Do You Need A Style Update?

[Lyrical Lady]

I have a style of my own. I am pretty radical sometimes. :Cool_049: I try not to get overboard, so my adult daughter kinda monitors what I wear...sometimes I let her! She says it's O.K. to dress young, but she doesn't want me to look ridiculous :unsure: I don't know what she could be talking about :whistling: She knows I am going to basically wear what I want. I have tattoos, a pierced nose, I sometimes wear hairstyles, and clothes that may look weird to some people...I don't care what they think! I wear clothing according to how I fee that day. I may look Native American, African, Western, military, girly girl, or sexy, sexy, sexy for my DH!! :blush: :wub: I can clean up pretty good too, I can wear a suit and look very businesslike, or I can look elegant! I do know not to wear my belly hangin' out with a navel pierce! I do know not to walk around with booty shorts, with all my cellulite showing...I do have a fraction of sense!! :yes:

As a lot of you know from previous post, I have Multiple Sclerosis. I carry a walking cane at all times. To me, style is what I say it is...for me. I figured if I have to have a cane all my life...I may as well be cute!! I have about 7 canes. I have canes to match the colors of my clothes, that makes me feel good. My canes look like an accessory, a part of my outfit, not like I'm just a cripple. Nothing against anyone that chooses to carry a regular cane, I just don't want ONE regular ole cane. I am ambulatory, I just get dizzy and very tired.

My suggestions would be something like:
Try different napptural hair styles, go to the mall and look at clothing styles and see if they will work for you. If needed, see if you can modify the style for your personality. How about a style that feels good to you, and you just were too afraid or timid to try it, or worried about what someone would say, or how they would look...try it!! :yes:

Give your suggestions of ways to get an update without being too trendy or trashy! Do you have your own style that is uniquely you??


Please take a look at my new updates to 'Playing with Styles' in my Fotki!!

[Yolanda35]

To begin, when I am ready to change or upgrade my look, I first go for the hair. I give it a nice professional braidup or another non processed style that will look pretty on me.

Next, I go and buy whatever article/s of clothing I am in the mood for.

I do not bring a lot of variety to my style but when I wear the style that I love, I look very nice. My thing is wearing the large belts. I am tall so I always am able to find skirts faster than pants. I make sure to include additional grooming like manicure/pedicure. I sometimes will get professional eyelashes. I wear lite makeup. Other than that, that is it but I do consider myself to be easy to maintain.

As for you. I like your style. It is not over until it is over.

[LBellatrix]

Pushin 60, I love that you're keeping this forum alive. There aren't a lot of 40-and-overs on NP and I also think we tend to be pretty busy (not that the younger ones aren't but there are folks on here with my post count who haven't been here from the beginning like me).

I realize that this is a complaint most people wish they had but I look a lot younger than I actually am. Some say I act younger too and they don't mean it in a good way but I've finally realized that (at least in this town) when people (regardless of race) look at a 43-year-old black woman, they expect her to be Mammy, basically. :rolleyes: I am more myself, and more comfortable with myself, than I've ever been in my life and it's interesting how people still manage to have a problem...but I digress.

Here's what it means to live in a college town: The other day we had a group photo and I decided to wear a black and white below-knee-length cotton skirt, a white sleeveless linen blouse, a jean jacket, and black knee-high boots with 2" heels. I had my hair in a twistout and big hoop earrings, and I was wearing dark lipstick that actually showed up on my face. My co-workers were like, "Wow! You dressed up!" :rolleyes: Understand that in the old Chicago days I was making about 4-5 times more than I'm making now and had much more tailored clothing (nothing super expensive, but still good-looking) in my closet.

I'm looking to look, if not exactly my age, then at least a little more put-together. The problem is that I have VERY little money for clothes these days plus I'm trying to lose weight so I don't want to spend that tiny bit of money on a whole new wardrobe. I have this idea that I'll spend the money only when I have to, and since I still have my skinny jeans and a few size-medium tops, that may take some time.

