How to add a little retro to your daily look

• Red lipstick.  This is probably the most effective and easiest way to add some retro glamour to your look.  Red looks good on everyone, but the shade of red you wear does make a difference.  Olive toned skin would look better with a orange-toned red.  Porcelain-skinned beauties usually look better with a blue-ish red.  Some women may look better with a brick red, others with the purest red, think Crayola, they can find.  But strong red lips were the look through the 40s and 50s and a bold lip has been popular for a lot longer (think silent screen vixens).  If you are channeling the earlier Clara Bow-era look, you might want to pair your lipstick with smoky eyes, otherwise keep the eyes simple, a little mascara and brown eyeliner for daytime or some liquid black liner for nighttime and you have instant 40s-50s Hollywood va-va-voom!  I consider myself lucky; after I went redhead I discovered that most red lipsticks look good on me, with the exception of a very blue-ish red, so I actually own several in different shades.  (If the 60s are more your thing, rock the mod look: black lining the eyes, maybe even fake eyelashes, and pale, pale pink lipstick!)

• Vintage jewelry.  This is an element of retro-wear that is close to my heart since I collect vintage all the time.  If you don't have any pieces from relatives (always the coolest source for vintage anything!) hit your local thrift store or antique store and check out the jewelry case.  Pearls never go out of fashion.  You can wear a long strand if you are channeling you inner flapper, a choker if you are feeling a little like Breakfast at Tiffany's, or a shorter strand to showcase your bosom.  Cluster earrings are great for a 1950s look.  Enamel button earrings were popular for a several generations.  Screw back earrings date to the turn of the century to the early 50s so you can easily spot an older piece.

• Polka dots.  This is more specific for the 1940s, but nothing says WWII quite like polka dots.  Or khaki come to think of it!

• Western wear.  The western look was popular from the 1930s-50s so if you have a western button down or some cute western wear, pair it with a pair of capris, jeans or a bell shaped skirt, slap on that red lipstick and voila!  Instant retro!

• Color palette.  1940s: think browns, khakis, greys, tans, black.  1950s: light pink, black, red, gold.  1960s: bright colors, pinks, yellows, oranges, greens, corals, bold blockish colors.

• Silhouette.  The 1920s into the 30s was all about the long, flowing silhouette.  In fact this is coming back into fashion right now.  Think long slip dresses, slender draping fabrics and shapes, the Flappers and Art Deco chic.  The 40s and 50s were all about the hourglass shape.  Think Joan from Mad Men, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield or Sophia Loren.  And if you are blessed with a ballerina figure, why not wear a boat-neck top, tights and flats a la Audrey Hepburn?

Even if you don't go all the way retro every day of the week, even a few of these elements scattered amongst your wardrobe can help you channel your inner bombshell any time!

Friends of the Library Booksale, This Weekend!

I was going to post about this last time I came home with multiple bags crammed full of books for ridiculously cheap and I didn't get around to it.  But it would be a crime to keep this fabulous secret all to myself so I'm letting all of you in the Tucson area know about it!  The Friends of the Library routinely hold book sales at their building at 2230 N. Country Club Rd.  Next one is this weekend September 16-19!  Ridiculously cheap books!  Some are library copies, many are donations, most in good to excellent condition!  Also some cds, books on tape, albums and more!

I bought all this in one trip for less than $30!  Then I went back the next day and crammed another bag full of paperbacks for the $5/bag book sale!!!  (They typically hold those on the final day of the sale.  You can still pick up some great books on the final day but the "choice" selections are usually snapped up by then.)

A few tips if you want to join in the book-feeding frenzy: come early!  I was in line when it opened last time and there were at least thirty other bright people who were doing the same!  These sales get really, really packed with people who don't mind scooching their way in front of you so if you don't like crowded places or suffer from claustrophobia or lack of patience, this may not be your cup of tea.  Bring your own bags because once you start grabbing books, its hard to stop; the bags give you an idea as to how much you want to bring home at once and prevent "bag failure" from those flimsy plastic ones ripping on you halfway through!  The Friends have their reusable bags on sale for a buck and they're totally worth it!  Have a game plan: if you are looking for fiction, romance, history, music, whatever, head there first!  Trust me, you will be glad you did once you see the flood of shoppers competing for the same books.  Remember, all's fair in love and literature!  Plan on going multiple days, the first if you can swing it (they have members only days that are sweet if you spring for a membership) so you can scope the best books, and be sure to come back for the $5/bag days.

Here's the link to the Pima County Public Library and information as to the sale.  Remember, proceeds go to benefit your public library so get out there, grab some books and show your support!  (Just remember it's nothing personal if I "scooch" into you at the sale!  All's fair...)