Can you wear head to toe, Talbots?

Last week, I (JoJami) was off to St. Michaels, Maryland with a girlfriend to do a little shopping.

While we were there, we decided to pop over to The Inn at Perry Cabin and check out their new Spa facilities, called the Linden Spa.

While it was obvious that they were still getting the pool all spuced up for summer, their “Botanicl Art of Wellness” center was crisp, clean and ready for business!

It was so pretty and smelled oh, so good, that we were tempted to ditch our shopping trip and book an appointment on the spot!

Head to toe Talbots and looking polished and professional!

While checking out the facility, I spotted a woman looking so proffesional and polished that I had to stop her and ask her about her outfit. It turns out she is the Inn’s, Event Planner.

“You won’t believe it, but I’m head to toe, Talbots!” Even my purse and shoes are from there!”

I was certainly impressed that her look was so stylish and effortless from all one store! Moreover, the Inn should be happy to have such a well dressed, Event planner, that looks the part and would make anyone at ease with her polished appearance!

Talbots has been trying to update their image and reach out to a younger crowd and from the looks of things, they are doing a great job of it!

Finally, life doesn’t have to be hell on heels!

Danna Davis had a problem. She was tired of  having of having sore feet after wearing her fashionable high heels.

That spurred the idea to start designing her own line of shoes that were so chic they are being worn by celebrities walking down the red carpet!

These shoes are not just pretty, they are as comfortable as anything you could buy  from Naturalizers.

Although these shoes are pricey, we are so glad to see designers are finally hearing our cries! Please design shoes that we can look good in and still be comfortable!

(selected shoes can be found at Nordstroms)

Are Clogs Fabulous after 40?

This basic clog should be updated with a boot

Hi Glam Gals,

Are clogs a fashion do or don’t for women 40 +?  Thanks …..Nicole

Hi Nicole,

Deborah and I had an interesting chat about clogs today. I (JoJami) was commenting on how many women in the states (especially back east) seem to really like to wear clogs. Deborah, who is from Toronto was shocked! “Nobody ever wears them here!”

So then, of course, came the big question…. Are clogs fabulous after 40?

We know this is going to be a controversial topic, but we are standing by our opinion…

This is just too clunky to look fabulous

NO! Clogs are not fabulous, unless you wear them for teaching, nursing, gardening, or inside as slippers. You might get away with them when you’re off to Yoga, but even then it’s “iffy”. (PLEASE NOTE: THOSE WITH FOOT PROBLEMS ARE AN EXCEPTION!)

Why? It was hard for us to pin  down exactly what we don’t like about them. … they are comfortable, easy to slide on and off, but yet neither one of us would be caught dead in them.

Looks like clogs will be coming into fashion this Spring, and we  want to warn you that they have the potential to make those who are over 40 look frumpy.

You can wear these under jeans, but why not wear an entire boot that will have you looking more up to date!

So, in case you have a pair or two, we would like to share with you the Glam Gals top 5 reasons why you should put away your clogs:

• If you are wearing clogs, then you will need the appropriate outfit.  That means you are wearing bootcut jeans or pants and are very casual. Never wear them with a skirt or dress!
• If you hate to part with them, have a good look in the mirror when you put them on with an outfit. Does it make you feel updated?
• They might be comfortable and easy to wear, but there are other options out there that will make you look much younger!
• The clunkier and chunkier the clog, the more matronly the look
• Clogs with the wrong outfit, can tend to make you look older than you are!

Now we can’t  give clogs a bad rap and not show you some examples what to replace them with. Here’s a fresh take on the clog:

Suede Boot: This boot is the perfect alternative to a clog. It is much more stylish because it is finer and more streamlined, yet still gives you a little height like a clog. The suede makes it super comfortable and warm and goes with jeans and casual pants.	www.shoe-store.net (style:blondecorina)
The Bootie: These high style booties are all the rage, you will be totally updated in them! Great with a straight legged pant or jean and can even be worn with dresses and opaque hose.	These boots are from Nordstrom
Side Zip casual boot with low heel: You can wear these like you would a clog. They are casual but still comfy. With the side zipper they are still easy to get on and off.	Found at Nordstrom
Pull on low boot: This pull on boot can be casual or great for work. The leather makes it a little dressier, but the elastic makes it easy to get out the door in a flash.	These bots are at Zappos
To see one other boot we blogged about way back when check out this clog blog post

Boots for those with foot problems

We recently posted a letter from a reader who can’t wear heels because of foot problems and wanted to know if she could wear leggings with clunky flats.

When we mentioned that instead, she should try some flat boots, she ran out and found a pair at Nordstrom’s!

Now leggings and jeans are fine, but what if she wants to wear a skirt? Since these boots are very casual they will be look best with pants…

Flat boots like these will be comfy for those with foot problems

However, here is a skirt that will work with them too.  You could also try a casual dress, like a sweater dress.

Colorful skirts make fall dressing festive

Don’t forget to make sure to find opaque hose (not sheer) or tights that match the boots. This will give the leg a longer look.

We went to Boden.com and Spiegel and found lots of great casual styles to choose from! At Boden, you can even “try” the clothes on a fantasy model and see what they would look like on a person!