It occurred to me recently that my new buzzword has to be "classic." For example:

- I love jeans and will wear them until the day I die but my next pair needs to be a crisper, darker wash and I need to spend the money to get them properly altered. (Another issue: I'm too tall for petite but too short for regular and, like a lot of sisters, I have a butt.)
- I have the requisite white button-down shirt (cotton with a bit of stretch; my first Gap purchase since I was in my 20s) but I haven't been wearing it; I've started pulling it out more.
- I am starting to work my accessories, especially necklaces and scarves.
- I've started walking to work some days (45 minutes) so I need a pair of walking shoes that look stylish. When I was in London in 2004 my friend told me that only Americans wore tennis shoes outside of the gym so I stopped wearing tennis shoes outside of the gym :D but right now the only comfortable shoes I have that will allow me to walk 45 minutes are my tennis shoes. Way to keep on looking like a student! :lol:
- I'm back to wearing eye makeup (eyeliner and mascara mostly) and darker shades of lipstick that don't disappear within an hour. Neutral makeup = no makeup, at least for me. However, I am still on the hunt for the Holy Grail lip moisturizer that will keep people from licking their lips when they look at me. :(

[Lyrical Lady]

SORRY FOR THE LATE REPLY, BEEN OUT OF TOWN. BUT YOU ARE SO RIGHT...IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER!! :lol:



To begin, when I am ready to change or upgrade my look, I first go for the hair. I give it a nice professional braidup or another non processed style that will look pretty on me.

Next, I go and buy whatever article/s of clothing I am in the mood for.

I do not bring a lot of variety to my style but when I wear the style that I love, I look very nice. My thing is wearing the large belts. I am tall so I always am able to find skirts faster than pants. I make sure to include additional grooming like manicure/pedicure. I sometimes will get professional eyelashes. I wear lite makeup. Other than that, that is it but I do consider myself to be easy to maintain.

As for you. I like your style. It is not over until it is over.
[/b]


SORRY, BEEN OUT OF POCKET!! I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KEEP THIS FORUM ALIVE, BUT IT SEEMS THAT IT IS NOT THAT MANY OF US. SEEMS LIKE NO ONE REALLY LOOKS AT THE 40 AND OVER FORUM. HOPEFULLY WE CAN THINK OF MORE TOPICS THAT WILL INTEREST MORE OF US 'MATURER' WOMEN :P



Pushin 60, I love that you're keeping this forum alive. There aren't a lot of 40-and-overs on NP and I also think we tend to be pretty busy (not that the younger ones aren't but there are folks on here with my post count who haven't been here from the beginning like me).

I realize that this is a complaint most people wish they had but I look a lot younger than I actually am. Some say I act younger too and they don't mean it in a good way but I've finally realized that (at least in this town) when people (regardless of race) look at a 43-year-old black woman, they expect her to be Mammy, basically. :rolleyes: I am more myself, and more comfortable with myself, than I've ever been in my life and it's interesting how people still manage to have a problem...but I digress.

Here's what it means to live in a college town: The other day we had a group photo and I decided to wear a black and white below-knee-length cotton skirt, a white sleeveless linen blouse, a jean jacket, and black knee-high boots with 2" heels. I had my hair in a twistout and big hoop earrings, and I was wearing dark lipstick that actually showed up on my face. My co-workers were like, "Wow! You dressed up!" :rolleyes: Understand that in the old Chicago days I was making about 4-5 times more than I'm making now and had much more tailored clothing (nothing super expensive, but still good-looking) in my closet.

I'm looking to look, if not exactly my age, then at least a little more put-together. The problem is that I have VERY little money for clothes these days plus I'm trying to lose weight so I don't want to spend that tiny bit of money on a whole new wardrobe. I have this idea that I'll spend the money only when I have to, and since I still have my skinny jeans and a few size-medium tops, that may take some time.

