Saturday, August 31, 2013

Over 50 and Fashion-Frustrated? Blogger Wants to Unite Us


Artwork by Anne M. Bray


Calling all bloggers who are either disabled, middle-aged, plus-sized or any combination of the three! If you and your readers feel marginalized by the Fashion Industry, Alicia at Spashionista would like to hear from you. Alicia, who writes about the "trials and tribulations" being an over 50 fashionista with Cerebral Palsy, is currently developing a roster of bloggers. In her recent post entitled “Roll Model,” Alicia expresses her hope that the new roster will be the first step towards uniting bloggers and readers who wish to form a collective voice for “lasting social acceptance and inclusion.”

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Ronen Chen Sweater: Stylish, Comfort and Versatile

soft cardigan for women over 50


These days, I love poking around boutiques and designer shops, either on the street or online, looking for unique garments and accessories that are comfortable, stylish and flattering. I’m not interested in anything too outrageous, mind you. My preference is for well-made clothing with subtle, yet original styling. So…when the folks at Ronen Chen asked me if I’d like to review a piece from the designer’s fall 2013 collection, I said: “Yes, please.” Ronen Chen’s fall collection features flowing, minimalistic dresses and separates in rich colors and soft fabrics—just the sort of fall fashions this over 50 woman is looking for.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

New Day/New Outfit: Summer Plaid

plaid sundress for women over 50



Where do your style ideas come from?

I was thinking about this question last week as I wandered through this year’s fashion exhibit, PUNK: Chaos to Couture, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Believe it or not, my inspiration comes as much from art exhibits as it does from the New York streets. But then, I'm a museum junky. I often see something--a painting's gorgeous color, the subject of a black and white photograph, or, perhaps, a cultural or historical detail in an ancient object--that thrills me. It's not that I'm dying to replicate the thing, but rather that I feel it could influence my style on some level. Not surprisingly, over the years, the Met's annual fashion exhibit has often sparked style ideas. Case in point: The plaid fashions in this year's Punk exhibit. It's the inspiration behind today's New Day/New Outfit (above).

Sunday, August 18, 2013

THE WOMAN BEHIND A NEW LINE OF STYLISH TOPS

stylish tops for women over 50
Pauline models her Draped Front top.


Editor’s note: This is a sponsored post written by Pauline Durban (above), who has created a line of tops for women over 40. Pauline, age 57, shares her story, from businesswoman to designer. She also tells us about her collection of stylish, comfortable tops at Covered Perfectly. Be sure to read the entire post to learn about her special offer for Flattering50 readers. To learn more about the tops shown, click on the photos.

“Why won’t fashion designers create clothing for us!”

Perhaps, you’ve said this or heard other women over 50 say it. If so, I know the feeling. Not long ago, I was frustrated with the things in my closet. My clothes either had sleeves that showed parts of my arms I wanted to keep hidden or they weren’t long enough to cover my tummy. There was nothing in my closet that made me feel good about my body. No one seemed to be designing fashions with me in mind.

After sharing my frustration with friends and finding out they had similar issues, I decided to take matters into my own hands and start designing. My background is in business, so designing was definitely a midlife reinvention!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Flattering50 Giveaway: Coldwater Creek Fall Jeans


Editor's note: This Giveaway has now ended. Please look for future Flattering50 Giveaways at Flattering50.com

Are you ready for some fall jeans?

Coldwater Creek recently invited me to try a pair of its new fall jeans (see my post entitled Coldwater Creek's Jeans: Great Style, Fit and Comfort.) I've been wearing my new jeans for almost a week now and I truly love them. The simple jean styling is just right for this over 50 woman. I love the fit and the way they feel--very comfortable all over. I know I'm going to be wearing them a lot this fall. But...you don't have to take my word for it. Coldwater Creek would like to give a Flattering50 reader a pair of new fall jeans, too!

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Coldwater Creek's Jeans: Great Style, Fit and Comfort



This past week, my girlfriend Loretta and I visited the Coldwater Creek's store in Manhattan to view the fall jeans collection. The clothing company asked me to take a peek at the collection and share my thoughts with Flattering50 readers. My girlfriend and I got to try on the new jean styles and pick a pair to take home. The fall jeans collection includes several different styles in a wide choice of colors. Though Loretta and I have very different body shapes, we both found jeans that were perfect for us. They're well-made, a great fit and really comfortable. I'm especially pleased with my jeans because it's been a long time since I owned a pair of jeans that fit well. 

Friday, August 9, 2013

Foxcroft Celebrates 25 Years of Well-Priced Women's Tops



This week I had the pleasure of attending the 25th anniversary celebration of Foxcroft, a clothing company known for its well-priced women’s tops. As a style reporter, I appreciated the opportunity to "touch base" with Foxcroft, whose designs seem tailor-made for the over 50 woman. The event also gave me an opportunity to meet other bloggers writing for women of a certain age.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Project Notes: Flattering50's New Look




I want to alert those of you who follow Flattering50 that my blog now has a new address: www.Flattering50.com. A few months ago, I made a few minor changes to the site's appearance. Making the transition to a .com seemed like the next logical step.

I was lucky to have a few people helping me with the re-design and the URL change, including my most excellent husband. I also wish to thank Pam at over50feeling40 who helped me get the process started with lots of encouragement and great tips. Big, BIG thanks, Pam!

Please let me know if you're experiencing any problems with the new .com address, such as leaving comments, searching, and/or using the navigation bar. You can reach me by clicking on "Contact" above. Many Thanks!

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY
I’ve been very busy this past week (I will be posting about it shortly) and never had a chance to share one final photo taken on my Vail trip. As I mentioned in my series of Vail posts, my husband and I  traveled with just carry-on. In addition to my one piece of carry-on luggage, I traveled with a cotton canvas backpack. The backpack had a dual purpose: extra storage for the flight and a daypack for sight-seeing or so forth. (For evenings, I had packed a small black knit bag.)

I have to admit it took some exact organizing to fit everything in two carry-on bags. I assumed my only reward would be the ability to breeze out of the Denver and New York airports. But there was another benefit. While waiting for our flight back to New York, my husband and I ate at an airport restaurant. Our table overlooked the tarmac. In the middle of our meal, a terminal vehicle drove by, pulling a trailer piled with luggage. I snapped a photo (above) when it was clear the vehicle's driver was unaware he'd left a suitcase on the tarmac. Such a sad sight; I felt so sorry for the suitcase's owner. It was a relief, though, to know it wasn’t my luggage.

Happy August!