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Donna Brazile’s recent makeover had the internet abuzz. The 58-year-old political strategist turned pundit always was always on point with her analysis but her look was matronly and outdated. At some point, Brazile must have decided that she wanted a change.

Here is how we most remember seeing her.

Certainly attractive, but we’re going to guess that most people figured Brazile for a woman older than she actually is. We ALL know that person. Or maybe we ARE that person. But just because you’re older or divorced or a grandmother or even a great-grandmother doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself or your wardrobe to drab old-lady clothes.

Here is Donna now:

Here are some tips and tricks to help you achieve a glow-up this holiday season.

Ask your kids. 

Well, unless you have sons. Some of the people who had the hardest time with Brazile’s makeover were men. Unless you have the kind of son that’s urging you to be more fashionable, then ask your daughters, nieces, cousins or even your aunties. Who’s the fashionable one in the family?

Ask her for some pointers or to take you shopping. If you are the family’s dowdy person, or just the busy mom that never dresses up, most of the time they’ve been dying to do it anyway. Should you ask your husband? Ask yourself this first – will he be honest? Will you accept his honest assessment? Will he finance a makeover? If you can answer all three in the affirmative, then ask him.

Get out of the past. 

Yes, that snatch back ponytail worked when you were taking multiple kids to soccer games. But now they’re in college or worse, they’ve graduated, and you’re still wearing the same look. When you met in 1985, he loved you in jeans and a T-shirt. But now, does that fit your daily life?

Husbands number one and two loved you in tight clothes, but after two babies and a weight gain do those clothes really still flatter you? Yes, that LBD looked great at your high school reunion but haven’t styles changed up since then? Part of what keeps women looking aged is hanging on to past styles that worked. Don’t.

Be real about your age and size. 

You were always a size 6, not you’re a 16. Or you don’t want to acknowledge that you’re in your 40’s, 50’s or 60’s. Girl, everyone knows, especially if your style is wack. You can look great at any age. But you have to acknowledge that age. Yes, you and your daughter can buy from the same places, but should you be wearing the same things the same way?

I think you know the answer. But don’t over-age yourself, either. You don’t have to put on a caftan and orthopedic shoes because you are older. You don’t have to suppress your vitality or sexuality. But being a grown woman requires that you at the very least work with the body you have…not the one you had. Even if you are at a healthy weight (yay!) things don’t lay the same way with age.

Unless you’re a Cross Fitter, bodybuilder or other super fit chick, then do you. Wear those tight dresses and athleisure with pride. For the rest of us, though, assess where you are until you get where you want to  be.

Find a fashion role model.

You want to be fashionable? You don’t have much of an excuse, as long as there’s social media. There are fly, fab celebs doing the damn thing every day. One of them is your age and/or your body type. Yes, they have thousands to spend on glam squads and clothes.

But you can look at what they do and wear and find your own style on a budget. Discount app Poshmark and handmade site Etsy have budget-friendly options and Nordstrom, Kohls, and Rebdolls, one of the fast fashion lines that has outfits made of non-flimsy materials and goes up to a 5X, have sales. Take advantage. Here are some fashion role models to check out:

For plus sizes:

Amber Riley

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpDHtGpBEp5/

 

Queen Latifah

Cute outfit, hair and accessories, sexy NFL player optional

 

Dascha Polanco

 

Retta

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZSvOngjXvL/ 

 

40’s

Mary J. Blige (OK, the Fendi boots cost a grip. But you can see that you can still wear thigh-high boots over 40 if you’re in shape and there are much cheaper options.)

50’s

Michelle Obama

 

60’s

Angela Bassett

 

Gayle King (with daughter Kirby)

Vanessa Bell Calloway

 

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