Tag Archives: Modeling

Yoga shoes exercise your feet while you relax

toe sandlesHere’s my yoga shoes.  I wear them when I get out of the shower for half an hour or so to strengthen my feet.  You know in yoga class where the instructor always tells you to spread your toes so your weight is distributed better for balance?  These shoes help you do that.  And after you get used to the strange feeling, they feel great.

These are for around the house wear – you don’t want to wear them all day because your feet would probably get fatigued.  But used as part of a healthy body and strengthening/balance regime, they are a nice addition.

Reader glasses with flair: Borghese readers by Icon Eyewear

iconeyewearI get to be a product tester! This is the first test product: a free sample of Borghese Readers from Icon Eyewear. The review goal was 50 words on “What did you like most about the Borghese readers from Icon Eyewear?”  I’ve underlined what I liked most.  Here’s my take:

Borghese Readers from Icon Eyewear fit women’s faces – slim to the head – no sliding around the ears.  Frame color is root beer in acrylic; sides are gold/black toned metal, earpieces plastic with a textural pattern (traction to keep glasses from falling off an eyeglass chain). Professional yet playful vibe.

See them in action at the Would I Wear That? Segment here.

New clothing line for go-getter women 40+

All_Styles_1There’s a new women’s clothing venture out of Seattle WA called TomboyX  – clothing specifically for go-getter women 40+ .

I like the details, fabrics, and innovative design features in the sample clothes shown in the video.  Women’s body’s over 40 start to change, so the designers fit the clothing on actual 40+ bodies (instead of the standard young-body fit model) to make sure the clothes fit right.  Details such as a special hidden button to keep button-front shirts from gaping, wider sleeves, and fabric cut on the bias for natural stretch are just some of the innovative details that make this clothing line different.  I also like that everything from design to production to marketing is made in America – which means Continue reading

80’s sweater dress re-visited

80's knitdressI wanted a warm sweater dress, but it seemed the only ones I could find were either hundreds of dollars, or so flimsy and skintight I’d look like a sausage.  So when I found an authentic 1980’s shoulder padded classic long sleeve black sweater knit dress at a free swap, I snapped it up.  It was a size XL, so I removed the shoulder pads, removed the sleeves, cut down the sleeve width, cut down the dress width, and cut down the shoulder width.  I also thinned the full bib of white beads across the front to form more of Continue reading

Wrap top is good for curves

wrap topA wrap top tends to be flattering on many different bodies.  I like the slenderizing  v-neckline, and that the style and fabric flows over curves instead of squashing them.  This top is Vince Camuto brand, 96% rayon 4% spandex, so it has a soft yet stretchy natural feel.  The 3/4 length sleeves make this practical for most seasons. The diagonal draping lengthens and flatters a petite or curvy figure (whereas horizontal stripes/pattern/drape tend to make a short woman just look squat).  I got this top at Nordstrom.  Thanks to Charles Waugh photography for the photo.

Wanted: Women of all sizes, aged 40+ (make fashion history)

fashion pixYou’ve noticed the Fashion category of Better Ideas Now has examples that are practical, mostly affordable, and flattering.  But what you may not have realized is all the models are 40+ years old.  What’s THAT all about?

I figured if it looks good on women 40+, it will look good on a variety of women, and it’s probably a classic style that will stand the test of time. Most women over 40 won’t put up with uncomfortable clothes or shoes, or ill-fitting styles/fabrics, so that’s another reason why contributors are 40+.  They’re honest if something fits and feels right, and honest about their bodies as well – not as scared of a pooch or a wrinkle as a younger woman might be.  They respect and honor their shape, size, and experience, and want to see if a style/fashion ‘really’ will be flattering Continue reading

Hooded sweater/jacket dress

purple coat/dressI’ve been looking for a sweater dress: something affordable, warm, and modern that could do double duty in some way.  I found this little gem at Syzygy, a boutique in Manzanita Oregon. This hooded sweater/coat dress is Horney Toad brand.  Fabric is 35% modal, 25% organic cotton, 25% nylon, and 15% angora, so it has a little more drape and a little more warmth that a 100% cotton sweater knit.  The dusty purple colored fabric has a smooth finish on the outside but inside it has a terrycloth-loop-thing going on, except for the inner hood which has a smooth lining in an olive color. Details include side pockets, a tulip hem in front, a full front zipper, and shaping darts in the back.  I like that I can wear it as a dress in the winter, but as a longer sweater/jacket in the spring and early fall.

The boots are Continue reading

Brushstroke ‘retro’ dress, front-ruffle shrug, and spanx are classics that work

'retro' dress, black shrug

Anne looks great and is comfortable in this cream/black/brown brushstroke patterned ‘Retro’ dress.  Brand is Olivia Matthews, and she found it at Ross Dress For Less.  The dress has an included skinny black belt, cap sleeves, pleated scoop neck with keyhole opening and black button detail.  The back-zip 40’s/50’s era shape has a fitted bodice and straight skirt with darts.

The black front-ruffle shrug is polyester, Dress Barn brand, and Anne found it at Goodwill.  The elbow length sleeves compliment the shrugs’ over-all length, where the shrug curves up in the front and dips down in the back to a peplum finish.

The shoes are Continue reading

Breathable, waterproof, comfortable boots

Bog bootsBog boots are breathable, waterproof, and comfortable.  I got a pair for myself several years ago, and my teenage daughter kept borrowing them, so I purchased a pair for her as well.  She tells me she wears them practically every day on her college campus in the winter, tucks her jeans into them, wears her coat, and knows that no matter what – rain, snow, wind, sun – she’ll still be comfortable.

