BeeGoddess Eye Light Multi-Diamond Ring $2510 Bauble Bar Iris Charm $20
Bauble Bar $30
Dress: Malene Birger
Bag: Dolce & Gabbana
Pumps: Shutz
Lip Crayons: Bite Beauty
Necklace: Alexander McQueen
I'm seeing lace dresses everywhere for holiday parties, but if you have a few excess pounds to hide away like I do this season, I think this option is much more flattering while still getting in the look off lace. The bag is a total splurge/dream purchase, but isn't it just beautiful? The Shutz shoes are a more affordable but still luxury version of the stud trend, and of course you need a happy and bright lip for all your holiday parties.
Dress: Diane von Furstenberg
Earrings: Bauble Bar
Nail polish: Butter London Cotton Buds
Sandals: Dolce Vita
Bag: Designinverso
I very rarely recommend pattern mixing. I know you see it everywhere these days, but so few people, in my opinion, can really pull it off. Somehow it never looks quite right, and usually that's because the number one rule of pattern mixing is to match your colors. If you really like the look of mixed patterns, choosing a palette of black and white is one way to not go astray. Another is to let the clothes do the work for you. Instead of finding two separates to match yourself, find a dress like this one that has the patterns built in. That way all you have to do is figure out what you are going to wear with it. I would wear this one on a night out because the dress is a little short for office wear. Teamed with strappy sandals and the trend of bright, white nails, it's the perfect outfit for meeting a friend for a drink on the weekend.
Sweatshirt: Splendid
Skirt: Moschino Cheap and Chic
Earrings: Jewel Mint Kaylin Earrings JME 0315 $30
Shoes: Henry & Henry
One of the things I love about fashion is how sometimes it's okay to wear things you never dreamed of pairing together. I know a few very athletic people who always tell me they never know what to wear when they go out. I thought about starting an outfit with a piece that would make them feel very comfortable, just like they are wearing their everyday clothes. Realizing that yoga pants would probably not be the thing to build upon, I settled on a sweatshirt and remembered seeing one paired with a pencil skirt that looked amazing. On the hunt for the perfect pencil skirt, I found this sequined one. The contrast is just amazing; it's so dressy but so casual at the same time. The sweatshirt perfectly turns the over-the-top sparkle into this casual, laid-back thing. I tried to do the same with the jewelry, pairing a feminine drop earring with a chunkier bracelet, and the shoes bring it home with a little bit of edge. They will be deceptively comfortable for the girl who doesn't like heels because they are built on a wider rubber sole.
Dress: Tibi
Coat: Kaos
Pumps: Pour La Victoire
Necklace: Mint Style
Hair CC Cream: Alterna
I think the look of a slip dress is sexy yet somehow classic, but let's face it, over 40 we need a little more support than what you can slip under a slip dress (ha, a pun), and they can be a little too clingy in the wrong places. This Tibi dress has thicker straps and pointelle knit material that let's you keep the look but make the right modifications. Paired with this boucle coat, which is one of my all-time favorite fabrics, you have a perfect vintage look for a night out. The pumps are multi-textured in nude to elongate the leg, and the necklace hangs in just the right spot at the collarbone to draw attention to the neckline. If you really want to go vintage on your look and try a victory roll with your hair, use this leave-in conditioner that's not sticky or hard.
Faux Leather Jacket: W118 by Walter Baker
Top: James Perse
Skirt: Vanessa Bruno
Watch: Kate Spade
Bag: Burberry
Sandals: Francesco Milano
I feel like this is a back-to-school outfit. I loved planning for that first day when I was a kid. Since my daughter has always worn uniforms to school, she's never had the experience of putting together her first day outfit. When she was pulling together her school supplies and picking her new backpack this year, we talked about creating your own new beginnings. I love the fall, making New Year's resolutions, and the beginning of spring because all of those times of the year seem like an opportunity for fresh starts and auto-correcting the things in your life you might want to make a little different. You don't have to wait for those times of the year though; you can celebrate new starts any day of the week, so why not do it with an outfit like this? I really like the monochromatic color blocking of this outfit and how it's carried out in almost every piece. The jacket, the skirt, and the bag all carry out the colors in a mix of fabrics and textures. The entire outfit is made up of soft fabrics, but they have a certain edginess. To add more edge, you could wear some booties instead of the sandals, or if you need a pump for work, go ahead and switch the shoes out. Speaking of switching, the sleeves zip off of the jacket. I'm always excited to find pieces that have some built in conversion factor allowing you to modify the piece and get even more ways of wearing it.
