Be My Valentine!

Time for a Q&A post! 

"What are your tips for mixing and matching unrelated pieces to create successful unique looks?"

There are a few tips I always try to remember when I am mixing unrelated pieces. 

First, I limit the colors to no more than three. When wearing two or three pieces that are all the same color, I always mix the textures since the colors will rarely match exactly. 

Don't be afraid to mix modern with classic. That is one of the secrets to keeping your looks current. If I am wearing something trendy, I keep all the other items very traditional and classic.

Learning which colors and proportions look best on your body shape makes it a lot easier to mix and match pieces with confidence.

We had not planned to go out to dinner for Valentine's day, but when our dearest friends called to invite us to join them, we gladly accepted.

I found this brocade jacket on sale at Chico's recently. This was the perfect evening to wear it for the first time. Considering that it is so ornate, I kept the other accessories to a minimum. The small reptile embossed box clutch is from S.M. Bradford in Hilton Head. The faux leather front Ponte knit back leggings are also from Chico's. The short boots are by French Connection via Saks Off 5th.

The Covered Perfectly long sleeve simple comfort tunic has the best neckline for layering I have ever worn. I also love that they are sleek, fitting to keep me warm, but they don't add any bulk under my jackets. More black and also the white tunics will be back in stock soon. They are selling so fast that the USA maker of these tops is having difficulty keeping up with the demand.

When I answered the door, Mr. Mickey handed me a dozen roses, Godiva chocolates, and cards. I count myself very lucky to be his lady!

Occasional Q & A

Here's my question for the Q & A segment...

What to wear my red shoes with? Do I keep it neutral? Go black and white? Add a red accessory?

I am 65 years and fighting frumpy tooth and nail! My style is casual, think jeans, classic with a bit of funk.

I love these shoes, but, am not sure how to style them.

Thank you so much!!

Cher

Thank you for the question, Cher!

You can treat your shoes as neutral, which means you could wear them with jeans or other dark colors. Of course, you could wear them in white, but the focus is likely going to go to the shoes. Wearing the same tone from hip to toe elongates visually.

A couple of suggestions are shown below.

Weekly Q&A - Foundations

Wearing the proper undergarments can make a huge difference in the way clothes look on your body. 

After I posted the photo below, I was asked many times about the bra I wear style. The one that supports and fits my body best is this one from Soma. Click here for more info on this bra.

Do you keep bras too long, washing and wearing them too many times, as well as purchasing the same size year after year?  Your bra size can change with as little as a five-pound weight loss or gain. 

When I found the great fitting hard-working bra pictured above, I went to a Soma store and tried on about seven different styles until I found the one that fit my body shape, including my breasts' actual shape. This bra has a tiny bit of padding at the top of the cup to fill where I need it, not at the bottom of the cup where I certainly do not need it. I continue to get fitted for bras every year. Our bodies are constantly changing.

Yo-Yo dieting throughout my life has given me skin that is less than taut. When I wear clothes that are more body revealing or fabrics such as jersey knits that are less forgiving, I always wear a body slimmer such as the one shown above from Macy's. Control and contouring are not my goals. I wear this garment simply to give me a smoother look under my clothes. These also come in a longer thigh length style like the one shown below.

Visible panty lines are never acceptable. This style of panty from Soma is the one I wear every day.

My legs are not going out in public in a dress without stockings at almost sixty years old. I don't care what the trends are!

My favorite stockings of all time were a gift from a blog reader who sent me 8 denier pantyhose from Paris. This style from Wolford is a close match.

Foundation garments are possibly the most important part of your look. For example, an ill-fitting bra can ruin the look of a very expensive blouse. Wearing beautiful lingerie makes you feel confident and elegant. Great fitting lingerie that smooths and lifts is not a luxury; it is imperative for me. I will budget for the right pieces to make sure all of my other clothes look and fit the way I want them.