Ladies…Please help me with shoes…I have this dress to wear to my husband’s annual gala but I haven’t gotten shoes yet. I’m short and always go for a high heel but what I’m finding right now is the heels they have are really high! I like the idea of a glitter shoe (like the purse that is pictured) but I will be doing a lot of walking and not so sure they will be appropriate not only because of the walking but because of my age and the type of function it is. I’m also not sure if maybe I should be looking for a different colored shoe, like pink or red or something. The dress is also a one shoulder dress and falls to about the knee.I need help…lots of help with this.
Thanks ladies!!!Cindy MellowHi Cindy,
We think your dress is really pretty and you’re going to look beautiful in it!
Here are some shoe ideas: what to look for and what to steer clear of.
Best Shoes for a Formal Dress
September 25, 2012 | By | 5 Comments
What to Wear When You Are 50 and Celebrating Your Birthday!
July 7, 2012 | By | 3 Comments
Whoo Hoo, It’s your birthday. The big one 50! Instead of running and hiding or playing down the whole thing, you need to celebrate! It only comes once so enjoy yourself. Go all out. Surround yourself with friends and family and soak in all that love and attention. You are special Glam Gal and you are beautiful!!
Here’s an idea for what to wear when you are 50 that will make you shine like the Star you are on this Special Birthday.
The Dress
If you are going to go all out for a special occasion like this then do it with some drama. This gorgeous one shoulder cocktail dress is a perfect way to look glam and sexy without overdoing it.
One shoulder dresses are sophisticated but make a statement. They have impact and that’s what you are looking for. This particular one in shades of gold and orange and green would best suit a gal who is on the warm side. In other words, a gal with golden tones to her skin and hair, so a spring or an autumn. If you are not one to tan a little faux tanner in the summer will make you look like a goddess in this dress. Other places you could wear it…any formal cocktail event such as a summer wedding.
The Shoes
When you have a dress like this in a strong color and pattern you need to go with a neutral shoe. Cream would be too boring. This dress shines and your shoes need to as well. Gold works with the warm tones and is actually considered a neutral. A gold shoes will elongate your leg and make you look taller and slimmer.This t-strap shoe drapes upward, just as the dress drapes and so makes a nice complement. Remember no nylons with this type of shoe. You need a good waxing a spray tan on your gams to look vavoom in this dress.
Jewelry
This is one time you do want to be matchy-matchy. If you have a gold tones dress and shoes, silver jewelry isn’t going to cut it. Gold on gold is what you want to look regal and put together. And, look at that RING. Now that’s a fab choice and says tons about your personality. A necklace would have been too much with this stand-out neckline so instead the ring says it all. Pretty gold drop earrings mimic the ring but do not overpower. A drop always works best with a one shoulder Best to wear your hair up to show off your earrings and your sexy one shoulder detail.
The Bag
This is a pretty feminine look but to keep it from looking too mushy we’ve added this python envelope clutch. Adding a touch of edginess to a very feminine outfit is a current style trick to look modern and hip. It’s that ying and yang thing and it makes the outfit more interesting and slightly more sexy.
Have you decided what to wear when you are 50 and celebrating your birthday. Maybe you already had yours. What did you wear? Send us a photo and we’ll post it as inspiration!
How Do I Accessorize This Dress for a Summer Wedding?
June 6, 2012 | By | 2 Comments
Good Morning Glam Gals!
I am attending a wedding this weekend and found two dresses that fit my petite figure well. I am having trouble with shoes and accessories for one of them.
The fabric is a gold/silver metallic mix. I have strawberry blonde hair now (used to be more red). I have nude patent pumps. Will those work or should I go for something more open or a different color? As for earrings…I am stumped.
Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you, Steph in Chicago
Hi Steph,
What a pretty a dress, and yes your nude patent pumps will certainly go with it and will keep your look simple and elegant. With the way the fabric is layered with all the diagonals, you don’t want to compete with it. Your red hair will add some color to the mix and where you can really add some fun is the earrings!
Here are some other pointers about how to accessorize a dress like this:
- With this neckline a short necklace doesn’t work, so it’s better to keep that area clean looking, or go for a necklace that has several strands of long beads or chains.
