Style Evolution

When you look back at photos of me from 2010, you will see a woman who was forty pounds heavier, very unhealthy, very stressed out, and very confused about my style.

I dumped the very frumpy wardrobe and forty pounds in about six months. It took a few more years for me to settle into a style that reflects my personality.

Style is unspoken communication. For a few years, after I lost weight, my style said, "I am dressing in what might be age-appropriate, but It feels as if I am wearing my mother's clothes and shoes." Crepe sole, round toe shoes make me feel ill. Boxy jackets and masculine-style-tailored slacks will never touch my body again!

One pop of color and one statement piece of jewelry (not three!) works much better for me. Wide lapels, or heaven forbid, two wide lapels plus a scarf is not a good look for me. The muted golden brown tones of the scarf and the too textured cardigan's color are entirely wrong for me.

Another what was I thinking moment! Up close and in person, this jacket looked like a subtle animal print. In photos, it looks like an ode to Duck Dynasty. After I stopped buying prints, my closet became my happy place.

Other, more subtle changes helped me to relax into a look that feels more authentic to my personality. I let my hair grow out a bit, and it is now cut into a stacked angled bob that is side-parted to be more flattering to my round face. 

My stylist added some very subtle lowlights underneath to give my gray more depth to softly frame my face. She also adds a chrome glaze to my hair and trims it every five or six weeks. I no longer blow dry it every day, so it is much healthier and fuller.

In my most recent photos, you will see a woman who wears what feels comfortable. My wardrobe doesn't just physically fit my body; it now reflects my personality. 

I have ditched the trying too hard hair, too much jewelry, and bulk adding details.

Clean, simple lines, classic pieces in solid neutral colors, sleek, structured bags and shoes, and slim-fitting (not skinny) jeans are my staples. I can now get dressed appropriately and comfortably for any event in about five minutes.

I hope this post helps you to see what a difference subtle changes in your style can make.

Your BFF's Closet

Some of my favorite pieces in my collection were hand-me-downs from my dear friend Mitzi. A few years ago, we both lost weight. As she shrank out of some things, they still fit me because of my larger upper body.

This Ralph Lauren cardigan with a faux fur collar is a great piece to throw on with jeans and a Covered Perfectly Simple Comfort long sleeve top. I love that these tops can be tucked in since they are never bulky. 

I love the idea of a closet swap when you are losing weight. When I started my weight loss journey a few years ago, I wore some things only a couple of times before I shrank out of that size. My staff got lots of almost new pieces as my sizes changed.

Team up with a friend to swap clothes as you lose weight. It is a great way to stay motivated and not have to spend a mint on clothes as you change sizes.

These jeans are Girlfriend Ankle Jeans from Chico's. I wore Ralph Lauren crew socks with Calvin Klein booties. The bag is old from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock.

Vest Love

For the longest time, I never wore vests. In the past few years, I have fallen hard for them.

This edgy, blazer style black vest is from Fabrizio Gianni. I am still working on putting together my wardrobe for my upcoming travels. This will be the perfect third piece for warmer climates. I have become very fond of sleek fitting vests because they can give a jacket's slimming look without being too warm or adding bulk.

Fabrizio Gianni supplied the vest and the necklace. The opinions are my own.

We shot these photos on a mild day last week. At this moment, we have six inches of snow on the ground, and we are expecting another foot of snow.

The necklace set is also from Fabrizio Gianni. I love the lightweight and delicate silver and gray colors of the Swarovski crystals and tassels. It also looks great against a black background. Winner!

The perfect straight-leg jeans were supplied by J.Jill. I call these my Goldilocks jeans. Not too tight, not too long, not too distressed, just right! 

The shoes are old by DV Dolce Vita. The Calvin Klein bag is old via T.J.Maxx. 

The perfect for layering under everything tunic is from Covered Perfectly. 

(I purchased this one.)

