Recently, Deborah and I were chatting about our favorite purchases of 2011 and how she had fallen in love with wearing a knit dress! “They are so comfortable, I have started collecting them and now have a few of them in my closet!”
So today we have another How To style video to help you take a knit dress and accessorize it up or down with just a few “tweaks”!
Here is Deborah in her favorite knit dress with some black opaque hose and simple black pumps.
Depending on the weight of the knit, you can wear them in most climates. Deborah lives in Toronto where it can get really chilly so of course they work there. I’m traveling around the US in a motorcoach and have been staying in the warm climates but have still had a chance to bring out my knit dress, especially when a cold snap hits!
JoJami dressed down her white knit dress with a long colorful sweater and casual stretch belt.
Trying to dress comfortable when we are over 40 can certainly be a challenge. We feel that this can be the answer to “How can I be comfortable, but still look updated and chic?”
Why not get that knit dress out of the back of your closet or if you don’t have one go out and try one on!
One note, you will want to wear shape wear underneath to smooth out any bumps or lumps that many of us over 40 gals have!
I know why for years I (JoJami) never felt satisfied with my wardrobe. When I stopped to think about how I went about shopping here’s what I found. I had the consistently self-sabotaging habit of:
buying too many blah items (on Sale, of course!)
just going out shopping for fun (no plan or forethought)
often coming home with things that were black, grey or a combination of both
was not confident on what colors looked good on me
So how do you change this pattern? What can you do to start upping your style, especially now that you are 40 or older?
Here are a few fashion tips on what super stylish women do to always dress chic!
Have a style role model. This can be tough when you are over 40 because there are not that many out there. If you can find someone that has a similar body type, great!
Keep a Style notebook in your purse. This is the fastest way to get inspired. Start noticing women on the street that catch your eye. What is it about an outfit that makes this woman stand out? Is it the style or color of her coat? Is her hairstyle one that would look good on you? Jot down any and all things that get your heart beating! Window shop, look at mannequins, even nature (flowers have the most unusual color combinations!) Read more
In the crazy world of fashion and beauty products we all know that in many cases when we buy an expensive product we are in reality just paying for a label or fancy packaging.
There are certainly times where the price is worth the splurge and then there are times when you can find something similar for a lot less. This is just one of the 10 hot topics being discussed on this week’s Fashion Flash, our weekly digest of a fashion and beauty posts for the over 40 crowd.
This book will save you oodles of money and save you from picking the wrong things.
Just click on over to Obsessed with Shoes (one of our favorite sites to visit when we are in the mood to fantasize about this season’s over the top shoes) and see where you might be able to save big!
Speaking of saving…it takes some savvy strategy to learn how to build a wardrobe that you can feel great in and not break the bank. Check out our latest book, Tweak Your Chic: Chic on the Cheapfor some fresh inspiration on how to save big and still look fab!
Transitioning into fall can be frustrating. One day it’s hot, the next cool. It’s October so you don’t want to look like you’re still wearing your summer clothes yet it’s not cold enough to break out the turtlenecks. Time to “shop” in your closet, use one of your light weight dresses, add a few accessories or layers to transform your dress into a new outfit. That’s what we call dressing Chic on the Cheap!
Here are a few tips on how to gently transition into fall:
Wear darker, richer colors
Take a simple cotton dress and add a stretch belt
Tie on a light weight scarf
Time to get out the boots, especially on those rainy days
Here’s a little video to show you how:
AFTER: Adding only 4 accessories makes this plain dress into an outfit!
BEFORE: JoJami in a simple cotton dress from Velvet
What are you wearing during this seasonal transition? Please comment below!
Leather is not just for hard-core biker chicks. We all can wear leather or faux leather and enjoy it in our wardrobe! Yes it can be a pricey piece but now is the time to start looking for deals. A nice leather jacket will be an investment that you can enjoy for many years if you pick one that really fits your personality! If you choose not to wear leather, these tips still hold true for non leather products which are less expensive but might not hold up as well.
P.S. We feel bad that all we can find are super young, skinny models to show you examples of styles. Please note that all styles shown here are age-appropriate, but you will just have to imagine how they might look on you! One day we hope that the stores will supply us with over 40 models with real bodies!
Here are a few styles that we like and some we want to warn you about!:
Sizzling Snakeskin: Snakeskin has been all the talk this season! We liked this one from Chicos because it is reversible! Snakeskin on one side, solid on the other…so two jackets for the price of one! $349.00 (Chicos)
Oh yes to Classic with no zippers or buttons! This gorgeous jacket has it all right!
the simple collar
flattering pockets
the hidden snaps make for a simply perfect piece!