- The fabric of this dress is very light. Make sure your accessories are not too heavy.
- This dress, with all the layering is pretty busy. Make sure your shoes are not busy. They need to be simple. Don’t choose anything with lots of straps.
- You will want to be strategic when it comes to deciding where the “pop” of color, or the attention will go to. If you choose colorful earrings, keep the shoes nude.
- If you want the shoes to be the star, keep the earrings simple. Here are a few examples of how you might want to accessorize your dress. Use these as a guideline. You probably might already have something similar in your closet. The wonderful thing about accessories is that you can find them in all price ranges. Please send us a photo, we would love to see translate some of these ideas into your own unique look!
One more note, when it comes to nail color, for the first two looks you will want to go with a soft pink or peach, and the last look you could do either a neutral or matching red.
Depending on the formality of the wedding here are 3 different looks:
For more tips like this you might enjoy our newest e-book:
How to Dress the Mother of the Bride or Groom.
Over 40? Tips to look Stylish for New Year’s Eve
December 24, 2011 | By | 4 Comments
New Year’s Eve is one of those rare celebrations when what you choose to wear can really make your end of the year “hurrah” a time to shine. And if you want to do a little “sexy” it will be just fine.
Oh, that word again, “SEXY”…after 40, 50 and beyond it can be a daunting look to try to pull off.
Here are some ideas, do’s and don’ts for how to get that Fabulous After 40 look to start the New Year off with a bang!
Let’s talk about how to play up your best assets:
| Got Great Legs? Then Go for a dress The easiest way to start thinking about what style of party dress is to first take your hair style into account. If you have short, sporty hair then go for a style of dress that is simple and classic (no lace!) If you have soft curls or long hair then go for a more romantic look with flowing fabric like this pretty red dress. Showing off your legs is simple when you have a plan in place! (Nordstom). |
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| Party in Pants!You can still have fun if you wear pants like this soft and sultry velvet pants suite (Spiegel). The pretty bow will bring out the flirty feminine side of you. You can fill the scoop neckline with some sparkly baubles! |  |
| Twinkle Toes! If you love sparkle but don’t want to splurge on a top or sweater that you might not wear again, go for some sparkle on the shoes! You can take a simple dress and make it shine with just the right pump or sandal. |
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| Faux Fur Fun! Want to draw attention to your pretty face? We have been seeing these colorful faux fur wraps all over the place! It’s a fresh alternative to a pashmina. Tie on this little piece and it can take a simple work dress directly from work to the party! |
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Accessories are the Spice of Life: Textured hose and some bright sparkle jewelry (Banana Republic) are 2 more ways to add some wow! |
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| Putting it all together: Here is Deborah with a simple shift dress. She just added a black faux fur wrap and some leopard gloves and she is ready to hit the town! |  |
| JUMPSTART YOUR STYLE! Love these tips but want to go more in depth? Try out our best selling e-book Jumpstart Your Style to help you get started to finding your personal style! |  |
5 Ways To Dress for the Ball If You are a Beautiful, but poor Step-Sister
July 2, 2011 | By | 5 Comments
While out to lunch with our girlfriends the other day we overheard a woman say, “I’m going to a wedding, I don’t have
FAF reader Kirin Christianson from www.redhautemama.com and Deborah looking so pretty and colorful!
much money, but I want to buy something nice so I stand out. What can I do?”If you have been invited your niece’s wedding, your high school reunion, a charity event, or some other important festivity this summer and have this same problem, then we have some suggestions for you.
One easy way to stand out and not break the bank is to wear something colorful.
Think about it. Most women wear black to formal events like these, but the reality is the little black dress is so old. We urge you to refuse to step out the door unless you are wearing something cheery! Dump the boring black, wear a bright color and we promise the compliments will roll in. The bonus is you will look 10 years younger. Why? Black drains the color from your face.
Other great tips for looking smashing on a budget…
- Splurge on the shoes, not the whole outfit. You can wear a simple dress that doesn’t cost a lot with some razzle dazzle shoes that may cost a little more and everyone will be commenting on how stylish you look.
