Frumpy – “A woman seemed dull, plain, or old-fashioned”

As the mother of a 22-year-old boy, I am at that stage in my life where some styles are no longer attractive or appropriate. My two biggest fears are looking like my mother and looking like my daughter.

Mature and stylish women follow the main trends while staying within their own style. As we move forward, we have to redefine what constitutes a modern look and let go of outdated ideas, but there is a fine line between looking current and looking like a fashion victim. Everyone has a different idea of ​​what is scruffy. As with most things in my life, I discover what is right for me by eliminating what is wrong. These are on my “no-no” list:

• Wearing the pants too short – This is a killer look I see often. The modern way of wearing pants is very long, almost touching or touching the floor.
• Wearing tucked in tops and blouses – it’s hard for me to resist because I love my belts! Untucked tailored shirts and (layered) T-shirts look modern. If you choose to tuck in and wear a belt, don’t do it the old fashioned way: mom jeans that sit at the waist and taper at the ankle with a 1″ belt, yuck! Pants that rest 1″ below the waist are flattering for most of us, and a wider belt (about 2″) is slimming.
• Dressing too “matched”: This is a tough question for women of my generation because when we were kids, the perfect outfit was a plaid skirt picked from a rack with matching sweaters and topped off with matching Papagallo shoes and bag. It’s not so easy anymore. Women who still subscribe to this method of dressing wear a head-to-toe designer “look.” BORED! It takes a bit of creativity, but basically you want to mix palettes and textures. Look at color schemes in magazines and in stores to keep up to date. You may see color combinations that you never thought “go” together and look modern and stylish. Even the simplest outfit can be great by mixing textures; think nubby wool with velvet or linen with silk. If this is very uncomfortable territory for you, wear suits but update them with shoes and tops.
• Wearing sleeveless tops and dresses without the benefit of regular exercise: When I attended my daughter’s high school graduation on a sweltering June day, I saw a lot of flabby arms; I was grateful to my Total Gym! I’m not saying you have to work out, but if you’re not injured with toned arms, wear short or long sleeves.
• Trying to look too dressed up, if your clothes are sophisticated and impeccable, soften your hair and makeup, that’s a modern look. And in a similar vein…
• Wearing too much makeup, this is particularly important as we age. Go for a polished look in neutral colors for the day and kick it up a notch with a more intense color or an application at night.
• Wear very little makeup: I don’t go anywhere without mascara, blush, and lip gloss at a minimum. Most days I add taupe eyeshadow and dark brown eyeliner and a bit of brow tamer. It takes 5 minutes and makes a world of difference!
• Looking Totally Unarmed: When I see women at the mall in sweats or shorts and a baggy t-shirt, I wonder why they’re shopping if that’s how they leave the house. Even when you’re just wearing jeans, you can still look put together by paying attention to your shoes and other accessories. Or throw a jacket over just about anything and look instantly put together.
• Buy a dress for “special” for special occasions, of course there are some functions, for example, if you are the mother of the bride, when you have to buy a special dress. But for most semi-formal occasions, it’s more elegant to collect a wardrobe of elegant separates: silk pants, blouses and skirts, velvet skirts and jackets, elegant cashmere sweaters, embellished jackets and maybe a tuxedo to mix and match. . It also makes more sense if you don’t dress up often because you can upgrade your pieces one at a time.
• Old-fashioned glasses – glasses are a fashion accessory and if you have to wear them you can also keep them up to date. Well worth the money when you consider the cost per use!
• Wearing too much “jewelry”: I don’t like costume jewelry, I prefer to have a few pieces that reflect my personality and that I will love forever. Make one thing your focal point, if you use too many pieces you get distracted.
• Wearing unflattering silhouettes: There are certain clothes that are not good for some body types. No one can escape this, even what we consider to be a model body cannot wear all styles. Sometimes it’s easier for a good friend to point out what’s not working for you; it is very difficult to see oneself without prejudice. If you’re going to spend time and effort wearing nice clothes, be a good editor and stay away from what doesn’t work for you. This has nothing to do with size!
• Wearing “cheap” clothes: When I shop with my daughters at stores like H&M and Forever 21, I’m tempted by price tags, but cheap clothes look really bad on mature women. Again, I’d rather have 10 things that I love than 30 things that are more or less
• College Hair: If you still wear your hair like it did when you were 19 and over 40, it’s time for a change. And if you got the cut of the moment, “Dorothy Hamill,” “Rachel,” and still do, it’s time for a change. Trendy haircuts are just that, they are meant to be constantly updated.
• Lady suits and small earrings. I know that when women see this look with the “new” Chanel-style suits and dresses, they think it’s a look I identify with. The point is that this is a look for young women: it suits them in fashion. As they say, if you used it the first time, think twice before using it again. Simple, structured suits with a slant toward the avant-garde look much more elegant for those over 40

I find that when I follow these guidelines, my options narrow down, making it easy to create timeless, elegant outfits.