I like that they are easy to walk in and seem to just know what temperature Continue reading

Luxury brands at consignment store prices

Pink coatJoan loves the color pink.  She also prefers the luxury of designer brands at consignment store prices.  Here Joan is wearing her pink knee length car coat in sturdy cotton.  It has vintage detail, such as glass pink buttons, velvet ribbon around each cuff, and pink netting around each cuff as well.  The pants are Ann Taylor Loft petites cotton/lycra blend.  The coat and pants were both purchased at the Silver Lining consignment shop in Milwaukie OR.

The gray leather short half boot with buckle detail is Continue reading

Black, white, and gray look wonderful combined

Black/white/grey blend wellJade displays how black, white, and gray combine quite well.

The top and the skirt have the illusion of a dress, but are actually separates of different black/white patterns;  the top is a zebra print, the skirt is a floral/leaf print.

The three button black cardigan/blazer with black pointy-toed pumps ground the outfit, while gray tights and Jades silver hair compliment the total look.

An obsession with printed jeans

patterned jeansJeannie W of the blog Gracefully 50 talks about her current favorite fashion -Printed Jeans:

This outfit represents my current obsession for printed jeans.  I feel like they’re a great alternative to blue jeans – which I love.  Because of patterns/colors of the jeans, I chose neutral colors to showcase the jeans.  I know that printed jeans are not for everyone, but it’s a fun way to dress up an otherwise blue jean weekend. 

Thrift Store shopping for the creative yet timeless woman

Shannon brown coatShannon is modeling a slightly oversized brown tapestry coat.  It features a jewel cut and collared neckline, and brown plastic buttons down the front, giving this coat a timeless yet bold fashion statement.  Purchased at Here We Go Again resale boutique.

Black straight-cut knee-length jean skirt has orange stitching and good stretch due to it’s cotton/lycra fabric content.

The brown sweater has a hint of red in it, 3/4 length sleeves, scoop/boat neck, and a verticle textural pattern to the Continue reading

Curvy girl suit coat and skirt

Great shapes and colors for a curvy girl!  The color black is great both for it’s versatility (it never goes out of style) as well as it’s ability to go with nearly every other color.  Anne seeks out fresh little details, and has found a goldmine in this dressy suitcoat by Lane Bryant.  It’s in her traditional black, and is made of a poly/rayon/spandex material.  A peplum accents the waist, single breasted 3 hooks in front instead of buttons add a freshness, the deep ‘V’ collar is slenderizing, and the shaping darts front and back keep this suit working her curves instead of hiding them.

The black floor length trumpet skirt is also Continue reading

Finding your unique personal fashion “style”

How do you find your personal style? What happens if you HATE shopping, or crowds just aren’t your thing?  Cindy Joseph, fashion model and founder of Boom! Natural make-up, gives a folksy 8 minute video about finding your personal style here http://www.boombycindyjoseph.com/blog/?p=492.   I like Cindy’s natural approach, and that she’s sharing a template we can personalize, not a one-size-fits-all, flash-in-the-pan trendy approach.  (Too may hyphens…)

Pants that don’t pooch out

As  a short petite 40+ woman, the zipper or buttons in front on jeans tend to jut out, giving an odd pooch-type area on my strawberry figure.  One option is to wear elastic waist yoga type pants, but sometimes a gal wants to wear jeans.  So here’s a compromise – JAG brand Jeans have a wide stretchy denim waist band with no front closures at all, so the jeans lie flat.  Which makes  the shirt on top lie flat. Which you can then layer with a sweater.  Another nice thing about wearing pants with a flexible waist band is you don’t have to loosen or tighten a belt around the holidays – they just stretch comfortably to fit whatever time Continue reading

Floral skirt

I got this floral skirt and black sweater/jacket at a free swap.  Skirt is Younity brand, polyester knit. Sweater/Jacket Cyrus brand 78% Rayon, 22% nylon. Long sleeve t-shirt is Caslon brand, 100% cotton, purchased at Nordstrom. Leggins are 92% modal, 8% spandex, purchased at Gazelle Natural Fiber clothing. Boots are Merrill Spire Peak brand, leather, and were purchased at Nordstroms. Necklace is from The Difference.

What I like about this outfit, is it’s very comfortable and it flatters my strawberry shaped figure.

Women 40+ model clothing styles they love

UPDATE 01/08/2023 – when I started over 40 fashions, there were very few bloggers showcasing real women fashion on older women’s bodies.  Now, it is very common, due to not only websites, but instagram, youtube, facebook, and more!  I’m glad I was able to be a part of helping to make common the visualization of all sizes/ages of bodies showcasing the women’s clothing that they like and find flattering!)

As a woman 40+ it’s sometimes hard to find something that actually fits!  And it isn’t helpful that catalogs have young, tall, thin models – how can I to see what  looks right on someone MY age/size/shape?   Plus I want to see real, authentic women – not airbrushed fantasy.  I wanted to see what clothing would look  good on me at my current age – not mutton dressed as lamb, or shapeless polyester.  Isn’t there a better way?

Taking this question, I created a website that invited women over 40 to send in photos of themselves in clothes they enjoy that fit THEIR shape and size.  Loved items already in their closet – possibly their signature piece(s), or something new that they find exciting.  An added benefit:  women under 40 could see what classic fashions stand the test of time so they know what pieces to invest in.

Over 40 Fashions was born. (I no longer own the over 40 fashions domain name or website)

I add blog entries as Continue reading