Do you feel stuck in a rut about the way you look? It takes a certain amount of skill, a generous helping of courage, and a naughty sense of adventure, in order to do something about it.

Many women past 39 are sporting the same hair style they've had for more than a decade.
This makes them look older than their years, and crown them with a staleness that demonstrates how deeply stuck in the past they are. Nothing dates you more (even if you've got angelic looking skin) than relishing in a style which was trendy at the time when Madonna sported shiny, cone-shaped boobs.

Being a former cat-walk model who's no longer in her twenties (eh, hem...) I understand clearly that ultra modern trends in hair and wear, are not for everyone.  However, in order to stay young and feel fresh, it is vital that our style moves steadily on, along with the fashion trends.

In this article I want to discuss how re-inventing ourselves can rejuvenate us, not only in the eyes of the onlooker, but also by boosting our own self confidence.

Knowing that you look good, is the recipe for feeling great and looking even better, as beauty does radiate from the inside out. Here are some ways in which re-invention will work in our favour.  Take a leaf out of Madonna's book and do something subtle or striking (to each, her own) to boost your look every year. Get noticed with something different - something you, without going overboard.

Points of interest when re-inventing yourself.

Glasses

If you wear glasses, change the style of the frame about every two years. It's easy to get used to the frames we wear, especially if we also wear contacts, as this can sometimes mean we forget to check that the frame still suits our look.  Ancient or unsuitable glasses frames can age us.  Give your face a lift with a pair of funky, colourful glasses. People will stop and take notice of you (and your eyes) all over again.

If your old glasses are no longer comfortable, you'll find yourself looking over the frame.  This is aging and not charming in the least.  Refuse to age yourself, not by having a face lift, but by becoming more graceful and classy.

Hair colour

When re-inventing yourself, do not fall into the trap of going for the brightest hair colour you can find, as this many times, can have the opposite effect.  Tone down. Not only are lighter colours more suited for the more mature woman, they're great for blending in grey hairs too.  A super dark or bright colour, will contrast greatly with grey hair, thus bring attention to them as soon as they pop their little roots out.  Lighter tones, used skilfully, are also suitable for darker women, as it gives a lift to any complexion (though going blonde if you have very dark skin would probably not be a good idea).
Call attention to yourself once again, by changing your hair colour. Say, I'm still here, I'm still beautiful, and I feel great.

Wardrobe

As we said before, there is nothing that demonstrates age like outdated fashion.  As you get older, get classier.  Get rid of your old, frumpy, 'but it's so comfortable' (comfortable is always good, but not at the expense of style), mutton-dressed-as-lamb costumes and become a lady. Go on, you can almost afford it now.

You don't have to do it all at once, because this is naturally, too expensive.  Work at it slowly, until it's been totally achieved.  You no longer need the quantity of clothes you did when the kids were little and you were bogged down with housework.  

Now, it's the quality that counts.  When you buy jeans, forget the cheap supermarket ones, and go for the upmarket variety that you can dress up with an expensive top for a classy, sexy look.  Buy clothes that will enhance the youthful, impressive body parts, and cover up the bits of you which are beginning to tide over.  

You don't want a plunging neck-line if your neck and chest are starting to wrinkle.  Similarly, you do not want to wear miniskirts if your legs are covered in cellulites.  It is therefore of utmost importance that you purchase your wardrobe extremely carefully.  Reinventing yourself is about recycling your youth, not about dressing so young, that you inadvertently broadcast your age.

Hair and make-up

Like hair colour, hair style is also important.  Now that you have a bit more time for yourself (the kids can finally do their own hair), you can afford to go for more adventurous  hair styles. If you've always had a bun in the middle of your head, reinventing would mean getting it cut into a style which would suit your individual face.  

Sarah Jessica Parker and Teri Hatcher are all women in their forties, but their hair styles say otherwise.  If Heather Locklear or Halle Berry insisted on resurrecting the big hair they had when they were younger, they would both look a lot older than they do now. Not because your friends thought your perm looked amazing on you the 80's, means it's going to make you look good now.

The bright lipstick and ultra blue eye shadow you couldn't do without, are all obsolete today.  Look at the styles and colours popular in glossy magazine and have a new mini make-over for free at the make-up counter.  You would be surprised that what you thought wouldn't be for you, may be exactly what your make-up bag is lacking.  You can only find this out, if you make an effort.  That old lipstick you use may be hard to find, not because it's popular, but because there is no more demand for it.   Get your very own Makeup Gift Set.

Be careful about your eyebrows as well. Remember never to trim them with scissors like they do in the barber shops.  We all know what happens to men who have their eyebrows trimmed – they grow out like chicken wire.

Get tips on how to pluck your eyebrows!

Now that the points on re-invention have been laid out, all you need to do is to pick one to start off with.  Not only is re-inventing helpful, it's also lots of fun. There comes a time in every grown girl's life when she has to dedicate some me-time to herself. That time is now here, so go for it!

About the Author

Anne Lyken-Garner is a contributing writer for Fabulously40 Youth Project Worker, Writer, Television Support Actress, Occasional model

Visit Anne's blogspot for more of her work.