Category Archives: dressing for your age

Cozy Picks For Christmas Day

Posted in clothing, dressing for your age, dressing your best, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, travel, What to wear by
Grab these looks in our Kyleen’s Picks Collection.

Whether your Christmas morning has you in jammies, a comfy sweat suit or jeans and a sweater, I think we can all agree that Christmas Eve is for dressing up, and Christmas Day is for being comfortable. In my Kyleen’s Picks Collection this week, I have chosen several items that fall into each of these categories to give you some Christmas Day outfit inspiration.

Benefits of wearing jeans and a sweater: If you have to drive to a relative’s house for Christmas Day, choosing stretchy and comfy jeans, can feel like you are wearing sweat pants but look a little less athleisure. Pairing a sweater (several holiday-ish items above) with those jeans allows you to layer and also adjust to different temperatures from outside to inside. As I write this blog, it is snowing and very, very cold (-14 degrees). With those kind of temperatures, your friends and family might have a fire in the fireplace and a sweater may be too warm for inside. You are most definitely going to want it outside, however, so layering makes sense. Jeans are also easy to pair with snow boots and are usually warmer than sweat pants.

Benefits of wearing a sweat suit: Whether you have to go to someone’s house or you are staying at yours, a sweat suit is a bridge between jeans and jammies. It is comfy and warm without being as casual as your pjs. Our FDJ sweatsuit in Teal (pictured above) is a matched hoodie and jogger that are made from Egyptian Cotton, some of the softest Cotton on the planet. I also like this sweatsuit because you don’t feel bulky in it at all. You can easily pair some fuzzy socks and slippers to keep your feet warm and cozy and add a cute puffy vest over the top for an added layer.

Benefits of wearing your pjs: My family always got up and headed straight to the tree to open presents, maybe stopping at the coffee pot on the way. As a result, Christmas mornings were spent in our pajamas. We usually changed into sweat suits after the packages were unwrapped. I love pjs for Christmas, but you want to be sure they are suitable to wear in front of others. I think you will love our Hello Mello pajamas because of the tees and comfy pants that are loose fitting, very comfy, and cute as a button. You can also add one of their cozy cardigans over the top to add an extra layer of warmth. I also love our Hello Mello pajamas because if you are travelling or having to spend the night somewhere, they pack into small little bags for easy transport.

No matter which casual look you choose or even if you like to dress up for Christmas, feeling confident in what you are wearing will help you enjoy the day more. For this reason, it is a good idea to lay out your outfit before Christmas day (only 4 more days!) to be sure you have everything you need. Every item pictured above is available on our online store. Should you need us, we are open from now until Christmas Eve at 3 p.m. (FCO) and 4 p.m. (FCR). We also have free shipping from now until 12/23, so you can have it delivered to your house in time for Christmas if you are here in Casper. You can also watch my Wednesday Wardrobing live video tonight to see these options in person. Watch that video here.

From all of us here at Fashion Crossroads and FC Outlet, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

5 Looks For A Christmas Party

Posted in dressing for your age, dressing your best, fashion, fashion trends, how to, personal style, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by

Recently, I asked my staff members to choose a Christmas look to feature in my Wednesday Wardrobing Live Video series. I didn’t give them any direction other than they could choose the items from either of my stores (Fashion Crossroads or FC Outlet) and that I wanted them to accessorize their outfit choice.

When I came into work today, I saw all of their cute and stylish looks hanging in the back room and waiting for me. What surprised me the most is that, despite having no direction to do so, they all chose black and white or black and gold combinations. There wasn’t a single red or green look in the bunch!!

I think this just goes to show you that we really can think outside the box when it comes to holiday party looks. Let me talk about what each staff member chose.

Debbie: This Baby Boomer knocked it out of the park trend wise with her choice of black vegan leather leggings paired with a sheer and feminine, ruffled white blouse. She then added styled a cropped cardigan trimmed with silver lurex thread. She finished her look with a silver heart necklace, white snowflake earrings and a pearlized white leather clutch from HOBO.

