How Old Is Too Old To Wear A Romper?

Posted in beauty, dressing for your age, dressing your figure, how to, personal style, product review, tips and tricks, trends by kyleen228

One of the most common questions I get is the “Am I too old to wear a….?” Let’s face it ladies, one of the most challenging things about fashion is figuring out how to stay trendy without dressing in an age inappropriate way. Let me just say at the beginning of this blog that I flat out reject the idea that if you are wearing current trends and are past forty, you are dressing too young. I don’t believe the problem lies in whether you wear the latest trends; I believe the issue is in how you wear them.

Let me explain. Each trend will have an edgy side and a more conservative side. Take the two pictures at the top of this blog as an example. On the left is a romper that I would wear, and I am 45. I wouldn’t wear the one on the right, however. That choice doesn’t come from which I think is cuter because I love them both. I would choose the one on the left because it is a toned down version of the romper trend. It has a tank style top that is bra friendly; it has an adjustable draw string waist with a blousy top that will hide figure flaws; it is in a beefier fabric which is less flimsy; and it has slightly longer shorts because of the crochet detailing on the bottom. My post forty legs just can’t do short shorts. If I wanted to add another conservative element, I could put a white button up cardigan or denim jacket over my arms for coverage.

The floral romper on the right would perhaps be better suited for a woman in her twenties or even thirties. With the chiffon fabric and shorter shorts, it will require nice legs. The addition of the cold shoulder element further limits this romper because the more edgy trends you combine in one outfit, the younger the look becomes. In other words, its okay to wear a romper if you are over forty. It might not be the best idea to wear a chiffon romper with little flowers and cold shoulders that require you to wear a bandeaux as a bra. Do you get my drift?

I use this same logic when I am considering any trend. Is there a way I can wear the trend while still keeping the look conservative enough to be appropriate? I can tell you that I have rarely skipped a trend altogether. Only two “um…not only no but hell no” trends come to mind: short shorts and mini dresses.

So if you are like me and over forty but still want to dress in the latest trends, don’t despair. You can stay fashionable and stylish well into your sixties and seventies. The key is keeping it classy!

7Mar2016

How To Wear Long Vests And Jackets

Posted in beauty, clothing, dressing your figure, Fashion, personal style, tips and tricks, trends by kyleen228

One of the fun new trends this season is long vests and jackets. When I say long, I mean at least mid calf if not almost to the floor. It’s a great new look, but it can also be intimidating to know how to wear them. If you feel a bit unsure, hopefully this blog will help you get up the courage to try!

One of the things I do at market is watch what the buyers are wearing. Here in western America, we don’t get too edgy. Trends are dialed down to a more conservative version. I have learned, however, that when I see a significant portion of women sporting a similar trend, it will be one that makes it to good old Wyo.

When I was at market in February, I watched carefully to see the different ways women were wearing this trend. By in large, most women paired their long cardigans and vests with jeans and boots. Several of them added a floppy hat to the look too, which was darn cute! Some manufacturers picture this trend with shorts and boots, but I think that look is harder to pull off than jeans. It is edgier and of course takes great legs. Have no fear, however, if you can’t quite see yourself wearing a long vest and shorts. At 44, I can’t see myself doing it either! The jeans option is very viable and would be age appropriate from 30 to 50.

This style is very Bohemian so when you are putting your look together, keep this in mind. As you can see in the picture, there is a crocheted version as well as a longer fringed style. I paired the one on the right with a denim shirt to bring out the denim blue tones in the cardigan but also because denim shirts are an important item for spring. You could add a white jean to this fringed cardigan, denim shirt combo and have a stylish spring outfit. Keep in mind the length of this jacket. If you are short, you will need to add some heels to get you up off the floor!

The vest on the left is actually easier to pair up. Wear it over a tee shirt or blouse in a natural tone and then add a washed out denim capris, boyfriend or ankle jean. Add some Bohemian sandals like a wrapped ankle wedge, some BoHo jewelry and a fringed purse. You’ll be one hot mama!

Not in Wyoming, but like what you see? We’re adding new items to our online store daily! Check it out here.

13Apr2015

A Brand You Can Get Behind – Sympli

Posted in clothing, dressing your figure, Fashion, heroic women, personal style, quality, shopping with friends, value by kyleen228

One of my great pleasures as a women’s clothing store co-owner is the ability to choose the brands that our stores carry. We always look for quality and value, but it is a special treat when the companies we choose also have a mission that lines up with our own – to empower women. Sympli is just such a company:

This picture shows how Sympli can work for women of different sizes and body types. They have the latest fashion trends in classic year round pieces that work for casual or dressy wear.

