Sherrie Mathieson - Forever Cool: How to Achieve Ageless, Youthful, and Modern Personal Style

We can run, but we can't hide from Mother Nature; sooner or later she catches up with us. But how do we deal with her when she does? You might have started thinking about aging when you were in your 30s; and most of us probably gave it serious thought during our 40s; but guaranteed, by the time we hit 50 it's a hot topic for all of us! With the media in our face shouting, Don't age! it's no wonder we're beating a path to the cosmetics counter to load up on empty promises or the plastic surgeon's door where we surrender to invasive procedures. Whether or not we go as far so a facelift, the bottom line is that we all want to look better.

I believe that looking better is about looking natural, and that aging gracefully is the only way to go. First and foremost, it's about embracing our age rather than denying it. Perhaps, for the first time since our teenage years, we can relax into being ourselves and accept the very things that make us unique. Then, it's about creating a personal style that expresses these qualities in a new way. Looking natural has nothing to do with that contrived look men and women of a certain age once aspired to (stiff hair for both sexes, women with heavy makeup). By combining a natural look with a modern perspective you can create a personal style that's unexpected, youthful and fresh.

My years as a costume designer, stylist, and style consultant have given me an extensive set of tools with which to identify a person's attitude toward fashion, find the roots of their aesthetic sense, and express their personality in a look that suits their lifestyle. While I have clients of all ages, I am particularly intrigued by the challenge that changing physiques and health issues pose for the over-50 crowd. The tools I offer in this book will help you reassess and reinvent your look while taking into account comfort, practicality, and style.

You'll seeyou can look your best through personal style alone!

What do I mean by cool? Certainly it doesn't mean wearing all and only black! Nor does it mean shouting to be seen or fading into the woodwork. Cool is knowing who you are and realizing your full potential. You'll know it when you see itit's ageless, modern, and youthful.

Let me explain.

Ageless style is about transcending age by achieving a sense of timelessnessnot being pegged by your age in any way. Ageless style mixes classic dressing with contemporary design to create a look that is refined and appropriate. It's never extreme, flamboyant, or funky, but it can definitely be imaginative and fun. It collects the best of the past and weaves in the new.

When you're modern it says that you're of today that you know what's happening in fashion and trend. A modern look is the result of constantly reevaluating your look as you assess changing fashion to find what's appropriate for you. If you're modern, you're current.

When we think of youthful we think of words like active, energetic, vibrant, vital, dynamicideally the way we feel. The aim of this book is notto make you look young. After all, you could learn how to dress like a trendy twenty-something by just flipping through magazines. My goal is to help you achieve a style that implies youthfulness. A youthful spirit is what we're after.

Keep in mind, too, that this is not a book on fashion; it's about style. Fashion is fleeting; style endures. Although style (the characteristic way we dress) is unique to each of us, it comes more easily to some than to others. This book will teach you how to use fashion to create an ageless, modern, and youthful style that works for you. In order to use fashion to your best advantage you need to understand the fundamentals. Just as it's important to master drawing if you're going to paint, it's essential to understand the concept of classic dress to create an ageless personal style. Build your look on a foundation of classic styles and it will serve you well through years of changing fashion trends. Cool has no expiration date!

Open your eyes! The next time you're out having a cup of coffee, before you bury your nose in the newspaper, take a page from the caf societies of Europe and indulge in a little people watching. Be curious! Check out what they're wearingdo you like it, could you wear it? Don't miss it! Recognizing the style happening around you is essential to building a modern style of your own.

Whether you're in your 40s or have grandkids old enough to tell you what's cool, looking great is within easy reach. With the right tools you can create an ageless style that makes you look and feel amazing.

As you read, pay careful attention to the before and after photographs included. You will see that instead of models I've used real men and women with various body typesyours may be represented. The before photos feature outfits that we see every day; use them to discover the mistakes you might be making yourself. The after photos all demonstrate a modern solution; let them help you identify and create your best personal style. Each photo set reflects the chapter's theme and carefully explains its key points to help you understand the essentials of turning never cool into forever cool.

Let's face it, we all like looking good and we like the attention that comes with it. In fact, one of the hardest parts of getting older is feeling as if you aren't noticed as much as you once were or as if you've fallen off the radar completely.

Over the years you've probably noticed fewer stolen glances and double takes aimed your way. If you spent your 20s and 30s watching slack-jawed waiters drop their trays, then it might be especially difficult to take. This is bound to be harder for some of us than others. Like it or not, the older we get the less our exterior matches our youthful inner spirit until now.