I now invest only in pieces of good quality and basic design in the few solid colors I truly enjoy wearing. That means I can pair these pieces together in many combinations. This simple tip has helped me to build a great wardrobe that serves me well for any occasion.

Cute Little Number

I will often be traveling during the next few weeks, so I am looking for pieces that will serve me well as I move from a cold climate to a much warmer ones. I prefer an easy, comfortable, but still well-dressed airport style.

I was thrilled to find this cashmere topper, which I can wear as a poncho or an infinity scarf. The pop of red makes me feel happy.

The fabric is very soft and supple, so it drapes beautifully.

The black turtleneck top and the jeans are from Fabrizio Gianni. The shoes are by BCBGeneration via Nordstrom. The bag is by Zac Posen via Saks OFF 5TH.

The Claudia Nichole cashmere topper comes in many beautiful colors. I had difficulty deciding which one to go with, but I am thrilled with this color, which is Poppy. I found it on the Purple Poppy website. The shop is located in one of my favorite places to visit, Cape Cod. This topper was supplied by Purple Poppy.

The topper comes in all these colors!

Traveling to Warmer Climates

Are you on your way to a warm-weather vacation or maybe a cruise? When I am lucky enough to head south or out to L.A. during the winter months, this post shows how I pack for the trip.

A shirt that buttons all the way down the front and is generous enough in fit not to gap at the bust when closed is a great find. I love the option of being able to wear a shirt open as if it were a jacket with a whisper-light tank top in summer. This shirt, tank, and pants are all from J.Jill.

The cuff bracelet above is from S.M. Bradford on Hilton Head Island. The sandals were by Dolce Vita via Nordstrom last year. The tote bag was from T.J.Maxx last year. The straw hat is several years old. 

I only look for items of good quality with simple classic details that are not memorable or trendy. I always try to invest well to wear my items for several years instead of just one season. Please note that I have been wearing J.Jill items for several years, so some of the things I am showing you might not be available now.

Denim and white with tan accessories have been a life-long favorite color combination. 

A note about sandals: I look for the type that has a strap at the back so that they stay on. I am not a fan of flip flops of any style. I wear those only on the day I have a pedicure.

These slip-on sneakers are by Sperry. They would be perfect for a day of shopping.

Fit has become much more important to me as my body ages. Sixty is a whole different ballgame than fifty! I now look for tops and jackets that skim the body and fall nicely from my shoulders.

Linen has always been one of my favorite fabrics to wear in the heat of summer. It wrinkles, but as my friend, The Duchess, used to say, "They are rich wrinkles, just go with it."

There aren't many other fabrics that breathe or feel more comfortable in the heat and humidity. Wear a stunning piece of jewelry and awesome shoes with linen for a more polished look.

The video below shows the items I would take for a five-day cruise. You might also take a bathing suit and a cover-up, a sundress or skirts. (I rarely ever wear those items, so in the interest of being totally honest with you, I only included things I would actually take.) 

The key is to take things you can mix and match for different combinations that are appropriate for the occasion. (The same as my wardrobe at home but on a much smaller scale.)

These products were supplied by J.Jill.

Casual Daytime Look

Does it really matter what you wear to run errands?

It never fails. If you go out looking less than your best, you will see someone you know. 

I was working on a project at my house a few years ago, and in the middle of the project, I realized I needed something from the hardware store. Without giving it a second thought, I pulled on a denim shirt over my white tee and khaki pants. I think I was also wearing some sort of tennis shoes, and the pants probably bunched up on top of them. I was likely not wearing much makeup, if any. Not a pretty picture!

While at the hardware store, I saw a pal from high school I hadn't seen for a couple of years. The last time I ran into him, I was looking much closer to my best. When he recognized me, his face took on a look of deep concern. He asked if I had been unwell. I assured him that all was well with me and then finished my transaction as quickly as possible.

Lesson learned! If I don't want to frighten small children, I need to tidy up a bit each day!

