MissusSmartyPants Personal Profile Style ArticleVolume 10 Week 9 February 26, 2015

Remember: only the last 4 weeks remain posted!

Lost your style and don't know where to find it? It happens. You're going along just fine, then one day, you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the storefront...and suddenly, you wonder what the heck happened to the woman you once were?! What you see in the reflection is an older, tired and unstyled woman staring back at you. Yikes.

Loose, ill-fitting clothes will make you look older-Perhaps even older than your actual age!

The years have passed and your style should have been evolving throughout the seasons. But it wasn't. It seems you've lost it somewhere between motherhood and working. Your body has changed too. You are becoming more frequently frustrated with figuring out what to wear each day. How did this happen? Why is getting dressed so hard now?

As you age, great fit in your clothing is essential...no, it’s more than that-it’s everything!

Too tight or too baggy...both mean your clothes don’t fit well--And that translates into YOU don’t look your best!

Baggy, ill-fitting clothes are doing you no favors! As a grown woman, it’s time to invest in the best quality you can afford. No more settling for something because it was “on sale” and fits “okay”. You can no longer wear cheap-trendy mass-produced inferior clothing. You must wear quality garments that fit your body. Quality means better fabrics, better made clothes and this translates into a better looking YOU. No longer can you “get by” with cheaper clothes that don’t last or fit right. Cheaper clothes are made from cheaper fabrics, poorly cut and again, this translates into how you look in your clothes!

Women of today define themselves! No longer does older mean “old looking”.

Older women today are not willing to dress like “little old ladies” of a few generations ago. It’s a “no” to wearing large-flowered shifts and velcro shoes. Today’s woman feels young and want her look to be current and vibrant (but age appropriate, of course). With many retailers now offering current trends for the modern woman, the stylish options are better than ever. Great style then, is more about figuring out your best colors, fit and styles for your shape--then adding your own personal touch!

The real “missing style puzzle” for women is, how they plan to interpret the fashions.

Dress for the body you have today-dress for how young you feel!

Find styles you like, then create something similar within

your own wardrobe...

Clothes shopping can be unpredictable and you should think as young as you feel. However, this isn't to say you should raid your daughter's closet and borrow her mini skirt or low hipster jeans. Do however, think modern, elegant, and chic when shopping for wardrobe replacements. It's okay to choose solid colors and bold styles, anything works as long as you feel comfortable wearing it. Choose classic shapes and clothes that drape, avoid poor fit or anything clingy.

Find your best hemline! Hemlines should be just above the knee, at the knee, or just below.

To calculate your best hemline, here is how to calculate it based on your body’s proportions: http://www.missussmartypants.blogspot.com/2010/09/find-your-ideal-skirt-length.html

Bad, awkward length (left).....Good, flattering length (right)

STYLE TIP: Long tops make you look heavy/shorter. While we’re talking about finding good fit and length, notice how sloppy the long shirt (below, on the left) looks compared to one (on right) which is at MSP’s recommended “mid-hip” length? Take thee to a tailor! Get proper fit so you can look your fabulous best!

Wear good undergarments

Quality shapewear underneath any body-con item is essential to the grown “mature” woman. Of course because comfort is king, you’ll only want to wear shapewear if needed.

Your bras, panties, and shapers should be brand name and fit properly. Again, don’t settle and less than best. It’s a smooth fit and good support that makes you look YOUNGER--and it all starts with your undergarments!

A shaping tank makes a good base layer!

Yummie by Heather Thomason Shaping Tank-2 way light support

Classic items should be the mainstays of your wardrobe...

Classic items are the mainstays, or “go-to” pieces of any stylish woman.

Items to have in your wardrobe are classic blazers, tunic tops, button-down shirts, v-neck sweaters, fitted cardigans, a black dress, and a pair of great fitting jeans.

Go from frumpy to fabulous with modern pieces

that your grandma wouldn't have ever dared to wear!

Bring attention to your good features

When clothes shopping, keep your highlight areas in mind as well as the areas you want to minimize. If you have bad legs, wear dark leggings and dresses or skirts that are longer. Heavy at the waistline? New color-block designs in women's wear can actually trick the eye into making you look like you have an hourglass figure! Women that are heavy in the thighs can opt to wear stretch jeans or dark pants with a patterned top to take attention away from the bottom half. Always dress to balance, highlight and minimize.

