Category Archives: dressing your best

Love Your Laundry Series: How To Identify Quality

Posted in clothing, dressing your best, dressing your figure, how to, How to spot quality, tips and tricks, What to wear by

With the popularization of fast fashion and our society embracing throw away mentality, I sometimes feel we have lost an understanding of the benefits of quality and why it really is worth the extra money to get it. I don’t know how you are, but before my husband purchase just about anything, we research the product and read reviews. We are big fans of consumer reports because we believe that while you don’t have to buy the most expensive thing on the market, you do get what you pay for.

My experience with all kinds of appliances, electronics, and clothing is that there is usually a reason why an item is more expensive. Whether it is longer battery life, better quality circuitry, the reputation of the manufacturer, or the actual features of a product, a good sales person should be able to explain to you why two items are different prices.

I think we all have a choice to make. Do we want to buy it cheaply and know that it will have a shorter life or do we want to spend more up front and expect, with care and attention, it will last a much longer time? The fast fashion world like H&M and Sheen peddle cheaply made clothing with cheap fabrics. The price tag is very affordable, but don’t expect it to wash and wear well or for a long time.

As the owner of a boutique that is focused on quality as well as an Outlet that is focused on budget and price, I have a lot of experience at both ends of the spectrum. I have shopped the same manufacturers that supply H&M, and I have shopped high end clothing companies. I believe quality if always worth the extra money, but I also recognize that the general shopper doesn’t always understand what makes a clothing item high quality.

The purpose of this month’s Wednesday Wardrobing Series, then, will be to explore this topic. I have named it Love Your Laundry because of the delight that comes when you wash something for the first time and are elated at how it performs instead of frustrated at the mis-shapen mess that comes out of your dryer.

So how do you spot quality in clothing? Here are my top tips:

  • Fabric matters: I spend a lot of time in last month’s Wednesday Wardrobing series talking about how when you are trying to dress your body type, you always want to choose heavier fabrics to wear over your trouble areas. This is because heavier fabrics will have a better drape, whereas lighter fabrics tend to cling. Additionally heavier fabrics are less likely to show cellulite.
  • Every fabric comes on a scale from the cheapest to the most expensive version of itself. Cotton, for example, can be light weight and not much better than Rayon or it can be beefy and weighty. The truth is, you can feel quality. Take a garment in your hand and rub the fabric. Is it soft or scatchy? Is it heavy or light? Does it resist wrinkles or does it wrinkle easily? Does it have stretch or is it stiff? Is it already showing signs of pilling just from being handled in the store? Are the sleeves too long indicating the fabric may be stretching out as it is hanging? Is the fabric see through? Has the manufacturer provided a lining or are you going to have to layer it? These are all questions that will help you identify classic areas that reveal poor quality vs. better quality fabrics.
  • Construction matters: Beware of puckering hems and linings. Items that are sewn quickly and without care will often have puckers where the seams meet. Examine all the seams. Similarly, hastily sewn linings will reveal similar problems. If you see lots of stray strings or even massive amounts of thread, it is a very good indication the item is poor quality.
  • Similarly, buttons that are half on and not secure; button holes that are too small; and zippers that are sewn in crooked are further indications of poorly constructed items.
  • If the garment is printed, look at how the print comes together at the seams. Does it make sense or is the stripe on the front two inches lower on the back? Matching fabrics up at the seams is always a sign of good quality.
  • Look at the pockets. Do they lay flat or stick out?
  • When you try the item on, do all the style details lay in the right place. For example, does the shoulder cut out show your bra strap?
  • Details Matter: If you are comparing apples to apples in the sense that two tops are made with a similar level of construction and fabric quality, what separates one price level from another are the details. Better quality brands take the time to pay attention to the small features that help a product sell.
  • Many manufactures are including shapers in their clothing, whether it is a mesh panel or a wide waist band with extra smoothing qualities, these additions are going to help the garment flatter your body better.
  • Consider also things like tabbed sleeves, reversible neck lines, and reversible prints, or multifunction pieces as all of these features will give you multiple ways to wear the item or an option that looks better on you.
  • Also, look for embellishments like extra layers, fringed hems, bra friendly straps, seaming details, embroidery, etc. Things like buttons can also be a good indicator of quality.
  • Does the clothing item have unusual buttons like wooden or brushed metal? I happen to love buttons and have seen how they can really add style to an item when they are unusual or of a higher quality material.

