Back of the book blurb: Because looking great is critical to every woman’s personal and financial survival, Charla Krupp offers a comprehensive plan to keep you in the game. … she’s here to help. It’s about making the ultimate “to-do” list of LITTLE beauty and fashion changes that pay off BIG TIME.
She is Too Fond of Books’ review: Let me start by saying there’s a lot of self-imposed pressure in reviewing a book with this title and subtitled promise! I don’t want to meet any of you and have you think “Hmm, didn’t she read the book?!”
The ultimate premise in the book is that we need to look young and hip in order to maintain our personal (i.e., marriage, partner) and financial (i.e., career) stability. While I don’t buy into the “I need to look young in order to keep my husband from looking the other way,” I do want to look as good (healthy, attractive) as I can, while preserving the real me and my priorities.
As for my financial survival … well, I love my job as stay-at-home-mom of four and my avocation of book blogging … I don’t think Donald Trump will be telling me “you’re fired!” any time soon!
The book opens with a fun self-quiz to determine if you are high-, medium-, or low-maintenance in regard to your beauty regimen. I was delighted to be able to tell my husband that, despite his protests to the contrary, I’m fairly low-maintenance! For some items I’m higher-maintenance (ahem, this is where I admit to disguising my “white blonds” with salon highlights), but over all, I don’t require a lot. Here’s an extreme example: The chapter on white teeth cites the White Teeth Diet and suggests “drink your coffee with lots of skim milk and sip it through a straw” for any high-maintenance types looking to save your pearly whites!
How Not to Look Old is targeted toward women in their 40s and above, and has you covered from head (“Cut some bangs” and “Lighten your hair”) to toe (“Show some leg” and Step into sexy heels”). Each chapter follows the same format and offers a quick list of definite no-nos; in “Cut some bangs” we learn that “nothing ages you like:”
- too-short bangs
- too-long hair parted down the middle
- helmet head
- high hair
- an updo
- visibly thinning hair
This is followed by practical advice, why cutting angles and layers, changing the length, and switching your part are small changes with potential big impact on your perceived youthful appearance and attitude. It lists high-, medium-, and low-maintenance ways to make your hair look thicker.
Each chapter lists Brilliant Buys at the end; in the case of “Cut some bangs,” these buys include suggestions for styling fine hair, shampoos, conditioners, thinning hair, hair extensions, and hair tools. Krupp claims to have personally tested each product before including it in the list of recommended products, which run the gamut from budget-minded to break-the-bank. I picked up a few new products based on these lists, and am taking baby steps toward breaking out of my same-old-same-old routine!
Other resources in How Not to Look Old include listings of beauty suppliers and spas and salons to help you get gorgeous in over 20 metropolitan areas in the US. I’m feeling dowdy – the Boston area filled only half a page, and glitzy New York took up four!
How Not to Look Oldshows examples of more mature women who look young and hip – Christie Brinkley, Demi Moore, Oprah, and Sarah Jessica Parker … who wouldn’t like to be included in this group!? I liked this book for the handful of tips I picked up, and for the cold, hard proof that I’m low maintenance! I still haven’t worked my way up to cutting bangs, though. 
Is there a negative-maintenance section? Like I would ever drink my coffee through a straw! Yeah, I’d like to be included in that star list, but I pretty sure I’m older than all of them! Oh well. I’m happy how I am, what can I say? One of the joys of getting older is just to relax in your own skin.
You mean this lady wouldn’t approve of the hat thing that I have going on in the mornings? God love ya for reviewing this. I fear it would just depress me!
Beth – I can’t believe anyone would do the coffee-thru-a-straw trick (no one I know, anyway), but I put it in as an extreme example of high maintenance! We also don’t have a staff to help us pull off the look … attitude is everything, and I’m happy with who I am!
Sandy – no, it didn’t depress me! It made me feel good that a lot of this doesn’t matter to me (but, yes, I have my hair highlighted at the salon, wouldn’t try it at home!)