All kidding aside, I do shower, put on at the least a little makeup, and dress in something comfortable but still flattering each day. I do this for myself even when I am staying home alone. I feel more outgoing, positive, and confident when I am dressed for human interaction.

I was shopping at my local Belk department store yesterday when I got a call from Mr. Mickey. He happened to be in the area, so he stopped by to snap these photos for you. 

I was super excited to find this Ralph Lauren animal print belt I had admired earlier, now on sale for half off. 

Halfway through the morning, I had removed that heavy outer coat. The J.Jill cashmere cardigan over the turquoise blue Covered Effortless comfort top was enough layering for most of the day. (Both items were supplied by the companies.)

At this time of year, our temperatures may vary as much as thirty or more degrees in one day. Dressing in layers is the best chance we have of being comfortable for the whole day. If the sunshine had warmed us even more, I could have worn the cardigan over my shoulders for another look I really like.

The black ankle-length pants from Chico's are perfect to wear with flat loafers by BCBG. The socks are the most comfortable I have found. They are by Ralph Lauren via Dillard's, but I also found them at Belk. The hook belt is also from Chico's. The Calvin Klein bag is old via T.J. Maxx.

I wear these tops from Covered Perfectly often because they are so comfortable. They are made from an elegant MicroModal fabric that launders beautifully and falls right back into shape when you hang them to dry. They are perfect for layering since they don't add any bulk at all.

I will be wearing this new top during the warmer seasons because I love the color so much.

Fifty, not Frumpy followers can get a 20% discount on up to two items! Use the discount code FNF20 when you check out at Covered Perfectly. Only one discount can be applied per order. There are several styles to choose from, and the discount will apply on up to two items; after that, you can take advantage of the buy 2 get 1 FREE special.

Leggings Are Not Pants

Let's talk more about leggings. Leggings are usually black and sort of like tights without feet. They are often so thin that when you pull them over your behind, they suddenly become sheer. Sometimes your underwear or even the label on the inside of the leggings can be plainly seen. 

That is why you must wear a tunic that comes down below your bottom. Your crotch area should be covered when wearing those thin leggings. 

The cashmere tunic above was supplied by J.Jill. The leggings are old from Chico's. They are made from Ponte, and they have to be dry cleaned. They are not tight fitting at all, but you could not see through them even if they were. I wore short black boots with this look, but you can also wear longer or over the knee boots, which look great with leggings and a long cardigan. Several varying length layers worn over leggings is a great look.

I bought my first pair of leggings last year for a photo shoot. I never wore them before that. I have often worn straight leg slim-fitting pants that from the pictures might appear to be leggings. Those were usually made from denim or some fabric other than nylon or cotton knit.

I look for leggings that have a wide waistband. They should be made from a dense knit material that you can not see through, no matter how much it is stretched.

I have some leggings from HUE that I found at Dillard's. These have a nice comfortable wide sculpted waistband, and they are made from very dense material. I tried the look above with a longer tank underneath, but the proportion was very frumpy looking. I broke the never show your crotch rule because the leggings are not tight-fitting, and they are made from a very dense, heavy knit fabric.

Jeggings are another "animal" altogether. They are made from stretchy denim material. They have a zipper and pockets like regular jeans, but they fit more like leggings.

I wore these gray jeggings from Chico's with a blue cashmere sweater from Ann Taylor. We were braving the cold and rain on Sunday afternoon to go for sushi. The coat was from Ann Taylor Loft last year. The scarf is by Vince Camuto. The boots are by French Connection via. (My mother calls these my combat boots.)

Jeggings are generally not skin tight, but I still prefer a longer top covering most of my backside. I cuffed these because the look of a bunched up pant leg is never pretty. I have to be careful with pant length because I have short legs. I don't want to have too many visual breaks on my legs. Keep reading for more on this.

There is an exercise I do with looks I have not yet determined to be winning a combination.

