Inspiration for a hot day

July 2, 2021June 27, 2021 / edebock / Leave a comment

I often get outfit inspiration from other fashion bloggers. Back in April, when I saw this post from Jennifer Connolly, writer of A Well Styled Life, it sparked an idea for me.

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I bought a similar poly cotton dress at one of our local thrift stores several years ago, but until now I’d only used it as a cover up at the beach. I dug it out of the beach bag, washed it, hung it in my closet, and waited for the heat of summer to arrive here in Alberta. This week’s heat wave was the perfect time to try it out.

As you can see, there are several differences between my dress and Jennifer’s, the most obvious being that mine is sleeveless and the stripes are much narrower. On closer inspection, you’ll see that the hemlines are also different. When we’re inspired by the way another woman dresses, the idea is not to copy her, but to take elements of what she’s wearing and make the look our own. I started by pairing the navy and white dress with a pair of black sandals, but I also tried it with my white leather sneakers.

If I was to step out of the shade where the photos were taken, I’d also want a hat to shield my face from the sun.

And though it was much too hot for a jacket when the photos were taken, I really like the way the dress looks with a jean jacket.

One thing I did learn from all of this was how comfortable a dress like this can be on a really hot day. We rarely get a week like this one with temperatures in the high 30s C (90s F) but from now on, I think I’ll make sure that there are at least one or two casual dresses in my summer wardrobe.

PS. Happy Independence Day to all my American readers! We celebrated Canada Day on the 1st.

Wearing shorts after 50

May 28, 2021May 26, 2021 / edebock / 4 Comments

There seems to be an unwritten fashion rule that says that women over a certain age shouldn’t wear shorts. This week, I’m going to join several other bloggers in attempting to debunk, or at least question, that concept.

On Monday of this week, three of the bloggers that I read regularly and another that I’ve only recently discovered teamed up to discuss the topic of wearing shorts after 50 or 60. I hope they don’t mind if I share a bit of what they had to say with you and add some thoughts of my own.

Susan Blakey of une femme d’un certain âge wrote that she hasn’t worn shorts, except for working out, for a decade or more. For the blogging exercise, however, she tried several different shorts outfits including this one.

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So why do women in their 50s, 60s, or beyond hesitate to wear shorts even on hot summer days? There are many different reasons, but the most common one is probably the fact that we’re self-conscious about how our legs look. They may not look as great as they did when we were in our twenties, but as Tania Stephens of 50 IS NOT OLD says, “I probably wouldn’t even look at your legs if we met on the street. I might notice your eyes, smile, hairstyle, and even clothes, shoes, jewelry, and handbag. BUT, unless your legs were colored bright orange, I probably wouldn’t give them another thought.” She certainly looked comfortable and confident in her white jean shorts and blue and white striped sweater.

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Choosing the right length and style of shorts for your body can be challenging, but a pair of shorts can be just as fashionable as any other item of clothing and they can be dressed up or down. Jennifer Connolly of A Well Styled Life didn’t want to look too sporty, so she chose a looser cuffed and pleated pair that doesn’t look like they’re meant for the gym.

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It was only through these three collaborating with Deborah Boland of Fabulous After 40 that I discovered her blog. She decided to go with an upscale look that proves without a doubt that wearing shorts after 50 doesn’t have to look frumpy. In fact, it can be sophisticated!

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Deborah had the suits with shorts look that has been on trend since spring 2020 in mind when she put together this ensemble. I tried a similar look last summer.

I liked the outfit, but my summers are usually pretty casual. When it finally warms up enough, I’m more likely to be seen wearing shorts on the golf course with a sleeveless golf shirt.

I’m not telling you that you should wear shorts if you’re over 50, or like me, over 60. I’m simply suggesting that you shouldn’t let someone else’s opinion or a so-called “fashion rule” dictate what you wear. If you’re truly uncomfortable with the idea of wearing shorts, if that’s really not your style, then by all means don’t wear them. If you’re unsure though, and want to give them a try, I’d suggest going with a longer pair that end just above the knee. They tend to look less boxy and you likely won’t feel as self-conscious as you might in a shorter pair. For more ideas and advice, click the links to the blogs I mentioned above.

Now it’s your turn. Do you wear shorts? Why or why not?

More favourite fashion blogs for women of a certain age

March 30, 2018September 25, 2025 / edebock / 18 Comments

One of my most popular Fashion Friday posts has been Favourite fashion blogs for women of a certain age which I wrote a little over a year ago. In that post I featured four blogs written by and for women over the age of 40 that I continue to read faithfully.

