Living your sexy 2016

Full disclosure, I never even used the word sexy in my vocabulary with even a minute characterization of self until my forties. Up until then, I considered myself cute, nothing more. I am what I would call front row smart-cute. The girl that grew up sitting on the front row, shopping from sale racks, still do, and who considered lip gloss going out on the town makeup. My mother, she wore no make-up, so you see where I am coming from.

I arched my eye-brows for the first time in college, first perm same timing. The last time I had my finger nails done I was getting married. That was nearly 25 years ago, maybe one other time, but that would be stretching it. I shave my legs no more, don't have to, age took care of that. Before then, I rarely shaved them anyhow. My arm pits get shaved more often, unless I someday move to Europe where pit hair is the norm I am told. I was in a word simple.

Something happened to me on my way to my forties. I loosened up a bit. About this time I was hanging out with a single friend Besse, she called ahead and said, "And palease don't dress like a mother with kids tonight!"  Ouch! That was enough to get me going. I went in search of my sexy. The first thing I started doing is studying other women's sexy. I learned a lot and I liked it.

First up, I began to wear more dresses, a lot more dresses. Before then, I wore dresses to church and funerals. Second, I was introduced to eye liner, face powder and real lipstick. The old lip gloss became reserved for church service and PTA meetings.

What I noticed for real though is you don't have to be drop dead gorgeous to be sexy. After all, 3/4 of sexy is state of mind. I had checked the box of smart, confident, and engaging. The last box for my quadruple threat was sexy.

Recently I was gong out with a strapless girlfriend and her shoulders were sparkling. I asked her was that on purpose. She laughed and then introduced me to body glitter/dust. I can't remember the exact name. My other discoveries from other women were no stockings year-round, panty hose are so 1990's. Flesh is in! Cleavage is not a sin. Scent is key. And talking all the time is very unsexy. Whatever!

So I tried all these on and they fit! Except the part of makeup, my husband doesn't like it much. Natural beauty is his sexy. And after all that is where my sexy is celebrated.

So ladies, I am still a work in progress. How do you express your sexy? Do tell. Especially for those of us over 50 it is never too late. In fact, some of us are just getting started.  We were born to be seen and to be awesome!