GROWING OLDER, with style

I'm a great observer of places and people.  Particularly women.   When it comes to seeing someone who takes your eye and is an example of a person who is comfortable with who and what she is, then this shows in their dress as well as demeanour.

Take Jill for example.  A woman in her 70s and very proud of it.  I have only known her for about 3 years, yet She astounds me with her dress sense and style every time I see her.

For more examples of "growing older" women who are living exciting and adventurous lives, visit our sister-blog,  "the SILVER GENERATION©".   

STYLE? JUST WHAT IS "STYLE" TODAY

If you care to look up your dictionary or thesaurus, you'll find many words that describe the word "style".   Those readers who are a little older (by a decade or two) know that "style" is something that a woman aims for in seeking and then finding that "style" which suits her, and makes her look good as well as feel good.  If you ask your Mum or grandmother, they'lll mention Judy Anne Ford, June Dally -Watkins; Sheila Scotter;  even Maggie T as having "style".

Here are a few of the descriptive words in today's thesaurus:  distinctive appearance;  a particular design of clothing;  elegance and sophistication; impressive and good taste (not as in food).

In today's Melbourne Herald Sun I found a challenging photograph depicting "street style" worn on Melbourne streets last week.   I say "challenging" because none of the above descriptive words can be used with the outfits photographed.  I am NOT challenging the wearers of the outfits, but rather the outfits themselves.

Copyright 2014 Melbourne SunHerald, Sunday March 9, 2014.

Of the four people photographed, only one (the young 20 year old with a striped dress showed any "style" a young and fresh and feminine look).   Of the other three, one could have just come in from doing the laundry;   another from walking the dog and wearing those ubiquitious "distressed" jeans with holes (do these people pay extra for the holes?), and the other grabbing the nearest thing to wear that looked relatively OK but surely couldn't in a fit, be classified as "style".

Has something happened to the English language without my noticing it?   Has someone been changing our every-day words to such an extent that they no longer mean what they say, or say what they mean?

Or have I lost sight of what is "style"?

TALK ABOUT the WEATHER!

Living in Melbourne does bring with it a great sense of never quite knowing what the weather is going to be on any one day.  In fact it's more like never knowing what it will be hour to hour!

Of course the climate of any city reflects on what we wear.  Or should I say what the suppliers and retailers "DECIDE" we should wear.   Me, I'm a great believer in layering during the cooler months and I've been known to wear summery garments on the colder of days - I can get away with it because I'm confident in what I'm wearing and what I'm doing!

While there is talk about climate change and global warming, and we all know that this is occurring and has been so since the dawn of time, the effect of weather patterns changing in the here and now mean  we need to adapt constantly.  So instead of bemoaning the weather,  it's good sense to focus on things that we have a little control over, and that comes back to what we wear.

Here in Melbourne there is a lull in what the stores are telling us is "fashion".   I'm not sure about the exclusive boutiques, but the stores that sell to women like you and me, have become boring and uninteresting - AGAIN.   It goes in cycles.   Everything looks the same from one outlet to another, while the fabric - what can I say?   Our grandmothers used to say this sort of fabric was only good for washing the floors!  Am I being too critical?   No, I don't think so.   The fabrics on sale are not good quality, regardless of the cost the retailers have on the garments.   But people buy, and the reason women buy in the majority of cases is simply this.  They need something to wear, and while what is on offer through the stores is not GREAT, they'll buy because there's not much else to choose from.  What really confuses me is that the poorer the quality fabric or garment, the higher the price seems to be.   Spending hundreds of dollars on a garment that are more "trendy" than practical doesn't make sense.  (Unless you have plenty of money in the bank!)

So what started me on this?   I found a beautiful garment from the USA that I think epitomises "style" for the plus size woman.   While my favourite colour is red (other than black and white and I know there are people who say B&W are not colours but I'll not go into that at the moment), this garment is a beautiful coral colour. (Well, coral is a shade or two below red isn't it?)

The cut, the design and the styling of this dress is lovely.   The neckline which is between Vneck and sweetheart, and the wrap around waistline enhances the body.

Flowing, fluid, flattering.

What do you think?

THE LUXURY of LACE

For special occasions, and let's face it, any occasion can be special if it's a reason for celebration, lace has always been the "wish-I-had", or "I must have".

Igigi has a beautiful range of Cocktail as well as Wedding Wear, that includes the LBD as well as colourful statements that tell your friends and the the world I can have style, too!

Here's the "RACHELLE" Plus size Lace Dress in Onyx with a another from Igigi.  Rachelle is on the right of the photo.  Notice that both necklines are very flattering to the plus size - the v-neck and the sweetheart neckline.

The "Rachelle" features a lace overlay design.  Keep it simple with ankle strap heels (if you can wear high heels) and a classic clutch!

FLORAL CORDUROY JACKET

Florals are all the go this season.   Whether it's summer in Europe or Autumn in Australia.   How better to add a layer to the cooling temperatures here in Australia and New Zealand than to add a colourful jacket?