Hopefully, this list will help you to begin to notice small differences in clothing items. Believe me, small differences add up. And when how you look really matters, quality matters! It is worth your money to get the best quality you can afford. You will be happier with the item and it will last longer than its less expensive option.

You can watch me cover this topic live in my Wednesday Wardrobing Series in our VIP Facebook group. These videos air each Wednesday at 6ish.

Dressing Your Body Type Part III: Hourglass, Inverted Triangle and Rectangle

Posted in dressing your best, dressing your figure by

It’s time for Part III of my four part series on Dressing Your Body Type. In this blog, I will cover the Hourglass, Inverted Triangle and Rectangle shapes. Let’s dive in.

Hourglass Shape: Defined by delicate bones, a large bust, a small waist and curved hips with shapely legs

Key Figure Balancing Actions: Draw attention to your waist and emphasize your curves!

Ways to do this:

  1. Draw attention to your waist by using waist bands and belts. Your body type was made for cropped tops and mid rise pants.
  2. Soft and flowy fabrics are your friend, as they will show off your curves. Wrap styles are particularly flattering on you, whether it is a wrap skirt or dress.
  3. If you have a very large bust or a round and protruding rear, be careful not to cinch your waist too tight, as it will emphasize this.
  4. Oversized styles just hide all of your assets. Shoot for semi-fitted styles that either define your waist or hint at your waist.
  5. Choose medium sized handbags that hit at your waist.
  6. As this body type usually has fine bones, you should choose delicate jewelry and low profile shoes

Best styles to choose from: Anything semi-fitted will flatter your curves. Tailored jackets and short skirts will look lovely on your as will wrap styles, as already mentioned. Choose styles that can be belted to show off your waist. Wearing your blouse knotted and cropped with jeans will show your slim waist and hips. Avoid loose fitting and boxy styles.

Inverted Triangle: Defined by broad shoulders, a medium to large bust, a defined waist that is medium width, narrow hips, long legs.

Key Figure Balancing Actions: Your legs and hips are your best feature, so draw attention to this part of your body. You are broad shouldered, so you will want to balance this part of your body out with your smaller lower half. Draw attention away from your shoulders and upper body.

Ways to do this:

  1. Because of your pretty legs, skirts and short dresses will be a great choice for you. Because of your slim hips, you will look nice in straight or a-line styles. You will also look nice in slacks, jeans, and leggings.
  2. Wearing loose and non-tailored or semi-tailored tops will be your best bet to minimize your upper torso. Avoid structured shoulders or anything with shoulder pads, as it will add extra girth to your shoulders. For this same reason, avoid necklines that draw attention to your shoulders like boat necks.
  3. Styles that have loose sleeves like kimono, raglan, and dropped will give you extra room in the bust. V necks will optically slim your upper torso, the deeper the better.
  4. Minimize your upper body by using dark and neutral colors on top and play up your strengths by wearing color on the bottom.
  5. You will want to choose better quality, heavier fabrics for your top that have a good drape and do not cling.
  6. Choose low waisted styles and low slung belts that fall at your hip instead of your waist.
  7. Wear handbags so they sit at your slim hips. Avoid shoulder bags.

