♥ beautiful young people are accidents of nature..

...but beautiful old people are works of art*

eleanor roosevelt

while reading an interview last week in regard to the former model and muse

ines de la fressange's highly publicized trip down

jean paul gautier's spring/summer 2009 haute couture catwalk at the

gorgeous age of 51, i was struck by an observation that she made, and

the idea has stayed with me for days..

"there are never images of women with gray hair or older women in magazines...

even when companies use women of a certain age in their advertising, the photos are retouched. there is really nothing in magazines that i can identify with."

it really got me thinking.

although fashion magazines will often highlight the fact that one may celebrate

"fabulous style at every age," the older women that they feature are often these

walking anomolies that have somehow avoided aging altogether.

with their dyed hair, botox injected faces and digitally enhanced bodies,

they hardly represent the laugh lines, sun kissed skin, and the rounder middles

that make growing old so beautiful.

for this reason, i am absolutely inspired by 25 year old designer,

fanny karst's collection of made to order, printed, fitted and hand finished

clothing for women age 60+ that is oh.so.appropriately named:

old ladies' rebellion.

determined to make a fashionista out of her grandmother,

and also to prove that older women can still be stylish and sophisticaed,

ms. kurst has designed a line of sensible, simple shapes that are

both flattering and fun for women of a "certain" age to wear.

setting up shop in the basement of her uncle,

designer jean charles de castelbajac's savile row store,

young fanny designs dresses, skirts and tops with enough personality

and pluck to prove that age certainly is just an attitude.

and when i am older, i hope i have plenty of it.

{spotted on nosideup.}

♥ best face forward.

one of my new year's resolutions for 2010 is to take better care of my skin.

seeing as i just turned 26, i figure it is about time that i start building

a firm foundation for my face's wrinkle-free future.

about a month ago, i was fortunate enough to receive a few samples from

the luxurious organic skincare line, luzern laboratories,

and i must say that while it may be the dead of winter outside,

my skin feels as dewy and luminous as a spring morning.

formulated purely from quality ingredients which are cultivated in the

high altitude conditions of the swiss alps, luzern products are loaded

with antioxidents, vitamins, and polyphenols, which are crucial for

skin rejuvenation, anti-aging, and overall skin health.

found in most high-end spas and dermatology offices {search here}

luzern laboratories also take prides in the fact that it is animal & eco-friendly,

and does not contain any of the harsh chemicals, formeldahydes,

fragrances or preservatives that much of the competition consist of.

a major ingredient that luzern has in it's arsenal is oxygen.

and while one may take for granted the fact that oxygen is everywhere,

it is important to note that even at age 25, the facial skin can have

30 to 40% less oxygen than a child or teenager.

my favorite product by far is the force de vie pure oxygen créme,

a daily moisturizer which is basically like a dessert for the face.

it has a gorgeous, clean smell, a delicious texture, and honestly

keeps my winter-beaten face hydrated all day long.

for good measure, i have also been adding a drop of the

serum v12 absolut to the moisturizer every morning,

which makes me feel sort of like a mad scientist who has discovered

a spring from the fountain of youth.

or maybe i have?

♥ kissing the old year out, kissing the new year in.

happy new year, my darlings!

xoxo