Many have asked how my style will change in my seventh decade.
Owning lots of items isn't appealing to me anymore. For example, I much prefer three or four excellent quality bags that are the correct size and shape for my body.
Style experts tell us that matching your handbag to your shoes ages you ten years.
Another change in my choices has occurred this year. I find that I am buying more flat shoes and attempting to wear them more often during the day. (I do not find them comfortable yet since I have almost always worn heels.)
Scarves soften my neckline and take the emphasis away from a less defined jawline. They add a punch of color and pattern to my classic neutrals and keep me warm.
Three-quarter sleeve jackets are perfect for the transition seasons. I have blue, black, and white ones for this reason.
The jacket, tank, and straight leg faded jeans I am wearing are all old from White House|Black Market. The shoes are old by Dolce Vita.
Straight slim leg pants with a jacket will still be my uniform because that silhouette flatters my inverted triangle shape.
The scarf I am wearing here is about five years old. I have worn it countless times.
If the weather is too hot for a scarf, you will see me switch to a necklace. If I am wearing the scarf just draped around my neck or under the lapel of my jacket to give my look pattern and color, I may also wear a necklace. I never tie my scarves in a complicated way, and I try to achieve straight lines or a V-neckline with them.
I will continue to be willing to try new things. This year I discovered that I like the slimming effect of a short jacket over a longer top. The learning never stops!
An open mind tempered with wisdom can be an essential attribute. There is indeed an art to aging well.
A wardrobe of great looking sunglasses is necessary for me. I wear them every day.
The last item I agreed to review for the blog arrived this week. I loved it so much I immediately bought the black one and a silk scarf from Uno Alla Volta.
Their name means one at a time® and describes how their artisans lovingly create each treasure. Taking things uno alla volta is at the core of their philosophy for living a meaningful life.
The bag I fell in love with is by Alessandra. She handcrafts each ''borsa verde'' or green handbag, uno alla volta, at her workshop in Florence, Italy. Born into the leathercraft business, Alessandra has the highest standards for materials, workmanship, and style. A certificate of authenticity is included.
My philosophy in my sixties will continue to invest in quality and enjoy it every day. You have earned it!
Beautiful as always, Susan! I am new to your blog, 63, and inspired by you every day!
ReplyDeleteYou look lovely as usual but I am afraid you are now in your seventh decade!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Math was never my strong point!
ReplyDeleteAdore the bag and the concept behind it also. Susan, not sure about the front of shoe going up to the pant leg, but as always, your footwear is beautiful. Thanks for your inspiring blog posts, always look forward to them.
ReplyDeleteYou always look so polished, Susan! Do you wear open shoes/sandals all year long? I struggle with what types of shoes to wear with the slim ankle pants during the cold weather.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Maggie. If the weather is cold and rainy or it is snowing I will not wear open toe shoes or boots.
ReplyDeleteI love when you have new posts and it amazes me how much great stuff you keep coming up with! Thanks for the advice and inspiration!
ReplyDeleteSusan; you do not have to change one thing! Stay true to yourself (I know you will) and enjoy every day!!
ReplyDeleteYou look stunning and so elegant. I see a book in your future Susan - your fans would love that!
ReplyDeleteDoes your handbag match any part of your outfit?
ReplyDeleteNo, there is no other green in my look. Isn't it fun?!
ReplyDeleteI think as long as we follow your lead, we will all look fashionable into our seventies and beyond. Love that shade of green with the blues.
ReplyDeleteI'm in my 8th decade and in the past few years I've stopped buying many clothes. At first it was because of severe downsizing and lack of closet space and then for fear that I'd outlive my IRA but now it's because I realize I don't have to have so many clothes and I'm happier without a jammed closet. Like you and, partially thanks to you, I'm sticking with the basics and items that can be woven into several outfits. I feel free and well-dressed for every occasion. Thanks for all you do every day. XO
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love green and blue together. I'm inspired!
ReplyDeleteLove this outfit on you - a very upscale look. And the purse does give the whole thing a very youthful vibe that a neutral bag wouldn't have.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful color green purse! My mother always says that green is "God's color" and goes with everything. Martha Stewart calls green "nature's neutral." So there you have it!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, Lindy
Hi. Love this post. With this outfit, you have added color and pattern without it becoming overwhelming! Just enough pattern with the scarf to make it fun and catch the eye. Love that trick of drawing the eye away from those areas that we don't want a person to linger on. I'm a petite person in her upper sixties and have been trying to incorporate more color into my usually very minimalist wardrobe. Pattern...yikes, has not been in my closet for decades. I will follow your lead and add a patterned scarf to some outfits in the future. Your look is especially nice for these ending days of summer. Thank you for all your hard work putting this blog together!
ReplyDeleteAdore that green bag. Another very lovely and inspiring look with lots of colour without it being too much.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I would like to know - WHY did you choose this particular bag and this specific color. Today's outfit looks amazing - but WHY this particular choice?
ReplyDeleteI love the blue of the jacket with the green of the bag. The intensity of the colors work together and the scarf sort of pulled the look together. Everything else takes a backseat in the form of downplayed neutrals.
ReplyDeleteTwo things: for those who follow the color seasons, you have chosen to accessories with one of the other colors from your color chart (analogous?), Rather than the expected choice of one of your neutrals. This is an excellent way to add vibrancy to your look. It works because it is still one of your colors, not random.
ReplyDeleteThe second thing is that wearing a longer top under a shorter jacket also works for us triangles with long torsos. Again, this doesn't work if it's put together randomly. The lines must fall in the right place, and the colors need to work together.
Dressing outside the safe choices really is a science and an art. You are painting pictures with clothing, Susan.