Bright-Colored Sweaters Celebrate Spring!

Spring, which officially started on Tuesday, is here! The song birds have returned, the fruit trees are bursting with a zillion petite blossoms, the brown landscape is giving way to bright pink tulips and buttery daffodils and lush green grass, and on and on. With so many wonderful changes, it's hard not to be in a festive mood. And the last thing I want to wear is some drab black or dark-colored winter sweaters. I want to celebrate with a sweater in a festive color! The right color sweater will brighten an over 50 woman's complexion and help her project her spirited nature. I'm all for that! There are lots of lovely sweaters in vibrant colors online right now, like the AGB Ruffle Trim Cardigan Duet Top (was $52, now $31.20) above. Continue reading for a sample…
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Long Vests for Leggings

This morning I woke up to the sound of someone scraping ice off a car windshield. It's the day before Halloween and there's ice and a dusting of snow on the ground! Yikes. I love the white stuff, but not before November, please. Needless to say, living in a cold climate requires warm clothing. For those of us who are always cold, it requires the layering of lots of warm clothing. I know plenty of over 50 women, however, who tend to be warm even in winter and rarely wear sweaters. For them, the long sweaters I mentioned in my last post are not an option. If you're looking for something long, but lighter than a sweater to wear over leggings in winter, you might want to consider a long vest. Take, for instance, the Anne Klein Belted Vest, Ships 10/11 (White) ($350) above. Below are a few of the fun vest styles I'm seeing online, all of which I think are flattering choices for women over 50.




Diane von Furstenberg Harrington Belted Vest ($545)







EDUN Button Down Sweater Vest ($349)



Finally, here's a Haute Hippie Luxe Vest with Fringe ($425). I love the way it falls, almost like a long scarf or shawl. However, if you click on the photo and see it close up and from behind, it's clearly a vest.

Man-Tailored Shirts: Stock Up for Fall

You probably don't want to think about fall yet. (Didn't we just celebrate Memorial Day?) But I thought I should alert you to two things. First, menswear--man-styled blazers, silk ties, belts, trousers and leather oxford shoes--is a trend again this fall. And secondly, several sites have man-tailored shirts on sale right now. In case, you need a fresh collared shirt for the fall, this posting offers a few choices at drastically reduced prices. I love over 50 women in man-tailored shirts because they are classic and sophisticated. And versatile, too!







I snapped this photo of a woman in a man-tailored shirt and skirt a few weeks ago. She was a very attractive over 50 woman (she might have even been early 60s) wearing a simple man-tailored shirt and pencil skirt. The shawl over her shoulders kept the look feminine and kept the muted colors from looking to bland. The blouse was a bit boxy, but she tucked it in. The boxy, tucked-in look worked because she was tall and thin.



Several of the shirts below are also tucked in. Fashion magazines are showing shirts tucked into belted man-styled trousers for fall 2011. Personally, the day I stopped tucking my shirts into "mommy pants" was a very happy day. I love the pant waistline cut just above my hips--so comfortable. I'm not ready to go back. I prefer to wear the tails out with a pencil skirt to make my torso look a little longer and slimmer. Or I wear the tails tucked in a pair of low-waist pants (no belt) under a sweater or blazer. My shirts are not too big or boxy, because that only makes a short woman look big and boxy. If you're petite, you'll probably need a more fitted shirt. If you're tall with a few extra pounds you wish to hide, a man-tailored shirt in a soft, light-weight, flowing material (ie, silk) over a T-shirt or shell will probably look great with your long legs. The soft, light material keeps the look feminine, not boxy.



SHIRTS ON SALE

Here are a few classic man-tailored shirts. The first two are from the Pure Collection. Click on either photo for details or to shop the site's other sales items. At posting time, the clothing company was offering 70% off on its linen shirts, dresses and trousers.









Laundered Linen Shirt (was $108, now $54) in 5 colors.











Laundered Linen Pocket Detail Top (was $108, now $64) in 4 colors.













Jones New York Sport Classic Button Front Shirt (was $49.00, now $28.99)















Old Navy Womens Poplin-Stretch Dress Shirt (was $26.50, now $22.50). This top is available in 5 colors.







A tuxedo-styled shirt like this Cotton Shirt (was $84, now $33) from the Pure Collection is another great choice for over 50 women.













TUNICS, TOO!

It warms my heart to see a lot of tunics again for fall 2011. The style is such a perfect choice for women over 50. Here's a shirt from Jones New York that combines the trendy man-tailored look with a tunic.







Jones New York Sport Button Down Tunic (was $69.00, now $26.99).





SOFT AND LOVELY

The last thing I want to do is wear anything that is too masculine-looking. I admit I think masculine clothing is kind of cute on a 20-something because it's such a contrast to her young, innocent female features. But time is hard on most women over 50 and, consequently, it's important for them to keep their fashions soft. Whether you're petite and need a more fitted look or tall and need a less fitted look, soft fabrics keep the look feminine and flattering.









Jones New York Roll Sleeve Button Down Blouse (was $74.00, now $36.99)











T by Alexander Wang Silk Chiffon Blouse with Pockets (was $188, now $131.66) from Shopbop.