Are you trying to ignite your style but don’t know where to start? Here are some tips to try suggested by 40+Style club members!
Use vertical lines
Suggested by Karen
One of my favorite tips is using vertical lines from a cardigan or jacket to create a slimming silhouette. I also think a new shape of pants, such as my new cropped flared jeans, will breathe new life into a spring wardrobe.
Open your mind and try something new
Suggested by Wendy
My advice would be to open your mind to try new things. It’s so easy to fall into a slump and to wear the same formula every day because its easy and comfortable. I’ve been inspired by so many ideas in the 40+Style club and have found new favourites which I wouldn’t have tried before joining this group.
They include the cold shoulder top and rediscovering my wider leg pants.
Join a style club!
Suggested by Sondra
My tip is to join a group like this one and to wake up your style. Interact with phenomenal women across the globe (hard to do in a small town) and learn to reinvent your style and be inspired and encouraged while doing so.
Use your accessories!
Suggested by Cynthia and Gina
Cynthia: most of my bottoms are basic core pieces in black and white. I accessorize with color. It makes me happy. Being an apple plus size, I love to wear color on top. Like icing on a cake, I finish off with accessories.
Here is a photo of the accessories I purchased for Spring/Summer. The floral piece is multifunctional as an over shirt, a swim cover up or robe while traveling. I have a floral piece, stripes, and 2017 Spring/Summer Pantone color pieces. All of these were easy and inexpensive ways to update my wardrobe for the season.
Gina: If you are just starting to redefine your wardrobe and you are feeling overwhelmed, begin with your accessories. Necklaces, earrings, scarves, purses and even shoes in trending colors of the season come in all price ranges. These can easily refresh basic pieces to give your wardrobe a quick pick me up.
Use a capsule!
Suggested by Cheryl
My tip is to work from a capsule. I have never done this in my life until I joined the style club. I am using my Spring Capsule that we got a few weeks ago. I think this works for me because it gives me a color palette and versatile well chosen items that first of all look good on my body. When getting dressed I just choose pieces from my capsule. I have made my capsule bigger than the original challenge capsule.
Lean on fundamentals
Suggested by Dharma
Perhaps the best fashion tip I have followed is the very same advice I give all my business clients. Always start with and lean on fundamentals. The fundamentals in fashion for me would be: fit, color, body type, proportion, silhouette and lastly the little rules that make all the difference.
Getting a workable understanding of the fundamentals has enabled me to create great outfits mostly out of my closet and most of the fundamentals are found on the 40+Style blog.
Photograph yourself
Suggested by Vickie
When you have put it all together and trying out your look don’t forget to take a photograph. Sylvia has said it (as well as others) that it is a great tool for analyzing if an outfit looks right or something is not quite right. If it is right keep it in a folder to refresh your memory for outfits that you want to repeat or to analyze aspects of the outfit & why it works for you.
Also the best accessory is to wear a big smile (or at least have a pleasant expression on your face) and be interested & respectful of others. My mother always said “pretty is – is pretty does”.
Bonus tip: Use you multitasking skills
Suggested by Ellen
My tip would be to use the skills that multitasking women have employed in running their homes and dressing their families on themselves. Look at the problem and experiment with solutions. Everyone of us has that creative gene. Time to exercise it.
What is your best tip for others who want to ignite their style?
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I agree with Vickie and Greetje that photographing yourself is a great way to analyze your outfits and remember outfits that I want to repeat. Adding the a quick photo with my echo look each morning has been invaluable in convincing me to let go of pieces I now know are unflattering.
I am with Vicky: photograph yourself in an outfit. It still surpries me ho that conveys the truth much better than looking in the mirror. Is it because of the “distance” between me and the subject? I don’t know but it works.
I loved this article. It was rewarding to see these women pictured in their suggestions. I particularly liked Wendy “rediscovering her wide leg pants,” because their length had a very elongating effect on her lower body. Although I find the cropped pants very attractive on many, if you have short legs in proportion to your torso, as I do, both cropped pants and ankle pants have a very attenuating affect on your silhouette.
Look forward to more articles/features of this nature!