How to have fun with style and fashion at any age – a style interview with Kirsten

Kirsten is on a mission. She wants to show both young girls and mature women that style is ageless and that they shouldn’t be afraid to just try out new things and that fashion is fun. That is one reason she set up her blog LIFB where she shares her interests in lifestyle, interior, fashion and beauty. Let’s find out what inspires her!

Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself?

I live in a small town in rural Germany. I’ve moved a bit, have lived in Egypt with my parents when I was a teen or in Munich and Duesseldorf with my husband Joerg. Joerg and I have been together for 26 years and live in a cute wooden house from Sweden (which sometimes leads to discussions in my town because it’s just not a house that you see very often here!).

I studied English language/literature and media sciences and was also lucky to spend a semester in Cambridge, England. You can definately say that I’m a late bloomer, I did my A-levels through night school before I went to uni from which I graduated when I was in my mid 30s; I gained a second university degree in 2010 as a PR consultant. Great Britian is my love, our house is stuffed with English speaking DVD’s and books, we even have a second dish so that we can watch English TV.

I’m a freelance PR consultant but have to say that blogging starts to play a bigger and bigger role (which is a great thing!).

As a point of reference which age group do you belong to or perhaps you are willing to share your age?

Of course, I don’t have any problems sharing my age: I’ll be turning 44 in March but have to say I don’t feel like that at all!

Can you tell us a bit more about your blog LIFB and why you created it?

First of all I really have to thank Joerg! It’s down to him that I started blogging in the first place because he encouraged me. When I was still at university I started to read a lot of English interior magazines (I love the English country style – of course!) and engaged myself with lifestyle and so on, everything I personally loved and what made me happy. It has always been a dream of mine to be an editor of such a magazine. Well, you should never stop dreaming right? I’ve never really made my way into such a paper but love it to this day so one day Joerg said that I should start a blog with all the things I love. At first I had another blog but after about 9 months felt that there was something missing. So I started LIFB. This blog is about lifestyle, interior, fashion and beauty, in short LIFB. I love working on my blog and watch it develop. Joerg takes all my pictures and we mostly have a lot of fun together.

How would you describe your own style?

My style is mostly very easygoing. Of course I love to put on heels but I’m not really a suit person, it’s not who I am. From a suit (I have one example in my blog where I’m wearing the complete suit which is very bold and looks fabulous) – I would only wear the trousers, skirt or jacket and combine it with something else. I’m probably more on the casual side with lots of classics that I love combining with It-pieces.

What would you consider the most important components of your style?

I would say that my style reflects me as a person; a pair of plaid trousers or a plaid jacket is something I love wearing. I love spicing it up with a great hat. I’m definately not a clean style person but more playful. Classics like a dufflecoat or a trench are a must for me but I love giving it a young look with great jeans, a pair of leather or plaid trousers.

Where do you live and how does that influence your style?

Hm, that’s not an easy one. Where I live now – no that doesn’t really incfluence me that much stylewise. Lots of blogs and magazines influence me and the stuff I love I try to adapt, even if it’s not so typical here.

I live in Germany and we have the seasons (which I absolutely love) and you have to take that into account. Right now it’s cold and we need lots of warm coats and jackets. But I’m definately not a hot summer person. Maybe I had too much of that while I lived in Cairo. I prefer the cooler seasons. Great Britain has definately been a huge influence on me and because I’m so obsessed with plaid, it’s perfect. Lots of stuff I’m wearing is not standard in my small town but I don’t care.

Do you feel you have a signature style?

You find me wearing red over and over again, be it a coat, shoes, a bag, a hat – everything. It’s a colour I love and that is very me. Apart from that, as I mentioned earlier my style is more playful, probably some would say young with lots of classic pieces that I style up with trendy bits.

What inspires your outfit choices the most?

I would definitely say the Modern English Country, Equestrian and Military Style, I’m obsessed with that. Some years ago Alexander McQueen had a stunning collection, Ralph Lauren also has some pieces I’m in love with (I don’t love all Ralph Lauren but the edgier stuff is gorgeous!). I could totally see myself living in an English Manor, having horses (although I don’t ride!) and wearing this style all day! What I probably also won’t ever tire of is the preppy look, it’s just too pretty.

Do you take things like color profiling or body type into account when you dress?

For sure. As an example I can only wear strong, more bold colours, I love pastels but can’t wear them. My skin is pale and pastels make me look even paler and sick. I often wear bodyhugging clothes but I’m not running around in shorts or crop tops. Never really have, it’s not my style. Still, I have to feel comfortable in my clothes and sometimes a long, wide blouse over a pair of skinny jeans looks stylish too.

Has your style changed at all after turning 40?

Oh, it sure has! I’m not scared to try things. For example: I bought my first hat when I was 42. Before that I thought I couldn’t wear them and now I can’t walk past hats. They are often the extra something! The internet especially has changed things for me. Sometimes I’m online for hours and hours until I find what I’m looking for and check where to get it. I’m more courageous today than I was years ago and don’t care when people look at me when I’m wearing my red Hunter boots (which are normal but not here!). But it’s still a process and it’s exciting. Can you imagine that I had to be in my 30s to start wearing heels? Here we go again: Late-bloomer!

Do you believe in dressing ‘age appropriately’ and what does it mean to you?

Quite frankly, I hate that term! To me it simply doesn’t exist! It’s ALL about the type, the personality, the body type and all. There aren’t any universal rules. Some fashion magazines show collages with outfit suggestions for a certain age. Whenever I look at the 40 section, I think that it doesn’t suit me at all, also colourwise. Everybody has to wear something that suits her best, find out the assets and accentuate exactly that. If someone has a cool style, she can still wear sweatpants and pumps in her 60s, I know someone who is 61 and dresses like a 30 year old and it’s so her, it looks fabulous, she pulls if off so perfectly.

Would you say that at this stage of your life you are now more, or less interested in fashion, style and the way you look?

So much more which of course has to do a lot with my blog too! I love trying things and you should never stop trying because you can look stylish at any age.

Why is the way you look important to you?

It most certainly expresses my personality. I’m an easygoing and lively person and this can be seen from what I’m wearing. Probably people know what to expect when they see how I dress. It’s so much fun for me to put together an outfit including hair and make up.

Which of the outfits on your blog are personal favorites and why?

Phew, I love all my outfits on my blog but in general I love the ones with a trench or dufflecoat the most, combined with a hat and this is me. I love to make a trenchcoat look stylish and not bourgeois (if that is the right term) by adding leather or something to make it look modern but classy at the same time. This is what the Modern English Country style to me is about, I love to explore that further. Last week we shot an outfit that I love so much and my husband said I looked like I was going hunting – I loved it!

Do you follow trends? And if yes, which trends excite you at the moment?

I do but I don’t follow everything. When neon colours were trendy, I passed, I had that in the 80s and that was that. In general I’m very open to trends though I must say often I’m not willing to spend lots of money on them. I want my investment pieces to be classics and I’m willing for pay more but not on hot trends. What I really love at the moment are the capes and ponchos, this is such a great trend and is something that I can easily adapt.

Do you have any fashion and style tips for women over 40?

Dear ladies, please never think because you’re 40+ you can’t look good or stylish anymore. On the contrary. You can change your whole appearance and take years off you depending on what you’re wearing. If you’re not sure what suits you, try to talk to a good friend or consult a coach (a friend of mine does that; she goes to people and checks their closets and goes shopping with clients who are not sure what suits them). I try not to think about my age too much, I love fashion and think if you wear something you love, it just shows.

What are your plans for your blog and how do you see it develop over the coming years?

Of course my blog is a work in progress. I would love to make it a big online magazine for girls and women. Young girls should see that being 40, 50 and so on is not what it used to be. I want to encourage mature women that style is ageless and that they shouldn’t be afraid to just try things, that fashion is fun (and not everything has to be expensive or designer clothes). Show off your style and your lust for life with a smile – it’s how you will be perceived by your surroundings and it can have such a huge impact. It gives you confidence and makes you attractive, no matter how old you are.

Be sure to check out Kirsten’s blog The LIFB issue to see more inspiring outfits!

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