- Get creative in your closet. Do you have a pretty skirt you can update the top or add a lightweight jacket or sweater? Just adding some jewelry can often change the look of an outfit totally.
- Buy a gorgeous big, colorful scarf. You can take a simple dress and add a large, lively scarf to dress it up.
4. Accessorize the heck out of an outfit you already own. Start with a colorful shift dress or simple pant suit and add the following:
- Big chunky necklace with silver or gold cuff.
- Large dangle earrings with silver or gold cuff.
5. Sales Galore: This July 4th weekend you will see all sorts of deals. Buy now to look fab later this summer. But one word of caution… be very picky on what you do buy. Don’t just settle for a good deal. Use these questions to keep you on track:
- Don’t buy anything if it is black or grey
- Only buy something that you love and adore.
- If the price is tempting you would you still have paid full price?
- Does it fit you? What would it cost you to get it altered and is it still worth it?
For more tips like these check out our e-book, Chic on the Cheap!
Send us your favorite tip for getting to the ball in style, comment below:
What to wear to a summer afternoon wedding when you’re over 40
May 27, 2011 | By | 8 Comments
Hi Glam Gals,
Do you have any suggestions for a summer wedding starting in the later afternoon…it’s at Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, so I’m at a loss for how to dress. I’m sure it’ll be hot on August 13. Love your letters, as usual….must get to your blog more too!! To your health,
Ilona Brandt Hatch, MBA, CHC, AADP Certified Health and Nutrition Coach
Hi Ilona,
Great to hear from you! We would suggest a dress that is made of good cotton so that it breathes. Try to find something in a pretty solid color or print. Here are a few suggestions and please note, you will have to try on these dresses since the length will vary greatly depending on how tall you are.
This pretty sheath dress is a classic!
Dress this amuave dres up with strappy sandals in bronze or silver, or if you do a print dress a sandal in one of the colors in the dress is festive!
If you like to dress in a more romantic style this dress is for you!
You might want to bring along a pretty, little, lightweight sweater or scarf to put on after the sun goes down.
This is a more casual look than the others but you could get a lot of use out of it!
All these dresses are from Nordstrom and are under $150.00 or less!
Have a wonderful time! Cheers, The Glam Gals
A New Nordstroms for Delaware!
April 7, 2011 | By | 2 Comments
Looking subtly wild in animal print!
When you live in a small town and have to always drive at least 45 mins or more to get to find some decent shopping, it’s really exciting when one of your favorites decides to open up right here in your own back yard.
Yes, Nordstrom is the new darling of department stores here in Wilmington,Delaware! After three years of rumors that they would be coming to town, I (JoJami) recently had the opportunity to get a sneak peek before the doors officially open on Friday, April 7th!
Taking a black dress and making it work for Spring!
With lovely food, models and a lively band jamming away, the pre-opening Gala was a big
Looking festive in this pretty flowered wrap dress, This gal is one of our FAF biggest fans!
hit with the 1,700 guests! Moreover, it was with great joy that I got to mingle with them and all for a good cause… you see, Nordstrom is going to be donating all the money to local charities! That’s the way to come rolling into town and get off to a great start!
Regional Shoe Dept. head and JoJami (wearing Trina Turk)
So, I snapped a few photos of some sharp-looking Glam Gals to share with you!
Rock Chic!
Beautiful in Blue
This electric blue was the color of the night! However, this gal admitted, “I’m running straight over to the shoe department to go update my boots!”
What are you going to wear this New Year’s Eve?
December 30, 2010 | By | 6 Comments
A nice change from black on New Year’s Eve
It’s one of the biggest dress-up nights of the year and here is what one of our readers is planning. Doesn’t she look marvelous in mauve!
We think mauve or any other color is a refreshing great change from black and we encourage you to start off your new year thinking about how you can add color to your wardrobe.
Rememember Color is Energy and Energy is Life and you want to look alive, vibrant and Age-Amazing after 40.
So pick up a Copy of our popular eBook Color Me Confident and ring in the New Year looking Fab! [Read more...]
Style Expert Deborah Boland specializes in helping mature women to Tweak their Chic®!