After years of reading and writing about fashion, I've come to the conclusion that one of the most important things in dressing well is having an eye for proportions. More than price, color, or any other fashion-type variables, knowing how to dress for your shape makes all the difference.
I've seen cropped jackets making a comeback, but decided to take a pass on the trend this time around because this over-40 body is going to do everyone a favor and not emphasize her waist. That is, until I started seeing the jackets styled with long shirts, or full dresses---which is different from the way they were worn years ago. Back then, cropped jackets were worn with half tops and low waist pants and initially that's what I envisioned when I saw them in the stores. But, as you can see with all of these catalog photos, this time around, a cropped jacket is shorter and hits at the smallest part of the waist. Worn with a long shirt, the effect disguises and flatters:
