May 28, 2010

Aging Gracefully with Humor


This week's Aging Beauty is Chris who one of my oldest and dearest friends in Boston. She is 60. To her left is one of her oldest and dearest friends Wolf, who is 58. Chris is a talented, and very humorous, writer and artist. Wolf is a musician (and a very kind guy I might add).

What I love about Chrissy’s aging process is that she is doing what she loves. She is very protective of her energy so that she is able to do this. Chris is just naturally gorgeous inside and out, even prettier than her picture. The other night we had dinner and went to see the documentary Babies and once again I kept gazing at her and basking in her beauty. She also has that mid-western kindness, which is as big as the day is long.

Her daughter Cynthia, another aging beauty said, “My mother has always been very mindful of her health and what she puts in her body. She continually educates herself and others on ways to promote a healthy, happy lifestyle. I think what makes my mother even more beautiful, other than her physical attributes, is her sense of humor. I think my mother is even more stunning when she is laughing.”

Here is what Chris has to share about aging gracefully:
  • There's no love like an old love. There is a sweet bond when you still love and trust someone you have history with. If you're lucky, that wonderful connection lasts long beyond what first attracted you to each other in youth. Maybe it's the truest, best love ever.

  • There's a certain calm that claims you when you're older. You see evidence of time's fiendish plan. And by stopping your denial of life's temporal nature and realizing nothing is forever, each day becomes the day you celebrate being here.

  • Today is the youngest I will ever be and it's important to enjoy it. I look into the mirror and instead of lamenting, I admire myself, and recite, "this is the youngest and most beautiful I will ever be." That goes for all my tomorrows too.

Thank you Chris and Cynthia :-)

May 24, 2010

The Queen of Accessorizing



This past January my friend Heather invited me to see an exhibit on Iris Apfel at the Peabody Essex Museum. The show exhibited mannequin after mannequin of her fabulous outfits, shoes, and outlandish accessories. Iris Apfel is an 88-year-old fashion icon. She is also one of the most influential interior textile designers in the world having put her touch on the White House through nine presidents. What a firecracker. I’ve nicknamed Ms. Apfel the Queen of Accessorizing because she is so great at it. As someone with a background in fashion design, I especially like how she mixes expensive clothing & accessories with cheap ones.

I also like that Iris is fearless and doesn’t worry about what everyone thinks. She wears what she loves and she encourages other women to do the same without being afraid. In researching Iris it also caught my attention of course that she is opposed to cosmetic surgery. She has been quoted as saying “What’s wrong with getting old? I think getting old is great. It’s a privilege, a pleasure. You shouldn’t dress like an old bag and sit on a rocker though.”

Excellent advice dear Iris.


Love Iris's stylin' glasses? Victoria Beckham sells them for just under $500 :-)

More on her in the Boston Globe.

Another short video of her at Nordstrom’s here.

And a good book on the collection of her work as well:

May 17, 2010

The Beauty of Wrinkles


It ought to be lovely to be old,
To be full of the peace that comes with experience
And wrinkled ripe fulfillment. - D.H. Lawrence


Hi everyone,
I love the above quote. Recently for the heck of it I googled “the beauty of wrinkles” and it came up in a search along with the beautiful portfolio of California based photographer Elazar Harel. Ooh la la. What a find. I contacted him to see what he thought of featuring some of his photos on Lines of Beauty and he graciously obliged. Thank you Elazar. Your photography is a real treat. As someone on your website said about your work: “I love your pictures. The color, the composition, the clarity, the drama. It's all there.”

I couldn't agree more.


                             
     I also like the intensity of color in your work, and the emotion behind your photographs.
           .
                                                           Isn't she beautiful?

                             

It ought to be lovely to be old,

 

To be full of the peace that comes with experience


And wrinkled ripe fulfillment.

