Doesn't petite mean short?

I'm short. At 5' and a bit, there's no denying it. That's why I always head for the Petite sections when shopping, whether I'm in a store or shopping on-line, but guess what? Many of these "petite" clothes seem to have been designed for taller women than me. A quick search on-line reveals that the average woman in the UK is 5'3" tall, so those of us who are a few inches less than this count as short, in my humble opinion. It's supposed to be the same average here in Spain but, trust me, I'm far from being the shortest woman in the Spanish town where we live, which is why I find it strange that most of the clothes in the local shops are far too long. My research has also shown that American and Canadian women are a little bit taller, so when looking for petite clothes I usually stick to UK websites and/or brands.

I checked out the Wallis website recently - as I've had some success there in the past - to see if there were any petite summer dresses that might suit me. "What about this one?" I thought.

I looked for more details about the dress and spotted that the model was wearing a UK size 8 and she was 5'3".  She's not petite, she's average!  Bearing in mind that I would need a UK size 12, which might be even longer, it was obvious this dress would be too long on me. I also felt that the pattern might be a bit overwhelming for petite women. Browsing the website, I was struck by how many of their petite dresses had large or high contrast prints, which don't necessarily flatter real petite women - though average sized models might look great in them.

Imogen Lamport of Inside Out Style has written a very helpful post for Petites, taking into account the fact that some petites might have an H-shape rectangular body like me and others might be O-shaped or have other types of body shape. To be honest, as a petite, I'm just grateful if I can find a dress that doesn't overwhelm me and doesn't trip me up!

Yes, I know that I can shorten a dress, but that isn't really the point. Petite clothes should be the right length for short women, or am I missing something? I've now reached the stage where I usually select short or mini dresses when doing on-line searches and carefully check the dress length as well. That dress that is a mini length on a tall, slender model may still hit me mid calf.

My original midi-length dress

The picture above illustrates the importance of choosing the right length for a dress. I wore this dress to my 60th birthday party, the theme of which was "bring on the bling". I liked the colour of the dress and the style, however looking at it more critically (with the help of my friends in the 7 Steps to Style facebook group), the length wasn't very flattering. Petites generally don't look good in midi dresses. Knee length dresses, or even just above the knees, suit them better.

New version - knee length

Nearly eight years later the dress has taken on a new lease of life, after I had it shortened at my local dry-cleaners. Nowadays I am far more demanding when it comes to buying new clothes, especially if I'm choosing an item that is being marketed as "petite", and don't think I'm being too pernickety in expecting petite dresses, skirts and trousers to actually fit me. Is it really too much to expect a petite dress to be designed for petite rather than average women? Short ones, that is!

Packing for London in May

Packing for London is never easy, mainly because of the unpredictable weather. For my latest trip I was travelling hand luggage only, as I was going to be there for just six days. Of course the sensible thing would have been to create a small travel capsule, like many of my favourite bloggers do, based around neutrals. Sensible? Moi? No doubt you won't be surprised to read that I couldn't resist adding some of my favourite coloured tops.  This is what I packed for my trip.

To be more accurate, these were the outfits that I chose for the trip, as I wore the light coloured linen trousers, coral top and lace-up shoes for travelling, with a casual navy jacket and beige tote. I also carried my navy trench-coat, having read the weather forecast for London! The soft teal top was for travelling back to Spain and obviously the long-sleeved tops were for wearing with the brown jeans or the navy pair while I was in the UK.

The beauty of building a wardrobe using knowledge gained through the 7 Steps to Style system is that you have a lot more flexibility when creating outfits, the colours blend well and the resulting outfits suit both you and your lifestyle. Packing is so much easier now!

I had done some research on-line for possible purchases in London, though once again I discovered that some brands are only available on-line and not in the actual stores. Very frustrating! The main reason for my trip was to spend time with family and friends, but I had most of Thursday and Friday to myself, apart from meeting my youngest daughter for lunch on Thursday (before heading for the amazing Alexander McQueen exhibition at the V&A museum) and my son for lunch on Friday.

I started my shopping at Alicante airport, when I spotted a shop selling Longchamp totes. I decided on a red tote as it would go with the majority of my packed clothes (I had the beige one as an alternative) and of course I do love a splash of colour, so it easily won over the sensible neutrals. The first item on my shopping list had been ticked off even before I got to my destination.

