Advice for our Times

Bless Bill Cunningham and his most recent fashion slide show called "Another Facet of Paris." What I love most about this piece is the advice he gives to women toward the end: "It doesn't hurt to dress in a cheerful way," during these uncertain, difficult economic times. I like that he is not exhorting women to shop but to pull things out of their own closets.

Saying Yes or No to Trends

One of the many things I like about being in my forties is not feeling compelled to try every trend. It is not like when I was younger and felt frustrated and very left out for not being able to wear Dittos in the seventies. Trend disappointment memories came back to me while I was reading Style Bakery's excellent article: Spring 2009: Trends to Try + Trends to Trash.

Today I can easily laugh at some of the fads that do not suit me while embracing the ones that add some splash to my look: I know what works for me and what does not. I already wear black and white a lot so adopting that trend is no stretch, and I have always liked ruffles and floral prints so they will be appearing this spring on me as well. Safari jackets tend to come in colors that are terribly unflattering on me, and I have learned that I am never truly comfortable in jackets. So that is a hot new look I will skip. I will also pass on wearing jumpsuits and rompers. I don't really need to explain why, do I? The same goes for harem pants (see photo). HELP!

Snakeskin adds an interesting dimension to accessories and I find it adds a bit of edginess to my outfits. Since I don't like to invest a lot of money in trends, I am delighted with my $20 snakeskin sandals from a local surf shop and a very cool sash belt from Talbots last fall. Striped shirts and full skirts are looks I wear all the time, though I need to watch the proportions since I am petite. Now, as far as bright colors go, I think a pop of bright color here and there works for me. I will stick to bright blues and pinks but I will not veer into the neon range that is currently leeching into stores. Still, I've recently seen neon on several high school students and they looked great.

What about you? What trends are you looking forward to wearing this spring? Which ones do you know you will pass on? Tribal prints? Ripped and acid washed jeans? Long blazers?

And Dresses for All

I sure like to wear a dress. Wearing a dress makes me feel feminine and attractive. Wearing a dress on a day I feel yucky lifts my spirits. Moreover, I have observed that in general women are treated with more respect and get more attention while shopping--from small boutiques to the farmers' market--when they wear a dress.

This season there are a zillion lovely dresses in the stores. If you already enjoy dresses, you are in shopping heaven. If you like the idea of dresses but have not embraced wearing them yet, read on. About.com has some very good posts about clothing. One I found particularly helpful is called Flattering Dresses for Every Body Type. Not all dress styles are for all women, and this post shows what styles will work the best for your body type.