It’s probably thanks to Michelle Obama that cardigans have become so popular, coming close to replacing jackets in many cases.
<<Remember her famous sparkle one, or
when Michelle wore a cardigan to meet the Queen?>>
We like cardigans for many reasons:
1) they’re comfy
2) they’re a great cover -up for our arms which are chilly because of all the sleeveless tops out there
3) cardigans hide any arm flab
4) they brighten up a plain outfit by adding texture, color and interest.
There are frumpy cardigans out there, for sure, but there are also so many cute ones to choose from… long, short, fitted, loose, in all kinds of knits.
Here’s a few we discovered that are only slightly different from the classic 1950′s type, but look totally modern today because of a simple tweak.
| Sweet Sweater:
It’s called the Diamond disco sweater, and we agree this “disc go really well with dis skirt!” (LOL).. Just enough glam without being over the top. What a pretty complement to the floral skirt which is so in this spring. (Nordstrom) |
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| Grrr..eat!
A sexy animal print and we love the modern color combo……… O.k. Here’s the “dump the frump” lesson for today.. the style of this sweater alone may scream old, but the mix of the brown and turquoise with a touch of yellow is what zips it up and transforms it into a hip and updated great find. (Nordstrom and Saks ) |
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| Ruffle:
Ruffles are in right now and this cardigan has just the right amount to look pretty but not baby- girlish on a grown up gal. Love this color! (Nordstrom) |
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| Rosy touch:
Soft and romantic this feminine cardigan stand on it’s own with jeans or be dressed up with jewelry and a pretty skirt for a night out. (Nordstrom) |
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| Modern Mix:
Coral and turquoise combine in modern floral pattern that brings warm skin tones to life. (Nordstrom) |
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| Honeycomb:
Simple and elegant.Now isn’t this nicer than wearing a big old sweatshirt around the house? (Nordstrom) |
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The Godis Sweater is a great way to update your casual wardrobe!
Fall is the time for warm knits and cardigans! We fell in love with this variation of a cardigan from one of my (JoJami’s) favorite stores, Houpette Boutique in Greenville, Delaware. It’s called a “Godis Sweater,” and it’s so easy to just throw on! It’s very drapey and goes over anything.
I’m going to be dressing it up with a pair of colorful corduroys and a white button up blouse.
And for a more casual look, I paired it with some jeans, boots and a long-sleeve tee shirt.
In fact, I find that I am working this sweater into tons outfits these days! It’s totally hip and the silhouette is so in this season.
The ladies at Houpette are offering our readers a discount on this sweater. Originally $175, it’s now priced at $140 for our ladies. That’s a 20% off savings. I hope you love and wear yours as much as I do!
Dear Glam Gals,
I will be attending 2 bridal showers this spring and have no idea what to wear. Please help. I am overweight, an apple shape with excess weight in the tummy. Please give me some options, since I’m clueless about looking stylish.
Thanks!
JMC
Dear JMC,
Style is all about finding what looks good on your body type and what type of look you want to project. Are you preppy? elegant? fun? trendy? or chic?
Start with finding the style that will flatter your figure. You need to balance out your apple shape by wearing a pencil skirt and sweater set on top. No belt. Some nice pumps will make you look taller and leaner.
You can also do a top with a “V” neck to make you look thinner. Keep the top out, and make sure it is form fitted. Too much loose fabric will only make you look top heavy. For tummy control, we highly recommend some shapewear from Sassybax. If you have never worn shapewear we promise it will be your new best friend!
 Solids make you slim |
 For the wild at heart |
 Elegant and sexy |
We also love the full figure flattering dresses, above, from the site Lola and GiGi. Here are a few that would be great for this occassion: a cute green wrap dress , a giraffe print style and an elegant brown frock.
Good luck!
It’s difficult to find that middle ground when you want to look fashionable, yet still feel relaxed. Here are our suggestions.