I recently went back to bangs after two years without them, and it really does make a difference. But wouldn’t you know it, almost right after I discovered that first gray hair!
I liked your review – this book actually didn’t look like something I’d enjoy reading (I do feel very comfortable with my age) but it looks like it has some very practical tips that make good sense.
Hi .. I have my review for this one coming up soon. I liked it a lot in places.. and sometimes I was bummed… It gave me a lot to think about and examine. I found a few places that I was like “oooooh.. I see.. oh bummmer.. oh really.. drat I like my long nails.. drat.. I like my two tone lip liner…”
What a pile of drivel.
Hmmmmmm…not sure what to think about this. I’m one of those people who has always looked YOUNGER than I am but I don’t know if this is holding true anymore. I have no doubt I am LOW MAINTENANCE but I suspect I should make a little more effort and be a bit more maintained and help fight off looking old before my time!!! I think attitude, confidence and comfortablness in your own skin go further than white teeth and a good haircut … but that could just be my lazy non-fashionable side talking!
Belle – I used to wear bangs, but let them grow (mostly) out over the past few years … maybe I’ll try something new on my first cut. And I discovered my first grey years ago … I’m over that!
Toni – I didn’t look at the book as the be-all end-all for youthful fashion advice. I took useful info from it (new moisturizer, better ideas about how to accessorize) … I’ve never been a fashion maven, and never will — be yourself; the best *you* you can be, and all that …
katherine – the book or my review of it? You’re entitled to your opinion, of course!
Jenners – I agree that the power comes from attitude and confidence. Some people need a little boost to carry themselves more confidently. I think if a subtle change of one’s look (and the type of change that one can maintain comfortably… that’s the trick) leads to an increase in confidence, it’s all good. If the outside is a shell that masks the “real” person inside, that can lead to trouble.
Interesting comments on this post! HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD is a quick easy-to-read guide full of color photos and bullet points. Some may keep it as a reference, or pass it to a girlfriend. At a cover price of $16.00 it’s about the cost of 3 issues of In Style magazine and perhaps less trendy.
I’m 100% behind the comments about self-confidence and attitude, and am not looking for a “new me” … I like the “old me”. I did pick up several do-able tips that fit ME!
I’m laughing because the women cited (except for Oprah) all have REALLY long hair parted in the middle. But hey, Demi has Ashton, so I guess it’s working for her, right?
I am so low maintenance it’s scary. I can clean up if need be, but most days I slap on a little mascara and tinted suncreen and style my hair by plonking my sunglasses on top of my head. My grooming takes about 2 minutes. I never blow dry my hair unless it’s a special occasion. So maybe I need a book titled “How Not to Look Sloppy”!
I pulled this up to show Carl your new header and instead of looking at it, he looked at this post, and said, “You need to read that.” It’s going to be a long weekend!
LOL!!! Thank you Kathy. Carl’s comment made me laugh right out loud!
I’ve seen this book around and just the title sets me off. But, because you read and reviewed it, I read your review. Thank goodness, your review is very good – fair and not pro-book.
To me the book/title implies that being old is a bad thing. I’m sure the author would say – no, just looking old. Old is old. To avoid ever looking old you need to die young. I have met beautiful people of all ages and all races that I’m sure this author would be horrified to have to look at. But they are the people whose inner beauty is more important than the shallow surface represented in this book.
Sarah – the sunglasses-as-headband is one of my favorite non-styles!
Kathy and Beth – Carl’s in the doghouse, heh?
Margot – “To avoid ever looking old you need to die young.” touche! I’ll take the wrinkles, gray hair, and a full life!!
THANKS for reviewing my book in such a thoughtful way. To Margot, you haven’t read the book because the premise is that you want to achieve inner as well as outer beauty. I refer to this book as putting a glossy new coat of paint on a great house. We live in a culture here in the US which is very looks-obsessed. It’s absolutely true that how you look can make the difference in getting a job, how much you make, changing your life. Why not give yourself the best shot at success? Especially in this economy? –Charla Krupp, author of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD