A while back JoJami showed us a cute way to dress up a plain knit dress and make it look wow. Turns out that knit dresses were a staple for me this year.
| I love knit dresses. You just throw them on, they’re super cozy, and they really look wow. The first one I bought was in 2010- a Diane Von Furstenberg knit Wrap Dress in a geometric print. It has gotten me lots of compliments. |
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| This fall I picked up a Tory Burch knit cardigan style dress that I’ve worn everywhere from in front of my computer, to shopping, to out to lunch with friends. |
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| My favorite find of 2011 has been this hot purple Milli dress that my husband actually spotted and went crazy for me to buy. I love the color and the aysymetrical hemline. It’s got a nice swingy feel to it and is very feminine. |
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| Now, if that wasn’t enough, I just bought myself this darling Leopard print knit dress. I can’t resist animal prints and the waist has some elastic to it, so it gives me a great shape. |
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Here’s the recipe for what to wear with a knit dress: take a knit dress + black tights + boots, booties or platform heels+ a great belt + some jewelry and you’ve got an easy, but sensationally stylish look that is super comfy too!
Even Barbie loves a wrap dress!
I’m recently divorced, back on the dating scene and have no idea how to dress. What can I wear that looks sexy, but isn’t so skimpy it reveals everything? Thanks,Liz P.
Hi Liz,
We get this question all the time. Who wants to go out looking like a 21-year-old dressed for night of clubbing? Where’s the fine line between that looking sexy, and looking sleazy, especially after 40?
Our friend, Anne Berit Oslvik looks sexy in her wrap dress
Our answer is always the same. If you want to look feminine, alluring and classy, we suggest you try a wrap dress. Diane Von Furstenberg’s classic wrap dress from the 70′s is back and more popular than ever. Its figure flattering, waist clinching, bust enhancing ability, makes it the perfect pick for almost any woman. Even if you have a few extra pounds, the way this dress drapes will make you look sculpted and 10 pounds lighter.
We’ve both just bought one think it’s the perfect dress for almost anything and can be dressed up or down with accessories. Plus, it travels like a dream. It’s lightweight you can throw it in your bag and it’s always so comfy because it’s made of its soft jersey silk fabric.
Here are some tips for wearing a wrap dress:
- If you are not planning to wear hose and want to keep things looking smooth, wear some shapewear like Spanx to eliminate any panty lines, bumps and bulges.
- Some wrap dresses have a tendency to come open at the top. Make sure that you buy the correct size or wear a camisole underneath. We find that the non-lace ones look better with this tailored look.
- If you are not that busty, this is a great time to have some fun with a pretty padded push up bra!
- O.k. What about the shoes? The formality of the print and the size of print will dictate the heel. The wilder the print, the chunkier you can go with the heel . That means you can do anything from a more delicate heel to a wedge.
As Diane would say, “Feel like a woman, wear a dress!”
Dear Deborah and JoJami,
The older I get, the more my shoulders and back of my neck slump. I feel I look better in collared shirts but have trouble finding a dress that will give me a similar look. Any suggestions besides always wearing a jacket?
Thanks,
Laurel
Shirtdress by Diane Von Furstenberg
Hi Laurel,
While having shoulders that slump is common as we age, you still need to talk to your doctor about it. Meanwhile, you are right to wear collared shirts. They give your shoulders more structure.
We suggest you try a shirtdress. There are many out there and most are very short and designed to be worn by young women who want to show off a lot of leg. Mature women can still wear them as a long shirt over a pair of leggings or Capris.
Me (Deb) in the same shirtdress with a cool belt, leggings and flats.
Many shirtdresses like the one I’m wearing above by Diane Von Furstenberg come with a matching belt, which is rather boring.
We suggest you get rid of the matching cloth belt and buy a nice leather belt to go with your shirtdress like this brown one here I ( Deb) am wearing. This gorgeous belt is adjustable and sits nice and loose, below the waist to form a V shape. This v shape helps to de-emphasize your tummy and make you look slimmer.
