More.ca/december

From Linda Lewis, Editor-in-Chief:

The other night, I attended a swishy event — a mix of fashion merchandisers, mavens and media. I did not succumb to the flowing Moët & Chandon since I was driving, so my wits were about me. (Perhaps it would have been better to be less sober when I bumped into a favourite designer — I was wearing one of her skirts, except that it’s from a sample sale from at least three seasons ago and has threads hanging from it.)

Anyway, I plopped down on a banquette and scoured the room for great people-watching potential — which is what you tend to do at events when, like me, small talk is not one of your talents.

Random thoughts intruded as I looked around: Hey, Jim Cuddy is really attractive in person…. Wow, if only I had boobs, I could wear a dress like that…. Uh-oh, here comes what’s her name. What the hell is her name? Then I fixated on a socialite whom you can’t help but notice. She actually does a lot for charity, yet it’s hard to focus on her works rather than her looks — her wide eyes evoking more Bambi in the headlights than Barbie in the spotlight. >>> Read the rest of Linda's letter, get the scoop on the December issue, and watch Sarah Moore's 40-second rant!

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What a contrast to the woman I met shortly after, in line for the one unisex washroom stall. Why don’t they have one less bar and one more bathroom? Oh my god, I sound old! I introduced myself with the cheesy fallback, “You look familiar….” How come in middle age everyone looks familiar? She was approachable and lovely, so I wondered if she’d be a fit for our 3 Readers, 1 Trend column, where we put “real women” — aka everyone except the thimbleful of those who actually make it as models at this age — in the latest fashions.
My first observation: She has great genes. But when she mentioned that her best friend is a cosmetic dermatologist we’d quoted in the magazine, I knew her secret. Still, she obviously understood that, like a good steak, the trick is to be well done, not overdone. The need to look young should not trump the need to look normal. And when she proudly stated that she’s 51, I wondered if the socialite across the room would have revealed her age so readily.

In our quest for the fountain of youth, there is the potential to drown, rather than refresh, who we really are. And when it comes to aging and beauty, there’s a fine line between the sublime and the ridiculous. Just ask beauty editor Vanessa Craft, who has to walk this line as she pens our Anti-aging column. This issue, she reports on anti-aging perfume (yes, you heard me right). Apparently, it’s not just how you look now, but how you smell! Find out more on page 36. And for the final word on our obsession with appearance, turn to “Talking Turkey” on page 121 and deepen those laugh lines. Enjoy!

Sarah's 40-second rant

Facials: The good, the bad, and the just plain crappy.

Go behind the scenes of the December issue