Sigh! I guess the whole yellow thing...

Is not going to go away as a trend for Spring!

Personally, I'm NOT a huge fan of the color - when I was younger too much of it made me nauseous! But it appears it is one of the "IT" colors for this Spring - and I must admit that, in the right proportions, it can give a sunny kick to your outfit!

As I do not, at my age at any rate, feel the need to look like a de-striped bumble-bee by wearing an entire yellow outfit, I decided that the best way to take advantage of this trend was with an accessory. So I surfed around and found a few I thought were promising:

Handbags:




Isaac Mizrahi for Target® Flap Bag with Buckle - Grainy Yellow - $16.99

Cute and not to pricey - easy to throw into the back of the closet once the whole yellow thing is over!




Mustard Round Hobo - $45.00

Okay, mustard is cheating a bit - but the bag is cute and the subtler color can easily carry over into fall!



Buti
Tulip - Orange & Yellow Leather Buckled Strap Tote - $499.00

What can I say - I just plain love this bag! It's percentage of yellow is just right! (Yes, I wish the price was better, as in cheaper - but I guess sometimes you really do get what you pay for!)


Shoes:

For those of us who need to keep their feet more or less on the ground:






Chinese Laundry LANDYS DOT CANVAS - YELLOW - $59.00



Seychelles 'Social Climber' Flat - $64.95






Diba Kitten Flat - $82.95




For those who can reach a bit higher:



BC Mesh Wedge - $58.00








Ada by Frye - $165.00




Chariot by Delman - $175.00

Seychelles "And the Winner Is" Yellow Patent Leather Pump - $79.99

And if you can still handle the height - good on ya!:

Aldo URSA - $69.99

Marc by Marc Jacobs - $328.95


Now for those of you who, like me, are not big yellow fans - but don't mind sporting a bit of the sunshine color:

Ballroom by Bettye Muller - $295.00




Canvas Printed Wedge - $48.00





:Dolce Vita Braided Slingback - $78.00




Gazebo by Bettye Muller - $375.00


I'm sure there are a bunch of belts and babbles as well that you can slip on to give a bit of sunshine to your spring outfit - and if I come across any that look promising I'll post them!



Meanwhile, this lot should give you a good start! Enjoy!

Designer Handbag Giveaway at BlueFly....

Get yourself on over to BlueFly to enter their daily contest to win a designer bag (which is probably the ONLY way I'd ever be able to get one!):




Bag-O-Rama Daily Giveaway

Of course you have to register to play....

Over at YouLookFab

Agreed.....

Amazing Ann Taylor

I have to confess that I've had a bit of a mad on at Ann Taylor - their clothes only go up to a size 18. That works for my top - but not necessarily for my bottom!

But for classically beautiful clothes I must admit, their styles are among the best and provide a practically no-brainer way to put together a wardrobe that will work for a wide range of ages.

So if you are in that 0 - 18 size range you would be foolish not to check them out!

Also from The Budge Fashionista.....

A seek-peek at the new Madonna line at H&M:

Unveiled: M by Madonna Collection at H&M (scoot down to the bottom of the page for the post). She also has a link to a screen show of the whole collection.

My favs:

















Photo credit: Detny.no

What next - the Second Coming?.....

This from the The Budget Fashionista:

Calvin Klein and Michael Kors Launch Plus Size Lines

I agree with Ms. K completely that this will be a nice addition to the usual choices of Jones of NY (Which by the by, I really love) and AK Anne Klein (Ditto on the love thing!) for those plus size ladies who are looking for something good-looking to wear!

I'll be interested to see what their plus size lines will look like. It's been my experience that their usually a large size version of their misses line. Sometimes that works - and sometimes it doesn't. So it will be interesting to see if either of them take a slightly different tack.

Yes, I'm still here.....

I know I've been somewhat MIA recently - work has been absolutely crazy!

But I will be back posting regularly soon! In the meantime, get yourself over to Wardrobe 911 for the following great posts:


dawn hudson, fashionable ceo

Ms. Teresa of late, has been posting pics of women she feels are great style examples. I heartily agree with her statement on the difficulties of finding pics of anyone other than celebs - that's one of my frustrations in blogging this site!


the right pant pockets for you


Get the scoop on the RIGHT way to handle those pesky pockets! (Personally I love pockets in pants, but they can impact the look of the silhouette - know what I'm saying?)


the mighty shoulder

Great post on how to determine what type of shoulder frame you have and how to make the best of it. I posted a question for clarification to this post and Ms. Teresa's gracious answer was wonderfully clear - can't wait to try it to determine my shoulder type!


She has loads more - including her take on Forth and Towne. We aren't in agreement on that one, but hey that's life! So put some time aside to spend with Ms. T - your wardrobe will be the better for it!

And be at the ready -- I'll be posting a ton of stuff in the next few days!

Ah, new shoes for Spring....

Come on, I know you're all thinking about it. Spring, new clothes, new shoes....

Even I, who am no shoe freak (bags are my bag!) have found my mind awandering to my feet and the possibilities once the snow is off the ground!

If you too are getting that shoe love feeling, head on over to Stylebakery for a little Sole Searching.

What I love about this list is that it contains shoes of many different heights which can suit women of a wide age range and shoe tolerance. The prices are wide ranging as well - enabling you to walk fashionably into Spring without totally emptying your handbag!

Many thanks to Kristopher Dukes for the heads up!

Here's the article I was TRYING to get to!

Is Looking Your Age Now Taboo?


Personally, I HATE needles! So no one is coming at me with one unless it's for legit medical reasons!

It's very sad that people as young as 30 are feeling the need to look younger! Where will it end - folks trying to look like toddlers forever?

Along with not being fully aware of how false the images we see in ads and mags are, with even 14 year old models being airbrushed (Okay, there is something basically wrong with 14 year olds modeling clothes meant for adults to start out with - but that's a whole other post!) I think there's more than a bit of death denial going on here.

Well guess what, folks - as Capt. Picard said so well about life "Nobody gets out of here alive."

Face up to your age! Deal with it and get on with it - with as much style as you can manage!

No it's not easy - I can testify to that - every morning when I look in the mirror!