Take a selfie of the look from the front, back, and sides. At the end of the day, make notes about it, for example. This look would have been better if I had worn it with gray boots instead of black. The contrast was too great. The length of the pants is too long to go with these boots. Ankle length jeans would have been much better. This particular sweater is fine, but I might have made a note, such as, "The sweater made me itch all day long!" You get the idea. You are grading the look and the comfort level of the pieces you wore. If a look doesn't get high marks, don't wear it in that combination again. If an item of clothing tormented you all day, don't put it back in your closet; get rid of it.

This practice has helped me build a wardrobe of great pieces that are comfortable and work well for me. I don't always get it right, but I am doing so much better than I did a few years ago!

That's me above, with Mr. Mickey during a train excursion in 2010 before losing almost 100 pounds between us.

We learned what to eat and why after reading the book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman.

Dressing Up

You can see by the reflection in the windows behind me, the rain was about to fall.

Mr. Mickey and I were on our way out to dinner and then to the Johnson City Symphony's performance.

I wore a Polo Ralph Lauren soutache-trimmed wool jacket from Dillard's with a simple V-neck tank top by Clara Sunwoo supplied by ShopMyFairLady.

Chico's Travelers pants are more than ten years old. They are made from a heavier weight knit with a bit wider leg than what is offered today. I wore them with my "rain boots," an old pair of Nine West boots that I wear when the weather is wet. I don't wear my nicer shoes and boots when it is snowing or raining, and I know I have to walk a long way in the weather.

As we were shooting these photos at a bank near my home, a fabulous blue Jaguar sedan roared into the otherwise empty parking lot. This beautiful lady called out to me, "I LOVE your blog!" Her name is Sally, and she was just returning from the gym. I really enjoy meeting Fifty, not Frumpy followers! They are always the most pleasant people.

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When I posted the "What's in Your Pantry?" video last week, some of you were concerned that I don't go to the gym anymore. That doesn't mean I don't exercise at all! I am very active all day, every day. I do lots of stretches and leg lifts. I have small weights that I use to keep my arms strong, and I often do Pilates at home in the winter. I walk three miles very fast every day when the weather allows. Keeping fit and healthy is very important to me, but it isn't necessary to go to a gym to achieve that. It's your regular daily lifestyle, not what you buy, that makes your health better and your body stronger. I have a friend who often goes to the gym, but she believes that it gives her the right to stop on the way home for french fries before she goes home to sit on the couch and watch TV until bedtime.

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In case it was as cold as the weather forecaster said it would be, I took this Opera coat with me but didn't need it. The wool jacket was warm enough for the evening.

The soutache trim is on the front of the jacket, but it isn't showing up very well in these photos. I will always wear this jacket open because the neckline becomes much too high and round when it is closed.

Seasonal Purge

I get the urge to purge at the beginning of each season. Now that winter is here, I am judging items and determining if they have served me well. Not just the clothing items but everything in my home. Does that candle smell weird? Does that clock keep the correct time? Do those towels feel wonderful on my skin? 

If something I bought in the past was a mistake, I give it to someone who needs/wants it, or I donate it to Goodwill or The Haven of Mercy.

I was allergic to the fabric of that red jacket. Those jeans were too distressed and the seams twisted after washing.

I look awful in khaki pants.

Tops with too much going on at the bust do not give me the desired effect.

Tailored loose-fitting gray slacks (or any color of that style) are not for me.

Print blouses, khaki pants (again!), and shoes that make my feet look wide are gone.

Boxy sweaters and jackets, as well as capri pants, must go!

Memorable patterns, prints, and very bright colors are not for me.

Anything that causes me constant discomfort while wearing is now gone. Jackets that have necklines that choke me can not remain in my closet!

Seeing my buying mistakes over and over again is like getting a poke in the eye. Why would I continue to live with them?

My new rule is simple. "Buy only what captivates you. Purge from your life that which does not."

My purchases in 2015 include fewer mistakes than ever before. That makes me happy! How about you? Are you still honing your style?