After one year I am still learning how to be retired, thus I am changing up my wardrobe from the “suits” that were my “go to” look to a more casual style. To be truthful, my body looks best in more structured or tailored clothes. When I wear loose, unstructured garments the people I meet never say a word. I can tell from their look that I leave them virtually speechless.
I watch a plethora of fashion television as well as cruise the online fashion blogs (yes there are such things) to help me put together my new style for my new life.
It’s not working.
One thing I have learned is there are no rules to today’s look. Business-dress is now what I would have worn cleaning the house. Somehow in someway, jeans have made their way into every occasion and although I am not complaining, much, I am even more confused by that.
What is even more surprising is that yoga-wear is a thing. Again I once reserved this to workouts and for lounging around the house. Now I have extended this to shopping. I constantly glance behind me while pushing my cart through the aisles for fear that I will end up on an edition of what not to wear.
I see all around me women who carry this and other casual looks with such panache. Either it’s the colour, the accessories, the shoes or the great boots, I know this is possible. I just
don’t know how to do it.
Many add a scarf. Tried that. It looks like
I have added yet another piece of clothing to something that already looks like a hot mess.
Tried not being too matchy…shoes don’t match bag, top doesn’t match skirt, striped top can be worn with plaid pants. I am certain that instead of suggesting
I am in style, many wonder if I am losing my eyesight.
I looked to colour blocking as a way to move the eye away from the more unwanted areas to the more acceptable and perhaps even preferable. I am obviously blocking in the wrong place.
I am relatively short and the wrong block does just what you imagine. I get shorter, stockier and could definitely give a line backer his/her run for the money.
I am buying true to my size, something
I have been advised is imperative to looking good. I have been told that
I wear my clothing far too loosely and that I need to accentuate the shape
I have. The reason I wear things loosely is because I don’t want to accentuate the shape I have…thus a relatively expensive sack is what I love to wear. And let’s face it, most comfortable in.
I think you can imagine by now that when it comes to my style, I am not winning this new game. Many wonder why I should care. People who know me after all, know “me” no matter if I am trying to carry off the latest in a purple jumpsuit.
I don’t really know why. I guess clothing has always been a part of my identity.
I knew what I should wear and had my colours done to ensure I didn’t foray too much into the pastels (you guessed by now that I am best in true colours). Now that all my style rules have gone out the window, I want to reflect my new identity with more than what a yoga pant says or whether or not a cowl neck is best. Is there no hope for a middle-aged woman who is trying to keep things simple, but still wants to look like she is together?
I think I may need a make-over or a personal stylist and maybe both. Either that or I may resort to the old school paper dolls I used to play with. Each of them would carry the image of me so that I can carefully and tastefully test clothing with the simple press of a tab.
If there isn’t an app for this there should be.
Have a wonderful winter.
