I picked up this book because it seemed to encompass everything I was looking for; a guide for fashion, beauty, exercise and more.

This book is geared towards woman over 40 and claims that the book is not about getting older, it’s about becoming ageless.

As I begun reading the book I felt that if women followed all the advice in the book, they would be dressing in fashionable burlap sacks with paper bags over their heads.

Part 1

Christine advises that if you have less than perfect arms, you should not wear sleeveless tops or dresses. Okay if you look at the majority of the population, no one even under 40 has the arms of Madonna. So your arms still waves goodbye after you stop, I don’t feel that means you should cover yourself up. If you feel good and you like the outfit wear it.

In the book she even shows a photo of Christie Brinkley committing this faux pas, I showed this picture to my male friends and the only thing they noticed was Christie’s beauty.

Some other recommendations from the book include:

Never wear shorts but to opt for cropped pants instead as they are “the fitting alternative”. Fitting alternative to what? Sitting in a sauna with a track suit on?

Cleavage forget about it, someone please call Sophia Loren and Raquel Welch right away as they show too much cleavage for their age.

Another recommendation is that no skirt should be above the knees. A few pages later the book goes on to compliment Tina Turner where she is wearing a skirt that is not just above her knees, but just barely covering her asset.

The only advice I agreed with which applies to all women not just those over 40, is to not reveal your undies or bra strap. That style is just tacky regardless of your age.

The thing that irritated me the most in the fashion section was when she stated unless you are actually in a pool or ocean swimming, you should not walk around a beach/pool area unless you are covered.

From the sounds of it, when I hit 40 I should draw the blinds and become a hermit because the natural aspect of aging should be hidden as if to pretend it hasn’t and isn’t happening.

I think as women we have endured enough about our bodies and how it relates to self-esteem. It’s a shame that Ms. Schwab believes that we should continue this self-criticism even as we get older. The funny thing is the things that concern us the most, are the things that most men don’t even notice. Speaking of which, men handle aging the complete opposite way that women do. They don’t cover up because they have a pot belly. They don’t stop going topless because they have flabby arms. Whether their body shape bothers them or not, the difference between us and men is that men have accepted in and are therefore liberated to enjoy their life instead of becoming prisoners of it.

The only aspect on fashion that I agreed with was that your wardrobe should be 80% classic and 20% trend. You’ll get more value for your money that way.

Part 2

Ms. Schwab dispels the myth once you reach a certain age that you need short hair. She also touches on cosmetic surgery, and recommends procedure as we get older. It offered practical advice on when and if you really need it. Ms. Schwab herself started in her 40’s. Her makeup tips left a lot to be desired, unless all you ever want to wear is the natural look.

Part 3

This was the best section of the book. It covered everything from starting life anew and your age not stopping you. It also gives tips for preserving the relationships you value and distancing yourself form the ones you don’t.

I found this book to be geared more towards women who feel that as they get older, they must begin to hide who they are. Cover your neck, its wrinkled; don’t show your arms they’re flabby. It goes to show how shallow society can be. Obviously, your style changes I don’t want to dress the wild way I did as a teen, but I do want to dress like a sexy women and there is nothing wrong with that. Look at Sharon Stone, Sophia Loren, and Selma Hayek. All of which are gorgeous women, who break Ms. Schwab’s rules and still look fabulous. Fabulous

I know when I hit 40, I will do as I’ve done throughout my life and that is rebel against what society’s expectation of me as a woman is. I know that when summer is in season, I will wear shorts with my wrinkly knees, in my sleeveless top with pride and have my underarms wave at the passer-by’s.