Year in Review 2021 January – March

Happy Monday, gang! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas. The day always goes by all too quickly. All of my kiddos were present and accounted for, so I am truly blessed, if not a bit worn out. Now it’s onto New Year’s Eve!

Lots of fun things are planned for 2022, which I can’t wait to share with you. Every year by mid-December, the SaaCa team takes a well-deserved break so we can recharge our batteries. I imagine many of you feel the need for a little R&R too. Am I right?! And we like to take a look back at what resonated with you, my lovely readers. Before we swing into January, a mere five days away, let’s take a look at readers’ favorite blog posts and products from January, February and March. Whether that’s skincare, makeup, boots, blazers, the list is long! 

January 2021

Anti-aging Skincare Roundup was the number one favorite blog post in January! 2021 was the year I added IPL and micro-needling treatments to my skincare routine. While I have always been a skincare junkie and love to try the latest and greatest products, I hadn’t explored laser treatments that reduce age spots or micro-needling, which boosts collagen production. I highly recommend both. Read Anti-aging Skincare Roundup.

Coming in second place in January was Five Classic Pieces of Jewelry. Every classic wardrobe needs to include classic jewelry. Yes, jewelry will last you a lifetime if chosen wisely. Fine jewelry is an investment that can be full of intrinsic memories. Many of my most treasured pieces were gifted by my parents or Mr. Style. Now it’s up to me to continue to update my jewelry collection and share my favorites with my daughter-in-law Kelly and future DIL’s. Whether it’s costume jewelry or the real deal, there are five classic pieces of jewelry every woman should own. Today, I’m sharing my must-have list. Read Five Classic Pieces of Jewelry.

Rounding out January readers’ favorites is Five Self Care Habits for 2021. Are you ready to kick off 2021 with healthy habits? Today, I’m sharing five self-care habits for 2021. the past year has had many of us stressing and stewing about the ever-changing landscape. From the emails and comments I receive, I also know far too many of us have put self-care and healthy habits on the back burner. What’s the point of making an effort when there’s no place to go? So we ignore our health and wellness routines, slip into our elastic waist sweatpants, veg out on the couch, and watch the news. And there just might be a bag of chips or box of cookies at our beck and call… Read Five Self Care Habits for 2021.

February 2021

Your favorite blog post in February was Style Secrets for Women over 50. When I first started blogging almost six years ago, at the age of 56, the hot topic was style rules for over 50 women. There was much discussion of the “do’s and don’ts” of style for mature women. It seems we were deathly afraid of making a fashion faux pax when we turned 50 and were constantly reminded if we did. Frankly, all the lists compiled by 30-something fashion editors telling women over 50 what not to wear make me cringe. Anyone remotely connected with fashion knows that style is intensely personal whether we’re in our twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, or beyond. The style goal for any woman of any age should be to look modern and fresh, not dated and stodgy. It’s time we focus on style secrets for women over 50, not what style rules we need to follow. Read Style Secrets for Women over 50.

Since I’m a blue jean mama at heart, I shared How to wear jeans that were a resounding hit. It’s safe to say denim plays a large role in my wardrobe. I imagine yours too. And the fashion world does its best to put its spin on this iconic wardrobe staple to keep it fresh and modern. Today, many designs are available –  skinny, flare, wide-leg, cropped, and embellished. But the fit is the most important factor for a great pair of blue jeans. The ones you will reach for time and again. So what’s a girl to do when it comes to buying the ‘perfect’ pair? Does it even exist? Well, my advice is to take an afternoon and try on a gazillion pairs. No kidding! It may feel like you’re looking for a needle in a haystack, but when you find the ‘one,’ you’ll know. It’s all about finding the right fit for your body. We’re a variety pack, ladies, not a ‘one size fits all.’ So let’s take a look at How to wear blue jeans.

When it’s time to describe my style, classic aesthetic style comes to mind. So it’s no surprise Where to Shop for Classic Style came in third place for readers’ favorites.

Many of you may have noticed there’s lots of discussion about timeless classic style on the blog. Entire blog posts are dedicated to timeless classics – timeless classic military coat or timeless classic riding boots. Then there are classic jackets, the little black dress, and an iconic white shirt. Typically, there’s a backstory on how certain clothing items turned into classics. I love to share those bits of history with you, like when and how the iconic, timeless classic pencil skirt came onto the fashion scene. Many of you enjoyed the blog post that discussed how easy it is for a classic style to become dated or stodgy. There are definitely ways to prevent that from happening! Fall of 2018, I was pleased to partner with Talbots as their Fall Classics guest editor, where we looked at ten key pieces. Read Where to Shop for Classic Style.

March 2021

In March, the weather transitions from winter to spring, and we’re all ready to ditch our cashmere sweaters in favor of cotton and we start to think about wearing shorts and swimsuits. It’s no wonder a Healthy Diet over 50 the key to aging was the favorite blog post in March. A healthy diet is key if we want to age with grace, strength, and beauty.

It’s time to get real, ladies. Real about a four-letter word that plagues us. can you guess? yes, diet is a four-letter word. literally and figuratively. this one little word has all sorts of negative connotations, especially for women of a certain age. our generation grew up experimenting with fad diets to lose weight, counting calories, cutting fats, drinking one-calorie sodas, all while compromising our health and our microbiome. food became our enemy, not our friend. All sorts of advice have been thrown our way for over 40 years. Exercise more, eat less, lose ten pounds in ten days, low carb, no-carb, low fat, no fats, all while portion sizes at restaurants were getting bigger and bigger each year. And processed foods snuck sugar into anything and everything without our knowledge. Let me ask if any of those yo-yo diets worked? Oh, sure, the weight may have come off in the short term then slowly crept back once we went back to our old eating habits. It was a vicious cycle for many of us. But the biggest myth of all is that once menopause sets in and our hormones change, we blindly accept a wider waistline and the weight gain that accompanies it. to which I say, “rubbish!” Read a Healthy diet over 50 the key to aging. 

 Style hacks every woman should know was also a readers’ favorite in March. Along with style inspiration on the blog, I also love to share practical tips and tricks to keep us at the top of our style game. Every woman should have a few style hacks up her sleeve to step out the door feeling confident. Style at a Certain Age is dedicated to aging with grace, strength, and beauty, so it’s a no-brainer to share style hacks every woman should know. 

Last but not least on the readers’ favorites list for March was Step into Spring with Five Wardrobe Essentials. It’s time to lighten and brighten our wardrobes, makeup palette, and skincare. Today, it’s all about style. Yes, we’re stepping into spring with five wardrobe essentials that will see us through even the trickiest temps.

Favorite products January – March

First up is a handbag organizer that fits into my Louis Vuitton Speedy or any other mid-sized handbag.

Second favorite product was an adorable faux leather moto jacket from the Scoop line available at Walmart.

I am truly blessed to work with amazing brands and share them with you! When I worked with L’Oreal Paris for close to a year, I was thrilled to introduce the Age Perfect Makeup Line to my readers. You love this line as much as I do! L’Oreal Age Perfect Radiant Serum is loaded with vitamins and made specifically for mature skin.

Cashmere turtlenecks are a perennial favorite of mine. And yours too!

Chinos are go-to pants for me as they fit my preppy aesthetic. Talbots always carries a variety of chinos, from relaxed to perfect, and they come in several colors.

Beth Djalali

is the Founder and CEO of Style at a Certain Age. She writes Sundays-Fridays on all topics ranging from fashion, health, wellness, home design and more.

She’s 65, 5’8, and size 8.

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