Bold eyewear makes big difference in appearance
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Suggestions, please, for an almost 70-year-old who needs to shop for new eyeglasses. What styles/ colors/shapes would you recommend? My hair is graying but still has a lot of brown. I’ve worn smaller metal style frames for years and am wondering if it would be too daring to go with larger plastic in clear gray, or even more bold colors.
— Diane S.
Dear Diane: Nothing is going to freshen your look more than changing your eyeglasses. You bet you should be open to new ideas. Bigger, bolder, new shapes, all of that is absolutely worth exploring. Glasses are one of the first things people notice and yet most of us (men and women) are reluctant to explore all the great new options available in stores and — especially welcome during the pandemic — online. Take your time. There are “virtual try on tools” online that will let you see how you’ll look in a huge array of shapes and colors without ever leaving home. Don’t rule out anything before you start your search. Think of the bold eyeglass example set by Oprah Winfrey or 99-yearold fashion trendsetter Iris Apfel, a knockout in her massive circular specs. Various vendors will send you frames to try on at home. For example, Warby Parker (warbyparker.com) will send you five frames to try for free with no-fuss free returns.
Dear Answer Angel Ellen:
I keep going back and forth on this question.
Is it better to stick with one brand of hair products for everything? I use Pantene shampoo and conditioner and am happy with them. There are so many mousses and creams and gels that are so tempting, but I wonder if the other brands will “undo” the results I like from my Pantene regimen. I just assume the product lines are formulated to work together for the best results. What do you think?
— Laura N.
Dear Laura: Experiment! Of course manufacturers of hair products (and everything else) want you to believe that brand loyalty is the key to best results in anything from hair products to house paint to snacks. If you love your shampoo/conditioner combo, there’s no reason to switch. One statistic I saw said that 68% of women surveyed said they “mostly” buy the same shampoo brand over and over (23% said they “always” do). So, you are indeed like most women in the survey. But that doesn’t
mean that you can’t flirt with the daunting array of sprays, mists, leave-ins, rinse-outs, mousses, serums, oils, texturizers, straighteners, curl enhancers, volumizers, masks, pomades, oils and frizzpreventers — to name only a few of the options on drugstore shelves, online and in salons.
Reader Rant
Barbara G.’s lament: “Where have all the classic fabrics gone? I can no longer find silk shantung, satin, challis, wool crepe in any of the dresses or formalwear these days. These fabrics used to be readily available. Today, the fabrics used are stretchy, tight, tend to pill and not very flattering.
Now it’s your turn
Send your questions, rants, tips, favorite finds — on style, shopping, makeup, fashion and beauty — to answerangelellen@gmail .com.