“Thirteen years ago, Jan Stimpson, the owner/designer, [ of Sympli] found herself frustrated with the narrow ideals propagated by the fashion industry and this dissatisfaction gave rise to a vision: create an innovative line of clothing that will celebrate the diversity of the feminine figure. Thus, Sympli was born: a collection of high-quality, basics that uses a “fit formula” (including snug, relaxed and tunic) to complement and enhance all body types. Thus allowing women of all shapes and sizes to achieve a similar look. Today, the line has evolved to include exciting novelty pieces that allow women to flawlessly mix and match over 300 designs and 30 colors to build entire wardrobes catered to their unique sense of style. Working mothers from our community make up the majority of our workforce; working to their own schedules, they manage fluctuating workloads, whilst maintaining strong family Lives. They inspire us.”

Having sold this line now for a little over a year, I can tell you they have achieved their goal. Sympli is a line that flatters any figure from size 2 to 20 and beyond. They have recently added Sympli Grand which offers plus sizes as well. The travel knit fabric used to make their clothing is 12 oz, 3 oz heavier than other companies who use the same fabric. You can feel the difference when you take an item off the rack. The weight of the fabric helps it flow and drape rather than cling. It also means the tunic styles are not billowy but rather fit in the right places while allowing extra room in the places most women carry their weight.

Once women try this product on, they are hooked. We carry a large selection of Sympli but the company also offers the ability to customize their line, choosing snug or relaxed fits and customize-able necklines and sleeve lengths. This gives the customer the ability to choose the elements of their tops and bottoms that flatter them in a huge array of colors that compliment their complexion.

Sympli comes in an amazing array of beautiful colors

I’ve also been impressed by the longevity of the product. We have customers that have had Sympli pieces for 8 years and the black is the same black as the brand new pieces in our store. Best yet, care is a breeze. Wash your Sympli by itself or with other Sympli pieces inside out in cold water and hang it to dry. They dry quickly and without wrinkles or stiffness.

Perhaps what makes Sympli special is that it is designed by women for women. No one knows our bodies better than us, and no one feels the frustration more than us when styles seem to cater to the young and thin. I especially love the fact that Sympli employs women who hand sew the product in their homes. You can count on quality workmanship with this product as well as have the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting a company that supports women.

This week we are celebrating Sympli at Fashion Crossroads. All week long, anyone who tries this product on or purchases it, will be registered to win a FREE Sympli item to be given away on Saturday. We will also have our Sympli representative in the store Thursday night for our Trunk Show and Friday and Saturday. Charlotte has been with the company for over ten years and knows the line inside and out. She is excellent at being able to suggest styles that will flatter any body type. We will be taking special orders Thursday through Saturday.

Don’t live in Casper? No problem. You can also purchase Sympli on our online store at http://Fashion-Crossroads-Inc.shoptiques.com. Any online orders taken this week will also be entered to win the free item. You can get more information about our Trunk Show happening this Thursday night at https://www.facebook.com/FashionCrossroads/events. The Trunk Show is a great time to come in and learn about the line while you enjoy wine and appetizers and hanging out with other women who love fashion!

23Mar2015

It’s Foxcroft Week!

Posted in beauty, clothing, dressing for work and dressing for an interview, personal style, quality, spring 2015 fashion trends, tips and tricks by kyleen228

This week we are highlighting one of our fabulous lines at Fashion Crossroads called Foxcroft. Now through Friday, come in and try on one of these fabulous wrinkle free cotton blouses and you can register to win a FREE Foxcroft Blouse of your choice from our store! The winner will be chosen at closing on Friday, March 27th and notified on Saturday, March 28th.

Olive stripped Foxfroft wrinkle free cotton blouse at Fashion Crossroads

I have to tell you, I am very impressed by these blouses. I have to admit, I was a bit dubious about wrinkle free cotton. So, I determined to purchase one myself and put it to the test! I thought a perfect trial for such a claim would be a trip, so I packed my new Foxcroft blouse at the bottom of my suitcase (under the rest of my clothes and shoes) and waited to see how it looked when I arrived at market in Las Vegas. To my surprise, the blouse came out of my suitcase without any wrinkles!

My next test was to wear it on hell day…Monday at the Women’s Wear and Nevada Show where we work from 9 a.m .to 8 p.m. This very long day is spent in a tight schedule where we have a new vendor to see every hour. I walk a lot going from vendor to vendor and I sit a lot while I’m placing my orders. What better test for a blouse than constant up and down? I wore it out over my cropped jeans, and it did not crease at the waist, despite the hours I spent sitting and writing orders. Okay, so now I was becoming VERY impressed. I even wore it a second day while I was at market because it looked so fresh and crisp!

White cotton Foxcroft blouse that I wore at market and available on our online store.