It occurred to me recently that my new buzzword has to be "classic." For example:

- I love jeans and will wear them until the day I die but my next pair needs to be a crisper, darker wash and I need to spend the money to get them properly altered. (Another issue: I'm too tall for petite but too short for regular and, like a lot of sisters, I have a butt.)
- I have the requisite white button-down shirt (cotton with a bit of stretch; my first Gap purchase since I was in my 20s) but I haven't been wearing it; I've started pulling it out more.
- I am starting to work my accessories, especially necklaces and scarves.
- I've started walking to work some days (45 minutes) so I need a pair of walking shoes that look stylish. When I was in London in 2004 my friend told me that only Americans wore tennis shoes outside of the gym so I stopped wearing tennis shoes outside of the gym :D but right now the only comfortable shoes I have that will allow me to walk 45 minutes are my tennis shoes. Way to keep on looking like a student! :lol:
- I'm back to wearing eye makeup (eyeliner and mascara mostly) and darker shades of lipstick that don't disappear within an hour. Neutral makeup = no makeup, at least for me. However, I am still on the hunt for the Holy Grail lip moisturizer that will keep people from licking their lips when they look at me. :(
[/b]




Pushin 60, I love that you're keeping this forum alive. There aren't a lot of 40-and-overs on NP and I also think we tend to be pretty busy (not that the younger ones aren't but there are folks on here with my post count who haven't been here from the beginning like me).

I realize that this is a complaint most people wish they had but I look a lot younger than I actually am. Some say I act younger too and they don't mean it in a good way but I've finally realized that (at least in this town) when people (regardless of race) look at a 43-year-old black woman, they expect her to be Mammy, basically. :rolleyes: I am more myself, and more comfortable with myself, than I've ever been in my life and it's interesting how people still manage to have a problem...but I digress.

Here's what it means to live in a college town: The other day we had a group photo and I decided to wear a black and white below-knee-length cotton skirt, a white sleeveless linen blouse, a jean jacket, and black knee-high boots with 2" heels. I had my hair in a twistout and big hoop earrings, and I was wearing dark lipstick that actually showed up on my face. My co-workers were like, "Wow! You dressed up!" :rolleyes: Understand that in the old Chicago days I was making about 4-5 times more than I'm making now and had much more tailored clothing (nothing super expensive, but still good-looking) in my closet.

I'm looking to look, if not exactly my age, then at least a little more put-together. The problem is that I have VERY little money for clothes these days plus I'm trying to lose weight so I don't want to spend that tiny bit of money on a whole new wardrobe. I have this idea that I'll spend the money only when I have to, and since I still have my skinny jeans and a few size-medium tops, that may take some time.

It occurred to me recently that my new buzzword has to be "classic." For example:

- I love jeans and will wear them until the day I die but my next pair needs to be a crisper, darker wash and I need to spend the money to get them properly altered. (Another issue: I'm too tall for petite but too short for regular and, like a lot of sisters, I have a butt.)
- I have the requisite white button-down shirt (cotton with a bit of stretch; my first Gap purchase since I was in my 20s) but I haven't been wearing it; I've started pulling it out more.
- I am starting to work my accessories, especially necklaces and scarves.
- I've started walking to work some days (45 minutes) so I need a pair of walking shoes that look stylish. When I was in London in 2004 my friend told me that only Americans wore tennis shoes outside of the gym so I stopped wearing tennis shoes outside of the gym :D but right now the only comfortable shoes I have that will allow me to walk 45 minutes are my tennis shoes. Way to keep on looking like a student! :lol:
- I'm back to wearing eye makeup (eyeliner and mascara mostly) and darker shades of lipstick that don't disappear within an hour. Neutral makeup = no makeup, at least for me. However, I am still on the hunt for the Holy Grail lip moisturizer that will keep people from licking their lips when they look at me. :(
[/b]

[Lyrical Lady]

BEEN OUT OF POCKET, SORRY!! LIKE LBellatrix, I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR THIS FORUM TO TAKE OFF, BUT IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE NOT TOO MANY OF US ON NP. HOPEFULLY WE THAT ARE HERE CAN THINK OF TOPICS THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO 'MATURER' :P WOMEN!! FROM LOOKING AT THE DATES OF THE POST, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYBODY IS LOOKING AT THIS FORUM DEDICATED TO 'US'!! WE GOTTA FIX THIS!! WE GOTTA STICK TOGETHER!! ;)

[ImageCoach]

Hey Ladies,

Stopped in, so I thought I'd add to this thread...I am much more secure in my style now than I was when I was younger. Something about turning 40 made me realize I needed to be true to ME, not to what "they" thought I should be wearing.

