Visit to the Observatory

On our last evening at Primland, we had a fabulous meal in Elements and then visited the observatory afterward.

I wore this elegant Damee NYC lotus soutache on lace bolero black jacket. Purple Poppy, a boutique in Cape Cod, supplied the jacket.

The pants are Chico's Travelers, and the tank is by Clara Sunwoo. ShopMyFairLady supplied the tank last year. This tank can be worn with the scoop in the front or with the V in the front. The jacket converges in a round neckline, which isn't flattering for my face shape, so I left it open and wore the tank with the V in the front, which gives me the straight lines I need. The pants and the tank are fluid and smooth, with no details. The shoes are effortless Kenneth Cole Reaction sandals. I found them on sale at Dillard's a few years ago. The plain silver clutch was purchased at T.J.Maxx last year.

When I wear a piece of clothing or perhaps a pair of very ornate shoes, I let all the other elements of my look "stand back" to allow that one piece to shine. One focal point per look works well for me. The Michael Kors watch is from Nordstrom.

Our purpose for staying at Primland Resort on this particular weekend was to celebrate ten wonderful years of dating. Mr. Mickey is the perfect life partner for me.

The soothing fire in the center of the room in Elements restaurant is fully encased in glass.

The amuse-bouche was crawfish and polenta. The chef sometimes offers an amuse-bouche, which is a small bitesize complimentary appetizer to tempt your palate for what is to follow.

The artfully served salad included the freshest of greens.

The next course was lobster and grits.

We shared a delightful mousse dessert simply called peanut butter.

After one of the best evening meals ever, we climbed the spiral staircase to the observatory. We were the only guests, so our guide was able to give us the grand tour.

The clouds drifting by prevented us from seeing into deep space for long periods, but we did get to see a few planets and a glowing supernova. 

One must drive for another six miles after entering the gate to arrive at the lodge. The remote location on the top of a mountain makes it an excellent spot for an observatory since there is no light pollution from nearby cities.

Thick Waistline?

Even when I was young and thin, I had a thick waistline. Dieting and exercise can not change your body's basic shape, but it certainly can make you look and feel your best.

In addition to being in your best physical shape, you can use fashion to look more balanced. One of the magical things about fashion and being aware of your body is that you can camouflage or obscure the bits you aren't pleased with.

The pale aqua poncho above is by J.Jill. This one is light and airy, so it can be worn even in summer. Wear it with a slim fitting pair of slacks and a pretty pair of wedge sandals.

A low slung belt worn below the natural waistline can also elongate and disguise a thick waistline.

One of the reasons I love Covered Perfectly so much is that many tummies hiding very comfortable tops, and cascading vests are offered in the line.

The simple comfort tunic from Covered Perfectly looks fabulous alone or with a jacket or vest. The black vest below is old from Chico's. Wear an animal print belt a little below your natural waistline, and it will appear you have an hourglass shape.

Tunics have always been one of my favorite items of clothing. A high-low hemline makes me really happy, but I must wear them with heels.

Loose-fitting cotton tanks such as this one from J.Jill worn with a long duster from Chico's last year, along with slim-fitting pants and a long necklace, make a great combination. 

Bag Color Tip

My Tahari by Arthur S. Levine jacket was found at Dillard's during their end of season sale last summer. It has become one of my favorite dressy jackets.

I once read a style suggestion that went something like this. "Buy a handbag the color of your hair, and you will carry it more often than any other." I really do carry my gray bags most often! This one by Calvin Klein is one of my daytime favorites. I found it at T.J.Maxx last fall.

The slacks and the shoes are from Saks Off 5th, and I am wearing a long sleeve black tee from Chico's. In case the weather turns cooler, I have a black trench coat by Fabrizio Gianni thrown over my arm.

Transition into Spring Tips

A fitted or cinched waist jacket over wide-leg trousers can be a flattering look for our mid-life figures.

The white fitted tank top gives you a smooth line beneath the cinched jacket. The V-neckline of the jacket flatters the face and allows space to show off a statement necklace, which also draws the eyes up to your face. The pops of color from accessories allow the winter jacket and pants to transition into early spring. At this time of year, when you are longing for spring, but it is still snowing and twenty-seven degrees, you must get creative if you want to stay warm. 

The wide-leg pants can be worn with flats or low wedges to avoid getting high heels caught in the material as you walk. When wearing black and white or shades of gray, it is uplifting to add brighter colors in a tank top, which shows at the neckline and ties in with the accessories. 

Always balance a fitted top over a more flowing bottom or vice versa, a fitted bottom under a flowing top. If you show, cleavage don't also show legs. Balance sexy with sedate to avoid the dreaded Cougar Effect. A dignified woman never wants to appear that she is on the prowl.