The final test was to again pack it beneath my clothing in my suitcase on the way home. By this time, I was not surprised when I took it out of my suitcase, unwrinkled.

This is a fabulous blouse and worth every penny I spent on it! A great cotton blouse is a wonderful investment because it goes with anything and looks great under sweaters, jackets or by itself. Best yet, it will never go out of style so it is a worthwhile investment. I have loved my Foxcroft blouse and I couldn’t recommend this line of blouses any more. You can purchase the same blouse I described above on our online store at

http://Fashion-Crossroads-Inc.shoptiques.com. Just look for the Foxcroft blouse. If you live here in Casper, then this is the week to come in and give this line a try! Who knows, maybe you could be the lucky winner of new Foxcroft blouse!

9Mar2015

Four Key Trends For Spring

Posted in beauty, clothing, dressing your figure, Fashion, personal style, spring 2015 fashion trends by kyleen228

Heavy zipper details are a trend to look for this season

As the spring merchandise keeps flowing in, I am getting more and more excited for warmer weather. It is so refreshing to change your closet over from dark, heavy winter fabrics to light, airy, summer styles. But even more exciting than the color and fabric change are the the new trends for the season. I wanted to highlight a few trends you’ll be seeing quite a bit this season and encourage you to try at least one!

We’ve seen zip sweaters play a big role this winter season. The heavy gage zipper as embellishment trend continues into summer with zip necked tops like this one on the left from Lior. Pair this style with a printed legging in a coordinating color and some cute sandals, and you’ll have a trendy look for your summer barbecue! We also have this top in royal blue, and I love it with printed black and white leggings. The two together are edgy and oh so cute! Of course this style also works well with skinny jeans or boyfriend jeans (rolled at the ankle).

The next trend worth highlighting is kimonos. Wear these boxy styled jackets like you would a cardigan with a loose

Kimonos are going to be a fun new spring trend you will want to try

fitting top underneath or a tank. At market, the trendier girls wore their kimonos with shorts but you can dial down the style a bit by pairing them with skinny ankle pants as well. I love this one from Ryu pictured on the right. The soft blue is very denim friendly and the crochet and fringe embellishment make it hip. We’ve layered this one with a lace tank in ivory and finished off the look with a tassel necklace. So cute! This is a great option for denim capris, skinny jeans or boyfriend jeans. These also work well over skirts and dresses too.

Speaking of crochet, it is everywhere this season! You’ll be seeing it as

Crochet is queen this season! And why not, it’s hip and feminine.

an embellishment, but the far more trendy way to wear it is as a crochet top. Look at the example on the left. This is such a light, airy style that works great to hide a thick middle and looks amazing worn as head to toe neutral, paired either as a cream and white or cream and tan combo. (Cream crochet with white pants, for example). While this style definitely hearkens back to the 70’s, it’s more feminine than hippie this season.

The last style worth highlighting is the modified high low. This one from Tribal

Boyfriend style high low looks great with loose silk pants for a casual and chic look.

is a marriage of the boyfriend tee (oversized) and high low tee (shorter front than back). This loose fitting, airy style works well paired with slouchy silk or linen pants. It also looks amazing with jeans. Notice again the strong neutral trend with a white front and heather grey back. Style tip: this top is okay to wear with jeggings but not with leggings. Why? Leggings cling too much in the front so you want to make sure you cover them with a longer top. Because jeggings use a thicker fabric, they don’t cling and can therefore handle a shorter top that doesn’t cover your crotch area. Keep it classy ladies!

I hope this blog inspires you to try one of these new styles this spring. Embrace a new trend this season. It will give your whole wardrobe a lift!

6Nov2014

How Old Is Too Old to Wear Leggings?

Posted in dressing for work and dressing for an interview, dressing your figure, Fashion by kyleen228

How old is too old to wear leggings and skinny jeans? I just did a fashion show for the Geo Wives Club and most of my models were in their 50’s and 60’s. We put several of them in either leggings or slim legged pants, and they looked great! The issue isn’t whether a 65 year old can wear leggings. This issue is how to interpret the trend for a mature woman. First of all, we didn’t choose a slim silhouette unless it flattered the woman wearing it. In other words, those with larger hips and legs wore a-line skirts or looser fitting slacks. Those with slim legs wore leggings or cigarette pants and loose fitting tunics that came down to the appropriate length. About 90% of the models wore layered tops. A jacket and tank, for example, work well together to hide figure flaws while still showing off a waist. With some well thought out clothing choices, they were all dressed in the latest trends and looked classy, fashionable and perfectly dressed for their age.

Talking Trends

When How You Look Really Matters

Tag Archives: dressing for your age