Wednesday Date Night

Mickey and I have a fun tradition of getting dressed for dinner and having a mid-week date night. When he picks me up for our date we leave our stressful first part of the week behind us and relax with a light meal and a glass of wine. 

We visit with old friends or make some new ones and unwind for a couple of hours. This breaks up the week and relieves some of the stress of running our businesses and maintaining our homes. It also gives me the chance to wear shoes I might not otherwise wear!

 

The black and cream sheer blouse has an uneven hem that dips to a curve in the back. The cream tank has tiny straps that are adjustable. The cream linen type pants are the Natural Fit.

 

The secret to a happy relationship is to be with the one that makes you giggle!

Earrings by me. Most of the components can be found on the website VintageJewelrySupplies.com.

Always switch to a small bag for the evening. You really only need lip gloss, tissues, business cards, cash, and or a charge card. No need to lug your life around when you are only going to dinner. Evening bag by Kenneth Cole Reaction. I layered two fun "diamond" rings for drama.

A pedicure is a great time to relax and make sure you have healthy happy feet. For me, those toes are an important summer accessory. The OPI nail polish is the color Dutch Tulips.

 
Shoes by Impo.

Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great rest of the week.

Celebrating Stylish Friends

We are a group of friends who love to get together with Rose, the wonderful friend we all have in common. She and her sweet husband, Jerry, recently invited all of us along with our significant others over for brunch. 

I'm so glad my dear Mickey took this picture of us standing on the steps. (When you live on a hillside at the lake, you have lots and lots of steps.) This picture speaks to me on many levels. We are all vibrant, healthy, attractive normal women from all walks and many stages of life. This is a true picture of women. 

One of the best things about this stage of our lives is that we now have some time to get comfortable with who we are, with friends sharing laughter and our stories. Whether you are my Facebook friend or one who lives down the street, I'm so grateful to have you in my life.

 

 

This blog and my Facebook page (Fifty, not Frumpy) are dedicated to women who might be over fifty but are still having fun with fashion and enjoying life. Here's to you, beautiful ladies! May the second half of your life be even more fulfilling and exciting than the first.

Thanks for reading!

Easy Breezy Summer Afternoons

I'm wearing khaki ankle pants with a soft floral blouse from Coldwater Creek and Nine West shoes. The sunglasses and bangle bracelets are in brown tones and bone with brass accents.

I'm comfortable and casual for lounging by Mickey's pool in the pavilion with friends.

Yesterday we went for a drive to the mountains of North Carolina. When we arrived in Blowing Rock, it was much cooler than it was here in Johnson City. I visited one of my favorite boutiques, The Fig Leaf Ltd, where I bought this Damee swing jacket. 

It is a soft taupe/silver color with a bit of sparkle to it. The classic styling means I will be wearing it for years to come. I love the collar details, the three quarter length sleeves, and three large buttons. I'm also wearing black Travelers pants from Chico's and a black tee underneath the jacket. 

My earrings are large silver hoops with tiny Swarovski crystal details within the hoops.  The platform pony-skin sandals are by Vince Camuto. 

When wearing a dramatic style jacket such as this, I always keep all my other accessories minimal. It is enough of a statement on its own. One must be careful not to over-accessorize because that can make you look dated. 
 

Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great week.

Balancing Act

Do you have an inverted triangle body type? These pictures show two versions of the wrap top. They always make me look a little slimmer when the heat requires that I not wear a jacket or sweater as a third element. I have an inverted triangle figure, which means my top is larger than my bottom half. To balance this, I often wear darker colors on top and lighter colors on the bottom. I also avoid bulky materials of any type in tops and breast pockets on shirts or ruffles on blouses.

  
When wearing long pants, a maxi dress, or a long skirt, I often wear low flat shoes. When I wear a shorter skirt or cropped pants, I always wear at least a low heel. I prefer wedges or thicker heels since my calves are short and thick compared to my thighs. If I wore thin stiletto heels, the contrast would make my calves and ankles look even larger. 

Tank Tops to the Rescue

An essential element in many of my looks includes simple tops as a first layer.

Tank tops come in all shapes and types of fabrics. Knit ones with a bit of spandex are great for the smooth line they allow. If the tank top is made from a soft tee shirt knit, the next layer will almost always drag across it rather than flow smoothly, so they are better worn with heavier fabrics like denim.

 

 

Tank #1 has tiny straps adjusted to allow you to move the neckline lower or higher. This is a great tank to serve as a modesty layer only for cleavage control and a foundation to give you a smooth back under jackets and cardigans. 

Tank #2 has wider straps and ruching detail at the neckline for a bit of softness. It can be used as a relief layer when your top layer becomes too warm. It covers enough to still be attractive when worn alone while your "private summer" passes.

Tank #3 is a lace number that should be made from silk or rayon, or nylon so that it is soft and smooth under dressy jackets and knit cardigans with ornate buttons (think Chanel style knits.) This one has a warm glow of cream white, which looks soft and feminine in candlelight.

Tank #4 is a soft tee shirt material worn under denim shirts or sporty knit jackets.

Tank #5 hugs your shape and gives you a smoother body under thin jackets and sweaters.

Tank #6 is my necessary cream color tank when white is just too bright, as in the photo below. (I now make sure I pack my cream tank when I take this sweater for a weekend get-away.)

 

I'm wearing a thin knit cardigan with fringe detail and a silky smooth tank (which should have been cream colored) underneath.

 

This is an Austin Reed navy blazer that has a low V-front closure. I always wear it with a white tank and either a scarf or a necklace when we go out to dinner.

 

Here's another outfit, including a silky white tank and the navy Austin Reed blazer.

The black and white jacket needs just a bit of modesty at the neckline, so I'm wearing tank #1 here.

 

There is a white silky tank #5 under the thin gray bomber style jacket.

Tank #4 is under a quilted knit casual jacket worn with dark wash denim and comfy luggage tan booties for a recent trip to the mountains.

Thank you for reading! I hope these tips help you expand your wardrobe and have fun creating different layered outfits with the essential white tank top.