Shop this look here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/molly-bracken-knitted-cardigan

Christie M: This Generation Xer went classic 80’s with her choice of a vegan leather blazer in black paired over a classic collared white button up blouse. The blouse is tunic length, so it shows about an inch below the hemline of the blazer. On the bottom, she picked black leggings in a dressy and heavy weight ponte knit with a seam up the center of the leg. To finish the look, she chose a red tassel necklace with two tassels and natural beads. Last, she choose large red earrings trimmed in gold.

Liz R: Our youngest staff member stayed totally on trend with a black velvet big shirt, worn open and paired over a gold sequined, short sleeved top. On the bottom, she chose black vegan leather leggings. For accessories, Liz picked a long lava bead necklace and coordinated it with a black bracelet and earrings. She added a black leather clutch from HOBO with gold metal accents on the strap to accent the gold sequins on the top.

Chris S: Another baby boomer, this red headed staff member chose an all white look with black accents. On the top, she chose a faux velvet turtle neck top paired under a white vegan leather jacket. The leather jacket has fun zipper details highlighting the moto trend. On the bottom, she picked a lined, white dress slack. For accessories, she chose a black multi leather strap necklace with a glitter pendant and sparkly earrings.

Shop this look here: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/love-tree-faux-leather-zip-biker-jacket-in-white

Chris E: Our newest staff member and another baby boomer, Chris went classy and simple with her choice. On the top, she picked a solid black travel knit tunic with a cut out in the back. The style is an A-line cut which pairs well over the skinny legged bottoms she picked. For that bottom, Chris chose a black ankle jean with a slit in the back and an embellished, white pearl bow. Additionally, the hemline of the jean is lined in pearls and crystals. She accented the pearls on the jean with a pearl necklace with a clear crystal pendant and pearl earrings.

You can see all of these looks and vote on your favorite when you watch my live video.

5 Ways To Wear The Oversized Top Trend

Posted in clothing, dressing for work and dressing for an interview, dressing for your age, dressing your best, dressing your figure, fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, Trendy at any age by
Half tucked sweater and joggers
Styled with the Half Tuck
Oversized blouse with a skirt
Styled with a skirt
Oversized knit top with a vest
Styled with a Vest
Sweater layered over a blouse
Styled Over a Blouse
Oversized blouse with leggings
Styled With Faux Leather Leggings

A lot of my customers try oversized tops, blouses and sweaters on and just assume they are too big. If we are not there to help them understand the trend, they usually just size down or skip it all together, missing out completely on the trend and style. I get it; most of my customers are over forty and in the thick of their careers and raising kids. Who has time not only to stay up on the trends but also to figure out how to wear them? Most of the professional women I know are just trying to keep their heads above water, balancing family and work. They need their clothing to be simple, not complicated. And then there is the intimidation caused by not having an answer to the dreaded question, “Am I too old to wear this?” Having a few years under our belts, we know that wearing a trend that is too young for us OR wearing it wrong are both equally cringe worthy.

But, have no fear, the oversized top trend is completely doable for this age group, and it is surprisingly easy and comfortable to wear, when you know how. Here are five ways to wear oversized tops, blouses and sweaters.

  1. Pair and oversized sweater with dressy joggers and use the “half-tuck” (tucked in the front and left out in the back) to minimize the bulk of the sweater and show off your waist and hips. This is by far the easiest way to style an oversized top, and it can be worn this way not only with the dressy joggers we have pictued at the top, but also with your jeans. Finish your look with shoe boots, and you are good to go. Easy-peasy.
  2. Pair an oversized top with a skirt. Choose a straight skirt, as shown at the top of the page, when you want to leave your oversized top out. If you have a full skirt that has an a-line cut, you can use the half tuck method to minimize the extra bulk and keep you from looking like a box. Finish your look with heels or shoe boots.
  3. Wear and oversized top with leggings and layer with a vest. This is a great dressed up casual look for your day off or for going to your kid’s after school activities like games. Don’t worry about the top hanging out from under the vest. This is part of the look. If the top has too much fabric for you, you can also knot it at the hem and to one side. This will pull our the bulk of the fabric so it fits your body better. Finish your look with fun tennis shoes.
  4. Layer an oversized sweater over a blouse. This classic look works with regularly sized sweaters and oversized sweaters equally well. You can leave your blouse untucked so the hem shows below the sweater and then wear it with your skinny jeans or leggings. Finish your look with some shoe boots.
  5. Pair and oversized blouse with faux leather leggings. Polyurethane leggings are the rage right now, and they are a great way to wear the oversized trend. You can style them with and oversized white blouse and let it hang out, as pictured above. You can also style them with an oversized sweater worn loose and out. Finish your look with shoe boots.

