Sometimes we make things more difficult than they need to be. I know I'm guilty of doing this all the time. I find it's my need for perfection that leads me to know everything about something...before I even dare take one-step forward. As this new year unfolds-I'm working hard to stop doing this!!!!
Instead of a complete third degree investigation-I'm opening my eyes and my mind and just getting in there and DOING IT. Whatever it is that's new to me, I'm going forward and learning as a go.
Most of this "wait and figure it out" attitude pops up its ugly head when it come is to learning new technology. I hesitate to push buttons and easily get frustrated. However, on the flip side, when it comes to my fashion-I'll take lots of chances and try (just about) anything!
My "I'll do it" attitude is full-on go with my style! Stop and take a look at your style choices. Question what you are wearing. Are your outfits daring or creative? Are they colorful? Are they innovative and unique-or do the lean towards the boring side? What changes in attitude can you make in order to improve your style?
Here's a quick way to move your style forward in 2018...Use the ABC's of style every time you dress. Let me know your thoughts and challenges as we begin this new year together.
Need more style suggestions and help for dressing for your body's shape?
I believe most women have a fair amount of common sense. However, sometimes even the most wonderful woman can be lead astray by a style she thinks looks good on her (twenty years later). You know that woman I'm talking ab'out. She's over 40, yet still wearing short skirts that she (literally) wore in her twenties!!! It's obvious the short skirt is not a favorable look with her aging legs. Who wants to be the one to tell her that she looks horrible?
The truth is...she's too OLD to wear that style! Yes, in MissusSmartyPants' opinion clothing labels should have an"expiration date" on them so this "too old to wear it" dilemma would no longer occur.
There are plenty of young, hip, trendy styles that can make you appear OLDER. Yes this is very scary, but it is true you need to tread lightly with the trends when you are over forty!
Here are just a few of the "youthful" styles an older woman should totally AVOID:
Message tees. You know the tees that say things like "Your boyfriend thinks I'm HOT!" Wearing a message tee (or ass-vertising sweats) like this...screams desperate!!!
INSTEAD: Choose to wear a great quality cotton tee that you can dress up or down...with NO silly writing, LOL!
Overly Trendy Denims. You've seen these women before: a rocking-hard body and a face that looks over 60, or more. The overly trendy jeans that are ultra LOW rise, torn and/or embellished with rhinestones just aren't doing this "hot mama" justice!!!
INSTEAD: Choose a dark wash bootcut jean and you'll look fabulous and "on-trend" no matter your body size or shape. This style of jean is the best for helping slim and balance your proportions.
Sky-high heels. Too high or overly theatrical styled shoes can make you look silly--not stylish! With these shoes be sure to include thigh-high boots, and 5 inch cork wedges.
INSTEAD: Stop torturing your feet! It's time to be kind and get real with your shoe styling. As we age we lose that fatty cushioning we had in our youth. Look for shoe styles/brands that are wider, sole cushioned and with thicker shorter heels. TRY BRANDS LIKE: Cole Hann, Aerosoles, Nurture Shoes, etc. PAY more when it comes to your shoes because foot comfort matters so much!
Micro-minis. Tina Turner pushed the limits on this one because she had pretty hot-looking legs! However, keep in mind she was on STAGE!!! ALL etsy-bitsy skirts should be sent directly to Goodwill. End of story.
INSTEAD: replace short skirts with straight or A-line skirts around the knee. TIP: if you have a slightly shorter skirt (a couple of inches above the knee) you could still wear it if you wear opaque tights at the same time.
Excessive Cleavage. Some women are well endowed and well some aren't. That's just the way it is. All 'boobage' is womanly (regardless of size) and therefore is beautiful, in my humble opinion.
BUT when it comes to cleavage in public: less is more!
'These are just a few of my un-favorite things' that can trip up any beautiful woman's style! Keep it on the classic side and you'll look fabulous every day.
Also avoid hand-made hokey jewelry, goth inspired belts and necklaces with spikes, black nail polish, glitter makeup in bright colors....GOSH! I could be here all night listing the SILLY TRENDS a grown woman really should avoid.
On most days unless it's extremely hot outside, I prefer to cover my wobbly upper arms. I really do feel more comfortable when my upper arms are covered rather than exposed. I live in the south so most days are pretty warm but I try to keep them covered.
Can you recommend a cute style of top that I won't overheat in and one that still allows my upper arms to be covered? I'm a body type C in case that helps. I have learned so much from your program and really love getting it every Thursday.
Thanks! Fondly, Maureen
MSP HERE: Dear Maureen,
Thanks for your style question. I feel any woman that wants to go sleeveless should. There is no reason to feel we must have 'perfect' arms (most of us don't). But I also understand if you aren't comfortable, well then you aren't comfortable--end of story.
If you choose to cover your arms, there are lots of cute and trendy tops to choose from that will keep you cool.
Use these tips to help you find the best sleeve/top styles:
1. Avoid styles that are too constrictive
2. Avoid sleeves that stop at your wide part of your upper arm (like a cap or short sleeves)
3. Look for tops that stop around or close to the lower-bicep to elbow area (most flattering sleeve length)
4. If upper arms are heavy, yet you want to go sleeveless, look for tanks with wide straps (avoid spaghetti straps)
FYI: This season Chicos has some really great style options you will love...I'm all about you NOT overheating, LOL!
I cannot believe the compliments coming my way. I am 62 years old and about 30 pounds overweight, but people are frequently saying “you look sassy,” “you looked very pretty at our meeting,” “have you lost weight?” I haven’t received these kinds of remarks since I was 40. And they’re coming from my colleagues and friends who are 30 years younger than I am!
What a difference proper fit, style, proportion and color make. Systers, I’m probably preaching to the choir here, but never believe that style is irrelevant. People will listen to you and pay attention to your message when you are pleasant to look at. Why not make an effort to look good?
It costs very little but a little time, and it’s time very well spent.
Thank you, thank you, Leslie for your knowledge and generous sharing of your skills.
Best regards and all my thanks for helping me dress for my body type, Carol
MSP HERE: Hi Carol,
Thanks for sharing your style testimonial. Having great style at any age gives a woman such an uplifting feeling - and you are living proof!
Carol you are so right, "People will listen to you and pay attention to your message when you are pleasant to look at. Why not make an effort to look good? " Your words say it all.
Love, Leslie MSP
Proper fit, style, proportion and color...PLUS weekly tips like these from MissusSmartyPants.com
What's MissusSmartyPants.com really all about? It's about women. Women like you who simply want to dress better and feel good about themselves.
MissusSmartyPants is real style advice you can use. It's an easy-to-use style program that helps you find your best styles based on body's shape and take you through each season in an age appropriate way, teaching you how to touch on the trends and look current and up-to-date. It's what every woman wants personally for herself. Is MSP for you? Yes! No matter your age, shape, size, height...you deserve to look and more importantly, feel your best! To personally help as many women as I can is my mission, no it's more than just a mission ...it's my passion to help each you get there...one baby step at a time. Are you ready to become all that you can truly be?
It's working for so many women. Why not you? Why not today? Right now is the best time to "jump right in right where you are" and begin. Join MissusSmartyPants with a Personal Profile style membership for your body type.
Here's proof dressing well improves your life in so many ways:
Leslie,
I have been following your dressing advice for several years now and I
thought you would like to know that this 61 year old grandmother
received the best compliment this past Sunday at church. One of the
ladies at church said hello to me, asked me how I was doing and then
said, "Bonnie, you look like a young girl!" I was wearing a black
pencil skirt (just below the knee - I'm a "C"), black flats, a black
short sleeve tee with a long tan 3/4 sleeve sweater. I am a Spring
and well aware that black near my face is not the most flattering for
me so I wore a teal statement necklace and medium gold/teal hoops. The
teal, gold & tan complimented my Spring complexion and kept the
black tee from causing me to pale out. My makeup was still in the
Spring color range. Since
I started dressing the Missussmartypants way, people are surprised to
know that I really weigh 170 lbs. One lady even commented that she
thought I was in the 130-ish lb. range. My 29 year old daughter recently
said to me, "I didn't think the time would ever come that I would be
interested in my mother's clothes". She even recently borrowed that
black pencil skirt of mine to wear to a wedding! I receive compliments
often on my complexion, when it's really the color of the makeup and
clothes that are so flattering. Thank you for helping me age
gracefully! Bonnie in Ky
How do you know when styles and trends are no longer appropriate for you? Is there a magic number or age to tell you when to purge that mini skirt? What does the term “age appropriate mean, anyways? With the new philosophy of “50” being the new “40”—can’t you pretty much wear whatever you want?
The guidelines for age appropriate dressing are no longer so clean cut. It’s more difficult to decide what is appropriate-but on the flip side—this means there are more style options. What you wear is a matter of personal choice; however you still need to be careful not to dress too young or too trendy—or you will look like you are trying too hard.
More and more women want to dress stylish and look their best--no matter their age. One of the best ways to up-date your look is to inventory your wardrobe and remove old dated styles (like tapered pants with pleats). When you wear outdated styles it will certainly make you look older, so removing “old” styles from your wardrobe will update YOU.
Women want to wear clothes they like, and feel confident in. A majority of women do not want to dress like their sixteen-year-old and they know they shouldn’t--thank goodness! On the other side of the coin, women who are over forty are fearful of dressing like their mature mothers! Where is the stylish middle ground between dressing too young and looking matronly?
Let’s examine ourselves, our style and our closet with the tips below. This will help you negotiate the trends in the stores and still be age appropriate as well:
__How current is your hairstyle? (Your hair is a critical part of your overall look) Are you still stuck in a style moment that has past? Hairstyles are like cars—they may still work, but you must go in for a regular tune-up! Learn modern techniques of hair care and at least “tweak” the style you have. A good hairstylist to recommend a new hair style and color if you are stuck in a rut.
__Remember there are no written rules: always wear clothes that you feel confident in.
__You can’t go wrong with a tailored blazer, some darker jeans and cute shoes you really like! This combination always looks good—no matter your age!
__Realize that young twenty year olds DO have more style choices.
__Conservative clothes can be alluring.
__Women that put more effort into their appearance are more self-confident.
__Dressing like your teenage daughter makes you appear desperate and older! Embrace your age—younger gals will envy you—and your confidence!
__The concept of aging is constantly being re-defined and you should continually re-define your wardrobe too!
__Honestly figure out what no longer suits you and find out what does. Do you have a great looking neckline, calves, arms, or earlobes? Whatever it is, show it off!
__Really nice shoes and a handbag, always make you look first-rate. Splurge, if you can on one item that makes you feel fabulous!
__Try MissusSmartyPants favorite style tip: dress monochromatic. It is always slimming and all you need is add a funky necklace or other unique accessory as a focal point!
__Go easy on a trend. Be careful not to overdue a good thing. Only one piece denim, or if going boho chic, don’t wear the peasant skirt and top, sparkly slip-on shoes and big earrings! Just a touch of a trend is all you need!
__Accept that some styles are just not right for your body type. Find the right fit for your shape and you’ll feel like a million bucks!!
See, it’s really not that hard to dress well--no matter your age.