Best Styles To Choose From: Tie belts will be your friend because you can tie them at your hips instead of your waist. Any bottom that has a mid-rise instead of a regular rise will be more flattering on you. Flared skirts and dresses will help balance your shoulders. A loose fitting knit top tucked into a mid rise skirt would be very flattering. Wearing a scarf horizontally will help give the optical illusion of elongating your torso. Slimmed legged bottoms with loose fitting tops are also a great look for you. This body type can also do palazzo pants well when they are paired with a top that goes past the hips.

Straight/Rectangle: Defined by a “square” shape where the upper and lower torso are the same width, a medium sized bust, a wide rib cage, a thick waist, a flattened rear, and slender legs.

Key Figure Balancing Actions: Draw attention away from your rib cage and waist. Draw attention to your legs.

Ways to do this:

  1. Avoid skirts that add girth with style details like gathered or tiered. Instead choose sleek skirts in any style from short to long, tailored to a-line.
  2. Tailored slacks and mid rise bottoms will flatter you without bringing attention to your waist.
  3. Wear longer tops with slim bottoms to draw attention to your strengths. You can tuck in a top, but make sure you pair a jacket over the top to avoid drawing attention to your waist.
  4. A monochromatic (all one color) or keeping your jacket and pant the same color and adding a punch of color in the middle will be the most slimming.
  5. Tops should not be clingy. Choose flowy, medium to heavy weight fabrics that drape well.
  6. Use v necks to vertically slim your torso.
  7. This figure type is often short waisted so you will want to avoid cutting your body off at your waist or it will emphasize this. Make sure your demarcation of color or style happens below the waist.

Best Styles To Choose From: Non tailored shirt dress (buttons up the front with a collar). Longer jacket that fits loose over a short skirt. Loose shift style dress. Loose fitting safari jacket that hits mid to low hip with slim legged pants. Styles that have a dropped waist. Avoid empire waists. Tunic dresses.

Watch my live video on these three body types for examples of what to wear. You can watch here tonight at 6 p.m. MST. The first blog post in the series was called Dressing Your Body Type: The Fundamentals and the second was Dressing Your Body Type: Pear, Diamond and Round. You can see the videos for this series on my YouTube page here.

Choosing The Right Makeup For Your Season

Posted in beauty, dressing your best, fashion, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, What to wear by

It is just as important to wearing the right colors on your face as it is on your body. You can do everything right with your outfit but then undermine all the benefits of wearing the right colors by choosing the wrong makeup. If you missed my last two live videos or blog posts, I broke up determining your color palate and color season into two sections. The first blog post focused on determining if you are warm or cool and the second on determining which season you. If you haven’t read those blog posts or watched those videos, do that before you start this step. I give credit to Color Me Beautiful by JoAnne Richmond for this information

Spring Makeup Colors: Light value and warm tone

Eye Pencil colors: medium to navy blue, palm green, or light to medium brown

Accent shadow (crease color): light browns, light greens, and copper. All over color: light peach

Blush Colors: peach, salmon and light coral

Lipsticks: peach, apricot, mango, and melon. All glosses should have a golden quality

Autumn Makeup Colors: Dark value and warm tone

Eye Pencil colors: medium brown to black brown

Accent shadow (crease color) medium brown, olive green, medium copper. All over color: warm candlelight

Blush Color: Salmon and terra cotta

Lipsticks: deep shades of cinnamon, peach, and terra cotta. Glosses should have a gold quality.

Summer Makeup Colors: Light Value and cool tone

Eye Pencil: medium blue, medium green and charcoal

Accent Shadow (crease color) green blue, blue greys and lavender. All over color: pale pink

Blush Color: soft pink, rose and soft plum

Lipsticks: pink, rose, and plum. Glosses: silver shimmer

Winter Makeup Colors: Deep value and cool tone

Eye Pencil: charcoal and navy. Black in the evening

Accent Shadow: medium to dark grey, medium to dark plum and medium to dark teal. All over color: pale pink

Blush Color: soft red, deep pink and wine

Lipsticks: hot pink, ruby, bright red, and plum

When choosing a foundation, you begin with your warm or cool tone. Warm toned seasons will look best in a foundation that has a yellow or golden tone. Other colors include amber, honey, or ginger colors. Cool toned season will look best in a foundation that has a pink to rose undertone as well as cognac, espresso or mink tones.