But my guess is you'll be a lot happier in the long run - and you'll actually be able to smile without cracking your face off!

Okay, this is really weird....

I was trying to link to a totally different article - but this is the one that came up:

Writing Her Own Sequel

I'm not one to fight synchronicity....

Here's where the fun begins....

Got this in the e-mail this morning....



Forth and Towne Spring Essentials Sale

It was probably planned prior to the announcement that the store is closing. But it does become a calculation of timing - buy something that is just on sale now or wait 'till the liquidation you know is coming?

I have to admit, I'm tempted to go ahead and buy the white blouse -- I've had my eye on it and there should be plenty of size choice right now!

Anyway -- just a heads up!

Forth and Towne....

Is toast....

Gap shutting down Forth & Towne chain

Here's The Budget Fashionista's take...

Breaking News: Forth and Towne is Closing...

Sigh...I too am disappointed, but not surprised. When I began reading that the Gap was in trouble I knew that F&T would be the first to go.

I was able, a few weeks ago, to visit the one here in the Chicago area -- and came away very impressed and with a great deal on a lovely navy sweater ($27.00 with tax, down from 128.00!). The physical plant was gorgeous (the dressing rooms are to die for!), the service sublime, and the clothes I felt, contrary to the snarky comment in the MSNBC article, had the kind of mature style women of an age are looking for - chic not dowdy.

I'm not saying that there was not room for improvement. The sizes could go up beyond size 20 -- but even that was a kind of triumph - especially because they did not segregate the larger sizes from the smaller ones!.

At the very least, it was most definitely a store designed for grown-ups - for me it had the feel of what I would envision a modern upscale clothing salon should be.

But in all honesty, the Gap was all too tentative about this attempt at serving the over 35 woman. As far as I could tell, they didn't even start advertising the stores in the major fashion mags until this past Christmas! It was as if they wanted to do it, but didn't really want anyone to know that they were doing it. It was a "secret lover" kind of thing - like the Hermes Kelly bag an oh so rich lover would give -- and then not acknowledge you when he sees you on the street! (Not that I have any experience of that, mind you!)

Personally, I think they are making yet another bad call in closing this chain -- but then they didn't ask me.

Anyway....At least those of us who have a F&T nearby will be able to look forward to one hell of a sale! If you have one in your area, go by and savor what might have been.

Age Appropriate Glamour........

Across the age curve!




Helen Mirren





Abigail Breslin

Pic credit Style.com

And while we're on the issue of size....

Check out the following post on Styledash....

Plus size Elisabeth stores closing

Personally, I'm glad that the two sites are consolidating - I aways felt irritated that when you clicked the plus size link on the Liz Clairborne site you got shuttled away to the Elizabeth site. It was as if to say "Opps, your one of THOSE women - begone with you to the plus size ghetto!"

Note that I love the Liz Clairborne line for all sizes - they are great, classic clothes. But I find the claim that they can't make a buck selling plus size clothes disingenuous at best.

It MIGHT help if they advertised that they do have this great plus size line! They have 2 2 page adds in both Vogue and Instyle this month (Not in Harpers Bazaar through - interesting, given that Harpers, in my opinion, is a better mag than Vogue. But I digress....) and nether gave the impression that they are marketing to women in a wide range of sizes!

The answer to the question at the end of the post is that plus size women don't want to buy less clothes per se - it just takes so much more time for them to find the clothes that they probably do end up buying less! And Liz C is not the only ones guilty of hiding their plus size light under a bushel basket - Jones of NY has a great plus size line as does Nine West (My sister brought an absolutely beautiful blouse from their line at Macy's which she loves and looks fab on her!) - but have you ever seen their plus lines advertised in the "fashion" mags?

The same applies to 50+ plus gals in general - the only lines I've seen that actually market in a way that says "come on by" is J Jill and Eileen Fisher (Chico's probably does as well).

ANYWAY....Let's focus on the positive here - MARCH SALE!

So if you are lucky enough to have a Elisabeth store nearby and you're a lovely plus size lady, stop on by. It will be a great chance to pick up some of those staples (pants, shirts, jackets, etc.) that your closet just might be short on!

Well, Duh!....

Okay -- this is exactly what I've been saying to myself lately...

Women, Retailers and Fashion: Yes, Size Does Matter

I too am sick and tired of the Indiana Jones hunt when trying to find something to wear! I'm sure this is one of the issues that explains why my sewing class is full!

There goes the neighborhood......

Another view of the “fashion” craze – and it ain’t pretty!

Fashion designers have unraveled my neighborhood

Another one of those unintentioned consequences stories!

Even more ironic is that if the roots of the invasion of the writer's home turf was due to Sex and the City, one of the characters on that very show complained about the same thing.

Or to quote the intrepid Samantha "The only designer name that belongs in the Meat Packing district is Oscar Meyer."

Ohhhh!!!!!.......

If you've been reading me fairly regularly, you know that I'm no advocate of expensive shoes OR handbags - and I LOVE handbags!

But when I saw this pic, my heart too went "POP!":


Spring 2007 Santa Barbara Louis Vuitton Shoes $575.00


Skip over to Kristopher Dukes for the full skinny on these glorious slings:



Spring 2007 Louis Vuitton Shoes


At $575.00 and with my swelling feet, this pair won't be gracing MY poor dogs anytime soon! But if you are:

1. Lucky enough to be able to wear them

2. Lucky enough to have the ducats to buy them

Go for it!

Okay -- let me slap myself a couple of times and get myself back to reality!

Okay – It’s time to stop the insanity…..

Get a load of this....

Fashion chain plump for Size 12 model

Looking at the picture of the model in question, I have to say that if SHE is considered "plus size" by the fashion industry, then their train has truly left the reality track!

Well kiddos to the John Lewis stores for deciding to leave la la land and join the rest of us in the real world!

Over at The Sartorialist....

Scott has posted this pic - a great example of mature style....

Deep Style

You'll have to go to the bottom of the page -The Sartorialist - to find the post and see the other pic of this lady. I'm not too sure about the outfit in the other picture he has of this same woman - to me that one is struggling.

