It’s Never Too Late to Look Great!

Style for the Young-at-Heart

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 18 Jan 2019 | Archive Date 18 Feb 2019

Talking about this book? Use #ItsNeverTooLateToLookGreat #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

It’s Never Too Late to Look Great! does something the fashion industry is frightened to do. It shows how women over 50 - and beyond - don’t have to be invisible when their faces and figures are less than perfect. This style guide shows how  to dress with panache, and open the door to a world of new opportunities, confidence and happiness. 

If you’ve ever seen some grey hairs in the mirror and said, ‘I don’t know what to wear any more’, this is the book for you. Maggie identifies the four qualities that make style: Surprise, True to yourself, Artistry and Reinvention.   Follow these and you will become a style S.T.A.R. 

Older women are now fitter and more active than ever. Many of them want to keep looking stylish, but find themselves ignored by a fashion industry whose public image is often a pouting, skinny 20-year old. Maggie Cox’s book is for them. It shows that fun begins at 50 and can last as long as you want it to. 
It’s Never Too Late to Look Great! does something the fashion industry is frightened to do. It shows how women over 50 - and beyond - don’t have to be invisible when their faces and figures are less...

Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781789019780
PRICE US$6.99 (USD)
PAGES 200

Average rating from 16 members


Featured Reviews

I downloaded this book because of the title and her opening statement about the "Over 50 set being ignored in the fashion industry" which piqued my interest right way. As the book continues, her statements about looking in the mirror, REALLY looking in the mirror to see who you are now, what is your personality at this stage in your life and then dressing accordingly were the perfect encouragement. The step by step system on how to do this were realistic and definitely doable even at the local boutique. The STAR (Surprise/True to Yourselt/Artisty/Reinvention) steps really spoke to me and made me feel brave enough to actually try and go shopping again using this new formula.. Actually, the formula could be used for all ages and not just the over 50 set.

If I have any criticism of the book, it is that the pictures were all of "skinny" women, however, the sites and links she recommends in the book have true to life women with some wonderful ideas for fashion. This is a book I wish the clothes buyers at the malls would read and realize that the women over 50 have the money and the desire to want to look their best.

Was this review helpful?

Thought-provoking and inspiring. You think you know your own style but it's always a good idea to review this on a regular basis. This book gives lots of tips for reinventing your style without falling victim to the "young" fashions available. The book ends with a plea for the fashion industry to be more aware of and cater for older women's fashion.

I enjoyed reading the book. Much of the advice was just common sense but there were many ideas that made me sit up, take note and want to try them. I didn't particularly like the references to specific shops. I found this uninteresting, so I tended to skim over those sections.
Overall, a good easy read with plenty of food for thought.

Was this review helpful?

I was never interested in fashion in my youth but now I’m older I don’t want to grow old looking like my grandmother. I recently saw I picture of her holding me as a baby and worked out that she was 48 years old and looked 75. It was the clothes and glasses that aged her. This book has lots of good advice and the photos are not of a stick thin 14 years olds pretending to be 24.
Two of the pieces of advice given here I always stick to. Don’t buy something because it is cheap or in a sale and following on from that buy clothes that fit. Don’t think l’ll loose a bit of weight because you won’t. I see so many women in lovely clothes bursting at the seems that just say I’m too fat for this dress. If they only wore a size bigger they would feel more comfortable and look great.
Well worth a buy for anyone who want’s to look great no matter what age they are.

Was this review helpful?

at last a book for those who are older but don't feel it..im in late 50's and am always looking for tips positive ideas and messages..really enjoyed it..one for dipping in and out of when you have time.

Was this review helpful?

This guide on dressing for women over 50 is pretty great. The author, a retired boutique owner who's over 50 herself has great but sensible advice for the young-at-heart. Her system is easy to remember but very flexible and I loved that she models examples, both good and bad, of the clothes she discusses.

She also peppers the books with pictures and quotes from women, giving us even more examples of dressing. What I loved about all of these is that the women are just regular folks, not older celebrities who can afford to have folks helping them. It's encouraging because we know that if they look great we can too.

The fault with the book is one that only applies to North American readers. Cox is British. As a result she uses British terms for clothing and almost all the stores and most of the brandished mentions are UK-based. That means finding some of these styles might be difficult for Americans.

It would be lovely if the publisher added two things for the American edition. First, add a glossary that translates clothing terms. For example a "jumper" is a sweater in North America and a "vest" is a tank top. Without this many readers may have very odd mental pictures of what to wear. This would be easy to do.

Second, but more difficult, would be some North American resources for shops and clothing companies. That would require more research but would be very helpful for the many women who could love and benefit from this book.

Was this review helpful?