I hope these 5 ways of wearing an oversized top, blouse or sweater have helped you see that this trend is totally accessible for those of us over 40. Leave the knee high boots and short skirts to the twenty-somethings, us middle aged gals can still rock this trend!! To see more examples of these five ways, watch my Wednesday Night Wardrobing Live Video Wednesday night at 6 p.m. MST. I will be dedicating this video to the oversized trend. You can watch live here: Wednesday Night Wardrobing Live Video: 5 Ways To Wear The Oversized Top Trend.

All of the looks at the top on the page are available in store or online at Fashion Crossroads Inc . We ship fast and free from our storefront in Casper, Wyoming where we cater to professional women looking for clothing for work and dressed up casual for the weekends.

The Rules Of Getting All Dressed Up Have Changed

Posted in dressing for your age, dressing your best, dressing your figure, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, women's clothing tips by

I would say nine times out of ten, when a customer comes in looking for an outfit to wear to a wedding, she comes in looking for a dress. While I love a great dress, there are so many other ways to look dressy enough for a wedding without limiting yourself to only a dress. As our society gets more and more casual, pants, skirts and leggings are getting more and more accepted within the realm of business professional and also for special occasions. Honestly, the rules for getting all dressed up have changed.

The difficulty with a dress is you have to deal with the nylon issue. It is not fashionable right now to wear nylons, and while tights are making a come back, women of a certain age don’t often feel confident enough to go bear legged. Let’s face it, when you are fifty and over, your legs just don’t look the way they did in your twenties. And even if you have great legs, you might now have unsightly veins and discolorations that you don’t really want to leave uncovered. So what is a girl to do? It is a real problem. Do you look unfashionable by wearing nylons or do you feel exposed and uncomfortable having to show off your legs. Certainly there are options to get around this…you can wear a maxi dress that comes to the floor, or maybe cowboy boots that cover your legs, but both of those options add new wrinkles like creating a style that can work with the wedding and cowboy boots, as an example.

This is why it always surprises me when women are dead set on wearing a dress to a wedding rather than branching out to the much more convenient and easy to wear related separates option. I just dated myself there a bit. The term “related separates” is an old fashioned retail term used by manufactures to describe an outfit that is designed to go together and looks paired but includes two to three different items. The down side to this option is it usually costs a bit more because you are buying three items instead of one. The up side, however, is that if you are smart, you can get two to three great pieces that can stand on their own and be worn with other things in your closet. To me, this is a BIG win. Dresses can only be worn with themselves, and in this way, they are limiting.

Oftentimes, when I have a customer that is in this dress or die mindset, I have to move her, carefully, through all of her options. We start by looking at the dresses, and inevitably, all the problems with dresses surface. This one is too long. This one is too short. This one needs a cover up because she doesn’t want to show her arms. If we do make it to the dressing room, then other problems arise. If we get it to fit her bust, it is too big everywhere else. Or, vice versa, if it fits her hips and rear, it is too big in the shoulders and neck. You see, by their nature, dresses are designed for a woman who is the same size top to bottom. But really, who do you know that actually can say they wear an 8 or small on the top and an 8 or small on the bottom? It is rare that we are proportioned that evenly. If you have ever struggled to find a dress, even though you really wanted to find one, this is probably the reason.

