I use the Sea Salt Spray when I use my iron to make beachy waves, and it gives texture without that hard or sticky feeling. The bonus is the scent, which is light but long lasting.
This page from June's Marie Claire is proof that you don't need to wear a lot of color o have a lot going on in your outfit. Black and white will always be my personal preferred outfit (except when I'm wearing all black). Nothing is as flattering, classic, or compelling as a black and white patterned coat layered over a turtleneck and pencil skirt, but the options laid out on the page here are not really in the realm of affordable work wear.
Coat: Vanessa Bruno Athe
Sweater: J Crew
Skirt: Hugo
Shoes: Kurt Geiger
These alternatives are going to let you still eat and gel back your hair to look as sharp and edgy as the model. The coat even has a leather collar just like the Reed Krakoff coat she's wearing above.
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.