But this one is dead on - very casual, yet quite stylish as well. I love the brown coat and the handbag really centers the outfit -- it reminds me of this one over at Forzieri:




Pratesi Cherry Classic Leather Flap Handbag - $295.00

More importantly, in both pictures, is this lady's manner -- she's comfortable in her own skin and it shows. That confidence makes the outfit - she isn't second guessing or doubting herself.

THAT'S the way to walk through the world - and if you do, you'll make just about any outfit work!

Hop over to The Budget Fashionista....

And check out this post....

Personal Finance Advice: Buy and Sell Coupons and Giftcards on eBay

For those of you who might have received a less than desirable gift card over the holidays - this is a way to convert that usable piece of plastic to something you'll love!

(Personally, the last gift card I got was a $50 job from my niece for Best Buy - used up in 60 seconds! Did I mention I'm a electronics, music, DVD geek as well?....)

Proenza Schouler for Target....

I have to admit I haven't paid much attention to this addition to Target's GO International line even through the buzz for it has been intense on the fashion blogs. It is obviously aimed at the teen through 20s woman with bright, bright colors and short, short skirts - cute for the young but not exactly what I'd be wearing!

But - surprise! - seems it pays not to discount any fashion line:

Proenza Schouler Palm Print Jacquard Sweater - Charcoal Gray/ Navy - $34.00


I really like the subtle print on this sweater - it's just the kind of item that, thrown over a navy turtleneck and pencil or a-line skirt for work, causes the best kind of double take look - that "is that a little different?" look from others. (One of the comments on this sweater is that it is too "matronly" - but I suspect it's from one of those 20 somethings who's not quite facing the "real" working world quite yet!)


It's still available on-line, but only in x-large (which gladdens MY heart!).


Throw the following on your shoulder -- and you're ready to rock and roll - sedately that is!

Isaac Mizrahi for Target® City Satchel - Black $29.99


(Dear Isaac - you can count on him!)

Hey, can somebody open a window?.....

Because over at Well Past 50 their talkin' hot flashes!

Boomer Advice: Hot Flashes

Because, as you know if you've had them, nothing is less fashionable than sweating through your fabulous new AK Klein blouse when one of those nuclear hot waves hits!

Personally, I use HRT to help combat mine and I don't spend too much time obsessing about it. (My doctor does however. And since she does, I let her talk me into trying to ween my way off by trying taking it only every other day. BAD idea!) But perhaps I don't quite feel the same concern since I had a hysterectomy with both ovaries gone as well - so I'm not producing anything on my own.

I can certainly understand the concern of others, however -- so you might find some of the suggestions of the posters helpful.

Interested in Designing Your Own Dress?

Then you might want to check out this site:

DressByDesign

I saw an ad for this site in the February issue of Real Simple (Speaking of which, if you can either pick up a copy or read it at the library, do so - lots of good info in this one. Key articles: Best Jeans for different body types, Winter Skin Survival tips and concealer make-up road test).

Since I've become a true pear-shaped woman, I've all but given up on buying dresses (I have brought a couple in the past year - luckily they fit!) because of the 2 different sizes issue. So I figured I just had to check this out!

It's an interesting concept, which gives you a choice of 5 different classic dress styles which include the sheath, the princess cut, etc. (Sadly, no wrap dresses, which I would have thought would fit well with this business model!)

Now I have to say when I first logged on and took a look I kind of went "ick" -- I thought "These all look pretty dowdy". However when I went to the 2nd step I realized that you can make several changes - helm length, sleeve length collar style, etc. There are also several different fabric choices - and you can, if you choose, provide your own.

In addition if you, like me, are 2 different sizes top and bottom, for $40 dollars you can request a muslin dress form that you can pin to your particular size requirements and send back for use in creating your dress. The form is keep on file.

The base price for the dress is $189.00 with the final price determined by the type of fabric you choose (I wasn't ordering so I can't speak to the delivery charges). You can also request fabric swatches - through they can't guarantee that the fabric will still be available when you do decide to order the dress.

Check out the Testimonials page to see what purchasers are saying - and there are some pics of the buyers wearing their purchases!

I can see a lot of uses for a service like this - hard to fits, weddings, formal occasions, modesty dressing (yes, while some of us are trying to figure out how much skin we can show and keep our dignity, some women are trying to find good looking, well fitting clothing that covers up! Yep, we all have issues!)

So check it out! If for nothing else than the fun of trying different designs with different fabrics!

If you end up ordering, drop me a line and let me know how it turns out. Keep it clean and I'll post your feedback! ;-)

Okay I admit it....

I'm an old bag who loves bags!

If you are too, skip over to I Like Her Style where Ms. Sylvia treats us to a rainbow assortment of colorful handbags!

My Picks

The great thing about them is that, even if you feel most comfortable wearing darker colors, you can still give your outfit a punch of color by carrying a colorful handbag.

And who knows - you might very well remember that you already own a fashion mag clutch gathering dust in the back of your closet from back in the day!

Tips for Plus Size Professional Women....

Are being given out over at Wardrobe 911. Ms Teresa is giving out her always excellent advice re: good pieces for Plus Size women to wear when goin' conferencing!

conferences: plus-size outfits

The outfits will work great for any aged plus size pro! And I was pleased to see a wrap dress that I'd planned to include in a future post on wrap dresses - I agree that it is a winner! I also agree that the wrap blouse is to die for!

So go on over and take a look!

Managing that new body.....

Feel like ever since you turned 50, your body has become the enemy?

If you feel like you're the only one, skip over to the following post on the Well Past 50 blog:

Boomer Advice Needed

My heart broke for this lady too and I'm struggling to think of what I could say that would be of comfort. God knows I know what it is like to go through body changes -- from being a skinny mini most of my life to a size 18W. I'm still unsure sometimes who that woman is in my mirror. Funny how middle age is a lot like adolescence - all of a sudden you've got this new body - and you have no idea what to do with it!

Thankfully, at least 3 readers did know what to say -- so be sure to read the posts following the letter. After reading them, I felt the walkaways were this:

1. Make peace with the body you have now - not a surrender, mind you, but an acknowledgement that it is what it is today. Change it if you want to or need to or can (because sometimes, for all kinds of reasons, you can't), but NOT because you feel you are worth less because of it - 'cause you're not - never forget that!

