LIFE PACE

TEE'S BARBER SHOP 120 N. Greenwood Ave. • Tulsa

THE BUSINESS VIKING LOOK

With current fashion, there is often as much happening on the face as on the top of the head. Both Helms and Marsden trim a ton of beards. “Everyone wants to look like a business Viking now…look like a lawyer, but also can chop wood,” Marsden joked. He says beard coloring is big right now, as are waxes for beards and mustaches. “That includes tobacco-scented waxes,” he said.

Both Marsden and Helms also have many clients coming in wanting their heads shaved. “Guys come in and get the steam treatment, hot towels, then get their head shaved,” said Marsden. He asserts that offering straight-razor shaves is part of the throwback feel of their shop. “It’s got the classic barbershop mixed with a tattoo parlor vibe,” he said.

DON’T FORGET THE PRODUCTS

To complete your new “do,” there are a variety of products available, depending on the look you are going for. “Pastes, gels and putties,” Marsden explained. “Some are designed to hold the hair in place, some to give it body – let it move and have life to it, but also to relatively keep it where you want it to be.” There is even a powder now for texture and volume, Marsden added. “After applying this powder, no matter which way you put your fingers through your hair, the hair will stay exactly where you put it.” He explains that he often uses putties in his styling. “Especially for the comb-over hair where they want that partially wet shine and to make hair stay instead of blowing in the wind.” In addition to these products, Helms says moisturizers are also part of the regime for his Black clients. While both men will adapt to whatever new fashion emerges, Marsden sees a positive trend developing with his clients – faith and trust in his abilities. “A large percentage of my clients, they come in and they just say ‘do what you do!’” he said.Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly Helms’ talent with the clippers is not limited to normal business hours. “I’m 24/7,” Helms announced, laughingly. “When I’m not doing something with my family, I’m at the hospitals, the nursing homes, wherever somebody needs a haircut.”

LIFE PACE

Offers Nutritional Support for Healthy Aging

BY ADRIAN ROLLE, INTAKE COORDINATOR

Nutrition influences overall well-being, especially with seniors. Maintaining a healthy diet is known to be one of the main influences for healthy aging. Many seniors want fresh fruit and vegetables every day but fall short because they don't have the resources to buy nutritious food. Obstacles such as lack of transportation to grocery stores or inadequate funds are just two of the barriers many seniors face. Inadequate nutrient intake can lead to deficiency-related diseases, including anemia, frailty and blindness. Chronic diseases associated with aging include osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Studies show that in seniors, there is a decrease in healthy eating habits for nutrient-rich foods (i.e., vegetables, fruits) and an increase in carbohydrates due to oral health, or tooth loss. An excessive intake of carbohydrates can increase your risk for diabetes and other comorbidities. LIFE PACE – a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly – is a comprehensive, coordinated senior healthcare program that uses a team approach to provide a variety of services: medical, skilled therapies (physical, occupational and speech), behavioral, dietary, nursing, transportation, social, recreation, hospitalizations, caregiver training, basic health supplies and durable medical equipment. One member of the care team is a registered dietician. A registered dietitian assesses each participant’s nutritional needs, and recommendations are built into personalized care plans. Nutritional assessments look at food access in the home, as well as the participant’s nutritional status, including weight, medications, lab results, teeth condition and swallowing ability. The LIFE PACE dietitian also meets with participants and caregivers to provide education on a variety of health issues like weight loss, diabetes and healthy eating habits. LIFE PACE provides nutritional support in a variety of ways. Meals can be delivered to the participant’s home, providing nutritious, ready-to-eat meals customized for their unique dietary needs. Participants can also receive supplements such as ready-to-drink shakes to provide a boost in nutrition. The care team also connects with community resources that can provide fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and pantry items for those needing additional support. Participants can also receive hot meals by coming to the Adult Day Center, and PACE will provide transportation. Including nutritional support as part of the holistic approach that LIFE PACE provides is essential in making sure that seniors have what they need to stay healthier – and in their own homes – for as long as possible.

PACE

If you or someone you care about could benefit from LIFE PACE, contact a LIFE PACE specialist at (918) 938-7653 or (918) 938-7660 (en Español). www.LIFEPACE.org

LOCAL FASHIONISTAS

BY LINDSAY MORRIS

The Tulsa area has no shortage of fashionable folks. You can see them just about anywhere – as you’re strolling around downtown, at Utica Square, in the Rose District or along Brookside. It’s easy to spot stylish people of all ages sporting every color of the rainbow in all sorts of creative ways. These three “fashionistas” share what fashion means to them and remind us that true style is more than what meets the eye.

