Upscale casual is a more formal look, mixing elegant pieces with comfortable, more casual pieces, such as jeans with a nice shirt and blazer for men or slim-leg dark jeans, heels, and a nice blouse for ladies.
Sunshine and temperatures in the seventies inspired me to wear lighter colors and slingback shoes on Sunday.
My faux leather moto jacket is a couple of years old, and the Louis Vuitton scarf was a gift. The navy high low top fully covers my behind in these dark wash pair of jeggings, which are also from last year. I always wear a short jacket over a long top to give the illusion of a more shapely waistline and cover the backside. The block heel pumps and small nude bag completed the almost springtime look.
Before I wear shoes that show any part of my bare feet, I file, buff, and use oil on my heels in this case. I also started using self-tanner here so that my feet are no longer blinding white.
I folded the fifty-one-inch silk scarf into a thin rectangle shape then draped it around my neck. It gave me a touch of the same blush color as my jacket but also warmth as needed.
We spent the afternoon at the Biltmore Estate, where we enjoyed a light lunch, including wild mushroom pizza and a shared pecan pie dessert.
My sunglasses are here. My navy top is here. Get 15% off your order with the code (Feb2020). Similar other items: $ Jacket – $ Jeggings – $ Shoes – $ Scarf – $ Bag
The lux versions: $$$ Jacket – $$$ Jeggings – $$$ Shoes – $$$ Scarf – $$$ Bag – $$$ Top – $$$ Sunglasses
I enjoyed the farm animal petting zoo more than any of the children. Look at these fancy chickens!
The baby pigs were so cute!
Those chickens are so beautiful! 3 chickens that got loose from someone’s yard spent a couple of nights in my yard, to keep them safe until we could find the owner, a few years ago and I really enjoyed watching them. My grandmother had chickens when I was a girl, and I loved going into the henhouse to gather eggs. Chickens are really such sweet creatures! Thank you for posting those pics!
What a great look Susan, you do look very Spring like in that beautiful navy/soft pink combination.
Thank you for the tip about fake tan on the feet, mine are currently blindingly white so I will bear your idea in mind when temperatures here rise enough to bare them in public x
I LOVE your outfit!! I’ve never seen a fancy chicken!
Thank you, Suzanne. They are the cutest chickens ever! 🙂
You’re looking ready for spring! Love the colors.
I appreciate your comment about making sure your heels are presentable as we get into spring and summer and start revealing more of our feet. So many people don’t seem to realize how dry and cracked their heels are, and that can totally ruin what might otherwise be a beautiful outfit.
Love this look!! I’ve tried it for myself but it never looks right on me. Maybe you could help I’m 5’4”, a size 8 on the bottom. My problem area is my lower abdomen. It sticks out like a “ Buddha belly”. No mater my size, I’ve alway had this problem. Could you please give some suggestions on how to minimize this area? Thanks!
Wear a top that skims the body without clinging anywhere. A top in a darker color than your pants that ends just below the center of your tummy rather than well below it will be more flattering. Long tops sometimes cling, which makes the stomach and hips look more substantial. If the top is too long and loose, it can make the legs look shorter, and we can look frumpy.
Thank you!!!
Susan, I am enjoying figuring out my style with your help. What do you wear for a rainy day when meeting friends for lunch? Raincoats do not work for me or maybe I need a different style. Thank you
I wear dark flat boots/shoes, dark pants/jeans, and a navy trenchcoat, which I remove as soon as I enter the restaurant.
Your outfit was perfect for a spring-like day. It was over 60 degrees on Monday but alas, back to old man winter. Cracked and scaly looking heels can ruin the look of a chic pair of slingbacks (and the whole outfit). Is the product you use part of the Beauty Counter line? We have backyard chickens and they can be cute and entertaining but also as mean as middle school girls with PMS. ha!
I first use a foot file (here) to smooth rough heels and then massage the oil (here) and then follow with lotion (here).
You look lovely and season-appropriate in this outfit. Very inspiring.
Does Mr. Mickey take these pictures still?
If he is with me, he takes some of the photos. I sometimes use a tripod to make outfit photos. I usually shoot the still life and nature scenes as I roam around.
Lovely outfit once again. Thanks so much for helping me gain confidence in my choice of style. It’s a joy to go shopping. Finally at age 64 I’m happy with the way I look!
I’m thrilled to read your comment. Thank you!
As always, a delightful walk with you through The Biltmore and the petting zoo. Thanks for taking us along. I bought two lovely cashmere sweaters late fall and was disappointed to discover my “non-specific dermatitis” will not tolerate them. Any suggestions for shopping sites that may offer silk or silk-cotton blends? What a nuisance. Thanks to you, I am unapologetically embracing my love for jeans. My wardrobe is definitely shaping up to reflect who I am and how I feel most confident and comfortable, physically and emotionally. Thank you!
Eileen Fisher offers silk/cotton blend sweaters. Here is an example.
Blush or soft pink can be neutral if it is the right tone for you. I look ill in all but the most saturated bright cool green. I don’t feel the need to wear every color, only the ones that flatter me and complement what I already own.
Have you a price list for Beautycounter items?
Also, do you ever address wardrobe suggestions for ladies in our 80s?