2. Be good to yourself as you are right now - treat yourself with respect by making the best of what you do have and, believe me, we all have something that is worth smiling about. Find it and honor it.

3. Educate yourself on the body you have now and how best to dress it. Don't worry about "fashion" or dress size -- just concentrate on what looks and feels good on you.

I know - not easy things to remember when you've had a bad, toss and turn night and wake-up with bags under your eyes that make you think you can use them for your stuff, thereby leaving your handbag at home, and the whole world (especially those making clothes) are acting as though you disappeared the moment you turned 50 - but worth remembering.

That is, if I can remember where I put my keys first! ; - )

Fashion Week has a history????

It appears, like everything and everyone, it does.

If you're interested, hop over to The Budget Fashionista for a post pointing to MSN for a brief (and I do mean brief -- but after all it is fashion) history of NY Fashion Week.

Even more interesting is the slide show that accompanies it -- interesting to see how styles literally go round and round (Check out the pic from 1979 of Gloria Vanderbilt's jeans - skinny jeans anyone?).

Well DUH!!!!!

Over at StyleDash their reporting on a survey which finds:

Women chose clothes over sex

Hummh, let me think. A whole new wardrobe or sex....

Hand over the money honey!

Wall Street Journal Fashion Blog?!?!?

The Wall Street Journal is bloggin’ fashion!

Heard on the Runway

Holy Freeholies! There really must be gold in them thar heels! ; - )

Wondering what the "hot" colors will be for Fall '08?

If so, skip over to Coutorture and check out the Fall '08 color report from Pantone:

PANTONE'S COLOR REPORT

For anyone who may not know, Pantone is THE color design company, not only for fashion but for design of all kinds (print, products, paint, etc). The blue of Tiffany's bags and boxes? - a trademarked Pantone color. (For more on that, check out the entry on Tiffany Blue on Wikipedia at the following link: Tiffany Blue. For more on Pantone skip over to their very colorful site at Pantone.com)

My favorites of the lot? “Stargazer” and “Carafe” (through I must admit, blue is my favorite color already, so Stargazer is not a reach for me!).

So take a look at what colors clothes will be coming in this Fall. Even it you hate them all, at least you'll have a chance to think about how, if any, of these colors could work with your wardrobe -- if you just have to buy something this Fall!

A Great Sample of 50+ Chic.....

Which you don't normally get to see in the Press!

Dame Helen Mirren has been turning heads for the last few weeks with both her wonderful acting and her flawless sense of post 50 style.

Over at the Telegraph.co.uk, their fashion director, Hilary Alexander has an interesting post in which she contrasts Dame Helen's great taste with one of her younger colleague's lack there of.

Check it out here....

Silver chic versus shock chic

And by the by....There's a poll on the sexiest female stars over 50???????

WE LOST!!!!! WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

HHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Obligatory beating of chest.....)

Whew! Now that I've got THAT out of my system....

Congrats Colts! You beat us fair - I ain't hatin' ya.

As for my beloved Bears:

It's said that at the beginning of the US Civil War, after the 1st day of the battle of Shiloh in which the Northern forces were all but whupped, General Sherman found General Grant siting under a tree.

"Grant", Sherman said, "We've had the devil's own day."

Grant, an Illinois boy himself, replied, "Yep. Lick 'em tomorrow through."

You done good guys. Get some rest - August is just around the corner!

GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!

GO BEARS!!!!!!!!

There's only two colors in fashion in Chi-Town at this moment - Navy and Orange!!!




Bear Down Bears! Wup 'em!!!!

Fashion Week Fall '07 -- Oh God, Is It Lent Again?

It a appears that while I was obsessing over my, perhaps overlong, shirt dress post, Olympus Fashion Week New York has started.

Now in the brief time I've started paying attention again to "fashion", I've already developed a conflicted view of the Fashion Weeks cycle.

On one hand the girl in me loves seeing all the new clothes - a never-ending Barbie doll procession.

The woman in me, however, grumbles under her breath about the fact that most of it she can neither 1) Wear or 2) Afford or both. And the sheer magnitude of the number of shows make it almost impossible to really figure out what's what with next seasons trends -- many of which has no relation at all to the everyday life of the females they are supposedly being designed for anyway.

That being said, of course I'm going to read up on what's going on. And to make that a bit more manageable I'm going to follow the following strategy:

1. Hit The Budget Fashionista 'cause she's hitting the tents and doing her always excellent reporting.

2. Create a Lookbook on Style.com. Many thanks to one of my favs, StyleDash for the heads up on this one. This will give me a chance to group looks I like in one place - and will probably teach me a lot about what I like in today's clothing.

Fun and a learning experience? I'm on board for that!

3. Keep an eye on The Sartorialist for great back of the tents, on the street images - you'll probably pick-up better style tips checking out what real folks are wearing than checking out the runways!

(By the way, if you've ever seen the movie Ladyhawke, you'll get my lent reference. if not - see the movie, it's great!)

A Spring Ode to the Shirtdress....

I think the shirtdress (along with the A-line skirt, the wrap dress, and yes, the pencil skirt) is one of the classic clothing forms that can work for just about any women of any shape, size or age.

I was put in mind of this when I was flipping through the February edition of the Everyday with Rachael Ray mag (This is why I love my non-fashion mags!)

While the primary focus of Rachael's mag is food (of course), she has a monthly feature Everyday Faves which features a wide array of new products. Here's the one that caught my eye this month:

Josephine Chaus Shirtdress - $119.00

I love the pattern and the shape of this dress! I'd never heard of this designer before - so of course I googled her. There is a website - Josephine Chaus - but it appears to be fairly new (I could be wrong about that however), and you can't buy the clothes there. According to the website the focus of the company to good, wearable business ware for women. You can find the garments themselves via a google search - they appear to run in the $150.00 or slightly below range.

As I said, you can't buy the clothes from the site. However, if you want to order something, here is the phone number: 888-880-8004, where you can request a list of their retailers.

While I was trying to find the above online I decided to do a general search on shirtdress. I was, frankly, stunned at all the variations that came up! Looking them over I've seen the good, the bad and the downright ugly (Blair.com had one where the form was good but the fabric was hideous - who buys that material? More importantly who makes it - and why? WHY?????).