If you would like to see some examples of these colors, join me LIVE tonight at 6 p.m. in our VIP Fashionista Group. I upload the videos into YouTube as well, so you can also check the whole series out there.

Determining Your Color Palate Part 1

Posted in beauty, dressing your best, how to, know what color to wear by

Determining your “season,” or the color palate that is the most complimentary for your skin, is time well spent. You can have mastered the latest trends and how to wear them, but if you wear the wrong colors, you will still not look your best. I covered this topic briefly in my Closet Cleanout Challenge Step Three. I received a lot of questions that let me know there is a lot of confusion on this topic, so I decided to do a deep dive. Thus, I have chosen to do a four part blog and video series this month for my Wednesday Night Wardrobing Live Videos that will go into detail about this topic. I encourage you to join me live tonight at 6 p.m. MST. My vision for this series is that we can all help each other work through this process. Here is the schedule:

Wednesday, March 1: Are You Warm Or Cool?

Wednesday, March 8th: What Season Are You?

Wednesday, March 15: What Are Your Best Makeup Colors?

Wednesday, March 22: How Do I Make Wardrobe and Jewelry Choices Based On My Season?

I need to give credit to JoAnne Richmond and Color Me Beautiful, which I am using as a resource for this series. I will also be using other websites as well and will reference them as we go.

STEP ONE: DETERMINE IF YOU ARE WARM OR COOL

Warm or cool refers to the undertones in your skin and whether they are more blue based or yellow based. You can see this distinction demonstrated in the two color palates above. Cool tones should remind you of someplace cold and snowy, while warm tones resemble a desert. To determine your palate, focus first on your hair, eyes and skin.

HAIR:

COOL: Platinum blonde, jet black, ash brown and ash blonde. If you have gone grey, you will have silver or pearl grey hair. A cool hair tone will have no red or gold highlights.

WARM: Golden blonde, red tones like strawberry blonde and copper, and dark red-brown. A warm hair is characterized by golden and red highlights.

EYES:

COOL: Very dark or almost black eyes, dark brown, blue and grey, turquoise, and green without golden flecks.

WARM: Golden brown, red brown, olive green, blue green or clear green. Warm eye tones are characterized by golden flecks.

SKIN:

COOL: Porcelain (often associated with an Irish heritage), Olive (often associated with Asian, Latin and Mediterranean heritage), beige (common among Caucasians), rosy toned skin.

WARM: Ivory (often associated with Danish, Sweedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Icelandic peoples). Peach skin (often associated with Northern Europe). Golden beige or caramel colors that are characterized by gold undertones as well as coppery and maple colors (this skin can come from many heritages including African, Asian, Mediterranean, Latino and Native Americans.

http://www.hungrywardrobe.com/discover-your-colours

If you are still struggling, there are a couple of other tests you can perform. Find a piece of clothing from the warm palate and one from the cool palate. Remove all of your makeup, and stand in front of a mirror. Drape each color around your face. When you have the correct warm or cool tone for your skin:

  1. The whites of your eyes look white and bright.
  2. Your skin should also look bright and not dull.
  3. Your teeth will appear whiter
  4. The lines around your eyes as well as dark circles will appear less apparent.

Join me next Wednesday to determine whether you are cool and deep; cool and light; warm and deep; or warm and light.

5 Tips For Choosing Your Christmas Eve Outfit

Posted in dressing your best, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by

Well, it is official….Christmas Eve is just 10 days away!! Have you picked your holiday look yet?