If you have a flat tummy you could also try a wider belt with some elastic in it that cinches in at the waist. Just be careful that when you belt in your shirt the shirtdress does not become too short! That throws off the look.
<<<This is a gal I met recently wearing a similar look. Doesn’t she look sharp?
Here are are a couple of other shirtdresses we found that would fantastic with leggings. Good luck and let us know what else you find!
| Make mine Orange !
Here’s another great Diane von Furstenberg shirtdress that will look fabulous this summer. You can wear The Laney dress, as it is named, with leggings that go to the ankle or just below the knee, and you will look fab. The best shoes for leggings are either ballet flats or stilettos. (Saks) |
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| Don’t be blue..
that you can’t wear a mini dress like this at your age. Simply add black leggings and pair of fab cage heels to this Milly shirt dress and you will look chic and sexy. (Saks)
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| Green Dream
Here’s another very cool and fresh looking shirtdress by Diane von Furstenberg that has a nice strong shoulder. If you pair it with white leggings be sure your leggings are not see through, or it will you will look like you are wearing white stockings which looks horrible. (Saks)
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| Have you tried the shirtdress/legging look? |
Send us a photo and we’ll post it! |
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Jason Wu
Continuing our series : 10 Spring/Summer Fashion Trends that are Sensational or just so-so for women over 40, we come to
Trend # 4 Sheer…………….Sensational!
Now, don’t be alarmed by the sheer styles you may be seeing on runways. Some leave little to the imagination, but they’re also not reality.
Sheer is here and it can work wonderfully for us over 40 gals.
Sheers are light, pretty and feminine, plus they hide any lumps and bumps. You can belt them, adorn them with jewelry or let them just flow over a cute pair of slim pants, skinny jeans and heels.
The secret getting the look right is to layer loose, flowing, sheer tops, tunics or dresses with camisoles, tanks tops and other form-fitting shapers.
We love sheers over a white base – that is, a white top and bottom. Not only will the all white base make you look taller and slimmer, but it is such a fresh starting point to splash on a light, airy and colorful sheer. The white base makes your sheer top really take center stage!
Here are a few sheers we found that we really liked. Excuse the young models. It’s almost impossible to find a pic of anyone over 25!
| Make Waves!
Love the combo of this cool print and chic gray shade. The look is soft but, but sporty too.(Nordstrom) |
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| Haute Hippie!
You’ll look pretty as a butterfly in this Haute Hippie Chiffon top. The big flow tops over skinny pants is very slimming. (Nordstrom) |
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| Cool Cover-up!
This Bellatrix Floral Chiffon is an easy way to cover up a jelly belly. Add some jewelry up by your neck to keep the focus on your face. (Nordstrom) |
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| Sophisticated Sheer!
This Pamania silk blouse by Diane Von Fursteneberg in semi-sheer chiffon is perfect for gals who want that soft look, but find flowy clothes make them feel like they are wearing a mumu. This top has great waist definition and a modern feel! (Nordstrom) |
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| Terrific Tunic
This print tunic and camisole by Alberto Makali is an easy, breezy look you can wear day and night. We were attracted to the strength of these colors combined with such a dainty, sheer fabric. This top is feminine, but a bold too! (Nordstrom) |
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| For Sexy Shoulders
If you’ve been working hard on working to tone up your arms and shoulder then this is the perfect blouse to show them off. This necktie blouse by Collabrative Concepts is very slimming because the tie creates a long lean line which draws the eye up and down making you look long and lean. (Nordstrom)
Have you bought a sheer top or a dress with some sheer material in it? Send us a photo and we’ll put it up! We’d love to see some real life examples. |
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It’s only February and we’re getting Spring Fever!
We’re just dying to get out there and buy something fresh and light.
This season’s Florals are at the top of our list.
They looked gorgeous on the runways when they previewed a few months back; now we’re wondering how they’ll translate when they hit the stores?