                                                 

May 13, 2010

Aging Beautifully With Passion in Your Life


This week’s Aging Beauty is Maria Ponzi Luce who is 48. Maria and I graduated from high school together but met in 5th grade. I remember this because she got her ears pierced that year. I was very envious because my Mom made me wait until I was 13 to get mine pierced. I remember looking at Maria’s earrings and thinking the day couldn’t come soon enough. Maria and I went on to have many years of teenage fun together both as classmates, and friends. I admired Maria’s fun-loving happy spirit, and her kindness.

Today Maria is aging gracefully in the Chicago area where she is a mom to three beautiful children (one of whom is 24). She loves her job teaching 5th grade, and spends her free time running, traveling and reading. She said that aging to her is a mysterious journey. She never knows what is around the next corner but that she is having fun finding out. She said that surrounding herself with family and good friends are essential to her true happiness and that being passionate about life also helps. Maria also believes that her religious faith is what truly keeps her grounded.

Thank you Maria for sending in your photo, and also for your thoughts on aging gracefully.

May 10, 2010

Gray Gorgeousness


I imagine you’ve noticed how beautiful women are with a full head of grey, or white hair? The photo above is of my sister-in- law Laura Summa whose hair I covet. She is 50, and is one of the lucky ones whose hair grayed quickly, leaving her blessed with gray gorgeousness.

As for my own hair, I am a gray-hair-wanna-be whose head is probably only about 25% gray (it’s hard to tell actually). I have been highlighting my hair since college and feel at this point, that it probably looks better highlighted, rather than darker and partly gray. Maybe, maybe not. I am excited to go gray because I know that it is going to be very freeing, and come as a relief. Plus, I just want to be who I am :-)

I’ve been wondering about this though: When I do acquire more grey hair, and want to stop highlighting, how do I go about weaning myself off hair color? I mean, is it going to be like getting off crack? (just kidding). So out of curiosity I found this fabulous site called Going Gray Looking Great that offers lots of good advice and support- including a whole section about transitioning into gray.

In closing I want to leave you with this link to Style List that Chris sent in of grey and white-haired celebs whose silver locks are redefining great style. Thanks Chris.

I also found these other great pics.

So how ‘bout all you beauties? I’d love to hear how you feel about going gray.

May 07, 2010

Aging Gracefully with Light


This week's  Beauty of the Week is Maria Certo. She is 47 and is the younger sister of  a classmate of mine. We recently reconnected through my friend Cindy’s blog, which has been so nice. Maria hails from California and is an occupational therapist. She is full of great wisdom, and life insights, and is as sweet as her picture portrays. As Cindy said, "Maria is a Lightworker. She is all about love and kindness and giving." Thanks Maria for sending in your photo, and for all your enthusiasm about Lines of Beauty. Happy Mother's Day to you too, and to all the other mothers out there!

May 04, 2010

Anita Renfroe's Latest Video



Thanks to Marci for sending this great video our way. You all might be familiar with Anita Renfroe's earlier video on You Tube that went viral a few years ago and was passed around email. She has many good ones!

The neat thing is that I contacted Anita Renfroe last weekend on Facebook and told her about Lines of Beauty and guess what she said?

She said, “Love your site! I think Wrinkled Ladies may be your theme song (?) - thanks for helping people view a wonderful gift with perspective.”

How great is that?

Thank you Anita, it is my pleasure.

So girls we have a theme song :-)

May 01, 2010

Wise Women



My friend, photographer Carin Ingalsbe, and I share a love of old things. Among other objects, she photographs beautiful vintage ballet costumes. Recently she told me about a great book by Joyce Tenneson called Wise Women: A Celebration of their Insights, Courage and Beauty. Tenneson's gorgeous photographs capture the beauty of aging women, along with their wonderful words of wisdom. Wise Women was the best selling photography book in 2002. It is so well done. A real gem.

I thought I’d give you the heads-up about it because it would make a great Mother’s Day gift, or a wonderful birthday gift, as it is so inspiring.

Plus it's usually $40, but you can buy it on sale, or used, at Amazon :-)