Anyway.....

Here are some of what I thought was the best:

Over at Spiegel.com:




Sash-Tie Shirtdress Misses or Petite $69.00

Great lines, simple and sharp, with the, oh so forgiving, a-line skirt. I love everything about this dress - except for the fact that it doesn't come in plus sizes!



Signature Ponté Knit Collection:
Shirtdress Misses $59.00, Women's $64.00

(Okay, I know the pic of the dress in cream makes it look a bit stodgy - but check out the alternate look on the site in black - and a different belt can definitely kick it up a notch!)







Belted Shirtdress, Misses $59.00, Women's $69.00

I love the flow of this dress - very forgiving for different body types. I love the print as well, which is unusual for me - I'm not a big print person!





Crinked Gauze Shirtdress, Misses $39.00

Classic and just great for summer - at work or on the weekend!




Knit Shirtdress, Misses $69.00

Now if you've been lucky enough to skip the usually obligatory 10+ pounds that seems to just lay in wait for you as you hit that 50th birthday and your bod still has it goin' on (or you have a lovely selection of Spanx in your arsenal) - you might want to take this bad girl for a spin! (Love the belt at the hip! Sigh - if only I didn't have so much hip for it to go around!)

Over at Ann Taylor Loft :



Belted Knit Shirt Dress, Misses $79.00

Actually, not a terribly distinctive dress - but it looks comfortable, would be great for work and I love the color.

At Lane Bryant:




Linen-blend shirtdress, $89.00



Button-front shirtdress, $69.50

No, not the most jazzy dresses ever. But good, solid style that will work for work. And, speaking from experience with my most of the time firmly (I use THAT word lightly) in the 18W sizes hips, it is NOT easy for a plus size woman to find a shirt dress! (As you can see from this list - 4 out of 13 dresses is NOT a great ratio!)

So it was great to see Lane Bryant, who usually skews a bit young for me, offering two good basic choices that will work well for the over 20s crowd.

J. Crew's entry:



Bette shirtdress $148.00

Frankly, I don't usually bother with J. Crew. Basically they aim their clothes at the 20s and 30s crowd and I take them at their word.

However, they came up during my search and out of the 5 offerings in shirtdresses on their site, I do think that this one could be a lovely choice for a plus 50 lady - as long as you can wear a size 14 or less!

In looking over the above, I realized that there are no designer frocks represented here. I had to remind myself that, just because I don't have designer dollars, it doesn't mean other don't (Doggone them!).

So I did a search on some of the designer shop sites (Bluefly, EDressMe, etc) and, honestly, came up empty. What I found was, to my eye at least, pretty weak - okay let's be honest, downright ugly.

So I'll leave it to you, gentle reader, to do the designer search - one man's trash is another man's treasure and all that.

You'll probably do much better, anyway, going directly to the designer's site - check out the following beauty from Anne Kline's Fall 2006 collection:





I did find a couple of nice designer bridge items over at Macy's

From the Kenneth Cole Reaction Line:



Kenneth Cole Reaction Belted Shirtdress $149.00




Kenneth Cole Reaction Tie-Front Shirtdress 149.00


Of the two above I, personally, like the red one the best - the form will work for a wider range of women.

From Jones of New York:



Jones New York Matte Jersey Belted Shirtdress
$144.00

As ever, with Jones, clean and tasteful, able to do the work thing and then dinner afterwards.

Once again with all three, you have to be size 14 or less to play!

I could go on and on (oh wait, I already have) loving this particular dress style as I do. I leave it to you to decide whether or not it's a style that can work for you as a closet staple!

A Big Congrats....

To Ms. Sylvia over at I Like Her Style! for being voted Best New Blog/Site over at Glam Network!

Brighten up that dull old winter coat....

With a lovely colored scarf!

Come on, you know what I'm talking about. In the deep mid-winter (as we are now) you look around as you walk and realize that you are moving in a sea of black coats - including the one you're wearing!

Well here's a way to brighten up your old dependable winter garb. Skip over to MyPerennial and check out their scarves (MyPerennial:Scarves).

Here's a couple of samples to wet your whistle:





And at $24.00 each, it's a cheap cheer-up as we wait with much longing for Spring!

Many thanks to Daily Candy for the heads up!

A tip for buying clothes without trying them on...

Actually something you shouldn't do if you can avoid it!

But let's face it, we've all been there. You're on your lunch break, in the store, you see a great find that will fill one of those holes you always seem to have in your wardrobe. But drat! You don't have time to do the dressing room deal!

Hop on over to Real Simple for the following tip:

Buy Clothes Without Trying Them On


With my bad memory, I'm not sure the main tip is very helpful for me - but even I can remember the the inseam one, which can certainly come in handy!

Dressing for Power....

An interesting article from The New York Times on how the women of Congress address the "what to wear to work" issue...

Speaking Chic to Power


And yes I know -- it's beyond irritating that the minute a woman moves into a position perceived to be powerful, one of the first things everyone starts talking about is "what is she wearing?". But, like her politics or not, it looks like Ms. Nancy is not going into that good night looking like she's in mourning -- and I think that's a tip all of us 50+ gals should take to heart!

And what a rare treat to see pictures of well-dressed women over 35 in the press -- really you'd think that after a certain age, nothing a woman could be wearing could be worth seeing!

Regarding wearing color, I don't know about you but I find myself becoming tentative about wearing color as I age, fearful of looking like a clown or worse calling attention to myself as if that is crime! I think I need to catch myself on that!

Anyway....Check the article out. It's interesting to hear the dressing challenges these ladies face in their job and how they tackle them. Their solutions can work for anyone who has to face their closet every morning before they head out to work.

Many thanks to Papierblog for the heads up on the Times article!

Dove Keeps on Keeping It Real....

By dealing with women's real beauty needs - right through the ages.....

Pro-Age From Dove: Looking Damn Good For Your Age

Do check out the quote from the Dove UK site - damn right!

Looks like Dove has done the baby boomer math and is getting with the program!

Now if only the world of "fashion" could get a clue!

Tips for the triangular shaped among us....

Of which I count myself! (And what a pain it is to be two different sizes!)