I love my dark jeans - though I'm kinda old school in that I don't think I should have to pay $100-plus dollars to get good ones! I had a lucky streak and found a jean jacket that matches a lot of the darker denim I'm wearing lately - they look as if they were made for each other! I love wearing my jeans with heels - and now that everything is longer in the inseam, I can do that!

I still haven't gone the step of getting jeans tailored - perhaps, like LBellatrix, once I lose the weight I want to lose, I'll consider doing that. I'm on a mission to get healthier and get off the diabetes meds, so losing weight is my current focus. It's a lot harder than when I was in my 20's, I'll say that! :rolleyes:

I love wearing Dramatic clothing - rich colors, great fabrics, cut to show off my nice legs and my full bustline without sliding into sleaze territory. I dress conservatively for work, but express my personality in my accessories - big earrings, dramatic "signature" pieces, and stones. I like jewel tones - ruby, sapphire, etc and wear them whenever I can.

I like things that fit closer to my body now, too - I've realized that hiding my full figure under yards of fabric doesn't do me or the clothing justice. I'm a big girl, so I've come to accept that I will never be Twiggy, but I can dress the body I have in such a way that I look good and love what I see in the mirror.

Nice to see y'all around! :wub:

[pookeylou]

I am so ready for this. Actually planning on doing my own version of "What not to wear" next month. Slowly my attire has been heading toward this....


http://www.careapparel.com/images/33_full.jpg



It is now depressing me because in my mind I look like this....

http://www.ashleystewart.com/images/landing/newarrivals.jpg


So I am now going to put my money where my mind is an buy some quality, comfortable, classic pieces that will last a good while. I am looking forward to my little shopping spree. Might come back and do a bit of a fashion show for ya!

[faithworks]

http://www.careapparel.com/images/33_full.jpg
It is now depressing me because in my mind I look like this....
[/b]
:lol:

[rastagalNJ]

I am 45 and in need an overhaul seriously. I had a baby 4 months ago and just can't seem to make the effort to glam it up. I am slimmer than I have been in years surprisingly, but I am too tired to care about my wardrobe. I alo am in danger of looking like the above mentioned pic.

[Denny]

There is a show in the UK called How to look good naked, the style guru a British South East Asian named Gok encourages women who are of normal to large size and all ages to love their bodies, styles them accordingly from glab to fab and gets them to pose tastefully naked in public. I love the show and get good tips from it. Over the years most of my weight is sitting on my chest, hence when I tell my friends I'm overweight they don't believe me cos its all in the chest area and not on my face or hips. Which makes buying tops a pain having a small back large cups. For work I thankfully don't have to dress up so live in demin and regular tops or jumpers. I do tend to dress semi casual for church adn since my knees don't scare me the odd short skirt gets worn now and again. :P I admit to being more conscious of what I wear now only cos the body has betrayed me by expanding and not for age reasons. If I was at my ideal weight I would dress to suit my shape not my age. Age is irrelevant! ;)

[Savvyone]

I soooo need this thread now. Now that I don't have to worry about having an "accident" :unsure: on the gym machines I can go full throttle into losing this weight and toning up. :) That in conjunction with designing my 40 something appearance, I feel limited since I've always been kinda drab but my personality is so much different than my clothes I guess....speaking of which Pookey I :wub: that trench, in fact I'm creating an online scrapbook of sorts with different pieces that catch my eye.