Wearing a fitted jacket allows you to have a feminine silhouette while hiding the tummy. Avoid boxy jackets since they add volume and are dated looking. Rather than hiding your tummy, they make you look big all over.

Tomorrow is March 1, 2013, which means I will be announcing the blog's winning follower. One randomly chosen follower will receive the book "The Best of Everything After 50" by Barbara Grufferman, a long string of large glass pearls from Chico's and gold silky evening bag. 

Good luck!

     

Thanks for reading! 

I hope you have a great Thursday.

 

Wearing Black

Do you reach for black as if on automatic pilot when getting dressed?

This photo was taken a couple of years before I lost forty pounds. We won't even talk about that hair! I guess I thought a bit of height would make my round face look less so.

For several years, I dressed in flowing layers of black. I wore a lot of V-Neck tops with jackets and pants. It was a uniform for me, but I always wore dramatic jewelry such as this necklace, one of my own designs.

The reasons I wore black were only partially because of my size. Now that I look back on that time, there was a much deeper reason for it. Perhaps I felt I could be less visible in black.

Our self-image is reflected in what we wear. It's our flag to the world that says, "This is me, and this is how I'm feeling today."

I don't pretend to be a Psychologist, but I know I have had sadness issues for many years. Wearing black is a sign of mourning in many cultures. I suppose I was in mourning for twenty years, but I won't bore you with that story again.

After losing forty pounds, I branched out into wearing wild colors such as white and gray. I'm kidding! It was tough for me to stop reaching for black as I was shopping for a new wardrobe after the weight came off.

As we age, our coloring softens, and shadows appear near the corners of our eyes and around the nose. When we wear black near our face, it accentuates these shadows, and some of us look older and more tired. This is also very true if you color your hair all one dark color or wear a lot of black eyeliner all the way around your eyes. It can be a very harsh effect.

The lighting in my breakfast nook is not the best, but even here, you can see that color near the face makes me look younger, happier, and healthier. I am much happier and healthier! The picture above was taken last night, and the other two were taken a few years ago. It was a rainy day, so I did wear black pants and boots. I always wear dark pants on rainy days because the little water spots from walking can permanently stain lighter colored pants.

I love to wear black, but it isn't for everyone for the reasons I mentioned above. I still wear black often, but I add a statement necklace or a scarf with white, red, or royal blue.

Column Dressing

Column dressing is using color to create a long slender illusion.

  

I often use this dressing technique to appear taller and slimmer. Choose a top and pants in the same color and a topper in another color. A topper can be a sweater, a jacket, vest, or a blouse left mostly open or even a large scarf draped across your shoulders. 

 

Add accessories that tie into the color of your topper to look really polished and put together. Looking at the pieces already in your closet in a different way can often give you new combinations.

Thank you for reading and for all your kind comments. I hope you have a great day.

Window Shopping

After a week of snow and ice, the sun finally showed up today! Early in the morning my neighborhood was encased in ice but the sun soon melted it all.

  

When the weather finally allowed safe passage, I was eager to leave my home for the first time in a few days.

Mickey took me out to lunch and we ran a few errands. It was so good to see sunshine!

I'm wearing straight leg heritage fit jeans and a white tunic blouse from Talbots with Ralph Lauren booties via T.J. Maxx. The red bag is Tahari via T.J. Maxx. The tunic length sweater is from Ross. The animal print chiffon scarf is old. Layering for warmth can be tricky because it adds so much bulk to our silhouettes. To balance this effect I wore the slimmest jeans I have with boots that have a higher heel.

There will be no outdoor dining today!

  

Isn't it wonderful to have a best friend? That's my sweet Mickey with me in this photo.

We both have a weakness for chocolate desserts. A couple of times a month we share one after a light lunch of salad. This way we don't have to give up life's small pleasures.

 

A Sunny Sunday

Mickey and I often take a drive over the mountains to Asheville, North Carolina. It's only about an hour from my house but there's much to see and do there.

 

We walked around that corner behind me and into the artist-owned Mystic Masala Gallery where I found a great necklace.

 

Many of the buildings in Asheville have an Art Deco design. This is the Flatiron Building and in front of it is this sculpture of an iron...

 

  

I'm wearing the new necklace here. The pants are Peck & Peck from Stein Mart. The denim blazer is old from Dillard's. The red long sleeve tee is from Talbots. The red bag is by Tahari and the booties are by Madden Girl.

  

On almost every corner there is a street performer.

This lady sounded so much like Tracy Chapman. 

They were all really good!

