Fashion Question: How Old Should Your Clothes Be Before You Get Rid of Them?

Dear Glam Gals,

I know that I have too many clothes in my closet and I really want to get rid of some of them.  I am still the same size as I was over 10 years ago and just can’t bring myself to let go of some of my classic pieces.  How long should I keep a dress or outfit before getting rid of it?

Gaye M.~Sarasota, Florida

Hi Gaye,

There is no hard or fast rule about how long to keep something.  Some items do become dated looking over time and some never seem to go out of style and can be worn year after year as long as they hold up.

Here is a guest post on this topic by Lisa Taylor Richey :

Tracy Elliman in her classic dress.  This is a great example of a timeless piece that is still in style after many years of hanging in the closet!

Part of the journey of becoming a successful woman is accepting change, moving through life with an open mind and embracing adventure and newness in your life.  All of this gives you the skills to teach your daughters, nieces and granddaughters and develop meaningful relationships in your life.

Because of my career choices and my husband’s, I have lived in 9 different cities.

Whether you work for a corporation or you are an entrepreneur, your professional life crosses into your personal life and vice versa.  When I landed in Philadelphia ten years ago, again I was faced with not knowing a soul.  To start the growth of my business, I attended as many networking events as possible. One day, about 9 years ago, I attended a networking event just for women.  A woman on the panel of speakers stood in front of the group and “wowed” us with her innate sense of style and charisma.  That woman happened to be JoJami Tyler and I instantly knew we would become friends.  And boy did we ever!

You never know who, where or when you are going to meet someone special and I feel lucky that we have been best friends since that fateful day!

Once you start networking, it all becomes six degrees of separation.  We really do live in a small world.  Not long after we met, JoJami introduced me to photographer Laura Novak  who took my headshot that has served me and my business well over the years.

Ten years later, I ran into Laura again at  Femfessionals, a networking event/organization for women.  Laura suggested I meet with Tracy Elliman, her business development manager.  As Tracy and I were meeting and discussing ways in which we could partner on events for children we discovered something we have in common, the love of fashion!  I happened to compliment Tracy on her Jackie O style shift dress.  It was timeless and so pretty.  As women do at times, we started talking about style and discovered she, too, knew JoJami.  Not only did they know each other, JoJami had been the one to help pick out and styled the dress she happened to be wearing!  She confessed that it has been one of her favorite classic  ”go to” pieces and has worn over and over.  Of course we talked about how great it is to have a piece in your wardrobe that is still stylish and works well for so many different types of events (note her closed toed wedges; perfect for a casual business meeting).  A big part of networking is establishing a connection or commonalities and making sure you dress classy especially when you are over 40. What a small world.

Lisa Taylor Richey is a recognized etiquette expert and creator of the popular program, Manners To Go for children. She also provides business etiquette training programs for corporations and universities. To learn more about Lisa, go to www.americanetiquette.com. 

 

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Perfect Shoes For Mother Of The Bride

It’s not a cliche to say that it’s stressful and daunting to have to shop for the Mother of the Bride or Groom outfit.  This will be a very special day and one that you will have the memories and photographs to treasure for years to come.  You’ll want to feel pretty and look your best but not upstage the bride to be!  This is a tight-rope walk that needs plenty of planning and careful decisions.

Once you finally have your dress or pant suit, you will need to make sure that your shoes complete your outfit in a harmonious way.  We have some tips for how to put your best foot forward and find the perfect shoes for the Mother of the Bride or Groom!

 

 

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Legging Fashion Tips For Women Over 40

Leggings are the perfect casual fashion for women over 40. They’re a weekend wardrobe staple or the perfect thing to wear if work from home or are just running errands. But how do you wear them without looking like they are left over from your 80′s wardrobe?

Here are a few tips:

Ankle length flatters all

Ankle length flatters all

Many women wonder how to wear leggings as pants. The main thing you need to remember is that leggings are not pants. Think of them more as tights. They need to be thick and not shiny.  Sheer and shiny are hose and not leggings. The length of yrou legging can vary, but generally ankle length look best.  Capri length that end at the calf can make you look heavy if you are a gal who is short or has thick calves.