JILL DONOVAN

Founder and owner of Rustic Cuff

Jill Donovan was a practicing attorney and professor at the University of Tulsa when she was inspired to start making bracelets or “cuffs.” Her successful business venture has brought beauty and hope to others. She also supports several charitable causes and is the author of “The Kindness Effect.”

Q: What originally gave you an interest in cuffs?

Jill: I took a sabbatical from teaching law. I had been using the left side of my brain so much that I was craving to do something with the right side of my brain. I opened a drawer in my house and saw all of these cuffs that had been given to me. I wondered why I couldn’t make them on my own? I got online, and I could not get enough of learning how to make something beautiful for the wrist.

The cuffs I made had inspiring words on them because I wanted people to walk around with hope on their wrists. I wanted to be able to give out hope each day and for people to wear hope each day.

Q: Has fashion always been an interest of yours?

Jill: I had an epiphany one day that fashion is about what makes me feel good. I don’t have to have a pair of Chanel sunglasses to make me feel good. If you have a good haircut, and you halfway like your shoes; it doesn’t matter what is in between. For me, fashion is, how do you feel about you, and how do you present yourself to the public? If you like you, then they like you.

Q: Do you have any tips about how to wear Rustic Cuff?

Jill: Some people, over the lifetime of a bracelet, end up buying it in 10 different colors so it can go with every outfit. For me, Rustic Cuff is a conversation starter. I want to wear something that if I’m in an elevator, they’ll say, “Oh, that’s cool.” Does that one cuff make you feel good because it says “one day at a time?” Is it going to help you in the middle of the day when you’re in a slump? Then wear that.

Q: Are there any people or brands that inspire your fashion or your cuff designs?

Jill: My personal style is a cross between Ralph Lauren – rugged and stable – and Alexander McQueen – edgy, bold, outside the lines. I like bouncing back and forth between those two. I like to shock people sometimes too.

Q: Coming out of COVID-19, why is a personal sense of fashion important?

Jill: COVID-19 has given me a new perspective on fashion. I don’t think you necessarily work better and harder if you’re dressed up in heels. If you feel good about yourself, you’re going to be fashionable because people won’t be looking at your clothes as much as they’re looking at your smile and how you’re reaching out to others. You could have the best clothes and purse, but if you don’t have a smile and kindness, you’re no longer fashionable.

ON THE COVER

Tulsan Jill Donovan turned her love of cuff bracelets from a hobby to a thriving business. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Miranda Lambert, Beyonce and Carrie Underwood are known to wear her designs. Jill is pictured at Rustic Cuff’s midtown Tulsa store on Cherry Street.

Photo by Valerie Wei-Haas.

DR. LA VERNE WIMBERLY

Retired Tulsa Public Schools administrator

Dr. La Verne Wimberly's story about dressing up for online church every Sunday for 52 weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic has been reported by dozens of news outlets around the world this spring. She retired from Tulsa Public Schools after 40 years in education, including roles as principal, director of 17 middle schools and the district’s interim superintendent in 2000.

GEORGIA SNOKE

Former Ballerina With Tulsa Ballet Company

Georgia Snoke trained under the world-famous ballet dancers Roman Jasinski and Moscelyne Larkin as they founded what would become the Tulsa Ballet. An original cast member of Jasinski’s The Nutcracker, she co-authored “Roman Jasinski: A Gypsy Prince from the Ballet Russe.”

Q: Why was it important for you to dress up for church services even though they were online?

La Verne: I didn’t want to get into a habit of bumming around or looking slouchy. I know it takes just 21 days for a habit to be changed or to acquire a new one. I wanted to keep my spirits up as well as encouraging other members on Facebook.

Q: How has the concept of “dressing up” changed during your lifetime?

La Verne: It has changed over time because clothes are not as tailored as they once were. Everyone seems to now go to church with no hats. For the men, they’re wearing casual pants. My mother wore hats – she had beautiful hats. I started wearing hats when I became an adult. It complements and completes a look, along with a purse and gloves.

Q: What are some of the favorite “go-to” items in your wardrobe?

La Verne: I like solid clothes that I can accessorize with jewelry and/or scarves. I like a good tailored suit. I like bright colors or jewel tones and black and white as well.

Q: At 82, why do you think fashion is still important?

La Verne: The way you look is how you’re going to feel. If you look good, you’re going to do your best. You don’t want to get into a rut of not looking your best.

Don’t think that life is over because maybe you’re turned 70 or 80 or above. You need to enjoy and get the most out of life. When you have a reason to get up and dressed, your whole life will change because you still want to stay connected to the external world.

Q: How is fashion/style different now, from when you were growing up?

Georgia: If you went to the theater, you dressed like you were going to church. Fashion meant a great deal. When Marjorie Tallchief and the other Native American ballet dancers performed, they were elegance personified. The younger generations have become more and more relaxed.

