Younger hipsters aren’t the only women who should have all the fun. You might not want to do everything on my list, well not all at once; however, you might read one of my tips and the light bulb (fluorescent curly kind) might go on.
Easy Ways to Save On Your Hair
You've done some of these things unintentionally. Now, I'm giving you permission to let your hair go...in a mindful, purposeful way.
1. Let your hair grow a bit longer between cuts and pin it up if you need to keep it from looking shaggy.
2. Wear a hat to cover your gray or dark roots. Even if you only wear your hat on the street, out in the sunlight is where your roots will show the most.
3. If you’re a faux blonde, use PSSSSSST dry, spray shampoo on your roots. Then, you can go longer without getting your color done.
Clothing Ideas from Hippies and Hipsters
Wear your clothes in offbeat ways like a nerdy hipster. You will probably start a new trend.
5. Mix clothing and accessories in whatever way you want. I was one of the first women to wear ankle boots with miniskirts back in the 90s because that’s what I had in my closet. (I’m sure I wasn’t the first, but I might have been the first in my area. Now, everyone does it.)
6. Buy stretchy travel clothing. Then, try to do everything you can to make it look better than travel wear usually does. Stretchy clothing will fit you when you’re fat and when you’re thin. And, this stuff seems to last forever. Plus, it’s washable.
7. Become a hippie…again. I lived in Seattle during the late sixties/early seventies when we had a horrid, regional depression. With the exception of trust-fund kids, hippie fashion was de rigueur because jobs were scarce and money was scarcer. And, a pair of jeans will last forever.
8. Embellish old clothing (like jeans and denim workshirts) with hand embroidery…start with your sun sign. Mine’s Scorpio. Being artsy rocks.
9. Sometimes, embroidering over a stain or tear will bring clothing back to life in a great way. No, I don’t know how to do it, but I’ve seen what my seamstress-style friends did in the 60s. Think of it as tats for your clothes.
10. If you can’t manage hand- or machine-sewing, you can paint over jeans (or denim fabric) with acrylic paint. My former sister-in-law would use black Sharpie markers to draw outlines, then she painted the shapes with cool colors. Start with a ratty pair of jeans from a thrift store and give them new life.
11. Buy most (or all) of your work and dressy clothing in black. All of your wardrobe pieces will go together because, although there are different shades of black, most people won’t notice. Punk up your black outfits with bright accessories or a lip-smacking red coat.
12. Put bold, hot colors together in unexpected ways. When everyone else is shopping for black and other neutrals, you can find outrageous, bright stuff on sale.
13. Mix your patterns and prints. This will make your simpering, cutesy prints look fierce. You will find interesting, patterned clothing on sale when everyone else is shopping for black. (Tip: Start small and don’t test out new combinations on a workday unless you work in entertainment or the arts.)
Signature Jewelry Pieces
Here’s what I’ve learned about jewelry over the last 40 years.
14. You should spend more money on your wedding ring and less on your clothing. If you are getting remarried or you have a chance to upgrade your ring, look for something great. Good jewelry elevates apparel from Target. In the long run, it will save you money.
15. Wear the same earrings everywhere. Once you get the right earrings, mine are mabe pearls, you may never take them off. I can’t tell you what you should wear, because it depends on your face shape and your bone structure, but you will probably look fabulous in one of these styles:
- Diamond studs – You can wear fakes if they aren’t too large and obviously fake. However, if you have a large (real) diamond ring, you might be able to wear large CZ earrings and get away with it.
- Black or white pearl studs – These are perfect if you have delicate bone structure.
- Large mabe pearls – Large pearls are better if you have a rounder, larger face.
- Large gold or silver clip/post earrings – These work well if diamond studs look ditsy on you.
16. Once you have your signature, wear-everywhere pieces, you can add all kinds of wooden, plastic, base metal, or faux-pearl pieces that come from consignment shops or Target. Your good jewelry will make your cheap stuff look great. Well, you have to use your good taste, with this method. But, I’m not using the phrase “good taste” the way your mother would. I mean “exotic and fun” good taste.
One of these ideas might help you add some snap to your style. I hope so, because it’s no fun to have no money for new clothes. Then again, you could eat nothing but brown rice and steamed veggies in order to save money for fun jewelry or trendy accessories.
Or, maybe, it's up to you to create the new "new".
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Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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