How to be forever young

		Wendy Wahman / P-I

Ta-ta, too much cleavage.

Au revoir, blood red lipstick.

So long, long mane of hair.

Adios, mommy jeans.

These are things that must change if you want to look fabulous after 40. So says Charla Krupp, frequent "Today" show style contributor and author of the new book, "How Not To Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways To Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better" (HachetteBookGroupUSA, $25.99).

Looks matter in our celebrity-crazed, sexist world, Krupp says. So we may as well own them and look fabulous.

"Unfortunately, that's how we judge people. We do live in a very superficial society where decisions are made in an instant," Krupp said. "Women can't afford to look old. Professionally, the older we get in this society, the more invisible we get, because this society is youth obsessed."

So, she says, gird yourself, because it takes more work to look great as you age.

Tapping into the makeover craze, Krupp's book is a how-to with easy-to-follow tips for the low-, medium- and high-maintenance woman. Adding value are Krupp's many product recommendations, gleaned from testing more than 1,000 products, including during her years as an editor at Glamour and InStyle magazines.

She includes plenty of cheap, drugstore products. For example, Krupp is a big fan of Olay moisturizers, as well as L'Oreal Paris and Cover Girl makeup and Clairol hair color. And, while she's not critical of plastic surgery, the book focuses on simpler, cheaper, less invasive ways to look great.

Krupp wants women to look what she calls "Y&H" -- younger and hipper -- without looking ridiculous, like a 60-something woman in a leopard-print mini and white high heels. Her book is all about steering women away from looking "OL" -- Old Lady.

The book has pictures of fabulous post-40 celebs, including Demi Moore, Liz Hurley, Christie Brinkley, Angela Bassett and Nicole Kidman. She also features photos of women whose style gets better with age, from Katie Couric to Glenn Close to Barbra Streisand.

Of course, plenty of other books encourage women to embrace aging, focusing on a zest for living and inner beauty. But baby boomers aren't known for accepting the status quo, and many experts expect boomer women to fight and camouflage aging. Mintel International Group, a Chicago-based research firm, has predicted the market of anti-aging products will grow 124 percent between 2006 and 2011.

A survey by ACNielsen finds that people around the globe believe they can turn back the clock, with more than 60 percent agreeing that the 40s are the new 30s. And a 2004 survey by the National Consumers League found that 90 million Americans use or have used anti-aging products. In a survey, it also found that most Americans would prefer to look younger than they are, and that a majority also said youthful appearance is an important factor in professional success.

Popping up to help inform them are sites such as realself.com, realage.com and more.com, the Web site of a magazine for women over 40.

Since most fashion and beauty magazines cater to the almighty 18-to-34 demographic, Krupp wanted to provide older women with concrete advice.

"I think there's a need for some really down-to-earth talk on what you should and shouldn't do that is not advertiser based," she said.

Asked her own age, Krupp, who also is a columnist for More magazine, demurs.

"I don't disclose my age," she said. "I don't think we should be asking or telling because it's only used against us.

"It's so unfair that men can have great jobs into their 80s. I love Andy Rooney, but come on! Any woman that looked like him would not be on the air," said Krupp, who is married without children.

Rather than fight the double standard, Krupp says women have to step up their style and beauty regimen as they age to stay vibrant and maintain what they've achieved.

Admittedly, Krupp is a high-maintenance woman. Some would call her a very high-maintenance woman.

When she did a story for Glamour on her own beauty spending in the early '90s, the annual tally came to $7,900. Krupp figures she spends more than twice that now. She gets her hair blown out and her nails done once or twice a week, her hair recolored every three to four weeks.

Fortunately, she has lots of ideas for women who are into less maintenance.

"I think this is a really good time to be a low-maintenance woman," she said, "because all the designers are working for stores like JCPenney, Target and Kohl's. You can get really great stuff. I don't think that you have to spend big bucks on the designer clothing anymore. I think some of the best products in beauty you can buy at Target."

For Krupp, leaving the house looking frumpy is a no-no, even to the grocery store or the airport. The challenge for many women is making time for themselves and their toilette.

"They don't put themselves first," she said. "They put their kids first. They put their husbands first. They put their house first. Everything but themselves. I think we have to get shopping again."

She believes the biggest mistake women make has nothing to do with style or beauty, but with attitude.

"I think women just feel like they're giving up, Krupp said. "It's like 'Who cares?' They don't want to put the effort in anymore."

Her rejoinder to that attitude: "How can you feel good in a lumpy sweat shirt?"

CHARLA KRUPP'S TIPS

Get bangs, but not blunt ones, and highlight your hair two shades lighter than your natural color. "First of all," she says, "don't go gray. You have to color your hair unless you look amazing and your gray is so stand-out gorgeous. Most of us will not look good gray." (Also avoid helmet hair and barrettes, clips, scrunchies, braids and ribbons.)

Shun heavy black eyeliner and glittery eye shadow. Use primer under foundation, cream blush instead of powder blush, and choose shimmery pink lip colors instead of dark crimson (which emphasizes fine lines).

Wear dark, form-fitting jeans.

Stop overmatching outfits, shoes and handbags. Mix and match. Pick skirts that fall at or below the knee.

Don't over-bling with jewelry and accessories.

Chuck old, ill-fitting undergarments and get friendly with shapewear -- which lifts, smooths, shapes and minimizes.

Many a podiatrist may frown, but Krupp advocates heels over flat shoes. She said there are plenty of comfortable, walkable heels, such as the lower kitten heel. "I think flats and sneakers are very aging."

Choose one-piece swimwear. "If you have six-pack abs, go ahead and wear a bikini, but not many of us do. I don't think there's any point in trying to do that look when there are amazing one-pieces and halter tops that will flatter your figure."

Plus-size women: Keep it simple. "Wear really wonderful solid colors. These busy prints -- even on me, and I'm a 4 -- they're hard to wear and they're not flattering. And avoid baby-doll dresses. You want something that shows your shape, no matter what size you are."