Flowing tops work well with leggings

Flowing tops work well with leggings

What you wear up top is key. Invest in long tops  that cover  your behind and go down as far as your thighs if you are heavy or wide there for the most tasteful look.  Since you are wearing skinny on the bottom, you can go wider up top to balance things out, meaning tops that drape and flow work really well. Here’s an example on the right. An empire waist top would be along the same line. Bonus: These kind of tops also hide any tummy bulge.A colorful tunic and leggings after 40 is also a fresh, relaxed look.

Can you wear leggings with dresses? Absolutely! When you see that cute mini dress that’s too short to be chic, wear it with a pair of dark leggings to look modern and casual.

Dress too short- Pair it with leggings!

Dress too short- Pair it with leggings!

What do you do when it comes to shoes? In general, flats work best over 40. Sure a high heel can sometimes work, but they can aslo look tacky after 40. You don’t want to start looking like your teenage daughter on her way clubbing.  Low wedges, ballet flats, or low heeled boots,  look best on mature gals and complement the relaxed feel of  leggings.

Do you have a few legging fashion tips of your own or a photo or you in your favourite leggings. Please email us at info@fabulousafter40.com and we’d love to post it.

 

 

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What to Wear Over 40 to the Grocery Store

 

If you like this video make sure to subscribe to our You Tube Channel and we will send you new videos of updated tips!

Please comment below and let us know what your favorite casual outfit is.  Are you going to be shopping for a new one this fall?  We’d love to hear from you!

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Fashion Flash Beauty Items, Making Exercise Fun and Pleasurable and More

It’s the start of another great week and that means it’s time for our weekly Fashion Flash! Get the latest fashion, beauty and health tips for women over 40 all in one place.

This week our host is Fab over Forty – where beauty is ageless!

Here are some of this week’s hot topics:

 

To read about these topics and more, head on over to Fab over Forty by clicking here.

Enjoy!

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Color Blocking With Colored Jeans Fall 2012

It looks like colored jeans are here to stay and while many of you were terrified of them back in January, we see you sporting them everywhere now. They’re hip, modern and fun, and they don’t make you look fat, so long as you wear the right style for your body shape. And what shape is that? Let’s recap.

Pear shape- When you are bigger on your bottom half  go for pants that balance you out. This means colored jeans that are flared or have a wide-leg to help hide your thicker thighs. Straight legged jeans are also a good to make you look slim.

Boyish figure – If you are straight up an down with no curves, go skinny minny, tight at ankle, or anything you want. Cargo style with lots of pockets looks good on you.

Curvaceous hourglass – To fit your curves  choose jeans with lots of stretch and a medium rise so pant. You can wear skinny, or if you like, boot cut flared to balance curvy hips. Wide leg trousers jeans also work.

Inverted triangle-  You are bigger up top than on your narrow bottom half- Best bet are jeans that are mildly tapered to the knee and then have a slight flare at the bottom can give you more of an hourglass shape.

A long top over colored jeans looks great on JoJami

O.k., so we’ve got style out the the way. Now many of you have been asking about color. There’s no rule. You can wear any color you want. It’s more a matter of personality. For fall there are all kinds of gorgeous shades out there like mustard, paprika, grape, teal.

As for what to wear up top, wearing your jeans and top in the same color will make you look thinner because of one long unbroken line. See JoJami in this tone on tone outfit. The is tunic and jeans looks great, it’s classic and is more on the conservative side because of all one color.

New colors for fall- scrumptious!

A more dramatic way to wear colored jeans is to color block your outfit. By that we mean one color on the bottom and a contrasting color on top. Terrified you will look like a clown in some zany color combination?

Don’t let color blocking scare you. If you wear a neutral up top like, cream, gray, black etc. you can tone down the look and make it more elegant.

Here’s an example of JoJami in paprika pants and a black jacket and cream top. (Notice the jewelry to add some light and sparkle to her face as too much black can be draining after 40.)

Use a neutral up top to tone things down

Other mixes you could try this fall

Mustard Jeans and a Chocolate top

Wine jeans and a Gray or Black top

and the Hot new one – Oxblood (a brownish red)  + Camel

The look of Fall 2012

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Fashion Flash Advice for over 40 Women

Our weekly Fashion Flash is here!

You are in for a treat and for some great fashion, beauty and health advice for over 40 women!

This week, our host is our menopause expert, Staness from The Menopause Makeover.  You can go there to read more on this week’s topics that we have selected for you from some of the top over 40 woman bloggers!

Here ya go:

 

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Choose An Empire Waist To Hide A Tummy

Ever wonder how to dress to hide a belly? Try an Empire Waist! 

