Keep It Simple

What do you wear when the rain is pouring down, you just had a pedicure, and you have a dinner date?

I started with the Dolce Vita sandals from a couple of years ago, which are open toe and strong enough to stand up to puddles. Working my way up from there, I wore Clara Sunwoo pants with an IC Collection top (last year), both from ShopMyFairLady.com. Both these items are wash and wear so that a little rain won’t hurt them. The grommet box clutch was purchased at T.J.Maxx a few years ago.

Having a clear picture of what works well with my body shape and what type of accessories project the same attitude makes getting dressed so much easier. At one time, I would stand in my closet and try on clothes for more than twenty minutes and become so frustrated I no longer wanted to go out. I can be ready in ten minutes for just about anything now.

Fixing my hair and putting on makeup have become about as simple as it can get. I let my hair air dry most of the time and smooth it out a bit with a round brush and the blow dryer when it is frizzy. I rarely wear foundation makeup during the summer, and all other makeup has become much more streamlined.

I study women I admire and take away little tips from watching them. As we age, less dramatic makeup and more natural-looking hair are beautiful and appear less harsh. The looks I admire most are the ones that include one or two solid colors, not too much makeup or too many accessories. Accessories are carefully chosen to complement the look, cute shoes you can walk easily in, and an attitude that says “I’ve got this!” definitely make a woman look her best at any age.

33 Comments
  1. I love your attitude about style. I am still struggling with mine but I enjoy your tips. Thank you for helping us.

  2. Hi Susan… just found your blog through facebook. You have great style. Have a wonderful week.

  3. Looking great as always! I’m trying to learn how to put my clothes together so I can get dressed quickly and not be frustrated by it. So much easier when you narrow the colors down. Thank you for all of your ideas that you share with us!

    1. I don’t follow any particular method or technique. I do know which tones and colors look best with my complexion, which necklines flatter my face shape and I favor solids over prints. Those pieces often work with each other to give me appropriate looks for any event I am attending.

  4. I’m enjoying your blog and your style is perfect for women our age. I agree that as we age we need to change our makeup and hairstyles. I stay with a limited color palette – grays, black, white & navy/blue with an occasional pop of color in accessories. It’s pretty easy to pull together an outfit since everything coordinates. Thanks for pointing the way to aging gracefully & elegantly.

  5. I have finally got my spring and summer wardrobe complete. Along with heels & sandals. The bags I got for our anniversary. THANKS so much Susan, you have made my life SO much easier. So grateful I found you months ago.

  6. Now I just pull on my “Susan” looks when I’m going out. Easy! This includes a pair of black wedge cage shoes that I never would have tried on in my pre-Susan’s blog days. They look so dressy, and elevate my outfits to going-out status.

  7. Susan,

    I recently put an ensemble together that looked fabulous in my closet: duster length, black knit, trimmed with cream edging, mandarin collar, over creamy textured sleeveless Ralph Lauren shirt, cream colored Ivanka Trump slender, slightly cropped pants, pointy, black Ivanka flats, accessorize with beautiful black, gold and cream Italian silk scarf worn untied, inside the sweater.
    I believe my mistake was not looking into a full length mirror. I caught a glance of myself in a plate glass window and perceived the pants length was not proportionate and ruined the effect I tried to achieve. Has this happened to you?? I was so disappointed!!

  8. I hate wearing makeup so I usually only wear it on Sundays for church as I am a farmer and really do not have much of a social life. My husband and I don’t really have dates anymore. We sometimes eat out as we run to our local Walmart. I know…I live an exciting life. But I do wish my skin was as even toned as yours. As for clothes…I’m not much into buying clothes. I just put on whatever fits that particular day. I would love to eat like you do but I have to feed my husband and he wouldn’t like to eat like that. I have lost weight (27 pounds) recently but it’s really a struggle to keep it off.
    You look lovely!

  9. Susan – you look exceptional wonderful in these pics – how great to have such an even complexion with no makeup and hair that looks like that naturally!

  10. You certainly do look nice in these photos. I save many of your photos so I can help myself to “better” my overall look. Thank you.

  11. I love your look and thought the difference was you wear heels, not me anymore. And you wear makeup, but then I read this post and so it is your eye makeup and lipstick. I’m curious what eye mascara you use because my thick eyelashes are down to very little anymore. Thanks for posting about our age.

    1. I am not buying them anymore, but I wear heels out to dinner or for our lunch dates. I wear Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara in black (not waterproof).

  12. Hi Susan,
    Following on your keep it simple theme I looked at your Instagram pictures for a quick inspiration on how to put outfits together.
    Please can you feature more of your slightly more casual looks looks for everyday style. (No jackets, say cardigans, vest tops and shirt or blouse styles) By that I mean for running errands and shopping or meeting friends or exercise – rather than dressed up for dinner looks. We all do those things!
    It would be great if you can do so. Thanks

  13. I love your look. I know that you have explained your makeup process before, could you explain how you did your makeup in this picture .
    Thanks in advance,

    Pat Taubler

    1. Fill in the sparse areas of the natural line of the brows. Brush on some soft gray eyeshadow at the crease and the outer corner. Blend the edges of the gray with a little soft taupe shadow and add some black liner into the upper eyelashes and smooth out with a small brush. Add black mascara and then a little pink blush and then finish with my Fuchsia Flirt lipstick. (No foundation.) Most of my makeup and shadows last for more than a year because I use so little. I can’t wait to come home and wash it all off in the evening. A clean face feels so good!

  14. I just came from your former site, Fifty, not Frumpy. I can’t believe there are people out there who actually think you’re trying to tell them what to wear and how to live! I’ve always looked at blogs to get ideas and inspiration that will fit into MY lifestyle and haven’t for one second EVER felt like you were doing anything but sharing. I am your age, born in November 1956. I just left an extremely demanding job and am looking forward to focusing on getting healthy again after 3 1/2 years of neglecting pretty much “everything me.” I look forward to your posts. Keep them coming!!

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I share tips and inspiration for using what you already have in contemporary ways. Defining words include effortless, classic, refined, discreet, and elegant. My style is chic, minimal, and timeless with a bit of edge.