Was very interested in what this British author had to say about fashion. Even though mostly everything is based on what’s strictly available in the U.K., I imagined some things were transferable in the U.S. many of the suggestions are quite good though the idea of couture is quite costly and most people I know do not have the funds for such items. Simply put, the author was saying that a classic style never goes out of fashion and those of us 50+ need to be more thoughtful when shopping. The book slowly built up on how to attain good clothing choices but doubt it would really be popular here in the U.S.
I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed reading the book. Much of the advice was just common sense when you thought about it, but there were many tips I had never thought of. This is an excellent book for anyone over 40 who feels it’s never too late to look good. I have already taken several of her tips and used them and I not only look better, I feel better about myself.

Was this review helpful?

Of note, this is a very British-focused book, providing quite a few stores/places to find the fashion featured in the book. Style transcends location, of course, but the thoughts, references, and voice of the book was very British.

The author starts with a simple premise to help guide older women to finding their own look: STAR (Surprise, True to yourself, Artistry, and Reinvention). Using this principle, she guides women to avoid common mistakes (wearing tents, trying to hide under huge hats, or hoping a garish pattern will distract from the face) while giving examples of styles that always transcend fashion. Most of the book is easy-to-digest motivational or educational passages with an occasional photograph to illustrate a point. I could wish for more photographs, of course, since once the book is read, the reread value is in looking at the images again before shopping. There just aren't enough of them; certainly, not enough body types or different models/looks.

The photographs themselves are surprisingly low quality; snapshots of the author or one of her friends/acquaintances in candid poses. Many were with hair blowing in the face or standing in full sun outside the house, with little definition of the face or features (despite a large section on makeup that had no photographs or illustration tips). The fashion was clear, yes, but the cover was the only image that was professionally shot. It's a shame, really, but it does create a more friendly (and perhaps realistic) spotlight on the clothing itself.

In all, I did find inspiration here. Granted, all but one of the women was on the slim side and hadn't 'filled out' like so many of us in later years. There were few pear or apple shapes and only one woman over a size 12 that I could see. I would have liked to see more diversity in the shapes - what works for one woman likely will be problematic on another. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Was this review helpful?

It’s Never Too Late To Look Great by Maggie Cox

The book’s subtitle is ‘Fashion for the Young at Heart’, which is, of course, a nicer way of saying ‘for the over-fifties’!
It is easy to get complacent appearance-wise when you hit middle age. You tend to go for comfort and practicality over high fashion, or actually any fashion at all. In my case, with a very large smallholding and a carp fishing business, I generally live in scruffies and wellies. But when I started nipping into the tiny supermarket in our local small market town in these same scruffies, and even once in the wellies, I realised I was letting things go a bit too much.
Hence reading this book. I was a bit wary to start with, as what one person might consider highly fashionable, someone else would refuse to be seen dead in. However, I quickly realised that the author wants us to preserve our uniqueness, for us to relish what is ‘us’ about us, but merely to step out of the shadows and be seen. We’re too young to disappear into the background just yet.
At the heart of the book is the author’s idea of STAR qualities. The second of these, and for me the most crucial, is ‘True to Yourself’, but I shan’t reveal the others. You’ll have to treat yourselves to this excellent book to find out! ‘True to yourself’ is about nurturing our personality in what we wear. We should go for things we feel comfortable in and in which we can be ourselves. I’ve attempted some ‘relooking’ in the past and failed, I realise now, because I was going for an image that just wasn’t me. The author tells us how to identify what our ‘thing’ is and build on it in fashionable and interesting ways. She takes us through all four of the STAR qualities, and advises us on how to pull all these aspects together and be proud to be seen.
We hear from fashion designers and snappy dressers in the book, and there are plenty of photos to inspire. The author points us firmly in the direction of where to find inspiration. There’s also a quick look at the fashion faux pas which are the author’s pet hats, and that’s fun. ‘Badly packed parachute’ and ‘wrinkly teenager’ are two of the looks not to go for!
This is a clever and inspiring book from a lively and encouraging author. I’m taking her tips on board and promise faithfully that I shall never be seen in public in clothes that I milk llamas in (no, you didn’t read that wrong) or wear when chasing escaped piglets.
And should you need any more encouragement to read this book for yourself, then I must tell you that Maggie Cox reveals that Cleopatra is her no. 2 style icon. Now, how can you not want to hear more from this person!

Was this review helpful?

Found quite a lot of useful information and some really good tips on this book, an interesting book for middle aged women who don't want to look aged!

Was this review helpful?

Since being over my 50's and my body changing shape I have read many books on fashion on what to wear and what not to wear. I have found each book offers some insight that I haven't heard before and can learn from. I liked that "It's never too late to look great!" by Maggie Cox suggested to be true to yourself.

The book is definitely worth a read for the many tips to find your unique look. The many tips help its reader to not give up and look frumpy just because they are older. It suggests to look in the mirror, figure out who you are now and how you want to look. Really made clothes shopping more fun for me. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance readers copy for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

WEll seen as I have reached the age of 60 I thought it was time for a change. Some great advice and tips in this book. Here's to a new me.

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: