Monday, November 26, 2007

Hey I Heart...

Tartan too!

Great post from DC Goodwill Fashions (Yes. Goodwill. The place where people send their surplus stuff. The blog, by the way, is very good - I've added it to my blog links to the right.)

I'm (Heartin') Tartan...

I saw part of this piece on Sunday Morning (stupidly, I'd turned away for a few moments and missed the first part!) and it was very good - I'd love to take a look at the book!

Ah, it made me think wishfully of a wonderful cream and black wool tartan skirt my Mom brought me back in the day from Lytton's a Chicago area fine clothing store that was one of the places to go for good clothes in my youth (click the link for more info on this long gone - it closed in 1986 - establishment.).

I outgrew it before it wore out and I had it for quite a while - my mom, as so many from her generation, believed in buying clothes that would last!

Ah Tu-anh!...

While on the aforementioned blog, do read the following post as well...

A bag in the Hand...

I was intrigued by the bag from Tu-anh so I went by the site - and was well rewarded. The bags are lovely! Some are beautifully beaded and some are made of vintage obi material which ensures a unique piece. I especially liked the little jewel like change purses...



Vietnamese Silk Jacquard Coin Purse - 24.99


I can imagine carring one of these in an evening bag - what a delightful treat to reach in and pull out one of these lushly colored silk treasures!

Do go by the site or her EBay store and check them out for yourself!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

My guy Isaac M....

Is at it again over at Target...



Isaac Mizrahi Taffeta Couture Couture Bodice Dress - $49.99


Now I have to say that I'm not particularly impressed by some of his other Target holiday offerings, but I actually saw this dress at a local Target in a deep Navy blue and it took my breath away! It looks and feels like a dress that is so much more expensive! An I agree with the online reviews - it looks like it is very curve friendly!

In sizes 2 - 18, thanks to Isaac, a lot of ladies can look very lushly attired this holiday season!

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Fab50Plus is now on Facebook!....

Believe it or not!

Chalk it up to my oldest nephew! (This is why it's good to have young people in your life!) I'd joined Facebook as a lark but in all honesty just didn't get it!

Then my nephew joined -- and what should I receive but an invite to join his friends!

What was an aunt to do -- but get on and get with the program! And guess what - I'm actually having great fun as my sister and my other nieces and nephews have joined as well! It really is a great way to keep in touch throughout the day!

Then I remembered that Zazzle had worked a deal with MySpace and Facebook to enable associates to feature different Zazzle designer/contributors on a MySpace or Facebook page!

As you know, periodically, I post designs I find on Zazzle that I feel fit the theme of this blog - fashion and fashionable aging! But I can't really post all the great designs I come across here - after all we're talking clothes and accessories here, not art per se!

So I figured that the Facebook page would be a great place for me to feature the Zazzle designers I think are creating great fashion and style related graphics! So I jumped in and created a Facebook for Fab50Plus!

In addition, I'm going to add any fun fashion related applications to the Fab50Plus page - so you can have some fun as well! (Check out the My Fab Bag app I've already added - it gives you virtual dollars to create a virtual handbag collection. You might be surprised what you would buy if you had the dollars to do so! I'm certainly surprising myself! ;-) )

To get there just click the link to the right - and join as a friend!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Interesting.....

After all that tis, tising about how foolish the Gap was to try and market directly to the boomer woman, it looks like others are trying to slink into the market....

Ann Taylor Said to Plan Boomer Unit

Along with Bloomingdales' Quotation department, it seems that retailers are finally figuring out that there's gold in us "over the hill" boomers! (Think I'll go check out the Bloomies near my job - maybe they have this section and I can see for myself what they're offering!)

We'll see if Ann Taylor has more of a stomach for it than the Gap which just plain baled on the concept to try and shore up their other failing stores! (Even through, from what I hear, Forth and Towne was actually making money! Go figure!) Considering how allergic they appear to be in their current stores to stocking sizes over 16, it will be interesting to see if they can conceive of carrying a size 20!

Thanks to Fabulous After 40 for the head's up!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

I Heart Isaac Mizrahi .....

He just knows how to do high/low style:

At Bluefly:




Black Suede Demille Pumps - $171.00




Scarlet Patent Leather Fonda Pumps - $183.00






Dark Brown Leather Croc Print Lorre Pumps





Grey Suede Crosby Slingback Pumps - $171.00



At Target:




Sandy Ankle Boot Black - $36.99





Becca Platform Pumps Black - $29.99




Francesca Mary Janes Black - $29.99




Kacy Tailored Pumps Brown - $29.99

Payless Does Flats....

From American Eagle:




Carson Flat - $9.99


Perfect for all those upcoming holiday parties!






Addie Ballet Flat - $19.99


I love the color of this shoe! While my toes might not agree, I love the ballet box toe as well!


From Lela Rose:



Addle Hill Flat - $25.00


I think this is a really interesting take on the tweed shoe!

From Abaeté




Kimberlee Flat- $30.00


This would work as both a work and a party flat.





Betty Flat - $30.00


Another pretty flat that can do you right this holiday season!

Renovations all around!

Two of my favorite sites have renovated their look....

Ms. Kathryn has totally changed the look of The Budget Fashionista

And Baghaus.com has done the same!

Thursday, November 08, 2007

And you thought dominos....

Were just for games....

Over at Give Simple designer Shelly Rudiger's company has used dominoes to create lovely pendants.

Here's a taste....



The dominoes are decorated by different artists and at $26.00 each, it's a reasonable way to wear a bit of lovely art!

You've found the perfect pair of black pumps......

Or sleek little black flats.

But their, well, plain.

Boring.

Never fear! Absolutely Audrey has got it covered!

I remember shoe clips from way back - and theirs are just too lovely!

A couple of my favs:





Angelina - $30.00




Audrey - $25.00




Faith - $19.99

Just goes to show - everything old IS new again!

A shout out to BrandHabit for the heads up!

When it comes to dressing.....

What do middle-aged women want?

Over at Second City Style they try to puzzle it out....

Style. Not My Daughter's Mother: Middle-Age Women Who Don't Want to Dress Middle-Age. Second City Style Fashion Blog


Outside of the slam against Forth and Towne (which I was happy to see, is being firmly refuted in the comments), it's an interesting take on how challenging retailers are finding it to market to the 40+ woman. Do click the link to the Wall Street Journal article (in which they too, continue the urban legend that F & T "failed" because it explicitly marketed to older women). Check out the sidebar for a tip sheet on flattering looks for the middle aged women - it's pretty decent.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Sometimes a handbag.....

Really is worth the price.

I put these in that category:




Stephanie Waddell Bowler Handbag $368.00


The form of the bag is just classic and the pattern is so lovely and timeless, it's a bag you could carry anywhere. I don't think it could ever grow old and it's a bag you can be proud to hand down to the next generation!

And you can pop this right into it:

Flip & Tumble's 24-7 Grocery Bag

It's just perfect for those times that you run into the local store to pick up just one thing and end up leaving with 6! And either the store wants to give them to you in a paper bag you'll have to fight and tumble around in your arms all the way to the car and/or home, or take yet another plastic bag to cutter up your kitchen!

A shout out to Mad About Bags for the 411 on these two great finds!

As makeup phobic as I am....

Even I recently invested in a foundation - as I'm tired of lookin' tired!

Barb at Barbs Beauty Tips for Babes Over 60 concurs...

Sorting Out New Foundations

My pick was Clinique's Perfectly Real Makeup (which, no I have not put on since I brought it - did I mention how makeup phobic I am?), however as I was originally looking for a tinted moisturiser I think I will be checking out their Supermoisture Makeup as well!

Okay, when I'm sick with the flu......

and confined to my bed so sore with muscle aches that I would basically tell anyone anything to make it stop, I've never really cared about how I looked.

But if I did care it would be great to be wearing something like this....

What to wear when you're sick

But I think I'd just as soon skip the statue and just stick with the tissue box!

InStyle's Instant Style.....

Has, for a pleasant change, several outfits that I think can serve the 50+ gal well!

For those fall work days:



Yeah I know, those heels are perilous! But I realize there are 50+ gals out there that can still wear 'em well! And you can easily do this same outfit with a pair of the many great flats that are out there today!



I love the edge the leather jacket gives this look - and the very subtle plaid of the pants gives you a chance to incorporate this classic pattern into your wardrobe in a very laid back way.




Red, as ever, gives what could be an outfit with too much monotone just the right pop!


For an early evening dinner out:




Slip on a sleek black leather jacket over this one and let the mouths drop! No, it's not for every 50+ woman - but I know there's plenty of you out there that can pull this one off with style! Work it girl, work it! ;-)


Now for those holiday evenings (can you believe we're talking holiday parties already! Yow! : - O )




I'd wear this one in a heart beat - dressed up and grown-up Annie Hall, oh yeah!




This is just perfect for the office party - simple, comfortable and good lookin'! You can concentrate on putting your best foot forward without worrying about what you're wearing! And it's an outfit you can wear to the office that day with ease!

But if you need a bit more sparkle for that office soiree:



Yeah, I know what you're thinkin' - where's the Little Black Dress! Well they didn't have one as a choice - so I'll have to work on that one for yah!

Fabulous at 50.....

Does a bit of a rant on the whole "Chic at any age" attempts (abet half-hearted) by women's mags:

Chic at any age - Really?

In main I agree (except with the kudo to MORE magazine - but that's another whole post!), through I do think there are some mags, Harper's Bazaar being one, that do actually provide suggestions for clothes for women across the age spectrum (check out their Fabulous at Any Age article which appears each month and now, happy is online as well!).

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Over at Fabulous over 40....

The fabulous posts just keep on comin'!:

5 ways to go from Boring to Boomer-licious!

(Boomer-licious - that's how I'm lookin' to go out! ;-) )

The Pencil Skirt, do you have one in your closet?


(My answer? Yes I do! As far as I'm concerned a good black pencil skirt is a must have in every woman's closet. It should be hanging right next to your indispensable LBD!)

Falling in love with NYC

Now that you're Boomer-licious in your fierce pencil skirt - go rock the Big Apple!

(As for the The Three Tomatoes site - I'm bookmarkin' it even as we speak!

Over at The Budget Fashionista.....

Chadwicks Becomes Stylish

I posted back in May on Chadwick's attempt to bring in a better line of clothes -- I haven't gone by their site in a while, but I'm glad to hear that they continue to bump up their style offerings!

She continues the Chadwick's theme with sale info:

Daily Deal: Chadwick's Winter Savings

And you might want to get a bag to go with that new coat:

Daily Deal: Endless.com Big Bag Sale

As ever, Ms. K clues you on how to dress well for less!

Weekend in Paris....

Anyone?



If the idea tickles your fancy, skip on over to
Style.com Paris Weekend to enter!

Speaking of things I can't afford.....

Check out this post on The Bag Lady:

Pauric Sweeney Python Bag

Now while ostensibly this is a post about yet another expensive handbag, the B Lady uses it as a hook to do a brief rumination on the skyrocketing prices of "luxury" handbags. Do check out the NYT article she links to as well - it does a more in dept overview of the whole "bag bubble" concept!

The Bag Lady is probably my favorite bag site for just this reason: She does not assume that the only handbag worth talking about must cost $500+ and be made of some obscure animal (Komodo Dragon clutch anyone?). Instead she features a wide selection of bags and other goods as well in an equally wide price range.

My only sadness regarding her site is that she is based in the UK - so many of the goodies she features are, sadly, only available in the UK! :- (

That aside, it's a great site - so do yourself a favor and Bookmark it Dano! ;-)

Friday, November 02, 2007

Okay, sometimes a shoe.....

Isn't a shoe - it's a piece of architecture...

Over at Kristopherdukes

Christian Louboutin Shoes With Bow

Can't wear 'em, can't afford 'em - but that doesn't keep me from lovin' 'em! ;-)

The Bowler Handbag....

Silhouette is all over the place this season.

Yes, you say, but don't all those bags cost upwards to $1000+?

Not if you know where to look.....




Ann Taylor Leather Bowler $79.99


Sadly, it only comes in the brown but still - if you've been dying to add this look to your bag collection, but you still want to be able to pay to live indoors, hookin' it up with Ann T. might just be the way to go!