An Empire waist is a type of dress or top with a fitted bodice and a raised waistline that comes far up above the natural waistline to just under the bust. The skirt is gently gathered and flows softly over your tummy and bottom half.

The empire waist silhouette originated in Greco-Roman times when  women wore tunics with  high belts under their busts.

This popular style is universally flattering on all body types. It’s a favorite with over 40 women around the world because it hides middle age spread and generous hips.

It’s particularly fab on gals whose tummies are bigger than their busts because it acts as a great camouflage. The empire waist draws the eye “up, up and away” from any problem areas.

Even if you only have a bit of a “pooch” you’ll find the empire waist is a great relief on “fat days”.

A bonus… this style also make you look taller. How? Your legs look longer and leaner because you waist is made to look higher. And it’s so feminine too. Could it get any better?

If you are wondering what looks best worn with the Empire style- here are some suggestions:

1. Leggings or tights – Many women over 40 who feel they can’t wear leggings or tights just haven’t discovered the emprie waist top. This style is the perfect compliment. It’s loose and flowy, so works well with the skinny proportions down below, and it is long enough to cover your behind and thighs so it doesn’t look like you are wearing a leotard. 

2. The Right Neckline- The most flattering type of empire wasit top or dress is a V-neck or scoop neckline. The high waist puts a nice emphasis on your bustline and showing some d’ecolletage makes your bust look more attractive as well  as lengthen your neck and is just more all round flattering. Sometimes you’ll find am empire waist top or dress with a deep v- neckline and in this case it’s quite appropriate to wear a rounded camisole underneath and have it peeking through like the model in the black and camel top inthe photo above.

Note – There’s are some cases where the woman has a extra weight at the tummy but has a tiny bust. If you want to look bigger in the bust then your best choice would be an empire wasit top that comes higher up to a rounded neckline such as the flower print dress we are showing. That neckline and a good bra will add some fullness up top.

3. Long Necklace- An Empire waist top or dress really suits a long necklace that hangs down over your bust line. Try it. It looks very chic and has a elongating effect again making you look taller. Dangly earrings also suit this style nicely.

4. Cardigan – In the last few years cropped cardians have been popular and they look really cute with an empire waist top or dress.

So if you are looking for something to hide your stomach, without having to suck it all in with shapewear, then the the Empire waist style is one you should try. Do you look good in an Empire waist style? Send us a photos and we’ll post it!

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What to Wear over 40 When You Travel To Europe, or Wherever

What do you pack when you are going to Europe or any other chic vacation desitnation? You want to be casual, but you don’t want to look like a tourist in sloppy jeans, a boring top and tennis shoes.What should you take that’s casual and modern? Here’s one great outfit idea for you.

The Pants

Colored jeans are the hottest thing going at the moment and are a great way to look casual, but up to date and youthful too. Every color under the sun seems to be in style so you can’t go wrong no matter what shade you pick. Since it’s summer we chose this sunny yellow pair because they are relaxed and playful.

Now the skinny leg type of colored jeans that hug the ankles are the most “in”, but for gals who feel too self conscious to wear them so fitted, were showing a cropped slim bootcut. That little bit of flare balances out your figure more. If you don’t like cropped then go for a boot cut flared colored jean. Jeans with stretch are best as they help hold you in and make your figure look better.

 

The Top
Love this top. Lace is a popular trend and if have a tummy that’s fairly flat you can get away with a shorter top like this. If you have belly or weight at the hips or thighs, then we’d suggest a longer top that comes down and covers your bottom or even hits at mid-thigh.

Back to the lace. Now we were all brought up that lace is soft and pretty and we should pair it with something soft and pretty like a light flowing skirt or something “girly”, but this is how times have changed. There’s this ying and yang thing that’s been going on  in fashion where the trend call for you to pair something “hard”, or sort of sporty or masculine, with something really “soft”, more dainty, fragile or feminine. ie: There have been a lots of pretty flowery/ silky dresses shown with edgy leather jackets etc.

It’s the same idea that we’re showing here. These jeans are crisp, bold, sporty. The top is light, feminine, lacy. Marry them and you have a modern combination. A lot of us 40+ gals don’t realize is that it’s the way we combine pieces that makes us look modern. It’s not good enough to buy a lace top and wear it in an old way. It’s about styling your outfit so you look current.

