderful stylist, but also the people who washed and blow-dried her hair, made going to the salon too prohibitive. Unfortunately her good economic intentions backfired horribly.
As Valerie said, she learned an expensive lesson! It really does not pay to skimp on such an important expenditure as a haircut. Admittedly, they can be pricey. In San Francisco they range anywhere from $25 to $250 and in New York City, according to a recent article in the New York Times, March 5, Style Section, prices are can go as high as $550.
I decided to check in with Barbara Blum, the salon manager of diPietro Todd (downtown San Francisco) to find out how the economy is affecting the salon business. Barbara acknowledged that even though the beauty business has been affected by the economy, many people view getting their hair done in a salon and maintaining it at home to be a high priority and consider hair care to be a necessity rather than a luxury. “They want to look good in order to feel good in these stressful times,” she added.
With regard to tipping Barbara said, “People are extremely varied in their tipping habits--from very little to very generous, and this holds true even now. The standard is still about 15-20% regardless of the price of the service. Most people tip assistants between $5-10 depending on how much work they did.” She added that color and blow dry assistants are usually tipped on the higher side because their tasks require more skill in comparison to that of the person who shampoos hair.
Personally, I believe tipping should be given according to your level of gratitude rather than according to a specific percentage.

To be sure, for most of us having a bad haircut is very frustrating for many reasons, not the least of which is that hair takes such a long time to grow out. We should keep Valerie’s experience in mind and not skimp on such an essential expense. I know how difficult this is to justify in these hard economic times, but remember our face is our best asset as it is what others see first.
Here are some tips to help stretch your dollars when it comes to hair care.
1. If you have a brilliant hairstylist who works magic on your hair, lengthen the time between visits. A great cut should last longer. Go every seven weeks to ten weeks instead of every six weeks. Calculate the difference that makes to your budget. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

2. If you wear bangs, have them trimmed between visits. A bang trim can refresh an entire haircut and is usually free if you’re a regular.

3. Consider becoming a hair model. Upscale salons often look for models. If you decide to go this route, make sure the apprentice is about to graduate. Haircuts by soon-to-be graduated hair stylists are about $30. A substantial saving in comparison to the usual $100 (excluding tips) for a good cut.

4. When glancing through magazines, cut out pictures of great haircuts, show them to your hair stylist and explain what you like about the haircuts. This will help your hair stylist understand better what you want. She/he can then explain the pros and cons based on your hair type and facial features.

5. Consider growing out your short haircut a bit. Short hair needs to be trimmed more often whereas longer hair needs less maintenance.

6. If you color your hair, use a shampoo created for color-treated hair. The mild formula will enhance your color, making it last a lot longer. Don't wash your hair for at least 30 hours after your hair has been colored, as the color needs time to set.

7. Wash your hair with a good shampoo. Expensive shampoos generally are thicker and contain less water therefore you need to use less than a regular brand.

8. Invest in one of the new ionic hair dryers like the HAI Tourmaline Ionic Dryer that finish drying hair in record time. Not only do they save you time in the morning, but they also cut down on heat exposure to your hair, and thus are less damaging.
9. Ask your hairstylist to teach you how to style your hair more effectively on a day-to-day basis. Some hair salons provide classes on how to blow-dry and style your hair.

So be good to your hair! After all, it is a vital part of your look and can create a great impression. Again, a good haircut combined with the use of high quality hair products can make those visits to your favorite stylist less frequent.

Finally, remember that good health and an optimistic attitude add immeasurably to your beauty.

Bon courage!
Michele

Work with Michele!
You can now work with Michele on-line or face to face. Call or email for
an appointment. You’ll be thrilled with the results.

BEAUTY FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Love yourself too!

Valentine’s Day is a great reminder for us to lavish love upon those whom we cherish. It is also a very good time to lavish love upon ourselves. Think about it. Being loved and cherished not only intensifies our sense of inner well-being but also radiates outwardly and enhances our beauty.

True beauty comes from within

As that old adage reminds us “Beauty is only skin deep.” We can make ourselves very attractive with clothing and accessories but true beauty comes from within. How many times have you seen someone who is not conventionally attractive but yet is perceived as beautiful because he or she radiates a sense of well-being and an inner knowing of their self-worth and purpose in the world? They are completely at ease with themselves and the world.

Get rid of the negative gremlins

It is vitally important that we take as good care of ourselves within as we do without. It is, of course, much easier to enhance our beauty externally than to really develop aspects of ourselves within that make us feel comfortable in our skin and accept our perceived physical flaws. Many of us have internal gremlins that are hell bent on eroding our confidence and self-esteem. We can counter those critical gremlins by learning to accept ourselves as we are--large hips and all! Of course it is important that we try to modify negative behavior patterns and take action to improve our physical well-being in any way we can. But always be realistic. Some of us simply don’t have a Julia Roberts smile. But a smile is a smile is a smile and can lift your spirits and those of others around you.

What you can do!

There are so many simple things you can do to improve your inner well-being. There are myriads of books and articles with great advice on how to achieve this but here are some of my quick and easy pointers:

• Breathe! Learn some simple breathing techniques that are calming and centering.
• Avoid negative thinking and people!
• Take time out to truly relax whether it is just being quiet listening to music or taking a stroll alone or with someone you love.
• Turn the lights low or light candles when you eat, take a long bath or shower.
• Choose a physical activity that resonates with your body whether it be Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, hip-hop, pole, swing or ballroom dancing, roller blading or simply walking. Make time for whatever it is regularly. Once you develop the habit, you’ll find your body demands that you keep it!
• Meditate. If sitting still for any length of time is challenging, try an activity like Tai Chi that incorporates meditation with movement.
• Find ways to create harmony in your mind and in your life through a mind-body practice.
• Be grateful each day for whatever it is that is good in your life whether it be health, loving family and friends, a roof over your head, a comfy bed, a delicious meal, a beautiful sunny day.
• Be optimistic against all odds.
• Live in the moment.

Remember we all have the capacity to be beautiful, no matter our physical appearance.

A Happy and Loving Valentine’s Day to you all.

Michele