I love those little half booties that were so popular last fall. I see that they are coming out again this year and would love want to buy a pair, but just do not know what or how to wear them? HELP!
Karen G.~ Minnesota.
Hi Karen,
Your timing is perfect! We just saw this add for the DKNY and here they are showing the same shoe with lots of different looks!
This ad from DKNY is an excellent example of how to look updated!
Here is why we like them:
Layering with cropped straight pants:
Great casual look, could do it with flats too! (DKNY)
Add a vest! (try one, you might like it!)
Simple white blouse (untucked)
Flat front straight cropped pants
vest. (Might want try to find one longer, if you want to hide hips)
.(DKNY)
Cute for work or out to dinner:
Back again, this layered look was popular last fall thanks to Michele Obama.
Try a skinny belt and make sure you have a pair of those opaque tights. (the ones with patterns can make your legs look fat, so keep it simple with solid colors unless you have super skinny legs)
(DKNY)
Slim Balloon pant: We are seeing a huge comeback this fall with the balloon pant. Beware this style does not work on all body types. However, if it is well cut, on the slim side, like this one, it might look great on you! Can be a fun style to try. Not so great with flats though…. (DKNY)
Scarf Action!:
Adding a long skinny scarf is an easy way to go from drab to fab! These tight, just to the ankle jeans have a little “poof” at the ankle that can actually be flattering! (DKNY)
This soft jacket pulls the entire look together:
For a modern twist on the navy or grey blazer, try one that is made of a soft fabric. Both comfortable and chic it will knock you up on the style scale! (DKNY)
Pictures don’t lie! It is amazing how many of us imagine ourselves one way and in reality look another! Nothing like a reality check!
Take for example one of our readers Janet O. who thought she might have to give up this dress…
Hello Glam Gals,
When is short too short? I have several dresses that hit me above the knees. I am not a fan of my knees (I call them “thnees” – thighs that merge into my knees with no definition) but these dresses are so comfy I continue to wear them.
What do you think? Time to hang them up?
~Janet O
HI Janet…LOL..love your new term! However, you don’t have “thnees”, you have nice knees and you look great in your dress!!!
Keep on keeping on! Your wedge shoes, long necklace and bangles, really look updated too!(so does your hair, the little that we can see of it!)
Your dress is much better than a boring pair of khakis and a polo shirt yet you look totally comfortable and chic.
Thanks for sending us your photos!
The Glam Gals
Can Janet pull this dress off? She thinks she has ugly knees!
Yes, she can! Her legs are beautiful!
This Glam Gal has an updated look and great style!
So what do you do when you are turning 50, your husband has just passed away and you want to do something daring and different? If you’re Janis Irwin, you go out and learn to ride a motorcycle and then ride it across the country and back…all by yourself!
Recently at a local wine tasting event in West Chester, PA, I (JoJami) spotted this Age-mazing™ women. I was drawn to her beautiful coat and entire ensemble of a turquoise necklace, snazzy boots, cool helmet and sunglasses! Of course I had to go up to her and chat her up!
She was beaming when she shared with me her inspirational story of how she packed up only the essentials (including a nice dress and a pair of heels) and went on a cross country adventure, solo on her motorcycle.
She calls herself, a “Barbie Biker” because she has her own feminine style of biker dressing. “Many women think you have to dress like a tough girl in head to to black, Harley Davidson attire,” says Janice. ” I found the more I got into the sport, the more I realized that it’s only the beginers that dress that way. I love to be able to get off my bike and feel like I’m still me and not this alter ego.”
Well Janis, we agree that you look gorgeous and classy in your outfit!
As for her day job, Janis runs her own interior design firm.
Do you have a job with a fun hobby? We want to hear from you!
Alright, I know you’ve seen this dress before (you can see our “Tweak Your Chic” model wearing it in this post, and me in it again right here), but a neutral shirt dress is a staple. That means it never goes out of style, and you can keep updating it to fit the current trends. Below is a video showing how I used this season’s layering trend to breathe new life into an old dress…and I didn’t have to buy anything new to do it! That’s the easiest way to shop on a budget – treat your wardrobe like a store and keep reinventing outfits!
For more ways to update your wardrobe on a budget, check out our eBook Chic on the Cheap!
Our new e-book on How to Update Your Wardrobe on a Budget
I am so glad I found your wonderful website. I have a question that relates to what is “age-appropriate”. I am 43 and very petite. I am in love with a trend jacket that is big for the Fall, although I usually stay away from trends. The jacket I am talking about is the Alice + Olivia shrunken military jacket, a picture of which is attached.
My only concern is the age-appropriate perception of this jacket due to the adornment? My idea would be to wear it with some nice fitting jeans, a simple white top underneath and simple sleek black or metallic heels. No excessive accessories. I have tried the jacket on and it fits beautifully.
Your thoughts on the age-appropriateness of this ensemble is greatly appreciated!
Sincerely,
Gail
Hi Gail,
We have been seeing this look around and we agree it is so FUN!… but here it the thing… this is definitely a trend and what we call a “statement piece”. That means that you really will not wear it all the time and if you do, people will definitely remember that specific jacket.