So simple, so comfortable looking, but so pulled together for the office - minus the tennis shoes. This outfit out of the June/July issue of Harper's Bazaar has an astronomical price tag but is so easy to recreate with more budget friendly pieces and a shoe that has the same sporty character but won't have the boss looking at you like you forgot something.
Coat: D & G (On Sale!)
Turtleneck: J Crew
Pants: Reiss
Initial Necklace: Bauble Bar
Dagger Necklace: Pamela Love
Belt: Nicholas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff
Ring: Mint Style Mosaic Ring
Shoes: Katie Grand Loves Hogan
Don't skip wearing the belt; for something monochromatic and layered like this, if you don't add the belt, it could come off as too boxy. You won't be wearing the coat all day in the office, so you want to have some visual contrast to set off the blue. Another good shoe choice would be spectators giving the outfit another shot of color blocking. If you would like to buy the ring, you can use the link to contact me directly or use the Buy Now button to the left.
Dress: Vanessa Bruno
Tee: Joie
Necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane
Belt: B-Low The Belt
Wedges: Via Spiga
I recently got in something of a funk thinking that my days to wear a strapless dress were over. I was in this funk because I saw the daughters both wearing casual strapless dresses, and I could not remember ever having one in-my-whole-entire-life. How did I miss out on this? A few days later I was cleaning out my closet and found an old Bebe blouse that had a faux cummerbund front over a long-sleeve white blouse. Hmmmm, could I do the same thing myself for a strapless? So off I went to hunt down the perfect strapless dress for layering. I originally thought of black but decided I didn't want it to come off as a formal dress with a tee underneath. This beige dress is the perfect daytime weight when paired with one of my all-time favorite tees from Joie. I know this tee is something of an investment, but Joie's tees are simply the softest, best tees you will ever own. The huge Kenneth Jay Lane statement necklace adds color and texture, and I love that the butterfly on the belt seems to be an extension of the necklace hitting at tassel level. The wedges keep it on the casual side. Any other shoe might be too dressy ruining the look, but you could wear it with a short brown boot to give it more edge.
Jeans: James Jeans
Top: J. Crew
Sandals: Phil Gatier by Repo
Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Necklace: MintStyle
I know I've been trying to bid goodbye to summer for a long time now. I don't mean for my dread of hot weather to rub off on you. Because I'm feeling kind of guilty, I wanted to throw in one more casual outfit for warm weather, but I have to admit that I cheated a little bit. Although these white jeans are the perfect summer pant, I'm pairing them with a longer sleeve top that's perfect for a cool evening. The jeans are a mid-rise with some stretch and a flared fit with extra leg room perfect for women over 40. The bright pink stripes add some vividness to keep the white from being boring. These rubber soled sandals are super comfortable, great for walking around a beach area. The bag will see you into fall, blending here with the pink stripes but able to pair with your gray and black basics when the weather changes. This delicate chain is the perfect day to night transition piece, and you can order it by sending me an email or using the Buy Now to the left.
The new comprehensive MintStyle catalog has finally arrived, and I only just realized that even though I was really excited for new pieces, I would have been really upset if some of my favorites were sold out. I was so happy to see two of my favorites, the Coquette Collar necklace and the Caspian cuff on the cover as well as the Baroque Bloom necklace inside. My other favorites, the Lantern Tassel, Victoria Cameo, and Heirloom Tassel pendants are back as well. Everyone who has purchased a piece or attended a showcase has commented on what great quality the pieces are for the price. My new favorites are the Chombard earrings and the Honeycomb bangle. If you'd like to see samples, arrange a showcase, or place an order please contact me. If you book a showcase, you will receive credit from any purchased made toward your own purchase of jewelry. I hope you enjoy the new catalog, and I'd love to hear what your favorite pieces are.
Top: Jason Wu
Skirt: J Crew
Bag: Miu Miu
Bangle: Lulu Frost
Earrings: Vivienne Westwood
How about a little bit of lace on lace? It would be easy to pair another black lace top with this skirt, but the contrast cream keeps it from being overly formal. It's still a feminine and ornate outfit without being too sweet. Also keeping it from being too sweet, the edgy cracked leather bag. The bangle and earrings are delicate with the bangle adding an antique, vintage look. This outfit doesn't stray into the overly young outfit that some lace pairings do making it completely appropriate for a woman over 40. The pencil skirt is so good for an hourglass figure, and the top has enough fabric to keep it from clingy around areas we don't want it to.