My next purchase was totally unplanned and I'm blaming the weather for it! I was on Oxford Street and wearing the light shoes, which are fine for walking but not protective enough to cope with heavy rain. Luckily Debenhams store had a sale in the shoe department, so I bought the gold loafers seen below, which were half-price (yay!), and which kept my feet beautifully dry too.

My shopping list had petite khaki trousers as the second item, so I headed to the Wallis department eager to try on a pair. They had sold out and the only other trousers I liked the look of were far too long. Next stop was East, where my target was a light coloured cardigan.  Not the one shown above, but an ivory linen bolero. The good news was that it was in stock, but the bad news was that it didn't feel quite right on me, especially as the sleeves were far too long. I briefly flirted with a gold silk-lined sequin cardi (lovely with my new shoes!) but decided to be practical. How often would I wear it? I eventually decided on the cardigan above, which was a petite size and which I knew would be worn more often. Admittedly this isn't the best of combinations with the vertical stripes of my top, but the gold cardigan wouldn't have looked any better!

On my last morning I headed to another department store, hoping I might find the elusive trousers there. No luck, however I had decided to try on a kimono top having seen several featured in magazines recently and they had plenty in stock. I bought the one shown below, which I believe will get a lot of mileage as a lightweight extra layer during summer evenings in Spain.

My final purchase was the cream and coral silk scarf shown above, which I bought on the flight back to Alicante. I know - another scarf! However many of my scarves are budget buys, so I had been looking for something a bit more special and this one definitely fits that description. What about you? Are you planning any purchases when you next go on holiday?

Spots before my eyes

Today a parcel arrived from Wallis, with a new summer dress that I had ordered.  I had looked around town first, as I like to support local shops whenever possible, but most of the dresses were either a bit too skimpy for women of a certain age or too dowdy for this particular over 60 woman!  Wallis have a petite section so I decided to browse their on-line store. I was slightly disappointed by the limited choice as there were lots of maxi dresses (not my best look), several lace dresses that I liked but thought would only be suitable for evenings out plus a couple with polka dots. After dithering for a while over the polka dots, I finally decided on this dress:

I liked the dress as soon as I tried it on, as it is a flattering shape and just touches my knees. That's the problem with being short - so many dresses fit me ok on top but are far too long and look dowdy on me.  I decided to get a second opinion by giving a fashion show for Mr Over 60 and Over Here.

"Haven't you already got a dress like that?" was his immediate reaction, which proves that men DO sometimes notice!  This of course was one reason for the dithering as there are two similar polka dot dresses in my wardrobe, but the one above will be far more versatile, especially for our forthcoming holidays.

This is one of my other polka dot dresses.  As you can see, the neckline is different, the dots are smaller and it's longer - well below my knees. Nothing like my new dress and not as flattering either. It may very well go into the recycling at the end of this summer, if not before, however it's very comfortable to wear, which is always a plus point with me!

This is me wearing the other polka dot dress, which is clearly shorter than the one above. It is also v-necked with smaller polka dots and, though you can't see because I'm wearing a jacket here, it's sleeveless and the back is v-necked too. This dress is probably more suitable for evening occasions as it shows a lot more skin when it's not covered by a jacket.

I like polka dots and, because my skin is freckled, the slight pattern suits me.  As well as three polka dot dresses (!!!) I have a blue and white polka dot top, which I also enjoy wearing.  Another favourite pattern of mine is stripes, but I'm wary with floral patterns, which have a tendency to look too old lady on me. (I know, in many people's eyes I am an old lady at the advanced age of 66!)  Do you like wearing patterns and, if so, which ones are your favourites?

To end on a slightly more serious note, many of us women of a certain age may experience spots before our eyes, also known as floaters.  I went to my optician when I first experienced this a couple of years ago to have my eyes checked out, so I know it's nothing serious, although if the floaters get worse I also know to have them checked again. One of the many joys of getting older!

Holiday capsule for petites: Wallis

I've had enough of blue and grey capsules (though admittedly I'm wearing grey trousers today plus a red sleeveless top and navy cascade cardigan) and I have decided to move on to create some holiday capsules for petites. No doubt you are as relieved as I am!

My first holiday wardrobe is from Wallis, who were one of my favourite brands for petite clothing when I lived in the UK. After moving to Spain, I continued shopping with Wallis through their website and only really stopped when suddenly their petite trousers grew longer - sadly my legs remained as short as ever. In honour of our previous good relationship, my first petite capsule is from Wallis.

I've realised that there is still some blue and grey in the above picture - maybe I'm becoming slightly addicted to it? - though some touches of red too. There are several patterned tops here, which petites have to take care with: if a pattern is too bold and large, the top will wear us rather than the other way round.