Whether your Christmas Eve festivities are casual or dressy, it is important to feel great and be comfortable, so you can enjoy your family and friends during this important holiday. As you consider what to wear, here are my 5 tips for making the most of your holiday look:

Choose clothing that can transition between events easily: Christmas Eve often means travelling between venues. Whether it is church and home or friends and family member’s houses, you will likely be in and out and maybe even transitioning between dressy (church) and casual (home) events. Layers are your friend in this situation. Choose comfy bottoms and then dress them up by layering sweaters and vests, tunics or blouses and cardigans, or blouses and blazers. Keep your outer most layer dressy so you can remove it when the casual part of your evening arrives.

Consider the weather and your accessories and outerwear: Heels and snow don’t mix very well unless you enjoy cold feet! If you are in a cold weather climate, like here in Wyoming, you are likely not going to choose a dress unless it is with tights and boots. It is just too cold and messy outside. Comfy clothes like tunics and leggings, blazers and jeans, cardigans and stretchy pants are a great choice. Shoe boots and tall boots are a savior this time of year because you just never know when you are going to run into a un-shoveled sidewalk or icy walkway. Sensible shoes will keep you dry, warm and safe.

Likewise, if you are heading to a party, you may want to get some air and take a break outside. Make sure you think through your outer wear accordingly, and for goodness sake, don’t ruin your outfit with the wrong kind of coat!! If you’ve dressed up, don’t put a puffy coat over the top of your look unless it is a dressy version.

Don’t limit yourself to certain colors: There are a lot of looks that can work for Christmas Eve, and you don’t need to be wearing red or green to look festive. White and black are always classic, and you can dress up a simple outfit with some sparkly jewelry to make it look very appropriate for a holiday look. Gold and cream are also a classic combo that can work very well. Having just a splash of red or a print that includes red and green are also good options. I even like raspberry and pink for holiday looks. I’ll be featuring some I have chosen in my weekly Wednesday Wardrobing video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. Watch for some other ideas besides what I have pictured here.

Add some sparkle: Adding a sequin tank or top can totally change your style from everyday to holiday. Consider the cream cardigan and gold sequin top pictured above, as a great example of this. A dressier handbag like the snakeskin printed leather crossbody in the first picture or the dressy clutches in several of the other pictures also add an element of class and sparkle. And, of course, sparkly jewelry is a must! This is the time to pull out your Swarovski crystals and wear them with pride!

Focus on the reason for the season: While looking and feeling beautiful is a worthy endeavor, how you look is not the ultimate point of the season. Connecting with your loved ones, celebrating life and the joy of the season, being grateful for your blessings and remembering the gift of God this season are the true things that will make your night sparkle. Set an intention to feel great in how you look and then be present as you go though your evening. Notice the lights, the tastes and smells, and enjoy!

Any of these looks can be found in my Kyleen’s Picks Collection for this week on http://www.fashioncrossroadsinc.com or in our brick and mortar store, Fashion Crossroads, in downtown Casper, Wyoming.

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.

Hat, Glove And Scarf Trends for Winter 2022

Posted in dressing your best, fall fashion trends, Fashion, fashion, fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by

Old Man Winter is fully in swing here in Wyoming, and that cold wind does blow. It is most definitely hat, glove, and scarf weather. Just like you can ruin a stylish outfit with the wrong shoes or handbag, you can also ruin a stylish coat with outdated winter accessories. That’s why you’ll want to know the latest hat, glove and scarf trends so you can keep up to date.

Hat Trends:

  1. Beanies: By far the most popular hat trend is the beanie, but there are multiple types of beanies that you can choose from. Right now, you will find Pom Beanies like the one pictured above on the right that are distinguished by some type of pom on the top, slouchy beanies that have an oversized look that hangs off the top of your head, and pony tail beanies that have holes and allow for you to wear a hat with a pony tail. Whatever type you choose, make sure it coordinates with your coat, scarf and gloves. I really recommend buying your winter accessories at the same time to keep everything matched.
  2. Other popular styles of hats right now are bucket hats, wool berets, and fedoras. Bucket hats look like you are wearing a bucket upside down on your head. Berets are classically French and are usually worn to the side of your head, and fedoras are structured hats like the one pictured at the top on the left. You will also see newspaper boy hats this season which are characterized by a bill and usually a rounded top.