So after some pain in the dressing room, I will usually, tentatively say, “What do you think about a skirt and top? Or what about a dressy pant and top?” We then have the obligatory, “Is it okay to wear pants to a wedding?” conversation, to which I assure her that it is totally okay. Honestly, in my twenty plus years of getting women dressed for the most swank special occasions like Governor’s Ball or weddings on the East coast, my favorite looks were never dresses. That is not to say that I didn’t have some women who looked amazing in the dresses that they purchased. I’m just saying that my favorites were…well….not the dresses.

I write all of this to perhaps open your mind to this idea of showing up to your special event in an elegant pant or skirt outfit and not a dress. At the end of the day, you will be more comfortable, and you are way more likely to wear those pieces again with other items in your closet.

It is okay that rules of getting all dressed up have changed. We just have to accept that they have.

Closet Clean Out Challenge Two: Refresh and Renew

Posted in closet clean out, clothing, dressing for your age, dressing your best, dressing your figure, fashion, how to, organization tips, personal style, tips and tricks, women's clothing tips by

pearsonphoto2018_010I hope you have enjoyed your newly organized closet! If you missed joining me for Closet Clean Out Challenge One: Get Organized, you can read my blog post or watch my live video from my weekly Wednesday Night Wardrobing video from last week here.

I performed step 1 on my own closet, and it felt good to get things organized.  I eliminated about 15 items that I knew I would never wear again.  They were cluttering my closet, and having the extra space feels good! Heck, now I have the room to buy more…smile!

For those of you who are ready for step 2 in creating a closet that makes sense, this week’s step is called refresh and renew because we are going to take a hard look at what you kept.  I am guessing there were some items that you didn’t pull out because you just can’t bring yourself to get rid of them or because you rationalized their value in your wardrobe and the potential that you will…someday…wear them again.  I know you did this because I did the same thing.  This week, I have challenged myself to wear some of those “sacred cows,” as I call them.  If I can create an outfit that I like with them, they get to stay, but if not, they have to go.

As I have analyzed the top 10 rationalizations I used to determine which items to keep, I think they are probably some of the same ones you use too.  For me, these are the main arguments for hanging on:

  1. I might lose weight and be able to wear this again.
  2. If I would just take this to a tailor and get it altered I would wear it again.
  3. This is still fashionable, and I still love it, so how can I let it go?
  4. I wore this item for my anniversary with my husband so I should keep it for sentimental value.
  5. I might need this for a party, vacation, or special event some day.
  6. I wouldn’t be caught dead in this any more, but I could wear it around the house or when I go camping.
  7. I can’t have too many sweaters, vests and coats; I live in Wyoming!
  8. This is a classic that never goes out of style.
  9. I can’t fit in this anymore, but I will use it as “motivation” to lose weight.
  10. I just bought this item last year, so it is a waste of money to get rid of it.

Do any of these excuses seem familiar? Building from this, I think we can create a list of corresponding questions that will help you evaluate what you kept to determine if those items really do need to stay in your closet another year.  So, here is what I want you to do: go through your closet and gather up all your “sacred cows” (the items that you have probably considered letting loose before now but always talk yourself out of) and every other item you did not wear in 2019.  Take them out of your closet into another room and then, one by one, answer the following questions for each item:

  1. I might lose weight and be able to wear this again. Is this item either my current size, ONE size bigger,  or ONE size smaller than I wear today? If the answer is “no,” it goes.
  2. If I would just take this to a tailor and get it altered, I would wear it again. Can I take this item to a tailor in the next 10 days? If the answer is “yes,” put this date on your calendar and keep it.  If the answer is “no,” it goes.
  3. This is still fashionable, and I still love it, so how can I let it go?  If the item is still in fashion and you still love it but haven’t worn it in a year, you need to evaluate why.  Take a minute now and try it on.  Maybe there is just a fit issue that you don’t like.  Perhaps it clings too much in the wrong places.  Maybe it is itchy.  Maybe it drains the color out of your face.  If you discover any issue with the item that has been keeping you from wearing it, it goes.
  4. I wore this item for my anniversary with my husband so I should keep it for sentimental value. This one is tough.  We tend to attach sentimental value to items we wore for special events, and we hold on to them for that reason.  For me, the decision to keep these items is really about space.  Do you have the space to hold onto items that you will probably never wear again? If the answer is no, it goes.  Is there another place that you could store them, say perhaps a cedar chest? If the answer is yes, move it.
  5. I might need this for a party, vacation, or special event some day. So I am particularly bad about number 5.  I had dresses I hadn’t worn in more than a year (and that I didn’t wear on my last beach vacation) that I was saving for my next beach vacation.  I had a hard talk with myself and they ended up in the “donate” pile.  After all, part of the fun of a vacation is buying something new for it.  Do you know for sure that you are taking a vacation or having a special event in 2020 that you would wear the item to? If the answer is “no,” it goes.
  6. I wouldn’t be caught dead in this any more, but I could wear it around the house or when I go camping.  Do you already have enough “wear around the house” or “painting” or “cleaning” or “camping” items? (I’m guessing your answer will be “yes.”) Are any of those worn out? (probably yes again.) Consider adding these items to your comfy group after you have thrown some others out.
  7. I can’t have too many sweaters, vests and coats; I live in Wyoming! Yes, hoarding coats and sweaters when you live in a state that has 6 months of winter seems to make sense, however, how many coats do you really need? Let me help you out: 1 long dress coat, 1 3/4 length dress coat, 1 casual coat, 1 sport coat (like a skiing jacket), and 1 spring coat.  Okay, okay…maybe you can add 1 trendy coat, but I’m giving you that one, coat hoarder….I’m speaking to myself here.  Coats are especially needed by the poor and disadvantaged, so that is even more incentive to get rid of them.  As far as sweaters go, if you didn’t wear it last year….guess what….it goes.
  8. This is a classic that never goes out of style. Another particularly tempting rationalization for me is the “you should never get rid of a classic” argument.  Well, here’s what I know about clothing from having been in this business for over twenty years.  Even when manufacturers and designers bring back a classic like the blazer, they change it just enough to make the older ones seem out of date.  The changes are small things like length, number of buttons, collar style, sleeve length, etc., but they are just enough to cause your “classic” item to become “vintage.”  Here’s my rule for “classic pieces:” if you haven’t worn it in the last TWO years, it goes.  Oh, and just in case you need to know what items qualify as “classic,” here is a list: blazers; solid collared, button up blouses; layering pieces like tanks, turtle necks and light weight sweaters; suit skirts in neutral colors; slacks in neutral colors; basic black dresses.
  9. I can’t fit in this anymore, but I will use it as “motivation” to lose weight. Okay ladies, I’m going to be in your business a little here.  Pardon me.  I have your best interests at heart, I promise.  Our bodies change as we age.  At 48, I am going through this very thing myself.  There are certain aspects of my body that will never look the same as they did five or ten years ago.  I am a BIG advocate for staying active and healthy, however, I am also realizing that I need to let some expectations about my body go.  Size 4 may be gone for me…I don’t know.  I’m working on it to see.  But, I definitely know size 2 is out, and I don’t want to work that hard to get back there any way.  If it is too tight or too small for me to get into, it goes.
  10. I just bought this item last year, so it is a waste of money to get rid of it.  We ALL make buying mistakes.  Who knows why we do it? Maybe we were influenced by a shopping partner or we were in the mood for something new or out of the box that day.  Whatever it was that caused us to buy it, we have questioned that decision ever since.  As an example, I pulled a pair of floral wrap pants out of my closet during the first step of this process that I just bought last summer.  I wore them once and then passed them up the rest of the season.  Why? They really weren’t me.  If it’s new, but you keep passing it by for other things when you get dressed in the morning, it goes.

Okay, that’s it.  These are the top 10 rationalizations I have made (and I’m guessing you have made) and my answers for them.