I'm a bit unsure about the white cotton roll-up trousers as I think that, like turn-ups, they could make my legs look even shorter. What do you think?

The problem with being petite

Following on from my previous post, I have to say that it's not easy finding clothes for petite women in Spain. It constantly amazes me how many other short women can be seen walking about our town, but can I find petite sizes in any of the local fashion shops? No way! I need to visit Murcia, our nearest city, and look round El Corte Ingles department store if I want to try on petite sizes in a shop over here. If I do go to El Corte Ingles, the only petite brand they stock is Zendra Petite, which rather limits my choice, and prices for tops start at 29.95€. Add in the cost of travelling to Murcia and you can see why on-line shopping is so tempting!

Zendra petite top

Of course I buy clothes locally whenever I can, but finding clothes that fit me is difficult. Even short-sleeved tops aren't necessarily a good fit as the sleeves may be fine but the top is often too long. The beauty of buying clothes from a petite range is that not only are the lengths usually right for me but also the proportions in general look better on petite women.

Yes I can turn up hems on regular trousers that are too long, however that doesn't necessarily make them look ok as it all depends on the cut - obviously boot legs won't look right if I shorten then. Jacket sleeves can be turned up or rolled up, but the lapels and buttons may be too large a scale for petites.

Wallis petite top

Wallis was my favourite petite brand for a long while, until they started making their trousers slightly longer. My problem was that their trousers had been the right length for me originally and I haven't grown - so nowadays they are too long for me! Their tops though still fit well.

My new favourite brand for petite clothing is Lands End, as they offer so many options for petite trousers, which can be hemmed to suit the individual. So far the quality of my Lands End purchases has been fine, they have washed well and they have been a good fit.  I spotted the following top on their UK website, which is on trend (more of that soon), so I admit that I am very tempted.

Lands End Art tee

I will have one final look around the local shops in the morning. If I'm unsuccessful in finding a top that I love, then I may very well start searching the petite websites for one!

Spring is almost here!

According to my diary, Spring will be arriving on Thursday. The last couple of days the weather has been so lovely that I've started sorting out my Spring 33, however my husband (being a pessimist at times) thinks that's a bit premature and is muttering about lower temperatures next week. Needless to say I'm ignoring my DH and continuing with the planning of my Spring wardrobe.

For any new readers who are wondering what "Spring 33" is referring to, take a look at last year's post about my Spring 33. Briefly, I am taking part in Project 333, the idea of which is to have a wardrobe of 33 items of clothing to last you for three months. This year's selection is shown below.

I have been doing some shopping for the warmer weather and, in line with my recent burst of being sensible, I bought three short-sleeved t-shirts from Gap's on-line store in neutral tones: heather grey, navy and black. Shock horror! They will go nicely with my bright pink jeans and my cranberry skirt, in case you're worried that I've totally changed my style. As part of Project 333, I will have to throw out three tops from last year to make way for my new ones.

As you can see, I have included a good sprinkling of brighter tops from last year, with just a few neutrals. My neutrals are grey, navy and black, with different shades of blue, green, pink and purple to liven things up, and a pop of red. I haven't included accessories in my 33 however these will be used to prevent my neutral outfits from looking too boring. I think that bright (but not too bright) colours near my face are more flattering now that I'm over 60, so I will use colourful scarves or necklaces with my neutral tops

Because I have to admit that John is sometimes right - even in Spain we get occasional cold and wet days in Spring - I am keeping my navy down jacket and navy trench-coat in my wardrobe for a while. I have included two dresses for smarter evening dos over the next couple of months, plus two skirts. I will probably swap a few lighter summery tops and dresses for a couple of these once the weather becomes warmer.

If you are mathematically inclined, you will realise that there are only 32 items of clothing here.  So what will my extra item be? I'll let you into a secret: for the moment it's a pair of black jeans, however I am hoping to find a white pair of jeans or, failing that, white linen trousers for the warmer months. Watch this space!       

My number 1 fashion rule

I hope that you're ready for this? My number one fashion rule is: there are no fashion rules.  Funnily enough, while I was thinking about what to write for this post, several other fashion bloggers came up with a similar theme. 

Fashion is a bit like food in the way that things that are good for you suddenly become bad for you. If you avoid all the "bad" foods, you end up with little or no choice about what to eat. If you discard clothes or accessories once they are deemed to be out of fashion, you may end up with an almost empty wardrobe and little or no choice about what to wear! If you buy only what fashion pundits tell us are essential items ("Your 10 basic wardrobe items" is a popular title) you may have a wardrobe full of clothes that aren't right for you. We are all individuals and what suits me may not suit you, which is why I encourage you to find your own style.