Bag: Nina Ricci
Night Treatment: Kate Somerville
Dress: Paul Smith
Necklace: Wouters & Hendrix
Pumps: Michael Michael Kors
I've been drawn to the Dolce & Gabbana ads lately; you know the ones that look they've been shot in an Italian fishing village. The beautiful models are seated among the townspeople making it appear that everyone here is born beautiful and ages gracefully into the housedress wearing elders seated in the chairs. There is a 40s, housedress-y vibe about the dresses the models wear, too, but it's really appealing to me. I love the cut of the dresses and decided to hunt for one a little more reasonably priced. This Paul Smith dress has the same sheath cut, length, and 3/4 sleeve as a lot of the Dolce & Gabbana dresses. Paired with a small straw bag, a slingback that mirrors the retro vibe, and a delicate but edgy necklace, I think I've got it. I'll be posting a video soon on my personal style blog and my YouTube channel about my first experience with a Kate Sommerville product. I loved the scrub I tried and now I'm excited to try even more of her products including this retinol night cream.
This look from May's British Vogue is actually quite tame and easy to replicate. Now, I know the hair and lipstick may be pushing it over for you, but if you were to look away from the face and at the outfit, how great could that be for a creative work environment?
It's actually a very simple outfit with a lot of heavy silver jewelry. If you are feeling it, by all means spike your hair and go for it.
Blouse: Diane von Furstenberg
Pants: J. Crew
Socks: Forever 21
Loafers: Dolce Vita
Earrings: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Necklace: Bauble Bar
Bracelet: Ligia dias
Ring: Jules Smith
If you have ever watched one of my YouTube videos you know that I can't go more than a few minutes without having to put on a pair of reading glasses. Now I luckily have pretty good insurance and have been able to buy a few pairs of really nice glasses at reasonable prices, but I was definitely suffering because where do I need to wear my glasses most often? In front of the computer or when I'm reading in bed. But what about when I'm cooking in the kitchen, and I need to read directions? Or when I'm in the bathroom trying to read how much cold medicine I'm supposed to take? Or when I go out to get the mail and drop it off in the living room and try to sort it between everyone who lives here? And I could go on and on.
Leave it to my wonderful husband to supply me with the obvious solution: put a pair of readers in every room not to mention the car and my purse. And his car. The one problem: readers at the drugstore are kind of...ugly.
I was thrilled when ICU Eyewear reached out to me recently offering to sponsor this post about their products. They make styles for men and women that suit every fashion, and they have some really cute things at reasonable prices.
Right now they are asking for your help in picking your favorite style. Just pick one from either line to vote for and be entered to win one (1) free pair of the reading glasses you voted for. There are so many great styles to choose from including these:
ICU Eyewear is giving away 1,000 pairs of Dr. Dean and Wink glasses or 40% off one order of readers.
To enter:
1. Go to the Read In Style Giveaway page to enter your email address and gender.
- Your gender determines if you vote for the Dr. Dean or Wink readers.
2. Based on which gender you selected, vote for your favorite pair.
3. You will then either be selected instantly as a winner and asked to fill out your shipping and Diopter details OR receive a 40% off coupon for all readers on the ICU Eyewear site.
The giveaway is active from August 14th 2013 at 12am PST and ends on August 27th, 2013 at 11:59pm PST.
The 40% coupon code is valid until October 1st, 2013 on reading glasses only.
One entry per email address. Winners will receive their free pair of reading glasses via First Class Mail and will be delivered 4-6 weeks after the giveaway ends.
This post is sponsored by ICU Eyewear.
