outfit | Fabulous After 40

Fashion Inspiration! How do I wear those half booties?

July 30, 2010 | By Deborah Boland | 3 Comments

Dear Glam Gals,

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)

Is this dress too short? That grey area…when you are over 40!

June 23, 2010 | By Deborah Boland | 7 Comments

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!

What to wear if you ride a motorcyle

November 6, 2009 | By Deborah Boland |

Not your ordinary biker chic!

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-Amazing™ 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. behind view

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!

Making new Fall outfits from your same old wardrobe

October 10, 2009 | By Deborah Boland | Leave a Comment

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

The Military Jacket, is it for over 40 women?

September 22, 2009 | By Deborah Boland | 7 Comments

Hi Ladies-

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.

Can I wear this look after 40?

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.

A more wearbale military style by Tory Burch

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.

Let us know if this is helpful, comment below!

Cheers!

The Glam Gals

Does this outfit look good on me? (part 1)

August 4, 2009 | By Deborah Boland | 5 Comments

Hi Deborah and JoJami,

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?

(Kathryn has agreed to let us share her story with our readers. After we gave her some suggestions she put together a few new outfits and sent those to us. We will show those in Part 2.)

Does this outfit look good on me? (part 2)

August 4, 2009 | By Deborah Boland | 5 Comments

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!

Fashion Question – Is This Brand Too Matronly?

July 30, 2009 | By Deborah Boland | 4 Comments

Hi Glam Gals,

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)

How To Update Your Work Wardrobe On A Budget

July 21, 2009 | By Deborah Boland | 2 Comments

Dear Glam Gals,

Two years ago I decided to go back to college. Most of my fellow students were the same age as my youngest child. I started looking for resources to help me update my look so that I could try to maneuver that area between not too young and not too old.

I have now graduated and am now at my new job in my new career. I have learned that wardrobes need constant updating and your emails give me ideas on how to do that successfully.

Several people I know are looking for new jobs or trying to hang on to current jobs. I am looking for ideas for summer – more stylish, career pieces that are easy on the pocketbook. Thanks and keep up the great work.

Renee F., San Marcos, Texas

Dear Renee,

We love the fact that you are making the effort to keep yourself updated, especially since you are competing for jobs in the workplace. Showing that you take pride in yourself and care about what is up-to-date makes you look even more like a go-getter in this tough economy!

That being said, there are a few trends popping up this summer that you can inexpensively add to basics you already have in your wardrobe. Some summer trends we see are: full skirts, splashy colors and prints, and flowy fabrics.

Of course, all together, these trends are not very age appropriate, unless you want to look like a little frilly girl playing dress-up in a nightgown. But, focusing on working one of these pieces into an outfit is totally acceptable, and will make you look very hip.

For example, here we took the full, colorful patterned skirt trend, and dressed it up for work with a modern, sleek short sleeve blazer. On the weekend, choose one of the colors from the pattern to wear on top, and wear it with a flat sandal. The idea is to use these pieces sparingly in a sophisticated way.

By using the new splashy summer prints, you can breath life into old separates. Look how this plain khaki blazer looks instantly more chic with a flowy, colorful skirt!

As far as staples for this season, invest in modern classics like a great fitting pencil skirt and cardigan sweater set. You will be surprised at just how many outfits you can create by mixing in fun items with these staples!

Adding touches of in-style items here and there not only makes your wardrobe look up to date, but it can save you money as well. All these pieces came from Kohl’s and KMart….and each piece is under $30 (it’s true!)! Mixing these inexpensive pieces with your quality basics will give you a great bang for your buck. Let’s face it — they’re probably only going to be popular for one year anyway!

Can Colorful Shoes Make You Look Young and Modern? Part 2

May 1, 2009 | By Deborah Boland | 1 Comment

BALLET FLATS

Ballet flats can be worn with most anything, but we think they look best with walking shorts or capris. These coral beauties from Tory Burch have a classic feel, but the color makes them new and interesting.

Coral looks classiest paired with neutrals like brown, tan, gold and white. This is a great weekend or vacation look. If you love color, you could go one step further and wear a multicolored top with coral in it (i.e., a turquoise-coral-yellow top with neutral walking shorts and coral flats).

Here’s a pretty ballet flat in lavender suede that’s a little more formal with snake embossed leather covered buttons.

Sometimes you just get lucky and find the perfect top to match your shoes. There are so many of these feminine colorful chiffon tops around that it shouldn’t be hard to find one that works. BUT DON’T wear a top like this with these teensy shorts (as if we really had to tell you)! Instead, try putting the top and flats with some great dark denim jeans.