Recommending “40 Over 40”
Brenda Kinsel is a professional image
consultant who has written several books on style aimed at women of a
certain age. In her book titled “40 Over 40 – 40 Things Every
Woman Over 40 Needs to Know About Getting Dressed”, she gives down
to earth accessible advise to real women over 40 about dressing with
personal style and celebrating the woman one has become – giving
women permission to celebrate getting dressed every day. I've
purchased and read any number of books with advice on style, but none
resonated with me in a similar way.
After I first read the book, I started
giving copies to my sister and friends who had also reached the age
of 40 and needed some encouragement to move into the next stage of
life with style. Few of us reach our 5th decade without
some bumps and bruises or disappointments or illnesses or extra
pounds along the way. It's as if one day we look in the mirror and
see a 25 year old with smooth skin, toned legs, a trim waist, and
thick hair. Then, we wake up one morning and see wrinkles, and droops
and bulges, and still see the same vibrancy in the eyes but wonder
what happened to youth.
Brenda's book “40 Over 40”, along
with the others she's written, will help you find a style and clothes
that celebrate the woman you've become; and she does it with easy
humor. A few of my favorite chapter: “Clothes Are Like Food”,
“Organize Your Closet and Have More Time for Sex”, “What to do
When Current Fashion Sucks” and “Get a Tune Up Twice a Year”.
Any my favorite bits of advice......clothes should come with an
expiration date and love the body you are in!
I've had several friends who have saved
clothes (and hairstyles) from the '80's when they were thin and
beautiful with the belief that they will lose weight and be able to
wear the clothes again. But, in the meantime, they've lost years of
enjoying life and fashion, keeping a focus on the past and missing
out on the present. Brenda's advice gave me and my friends the
confidence to make positive changes, to learn to love and celebrate
the body that we currently have, to be thankful for legs that give us
the ability to stand, for feet that can wear beautiful shoes, for
arms that we can wrap around a loved one, for a neck that we can wrap
in a cashmere scarf, and for eyes we can match to a handbag. And
Brenda is one of us. She is not a size 2 - 30 year old trying to give
advise to more experienced women.
According to Amazon.com, I purchased
my first copy of the book July 16, 2006. “40 Over 40” was first
published in March 2000, but the message is still relevant. I would
also recommend that you check out her website:
http://brendakinsel.com/.
Amazon.com has the books available through its marketplace for less
than $5.00 per copy. Highly recommended if your self esteem or closet
needs a boost!
This is a book that I pick up and reread every so often just to keep me grounded with my style, and every time I read it I pick up a new tid bit or two (great, quick read). I have learned the importance of liking your body today for all it does to support you rather than constantly dreaming of a body that isn't realistic -- marsupial pouch and all. I live by the rule: If you love it, buy it. If you don't love it, then don't buy it no matter how big the sale is. Trust me; you can't force an ill-fitting jacket to fit just because it was 75% off, and really, you're not going to take it to the tailor. Be real with yourself and be happy.
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