Our Best Choices

“So much of fashion is directed toward the twenty-somethings. How do you decide on styles appropriate for women our age?” Thank you for your question, Rebecca B. I’ll share some points I consider before purchasing items. The short answer is to avoid anything that draws attention to your least favorite bits, but keep reading to learn the details.

I’ve spent the day taking my parents to do their grocery shopping and helping Mr. Mickey with a few chores. I primarily work at home, so my attire for this rainy day is casual and comfortable. The denim shirt and straight-leg black jeans are a favorite working-from-home combo since they are comfortable but acceptable in public. Similar current items are linked Shirt – Jeans – Booties – Watch – No-Show Socks. The makeup includes my casual favorites, Twinkle eyeshadow (here), black mascara, and Dahlia gloss (here). My entire skincare routine is here.

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Color is the first consideration when I shop. First, study your eye and hair coloring to discover which colors will look best on you. The various colors in your hair are your best neutrals. I wear charcoal gray, dove gray, white, and occasionally black. Next, look for the darkest strand to determine your best dark color. For example, if you have warm, dramatic autumn coloring, a deep copper brown will always be an excellent dark color in your wardrobe.

Your eye color includes all your best accent colors, which is why I often wear shades of blue. Repeating the colors found in the iris of your eyes allow for harmony in clothing and scarves. Pearls should never be whiter than your teeth.

Turquoise, eggplant, aqua, red, and teal flatter all skin tones. However, remember that all colors come in warm and cool tones. For example, if you look better in gold jewelry, you probably have warm undertones. On the other hand, I have cool blue undertones, so silver is much more flattering to me.

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The silhouette is the next consideration. To learn your shape, measure your body. If your hips are the widest point and your shoulders are the smallest, you have a triangle or pear shape. The oval or apple body shape is the thickest at the waistline. We may take on an oval shape since weight tends to settle around the midsection as we age. If your bust, waist, and hips all measure about the same, you have a rectangular shape. If your bust and upper back are the thickest part of your body, you have an inverted triangle shape. Finally, you have an hourglass shape if you have an equal bust and hip measurement with a smaller waistline.

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The texture is the next point to consider. Textures that add volume include tweed, corduroy, faux fur, quilted, and gauzy fabrics. Fabrics with a lot of texture add visual weight. Jersey knit and satin fabrics are on the opposite end of the spectrum. Thin, soft fabrics that cling bring attention to areas most of us would rather not showcase. The best options include natural materials that flow across the body yet stand away from it. Viscose, rayon, cotton, and denim are the most flattering choices.

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Design details are the next thing I consider before making a purchase. For example, I know that ruffles, gathers, pleats, patterns, or bold horizontal lines near the bust are never the right choices for me. Likewise, boatnecks, waterfall lapels, and wide necklines are not flattering choices for those who have broad shoulders and a large bust. As another example, if your shape is oval, avoid design details that draw attention to the waistline.

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