If you are like many baby boomer women and find yourself traveling often for work or pleasure, you may feel less than glamorous in transit and at your final destination.

Here’s a great way to look fabulous without packing your entire closet.  Invest in a few great wraps in bright colors and interesting prints and bring at least one with you on every trip.  When the plane is freezing, you can use it as a blanket or scarf; if you need a little extra warmth at night, throw one on over your little black dress; if you want to jazz up your outfit of jeans and a tee shirt, stylishly wear one around your shoulders; or if you unexpectantly go to the beach or pool, use one as a sarong. 

The possibilities are endless.  I promise that these will transform your packing.  They don’t have to match everything either.  In fact, I think they look best when they are a bold statement against a more subtle outfit.  Enjoy your new options!

Black & Crystal
Put your pedal to the metal with glitzy embellishments on gray and black.  Designers from all price points are bedazzling their garments and accessories with crystal gemmed designs.  Clear white crystals make your outfit pop, while the darker pewter and black crystals give your outfit a bit of that old

Black & Navy
The chicest color combination for fall.  It’s subtle, elegant, and versatile.  Almost everyone has black in their wardrobe, so all you have to do is add a little navy or cobalt if you really want to make your outfit pop.  Look for geometric prints in black and navy; a killer pair of heels in navy leather with black patent trim; pair a navy, cobalt, and black printed top with your black skirt or suit; or wear a navy jacket or blazer over your little black dress.  Any way you try it, this combination is modern yet classy.

Gray and Silver are everywhere this fall.  Designers from the most inexpensive to the most exclusive are all fashioning garments in shades of gray and silver.  From the lightest cloud grays to the darkest charcoal grays, and from the shiniest silver to a more muted gun metal pewter, these tones are not to be missed this autumn. 

Gray and silver provide great backdrops for the hot pops of color I’ve already mentioned, such as hot pink and purple, and cobalt blue.  Jazz up your gray suit with a hot pink hand bag; pair your black suit with gray tights, shoes, and accessories; wear your gray dress with a bright purple belt, bag, and accessories.  The possibilities are endless.  Most people look good in gray, so use it to showcase your more flashy accessories. 

Even though it’s sweltering outside, now is a great time to plan your fall wardrobe and get your closet ready for fall.

1) Air out your fall clothes and sand cedar surfaces, such as drawer liners and hangers, to re-activate moth repelling properties.

2) Leftover moisture in clothing fiber can quickly turn to mold.  Remove and recycle dry-cleaning bags ASAP.  Consider an old pillow case to protect clothes instead.

3) Multi-color hangers help group clothes by color or outfits, making dressing a snap.  Return wire hangers to your dry cleaner for recycling.

4) Try on last year’s fashion before including it in this year’s line up.  If you haven’t worn it in over a year, donate it.

I don’t know about you, but when it’s really hot, like it has been the last few days, my image starts to suffer.  Instead of thinking and planning my outfits, I’m just trying to stay cool.  Here are a few great tips for staying cool and fashionable when the temperature rises.

1) Wear light colors and fabrics.  Simple and effective.

2) Wear lose skirts.  Floaty skirts look so feminine and fashionable while being cool and comfortable.  Buy two or three tops to go with each skirt and you’re set.

3) Keep jewelry to a minimum.  When it’s hot, our jewelry has a tendency to stick to us.  Throw on a pair of earrings and call it a day.  Necklaces, bracelets, and rings can irritate the skin when it’s hot.

4) Forgo the blow dryer and twist your hair into a fun up-do.  No one wants to sweat even more blow drying their hair.  Flip through the current magazines to see what’s in, or just opt for a traditional pony tail.  You can always wrap a piece of your hair around the elastic for an updated look.  You’ll be cool, you won’t have to blow dry your hair, and you’ll be fashionable.  

5) Wear flat sandals.  When it’s hot, our feet tend to swell.  Instead of killing your feet in those great heels, invest in a couple pairs of cute, flat sandals…not flip flops.  Your outfit will look polished and your feet will be pain free.

I was reading the paper today and came across an add for a great event at JC Penny.   Now through August 21st, they are holding a Bra Fit Event where you can get a free bra fitting from a bra specialist as well as enjoy a buy 2, get 1 free offer.  They carry many different brands and sizes from 32-56 and AA-J cups.

8 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra, so it is definitely worth taking them up on this offer to be professionally fitted for free.  Your boobs will look better, your back will hurt less, and your clothes will fit you better!   I have nothing to do with JC Penny, so I can honestly say without bias that you owe it to your figure to find the right bra for you!  Book your appointment today.

PS…check out my bra tips link to the right before you go.

I just found this great tip in this month’s Lucky magazine.  I have another way I usually get rid of yellowed collars, but this one is definitely worth a try as well.

You’ll need a bottle of Johnsons’s Baby Powder and an iron.

Set the iron to medium with the steam option turned on.  Sprinkle onto the shirt just enough powder to cover the stained area and spread it with your fingertips.  Hold the iron an inch above the soiled spot and steam for a few seconds.  Then press down the iron for a count of three to set, and shake off the excess.  Let the shirt cool before wearing.

Isn’t that great?  I love it.  The many things we can use baby powder for…who knew?

I just returned home from the August NAWBO meeting and had to share this pearl of wisdom with you.  I listen to many business and motivational speakers, but this one phrase really rang true with me.  I hope you like it as well.

Focus on what is important rather than what is urgent and what is urgent will diminish in importance.

So often in our business and personal lives we focus on what is urgent and then wonder why we never have time for what is important.  Whether it is spending more time with your family, exercising more, or spending more time and money on yourself, find out what is important to you and start spending more time there.

1) Choose your trends wisely. Just because polka dots are “in” doesn’t require you to wear them all over your torso. Maybe just on a belt or an eyeglass case.

2) Wear no clothing with embroidered words that identify you as the wife, the mom, or the grandma.

3) Be wary of retro. It’s the look that’s supposed to be retro, not you.

4)Indulge the latest fashion in purses, scarves, and shoes. But don’t buy those cute shoes if you can’t walk in them. When a young woman trips in her high heels, it’s charming. When anyone older does, people get nervous.

5)Learn to use the computer technology that most of the world uses to communicate.

6) Buy People magazine every now and then, or at least flip through it in the super market check out. I know you probably don’t care what the latest Hollywood starlets are up to, but the rest of the world will be talking about what they’re doing and wearing. You will at least know who they’re talking about.

* Some tips taken from Susan Swartz’s book The Juicy Tomatoes Guide to Ripe Living After 50. It’s a must read for all baby boomer women out there.

I met with a client yesterday to do some personal shopping. I had met with her about three months ago to do her colors and go through her closet, so it was nice to catch up with her again and see how she was doing. She said that having her colors done and having her palette of colors in her purse at all times meant that she was finding shopping much easier. And as all the colors look great on her and go together, she was finding that she was no longer buying clothes that just sat in her closet with the tags still on. She was actually wearing them and mixing them with things she already had.

It makes me so happy when my services help my clients shop and dress themselves much easier. She can now get dressed for work in the morning without having a clothes crisis.