NEW YORK—Vision Monday recently sat down with style guru Charla Krupp to discuss her best-selling how-to book,
How Not to Look Old; Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better. The beauty and style expert strikes a chord with women over 40 who are looking for tips on how to look fabulous without spending a lot of time and money. The book (on The New York Times Best Seller List) is packed with do’s and don’ts, celebrity before and after photos, and practical advice on everything from hair color and clothes to eye makeup and eyewear (she devotes an entire chapter to the subject titled “Chic Up Your Eyewear”). Eyewear companies featured in the book include Corrine McCormack, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Badgley Mischka and Ferragamo.
Krupp has hosted over 100 style segments on the Today Show and has also appeared on more than 30 national television shows, including Good Morning America, Oprah, The View and Dateline. Currently, she writes a monthly fashion column for More Magazine called “Fashion for Grownups.”
Also, look for Krupp at Vision Expo East when she participates in a free Fashion Panel on Friday afternoon detailing how ECPs and retailers can gain insider insights into the trends that drive eyewear product development and sales.
VM: Tell us a little bit about the concept behind the book.
Krupp: “I have to say I really enjoyed writing the book even though it was such a big project. It took almost three years to complete from start to finish. After the copy was written, it took about a year to put together the major illustrations and original photography that you see throughout.
Krupp: “Basically, I wanted the book to have the look and feel of a magazine with different windows or points of entry. We needed to make it a fun read. Even though it’s a reference book, readers can pick and choose which chapters they want to read. They can read
the chapters piecemeal or just use it as a reference book.”
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Above left, for dressy nights, go for the glam look or (above right) for the weekend, splurge on a collection of fun shapes and colors. | |
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Krupp: “The response to the book has been beyond my wildest dreams. People have told me they treat the book like a bible. I think it’s hit a nerve with American women. Women in this age group [over 40] have stopped reading fashion magazines and this book picks up where that ends. It’s packaged in such a way as to be an easy read.
“I am a beauty and style junkie. I go to bookstores a lot and none of the books out there address the age, fashion and beauty concept for those over 40. My book rolls all that into one.
I concentrated on things like what’s too old, what’s too young. Nobody wants to look too old or too frumpy. Basically, these are tips on how women can look good for their career, not necessarily how to look good for a man. You have to treat fashion and beauty as an investment in yourself. Society is youth obsessed and this applies to the job market as well. So it’s also about making the right career move.”
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Krupp: “Eyewear, for me personally has always been big fun. People don’t realize that eyewear is the only fashion accessory for the face, where you can show some sense of style. I’ve done stories about this very subject on the Today show and on Oprah. Over the past five years, I have been a huge cheerleader of eyewear and believe in the philosophy that you should have a ‘wardrobe of glasses.’
“I went to Expo about five years ago to look at all the new styles and I met some pretty amazing people while I was there. People like Corrine McCormack. I talked to her extensively about the eyewear market. Her line of readers is so affordable and the quality is high. The colors are great, very fashion forward and this is the type of thing that helps women not look old.
“In this chapter, I tried to cut through some of the old-fashioned advice that’s out there about eyewear. Face shape is still important and you have to try on the eyewear, which is why buying through the Internet doesn’t always work. But complexion and hair color are also important things to consider when selecting eyewear. I learned both these things from Robert Marc; he’s been a friend of mine for years. (In the book, Krupp refers to him as the ‘eyewear king’).
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A few do’s and don’ts pictured in the eyewear chapter include the Too Old look above left and the Just Right pair (above right) that’s YH (younger and hipper). | |
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“Throughout the book, and especially in the eyewear section, I was conscious that there are three levels of spending: high-priced eyewear, medium-priced and low. Obviously, if you’re a low spender you may only be inclined to buy one new pair of glasses instead of having a collection glasses for different occasions and activities.”
VM: It sounds like the book’s been a huge success for you, so what’s next?
Krupp: “I’ve decided to reinvent myself and become an anti-aging activist. My mission is to show women how to look better without spending a lot of time or money. Basically, women just can’t afford to let themselves go. I’m also looking at the possibility of a television show and maybe another book. In the meantime, I have a few speaking engagements coming up including a luncheon called “Go Red” to raise funds for heart disease. And then there’s another charity event called “Martini’s & a Makeover” to raise awareness of ovarian and breast cancer.
VM: Will you be going back to Vision Expo?
Krupp: “I am definitely going to be at Expo and am actually planning to be on a Fashion Panel at Expo scheduled for Friday, April 11 from 1 to 3 p.m. I’ll also walk through the show so I can get an idea of what’s new.”
--Mary Kane