Over at Wardrobe 911 the wise Ms. Teresa is giving guidance to those of us who's junk in the trunk tends to overpower our top half!

triangle: work wear

I love the suit pictured there - it's a neckline I've never thought of for myself, but am now interested to try. Love her handbag comment too - Yes, Ms. T, please do do a mini workshop on handbags!

Forth and Towne Inches into the 21st Century....

By offering order by phone!

Look, I love Forth and Towne - even through I've yet to buy any of their clothes. Their clothes offer a quintessential easily polished and poised style - they bring to mind Jackie Kennedy on her best day. Just the kind of togs many 50+ Fashionistas are seeking!

For example - Their Spring Essentials:






I'm instantly in love with the collared blouse:





Sateen Button Down Blouse - $48.00



And the boot cut trousers!:





Bootcut Pant = $98.00


And as you can see, the prices, while not cheap, are certainly within reach.


But they only have a few stores which can only be found out in the far burbs and, up until today, there was no way to order their clothes.

But what should show up in my e-mail today but - ta-da!



Now I don't know why Forth and Towne seems to have such a tentative attitude towards allowing true online ordering on their site. Especially since they are a division of The Gap - on who's site you can order anything shown!

That being said, I'm thrilled at the possibility of at least calling in an order - through I still intend to make the trek up to their Skokie store to check them out in person!

(Note: To those overseas - it's not clear on their site whether or not they will do overseas shipping, but since you'll have to call anyway, be sure to ask that first thing!)

New Trends for Spring '07 - Elle.com Gives a Primer

Surprisingly, I found myself over at Elle.com the other day.

I'm not a particularly big fan of the Elle mag -- I find it a bit too manic. But somehow, while doing some of my fashion surfing I ended up on their web site. And what should I come across but their Spring Trends page - delightfully organized A - Z!

The reason I like this approach so much, is that when I turned my eyes back to fashion, I decided I was going to try to view every single Fall '06 collection! After more time than I care to comment on, on Style.com (Which, wonderfully, posts pictures from just about every runway show during all the major fashion weeks), I found myself on fashion overload! Everything started to look alike and I was doggone if I could determine what were the key looks for the season!

Now, admittedly, I was like a good amateur runner who had not run for sometime and then thought they could go for the New York Marathon on two weeks of training! Still as an amateur, I have to confess, I just don't have the time to try to see everything and try to determine what might be worth focusing on to freshen up the wardrobe!

That's where the beauty of the Spring Runway ABC page comes in. They break the themes of the spring collections down by the alphabet - starting with A for Anime and ending with Z for Ziggy Stardust!

I'll be checking them out and, hopefully, writing about the trends I think can be incorporated with class in a 50+ wardrobe. But go on over a take a look for yourself -- and start thinking Spring!

Body Image Issues..

Not just for 50 somethings anymore?

Actually that has probably always been the case -- but I have never seen it better illustrated than last Saturday.

My sister and I are taking a sewing class. That's right - we're sick to death of clothes that don't fit either our bodies or what we want to look like. And as we are not so financially flush that we can have clothes made for us, we figure we might as well take a shot at making our own.

So there we were on a Saturday mid-morning, with 7 others, 6 gals, one guy (who was there with his girlfriend but quite serious about it), almost all but one younger than we. Be that as it may, a couple of things became quite apparent:

1. NO WOMAN CAN FIND CLOTHES THAT ACTUALLY FIT HER! As it turns out, it apparently is not just a size issue.

When the instructor started talking about figuring which size you are in a pattern as opposed to what you buy off the rack, a it was like a line of bobble heads nodding in the affirmative when in the course of her explanation, she mentioned how straight forward sizing is for men as opposed to women. When she said something to the effect of "And that's why clothes in two different stores of the same size can fit so differently" that's when the bobble head action started.

2. NO WOMAN WANTS TO BE MEASURED FOR HER SIZE IN PUBLIC.

Talk about not seeing THAT comin'!

Successful sewing requires exact measurements. Thus, it should have come as no surprise when the instructor told us all that she was going to measure each of us to get our clothing size.

You could have heard a pin drop.

Now picture this: With the exception of the 4 "women of a certain age" in the class (that's counting the instructor!) everyone else was, to my and my sister's eyes, "normal" size or smaller.

Yet when the instructor said that I wasn't all together sure that the class wouldn't empty out immediately! I have to confess, MY first thought was "If I'd know I was going to be measured in public, I never would have taken this class!")

After a short break (after which, to the credit of the class, everyone returned!), it was time to face the measuring tape! As our instructor stood expectantly holding the dreaded snake of truth, we all sat there, genetically unable to move.

It was up to my ever valiant sister to resolutely get up and move to the front. A dutifully supportive sibling, I followed suite. The ice broke, and our younger fellow students followed us up as the instructor assured us all that she was just going to write the info down on our handout form -- in other words, we wouldn't hear our sizes broadcast across the room and the store!

As I was being measured I said aloud with what I hope was humor and not bitterness "Isn't it ironic that every women wants to wear clothes but nobody wants to be measured for them?". Some laughs, definite agreement and the ice dissipated - faces relaxed and the measuring completed more or less painlessly.

I guess they figured that if I and my sister could face the numbers, hell, they could too!

Later, my sister and I reflected with some laughter and more than a bit of bafflement on the whole experience. It reminded us, somewhat sadly, that women are always struggling with what they think their bodies should be and what they really are - no matter where they are on the timeline of life!

It also reminded us to be a little more forgiving of our old chassis - their not as bad as our perceptions lead us to believe!

Wondering about "Age Appropriate" Dressing?....

I've certainly been thinking a lot about that lately!

If you have too, but, like me, you're still scratching your head on the subject, skip over to YouLookFab for a to the point post on Dressing your age

Not only does Ms. Angie speak to the types of clothing that can work for different age ranges but she names names of famous femmes who embody the look.

Well worth the read! (Pay attention to the reader's comments and Angie's wise replies as well for more tips!)

More Winners from the Isaac Mizrahi for Target Collection....

Yeah I was in Target - again! - over the weekend (I know, I know, I should be skipping over to Sharebuilder to buy stock!) and saw some of the new pieces from their Mizrahi line.

