January/February 2018

Holding Back the Years
by Michele Duke
J
anuary can be a difficult
month. By “Blue Monday”
most of us are beating
ourselves up over broken
resolutions. The willpower of
New Year's day disappearing
along with the last of the
Christmas cake washed down
with a few glasses of Baileys
whilst bingeing on the box
set you got from the kids.
Recognise that? You too?
Let's be kind to ourselves.
Allow January to pass slowly
by as we finish the mountain
of nuts and eventually get
the glitter out of the carpet.
Come February we'll be raring
to go. That's the time to start
thinking ahead. The snowdrops
are peeking and daffodils are
already in the shops. Spring
can't be far away.
This is the last year I'll see
my fifties (yikes!). I'm a
grandmother (hooray!). And
the knees can be a bit dodgy
in the mornings. But I'm not
giving in. When I get on the
dance floor I can still show the
youngsters a thing or two. My
theme for 2018? "Holding back
the years”. Here's my top tips
for keeping old age at bay.
(Most apply across the board,
but you chaps might want to
hold back on 3 & 4.)
1. Eat healthily and exercise as
much as possible. Nothing is
more ageing than poor health.
Build exercise in to your daily
routine. Run up the stairs.
Dance around the kitchen (à
la Richard Gere and Susan
Sarandon). Join a class. Play
golf. Walk. Walk. Walk.
2. Good skincare. Glowing
skin and minimal wrinkles.
Why wouldn't you? Get expert
advice to choose the right
solution for your skin. Ignore
products that promise miracles
– find ones that actually work!
3. Wear makeup. When I look
in the mirror first thing in the
morning, I thank the gods
for makeup. Why not look
gorgeous? Do it for others if
not for yourself. Book a free
make-up consultation and I’ll
show you how to look fabulous
at any age.
4. Get comfortable in heels.
Even a small heel or wedge will
make you feel more feminine,
more sexy and more youthful.
Invest in a great pair of shoes
or boots that make you feel
amazing.
5. Clear out the closets. I know
I harp on about this, but come
on. You know there’s some old
tat in there that will never see
the light of day, so toss it. Make
way for some new styles that
look fresh and contemporary.
6. Spend time with younger
people. It's easy to become
complacent about ageing if
you spend all your time with
people who are getting old.
Mixing with all ages helps you
stay up to date with current
trends and stimulates the mind.
7. Be positive. Old age is
associated with grumbling,
so don’t give in to it. Find the
up side to every situation and
show your sunny nature. We all
love joyful people, so spread a
little happiness.
8. And, of course, have fun. We
may not be as young as we
once were, but we’ll never be
this young again. Enjoy every
day, and live well.
Happy 2018 and I look forward
to meeting you this year. I’m
going to have lots of opendays
and drop-ins so call me
for more details.
I am Michèle Duke and I help
women look and feel fabulous.
Come along to one of my
beauty and health workshops
or a personal fashion styling
session to learn how to look
your best. They’re free, informal
and lots of fun. Check out the
What’s On section or call me
on 07801 621310 for more
details. Visit my website at
www.micheleduke.co.uk for
more tips and ideas.
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