I think I read a long, long time ago that you shouldn't mix patterns, or wear navy with black - but look through the fashion magazines and what do you see now? Exactly. Or how about not wearing jeans over 60, or even over 50? That's one rule I am definitely ignoring at the grand old age of 66, with no plans to retire my faithful denims - ever.

Fashion hit or faux pas?

Double faux pas?

I read a post recently by Janice, one of my favourite bloggers, on The Vivienne Files (click on the link to read it), which really resonated with me. She states that she would never ever tell us that we have to buy anything, but makes a good case for having a core of basic neutral clothes. You can liven up your neutrals with your favourite bright colours if you wish, which is what I tend to do. What do you think?

I have to say that Janice has been a good influence on my wardrobe and I have a lot more neutrals in it than I had a few years ago, which means that I can create far more outfits with my bright, colourful clothes.  On my recent trip to the UK I bought several neutral items: a navy v-necked cashmere jumper when I was in Scotland (what better souvenir of Edinburgh?!); plus a pair of  Clarks black suede brogues and a navy-striped petite jacket while shopping in London. I was bearing my current wardrobe in mind when making these sensible choices, however if I had decided on a bright pink jumper or a pair of red shoes they would also have fitted in. Apparently my new black shoes are trendy, however I bought them because they look smart and are comfortable to wear - so I hope to be wearing them still when they are no longer in fashion.

My "trendy" flatforms from Clarks

Before I bought the jacket shown below I tried on a lovely black one, but decided the navy stripes looked better on me, even though navy striped blazers don't appear on any fashion gurus lists of must-haves. 

This isn't me, in case you're wondering - she's a model!

Here's another interesting article from Already Pretty (a thought-provoking blog that I always enjoy reading) encouraging us to ignore the fashion police, who tell us what to wear as well as what not to wear. I've mentioned in previous posts that the essential little black dress may not be a good choice for many of us over 60s, who would be wise to choose a more flattering colour than black. The dress that I bought to wear for my husband John's 70th birthday celebrations is this deep blue dress from East.

It's as versatile as any LBD would be, but the colour is more flattering for ageing complexions!  It proved suitable for a day-time party in London but can also be dressed up for evening occasions. I received many compliments on the actual dress as well as being told how well I looked and that living in Spain obviously suited me.  I rest my case!

Contrasting views

In my previous post I talked about patterns and in particular whether medium-scale and large-scale patterns look good on petites or overpower us. In my case, large-scale patterns are definitely too much and I also have to be careful with medium-scale patterns, which have a tendency to wear me rather than the other way round.

My ever-helpful readers commented on the contrast within the patterns and kindly pointed out that the bright turquoise and white checked shirt that I was wearing in one photo wasn't very flattering, partly because it was a medium-scale pattern but also because of the high contrast.

Sharon made an interesting point when she said that she felt that the shapes weren't right for me either. She mentioned that the polka dots in another photo looked better than the checks, even though the amount of contrast was similar, which she thought could be because I have round features. Next time that I go shopping, I think I'll test her theory out. I don't have many patterned clothes, but I tend to be drawn to polka dots and stripes rather than checks anyway.

What I found interesting was the fact that many of my readers favoured one particular outfit that I felt didn't flatter me. Robin suggested that I contrast that with an outfit she had liked on me from an earlier post, so here we go (just for Robin!) The first photo is the one in my last post that people seemed to prefer.

Reader's choice!

My opinion is that there is too much black in this outfit, which makes me look a bit tired, though my readers liked the swirly pattern and the chunky necklace. I think that I got away with wearing this because my hair is dark, but generally black is too harsh for most of us women of a certain age. I am gradually replacing the black items in my wardrobe, mainly with dark brown or navy.

60th birthday outfit

The outfit that Robin prefers is the one above and I agree with her that the dark brown is more flattering than the black. I wore it the other evening and I still like myself in it even though I've had it for over five years! I was advised to buy this dress by a personal shopper and she was right in saying that it would be a good addition to my wardrobe and wouldn't date.

Like Robin, I think I look better in the brown dress - though it may just be the fact that I am five years' younger in this photo! - however I would be interested in knowing what you think. The black dress or the brown dress: which one gets your vote?

