on aging: a stylist’s perspective

I recently caught an interview with the fearlessly stylish Nicole Richie. She was fielding a question about her age and in true rebel fashion, she coyly said she’s going to start padding the number for the shock value on how incredible she looks. Aging in Hollywood is no place for the faint of heart and Nicole Richie has nothing to worry about – she’s 33! I do appreciate her philosophy of thinking ahead in an industry where age is an ever-present topic of discussion.

Writing for Alexandria Stylebook challenges me to think on a number of levels. Ultimately I want to provide information or ideas that resonate with our viewership. During meetings we are guided to what you want to hear more about and this can push each of us into learning more about subjects we are unfamiliar with at times. This will not be one of those times – I’m quite familiar with coming to terms with turning another year older this week.

Here are two things I firmly believe regarding age:

1. Age is a state of mind more than the time we’ve been alive – never let the numbers bring you down.
2. It’s inevitable that we all will have to come to terms with this process in our own way.

And here are a few of my own philosophies on getting older.

For the soul…

1. Continue to challenge yourself. Face a fear, be open to new ideas, open a new door.
2. Find your role models in life and tweak them as needed.
3. Friends who’ve known you the longest are one of the best sources of feeling young.
4. Find ways to let your parents continue to parent.
5. Let your kids teach you things you never knew or things you may have forgotten.

For the closet…

1. Less is always more.
2. Establish a uniform. It will save you time and money.
3. Understand the element of surprise.
4. Think wider than fashion.
5. Edit, then edit again, and then edit some more.

For the beauty regimen…

Your beauty routine should be something you reconsider almost every year after 40. Our faces change and taking short cuts with our beauty routine can get us into a rut if we don’t reevaluate on a regular basis. I like to make at least one appointment with a makeup artist once a year if only to explore how someone else envisions the planes of my face. Lips are thinner and we start to lose collagen, so retaining moisture has never been more important. Using products with vitamin E for lips on a regular basis will help keep them as full and moisturized as possible.

A drawing my daughter did of me emphasizing the lashes – proof positive that the lashes are a priority!

I pay very close attention to my eye makeup because it can be the first place I feel my age. This means thinking about my salt intake so my eyes aren’t puffy (even the most expensive eye creams won’t help this situation!). Personally, I choose to use black mascara (and I confess I’m a mascara junkie – using different brands for a variety of effects) and I’m an avid user of both the Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler and the Tweezerman eyelash comb – it’s precision work but the time is worth the investment in my opinion to accomplish the definition that I lose every year. I also use brown eyeliner for my most basic face and occasionally I use an iridescent shadow. If you read articles about makeup for the “mature” woman, they advise to not use any iridescence but I am also a firm believer in breaking rules if the mood suits – and the personality!

1. Never underestimate the power of moisturizing. Buy the best you can afford or go for a great value, it’s as important as keeping your body hydrated with a sufficient amount of water.
2. Use makeup sparingly – it’s all about nuance and may go back to tip #1 for the soul. (Whether you’re a beauty junkie or are not familiar with the makeup counter, challenge yourself and learn something new!)
3. Pay attention to your brows but don’t overdo it! Filling in is better than drawing on!!
4. Eye makeup is important – but again, don’t cover your eyes with it. Lashes curled and light mascara, a little eyeliner (not black!), soften all lines with a smudge and light (LIGHT!!) concealer.
5. Take care of your teeth – they can be a sure sign of age.

For the body…

1. Take care of your body, it’s the only one we get and we need it till the end. This requires being active and staying active as long as possible. Make it a lifestyle choice.
2. I’m a firm believer in balance – never extremes! This applies to most everything in life but I encourage finding balance in your diet. Depriving yourself of the things you love will do a number on you and your metabolism. Indulge ~ but keep it tight!

• About the author
• The latest from Alicia

Alicia McCaslin

Stylist | The Tulle Box

http://www.thetullebox.net/

aliciamccaslin@me.com

Alicia was born and raised in Alexandria, and married a local boy. She is happily married and the mother of two amazing children and one adorable and terribly smart border terrier named Dixie. Alicia has always known she was a creative. She collected editions of Vogue from junior high on and has always loved clothing and design. She studied interior design at VCU and parlayed that degree into commercial interior design, the web design, and ultimately found herself managing a local boutique and serving as a stylist to many Alexandrian women. She now has a successful full-time styling business, The Tulle Box, and makes it her business to make her clients feel great about themselves and the way they look.

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