Also, we know that this piece is rather expensive and is in the price range that we would call an “investment piece”. We suggest that you keep looking and find one that is similar with the military look, but perhaps not so dramatic as this one.
Moreover, if you buy it, because it is so trendy you might get tired of it soon and wish you had put your money in a high quality coat that is still fun, but one that you feel good in and can enjoy for a long time. An example of this would be this one we’re showing by Tory Burch.
To answer your question if it is age appropriate, we say that yes, someone over 40 can pull this off, but it is almost “costume-like”… so you would really have to be in a funky, fun job or live in a very cosmopolitan city or environment to wear it enough to get your moneys worth.
BTW… we think it would great left open with a red plaid flannel shirt under it with blue jeans.
I would love your opinion for this outfit I have chosen to wear to an informal class reunion at a bar/ restaurant next week.
Can Kathryn wear this look?
Do bear in mind that it is the middle of winter here. I was wondering if maybe I was a little to chunky to pull it off, what do you think.
Warm Regards,
Kathryn
Hi Kathryn,
Great to hear from you~
It is really smart to start planning your outfit, now and not wait to the last min!!
Here is our take on your outfit…
First off, we can see that you are very fashion forward with your sense of style. Layering and belting on the outside with black hose and boots are VERY much in style right now… however your outfit is good example, of what can happen when you put this type of look on a body that is not 6 feet tall and 99 pounds!
It is VERY hard to pull off this look on women over 40….since it is we tend to look bulky in all these layers, instead of chic.
So, our answer to you is that your gut feeling is RIGHT ON!!! We agree with you, that this outfit does not really flatter your cute figure (BTW, you are not “chunky”, you have a great figure, we just need to get it into clothes that make it look great!!!)
So what now????
It is always good to take a photo of yourself in an outfit, so you can see where your eye goes too first.
We think that the boots grab your attention and take it off the outfit. Because they have a lot of “scrunching” going on, they tend to make your legs look bigger than they are…and give your legs a bulky look. Those boots would look better on you, if you wear a longer skirt. You need the skirt to hit below your calf for it to be flattering.
Now, if your set on wearing that outfit, we think it would flatter your figure if you did not try to belt the outfit at all and let the dress hang.
The necklace does not work either, it is too dainty with the outfit. How about adding a colorful scarf?
This is a great attempt to look hip and chic, but with your body type it is hard to pull this look off.
Lets keep this conversation going…can you send us your new updated photo of you after you try our suggestions?
Our reader Kathryn recently wrote us to ask what to wear to an informal class reunion to be held at the local pub, in the dead of winter (it is winter for our readers in Australia) .
Katherine sent this photo and asked, "Does this look good on me?"
The grey and black layered and belted look, shows that she is up on her fashion trends, however we felt that we could dress her cute figure to flatter it a bit more. So we sent her some homework and asked her to send us what she came up with.
Here are the other options she sent us, for round 2:
Even though it is an informal event, we think this outfit is way too casual if Kathryn wants to dress to impress! The layers hide all her curves, and the checker shirt and clunky shoes make her look very masculine. The long, light colored top is the wrong proportion on the body, and makes her legs look very short in comparison. This is definitely not a look we’d recommend.
This look is much nicer! It looks classy and crisp, and the shapes flatter her figure. The only point we’d make is that it’s just too conservative! From the first outfit to this one, we’ve lost all Kathryn’s style sensibility. Where’s the funky trendiness we saw in the first outfit?
Finally, we think this outfit is a slam dunk! The black belt pulls in the narrowest part of Kathryn’s body, and the fact that it’s all one color makes her look longer and leaner. We have the boots again, however she had another pair in her closet that fit nicer and hug her leg, which adds a little sexiness to the outfit. She added back in some of her personal style with the necklace and bracelets. We believe this is the best outfit yet! Our only suggestion would be to add a little color into the ensemble. Perhaps wear a bright colored blouse instead of the white to give your face some color. Maybe try wearing a colorful scarf or holding a colored bag. Adding a pop of color will give her outfit some visual interest, and help her stand out!
Kathryn also sent us a picture of her coat. Isn’t it adorable? We love the winter white wool trench with the cinched waist and decorative vintage pin. The A-line is a perfect cut for her too. That just goes to show that even in sub zero weather, you can still look hot!
I wanted your opinion on those pant sets, jackets, tops, dresses that you see on those shopping channels called CitiKnits.
They say it travels well, doesn’t wrinkle and it’s a synthetic fiber.
I’m 45 and love fashion but I wonder if that look is a little old and dated with their matching sets.
Thanks L.
Hi L.
We went to the site and checked them out. We were eager to see them, since all the benefits sure sounded tempting no to mention they are on sale for such a great price.
However, sadly when we reviewed them, we found many of the styles in unfashionable colors and the cut of the outfits were certainly matronly. The “wonderful” non-wrinkle fabric, is just a thin polyester that looked cheap even on the gorgeous model!
We also found some on E-bay for sale with the tags still on them. That tells us that the buyer was not satisfied and is trying to get rid of the items!
We would stay clear of shopping on line and make sure you get to try on the outfit before buying it.
(Send us your style question, we pick several a month to answer and yours could be the next one! info@fabulousafter40.com)