Long Island (New Zealand) has an interesting range at all times, and they've now added this lovely jacket.   Style Number 813702.   The corduroy is a soft-stretch (cotton/spandex) with long sleeves, a yoke and soft gathers at the centre back for shaping.  It has front button closing and two handy pockets (always an added bonus)!

What is particularly pleasing about this jacket is its length - at the lower hips.

The price of this jacket is Australian $127.49.

SMART, STYLISH OFFICE WEAR

There are tops and then there are tops!    So often the more curvaceous woman has little choice when it comes to a top that is practical and wearable in the office.   Too often that comes down to a tee shirt!

But not when Igigi comes to town.   Their "Jodie" top ensures a flattering fit, mainly because of its sleek wrap style.  With a V neckline which is ALWAYS flattering to a woman with curves, this top has elbow length sleeves.  Worn with Igigi's Monroe Pant or Skirt and coupled with a contrasting clutch and shoes, YOU'LL be the talk of the office, if not the town!

Made of Poly/Elastane, this garment is designed and made in San Francisco, USA.

"Fashion. Fashion?"

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

I've been around for a while - get the joke?  ("a-round"?)   But seriously in recent times I'm not sure what the word "fashion" means any more.

According to the various dictionaries the word itself can cover a whole array of different meanings, from "habits", to a signature, to how something is done or happens.   As far as women's national and international magazines are concerned, then fashion more or less depicts the latest and most admired style in clothes and cosmetics.

Remember  (oh, what memories!) Bambi Shmith (nee Patricia Harewood), Diane Masters, Janice Wakely, June Dally-Watkins, Jeanette Elphick (who changed her name when she went to Hollywood to Victoria Shaw)?  Perhaps I haven't kept up with the times.  Because those models were VERY different to today's models - in many ways,  *  (and I'll talk more about this in a later post).   But in a nutshell fashion to me equals "style" - not only in the garments that are modelled, but the models themselves.

The mannequins of the 1950s and 1960s modelled garments which accentuated the female form; they gave a sensual motion of femininity in their walk and posture and created an ongoing illusion of fantasy/reality for the simple reason that copies of the garments they wore were soon to be seen in our corner "emporiums" and affordable to all - even if it meant layby-ing said garments for six months or more.   Many of us actually went to "deportment classes" - remember the Mannequin's Academy in Melbourne?, where we were taught to speak correctly; walk and sit correctly; and to be as lady-like as we could be.  Some of us weren't too sure whether "girls from the western suburbs" (read - the wrong side of the Yarra River!) could ever be called "ladies" but we sure had fun mixing with those girls from Toorak and South Yarra who went to the classes with us.  I guess we "hoped" that the lady-like characteristics would rub off on us.   I'd like to think so.  

But I'm digressing, as I am wont to do occasionally.    Maggie Alderson, a leading Fashion Stylist, who writes for a leading women's magazine and also has her own blog Style Notes, was asked during a recent interview "are you offended at what you see today as being fashion, compared with that of 20 years ago?"  With any hesitation she answered no.   In her opinion, fashion is really the style a woman feels comfortable with, and if she wishes to follow the seasonal trends then that is her prerogative.  If she remains constant in her choice of clothing, then that is her right as well.  Fashion in Maggie's view, as indeed mine, is that it is constantly growing and finding new ways of expressing itself, as indeed do you and I.

I've been of the opinion for a long time that when a woman finds her own style - whether it be conservative, sophisticated, goth, feminine, romantic, classic, vintage, serious or casual, then it's wise to stay with that style.  Although, with that said, and I do contradict myself at times, it's nice sometimes to "break out" and do something really startling which surprises everyone, including you!

And combined with style, when a woman discovers the colours that suit her, then a whole new world opens.   Take Sheila Scotter for instance - that lovely lady only ever wore black and white (and tones of the same).  She always looked stunning.

This is where sometimes "fashion" or the stores through which we buy our fashion, let us down.   Stores would be wise to occasionally take note of what their customers tell them.   Many women prefer certain colours, in fact if they wear the "wrong" colour to suit them, then everybody knows it.  Including the wearer.   How often have you bought yourself something that looked good in the store, looked good on the clothes hanger, looked good when you stood in front of the store mirror, only to find when you got it home that it made you look - bulky, ungainly, frumpy, showed up your imperfections including making your skin look sallow or too red?   Another frustration is when you simply want something like pants in black, and the colour of the season is brown or navy.   Infuriating!

But if you feel terrible in a garment that you thought looked nice in the store and it isn't, then it's not you at fault.  It's not the fault of the garment either, it's just that the garment in question doesn't suit YOU, whereas on someone else it will look terrific.  Too often though that store, and all those around, don't stock that style in a colour that suits you.

But learn to look at your body, at whatever age, size or shape, as a beautiful thing on which you should enhance its every asset.   Finding your "style" or choice of dressing and your colours will instil in you a feeling of specialness.  For whatever may have been said about you in the past, you must always remember, that you are unique.  And that you should never be compared with any other person.   That means that we must never compare ourselves to each other either, for each of us brings a different perspective to the essence of womanhood.