Please do not use the photo above.

I have read many articles from fashionistas on style. One said, “Either you got it or you ain’t. I don’t buy into that. I think style is the total woman and every woman before and after 50 has the opportunity to own it. Style has to do with your ideas and the way you live. As Coco Chanel says, “Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman there is no dress.”

I would like to take a brief moment to discuss the word fashion.  I listen to women speak of the ‘fashion of the day.’ Remember darling, fashion is here today and gone tomorrow. Style has lasting allure. It is like the sky.

I have spoken often on the importance of a woman’s inner style. Today’s musings are on your outer style.

OUTER STYLE

Darlings, my editor plans the title of each story two months out on an Editorial Calendar. When I saw  “brands I shop” I definitely wanted to change the theme. Why? Because shopping is not about a brand per se, it’s about a woman’s experience leading up to her ‘find.’

Let’s use our creativity (that is what shopping is about) and imagine the woman is on a hunt to shop her authentic style. Certainly, certain brands are in her repertoire. You have yours and I have mine. That does not mean we will not  veer off course. That is the nature of women. We gather! And yet at our age after 50 we should be seasoned shoppers.

When Does Your Sense of Style Begin?

Think about your parents or that special person(s) in your life who helped you form your panache, your verve… your style! In my case, it was my mother and my father!

As a little girl I think you began to notice your mother’s style. She was your first teacher. I say that because my mother was my teacher and my role model. I observed her outer demeanor because she was my mom, not because of the way she dressed.

By the age of ten my mom was amused and surprised I could discern what looked good on me. I was most fortunate my mother taught me the importance of style over fashion; to spend only what I could afford (she did) and the power of the accessory. She went further by explaining the importance of the art of tailoring and the importance of honoring my personal style. She told me to own it; to dress for myself.She explained I would know the feeling when it happened.  I also learned from my mother that less is more, to buy my wardrobe to last a lifetime, and that simplicity was style. Now that I am a woman after 50 I share my thoughts with my multigenerational friends.

My father had impeccable taste and I must say, for a small-town boy from Kankakee by the Sea, he had stunning taste. He taught me to buy the best, to feel the fabric, and to own my look. Of course my mother taught him everything, but he acquired his own style and his love for quality over quantity. This I learned from my dad, and when I shop I think of my dad with an eye for quality and my mom with an eye on outer style.

Please change photo.

Shopping is Hard… Here Are Some Thoughts

Shopping is hard. Don’t you think? It takes time, considerable thought, energy, and staying power. Take it off. Try it on. Take it off. Try it on. Frustration and aggravation. It is for this reason that when you find your favorites, latch on to them for dear life.

My suggestion:  Choose a personal shopper to help you find clothes for your body type, lifestyle and your mystique. The advice of a personal shopper is the smartest thing a woman can do who is searching for a new look or wants the advice of a professional.

A personal shopper does not charge you. She is there to help you with sound advice. When you go to the market and need help finding the perfect melon, you call on a person in that department to help and guide you. Why not find that perfect someone to help you shop your style!

Let Passion Be Your Dresser

Darling, please believe that age is just a number. When it comes to style have a little defiance in your attitude. Breakthrough the negative messaging of fashion and age. Go out and forget the rules. Be rebellious and reinvent yourself.

If spending is limited, don’t let that stop you from owning your style and the enjoyment of dressing. I have friends who spend large sums on their wardrobes and I have friends who can’t or choose to budget themselves. Often time my friends who spend less look more glam than my friends who spend more. They spend within their budget and look like a million bucks! That’s style.

Here are a few ideas on how to spend less and look like a million! Many are brands I shop.

Look Like a Million Bucks

I have a large red flower that I bought for $14.95 (see picture above). I wore the flower in my hair as a fascinator for a hat party while my friends wore very expensive hats. And I wore my hair slicked back so you only saw my face with red lips and my red larger than life fascinator flower. Start collecting flowers, Darling.

I own a plain white dress so I decided I would pin the same red flower just below my shoulder. Then I added red patent leather heels. I wear the flower pinned at my waist with Levi’s and a white shirt. I used one inexpensive accessory to create a look. I own my style.

On another occasion I saved a satin Chanel ribbon from a gift box and tied it around my neck and wore it as a necklace. Put your thinking cap on and see what you have in your drawers, see what you have saved for gift wrapping. Maybe a velvet ribbon? Be creative.

Why Shop In Small Boutiques?

The word safari is the Swahili word for journey. Shopping for me is like going on a Safari, a hunt, so I prefer to hunt in small shops because the atmosphere is peaceful. I have attention from a stylist and I can dedicate myself to one brand. I have so much on my plate that knowing my favorite shops that specialize in my kind of brands is a relief. If you are so busy you are dizzy and love the quiet of the day consider doing what I do.

Favorite Clothing Brands

Some of my favorite lines of clothing are Georgio Armani and Jill Sanders  and Dior The lines are simple. A young woman in her 30’s and an older woman in her 70’s look stunning in those brands. I have kept the majority of my finds, from years ago, because they are still keepers.   (CHECK THE LINKS. I ADDED DIOR. TAKE AWAY JILL SANDERS. ADD BRUNO CUTTINELLI ( MISPELLED)

For a WOW designer with panache, I love Pucci because not many women I know in my circle wear the line. I love their designs and colors. Every one of my Pucci pieces is a keeper from clothes to handbags to water bottles.

Louis Vuitton fashions stand on their own. The line fits me well and I am a Louis fan from the get-go. I love everything Louis Vuitton.

Darlings, I am not a voracious shopper and I don’t have a large closet. I am very selective and wear my clothing for years. Do you?

I LOVE ACCECCORIES

 

 

Dior bags for style and wearability. I love the Dior Saddle Bag for day and night with different individual accessory straps I hook on to change the bag’s look. I love their belts with small bags, too.

Louis Vuitton never wears out, never goes out of style and will always be a favorite. I love my older Gucci’s and other brands I shop, some well over 20-years-old. I owned and loved The Kelly and The Birken Hermes bags  that were stolen. And for a tote, the best of the best is Goyard.

Belts are a great accessory and I have to give Gucci an A+. They are fun and flirty! My pearl and rhinestone buckles make me happy just seeing them hanging in my closet. As well, I also love Louis Vuitton and others.

I love Lululemon for lifestyle and workout, Prada, Mui Mui and Saint Laurent for shoes because of my bunions and Isabel Marant for sweaters and blouses.

My biggest purchases are accessories.

I never pass a fabulous accessory and I save them forever. I consider my glasses, the frames, and colored eyeglass accessories. As well, I love my Ippolita earrings, my collection of colorful Hermes bracelets, little rhinestone butterflies for my hair, or different colored rubber bands on pigtails.

I also love a colorful scarf wrapped around a handbag handle and colorful luggage tags with a saying on boring black luggage. And don’t forget a velvet and satin bow tie to wear around your neck instead of a necklace. I will even wear my Ultimate Concierge’s interesting ties with a suit to make it edgy to match my personality.

Yes, your outer style is important but remember,  without displaying  your inner style after 50, as Coco says, ” Look for the woman inside the dress. If there is no woman there is no dress.” That’s style, darling.

I have shared my shopping story with you. Please share your shopping stories, your advice, and any questions you might have with me.

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