There was an article recently in my local newspaper about how to help women over 40 dress fashionably without looking like a teenager. While reading the tips and looking at the clothing examples, something wasn’t quite right. I’ve seen it in other articles and in women I meet while networking.
It’s the difference between looking smart and looking classy or, as one of my clients said: between looking neat and looking dazzling.
As Baby Boomer women, we have been taught to dress well and coordinate a little. We walked out the door feeling smartly dressed. All the articles in newspapers and women’s magazines also prove it to us. What they don’t show us is how to rise to the highest level where we always walk out the door feeling fabulous and great.
Here’s my simple guide for Baby Boomer women so you can tell the difference between smart and stylish. It is easier than you think.
Elegant and boring or elegant with good contrast
A smart and boring example would be a woman wearing black pants, a top, shoes, and a bag. Her jacket can be dark blue and she wears a blue and black patterned scarf that mixes and unites the two colors. This follows the correct styling principles, but the colors are very similar in tone and darkness. The result is smart but boring. When you also choose to wear a dark top or blouse with a high neckline, it takes the color out of your face.
To look elegant, elegant and fabulous, use a light and dark contrast. An example of this would be wearing a blue top and jacket, white or light colored pants, and a white and blue scarf. They are the same styling principles but there is a more obvious contrast between the colors. A white and blue scarf instead of a blue and white scarf works best as the white brightens up your face. The result is smart, elegant and fabulous.
Smart and something is missing or Elegant with color coordination.
Magazine articles delight in showing a model in a black and cream or white and black skirt with a white or cream textured top. Then they go and add different colored jackets and shoes or accessories to match the jacket. Black and cream or black and white can be used with any other color. It is elegant to dress up to add another color to enliven the combination of black and white. The something that is missing is an accessory that brings together all the colors. To look elegant, you should incorporate black and white or black and cream colors into your accessories. Combining the shoes with the jacket is not enough. It is elegant but not elegant.
A stylish woman might wear black pants and shoes, an orange top, and a black, orange, and white scarf. The scarf brings together all the colors. When you wear two or three solid-colored garments, your main accessory needs to combine all the colors. A plain black or orange necklace would take the outfit from classy to classy since you’ve mixed it up but not coordinated it.
Smart and wrong or stylish accessories with coordinating accessories
I see many examples of accessories that look fancy and color matched but not fancy.
A model may be shown wearing cream pants, with a black and white patterned top plus a black and white necklace and black, white, and red bangles. Many times the necklace matches the top and looks great up close, but from a distance it can disappear into the pattern. When you have a graphic, bold or multicolored top, don’t wear a necklace. To elevate your black and white printed top or shirt from classy to classy, add black and white earrings instead or wear a multi-bracelet combo with two black, one white, and another color of your choice. Alternatively, put on a bracelet that includes all of those colors.
An example of a stylish combination could be when you wear white pants and top, brown jacket, shoes and bag, a brown and black scarf and an animal print belt. The scarf, or it could be jewelry, adds a touch of black and this is a great color contrast on top of the white top. He’s taken two main colors and added a little bit of a third for flair.
simple stylish ruler
Use two colors or one color and one pattern in unequal proportions. Add a little touch of a third color if you like. Then add at least one accessory that brings together those two or three colors in medium or bright tones so that you shine instead of looking dull. Being stylish is when you are a whole instead of separate parts of colors and patterns.
So, in the words of my client, you will always be positively noticed, easily remembered, and feel imposing.
