Help! I look like Julia Hartley Brewer

[FlorisFigure]

Caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror just now and got the shock of my life.

I need a style overhaul from hair to makeup.

Am late 40s. Don’t want a blonde bob and my eyelids are too droopy/puffy to get the Adele winged eye look.

Style intervention PLEASE.

Fucking hell.

JHB looks great! Her style isn’t what you want, fair enough, but, for fuck’s sake, don’t slag off how other women look. Society does that to us all already.

(I’m not JHB or shagging JHB, by the way) (More’s the pity on both counts)

Ok, I look like a classic middle aged middle class woman and I don’t want to look middle aged even though I am. I clearly am stuck in a 90s/naughties time warp and need a fresh modern look.

Julia looks great though.

Your op is offensive and the beginning of your second post isn't much better.
I suggest we start from here:
I clearly am stuck in a 90s/naughties time warp and need a fresh modern look.

Perhaps it's time to dispense with the denial and accept your age. Once you do that, I think everything else will fall into place.

I hope I look like JHB when I’m older. So does my other half.

Anyway. Are you talking changing your hair, makeup, clothes, shoes, bags?

You look like an attractive and smartly dressed middle aged woman?

I used JHB as a comparison because that is my hair style and colour, that is my make up routine which has been done out of habit for at least 15 years. I admit I’m middle aged but I don’t want to carry on with the same style for the next 15 years.

What's the problem with that? I had to Google her. Does she look too middle class for you?

There’s nothing wrong with looking middle aged. That’s what you are.

JHB has some ridiculous opinions. Judge her on those, not her perfectly pleasant appearance.

Not adding to the pile on but Pretty difficult to advise on any aspect of your request without a photo
We have no idea also if you really do look like the woman in question 😆

First thing I’d do is get rid of the helmet hairdo and box colour that’s too harsh for your skin tone. Remember that you’re not living in the 1980s anymore so you don’t need to wear your own weight in jewel coloured make up every day - consider pastels. Why not go to a make up counter in John Lewis and get a makeover? You also need to lay off the fake tan. You look orange and your face is a different colour to your hands. Your necklaces don’t need to be as big as you think.

JHB is 54 and looks great.
As all young people seem to go for tumbling tresses I'm not sure what style would be 'younger'.

Thank you @ShandaLear There is a lot of projection going on here, I have never once made a comment about JHB’s opinions, just used her as an example of how I look.

You’ve nailed the hair @ShandaLear - a fringed bob would not suit me. Highlights? Would they cover grey?

My foundation is OK but my make up is very dated. I once went for a free makeover at a department store and the girl slapped on caterpillar eyebrows but no one in the shop gave me a second glance and even my teenage daughter didn’t comment.

I didn’t know her name but just googled and I recognise her. She looks fine but I suppose her hair is very harsh and the make up is a bit dated. Can you have your hair a bit lighter?

So, she is 56 and I am 47 so I think I look 10 years older than I need to. That was what I was asking, my hair and make up is dated, how can I get a younger look?

Make up wise why not just tone it down a bit? Eyeliner only lining the top lashes. Lipstick, use more of a balm consistency. Rosy coloured blush.

Hair wise just let it be a bit messier.

Check out Sheerluxe on YouTube. They cover a lot of the newer fashionista looks.

OP, don't be apologetic.

JHB is a hateful woman who spews her bigoted bile daily. She is repugnant.

Anyone declaring their faux horror is an idiot.

Simply look at how she dresses and do the opposite. She is a typical Tory fan girl full of hatred. Tries to emulate her hero Thatcher. Awful hateful woman. I don't blame you for wanting to look as far away from her as possible.

Get a good hair dresser, go soft tailoring and go lighter with make up.

And be nice, empathetic and so far from who JHB is.

She looks a decade beyond her years. That is what hatred does to a person.

OP I'm sorry the thread isn't going quite as you had planned! Sometimes someone phrases something badly in their initial post and everyone hones in on that, and it goes downhill from there.

Anyway, I think I see what you're getting at. I'm a similar vintage to you and find a certain amount of inspiration from the Silver Kat, In Style by Helen and Claire Lopez on Instagram if that's of use to you.

I know exactly what you mean. She has a very dated and harsh look. Her hair looks rock hard with hairspray. So, easy fixes are soften up the hair - let it actually move. Less eye make up as you age. Use brown eye shadow for eyeliner.

And if you don't look smug and sneering, you'll already be looking better.

Why not go to a make up counter and get them to do your makeup so that you get to try something different and up to date. Perhaps try a new hairdresser. Clothes wise look somewhere younger people shop?

I don’t agree with her politics (apart from the gender critical bit), but she looks pretty good. I don’t see your problem.

Her lipstick and brows are very harsh. I'd go for a much more natural lip colour, more delicate brows and a tinted moisturiser to start with.

I was just going to say the same !!!! I googled her as didn’t know who it was expecting someone quite horrifying and what I saw was an attractive woman !!! OP if you look like JHB then that’s not a bad thing !!

I’m intrigued - I know nothing about her and she looked absolutely fine in Google images so I’m going to go and research and see if that alters my perception of her once I’ve heard her views