Glove Trends:

  1. Vegan Leather: just like the abundance of vegan leather jackets and vests that are popular this season, gloves are following suit with faux leather and suede verities. These are great because they are usually solid colors that are easy to pair with printed scarves and hats.
  2. Plaid: Similarly, the strength of plaid this season, especially in blouses and shackets, has carried over to gloves. You’ll find a variety of gloves adorned with plaid prints. Be careful, however, not to overdo the plaid as you can end up with a plaid hat, scarf and glove which might be too much unless they are designed to go together.
  3. Knits: Gloves are really following the sweater trends this season. The strongest knits in sweaters are hombre yarns, variegated yarns and cable knit styles. You’ll find knit gloves with these same elements that are essentially mini sweaters on your hands!

Scarf Trends:

  1. Cowl neck scarves: Half the sweaters in my store right now have Cowl Necks, and some even have removeable Cowl Necks, so it is no surprise that this type of a neck can also double as a great “scarf.” The best part is you don’t have to add a scarf because your sweater will do it for you.
  2. Cashmere: This style never goes out, but this season, you will see extra long cashmere scarves that you can wrap multiple times. Watch my Wednesday Wardrobing Live Video 11/30/22 to see some examples.
  3. Fringe Edged: Scarves with fringe on the edges is also popular. These can be large, oversized scarves, or smaller wool scarves.
  4. Plaid: As with gloves, plaids are very popular in scarves this season. Just remember to match a plaid to the color of your coat and don’t over do it with too many plaid elements.

That’s it…so many options to choose from. Being truly stylish means you pay attention to how everything works together not only in your outfit but in your accessories as well. Don’t ruin a great look with out of date or mismatched outerwear accessories, and don’t ruin a great coat with a hat, some gloves and a scarf that don’t look like they coordinate.

Stay warm and stylish my friends!

3 Tips To Rock Your Style For Thanksgiving

Posted in clothing, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks by
Whether you are dressing up or keeping it casual this season, being comfortable is the name of the game!

Everybody does Thanksgiving a little differently. Some eat early in the day, some eat mid day and some wait for dinner time. No matter how your family does it, chances are, you are going to be in your Thanksgiving day outfit for several hours at the minimum and, in some cases, all day. You want to look nice but also be comfortable. We all know the miserable feeling of having eaten a Thanksgiving meal in clothes that felt just fine before you ate and that you could hardly wait to get out of after you were finished!! It is sheer torture and really hinders your ability to enjoy your family and friends. As a result, carefully considering your outfit choice for Thanksgiving is a must. In this blog post, I will share three tips to making great outfit choice and, hopefully, give you some ideas for choosing the perfect look.

Layer It Up: There are several reasons why wearing layers for Thanksgiving makes a whole lot of sense. First, if you are going to someone else’s house, layers let you adjust your temperature accordingly – too cold, keep your layer on or too hot, take it off. Similarly, a vest or jacket can be very effective in hiding an expanded stomach after the meal is finished and help you feel more comfortable. Whether you choose a vest, a longer sweater cardigan or a jacket, layering adds dimension to your look that naturally dresses it up and has many practical applications as well.

Consider the looks above. In each outfit, (with the exception of the unlayered blouse and pant), the added layer levels up the style. Imagine the sweater without the vest of the tunic without the sweater cardigan, as an example, the outfit would seem less dressy and trendy. It may be that you spend some time outside having a drink expanding the space in the home, having the extra layer is perfect for moving from indoors to outdoors easily.

Wear Holiday Colors: Whether you choose holiday reds and greens or browns and rusts, wearing colors that go with the season is a great way to make your look feel special for this special day. Because rust is such a strong color this season, you should be able to find ample options out there that will match the traditional golds, browns, and orange in Thanksgiving decorations.

