Great Looks For Fall
When I passed the fifty year mark, did I lose all fashion sense? Sometimes it appeared so, but the actual fact was that I had changed and the style that once was becoming no longer fit the person I was now.
What looks good with my gray hair, my less than svelte figure, my need for comfort? It was time to investigate fashion from a different perspective. As I waded through my wardrobe -weeding out those pieces that were ill fitting, I realized that it was time to start sprucing up my rusty wardrobe!
I wasn’t ready to be an old lady (even though it felt like it), so I started looking at role models. Women who knew how to look vibrant and attractive into their senior years.
Some of my favorites are Helen Mirren and Jamie Lee Curtis, but there are now plenty of examples of aging gracefully and dressing with panache.
Hopefully, the tips and trends gathered here make dressing attractively and in style a cinch.
It’s All About Denim This Year
It’s All American and it’s big for fall. Even Paris is saying so
The darker denims are slimming and very wearable. All denim gives a long line which is so friendly to the more mature figure.
I like to match denim with either stripes or lace, stripes for more of a sporty look and lace for those times when in the mood for something girly.
Fall Denim And Stripes
Combining two of 2016’s top trends.The longer length blazer is flattering, with wider leg jeans and low heeled boots. A great looking scarf to keep your neck warm!
Stripes Are Everywhere This Season
PIN STRIPES GIVE PIZAZZ
Pin stripes are always a sharp look for the city, and make the transition from office to dinner date.
With such a wide variety of fashion cues, choose one or two that strike a chord for you. Investigate the style that presently personifies you at this stage of your life. If you were once comfortable in an Artsy-Bohemian style, revisit whether that is best for you now. Maybe the Southwestern style is an updated look that still incorporates the elements of the Boho look.
Or maybe you were once strictly Classic, and now you could use some dramatic color and stronger details to give the look some “kick”. Scan the trends for updates that fit your basic fashion style.
Classic Always Works, But What Are The Trends?
For 2016, a few things to look for this coming fall:
- New Animal Prints… this has been a story for quite a long season, but now it looks like prints of lynx or fox. Try something new and unusual.
- Urban and sleek. You know how to do this!
- The hoodie. Yes! I’m ready.
- More print, more color.
Highlights for the Coming Seasons
Some fall fashion trends I can see women my age wearing….
This year the fashions are flattering for women of a certain age.
The long lines of an urban pantsuit, silky animal print dresses with highlights of strong dramatic stone jewelry (from Calvin Klein) and casual wear with comfy, but great looking hoodies are easy to incorporate into a wardrobe.
Be sure to update some of those animal prints, a surefire way to add some style.
My Gray
Gray is one of my favorite colors now that my hair is silver. It is flattering to my silver hair, and much less harsh than black for daytime wear. A neutral that mixes quite well with bright colors (OR pastels, if that is the color tone best for you), it automatically creates a versatile wardrobe piece.
My favorite way to wear gray? As a monotone, lengthening and slimming, outline.
I also like to wear Charcoal rather than black. For those “seasonal” color complexions, the Autumns (I was one) and Summers, it is a better choice than stark black.
Gray still goes with your black accessories, so it is a win-win addition to an over-fifty wardrobe.
Fall Fashions
Great Shade For Gray Hair
Electric Blue is very flattering for a more mature complexion and especially as a foil for gray hair.
Electric Blue NY
Electric Blue
The Electrifyingly Attractive Color
This is one of best colors for me since the hair color turned to silver, electric blue has so much vibrancy and always gets compliments.
It has been a popular color for several seasons running, and looks to have legs for a number in the future. One good bet with a striking color such as this on is to invest in accessories that will work with other colors should the tides change (as they inevitably do in the fashion world.
This is one of those shades that belong to certain “season” color groups. If you have been typed as one who has “Autumn” or “Winter” coloring, the electric blues will work very well for you no matter what the trends may be.
It brings skin tones alive, unlike some of the drab navy blues that are common in clothing fabrics.
Navaho Print Inspired Infinity Scarf
I absolutely LOVE the colors in this scarf. It would be one of those wear everywhere accessories. Truly flattering.
- Look for leather in unusual places : as loose skirts, shorts, even shirts.
- Elongated silhouette with soft monotone color. Neck to toe color.
- Blue- denim blue and deeper blues.
- Blazers are back. Pant legs are wider.
What’s Your Style?
Boots and Booties
Tall, tall, tall… over the knee, and Granny boots that lace.
There are still lots of tall boots and booties everywhere. I find this style of footwear both comfortable and good looking. PLUS It looks fresh, young, and fashionable.
Is Southwestern Still A Trend In 2016?
YES AND NO
If you live in the Southwestern states, it is a classic which never goes out of style. Elsewhere it has been paired down to the “All Denim” look.