When I was a little girl, I would go to downtown Tulsa with my mother in a dress, polished shoes, white gloves and a hat. I was on an airplane recently and saw a teenager wearing pajamas. It is fashionable now to look like you just got out of bed.

There is an attitude of, “I don’t care what you think of me” now. I think people have become slovenly. When you’re slovenly in the way you dress, your attitude and choice of vocabulary become slovenly as well.

Q: How do you describe your personal sense of style?

Georgia: I am a Chico’s girl. I am somebody who loves colors. I love shawls – I love the drama and movement of them. I’ll wear fancy shoes into grocery stores. The jewelry I love is inexpensive but from interesting places, like my Trees of Life from Tibet and pieces from Katmandu. I usually wear pants. I teach exercise classes at Montereau, and it’s important that I can teach in what I’m wearing.

Q: How do you define style?

Georgia: When I think of style, I think of internal styles, not external. I far more admire people with kind eyes –people who have genuine smiles – and I don’t care what they look like. I put a lot of emphasis on movement, having been a dancer all my life. The older I get, I try to move with dignity and grace because self-presentation is so important.

EMBRACING GRAY the Women Increasingly Choose to Ditch the Hair Dye BY STEVE CLEM

Jane Huggins Clayton, and her sister, Julie Hudson are co-owners of Tulsa’s iidentity Salon, 2731 S. Harvard. That’s not a typo on the spelling of “iidentity.” Clayton and Hudson are twins. “We’re identical twins, and that’s the two “ii’s” in iidentity,” Clayton said. Clayton and Hudson have seen a lot in their 22 years in business, and what they are witnessing now are fundamental changes in the way their customers view hair styling.

“During the pandemic, people have gotten out of high-maintenance hair coloring and haircuts,” Clayton said. “COVID-19 has made people come to terms with what they have naturally. That means embracing the gray.”

A NEW MODEL FOR HAIR CARE

Clayton believes the very model of salon visits is evolving. “It is freeing to not have to come into the salon every four to six weeks. It saves money and time. If you do a blending gray, you may never have to cover it…you can just blend it out every 8 to 12 weeks,” Clayton said. Clayton maintains that customers are blending gray out with highlights and low lights, or shadowing of the roots. “It blends the gray out, so you’re not getting a hard line when it grows out,” she said. “And people are adding highlights that focus around the face to brighten the face.” Hudson says clients are embracing longer and softer styles including shags and layered cuts. “Also, people are putting a little bit of body in their hair now. Before, they were wearing their hair more structured, more blow-dried, more flat-ironed,” she said. “Now, everything is looser and softer.” But what about the maintenance of gray hair? “A lot of people, their gray hair turns yellow, so they need to use a purple or a blue shampoo or conditioner, Clayton said. “That will take the yellow out of the gray hair and brighten it.” She says the rest is just moisture and oil to keep hair soft and healthy.

BOOSTING SELF-CONFIDENCE

Clayton and Hudson are seeing other women who are going for it in a different way. “I think during the pandemic some people thought ‘if I’m going to do something crazy, I’m going to do it when it reopens,’” Clayton said, laughing. “So, I think people have gotten braver about trying to do funky colors. We’ve seen a lot of people who want extravagantly colored hair,” she said.

Clayton reiterates that there aren’t a lot of challenges to maintaining attractive gray hair. She says its about getting into the mindset. “We’re raised in a culture to cover it, to only have gray hair in your 60s, 70s and 80s. Now, you can have gray hair in your 20s…people are just embracing it,” she said. “If you go back closer to your natural hair color that’s always the most flattering to the skin tone,” Hudson declared. “Just do whatever makes you feel confident! As long as the hair is healthy, it doesn’t matter what length or style it is.”

DITCHING the DYE

When Joli Campbell, owner/creator of www.quicksilverhair.com, decided to ditch the dye in her late 30s, it was definitely not trendy. Campbell’s website is dedicated to helping women “care for their silvers and keep them beautiful.” She says the women in her family live well into their 90s and all go prematurely gray.

“The thought that I would have to dye my hair for 70 years just wasn’t an option for me,” Campbell said. She says she reached a point where she couldn’t find a color that was right for her anymore. “Everything was too dark, and bleaching was going to cause severe hair damage,” she recalled. Additionally, she was losing hair with each dye job. “How many reasons does a person need?” she asked.

Deciding to be dye-free by her 40th birthday, Campbell never looked back. “It became about so much more than the hair. I transformed my inner world, my career, my home…all of it,” she said. She believes authenticity builds on itself, as does the confidence that comes with owning who you are. “Authenticity is defined by the individual. If it feels right to you, go for it!” Campbell said.