If you want to watch my video explaining this process, watch my live video from last night. You can find that in our Fashion Crossroads Fashionistas Facebook Group here.

How To Wear The Latest Short Trends

Posted in clothing, dressing for your age, dressing your best, fashion, how to, personal style, product review, tips and tricks, trends, women's clothing tips by

Have you noticed the re-surgence of shorts in the market this season? The come back of shorts for all ages actually began last summer,  but this trend has truly taken hold here in Wyoming for summer 2020.  For some of you, this new trend will be a welcome change from the capris that have dominated the market for the last 5 years.  For others, it may have been awhile since you wore shorts, and you may be feeling a bit reluctant.  As a result, I thought it might be helpful to all of you for me to do a trend review on the latest short styles.

First of all, let me reassure you that I am seeing many lengths of shorts in the market this season from short ripped up denim styles all the way to the traditional longer Bermuda style that is pictured above. If you have been used to wearing capris and/or are reluctant to show your legs, the longer styles might be a good place to start.  Bermuda styles will hit just above the knee, leaving only the bottom half of the leg exposed.  If you are in for a shorter length, the mid thigh styles are very popular as well.  As a woman of almost 50, I’m going to leave the shorter, distressed jean styles to my 15 year old daughter, but the choice is totally up to you!

Capture

Just as with denim, the trendiest shorts are printed, colored or embroidered.  You’ll see everything from checkers to stripes and every kind of embroidery and embellishment you can imagine.  Take a look at the denim shorts in the picture above from Charlie B and notice the cute embroidered flowers.  These details add a flirty and youthful feeling to the short as well as make them distinctive.  As far as color goes, look for mustard, yellow, coral, and olive denim as well as a variety of regular denim from vintage wash to dark and even striped.

capture1

Another fun new trend are regular rise, fabric shorts with tie front waists like the one pictured above.  These make great dressy shorts and can be worn with wedges to casual weddings or other events that require dressed up casual.  Look for these in lots of checkered prints from black and white to coral and white.  Pair them with a tucked in top to show off the waist.

While many businesses allow capris, few will allow employees to wear shorts.  This is a downside to this trend, so if your employer won’t allow shorts, instead of sticking to your capris this season, go for slim, ankle length pants.  These are also very trendy and look amazing with a heel and dressy top.  To correctly pull off this style, the length is very important.  An ankle length pant should hit an inch above your ankle bone.

The good news about shorts is that I don’t see this trend going away anytime soon so you will be able to wear the ones you buy this season next summer as well.  And, let’s face it, when it gets hot, you want as little fabric on as possible.

 

 

5 Steps to Embracing Trends And Still Dressing Your Age

Posted in clothing, dressing for your age, dressing your best, dressing your figure, fashion, how to, personal style, shopping with friends, tips and tricks, trends by

pearsonphoto2018_031As a boutique that focuses on career clothing for women aged 30 and over, I often get asked if wearing the trends means a woman is dressing too young.  My emphatic answer is a resounding NO! I have ladies in their sixties and seventies that keep up with the trends while still always looking age appropriate.  I think there is a misconception that at a certain age, you should stop worrying about being trendy.  I totally disagree.  We’ve all seen women who looked like they were dressing too young, and these experiences cause us to worry that we might be doing the same thing.  But, the key is not to avoid the trends; the key is to wear the trends appropriately.  Here are my 5 tips for embracing the trends while still dressing your age.

