Hi…. It’s been a while. In the meantime the weather has been warming up and it’s time to store away the winter clothes.

Although I love spring and summer and can’t wait to get my lighter clothing all out I do carry a certain degree of trepidation.

The issue with warm weather clothes is that my arms become more exposed.

Now I love my arms and they’ve served me well over the years doing lots of lifting and hugging. But … they have been sun damaged. The skin is brittle and loose while bruises and marks show how hard I’ve lived at times. No matter how much moisturiser I slather on the wrinkles remain.

So I’ll be looking for clothes that give my mature arms a softer line, that can flatter and protect while allowing me to stay cool in the heat of summer.

This Harris Scarfe Off the Shoulder top is perfect for older arms and allows the wearer to stay cool

At $27.97 it is a good buy.

It’s that time of year when the weather turns warmer and winter clothes start to become stifling. The task of switching from warm tops to something a bit cooler in response to hotter temperatures looms on the horizon. But … there are still those parts of the day, or even whole days , when we need a coat to protect us from the vestiges of winter.

One answer to ‘tween season temperature differences is to look to the French!

Even better – most of the garments needed are already in most wardrobes of women over 60.

There is lots of advice about the French woman’s wardrobe and most of it mentions a few wardrobe staples.

The shirt: this can be light blue, white or striped. The sleeves can be rolled up as the day heats up ad you can add a scarf or bling to add some texture and interest

The blazer: can be navy, white, black or a colour. This item can be worn with slacks, jeans, skirts or a dress and adds a useful tailored layer to a between season outfit.

Ballet flats: These items are a comfortable accessory that most of us already own. To update the look you can opt for a comfortable lace up to be extra casual or a kitten heel to be more dressy.

Jeans: Such a variety to choose from but a classic, trim fitting ankle-grazing pair of blues are always useful and versatile.

Breton top: a lovely striped tee with 3/4 length sleeves adds a crisp playful edge to an outfit.

Of course you can add any number of variations with accessories to the above wardrobe staples and a white t-shirt can be added with just the blazer, jeans and pumps to create a simple style.

In the mean time you can take a few weeks to swap over the summer/winter wardrobes and get ready for the heat to hit!!!!

Like most of my mature aged friends I succumb to a regular trip to the hairdresser to colour my hair in the effort to keep my locks looking youthful.

Over the last 12 years I have been getting foils to bleach streaks of lighter colour into the ‘do’ – ostensibly so that the grey that was sneaking onto my scalp would mix into the bleach lines and be less noticeable.

It didn’t really work that way and I had a visible line of regrowth that needed touching up after a few weeks of having the bleach and colour applied.

Recently I have noticed that my hair has become increasingly dry and frizzy  ….. where it used to be on the oily side when  I was younger. Initially I put this down to just another  sign of ageing. The colour was also turning a shade of brassy orange! Yuk!!!

Thank goodness I have a smart hairdresser who wanted to help out. She started by stopping the bleached foils and darkening the shade of colour that was put into my hair.

We also talked about how I would eventually like to go grey and embrace the actual colour that my hair was becoming.

Since I have stopped having my hair bleached and had the dry ends trimmed I can feel the softness returning to my hair.

I will never have the long brunette locks of my youth but I can have healthy well nourished hair.

Much, much better than the frizzy, dry brittle alternative created by bleaching.

For more information on the effects  of bleaching on hair see the extract below.

By Rachel Feltman 23/01/15  Appeared in The Washington Post

….. Rigorous bleaching takes a toll on our fussy follicles.

Hair gets its natural colour from melanin, the same pigment that lends hues to eyes and skin.Two kinds of melanin (eumelanin and pheomelanin) combine in different ratios to produce different shades. ……

When hair totally loses its melanin, it looks white or grey because of the way light moves through it. …..

Permanent artificial hair colour doesn’t just throw pigment onto your hair … but instead open up the shaft, break down the natural pigment and slip in some molecules that (once combined inside the hair) make a particular colour

So when you want to change your hair colour to something lighter than natural …. the original pigments have to go.

Bleach works by going into the hair shaft and reacting with the stable pigment molecules, breaking them down into components that will wash right out of your hair and down the drain.

When it does that, it also breaks down the natural fatty acids on the hair shaft, weakening the strand.

This is permanent damage, and the longer you bleach the worse it gets.

The sales are on!

In the past I have always looked forward to the mid-year sales (or clearances as some retailers prefer to label them). I head off to the shops with the happy sense that I will return with a precious bargain; shoes that have been marked down 50%, a beautiful dress by a much admired designer, a natty pair of sunglasses, another handbag in a colour I hadn’t thought to buy previously…..

But this year, after trudging through the outlets and searching through the mountains of merchandise I came away feeling disheartened.

I could see very little that attracted my attention and even less that I considered appropriate.

This feeling of discouragement, emerging from an ever diminishing lack of suitable choice in stock, is increasing as I advance in age. I don’t consider myself old (I realise this is a very subjective view). Now reaching my mid 60s I feel that I still have quite a few good years in which to contribute to our community and enjoy my life. I have a wonderful family and group of friends, I live in a wealthy peaceful country and I enjoy strong health. Life is good.

But … I know that my body is changing as it ages. My arms are not firm, my waist is thickening, my skin is fragile, the texture loosening, my hair is drier. Clothes, styles, colours and cosmetics that once suited me are no longer flattering.

I need more than a makeover. I need designs that offer flair, grace, fun and elegance and fit suitably on this mature form. And I’m not alone in feeling this way. When I asked my friends if they were having the same experience they answered with a resounding – YES!

So this is my response. I’m starting a blog to get the needs of mature women heard.

My blog is called Gogomama and is targeted towards the interests of women over 60; mothers, grandmothers, sisters, nieces, wives … women of varying experience who are still interested in what life has to offer. The initial task I have set myself through this blog is to seek out suitable merchandise and pass on the information to my readers.

Gogomama is for mature women who want to look good …. not young. I hope you enjoy the posts and find the information useful.