Color- Let’s take a moment to talk about the color combination here – yellow pants and cream top. With today’s color blocking trend going on there are really not set rules about what color to wear with what. Women are putting all kinds of wild colors together and pulling it off, but in the end it comes down to two things: 1) Age- Some of these wild color combos can be too harsh against aging skin and hair and will make you look like a clown 2) You have to have the personality to carry off mixing bold colors in a big way. If you do great. It can work.

However, for the average gal over 40 who wants to try colored jeans but is afraid of all that brightness, here’s what you do. Pair your  colored jeans with a neutral top or jacket- cream, black, brown, taupe, white, gray, navy etc. The neutral tones things down  and makes you look more elegant, rather than loud and wild.

The Shoes

We’ve all got aching feet, right, but we don’t want to give up a bit of  a heel. God knows we’re shrinking and who wants to look short and stumpy? These 2″ wedge espadrilles are a great option. Sure you may not wear them trapsing around rocky historic hillside sites -( wear your ballet flats then or chic runners then), but these are great for when you want to step out of your hotel for lunch, or do a little Tourist shopping at the local market etc.  Also gold is a great color becasue it is cosidered a neutral and goes with everything. plus they look super with a bit of a summer tan!

The Bag

A tote is perfect for bopping around on vacation. Being big and unconstructed, it’s relaxed and the perfect bag to carry all those things like sunglasses, maps, a sweater, souvenirs and everything else you carry with you when you travel.

The Sunglasses

Sunglasses are your best summer accessory. Big is chic, but that doesn’t mean they have to be expensive. Shop around and find a pair that makes you feel like a movie star!

Wondering how this style recipe looks in real life? Here’s me ( Deborah) in a similar outfit on a trip to L.A. with JoJami.  My lace top is from Banana Republic. The orange jeans are Rag and Bone.

Have you worn a similar look? Send us a photo and we’ll post it.

 

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What to Wear Over 40- The Maxi Dress, Perfect for Casual Outings like Shopping or a BB-Q

When it comes to making the most out of your wardrobe and having to transition from one season to the next, there’s a little trick you can try that can be easy to implement.  But first you have to have the right ingredients.  We Glam Gals like to create new outfits the same way you would look up a recipe for cooking.  You look in the “pantry” (aka your closet) and check to see if you have the right ingredients.  If so, you can put together a yummy outfit!

Today we are going to take this summer’s blockbuster trend, the maxi dress and see how to wear it when you are over 40, for a casual outing, like shopping or a poolside BBQ:

 

Here we go…this maxi has a lot going for it.  First off, most of these types of long dresses usually have spaghetti straps that bare too much arm but here the 3/4 sleeve is perfect for cooler evenings and you won’t need a wrap.

Try layering , turning your maxi dress into a maxi skirt:

If you already have a maxi but it doesn’t have sleeves, you can still wear it now that we are coming into fall.  It’s easy; you just add a layer.  Do you have a thin, long v neck sweater or a jean jacket?   You can layer one or both of these pieces to create a new look.  Just throw the sweater over your shoulders or wear it with a stretchy hip belt.  This will make it look like you’re wearing a maxi skirt instead of a dress. Then if you like, you can add the jean jacket over that.  Voila, now you have created an entire new look and no one will know you are wearing the same dress twice!

Keep the shoe casual:

The wonderful thing about a maxi dress is that it can be worn with a flat or low wedge shoe so you can feel comfortable but still look classy.  For many of us that are of shorter height, it can be hard to dress casual when you like to wear a heel.  The maxi with it’s long vertical lines will give you the illusion that you are tall and lean, even when wearing a flat.  You can have fun with a sparkly sandal or just keep it simple with a flip flop.  But don’t be tempted to wear a kitten heel or pumps; it will look too dressy for a casual outing.

Large Accessories will balance out the look:

Your accessories need to be a little bolder with a maxi, because of the long billowing fabric.  Tiny little earrings or a dainty necklace will get lost so make sure you go with accessories that will stand out.

This book will save you oodles of money and save you from picking the wrong things.

So, if you have a summer maxi dress in your closet, get it out and have fun trying to layer it for a casual look that you can wear shopping, out to dinner or to the movies this weekend.

Make sure to comment below, we want to hear your thoughts and if you would wear this look.

If you’d like to have more tips like these, check out our popular e-book,Chic on the Cheap!

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