Tag Archives: dressing for your body

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

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!

A Brand You Can Get Behind – Sympli

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

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:

dressing-sympli-2 (1)

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

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!

Dressing For Your Body

Posted in dressing for work and dressing for an interview, dressing your figure, tips and tricks, Uncategorized by

Here are some possible body types and the general attributes of each. As you will discover, there are various names that attempt to define the same body shape. To avoid confusion, I have tried to include all the different descriptors that I came across.

Straight Body Type/ Rectangle: your bust and hips are roughly the same size. You most likely have an average bust size and maybe a large rib cage. You might have a flat bottom and your best feature is probably your slender legs. Straight body types need to create the illusion of a waist without emphasizing it. You should lengthen your upper body while disguising your rib cage and drawing attention to your legs.

Pear Body Type/Triangle: your hips are larger than your bust and you have a slender neck, narrow shoulders as well as a defined waist. Your hips and thighs are full. Pear shapes should draw attention to the upper part of the body to balance out the bottom half. They should also bring attention to their waist but not cinch it.

Hourglass Body Type: your broad shoulders are contrasted by a small waist and fuller hips. Your bottom might stick out a bit and you probably have nice legs. Hourglass types should draw attention to their waist and choose drapeable fabrics to highlight their curves. Avoid oversized clothing as it will make you appear boxy.

Top Hourglass Body Type: your bust is larger than your hips with a well defined waist. This type needs to follow the guidelines of the hourglass body type while balancing out the upper and lower body.

Inverted Triangle Body Type: your waist is not as defined and you have large bust and narrow hips. Your shoulders are probably broad and your best feature is likely your legs. Inverted triangle shapes need to add balance to the larger upper body by focusing attention on narrow hips and legs. They should draw attention away from their shoulders and upper torso by choosing clothing that adds volume to the lower half.

Oval Body Type/ Round: your waist is larger than your bust and hips and you usually have larger breasts. You might also have an ample neck and round back. Your best feature is probably your legs. Oval body types will need to downplay their bust and add length to their upper half while drawing attention to their legs. They should create more of a waist by choosing clothing that tapers to the waist and adds volume to the lower body.

Diamond Body Type: your waist is larger than your bust and hips and you have narrow shoulders and smaller breasts. Your hips and thighs are full. The best looks for this type will bring shape to the shoulders, bust and hips by creating a waist. These types will also find it helpful to broaden the shoulders to balance out the fuller bottom torso. They should also draw attention away from the lower half of the body.

Remember, all of these attributes will become more pronounced as you gain weight and determining the right clothing for your body type becomes even more important. Next time, I will go into detail about how to create a waist, add volume to your bottom half, add curves where there are none, and draw attention upward or downward.  Stay tuned for more information about how to dress each of these figure types.  I’ll be posting on Facebook and Twitter for the next couple of weeks with tips and hints for dressing your body in the best possible way.