A question of scale

No, I'm not talking about de-scaling kettles, though where we live the water is very hard.  Vinegar is the answer to getting rid of limescale, in case anyone is disappointed that the topic of this post isn't what they expected.  The scale that I'm talking about is for patterns on clothes and whether small-scale,  medium-scale or large-scale looks best.

I'm a petite (I'm talking height-wise - before anyone comments that I don't look that tiny!), so I have to be very careful with patterns. I've written several posts on the subject of colour and making sure that the colour doesn't wear you rather than the other way round. This becomes even more important when it comes to patterns: too large a pattern and you notice the clothes rather than the individual person wearing them. Bearing in mind the fact that I'm short, which of the two looks below do you think is better on me?

                                

   

I love the colour of the first shirt, which is why I bought it in the first place, but if I'm honest I think the check is probably a bit too large for me, or it could be the contract between the turquoise and the white which makes it appear that way. What do you think about the two outfits below, showing different patterns?  

                              

 
The first photo is interesting because I am wearing a chunky necklace as well as a patterned dress, so that stands out as much as the pattern on my dress. In the background, by the way, you can see my husband wearing a checked shirt. Although it has large checks that is fine for him, as he is over 6 feet tall!

In the second photo I am wearing a less chunky necklace and, although there is a fair bit of contrast between the blue and white of my top, I don't think it dominates in the same way as the checked shirt did.

As I said earlier, it's not just a matter of colour: those of us who are smaller also need to make sure that any patterns don't overwhelm us. Of course any larger and/or taller ladies will get away with medium to large scale patterns, but they will need to take care with small-scale patterns.

A Woman's Prerogative?

Last year I declared that "cute" wasn't a good look for the over 60s and maybe it was time for me to grow up. This is the original post: is cute a good look for over 60s?. However I'm a woman, and we women are allowed to change our minds, aren't we? Over the last 12 months I have been looking at Dressing Your Truth (DYT) and, according to their guidelines, I am a type one. Guess what? Type ones are described as bright, animated and cute!

So was I right in saying that cute wasn't a good look for over 60s? I think it's probably a matter of how much cuteness we over 60s should allow ourselves. I had already thrown out some t-shirts with really cute pictures on them, and clothes that had far too many frills, which I think was the right decision. There is a thin line between cute and juvenile, especially for the more mature woman!

Pre DYT outfit

I had discarded black and brightly coloured tops as well, which I think was also a wise decision. These colours wore me rather than the other way round and black in particular is too harsh for most women of a certain age. If you look at the photo above I look a bit washed out, even though I was wearing make-up, whereas I think I look far better in the following photos where I am wearing brighter colours.

 

Many of my trousers and skirts stayed, however they are mainly neutral colours such as the navy, stone and brown trousers in the photos above. In these photos I am wearing DYT colours - the three tops are all purchases from the DYT type one store - but that is only part of the story. What I like about type one colours is that they are tints, i.e. pure colours with white in them, which are flattering against more mature skins. All of these tops are very light to wear, which is a feature that has always influenced me when choosing new clothes. In the three outfits I am wearing light, colourful accessories, which is very much a type one trait too.

With DYT, unlike some seasonal colour analysis systems, clothes don't have to exactly match your colour card, so long as they are in harmony with it and "pop".  If I go shopping without my colour card, but I am wearing a top or scarf that I know is the right colour, all I need to do is check whether my new purchase goes with what I'm wearing.

The shapes for type one are circles, stars and hearts, so design lines should reflect this e.g. rounded jacket bottoms, round or v-necklines. Pushed up sleeves and skirt lines that flare are also good looks for us.

Chunky textures are out - clothes should feel crisp and have a light weave. Light to medium weight fabrics are the best choice, with fabrics that look crisp and feel light and fresh on the body. The best patterns are animated with small and/or medium shapes and light, upward movement in the designs. A lot of these features work well for me as a petite size.

I've said it before - but it's worth repeating - that too many of these colour and style systems are overly prescriptive and you do have to use your own intuition and a bit of common sense. When I've looked on-line at the DYT store, there have been many items there that didn't appeal (either the colour wasn't one of my best colours or the style was a bit too fussy for me) but equally there have been many items that I have loved.

One type one tip that I have deliberately avoided though is wearing a flower in my hair. The look of horror on my daughter's face when I suggested that I might try one for the recent family wedding was enough to reassure me that this idea was best forgotten! I wore the flower on the lapel of my jacket instead, so everyone was happy.

