Saturday, September 27, 2014

Style Over 50: The Statement Jacket



First, there were the statement necklaces with attention-grabbing designs that added pizzazz to any outfit, even a basic T-shirt and jeans. Then, a couple of years ago, statement skirts made with luxurious and/or textured fabrics, such as leather, lace and tulle, hit the fashion scene. With the arrival of slightly cooler weather in New York, I'm seeing more and more women--including women over 50--making a statement with a new garment: the short, lightweight jackets. Like the statement necklaces and skirts, the statement jacket is a great way to energize your look. Scroll down to see how these women are styling their statement jackets as well as some shopping resources.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

New York Fashion Week's Shoe Scene



Earlier this month, I stopped by Lincoln Center to check out the scene. It was New York Fashion Week nd photographers, bloggers and other fashion enthusiasts were gathered to snapped photos of fashion industry people as they flowed in and out of the runway shows. I gave Flattering50 readers a "taste" of what I saw in my post about plaza fashion. For this post, I'm zooming in on Fashion Week footwear. While many women wore unremarkable sheaths, shredded jeans or straight skirts, their footwear shouted style and personality. Some wore towering pumps, while others wore edgy booties or metal-adorned flats. Despite the enormous variety of shoe styles, however, one thing seemed clear: fab-looking footwear was what mattered.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Summer-to-Fall Forecast: Silver Grey Sweater Days

Best fall cardigan for over50 women


I'm glad white has become a color for all season. It's bright, versatile and looks great on lots of women over 50 (think: Carolina Herrera and Elaine Stritch).  And yet, when the weather starts to change, I find I'm in the mood for a change of color scheme. This past week, the temperatures in my area dropped 30 degrees, from 92 F to 62 F. A week ago I was swimming in Little Peconic Bay; this weekend I'm wrapping up in cozy sweaters. My current favorite sweater: a pale grey Banana Republic shawl cardigan (above). I bought it at one of those great summer sales. I'm loving the pale grey color because it's not too summery and too autumnal. I may be wearing less white mid-September, but I'm not ready for traditional fall colors--rust or mustard or burgundy or even charcoal grey. For me, light grey is a  perfect summer-to-fall transitional color. And with all shades of grey trending this fall, there are lots of grey cardigans available (scroll down for shopping resources).

Friday, September 12, 2014

New York Fashion Week's Plaza Fashion



Earlier this week, I took a half-day off from work and ran over to Lincoln Center, the epicenter of this week’s New York Fashion Week. I knew the scene on the plaza outside the presentation hall would be buzzing. I thought it would be fun to check it out and report back to Flattering50 readers. Sure enough, there were lots of people—professional paparazzi and bloggers with iPhones (like me!) as well as an eclectic assortment of young men and women who seemed primarily interested in getting themselves photographed—mulling about.While this post isn't specifically about style for women over 50, I thought Flattering50 readers, who I know are interested in fashion and style, might like a glimpse of this week's plaza fashion.


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

9 Surprising Things About Bill Cunningham

Photo credit: 92 Street Y

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the “Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis: Bill Cunningham” at the 92 Street Y in New York City. I entered the the auditorium with several expectations. For example, I expected the presentation would be sold out. Check. Secondly, I assumed the audience would be largely women--partly because Bill Cunningham (above left) is a fashion photographer and partly because he has a very appealing personality. Check. Next, I expected the audience would be in either in the fashion business or interested in it, and consequently, stylishly dressed. Check. After all, it's Fashion Week in New York City. In fact, the presences of fashion people--including Norma Kamali and Carolina Herrera--were acknowledged by Ms. Mallis throughout the evening. And finally, I expected Bill to walk on stage with a camera slung around his neck and snapping photos of the audience. Check and check.

What I hadn’t expected was the standing ovation Mr. Cunningham would receive before he’d even opened his mouth. The audience was on its feet the minute he walked on stage. That was the first surprise in an evening of many surprises.