1. Wear a Dress with Leggings
Short flowing mini dresses worn with bare legs and heels look great on twenty and thirty year olds, but that doesn’t mean they are off limits to us ladies over 40. Many of these dresses look an awful lot like long tops, and so they look fantastic on if you pair them with dark leggings and ballerina slippers, or flat boots. Now before you cross your arms and say, “That’s not me”, give it a try. This is a chic and very comfortable look and once you try it, you’ll be hooked. Here are two examples of dresses that would look great with leggings.
This olive green peasant dress would look fabulous with brown leggings and a brown suede flat boot.
This black sweater dress is also a great option. Sweater dresses come in all fabrics, wool or cashmere, and are super cozy. We’d pair this with a big chunky necklace, opaque stockings and a fun pair of flats.
Finally, here’s Janine…JoJami’s sister in the complete dress/leggings/flats look!
2. Add a Wide Belt to your Outfit
The quickest way to go from boring to brilliant is to add a wide belt to your casual weekend outfit. A wide belt at the waist, or slung down lower on your hip, will instantly add a touch of the wow factor, kicking casual up a few notches. Our favorite belt designer (and you’ve heard us say this before) is Suzi Roher.
Roher belts can be found at high-end department stores and small boutiques. What’s so special about them? They stretch! This makes them super versatile. This is a belt that you will have to grit your teeth and buy, as it is on the expensive side; but once you do, you’ll find that it will transform your wardrobe and you’ll wonder what you had been doing before you had one!
See how this beautiful Suzi Roher belt makes this all black outfit look so much hipper and classier, while still looking relaxed? And, don’t you just love how it camouflages the tummy so well?
On a budget, but looking for something similar? Here’s another great stretch belt that does wonders to create an hour glass figure. One note here, if you are very short waisted then you’ll want to go with a slightly narrower belt, or you’ll end up looking like you are all belt.
This brown sash belt is also easy to wear. You can adjust it so it makes a “V” in the front, which is always figure flattering.
3. Splurge on a Sweater Wrap
Transitioning into Fall has never been easier or more fun, than owning a sweater wrap. Just putting it on will make you feel like you have more flare and sophistication. Sometimes the wrap is just something bright and cozy to toss around you like this Sayami cashmere wrap shawl.
Other times it’s part of a sweater set that cascades down the front like this Sutton Studio metallic tank set, and the Jones New York long sleeve cascade front cardigan on the right.
Sometimes it is more like a poncho. Anyway, it is a powerful and sexy way of wrapping up! When worn with a pair of jeans, a sweater wrap adds chic, grown up style to a very casual look.
4. Find some Fun Flat Shoes
If you love to wear your jeans on the weekend, update them with a great pair of flats. Check out these simple pairs of Arche flats for women. These are so comfortable you’ll never want to take them off.
Don’t they look great with JoJami’s skirt and dark brown hose? Want to look more playful? Try this look with a snakeskin flat!
5. Top it off with a Hat
Weekends bring a welcome change from having to do our hair. What better way to step out with bad hair and still feel great than to hide it under a stylish cap! This year men’s wear is big.
We were recently in NYC and saw the Fedora everywhere!Here is a simple black Fedora hat from DKNY.
We also love this French Beret from Nordstroms. With a great scarf and t-shirt and jeans you will have some fun with this nod to French chic. The black wool beret will also look very nice with your jeans.
How many times have hit the stores in search of something new and wonderful and ended up trudging home with the same old thing…..another basic white shirt, another black pair of pants, another plain tank top or another simple 2 piece suit with zero personality? Talk about BORING and disappointing!
If you’re stuck in a style rut and can’t see your way out, here are 5 easy ways to go from Boring to Boomer-licious! Check out our examples, and click on the images to enlarge them!
If you are looking for a new fall suit jacket to spice up your wardrobe, then you probably know by now that grey is new “it” new color. But grey can be lifeless if you don’t do it right.
Grey doesn’t look good on everyone, and for women over 40 grey can really wash you out. So if you finding yourself reaching for this dull grey jacket think again. This jacket is as plain as you can get. It takes the term “classic” to a boring low.