I know I look my best when I'm dressed for work but I long to look as put together outside of the office, ya know? Like looking casual without looking soccer Mom... :lol:

I've already started accessorizing and thinking about doing something with my eyes, maybe....I've NEVER worn make-up I tried lipstick and it always bleeds and looks crazy. In my 20s I would look like a clown in an attempt to wear make-up and I don't want to do that now...just a little enhancing I guess to add to my look rather than MAKE it...lawd knows I don't want to scare folk when I'm not "made up".

And my hair, I've been natural for 7 years but have done nothing more than a puff... :( on weekends I like "big hair" so I may experiment with twist-outs to shake it up some.

I finally feel like I'm fine with who I am inside, I just want to express myself in all areas, not just some areas of my life. Being obese has caused me to hide a lot, like wearing a fat suit. I carried around so much fear of being smaller because then I'd be seen and exposed...I know it's weird but I've had a lot of time to reflect and think being on bed rest, it's been eye opening.

[jewelle]

I really welcome the thoughts in this thread, because I'm dealing with this right now. I dress entirely too boring for work and church...at least I have in the past, and I'm changing that for the future. I'm tired of looking like an old lady!!

3 years ago I weighed 50 lbs heavier, I had just lost my mother, and I was downhearted and depressed. I dressed in a lot of "old lady" and plus sized clothes because money was tight and I didn&#39;t feel like it was worth the cost and effort to try to find attractive clothes. It took years, but I eventually changed my diet and started walking every day...and SLOWLY <_< the weight started coming off.

I&#39;m at the point now where NO MATTER how much more weight I have to lose, I want to dress for MYSELF...life is short and I want to enjoy it wearing what I like to wear.

Something that&#39;s helping me is spending time at specialty stores like Ann Taylor, just trying on clothes to see what I like and what looks good on me. I&#39;m short and short-waisted, and that limits what looks good on me. I shop a lot of clearance sales at Macy&#39;s and JCPenny and picked up some great things at less than $5...it took a lot of time and patience and trying on a lot of things that didn&#39;t work for me, and it was worth every minute! Now I just need to find a mix that I&#39;m comfortable with, and that&#39;s my challenge. My friends and family all dress the way I used to. I am not going to look like a hoochie, but I&#39;m going to break out of this clothes rut for once and for all. It&#39;s amazing how dressing in clothes that fit and flatter this body of mine makes me feel so much better about myself. I enjoyed reading all of your thoughts...it brought a smile to my face and reminded me that I&#39;m not in this by myself! :)


Blessings....Jewelle

[sunschild57]

I don&#39;t want to dress like an old lady but I can&#39;t find nice looking clothes in my size (i&#39;m a 18 and really need to lose weight). I am also short waist so that&#39;s another problem, that and my girls are now sagging to near my waistline :lol: maybe I should just move somewhere where they wear coats year round :lol:

[jewelle]

I don&#39;t want to dress like an old lady but I can&#39;t find nice looking clothes in my size (i&#39;m a 18 and really need to lose weight). I am also short waist so that&#39;s another problem, that and my girls are now sagging to near my waistline :lol: maybe I should just move somewhere where they wear coats year round :lol:
[/b]


Yeah, the girls have to be taken care of, for sure. :yes: I usually wait for a bra sale at Dillards, Penney&#39;s or another one of the stores at Stonecrest to get a really good, well-fitting bra. The days of shopping for bras at Target are long gone!

I know it&#39;s a challenge being short-waisted, but you can find clothes that fit and flatter your body. It takes time and effort, and you&#39;re worth it! We are so good at taking care of everyone else....it&#39;s time to give some of that attention to ourselves!


Blessings....Jewelle

[chocodoll]

I definitely need a style update. I am 36 and I find it hard to find clothes that are age appropriate. I find things that are either too old or too young. I also have a tendacy to buy clothes that fit a lil to big. I don&#39;t like things that cling to my stomach because it&#39;s fat. I have a hard time finding pants that fit my waist because my butt is big. I don&#39;t know what to do.