Take a look at the outfits I have highlighted at the top for examples. In the top row, starting from the left, the first look combines trendy rust denim pants with a lovely cable knit sweater and copper puffy vest. The second and third look, on the other hand, focuses more on Christmas colors with a lovely Christmas red blouse and a tunic with Christmas greens. On the bottom row, the look to the left combines vintage wash jeans with a white blouse that is layered with a faux suede vest. The next is the classic dressy blouse paired with a black slack, but I have chosen a rust blouse that coordinates perfectly with Thanksgiving colors. The last look combines a trendy plaid blouse with a faux wool jacket and distressed jeans. Each look offers differing levels of dressiness but all are great examples of perfect looks for the holiday.

Wear Comfy Pants: We’ve all seen the memes about getting your “fat pants” ready or setting your scales back 10 lbs. Make no mistake, Thanksgiving is a day for over-eating. More than any other part of your outfit, the pants you choose for the day are of utmost importance. Make sure they are stretchy and comfy and will expand as necessary!

I love leggings for Thanksgiving because I sell several brands that have tummy shapers in them, and if there is ever a day where I want some extra “shaping,” that is the day! Most of our jeans also have tummy panels in them as well to help, and in both bottoms, the fabric will stretch so you are comfortable sitting or standing.

Wearing the wrong outfit to your holiday dinner can ruin the event. When you are uncomfortable, it is hard to enjoy the delicious food or the company. Being in a hurry to leave because you can’t wait to get out of your clothes robs you off precious time with your loved ones. Taking some time to think through your outfit and the requirements of your day is well worth your time an energy. Watch my live Wednesday Wardrobing video tonight at 6 p.m. MST for more outfit ideas and discussion on this topic.

Also, if you see a look you like, you can find all of these items on our online store at www.fashioncrossroadsinc.com.

3 Ways To Style A Plaid Shirt

Posted in clothing, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by
HyFve Flannel Shirt In Brown: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/hyfve-plaid-flannel-shirt-in-brown
New York Collection Plaid Blouse: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/new-york-collection-plaid-blouse
Be Cool Plaid Blouse: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/copy-of-be-cool-long-sleeve-shirt-in-mint
Be Cool Jacket: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/copy-of-be-cool-cropped-jacket-in-oatmeal

Continuing my “3 Ways To Style” series, this week’s blog post is focused on new ways to style a plaid blouse. The great thing about blouses is that they are so versatile. At a bare minimum, you can always style a basic button up blouse left out, tucked in, or tied in the front. The full style potential of a blouse is not realized, however, until you begin layering. Here are my top 3 ways to layer a plaid blouse.

  1. Layer over a graphic tee and under a vest: This is a fun style and is perfect for a cold day because this style adds the extra layer of a vest for warmth that can be worn by itself or under a coat. When you are matching a tee and a plaid shirt, just be sure the colors in the tee are also in the top. For example, if your plaid shirt has black, white and pink, choose a graphic tee that is in one of those colors.
  2. Layer over a striped tee and under a jacket: Mixing stripes and plaids is a fun way to pair patterns. The same principle applies as what I described with layering with a graphic tee. Match your stripes to the colors in your plaid shirt. In my example above, a black and white striped top would be a great choice. Then, choose a coordinating jacket in a solid color to go over the top. This style can be dressed up also and made to work with your work slacks when you choose a dressier jacket or even a blazer.
  3. Layer a plaid blouse under a sweater: Showing the plaid shirt collar and tail under a coordinating solid or printed sweater is another great way to layer your top. It adds dimension and character to the sweater and also an extra layer of warmth. Layering a vest or jacket over the sweater is also a great option.

In my weekly Wednesday Wardrobing Video this week, I demonstrated each of these ideas. Watch that video here: 3 Ways To Style A Plaid Shirt

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.