Jezebel: how not to look old

Women Of All Ages Feel Better When They Wear Things That Fit

Jessica — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:30:00 EST

I know I can't stop yammering about Time senior editor boffing, botox manifesto writing former Glamour editor Charla Krupp and her new bestseller, How Not To Look Old. There's a first-person take on Old by 40-something Mary Elizabeth Williams in Salon today, and Williams puts her finger on just why the book is so irksome to me. It's not just the parts where Krupp advocates unrealistic and "wackadoo" ideas, like Botox, $70 concealer and personal shoppers, it's that the good advice Krupp gives (and there is some in the book) could be gleaned for free by watched a couple episodes of What Not To Wear.

According to Williams, Krupp's "main mantra is a call to simple, unfussy elegance: loose hair, lighter makeup, restraint of embellishment." Williams has also taken her "frumpy, mid-calf skirts to the tailor to be shortened to knee length." This is advice that could be used by professional woman of any age, but her book has been packaged to play on women's fear of aging in a youth-obsessed culture.

An undercurrent to Krupp's schtick, and something she discussed when she was on the Today show, is that if you look old, no one will hire you. She wants to inspire fear in the hearts of baby boomers, telling them that "If you're wearing clothes that are dated, people are going to think your ideas are dated." But you know, wearing presentable, flattering clothing makes a better impression on employers no matter WHAT age you are, or, for that matter, what gender.

Staying fit, wearing flattering clothes, getting a haircut. These things make most women feel better about themselves whether they are 15 or 55. There's a way to grow old gracefully, to look your age and still look good. And anyway, like Charla's really a good role model for aging gracefully. With her bleached blond hair and Botox, it's clear she'd rather look like Heidi Montag than Anjelica Huston.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Eileen Fisher [Salon]

Earlier: How Not To Look Old Author Doesn't Look Old, But She Does Look Stupid
Standards Of Beauty

Wow, Time magazine is really plugging the...

Jessica — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST

Wow, Time magazine is really plugging the hell out of Charla Krupp's hateful-but-bestselling tome How Not To Look Old — a book that advocates Botox and hair-dye for the post-menopausal set. It's been mentioned twice in the magazine in the past month and there's an entire blog post devoted to the book today. And lo, what do we have here? Krupp's husband, Richard Zoglin, is a Time senior editor. How Not To Look Old is now on the New York Times top-10 list for advice and how-to books. Krupp proves yet again that making women feel bad about themselves is an endlessly lucrative endeavor. [Portfolio, Time]

How Not To Look Old Author Doesn't Look Old, But She Does Look Stupid

Jessica — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:40:00 EST

Former Glamour and Shop, Etc. editor Charla Krupp was on the Today show this morning, shilling for her new book How Not To Look Old. In the above clip, Krupp encourages over 40-year-olds to look "young and hip" because otherwise, they'll get fired! "You have to look current to stay in your job today," Krupp says. "If you're wearing clothes that are dated, people are going to think your ideas are dated." But that's not all the knowledge Krupp's dropping. She also extols the virtues of Botox and other "injectibles" in a recent interview in Time. (Yes, Time. Her hubby works there!) In addition to getting botulism injected into your face, according to Krupp, "the other thing that [boomers] really need to do is color our hair." Man, someone should tell Meryl Streep she's looking like a real ancient fool in Devil Wears Prada with that hideous white hair! Horrors!

How Not To Look Old: Author Charla Krupp [Time]