I looked in my closet several months ago, did a personal wardrobe assessment, and to put it bluntly, “freaked out.” I realized that somewhere between leaving the corporate business world, moving to California’s Wine Country with it’s casual lifestyle, and starting 50+Fabulous with tons of time in front of the computer, I was no longer focused on looking…well…Fabulous! When I found myself neglecting to share the site with women I met because I did not represent Fabulous and realized that I didn’t have “a thing to wear” (literally) to dinner with friends, I knew something had to change.

Have you been to the malls lately? Well, I went…to every mall within a 150 miles radius of my home. I would walk into one of the stores and as my head swiveled around trying to determine what I even would want to try on, my eyes starting spinning and I felt myself glaze over. This happened again and again and again, and as a result I always came back empty handed. I didn’t know what was in fashion. I didn’t want to look like I was trying to be 20 again. I didn’t want the structure of my corporate yesterdays. I didn’t know what I wanted. I needed a “style” for my new life.

Luckily for me, I had done exhaustive research before the initial launch (July 2006) of our 50+Fabulous website, and had found the absolute best Image Consultant to share her expertise with all of you. As a result, I knew exactly who to call…Michele Benza.

It is a little embarrassing to admit that at 50+ I’d lost my sense of style. That part of my life had always been handled. And, as I’ve written on the site in the past, my skin had changed, the makeup I had always used no longer worked for me, I had gained weight (one of the pitfalls of a home office with the refrigerator just downstairs) and a host of other issues had come up with no answers.

Based on many of the columns Michele has contributed to our website, I have learned a lot of things I didn’t know before…like how to properly care for your shoes, about jewelry, posture, perfume, etc. In addition to defining a new style for my new life, I wanted a short “finishing” course for my 50+ self.

I also knew if I found myself questioning how I wanted to present myself at 50+, thousands of you out there must be in the same boat.  50+Fabulous is all about learning from each other. So, I have decided to “blog” my own makeover candidly with you with the intention that you too may benefit from this experience.

For those of you who are not familiar with the term “blog,” it is an abbreviation of “web log,” which could be looked at as a “diary on-line.” You will be able to comment on each blog, so I invite you to and fervently hope that you do. We’ll just think of it as The Makeover Diaries for ALL of us.

So here goes. Hope you both enjoy and learn.