Creating a Signature Style: Why have one? Why not?

A signature style allows you to easily dress in the morning and feel good all day. With a closet full of clothes, why do we stand there in the morning and think, “I have nothing to wear!!”? Women who have figured out their own personal style have a much easier time deciding what to wear and what to purchase when they go shopping, no more a closet full of tops and bottoms and nothing really goes with anything.

How can you create your own style? The first thing I have done is go on Pinterest and collect photos of outfits that appeal to me. I searched under “plus-sized outfits.” I found that I was drawn to outfits that had loose fitting tops that skim my ample hips and similar types of jackets. I also like more formfitting bottoms. I created through Pinterest my own “look book.”

As I began to collect these images, I began to see that they had some things in common.

· They has snug fit bottoms with loose fit tops

· They relied on accessories such as scarves and jewelry

For me, jewelry has always been part of my signature style.

What I also saw was that I would have to find shoes that fit the styles, but would not have heels since I had injured my foot last summer and can no longer walk in heels. I have come to realize, though, that to have a great style also means you have to be comfortable and most importantly, be able to have a confident walk.

Another aspect of creating a style that makes you always look your best is to embrace the size you are and not the size you want to be. Nothing should be worn that does not fit you well. If that means that occasionally you need to get it altered then now is the time to find a good reasonably priced tailor. Try everything on in the store and don’t accept anything but items that make you feel good and that will fit with the rest of your wardrobe. Always bring in the size above what you think you wear and the size below. Different manufacturers and different designers cut clothes differently. Don’t be obsessed with the number; be obsessed with the mirror.



(Photos found @ Found on homedecoreideas1.blogspot.hk; Found on pouted.com; Found on pt.aliexpress.com)

GREEN NAIL POLISH IS NOT JUST FOR THE WICKED WITCH

     My granddaughter Tally decided one night while we were over for dinner that grandma’s nails needed color. So she went to her collection and picked out a lovely shade of green and put it on my nails (and also my cuticles and some of the skin surrounding the nails). I laughed and said “How lovely,” while all the while thinking to myself that I would take it off when I got home. After all, I’m a 62 year old woman and these kinds of colors are for teens, right?
 

     Well, I didn't take it off that night, and the more I lived with it, the more I started to like it. I also started to think why I have limited myself to reds, pinks and occasionally orange color on my nails? Like a lot of women my age, I limited myself because of traditional thinking.

     

No more! If I am working on a signature style then I need to give myself permission to explore and not say to myself, “I’m too old for that” or “I’m too heavy to wear that.”

I think many of us do that, we wear labels like they are restrictions…

Action Item: think about one item you have wanted to buy but thought “No, that’s not for me” and try it.

Share with here what happens… now I am off to see what kind of new hair color I’ll try next!

Welcome to Grandmas with Style.

The purpose of this blog is to help those of us who are past a certain age and not as skinny as we used to be, but who still want to project a fashionable and polished image.

This second half is a time when we can reinvent ourselves and start to dress to suit who we really are (or want to be). One of my “rules” for my wardrobe is that being stylish doesn't mean looking young. I love to look at the way the young people (anyone under 40, for me!) dress, but I know better than to automatically acquire the latest new fad for my closet.

But some of the newer styles have found their way in. For example, the newer infinity scarves are a great way to accessorize a look for all ages. I am careful of any that come too close to my chin (or should I say chins?). I don’t want to draw anyone’s eye there. But many are different lengths, so make sure to try those on, too. So many women will spend hours in a fitting room, but throw the scarves in their cart based solely on color and not even consider fit.

At my age, I should be able to wear whatever I want, and I usually do. But, if I want to be me and dress to my personal style, I will always make sure that I try things on and look critically in the mirror and ask if this really reflects me and how does it make me feel. So there cannot be any hard and fast rules for us, but I will, in upcoming days, provide you with suggestions that you might consider.

If you are considering a reboot of your wardrobe, I will be providing some action items on this blog to consider.

Action Item: The best wardrobe reboot starts with knowing what you have—

•  Empty your closet and ask yourself, “Do I love it” “Do I wear it?” and most importantly, “Does it project the image I want?”
• Make sure to go through all your drawers, too.
• Go through jewelry and ask the same questions.
• Once you weed out all the pieces that didn't make the cut, make sure to donate them. For some other woman, they may be just right.
• Now, take what is left and try to make outfits out of them. This will help you see what you need and let you play with items you may not have thought of before.
• Try on all outfits. Nothing looks the same on the hanger as it looks on you.

Now you are ready for the fun…GO SHOPPING



To be continued……….