The price for each Beautycounter item is listed on the website here. Classic basics can be appropriate for women at any age as long as the fabric, style, and color flatters her. I intend to wear similar styles for the remainder of my life.
While this outfit is probably not what many 80ish women would like, a dark pair of straight-leg pants (rather than jeggings) with a stable low-heel shoe and maybe a pastel boxy jacket with a shell or basic sweater and scarf, would look just as polished for you.
Susan you look so pretty in that blush color. What a great outfit. Thanks for for sharing what you’ve learned.
Last night (2-4-20) our local TV station, WCYB, did a segment on the FDA now testing for asbestos in make-up products. It seems they have not done that in a very looooong time. They featured Beauty Counter because of their stand on using safe ingredients. It was an excellent segment. If you missed it I hope you are able to pull it up.
Hi Susan,
You look lovely as usually and love your jacket. I will be visiting the Biltmore Estates on the 29 of February. It will be my first visit and I’m looking forward to seeing the Downton Abbey exhibit. I’ve been looking through your old post trying to figure what to wear and how to pack. I found so many ideas and inspirations.
Thank you for teaching us how to look smart in the sixty and beyond club. I just turned sixty this past September and every tell me how good I look. I also you s should just out Susan blog: susanafter60.
Thank you for today’s post. Your ensemble is singing my song!
I loved your 5 min video on packing but how did you fit all that in your one carry on? 3 prs shoes…3 purses, etc.
Wear the bulkiest shoes, and jacket, and carry the largest bag. Stack each of the tops, fold the arms in neatly, then roll each stack and place it in the bag. Repeat with pants.
Thank you! I’ve watched you pack before in video – I just have a hard visualizing all the jackets, tops, purses, etc fitting into a carry on, but I’ll try. Thank you for your inspiration to be simple and beautiful.
No on the jeggings. This fashion is not for ladies of a certain age, no matter how slim. Love you anyway.
Great informative post as usual. Thank you for all the time you put into research and photography. I would like to see a dressing room post from you at a store whose clothes you love to wear and/or purchase as classic items.
I usually make all of my purchases online.
Love that soft pink Moro jacket! I thought you had reluctantly given up on heels like I did. You have inspired me to pay attention to every detail to achieve a more put together look. I’ll be 80 soon and I still like to look put together appropriately. Thanks Susan!!!
I don’t buy four-inch heels anymore, but three inches or less still work for short periods. I’m on a mission to wear what I own.
Susan, those colors look so gorgeous on you. Love the jeggings on you too! Also, the concept of the navy top being longer than the jacket. (I’m not a fan of short jackets, but maybe if I can lose a few pounds…lol.) I enjoyed the comment about wearing green. I, too, have found that wearing only colors I enjoy works for me.
Susan:
I do enjoy your blog. I am 83, and I’m pretty much your same size. I just bought two wonderful blazers/jackets that were part of Talbot’s sale at 60% off! One is the black crepe tuxedo jacket with velvet lapels, and another is the black and white checked blazer. Both of those jackets will go with almost anything and everything. My first job out of college was with the buyer training program at Neiman Marcus, and it was at Neiman’s that I got into the habit of wearing black, as we were required to wear solid black or navy to work. In warmer weather, we could wear white or beige, and I still feel well-dressed and put together in those colors. Although my hometown is Memphis, TN and although I finished college in Texas, I have lived in Michigan for 55+ years, as my late husband was from Grand Rapids, MI. We have very long, very cold, very snowy winters, and it will be a LONG time before the first brave little crocus dares to poke itself through the snow! AND: I love, love, love polka dots, as you do! I’m a retired high school teacher — and after my husband died, I thought about returning to my hometown of Memphis — I LOVE Memphis and Tennessee, but I decided to stay here because I have so many wonderful friends and associations. It’s good that you and Mr. Mickey can so easily drive into Virginia or North Carolina from where you live in far eastern Tennessee. If you’re ever in the mood for huge sand dunes and the clear, sparkling waters of Lake Michigan, this is the place to visit in the summer and in September and October. I don’t “do” winter sports! I do enjoy wearing little skirts in our warm weather. I frequently add a shirt/blouse and tie it at my midriff. KEEP ON WITH YOUR BLOG, MISS SUSAN!
Cynthia in Michigan
Thank you for sharing your lovely comment, Cynthia!
How delightful to see those chickens and pigs! The daffodil is a sure sign of spring! I think that mauve/ pink jacket is lovely on you, one of my favorite colors! You sure look happy!
Susan,
Very pretty outfit. Speaking of Spring and the eventual warm weather…., do you still wear sleeveless tops or do you find that “that ship has sailed”. ?
Just wondering…..
I do wear sleeveless tops under jackets but rarely alone. It has to be steamy hot for me to consider going without sleeves.
What do you wear to church?
I wear pants, a blouse, and a jacket.
You look lovely in your spring colors Susan. I always enjoy coming to your site because I learn so much. You mentioned making a number of your purchases online. I find every brand seems to fit slightly differently and I wish brands were more standardized. Thank you too for making your site advertising ‘pop up’ free. It’s a pleasure to visit your site. Have a wonderful weekend!!
Hi, again, Susan,
I am interested in the Valentina navy top…. could you advise size-wise??????
I bought a size medium. These are cut a little smaller than the Clara Sunwoo tops.