Summer in the city

It's hot here in Spain, and it will be even hotter in the city, so I am sitting indoors where it is cool and I have no plans to venture into the nearest city of Murcia to do any shopping, even though the Sales (Rebajas) have started!  Instead, I have been playing with Polyvore again, as Fabulous after 40 are running another Pinterest competition: What to wear on a European vacation.

I have created two outfits this time.  The first outfit is for sight-seeing in the city, featuring a cool blue linen blouse over cropped lightweight trousers and flat shoes. If you are visiting Paris and want to blend in with the Parisians, you might want to wear Converse trainers instead of these sandals! I have deliberately chosen a top that isn't too revealing in case you want to visit any churches, though quite honestly nowadays anything seems to go.

The second outfit is for shopping in the city and, if I owned any of these items, I would be happy to wear this for a shopping trip to Murcia. This dress is ideal for slipping on and off when trying on clothes. I chose ballerinas as I prefer flat shoes for traipsing round the shops, however it would also look good with wedges. The linen jacket wouldn't be needed for shopping in most Spanish cities, as they are so hot that you welcome  the icy air conditioning, but you might appreciate it in other cities, especially when eating your lunch in an air conditioned restaurant. 

The floppy sun hat might be enough to keep the sun out of your eyes, but I would ditch the hat and wear my shades instead. What do you like to wear for visiting cities in the summer time? Do you have any tips for keeping cool in the city?

What's your fashion personality?

I was reading an on-line article this morning, in which the fashion writer described four different fashion personalities: classic, romantic, trendy and casual. I was surprised that she only described four, as having looked at several other fashion blogs I would have included vintage, quirky and dramatic if not more. Then there are some of us who have several different fashion personalities lurking in our wardrobes so schizophrenic is probably the closest match for us!

When I worked in an office most of my clothes were classic, though I generally preferred trouser suits to skirt suits, as I've always been a bit of a tomboy. Anyone who has seen my Winter wardrobe for Project 333 will have noticed that there was one winter dress, two skirts, five pairs of jeans and trousers, plus a trouser suit. Now that I don't work outside my home I have developed a distinctly more casual style, though I do like to wear smart skirts or dresses occasionally. The outfit above is what I wore in Paris when we went out for a meal on my 65th birthday.

The following outfit though is what you are more likely to see me wearing. It underlines the fact that if you had to define my current style using one of those four categories it would be casual.

I've hardly ever worn romantic fashions, as being 5'1" too many ruffles and frills would overwhelm me, plus I'm not really a girly girl. I wouldn't describe myself as a trend-setter either, though if the latest trend is one that I like I may buy into it, in small doses.

It is also worth considering the negative connotations of the four fashion personalities. Classic can easily become boring. Romantic may verge into fussy or dowdy. Trendy is in danger of becoming a fashion victim. As for my casual personality, I must take care that I don't become too sloppy, which is why I aim for casual chic.

I think it can be useful to define your own style and it certainly makes it easier when you go shopping. On the other hand you don't want to get stuck in a style rut. In "Parisian Chic", Inés de la Fressange says that she often dresses in black or navy with a white shirt, but sometimes on a whim she will surprise everyone by wearing a fuchsia pink blouse. For me, it's that surprise element that makes fashion so much fun.

Mixing it in the office

It's a long while since I worked in an office - over five years, in fact - unless you count sitting in front of the PC at home. After yesterday's fun mixing and matching in Polyvore, I thought I would continue playing today, but with an office environment in mind. I decided that the starting point would be a classic and comfortable skirt, but it took me a long while to find one that I would have been happy to wear to work. Mini-skirts? No, not even in the fairly relaxed office where I used to work. Midi-skirts? Definitely not, as they aren't a flattering look if you're 5'1". Finally, I found one that was suitable, which I decided to wear with the coral jacket that took my fancy yesterday. 

Next I looked for a classic white shirt to wear with my office outfit. I spotted one that I liked the look of, but then I discovered that it was dry clean only! Hello? Who would want to buy a white shirt that has to be dry cleaned? I was also surprised by how many white tops were cropped (another definite no!) or far too frilly for my taste. I eventually had to settle for a short-sleeved white top, and I also chose a striped top for an alternative look.

This time there are only two items that cost more than 100€. No peeping: decide which two items you think are the most expensive ones before scrolling down. 

I ruled out trainers (our office wasn't quite that casual) but ballerinas make a second appearance, albeit in a different shade. It's summer so I've included a pair of shades, though in the UK I probably wore a light jacket and bright scarf as often as I wore sun glasses even in the summer months.

