posted by Jo Frances on July 26, 2012 10:15 pm
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:
posted by Jo Frances on March 14, 2012 5:08 pm
I think I've come up with my "uniform" for the Spring, and I'm shamelessly copying it from Jessica Alba:
It's simple, really: wide leg jeans with a heel, a sweater/jacket and a cross body bag. With this outfit, I can get dressed in minutes and feel appropriate in most situations. I'll also be able to keep the constant tugging and adjusting of my clothes to a minimum. To get started, here are a few striped jacket ideas:
posted by Jo Frances on February 27, 2012 9:47 am
I've seen a lot of cropped leather jackets and have shied away from them, pretty much for the same reason I shy away from cropped anything: it has a tendency to emphasize hips and expose a less-than-flat stomach. Leather jackets were also tricky in that the wrong shape could quickly label you a real life Soprano. Yet, when I saw a picture of Miranda Kerr wearing her black leather Balenciaga jacket to perfection, it was hard not to want that instant cool factor in my wardrobe:
Well...leave it up to Sarah Jessica Parker to style a cropped jacket and make it wearable for women over 40:
In the first outfit, she pairs the jacket with a skirt that flares out at the same point the jacket ends. In the second, the jacket is worn with baggy boyfriend style jeans and in the third, she uses my personal standby, the short-over-long-over-tight silhouette. Thanks, SJP!
posted by Jo Frances on January 29, 2012 9:04 am
Soft shades are big for spring, and are just as dressy as black.
posted by Jo Frances on July 28, 2011 5:36 pm
Worn with jeans, khakis or an A-line skirt, a schoolboy blazer is an easy and contemporary way to dress up wardrobe staples. This one, from TopShop, is ideal. Priced at under $100, it has all the right elements (contrast piping, front pockets) without veering into Gossip-Girl cliches.
posted by Jo Frances on May 11, 2011 10:12 am
posted by Jo Frances on April 28, 2011 9:20 pm
Photo courtesy of People StyleWatch Magazine
posted by Jo Frances on March 23, 2011 11:00 am
Now that the Must Have series is over, it's time to show some ways to put these basics together. The first is Zoe Saldana's black blazer outfit. Not only does she look casual-but-polished, but all the pieces that make up this outfit are basics you probably already own. What sets it apart are the pumps and the quality blazer---more proof that spending a little more on the basics pays off.
posted by Jo Frances on January 14, 2011 4:00 pm
Pair a cropped tweed jacket with anything from a couture dress to shorts.
