Friday, April 1, 2011

Over 50: Romancing the Maxi Dress

PRINTED CHIFFON LONG RUFFLED DRESS-M-FLRLNOIR


Last summer, in the post entitled Dresses for Over 50: Let'm Flow, I reported spotting an over 50 woman who looked gorgeous in a long, straight dress. This spring/summer I hope to spot a lot more women wearing maxi dresses. Long dresses, especially romantic ones like the PRINTED CHIFFON LONG RUFFLED DRESS-M-FLRLNOIR ($398) above, are perfect for older women because they're comfortable, feminine, hide all sorts of little imperfections, and make the female figure look a little longer, slimmer. Right now, there are lots of longer dresses, mid-calf to ankle length, on the Internet. In this post, I'm featuring several Bealls department store long dresses because the site is having a very nice sale on dresses.

Also, I've updated the post entitled Dresses for Over 50: Let'm Flow with many more dresses currently on sale at Bealls. Sizes are limited on some of the sales dresses, so you may find more choices at this other post.

STRUCTURED, BUT FLOWING
A common mistake I see is older women hiding their bodies under too much fabric. Clothing that is too loose and bulky just makes an over 50 woman look bigger than she is. How unfortunate! Long dresses with some structure--maximizing a woman's best feature(s), while adding a little extra room where needed--are the most flattering dresses for over 50. Below are two long dresses with Empire waists, which are perfect for pear-shaped bodies.


OneWorld� Sublimation Print Maxi Dress

OneWorld� Sublimation Print Maxi Dress
reduced from $80 to $48





Kaktus� Sleeveless Floral Tiered Dress

Kaktus� Sleeveless Floral Tiered Dress
reduced from $60 to $36


For women who like a little bit of sleeve...


OneWorld� Paisley Print Embellished Maxi Dress

OneWorld� Paisley Print Embellished Maxi Dress
reduced from $78 to $46.80




I play tennis with a woman who is in her mid-fifties. Her favorite long dress style is the halter. She's 5'8'', slim, and has a small chest and broad shoulders. I haven't seen her in a halter, but I trust her. She has excellent taste in everything. So if you find a halter, like the one below, don't assume it's not going to flatter you.


London Times� Monotone Halter Neck Maxi Dress

London Times� Monotone Halter Neck Maxi Dress
reduced from $70 to $42.00



LONG, STRAIGHT DRESSES
I suspect my tennis partner would also look great in the dresses below. While so many of the women over 50 I know struggle to keep their weight down, there are plenty of women out there who are able to stay slim and trim. If you're one of those women, this section of slim, form-fitting dresses is for you. The dress below is from Max Studio. Click on the photo or dress name for details or to see the clothier's full line of dresses.


LINEN JERSEY SHIRRED LONG DRESS-M-ARMY

LINEN JERSEY SHIRRED LONG DRESS-M-ARMY
for $148



These next two dresses are from Hessnatur, a clothing company that specializes in all-natural fabrics.




Organic Cotton Tank Dress

Organic Cotton Tank Dress
for $48




Pure Silk Dress

Pure Silk Dress
for $248