The pair of kitten heels from  L.K.Bennett is the most expensive item at 185€ and the Chesca Linen Skirt from John Lewis costs 135€.  I could be tempted by those heels as they are just the right height for walking round the shops, but I would definitely need to give them a test drive first at that price! I have shown a few different accessories to illustrate how easily you can change your look, and many of the items in the previous post could also be worn with this skirt. I think we are on our way to building a capsule wardrobe! 

Mixing chic and cheap

In my previous post I talked about fashion faux pas at 50+ and how wearing too many luxury labels wasn't a good look. Luckily with my wardrobe budget I don't have to worry about that! I thought it would be interesting to play around on Polyvere choosing items from various price ranges and create an outfit or two by mixing chic and cheap.  Most of us will already own a pair of navy denims, so that was my starting point. I have included some classic pieces plus others like the Paris sweater to add a bit of fun.  Here's my chic and cheap look - I hope that you like it!

Would you like to play a little game? Go on, please humour me! The idea is to decide which of the above items are the most expensive and which are the cheapest. Don't read any further until you have made your mind up.

The most expensive item here is the striped jumper, which is a mix of cotton, silk and cashmere, and which costs 305€. If I was going to spend over 300€ on a top I would make it this one, as it is a classic item and a good investment piece.

Next is the aqua crystal bracelet on the left costing - wait for it! - 205€. It's a lovely bracelet and would look equally good with a more glamorous evening outfit as well as with this casual look. If someone else is paying, I'll have it - otherwise I would buy a few of the bracelets on the right, which cost 11€ each.

Finally, the Tory Burch tote costs 190€ and is another buy that won't date and that will look good with both casual and smart outfits. I bought a similar (though a lot cheaper!) tote recently, that proved its versatility when I went on holiday for ten days. My tote went well with all my outfits, no matter what colour I was wearing.

At 35€ the Paris sweater is a lot cheaper than the striped one, but I probably wouldn't wear it as often and might eventually get bored with it, so it wouldn't be as good an investment. The chain necklace on the other hand would go with many other items in my wardrobe so is a definite bargain at 19€.

The Converse trainers and Pretty Ballerina shoes are fast becoming classic items and most Parisians would snap them up, according to Inés de la Fressange in her book "Parisian Chic"! If you are planning to go on holiday soon, they would be good purchases.

Last but not least, what about the two jackets? Clearly the leather jacket  at 140€ would be a bargain buy if you don't already own one, but I have my eye on the coral blazer.  It's by Wallis and the price is 52€. Not everyone will be tempted by this, but it's one of my favourite colours and it's available on-line. Must go folks!

Mixing and matching

When you have a capsule wardrobe, especially if there are no more than 33 items of clothing, it's important to change the combinations if you want to avoid boredom. Be aware that boredom often triggers the urge to shop and we are trying to cut down on unnecessary purchases! It's all too easy to always grab the same bottoms when you decide to wear a particular top and I'm as guilty of that as anyone.

In yesterday's post I wore the yellow striped top with my blue skirt for the first time, as I usually wear it with one of my two pairs of linen trousers. I rather liked the result of mixing and matching, so I thought I would look at other possible combinations.

The yellow top would go well with the three pairs of trousers and stone skirt above, giving me a total of five outfits. Changing my accessories and jewellery will create even more new looks.

The blue skirt can be mixed with many other tops in my wardrobe, including the ones show below.

This gives me eight more outfits, but if you then mix these tops with some of the trousers or with the stone skirt you have even more permutations (around 30) - not forgetting the option to ring the changes with accessories and jewellery. Remember that I am only showing 14 out of a possible 33 items and with them I have more than enough outfits to wear something different every day of the month.

Why not take a look inside your own wardrobe and see if there is a combination that you've never tried before? In fact, here's a challenge for you (you know how I love challenges!): next week try and create a new outfit every day, either mixing and matching your tops and bottoms in a different way, or through adding accessories and/or jewellery. Please comment on here to let us know how you get on and if you can send me a photo of your new outfit I will be happy to post it.

Waist not, want not

We bloggers do love a bad pun, don't we? For any readers who aren't British and don't know - the actual saying is "Waste not, want not". I guess that I could also have named this post "Getting waisted" - the point being that I am referring to my waist, or what was my waist many years ago.

