My friend Veronic is single and over 40 and out on the dating scene. The last thing she wants to be considered is a "cougar". I have offered my style assistance to come up with some great looks for her that are sophisticated and modern without looking like she's trying too hard.
You should start with basics that fit impeccably and then work around those. Invest in great black and white pants and a great pair of dark jeans to start. You should also have a black pencil skirt or A-line skirt and one black dress that can go dressy if needed. Also, buy 2 dresses; one for summer and one for fall that you can wear to a engagement party, a work function or a nice dinner out. Once you have the core basics you can build around them with statement pieces like a great printed blouse from Diane Von Furstenburg or a wonderful jacket from Alice + Olivia. Accessories will play a huge part too. They can take your outfit from simple to outstanding just by adding a fabulous pair of shoes or a statement necklace.
I personally love Theory for your basics. The quality is great, the fit is unreal and they hug your body in all of the right places.
Things to stay away from: too much animal print, jewel encrusted halter tops, skirts that are too short, too much cleavage and jeans that reveal your undergarments...this doesn't look good on ANYONE. If your clothing resembles the real housewives of Orange County you may want to do a wardrobe overhaul.
You should start with basics that fit impeccably and then work around those. Invest in great black and white pants and a great pair of dark jeans to start. You should also have a black pencil skirt or A-line skirt and one black dress that can go dressy if needed. Also, buy 2 dresses; one for summer and one for fall that you can wear to a engagement party, a work function or a nice dinner out. Once you have the core basics you can build around them with statement pieces like a great printed blouse from Diane Von Furstenburg or a wonderful jacket from Alice + Olivia. Accessories will play a huge part too. They can take your outfit from simple to outstanding just by adding a fabulous pair of shoes or a statement necklace.I personally love Theory for your basics. The quality is great, the fit is unreal and they hug your body in all of the right places.
Once you have these basics, you can work with them to create a sophisticated evening look. Pair your black pants or jeans with a sexy white shirt or drapey silk tank. This is also the opportunity to bust out your gorgeous "specialty" shoes and satin evening clutch. You don't have to reserve those things for a wedding or dressy event, they look just as great paired with your skinny dark jeans.
This top from Robert Rodriguez paired with a great fitting black pant is an appriate look for a woman in their 30's or 40's. It's simple yet stunning and has incredible detail.
The best advice I can give is to focus on fit first. If an item doesn't fit well, you will never wear it. Also, don't buy items that you can't get a lot of use out of. If something is too boldly printed or has too much embellishment, you will tire of it easily. And most importantly, you can look sexy without revealing everything. Classy is always better than Trashy. Check out some of the looks below that I put together for my friend via Polyvore.
This top from Robert Rodriguez paired with a great fitting black pant is an appriate look for a woman in their 30's or 40's. It's simple yet stunning and has incredible detail.
The best advice I can give is to focus on fit first. If an item doesn't fit well, you will never wear it. Also, don't buy items that you can't get a lot of use out of. If something is too boldly printed or has too much embellishment, you will tire of it easily. And most importantly, you can look sexy without revealing everything. Classy is always better than Trashy. Check out some of the looks below that I put together for my friend via Polyvore.
I love all of these looks! I would wear any of them. The colors are great and there are many places I can think to wear these! You have such a great eye!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me to "start with basic pieces" - this will be my new shopping mantra! I'm the one who always ends up with a great top or great shoes, but nothing to wear with them. I'm taking your advice THIS weekend. Going out to buy a pair of Citizens of Humanity jeans, which fit girls with curves perfectly. Thanks Scout!
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