Compare this to the look. You can still wear grey on the bottom, but perk things up with a colored jacket up top to light up your face. The grey skirt (with flecks of brown) warms her up and the striking slate pendant ties everything together. Funny thing too, these gals are wearing the same tank top but look how much richer the one on the right suddenly looks against the green. Also the suede vrs. wool jacket is a hipper, more relaxed option. (This model could use a little nip in at the bust to make the jacket even more fitted. It looks a tad loose) Suede, Jones of New York jacket ($280.00)
If you’re looking for a pretty dress to wear to a cocktail party or night out, why buy a boring knit that has no shape and just hangs on you like a bag?
Although this dress is a great color, that does not make up for its dowdy style.
The dress is too long, even if you are tall (and would make a shorter woman look like a dwarf.) These uninspiring flats make it look, oh so frumpy.
Now check out this hip, fun bold print dress by Melessa Masey on the right. O.K. so it reminds you of something you wore in the 70′s. Don’t get set in your ways. Give it another try and see how it works now.
Geometric prints are very current and the lower neckline and 3/4 length sleeves reveal just enough skin to make a 40+ gal look sexy but not silly.
It’s body skimming but not tight, and the hemline is a flirty, flattering length for evening. Even a solid color in this dress would look smashing. Heels finish off this modern look that will accentuate your figure in all the right places and will make you look like a boomer babe!
Do you keep buying the same white shirt over and over again? Even important staples like this need updating now and again.
Compare the shirt which is loose, and unshapely to the below shirt with it’s fashion forward with ruching at the waist and no cuffs.
This chic stretch cotton shirt with button cuffs looks much more current, doesn’t it?
These little details make the difference between looking tired and stale and looking with it. (Theory Luxe Kiki Shirt-$195-Nordstroms)
What are you wearing sweater -wise these days? We see a lot of women with this look. A white shirt paired with a plain cardigan may feel safe but makes you look very predictable.
Instead push yourself to kick it up a notch. This fall chunky knits are in. This is one trend that can be adapted to suit the 40+ crowd. Look how beautiful this sweater and shirt below looks. So easy to wear. (Ann Taylor)
They’ve taken a white shirt and paired it with a toned down bulky knit (leave the ultra bulky knits for the twentysomethings),then topped it off with a great belt. Instant cool.
We always say the key to looking young is not to try to look young -just keep yourself updated in current styles that suit your body and you’ll automatically take ten years off.
Finally, the little black dress -simple is always best, but don’t be too plain. This round neck long sleeve dress is typical of what many women at woman 40+ might choose. While you can dress it up to make it look sharper why not just move away from something so predictable for a change.
A split v neckline and pretty sleeve instantly kicks it up a notch, so that you go from looking nice to very very N-I-I-I-C-E!!!!!!!(Premise-$325 Saks)
1. Swap your jeans for a skirt
Yes, we know it’s the weekend, but why hide behind jeans just because they’re easy and familiar? Instead try wearing something that will put a little swing into your precious days off like a feminine flat yoke skirt skirt with soft pleats. Pair your skirt with a cozy casmere sweater to feel comfy, but still look chic. A pretty solid scarf in one of your favorite colors tied at the neck will punch up the look, or you can add some smart ballet flats by day, or sexy heels by night.
2. Be Bold in a Bright Jacket
Weekends are play time and what better way to send that message than to add a shot of color. The simplest, most up to the moment way to do that, is to wear a jacket bursting with color. This season we’re seeing jackets in a deep rich rainbow of colors from burnt orange to plum, ruby red, teal blue and saffron.
These emerald colors work really well with all neutrals, especially the new Grey which can be difficult and draining to wear. The key to making this look work is to buy a jacket that fits you absolutely perfectly. Fit is everything especially after 40 to help add structure to a softening body.