Anyone who has seen my photos in previous posts may have noticed that my usual outfit consists of a top, which skims the area where my waist ought to be, combined with a skirt or pair of trousers. This is deliberate, as it helps to disguise my muffin top. However as a pseudo-fashion blogger I need to challenge myself occasionally and create a few different looks, so this is what I wore a couple of days ago.

When I first tried this outfit on I wore the top over the skirt as usual, but because the skirt has a fair bit of volume and the top is pretty loose too it wasn't a flattering style. Especially as I am only 5'1" and need to try and create as long and lean a look as is possible given my body shape. I decided to risk tucking the top in and wearing a belt. I wasn't unhappy with the result, although as you can see it emphasises the fact that my waist has seen better days. Yes, I know the pose is slightly strange but I wanted to be honest about my shape here, so I resisted the temptation to cross my arms defensively across my middle!

This is an alternative look, which I have worn many times before. You could say that it's my default look, and I was tempted to change into these linen trousers, however on a warm sunny day I thought it would be good to wear a skirt for a change. What do you think? Was it worth risking something different?

There are several factors to take into consideration when deciding on your outfit of the day. Comfort tends to come top of my list, plus I like to wear flattering colours near my face so that the wrinkles don't show up too much. Like many over 60s I'm not as slim as I was, so I usually avoid clothes that cling too closely and reveal all those lumps and bumps. On the other hand clothes that are too voluminous on both the top and the bottom halves - also known as the sack of potatoes look - aren't any better. I also have to take into consideration my lack of height, which means I'm never going to look like a model!  

What I hope to achieve with my blog is to encourage all of you non-models out there to find a look that suits you, especially the over 60s. As I like to say, we may be past 60, but it doesn't mean that we are past it!

Project 333 - my Summer 33

For any new readers, Project 333 involves limiting yourself to a wardrobe of 33 items to last 3 months. Click on the link above if you are interested in finding out more. Some of you may feel that this is a large wardrobe, whilst others may be exclaiming "Only 33!" To be honest, when I first started out on Project 333, I was worried that I would find 33 items a bit limiting, so although I included my bags and shoes, I excluded scarves and jewellery. After the first season, I decided to exclude all accessories to give me a bit more freedom. The really dedicated followers of Project 333 will include shoes, scarves, handbags and jewellery, but I have decided that this would be a step too far for me at this early stage of dressing with less!

Looking back, having completed three seasons of Project 333, I can honestly say that though I have found it a bit challenging at times, I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It has encouraged my creativity,  in trying to make the most of a more limited wardrobe. It has also made me very aware of how much money I have spent in the past on clothes that never really suited me, that didn't fit me very well or that were fashionable and clearly not meant to last. Project 333 encourages you to be ruthless when going through your wardrobe and only keep the clothes that you really love, that fit you properly and that flatter you. I've lost count of the number of bags of clothing that have gone to the recycling bins over the last nine months!

So here is my first Summer 33, with lots of colourful tops and slightly more restrained colours for my skirts and trousers, which gives them more flexibility when creating a variety of outfits.

There are sixteen tops above, with a mixture of sleeveless, short-sleeved and lightweight long-sleeved tops. By wearing them with different trousers or skirts from the selection below, plus playing with a variety of accessories, I can create numerous outfits. The two longer pairs of trousers are linen, the trousers on the right are cropped and they are all perfect for my mainly casual lifestyle. The four skirts below them have the potential to create smarter outfits or can be dressed up or down to suit.

 

I have several evening events lined up over the next couple of months, so I have included two short dresses and one longer dress. I can also wear them during the daytime if any other smart occasions occur.

My winter coats and heavy jackets have been packed away, however the forecast is for a cooler summer than in previous years so I have included some cardigans and light jackets. Summer may have officially arrived here in Spain, but I needed to wear a jacket last night and a cardigan this morning.  If the forecasters are wrong, I may pack away some of these outer garments and replace them with more bright tops!

            

Although the idea with Project 333 is to select your 33 items to last the whole season, there is a certain amount of flexibility that allows you to swap items if, for example, the weather suddenly changes. I see Project 333 as an exercise in awareness, not deprivation. You are allowed to buy new clothes but are encouraged to throw something old out when you do so. Even though I may bend the rules a bit, I have still found a huge improvement in the amount of clothes in my wardrobe that I now actually wear since starting this challenge. Not only that, there is plenty of room in my wardrobe so that I can see all of my clothes, which is a major benefit. If you aren't already taking part in Project 333, why not give it a go? You may surprise yourself by enjoying it, just like I did! Please come back here to leave your comments, any tips from your own experiences or to ask for advice.