Dress: Wallis
Bracelets: Forever 21
Sandals: Tahari
Necklace: MintStyle JMN0371
Summer's coming to a close, and although I'm happy about that because I don't like the hot weather, some people are really sad to see it go. Of course, here in Southern California, it will be warm for a few more months, but if you are someplace with more distinct seasons, and the kids are already going back to school, you might want to fit in one more casual outfit for an evening spent outside. Sitting on a patio or at a concert in a loose, comfortable, classic dress is perfect, and this tribal print has colors that are great for the fall, too. You could easily transition this dress with brown tights and flat boots for the next season. You can channel a little bit of Kate Middleton with this clutch from the Issa Collection at Banana Republic. Use it here for your date night and then carry it inside of your tote to the office to use during your lunch hour. I always love an envelope clutch, and this one has a good size, so your wallet will actually fit in it. With such a bold print, go for more delicate jewelry, but you can still have an arm party with this stack of bangles from Forever 21. I always pick up inexpensive pieces to stack from Forever 21 and H&M. The MintStyle necklace has a very Egyptian feel to me. I think it will look great in the neckline of this dress, and you can always use the Buy Now button to the left to order it.
Blazer: Warehouse
Dress: Dorothy Perkins
Belt: Ann Taylor
Pumps: Enzo Angiolini
Lipstick: Urban Decay Revolution in Naked
This started as a work day to evening outfit, but then I got carried away with embellishment. I've recently been obsessed thinking about how to style something cropped for a woman over 40. I think we are all probably at the age where we remember wearing the cropped trend the first time around. Since we really don't want to baring our midriffs now, how about layering with cropped pieces? I would like it if this blazer was a little shorter, more along the lines of a bolero or shrug, but this length is great for someone who has an apple body type. The embellishment of the neckline and the belt mean no additional jewelry, and the nude of the shoe makes the legs look long. The pencil fit of the dress is perfect for anyone with an hourglass figure, and the cutout on the back of the dress is great for the inverted triangle who wants to take the jacket off to dance. This Urban Decay lipstick is more of a lip butter. It's moisturizing but has great color and wearability. I find it so much more flattering than a matte lipstick.
I am usually the first person in the world to say that you should spend a little more on your shoes than other things in your wardrobe, but for shoes like this...How often after this fall are you going to be wearing a pair of velvet smoking shoes with a cat on them? Yes, there is the real velvet vs whatever man-made material the less expensive shoe is made of argument, and yes, you want flats to be comfortable and sometimes less expensive flats are the worst on your feet. Try buying them half a size larger, putting friction block and/or Dr. Scholls tape on before you wear them, even wear them with trouser socks with pants or with tights and a skirt, but there are so many other things to invest your wardrobe money on. This is a trend. Buy carefully. If you have to, have to buy the Charlotte Olympia, comparison shop. They are $30 more at Neiman Marcus than at Nordstrom. But then if you are spending $625 on a cat flat, the extra $30 probably doesn't matter. Happy cat feet!
Blazer: Rebecca Taylor
Pants: Vanessa Bruno
Sweater: Clements Ribeiro
Pumps: Kate Spade
Bracelet: MintStyle
Handbag: Kate Spade
I recently had an important meeting with a potential corporate client, and just like everyone else, I couldn't figure out what to wear. Should I wear an all-business black suit with a white blouse paired with sensible black pumps and briefcase? If I wore that would they think that I'm too boring and plain for a stylist? Should I wow them with bright colors and something avant-garde? If I did that, would they think I was too over the top for their professional business? I decided to go with something tailored, feminine, but edgy and to make sure that I had a least a little bit of color to be eye-catching. The blazer's leather trim provides some edge but maintains a traditional tailored cut. The pumps and handbag are traditional too, but the chains on the bracelet are bold as are the stripes on the cashmere sweater. Remember that important meetings or job interviews are not the time to scrimp on budget clothes. You want to show that you are investing in your best asset: you.
Sweater: Dorothy Perkins
Blouse: MANGO
Bracelet: JewelMint
Skirt: J Crew
Pumps: Boutique 9
Blazer: Reiss
It's around this time of the year, every year, that I'm really tired of the summer and warm weather, and my thoughts turn to fall dressing and layering. The key to layering is to keep everything fitted; if you layer big bulky things, they are going to make you look big and bulky, too. J. Crew makes absolutely the best pencil skirts. If you have an hourglass figure, pencil skirts are something you should build around because they are universally flattering on you. I always like to add a collar beneath a crew neck especially if you are trying to wear one that builds on colors that aren't necessarily in your color pallet. I really shouldn't wear beige, but when I add a white collar under a beige-toned sweater, I can get away with it. Shoes are finally losing their excessive platforms and going back to more feminine structures. These are a beautiful ballet pink, but if you like to be more match, they also come in crimson to match the sweater, or you can get them in black for an even edgier feel.