  1. Keep it classy: If you are over forty-five, you may want to avoid plunging necklines, too short of hemlines, spaghetti straps and overly tight fitting clothes.  These, more than anything else, can make you look like you are dressing too young.  If mini-dresses are in, for example, this doesn’t mean you avoid them altogether, but it may mean that you look for a longer rather than shorter mini dress and wear it with tonal tights to avoid drawing attention to the hemline.  If you love skinny jeans, wear them, but choose a longer top that covers your front and rear.  Use jackets and cardigans to cover problem areas and make the look more conservative.
  2. Choose the more conservative version of the trend: Every fashion trend has a scale from edgy to conservative.  As an example, consider the cold shoulder trend that we have just seen come and go.  As a buyer, I saw everything from the whole shoulder and half the arm to just a small sliver of the shoulder being exposed.  The latter of these would be the more conservative version of the trend.  Staying away from the edgy side allows you to wear the trend while still making it appropriate for your age.  As a general rule, the older you are, the more conservative you should go.
  3. Wear the trends correctly: Being knowledgeable about how the trend should be worn is key.  Oftentimes, a trend is dependent upon the other items in your outfit being the right style to pull it off.  As an example, right now the trendy hem length in bottoms is an ankle length (an inch above the ankle bone).  This style needs the right type of shoe to make it work.  If you are short, ankle length bottoms work much better with a little heel or wedge.  It is also important that the bottom hits you at the right place on your ankle.  Too long or too short, and the pant looses its trendiness and just looks strange.  Another example is the long, printed blouses that are trendy this season.  A long blouse worn with bootcut jeans will look strange.  You need a skinny or slim bottom to help balance out the volume of the top. To be sure you know how to wear a trend, ask your favorite boutique sales staff to educate you or google the trend and look a images.
  4. Let the brand help you decide: If you shop by brand, paying attention to the marketing images that company is using can really help you decide if the label is appropriate for your age.  Are you 50 but all the models for the brand are 20? That would be an indication that the target market for the brand is a bit younger than you.  If this is the case, you can go back to tip number 2 to be sure you are choosing the less edgy pieces from that brand.
  5. Pay attention to what other fashionable ladies your age are wearing: We can learn so much just by being observant.  Do you have a friend who dresses well that you admire?  What is she wearing? How do your clothing choices compare? Perhaps you’re in a rut with your style and need to freshen things up a bit.  Either your friend or a trusted boutique can help you transition into a trendier wardrobe that is age appropriate.

I hope these guidelines help you and encourage you that being trendy is not just for the young and thin.  Staying up with the times helps us feel beautiful and stylish.  There is no age limit for that!

For examples and more detailed information on this topic, please watch my video How To Embrace The Trends And Still Dress Your Age

How Do I Wear Raw Edge Jeans

Posted in clothing, dressing for your age, dressing your figure, fashion, how to, personal style, product review, tips and tricks, trends by

IMG_5053

A new and important jean trend is raw edge jeans.  If you are unfamiliar with this term, it simply means the bottom edge of the jean where there would normally be a hem is left unhemmed and has a raw edge.  All of our jean companies are jumping on this trend band wagon, so to speak, from our young contemporary jeans like Silver Jeans (pictured above) to our more missy jeans like Jag Jeans and Not Your Daughter’s Jeans.

In fact, let me stop right here and digress a bit.  Ladies, here is a great fashion tip that will serve you well.  Every brand has a target demographic.  You can get a sense of this by looking at the age of the models that the company uses to picture their product.  The missy lines will generally target women aged 45 to 65.  You will see this reflected in both the way they picture their product and in the features.  For example, NYDJ and Jag Jeans make their jeans with a regular rise (comes all the way to the waist), something that appeals to women over 40 because of our tendency to have a muffin top.  So, if NYDJ and Jag are producing a trend like raw edge jeans and they target a missy customer, you can feel secure that you can wear the trend without looking like you are trying to be a teenager.  This is a great tip for age appropriate dressing.

Once you have determined if a trend is something you should wear, the next hurdle is to figure out how to wear it.  If a trend is new to me, I pay close attention at market to see how other buyers and vendors are wearing it.  If I want to see pictures of the trend in action, I will google “how do I wear….”  and then click the images tab.  A search like that will usually lead to a plethora of pictures answering my question.  In fact, a search like that just might lead you to this blog!