So far, we’ve managed to find only a handful, but soon the shops will be flooded with them. Here are a few that got us excited:
| GO Green!
Love this tiny leaf print dress by Michael Kors. It’ s simple, sophisticated and for once we’re seeing a decent length that will work for mature gals! (Saks) |
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China Blue
This Bianca inverted pleat dress (by Milly) is classic, but powerful. Only problem… we can’t tell if the dress is really this short, or if this model is really tall?
Milly has always produced great styles, but in the last couple of years we found the dresses seemed to be getting shorter and shorter, so we stopped buying Milly. Just recently I ( Deborah) purchased a Milly dress that was just above the knee and looked perfect, so maybe this designer is wising up.
You’ll have to try this dress on yourself to see how short it is. There’s no rule your skirt no must come to the top of the knee, but we’d like to see this dress at least a tad longer on a 40+ Glam Gal.(Saks) |
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| Wrap it Up!
You know how we love wraps. They’re great for creating curves and oh, so comfy in jersey. You can’t go wrong in a dress like this, and the nude shoes let the print dress take center stage.This dress from Etro. (Saks) |
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| Neutral Knockout!
Pink Tartan is the label behind this abstract, floral, retro inspired dress. The fitted bodice highlights the waist. The full pleats give it some sexy swing.
This would be a terrific dress to help give a woman who has an athletic, rectangular shaped figure some curves. (Saks) |
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| Arsty Floral
We get a lot of creative types who say just because they are getting older they don’t want to abandon their hip style of dressing. Here’s a good example of how to wear the floral trend in a slightly edgy way.
This relaxed chiffon shift by Diane von Furstenberg is made of textural silk. Not only is it an interesting looking dress, but it is quite forgiving if you have a few extra pounds to hide. See how the cool shoes complement the trendy look. Pumps wouldn’t do it justice.(Saks) |
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| Ladylike!
If you are the traditional, elegant type this soft, feminine frock from Carolina Hererra is sensational.( Saks)
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Florals that Pack a Punch!
Let your personality be your guide when choosing the right floral. Soft, sweet florals may make you feel wimpy. A big,bold floral print that wows may feel more like you. This dress is from Milly. (Saks) |
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Floral Compromise
If you are not big on florals, but want to be current, here’s a good way to do it. Wear stripes or a graphic print that combines some florals–this one by Kay Unger.(Saks) |
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Continuing our post on fall boots, let’s take a look at booties. What ones should you buy and how do you wear them?
| Simple Chic with a Touch of Hardware:
These sleek and sophisticated Burberry booties are just right for slim pants, or a skirt with black tights.(Saks)
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| Don’t Cage me in!
If you love attention, and there is
nothing wrong with that, then these are for you! We suggest you wear these with jeans and a
great black short coat. Don’t forget…only wear one animal print at a time…
if you pick these shoes…keep the rest of the outfit solid!(Saks) |
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| If you are blond or have light hair these would be gorgeous on you!
This fall, elegant neutrals are taking center stage on the runway! These suede Gucci Booties have a substantial “get out of my way heel”
so you won’t be teeter tottering around, even though they are high. Love that studded cuff!(Saks) |
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Can’t wear heels? Here is a nice alternative:
These comfy suede flats in olive green will really spice up your boot wardrobe, but beware they can be tricky. You don’t want to look like Peter Pan! If you were to get the green ( they do also come in black) then we would say do them with skinny jeans. You really got to play with these. They could end up looking like slippers.(Saks) |
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Dramatic Fashionista!
Tired of black, black, black..but adore it at the same time? Then these Diane Von Furstenberg booties with their dash of color wrapped at the ankle might just do the trick. These booties are drama with class! We could see these with black opaque tights and a slim fitting dress! The platform helps with the height.(Saks) |
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Brown All Around Great Bootie!
Sink your toes into this wedge and you will still be comfortable! These boots hug the ankle nicely
so could be worn with brown legging or opaque hose with anything from skirts to jeans!(Saks) |
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Carrie and the girls from Sex and the City 2 - our inspiration
Hi Glam Gals,
I would love your advice on how to dress age-appropriate to go to the beach and for swimming too.