3. Play with Scarves
Wait, aren’t scarves for old ladies? Depends on how you wear them. Scarves can be a great way to jazz up an otherwise ordinary outfit. Start with a crisp white blouse, unbutton the first few buttons and tie a long thin scarf a few times around your neck and knot it. Keep your blouse untucked and team it up with a pair of slim fit pants or jeans. Or, you can even try draping a large colorful scarf across a neutral top for a more dramatic look!
If you don’t have a knit top and matching pant or skirt in your weekend wardrobe, then fly out the door and pick one up! These outfits are casual but smart and are the perfect thing to wear shopping, to dinner or on a weekend getaway. Pair a knit skirt with opaque hose , boots or a pair of shoes with one of the new chunky heels.
5. Have Fun with Flat Boots
As the weather turns and the leaves begin to fall, Flat riding boots are a great weekend footwear choice. Rugged and Strong they look best paired with jeans or knit dresses plus opaque stockings. Be aware that your daughter’s heavy Frye boots (yes they’re back) can sometimes look too heavy on 40+ legs if so you may want to opt for a slightly finer version to achieve this look.
The new Fall 2007 Fashions are already popping up in the stores. Here’s what’s in style this season and suggestion for what works best at this stage of the game.
Grey is the Next big Color
Grey is the new black, but this is one color trend that you will want to be careful with. Not everyone looks good in Grey, particularly if you have warm skin tones. Grey can be tricky since it can really wash us gals over 40 out. So, be careful of this often “blah” color, and make sure to pair it with one that will brighten a dreary day up like a beautiful shade of plum or red.
Pant Alert – The Year of Extremes
This fall it seems that the designers can’t make up their minds, so they are doing both the super wide legged pant and the skinny, skinny pant. The wide leg pant looks good on almost everyone, particularly women with bigger hips because the flare of the legs will balance you out. Just make sure the top you choose to go with wide legged pants is not bulky, or you’ll look like a big block. Also, if you are going to add a jacket, it should be short, otherwise you look overwhelmed by fabric. If you are slim and have long legs, then you can pull off the skinny pant. Try pairing it with chunky knit sweater for a hip, sexy look.
Chunky Sweaters
We just talked about pairing a bulky sweater with skinny pants. The one shown here is fine, but beware of bulky sweaters worn with anything else. Why? Over sized sweaters can read “m” as in matronly. That’s because bulky sweaters add bulk! You don’t need that especially if you are already busty or have a no so taught tummy.
We’ve noticed some magazines are even showing these sweaters belted…..HORRORS…ignore this look. They’re also showing over sized mens’ cardigans for women. It’s a fun look best left to twenty-somethings.
High-heeled Oxfords
This fresh new style is everywhere you look. High heeled Oxfords work well with the menswear look, or the Parisian look that is so popular this fall ( French tam, sweater, silky skirt). These shoes have a schoolgirl meets granny look about them and are difficult to pull off unless your style is more like Diane Keaton or Lauren Hutton. In other words they look great with pants and pant suits.
The Vest
Menswear is hot for fall. That means the vest is back and in high demand. If you were to update your wardrobe this season with something that’s on the verge of trendy, this would a fun piece to add in. Layered under a jacket, or worn over a loose blouse with either wide or narrow leg pants, or a long skirt, it is this season’s statement piece.
Patterned Opaque Hose
Dark, Opaque hose can do wonders for lengthening legs and pulling together an outfit. This year, were seeing lots of over sized big patterns, from fishnets, to prints. Opaque Hose have been popular in the past few seasons and were glad they’re still around.
Bold Jewelry
This fall it’s all about bold and tailored. Jewelry is heavier and chunky. Thick jeweled cuffs, layered necklaces, and giant rings, seem just right with the heavy fabrics and thick knits that we’re seeing on the runways.
Sexy no longer means skin baring. Fall is sexy is prim and ladylike with bursts of statement jewelry.
Anybody have a business trip planned in the near future? This week Deborah and I are off to the AICI conference (Association of Image Consultants International) in Minneapolis, MN and have been scrambling to put a few new outfits together, so that we look fabulous for all the other women that will be there!( not to mention the two of us are finally going to meet for the first time, after working together for over a year!)