They were:

Over 50 Feeling 40 by Pam Lutrell

A Well Styled Life by Jennifer Connolly

That’s Not My Age by Alyson Walsh

High Heels in the Wilderness by Susan Burpee

I also included links to a few others that I had found useful. Since that time, I have started reading one of those ones regularly as well as three others that I’d like to share with you today.

chic at any age

Josephine chic at any age

Josephine, writer of chic at any age, started her fashion career in public relations and later trained as a fashion consultant. She divides her time between her homes in London, England and St. Tropez, France. She calls her blog “a fashion resource for women over 50 who want to learn more about style, fashion and what will suit them as mature women” and “a community of supportive women sharing their opinions on what constitutes style for them.” Pink is her favourite colour.

une femme d’un certain âge

Susan B. une femme d'un certain age

With it’s French title, it took me awhile to realize that Susan B. of une femme d’un certain âge actually lives in California! She loves Paris though. She started writing her blog in 2007 when there didn’t seem to be any online fashion sites for women of a certain age and has since expanded it to include travel, travel wardrobes, and living our best life at any age.

SusanAfter60.com

Susan SusanAfter60

Another Susan, the writer of SusanAfter60.com, has had a long career in the fashion industry. During her 40s, she went through a dramatic life transformation which eventually led to the launch of her first blog, Fifty, not Frumpy, in 2011. After turning 60 in 2016, she introduced SusanAfer60.com where she continues to share what she has learned and is still learning about making excellent wardrobe choices. She has been dating the dapper Mr. Mickey for the past 12 years. He is very much a part of the blog, taking all the photographs and planning the many outings that Susan shares with her readers. Together they make a very elegant couple.

SusanAfter60

Brenda Kinsel

Last, but definitely not least, is Brenda Kinsel. Brenda is a professional image consultant and author of 40 Over 40: 40 Things Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Know About Getting Dressed and several other books. She encourages women over 50 to “catapult themselves out of their ruts and enjoy their beauty and style” teaching us how to be the best we can be from the “inside out”. I came to her blog quite recently and it has quickly become one of my absolute favourites. Brenda shares both wardrobe tips and snippets of her life in such a personable and entertaining way that reading her blog feels like a chat with a friend.

Some of these women clearly have a much bigger clothing budget than I do. They shop at stores that I don’t necessarily have access to here in Canada and live in areas where the climate is very different. Their lifestyles may not be similar to mine, but none of these factors stops me from getting ideas and inspiration from them that I can translate into looks that work for me at my price point.

Do you have any favourite fashion blogs for women of a certain age that I haven’t mentioned here?

UPDATE: Sadly, Brenda Kinsel passed away suddenly and unexpectedly after this post was published. I have removed the link to her blog as it has come to my attention that someone else is now using her name and web address.

Favourite fashion blogs for women of a certain age

February 3, 2017November 22, 2021 / edebock / 15 Comments

As a woman of a certain age, most of the fashion blogs that I follow are written for women over the age of 40. Though I also like to look at what the younger set has to offer, women of my generation tend to look at fashion differently. We aren’t trying to look younger. In fact, we want to celebrate who we have become. We’re interested in expressing our unique personalities through how we dress, but at the same time, we face the reality of living in older bodies.

Today I’m going to introduce 4 of my favourite fashion blogs written by and for more mature women.

Over 50 Feeling 40

I’ve been following Pam Lutrell at Over 50 Feeling 40 for several years. Shortly after turning 50, Pam received her new drivers license in the mail and was shocked by the appearance of the woman in the picture. That moment inspired a determination to reinvent herself, something that she has done with great success. Through her blog she carries out her mission “to inspire women over 50 to look and feel their best… to strive to be women of strength and dignity…and to enjoy every single day of life…one day at a time.” Since turning 60, Pam has reinvented herself yet again, leaving her job as a high school journalism teacher and more recently, taking on the role of editor of San Antonio Woman magazine. Though Pam and I lead very different lives, have different body shapes, and different personal styles, I have learned a great deal from her.

A Well Styled Life

After a successful career as principal buyer and manager for several independent women’s boutiques in Northern California, Jennifer Connolly of A Well Styled Life trained to be a professional image consultant and personal stylist. She brings that expertise to her blog where she strives to help midlife women look their best while confronting the challenges that accompany this stage of life. Jennifer loves to travel and in the past year, she and her hubby have purchased a travel trailer, so we have more in common than just our passion for fashion.

That’s Not My Age

British freelance journalist and former fashion editor, Alyson Walsh, has been writing That’s Not My Age since 2008. Her motto is “you don’t have to have youth to have style.” She is the author of Style Forever: The Grown-Up Guide to Looking Fabulous and is presently working on a second book. Alyson’s creative, but casual style is quite similar to my own and I have found lots to inspire me on her blog. After all, I have to love a woman who spends most of her life in jeans, as I do, and yet is as glamorous as Alyson!

High Heels in the Wilderness

Like me, fellow Canadian Susan Burpee of Ottawa, Ontario writes about much more than fashion on her blog, High Heels in the Wilderness. In fact, Sue and I have a lot in common. Also a retired school teacher, her passions include books, fashion, travel, and staying fit. When she’s not writing about fashion, she might be writing a book review, an intelligent opinion piece or telling about a recent hike or a trip she’s been on. If we ever had the opportunity to sit down together over a cup of tea, I’m sure we’d have no end of things to talk about!

While those four are my favourites and I follow them faithfully, here some links to a few other fashion blogs for the mature woman that I’ve been reading lately and that might also interest you:

Do you have any favourites that aren’t listed here?