Thank you!
Liliana.
Hi Lilana,
Nothing beats a big hat, a pair of gorgeous sunglasses, metallic sandals and a fabulous coordinating swimsuit + cover-up to look chic lounging by the water.
This year we took our inspiration from the latest Sex and the City movie set in Abu Dhabi (and shot in Morocco). Did you see Sex and the City 2 with Sarah Jessica Parker and the girls?
We loved all the colorful, flowing, and draped outfits and when we went shopping online for beachwear that’s what we were attracted to.
Take a look at these gorgeous finds:
| Goddess on the Beach:
OOOh the drama! Here’s a great way to make a statement without having to put on a eensy teensy bikini!
This knotted scarf cover-up is simple & elegant and the vibrant colors and modern graphic pattern add a youthful zest. This has a matching strapless bathing suit. (Saks) |
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| Peasant Jewel :
Do you have a bohemian side? This pretty Diane Von Furstenberg Zenya cover-up is more on the rustic side, but still very classy and grown -up because of the deep rich burgundy color.
The empire waist nicely hides any flabby tummy.(Saks) |
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| Sassy Caftan:
If you’re legs still look pretty hot, then show them off in this eye catching kimono sleeved caftan from Trina Turk.
We like this cover-up because it’s ” cute”, (sometimes you want something cute), and yet it’s still rather sophisticated and grown up. (Nordstrom) |
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Elegant Seduction:
Helloooo Mrs. Robinson! Don’t go near the sweet young pool boy in this number, or you may get more than your pool cleaned! (Saks) |
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| Animal Appetite:
Grrr. It’s a jungle out there and you’re the Tigress in this lush and electrifying jungle cover-up by Diane Von Furstenberg.
All that yellow and warm green tends to look great on gals with warm coloring -peach or golden skin, or on anyone with a great tan.(Saks) |
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| Fun and Flirty Moroccan:
A little glitz always looks fab at the beach, or by the pool. That’s why we like this Lily Pulitzer, pearly, beaded tunic with it’s asymetrical hemline. Nice and easy, loose and breezy, and 100% pure cotton, so very comfortable!!
The neutral gold sandal is the perfect choice (white sandal would be a little too matchy matchy with the white beading, so not as modern.(Saks) |
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Have you ever looked at something in the store and thought, “Nah,I’m not going to try it on. It’s probably not for me..I don’t think?”…. and then you walked away?
Well, this summer I (Deborah) nearly walked away from two winners.
 Looked kind of baggy on the hanger |
 Deborah in her new favorite comfy dress! |
The first was a simple navy blue Diane Von Furstenberg dress with a nautical feel. It had a cute scoop neckline, billowy sleeves and a darling rope belt. I liked it, but I was sure it would be too loose and billowy, and would make me like I was wearing a big old bag.
But then I thought…. what the heck, I’ll try it.
To my surprise, it was actually very fitted through the waist and hips and looked really cute on me. It’s so comfortable too, and looks great with my red canvas Ralph Lauren wedges.
 I wasn't sure about this one |
 Deborah says, "You can still feel glam even going casual!" |
The second near miss was another Diane Von Furstenberg dress…..this one had a simple cut and the material had a wild colorful pattern. Now, normally I don’t wear many patterns, but I was really attracted to the colors in this dress. I also like things that nip in at the waist and this looked more just a straight up and down style. It didn’t have the greatest rack appeal but, but I just had a feeling.
It’s now become my new favorite dress. It’s cute and comfy and I can dress it up and down. I have had a million compliments, and most important of all I feel fantastic in it. Here’s me on my way to my girlfriend’s new country house for a casual summer dinner.
So what’s the lesson here? If you’re not sure, try it on anyway. It sure worked for me! Oh, and do check out Diane Von Furstenberg. She’s on of my favorites. Saks carries a lot of her clothes.