I have to say I wasn't impressed by most of it, I think he's done better - but these two pieces definitely stood out:





Isaac Mizrahi for Target® 3-Button Pinstripe Jacket $39.99





Isaac Mizrahi for Target® Hepburn Wide-Leg Pants - Blue Bonnet $34.99


I especially like the pants - they really do have the Hepburn trouser look I'm such a sucker for, with the wide leg and cuff.

The fabric feels pretty good - a mid-weight poly / rayon blend that's machine washable (always a plus in my book!). They also come in different lenghts (short, regular and tall) which is as helpful as it is uncommon in women's pants be they high priced or low! Keep in mind, you might have to look twice if you pick these up in the store -- I don't remember if the different lenghts were clearly indicated on the tags. They are clearly defined on the Target website.

I'm not quite as pumped about the jacket -- it might be just a bit too short for some. But the tailoring is pretty good so it will work well with the pants as a business suit option - if it can work with your figure!

The only real down point is that the sizes only go up to a size 18. Bullah! : - p

I can say from my own experience with a pair of denim trousers from his Target line that I was able to wear the size 18 regular -- and I'm one of those women who, in store sizes, tends more towards the plus size than the regular misses!


All in all, a sharp look I think can work for women of a wide range of ages, if not sizes. Pare it with a smokin' bag and a dead on pair of shoes and you've got it made for not a lot of cash!

If you happen to be in Target, check it out!

And Speaking of the Good Doctor....

Styledash contributor Anne Metz has a lovely tribute post to Dr. King and the essence of true style - which in the end has less to do with clothes and more to do with the spirit of the person who wears them:

Style Icon: Martin Luther King, Jr.

We do well to keep that in mind as we seek our own "style".

Happy B-Day Dr. King!

And Thank You.

Art to go....

As I've said before, I'm a HUGE fan of what I call "accessible art" -- art you can either wear or carry with you on a day to day basis. It can lift both your spirits and the spirits of those around you who see it -- or at the very least, start some very interesting conversations!

Styledash.com of late has several examples of just such "art-to-go":


Change your wallet as often as you change your purse

I went over to this site and I gotta tell you I dig the concept! And as soon as my finances get back on solid ground I have every intention of picking up a couple (or maybe even the 4 for $50 deal!).

If you do decide to get one, treat it right -- you'll never know what the future will bring for these artists - you could be carrying around a future Picasso in your purse!

Give those white earbuds something extra

Personally, I find those ear buds to be extremely uncomfortable so I don't use mine. But if you do, here's a cute way to dress them up!

Movie billboards make a fashion statement

If you're a big time movie fan or have one in your life, these totes (they have messenger bags as well) can be a fun and practical addition to your bag wardrobe or a great gift. I really like the unusual styling of the Billboard bag - sleek but looks like it can hold quite a bit!

Plus saving a tree and keeping down the landfills? What's not to love?

And now I better get goin' - the old salt mine beckons!

Clip Earrings Making a Comback?

You heard it here first....

Clip-on earrings making a comeback

If you are a lady of a certain age, you not only remember clip-ons you probably wore them. That is, until you got tired of that headache and suffered the momentary pain to get your ears pierced!

Having worn clips in the past, this is a vintage trend I don't see lasting unless they've made the things MUCH more comfortable. But if you are a pierced ear hold-out that is sick and tired of trying to convert pierced earrings to clips - this might mean you can kick that DIY stuff to the curb - at least for a bit! ; - )

Issac M. is at it again!

And it appears that he feels duty bound to change the way fashion is delivered!

Mizrahi to go high and low

I think the idea is brilliant! It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Okay I think I'm in Love....

No not that silly romantic thing for another person. The REAL deal - purse love!

Bluefly is having a sale (no surprise there) on designer handbags. And so, broke as I am, I just had to go over and take a look.

Now here I have to give full disclosure: I LOVE handbags! When I moved to smaller quarters, I gave away 20 handbags, not to mention the ones I tossed because they were no longer usable! My sister teases me about my never ending quest for that perfect bag!

Now the irony of that for me is that, handbag lover that I am, I have an innate issue with spending more than, say $500.00 for a handbag (The most expensive bag I own is a $250 and change leather Coach). I also have a real aversion to "hardware" bags that seem to be all the fashion today, bags so festooned with metal circles and studs that it looks like a hardware store upchucked on them!

I tend to be a Coach bag type of gal -- at least the Classic Coach type. I favor a simple, practical elegance -- when it comes to bags, you can keep the bling, thanks.

That being said you can imagine how my heart quickened when I saw this:



Lamarthe plum leather 'Drôle de Celtique' basket bag $255.00 on Bluefly

I have to admit I'd never heard of Lamarthe, but once I saw the above bag I Googled it quickly and surfed on over to their website.

The site, like their bags, is exactly what I like -- well designed elegance. And at such reasonable prices - what's not to love?

Do yourself a favor and go check them out.

A VERY depressing shopping trip....

I took a little walk yesterday and did a little window shopping.

The good part was I'd forgotten how much I enjoy looking at clothes.

The bad part was that I no longer fit in any of them.

Here's a little run down of my "fun" soiree:

I haven't visited the H&M on Michigan avenue since it opened a couple of years ago. But since it is the store that is on everyone's lips when it comes to reasonably priced, forward thinking fashion, I thought it time for me to make another call. I also remembered from my previous visit that they actually had some plus size clothes that were, for a change, pretty good looking - I wanted to see how much fashion they were offering for the upcoming season.

How much? Nothing!

At least not if you are larger than a size 16. Which was most unfortunate, since, despite my mis-givings on the clothes there being way too young for ladies of an age, I found at least 4 potential outfits that would easily work for the fashionista of some experience and many separate pieces that could tastefully spice up a perhaps stogy wardrobe.

It was particularly irritating since when you go to their website, they have a size chart for their clothes that for women goes up to size 26!

Anyway....

For my other 50+ sisters who have been lucky enough to keep the svelte figures of their youth (Diane Kenton comes to mind, bless her!) do go on by H&M - you won't be disappointed.