You would not go wrong to splurge on this! (Saks)
The Open Style, soft and feminine!
This olive cropped piece is one of our favorites.
It is made of super soft thin leather
The lines and cut of this jacket would be flattering on most.
Can be dressy or casual
the long “V” neckline keeps this jacket from being bulky
(Nordstrom)
Short and sweet! See how this jacket is all vertical lines.That is why it is such a flattering jacket!
This would work best on a petite or small busted gal
The neckline is high, but would look great open or with a scarf.
It is short-waisted so if you have a hard time finding jackets to fit your body type you’d love this one!
$339.00 (Nordstrom)
Red means Romantic!
Do you have an urge to walk into a room and get a compliment?This jacket would be a sure bet for that! One note though… not all reds look good on everyone, this one is a blue-red, so those with cool undertones to their skin need only apply! What a deal! We were shocked when we saw the price was only $212.00 (Neiman Marcus)
Dramatic Hipster!
Black leather is always a strong statement and you can make it look very rocker or, like this, super sexy and just plain HOT!$298.00 (Nordstrom)
This is a big, NO! ~ and when “Sale” becomes a bad word!We went to one of the most fashionable sites and found this jacket “on sale.” No wonder no one wanted to buy it…
The color of this jacket would best only on dark skin, otherwise it could wash you out, like it does this model.
The pockets hit at a terrible spot, especially if you have large breasts
Then sleeves and waist with wide elastic is just not chic. Just think how this would look if you had a little “tummy”?
Worst of all, this jacket even has epaulettes, which does not really go with the style of this mishmash coat.
This is a fashion disaster and not worth it at any price!
If you are tempted to buy a jacket just because it is a great price, think again!! No matter what the cost you should love and adore your new purchase!(Shopbop)
Flattering for the Curvy Gal! Super flattering for those Glam Gals who have some curves! This simple design still has lots of flair to it!
See how it is cut to hit a little longer near the thigh
The stripe trim on the sides has a wonderful “nipped in” illusion!
Plenty of room for shoulders and bust
However, it’s little pricey at $598.00 (Saks)
And Finally… A GREAT PICK or is it?
If you want to have some fun, you can try a leather vest! JoJami has one that she has worn with a long sleeve top in the winter and come Spring with a tank top. We thought this one looked pretty nice and the price is right at $128.00. However, when we noticed that it was only given 1 star.. we found several bad reviews including this one…”I ordered a small but it was too big especially in the hips and waist. The fur looked like it came off a cheap gorilla costume. Bummer. It looked great on the model online.”This is why we love Nordstrom because they actually print honest reviews!(Nordstrom)
JoJami here in absolutely gorgeous, Asheville, NC!
Boy oh boy, was I ever surprised when I hit downtown Asheville to check out the shopping. Talk about artsy, funky and vibrant! Yes siree, did I have a blast just window shopping until I dragged my husband into this amazing boutique called Minx.
This table of shoes caught my eye...and this gal was dressed so cute! Love her flat loafers, comfortable and chic!
At first I thought that all the clothes were vintage but then I saw this display of new shoes and fell in love with these little black booties.
These black booties by Gidigio have the perfect size heel and the ruffle gives it a touch of softness!
Slipped those puppies on and it was love at first step… had to have them!
Now I want you to notice how adorable the sales gal is! Of course she is NOT 40 but I thought it was worth mentioning that her outfit would be age appropriate for any over 40 gal.
Moreover, many of you all have been asking…”What do I wear with straight legged jeans.?” Check out her flat loafers. This is as new trend for fall that we just adore!! Paired with a t-shirt and cropped short jacket it looks casual yet pulled together!
Then as my luck would have it, in walked the owner, Rebeccah Mark (who just turned 40, welcome to the club!) Read more
Traveling for the last 4 months in a motorcoach across America has really given me a new perspective on my wardrobe and how other over 40 gals are dressing.
The crazy thing I notice is all the women out there shopping in their same average looking outfits…trying to find something fun.
I know I too have this habit sometimes. Why do I keep shopping for wonderful clothes and then never wear them?
Go into your closet and pull out all your very favorite things.
Put them at the front of your closet where you will see them.
Then promise yourself that starting right away, you will start wearing them to go to the grocery store, to work, to anywhere that you are going!!
Now, please send in your photos or comments below and share with us your experience!
We will post more on this next week when we start hearing from you!!
Happy Labor Day weekend to you all!!!
JoJami is currently traveling the U.S on the Tour de Glam, where she loves meeting other fab over 40 women and sharing their stories with the FAF community.