Jeans for the stylish woman

Without a doubt, great fitting jeans make every woman look and feel her best! As a wardrobe staple, a stylish fit and a little stretch for comfort-will make quality denims one of the best ways a woman can “amp up” her style.

NYDJ "Samantha" Colored Stretch Jeans (Petites, Misses)

KUT from the Kloth "Diana" (Plus Sizes)

Jeans are a wardrobe staple that every woman should have in her closet. I mean who doesn't wear jeans? Seriously. Both comfortable and classic, the jeans for women featured above offer a sleek silhouette and waist control. They make dressing a breeze, too. Just toss on a cute top over them and your ready to go! I think you'll agree that being comfortable in your jeans is something that women demand.

Features to look for in jeans for women over 40 are tummy slimming panel, elastic waist, and stretch. Levi's, Not Your Daughter's Jeans, Lee jeans, and 7 For All Mankind are all good choices.

Copy-cat “older” celebrities

Check out what older celebrities are wearing...right down to the shoes and accessories. Examine their makeup and hairstyles. Use them for style inspiration. Decide what you like and what you don’t.

Do you agree or disagree with this list of 10 rules below?

I totally disagree with #1...yet I totally agree with #4

Add trendy accessories

Why is it some women look stylish while wearing only a tee-shirt and jeans?

Yet your tee-shirt n’ jeans combo looks boring? It’s the accessories. Add update or trendy accessories to even you most casual of clothes!

Go from frumpy (on left) to fabulous (on right)...

What makes the ‘jean’ outfits (pictured above) different?

On left: Lack of fit. No accessories.

On right: Body skimming fit. Cute earrings and bright green cross-the-body bag.

Effortless style is NOT effortless!

You know the saying, “Practice makes perfect”? Well, it’s a good one. Practice everyday adding an accessory, fun shoes or colorful sweater/short-sleeved jacket, etc. to your basic pieces. This will take you from looking plain and boring to stylish and interesting. Practice ‘dressing up’ your casual clothes. Mix your casual pieces with dressy pieces and add unique accessories and color combinations for even more pizzazz.

STOP saving your “fancy” necklace for that next cocktail party!

Wear your fancy necklace TODAY!

(Like the fine china...stop saving the good stuff)

Build your wardrobe by using only a few core pieces in 3 or 4 colors

When you only have a few main colors, your mix and match potential will increase dramatically (because everything ‘goes together’)! Fewer pieces in fewer colors means everything work well together. It’s the addition of your fun and funky shoes, stylish handbags and unique jewelry that helps bring your style together. Make it a look that’s uniquely your own.

Mix it up

Wear contrasting styles in one outfit. Pearls with denim jackets. A little black dress (you’ve worn with black stocking and pumps to a cocktail party)...worn with cotton footless leggings and animal-print flats or even dress slacks worn with your gray zip-up hoodie for the weekend.

Mixing up styles not only means fewer pieces are being worn more often, but you actually create unique stylish looks! Get ready for the compliments to roll in!

Realize in order to have a wardrobe that’s truly stylish you must successfully mix your work and play clothes together (notice the photo above...casual striped tee worn with dressy pearls).

Mix it up! Another example would be: a dress blazer (worn normally to the office) pushing the sleeves and wearing the blazer with your denims on the weekend and a pair of bright red flats.

Keep it classic, with a modern edge

Set your mind to it. Last, but certainly not least, set your mind to making positive changes with your wardrobe. Learn about style and fashion, discover your best colors, create a core wardrobe, make an 8 piece capsule wardrobe, buy a few uber-trendy accessories. Wrap your head around improving your style--after all, YOU deserve to look and feel great! How you feel about what you wear says a lot to you and what others around you think about you.

To “revamp” your style, the answer lies in figuring out what’s flattering to your body and what you feel comfortable in and happy wearing. And once you find those pieces that fulfill this criteria, your style will together. And it’s uniquely yours.

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