Meanwhile, I twisted my size 18 hips out of there and headed to Water Tower. I took a spin through the elegant Lord and Taylor, which is, unfortunately, slated to close at the end of March. Seems the owners of Water Tower has determined it is more cost efficient (in other words, they can pull in more cash!)to split the space up into smaller stores.

But I digress....

As Lord and Taylor's carries the major clothing lines (Jones of New York, Ralph Lauren, Ann Klein, etc, etc..) I had no problem finding many fine pieces for the 50+ Fashionista - but you've got to be willing and able to drop a pretty penny to get them! (They are having a sale however, and what an organized one -- they have all the same colored garments on the same racks so you can zero right in on what you might be looking for!)

Spinning out of L & T, I made a stop in J. Jill. I've received their catalogs and I know that they do sell their clothes in a wide range of sizes. I had the store to myself -- but no sizes larger than an 16 to be found. The saleslady was quite apologetic when she told me that they don't carry plus sizes in the store but she assured me that I can order through the store and have it delivered there for trying on. Nice, but then why wouldn't I just order on the web and try it on at home?

Sighing and moving on, I made a stop at Ann Taylor. Now I have to confess, I have avoided AT, mostly because I felt their size choices were not wide enough. That was an error on my part, one, because they actually carry styles that I think work wonderfully for the 50+ woman (And as I observed above, not every woman receives the almost obligatory extra pounds as her 50th birthday present!) and two, because they do carry sizes up to 18 (Through mostly at their Ann Taylor Loft stores). However there were no 18's to be found in the store itself.

Sigh....Well at least the walk almost brought me up to my 10,000 steps a day goal!

Post Holiday Sales....

Tips over at the Budget Fashionista....

Sales, Weather, and Boots Gone Bad

My e-mail has been so inundated with sales offers that I haven't known where to start as far as posting them! TBF gives the perfect summary of the best -- so check it out!

Get on over to Wardrobe 911....

And continue your fashion education!

Wardrobe 911

Teresa has three great new posts on the following:

1. Ever wonder why the hell you're one size in one store and another one in the store right next door? Ms. Teresa gives the 411 on the noxious Vanity Sizing scam that dominates women's clothing (I've already stated my disdain for this custom in a previous post).

She's got my vote on going back to the future on sizing. We've put a man on the moon, and a woman in as Speaker of the House - surely we can get sizing for women's clothes standardized as men's are!

2. Great outfit tips for the inverted triangle figure.

3. Every wonder WHAT those little icons on the fabric care tag mean? Ms. Teresa breaks it down for you with some bonus advice on when Dry Clean is really Dry Clean!

Get on over and get schooled!

The Budget Fashionista's Annual Shopping Survey....

Is on!

If you have a couple of minutes (I've taken the survey and it doesn't take long), go over and take the survey. She has a link up to the results of last year's survey as well - interesting!

The Budget Fashionista

(My apologies for not being able to give you a direct link to the survey - but it turns out that, now that I've taken it, all I can get is the thank you page!)

Rain, rain go away....

And if that doesn't work for you, at least get a good umbrella!

Blame it on the Rain

(I don't know how the Urban Socialite does it -- she simply finds some of the best designed stuff around!)

I'm becoming a big advocate of good looking accessories -- they can give you just that bit of stylish "pop" you might be needing and they always fit!

And when they're practical as well -- it's a twofer!

Skip over to New York Magazine...

And do a little vicarious shopping as one of their intrepid editors goes on a shopping tour of the new wide jean trend:

The Find: Wide-Leg Jeans

As I've stated here before without hesitation the passing of the skinny jean trend can't go a moment too soon in my book (hopefully to take their homey the bubble skirt with 'em). And it's interesting to see how many different ways a style can be done - and at what price points (316 dollars for a pair of jeans!!!! Wowser! Everything is more expensive in the Big Apple!)!

Ironically one of the two pairs the editor liked the best were "only" $58.00 -- a price that still makes this 60s girl's head spin!

Guess money really isn't everything. Anyway, enjoy!

What I wore today....

The old "go to" outfit!

Everybody has one. The outfit that fits great, feels great and hallelujah, looks great. It's the outfit you wear when, like me, you've got two meetings in one day and you're not sure your up for either of them. At the very least, you can feel great about your game face!

All three pieces are Sears Covington separates.

Wash, tumble dry, wear. Sweet.

A guide to post 50 style....

I'd seen this book (and actually saved it to my Amazon wishlist) some time ago but had forgotten about it. The following article brought it back to the fore:

Boomer Cool

The best thing about this article is the url for Sherrie's website: www.sherriemathieson.com. I hadn't really been sold on her book but one look at the before and after pictures on her site has convinced me that it is worth picking up. I don't know about you but I'm convinced that being able to see what's gone wrong along with how to make it right really helps as you try to figure out how to revise your wardrobe.

Anyway, go on over to the website and take a look. I'll be purchasing a copy at some point and will review it here on the blog. Enjoy!

The fashion commute in old New York!

Because Christmas was so hectic for me, I'm just catching up with some of my mail!

Go over to the New York Magazine and check out their commuter fashion gallery. I love the woman/man on the street fashion pics (which is why I'm such a Sartorialist fan!) because it reminds me that we ALL participate in fashion every time we walk out the door clothed! (Something I think designers often forget in their drive to design for the rich and famous):

Because Our Daily Commute Is a Fashion Show

Be sure to read the comments of each person pictured - their as interesting as what they are wearing! Enjoy!

As you are evaluating your closet....

For the new year, here are 5 items you might want to make sure you stock....

Five items every woman needs

Pay most close attention to the good bra recommendation. I don't know about you, but I was never even fitted for a bra 'till about a year ago when I wandered into Victoria Secret to buy a replacement for a bra I'd purchased there I don't know when ago! When I stumbled over what size I was when asked by the young saleswomen, I was hustled into a dressing room, measured in the blink of an eye and provided with several different styles to try on. I left with two of the best fitting bras I'd ever owned -- and that probably included my training bra!

Victoria's isn't the only ones who will measure you - Lane Bryant and Macy's offer the same service. So if you haven't brought housing for the girls in awhile take a minute and get yourself measured. You'll be amazed at the difference it will make both in look and more importantly in comfort!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

May it be a peaceful and prosperous one for you and yours!