The Early Girl Eatery on Wall Street was made famous when Rachel Ray did a segment of one of her shows here. We also had a great meal there today!

Your table is ready! (Mickey's piano keys scarf was the hit of the day. He got lots of compliments!)

We can never be this close to The Chocolate Fetish without stopping in for dessert.

 

 Awesome truffles to share!

Come as you are... Really?

Our society has become so very casual that we now see grown women at the Post Office in pajamas and fuzzy slippers. Would you really want to run into your boss, your potential client, or your high school rival in your pajamas in a public place? It takes only three minutes to get dressed for running an errand if you have a couple of planned outfits hanging in your closet together and ready to slip into. You will be glad you took the extra minutes to put on actual clothes when you have to look someone in the eye and speak to them whether you know them or not. 

You say you are more comfortable in jeans and a tee? These three looks are built around jeans and a tee. You can look really nice and well put together no matter what you feel most comfortable in. 

As our American Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I am so grateful for the chance we have had to get to know each other over the past year. I look forward to sharing more with you in the coming years.

Shoes and Earrings Relate

When you are getting dressed, do you ever think ... these earrings go great with these shoes?

It's true! Shoes and earrings are related. All the components of your outfit make a small statement that adds to the total look and tells your story for the day. 

Jewelry tells a story for me because I was a designer for so many years. I went on market trips to NY and Atlanta with boutique owners so that I could start creating appropriate jewelry for the lines they were buying long before they arrived in the stores.  Accessories that are not so much matching but complementing in color and attitude complete a look.

Think about the attitude of the pieces you are putting together. For example, the navy strappy sandals say evening wear, as do the navy drop earrings. The T-Strap suede shoe says fashion-forward and a little daring... so do the suede hoop earrings. 

Accessories from head to toe should speak the same language.

The Formula

Do you have a formula for the way you dress? 

Long ago, I realized that if I wore smooth flowing fabrics in a soft palette of colors, I would be able to layer items or combine them in different ways to create outfits for many occasions. 

My closet includes basic pieces that can be worn with different accessories to elevate them from daytime work wear to elegant evenings with friends. I won't buy a wardrobe of clothes which serve only one purpose (such as evening wear). A silk blouse I might wear with jeans to run errands during the day can also be worn with a black pencil skirt or crepe pants for dinner with friends. Accessories are the key that makes these combinations work for me.

Large scarves, wraps, or shawls are a great way to add dramatic color and 'temperature control' as is often needed at this stage of life. Sunglasses are a daytime staple for me. I never leave without them. Earrings with a button top and dangles or hoops are much more flattering than those little wires that pass through the hole in your ear. A large link bracelet or a stack of bangles (or both!) are great accessories to add to almost any outfit. If I wear a statement necklace, I balance the drama by wearing minimal other accessories. 

Structured handbags and clutches are much more flattering than big shoulder bags that make you look lopsided and sloppy. 

Interesting but comfortable shoes are a must! Life is way too short to wear boring shoes. 

This is my formula for shopping and getting dressed every day. These tips serve me well and have helped me get ready for any event for most of my adult life. 

If you have high contrast coloring, such as dark brown eyes with an olive skin-tone and dark silver-gray hair, and a bold, outgoing personality, your formula might be very different from mine.

I hope that sharing my ideas for dressing will help you put together easy, fabulous outfits so that you can get busy enjoying life.

Wearing Tights

I love the look of chunky booties with tights and a pencil skirt for daytime in the cooler months. When the proportions are right for you and the skirt isn't too short, you can still turn heads in a good way.

 

Proper fit is always important but especially so in a skirt. If the skirt is too tight or short, you will not be comfortable or appropriate. Wearing a skirt with tights during the day in the cooler months is a great fresh look. Tights are opaque legwear that allows us to get away with so much more than sheer stockings would. I normally wear sheer black stockings for the evening only. Wolford makes the top of the line tights, which are well worth the investment. (They create lots of other fabulous items we need too!)

Here I've paired a graphite skirt with a loose-fitting graphite long sleeve tee and a scarf. The scarf brings in the other colors to add. Burgundy is the color for us! It's very flattering to the face and can be worn with all neutrals.

Long Sweater Vest

When the evenings start to turn cooler, I find that a long sweater vest is an extra layer that works for me. This one is from Chico's. It's a soft tone of blue-red that isn't too bright. I've paired it with a crossover tee in black and tailored gray slacks. When I want to try something trendy like these fun wedge boots in black, I look for a cute inexpensive option. I found these at Target. 

We were on our way out to dinner, so I switched to a small black and gold leather clutch bag. I'm wearing a red bangle with gold medallion details and gold with silver hoops.