Here is another combination we liked:

This skirt from Spiegel, would be a good length and weight to balance this boot.

And, for extra comfort and support, don’t forget some Dr. Scholl’s inserts!

Want to look updated and hip and funky?

This over 40 model says, " I'm just running around doing errands today"..."Looking fab", we say!

We recently found a wonderful site called Atlantis Home that we wanted to share with all you more daring fashionistas out there.

The author (shown here)  is over 40 and just so happens to be a former model. However, even if you are not tall and rail thin, you can still take some fun tips on how to dress a little more funky but still age appropriate!

What makes her looks so great?

• The jacket is updated with 3/4 sleeves and chunky buttons and is a good length on her.
• The  gold necklace is bold like the jacket and softens the black top
• Love the neckline of that mini dress
• These jeans are  slim all the way down, but not too tight, they give the legs an extra long lean look.
• Even though she is tall she is still rocking platform boots. Believe it or not, these types of heels can be really comfortable.
• She looks sexy with out having to wear tight clothes

Enjoy!

How not to look frumpy in a clunkier shoe

Hi, Deborah and JoJami,

I would love your advice on how not to look frumpy when I have to wear clunker shoes because of foot problems. Because of an old skiing injury, I have been unable to wear heels since I was in my 20’s, which makes it hard to look and feel sexy, or even professional, when I want to dress up. I’m limited to certain brands of shoes recommended by my foot doctor and orthopedic surgeon so it’s not just a matter of being able to wear flats.

For example, I’d love to wear leggings this Fall as shown in the photo on your website, but I can’t wear heels.

I’d appreciate any advice you can give me. Many thanks!

- Nancy

Dear Nancy,

We sure wish we could wave a magic wand with your problem, but it is not that simple. However, your problem is one that many women face. We get letters all the time from women that can not wear heels.

That being said, you can still look fabulous but just have to try styles that might not be the latest trends.

The good news for you is that with styles changing so often, almost anything goes when it comes to pant styles.

When you are stuck having to wear clunky shoes, there are several things to make sure you do not do. First off, is leggings will be out of the question for you. Since the style is really a “pencil” shape, no matter what you do, legging will just not look good with a clunky shoe. Instead, you will need to opt for any pant that has a wide leg and (or) has some flair at the bottom.

This will still be stylish, and you can wear almost any shoe. Also, there are some great brands of shoes out there that do sell some comfortable shoes that don’t look orthopedic.

Here are some styles from Zappos.com that we suggest:

These Taryn Rose flats are comfy and stylish	Actually if you can wear this type of flat shoe you could still wear it with a skinny jean and look great!
This is good with pants only!	Once you have to start wearing more orthopedic looking shoes like these, you can easily see that style starts going out the window.
Another simple but elegant choice	However once again, if you wear these with the right style of well-fitted pants, you will still look great!

New trend: Thigh High Boots

Hello Glam Gals,

Do you think the new thigh high boots for Fall 2009 are age appropriate for women over 40?

Thank you for your help.

~Jenifer G.

Hi Jennifer!

Great question, since we are seeing that thigh high boots are a big trend for fall. This is tricky because there are a lot of variables here. The thigh high boot is a very young and sexy look, so it is hard to pull it off after 40. However, we have seen women of all ages pulling off this trend, but it is a delicate and tricky one for sure.

If you are excited to try this new trend, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. You should  be on the thin side have slim legs and thighs to wear this look.
2. You need to be careful on how to pair your boots with the right outfit. Tight jeans or longer skirts are your best bet to get the right effect.
3. You will need to be picky about the style of boot your choose, otherwise it will look like you’re trying too hard. (More like you are wearing a costume than a trend.)
4. The fit and style of your outfit is key – anything too tight and revealing could look smutty.

We imagine that the women over 40 that could pull this off, are on the creative and festive sort!  However, if you really do want to partake in this trend, we recommend you

• Choose a  simple style that does not have a lot of laces or hardware.

• Stay away from patent or shiny thigh high boots, or you’ll look like a hooker.

• Be sure to  wear dark opaque hose so there’s no leg between the hem of your dress and the boot. Here’s a good example of  flat heeled boot from zappos.com:

Bottom line: Are you wanting to try out a new trend, pick up a younger guy or just channeling your inner biker chic?

You weill need some confidence and good dose of style to pull this look off now that your over 40, or you will end up looking silly instead of chic.

Are you thinking of trying this look out this fall?  If so, we want to hear your comments below!

Do comfortable shoes have to be ugly?

comfortable?.. perhaps, but ugly!

Here is another letter from one of our readers:

Dear Glam Gals,

Laura

Hi Laura,

We do agree that it can be a challenge to find shoes that are both comfortable and have some style.

If you are trying to update your shoe wardrobe for fall, we have found that there are reliable brands out there like Naturalizers that have styles that can be both comfortable and stylish.

For a casual flat, try crocodile loafer under a pair of wide legged trousers:

Here is a two tone pump that would spice up your boring suit for work

Check out our contest this month for your chance to win a free pair Naturalizer shoes!! Like these cute boots!!

You could be the lucky winner of the boots!