Recently we shared tips from our latest newsletter with radio host Laura Mainella of Hot 89.9 in Ottawa, Canada. They were curious about what we re going out to buy for ourselves.
So here is what we plan:
A new spring suit in Cream- We love standing out in a crowded sea of black suits and this will surely do the trick! You can’t go wrong using cream as your neutral, since it is so easy to match with tops you already own.
Susan Bigsby’s Ultimate Twin Set – These gorgeous, perfect fitting tops are great for travel. You will need both the top and the cardigan and they come in several colors so you can mix and match. We couldn’t be without them.
Walking Shorts – Standing around all day can play havoc on your tootsies, so we have planned to wear some wedge heels. They help you balance better on your feet and we think they are comfortable as well as chic!
Sweater Wrap – What’s a sweater wrap. Think pashmina with sleeves. This is a fresh take on how to look chic if it gets chilly in and out of the conference room. Look for one that is thin and soft and a pretty color that is neutral so that you can wear it with most things. Try one of the new sleeveless ones for summer.
Layered Chain Necklaces – Accessories can tell the whole story. This summer we are seeing oodles of delicate chains that are being layered in different lengths. Perfect!
How many times have you gone to your favorite restaurant, scanned the menu, meaning to try something new but ended up ordering the same old thing?
The reason we do that is because we get comfortable, we fall into a rut, and that can make life small and boring.
Well, the same thing happens with fashion. Every season a smorgasbord of fashion is offered up to us and many times we fall back on buying the same old look.
We want to encourage you to expand your comfort zone and try something new on the menu. Here are some seasonal Style specials we highly recommend you try:
1. Walking Shorts
Many women worry that these will make them look fat, but give them a try. Look for a pair that has some stretch in them and that are straight legged and flat front. If you have large thighs make sure they are not too skinny. If you are pear shaped avoid high waisted shorts. Layer walking shorts with a fitted tank top or sweater set. These look best with a medium to high heel to stretch your figure.
2. A plunging neckline paired with a cotton camisole.
One thing many women fear is a plunging neckline. The way to pull off this look is to pair it with a cotton camisole that is either plain or has a bit of lace. If you add a necklace or long earrings, you will not feel so naked.
3. Multiple long necklaces
Long chains compliment this season’s flowy look. They can be worn by themselves or a really popular look is to wear a few chains of different lengths. Gold chains and pearls are a popular mix as well as multiple beaded necklaces in different shades. Fine boned gals should choose more delicate chains, while bigger boned gals look best wearing bolder chains.
4. Platform/Wedge Shoes.
You may remember these from the 70′s, but they’re back and looking modern and chic. Best of all they are comfortable and they are available in lots of bright colors
to punch things up. Wedge shoes look great with feminine clothing , flowing skirts, ruffles and lace but in order to not to overpower this look choose cutout wedges that have a lighter look and feel.
5. Experiment with a baby doll top.
In the past we have warned you about this look, with good reason. It is hard for many of us to pull off. However, if you are fairly trim and not too busty, we encourage you to go ahead and try it. Best if worn with fitted jeans or leggings. Looks best with flats.
6. Cropped Jacket.
The short cropped jacket is everywhere. If you have not tried it yet, it is comfortable and flattering for most body types. We like the ones in softer fabrics with interesting collars and lots of details like fabulous buttons or trim. The most popular styles are Safari -in khakis, olives and blacks; Military- with braid gold and buttons; Romantic – with pretty patterns and feminine details like bell sleeves. These jackets say modern and modern is youthful!
7. Try a sweater wrap.
What’s a sweater wrap? Think a Pashmina with sleeves. This fresh take on a how to look chic if it gets chilly is a wardrobe must. Look for one that is thin and soft and a pretty color that is neutral, so that you can wear it with most things. Try one of the new sleeveless ones for summer.