In the picture above, you can see me wearing my raw edge jeans from Silver Jeans.  All the raw edge jeans that we have in the store are cut to an ankle length (an inch above the ankle bone).  This length works great with ballerina flats or Converse tennis shoes in the summer and perfectly with shoe boots in the winter.  When wearing shoe boots, you want the raw edge of your jean to hit the top edge of your shoe boot.  If the jean goes inside the boot, you not see the edge, defeating the whole point of the trend.  If the jean goes outside the boot, it may be too long for you.  Getting the right length is one of the most challenging things about the ankle length trend, but it really matters, so hold out for the right length for you! Too short looks odd.  Too long looks like you are preparing for a flood.  Smile.

Get out there and try some raw edge jeans this season.  No telling how long the trend will last, but it’s a fun twist on your basic jean and will make you feel trendy, a confidence booster to be sure!

How To Wear Velvet In The Day

Posted in clothing, dressing for work and dressing for an interview, dressing for your age, how to, personal style, product review, tips and tricks, trends by

One of things that trips us up sometimes is when a traditional way of looking at a fabric gets turned on its head by a new fashion trend.  This is the case with velvet this season.  Traditionally, velvet has been a dressy fabric, reserved for special occasions, holiday parties, and lounge lizards…smile.  (Don’t ask me why, but I just had an image of John Travolta singing “ah, ah, ah, ah…staying alive”).

Well this season, velvet has emerged as an every day fabric that can work for cozy weekend, work and date night.  Those of you who still think of  it as dressy only, may be struggling to figure out how in the world to wear this new trend.  The answer is really very simple: pair it with a casual fabric like denim.

Let’s face it, while the head to toe velvet active wear jogger is trendy right now, most of us (uh, um) older ladies are not going to go for that.  We can still do velvet, however, by toning it down and mixing it up.  For example, pair a velvet kimono with beat up boyfriend jeans and shoe boots.  Wear a velvet top with dark denim skinny jeans and boots.  Pair a velvet tailored jacket with a classic button down blouse, black slacks and heels.  Do you get the picture?  You have to re-think your old way of seeing velvet.

The truth is, this luxurious fabric is fun to wear.  What is not to like about velvet, unless you are like one of our employees who is wierded out by the fact that if you brush the velvet one way, it’s soft.  But, if you brush it the other way….yikes.  She is just skipping the trend all together.  If you have texture issues, you might want to join her.  For the rest of us, however, velvet is a wonderful fabric and should find a place in our wardrobes this season!

Discover Sympli – Easy Dressing For Every Body.

Posted in clothing, clothing, quality, value, dressing for your age, dressing your figure, personal style, product review, store event, travel, travel clothing, Uncategorized by

What do you get when a woman gets frustrated over the fact she can’t find a simple tee that really fits and flatters?  Well, you get Sympli.  Jan Stimpson’s quest to find a tee led to the creation of a company designed around women’s bodies and fit.  Indeed, the women behind Sympli “shape each garment on multiple women and spend countless hours designing, tucking, pinning and repinning…flattering fit is an evolution and [they] don’t cut corners.”  What is the result of all of this effort?  A garment that fits where you need it to and doesn’t cling where you don’t.  Honestly.

In fact, Sympli is so passionate about creating a product that any woman, no matter what body shape, can wear with confidence, they stand against the unreasonable expectations the fashion industry places on women.  Supporting a Canadian non-profit that helps women overcome eating disorders is just one of the many ways Sympli is taking a stand to encourage women to love their bodies.  The other is creating a product that really fits and flatters, from a size 2 to a size 24.

If you have never tried Sympli, I encourage you to come down to Fashion Crossroads this weekend for our trunk show.  Our Sympli Rep Charlotte has been with the company for over ten years, and will be in the store with the Spring 2018 Sympli samples as well as some in stock samples.  We have stocked the store with new Sympli in preparation for our event, so there are many new items to try!  Best of all, we are having a trunk show party on Sunday from 11-5 p.m. that will be catered by Grant Street Grocery.  Join us for great food, a little wine, and in store modelling from 12-4 p.m.  All in stock Sympli will be $10 off for the entire trunk show, and any Sympli purchase will get you registered to win one of two free Sympli tops to be given away on Sunday.