UPDATING THIS LOOK FROM LAST YEAR
If you have long dangly earrings or large hoops in silver, turquiose, or other Southwestern favorites these will definitely work with fashions now. Add them to any off the shoulder tops or striped shirts you are now wearing.
Instead of the blanket pattern jacket, go for a blazer instead, since blazers are making a comeback.
EARTHY SOUTHWESTERN
Nature colors or theme, or a spiced up version that swings with Southwestern accents and style. Go for an entire outfit or simply update with jewelry and some accessories like a handbag or scarf.
Turquoise color and gems are a few of my favorite pairings with Gray hair. Silver mirrors mature coloring in a beautiful way, so the trending Southwestern fashion style is ideal for maturing skin and hair. The clothes are often tailored for comfort, too. I love the casual look of it all because my personal style tends towards the more casual types with a dash of classics.
MY VIEWS
This is the classic look for casual weekends, for Sporty and Casual personalities. It is one of my favorites for most of my lifestyle situations. Especially useful when I travel out West, of course, but it has become a classic look just about anywhere.
Natural Leather and Southwestern Detail
This is one really good looking handbag- it makes a statement with the silver embellishments. This is the type of bag that dresses up denim.
Add A Southwestern Accent
Keep the denim shirt, purse, and wear with blue jeans. The booties are still in fashion, as well as the jewelry.
Take Notes From Parisian Women
They have a basic black wardrobe, adding color and high fashion accessories. They also keep everything well groomed, a good beauty hint for more mature women.
Taking Trends And Making Them Our Own
PASTELS FOR FALL
Luckily this fall has an unusual infusion of pastel colors, lighter shades of colors are kinder for mature complexions.
MONOCHROMATIC MAKES A SLEEK LINE
Combine the pastel trend with head to toe line of all the same color and it is very attractive look.
Black And White Is Still Big
Look also for cypress green, winter white, and aurora red. Radiant orchid (Pantone’s color of the year) makes a showing, as well.
How To Wear The Black And White Trend
Add One Really Versatile Accessory – Put color in your handbag
Fossil- one of the best handbags I’ve ever owned. This pink color matches one of the pretty looks for fall. Pastels for Autumn!
Colors For Fall
PINK
You can go pale pink like Ralph Lauren does or with this luscious raspberry. Monotone makes it happen for you!
Rose Quartz is one of the pair chosen for this year. A cool, pale pink that was matched up with a Periwinkle blue called “Serenity”.
 COLOR ACCENTS IN PRINT
Color is arriving for fall, but black and white remains strong, as does a neutral palette. Go both ways by getting some color included in the new prints.
Neutral With A Bold Touch
“Comfy Tribal” Daytime Look, featuring a silver bracelet bangle.
Natural and Earthtones
Always a refined look for older women, Classics, business, and warm climates. If you love the look it is easy to expand your wardrobe, if you only need it for business wear, the pieces are useful mixed into other wardrobe themes of color.
Tribal is usually thought of as patterned and colorful… and hard to match up with anything else. This neutral color combo ( which is classic by nature) simply borrows the pattern in the form of textures. Bold jewelry, strong texture will help give a tribal feel to an outfit.
Making It Boho
One way to make good use of trends is to tweak them to become fashion forward. This tribal look could as easily become Boho. Add patterned scarf and change out the white blouse for a tunic. Use an artsy necklace that harmonizes with the bracelet… you get the idea.
Buy Quality and Fit
No matter what the trends are make sure the garment fits well and has quality materials. Some trends are classics, like the Southwestern accents. Even if you aren’t sure about wearing a blanket pattern jacket, give it a try. Silver and turquoise jewelry never go out of style. Use a scarf to try out the new colors and patterns in your wardrobe, before you commit.
Former Color Of The Year: Marsala
“Creamy Wine hue” warms up autumn sweaters and slacks outfit. I prefer it to the 2016 “Rose Quartz”<
MARSALA
This warm wine tone is fabulous with pink. It was the 2015 color of the year, and you can bet it will be a favorite for the seasons to come, especially the cooler seasons.
More Fashion Tips For Older Women
What trends are in your future
I Will Wear…
My 2016 “No-no”s
High heels are making a comeback, but not for me. Sheer skits are being seen, but not in my closet.
Trends I Will Avoid
SOME THINGS ARE BETTER LEFT UNSAID
- Tiers of material- adding ridiculous bulk to my silhouette? No thank you.
- Too much wild pattern.
- Sheer skirting. An awkward look that can seem top heavy with a jacket-covered upper body. Plus you need perfect legs that are showcased beneath the filmy cloud of skirting material.
- Bulky leather and big boxy shapes. Personally, I think this would make my more matronly figure look like a small tank.
- Ditto for heavy layering.
- Futurist. Even though this trend showed a mature model displaying the clothes, it is a harsh look for many older women to carry off well. You can try it, I’ll pass. Anything with overdrawn angles can accentuate the years, instead of the woman.
