I featured quite a few chic outfits lately, so I thought it was time for a more casual look this week. This would be a typical mom on the go look for me. I still don’t go for super casual, as I’m all for wearing the nicest clothes you have in your closet. No point wearing a plain t-shirt when you still have a nice short dress that you can wear over pants!
If I want to get super comfortable I just wear it with my white sandals, which are one of my most comfortable pair of shoes. For a slightly hipper and nicer look, nothing can beat some good comfy heels. My black heels may not be everyone’s choice, but I liked adding some emphasis on the black of this outfit, which I also do with my watch band.
I feel it’s so important to wear all the clothes in your closet. Whenever possible I try to wear my nicest clothes, which are still suitable for the situation at hand. My latest shopping choices have all been quite dressy, so I have no choice really. This means that I may be slightly overdressed for certain casual MOTG situations, but better to be slightly overdressed than frumpy or underdressed don’t you think?
I’m sure that you also noticed that my hair got even shorter again. I used my own tips for hairstyles of women over 40 and my own 40+ hairstyles Pinterest board as inspirations and chose to copy this hairstyle. I also had another keratin treatment done to keep the frizz of my hair under control. Sofar I’m pretty pleased with it, but I will have to see how it keeps up. I uploaded one of the nicest photos of this new hairstyles to my Instagram feed. It has a nice instagram filter applied to it which makes me look much more stylish than I actually am. Have a look!
Dress: Alldressedup
Pants: Mango
Watch Claudia Schaeffer
Black shoes: Ecco
Hopefully you all had a good weekend? Do you usually wear a lot of your nice clothes or do you ‘save’ them for later?
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I LOVE your sense of style! I’ve just happened upon your site, and it’s now my fave! I work in the Protocol field in the WashDC area, so always must look polished (even on casual Fridays.) Your style is perfect for me…thanks for doing what you do!
Thanks Ressa. That’s great to hear! I’m starting a new year style challenge on Monday. You may want to join 🙂 https://40plusstyle.com/2013-newyear-challenge-to-a-more-stylish-you/
You look fabulous! I like to get a little dressed up to go out of the house too, even if its just the grocery store! Love your dress over jeans through I’ve yet to perfect it. And your new haircut is great! Love the blond.
Great hair style Sylvia (looks just like mine except you are blonde!). I love the mum-on-the-go idea for dressing – do you think you could do more on this please? Also with regards dressing for occasions, I made a whoopsy and quite underdressed for a dinner with my image conscious sister-in-laws recently and I felt frumpy even though I was wearing a new bright pink top and silver sandals (didn’t realise the restaurant was super-duper trendy). I would love to hear your ideas on what type of outfits to wear for different situations for us mums! Thanks again Sylvia for such good articles.
Thanks for the suggestions Petra. I will definitely keep them in mind!
Pretty hair and lovely outfit. Your white sandals are my favorite. They look so comfy.
I love that black shoe with this look. Combined with the watch you’ve created a fantastic edginess that might have been diluted with a softer colour. I so agree about short dresses over T’s any day. Some people might think I’m overdressed when I wear my maxi satin gown out for coffee, but I try to tone it down with a denim jacket, a sassy heel, and an impish grin…
And your new haircut is gorgeous! Swingy, young, flirty. Perfect!!
Hi there,
I’m a new blogger trying to connect with bloggers ” in my age range ‘ 🙂 This looks like the right spot ! Glad I found you 🙂
Regards, Monica
http://pear-shaped-gal.blogspot.com/
Welcome Monica and thanks for you first comment! You may like to join my 40+ women’s blogger community as well 🙂 https://40plusstyle.com/women-over-40-blogger-community/
What a striking, flattering dress over pants. Like either the white or black sandals … they say very different things about the outfit. And doesn’t it feel just the best when a new haircut works? I always feel smarter when I get a cut … not just in the sense of more put together, but actually less stupid! Lovely.
Really love your hair do!
You know, when I see a top or a dress with pretty drapes, it reminds me of you.
This one is gorgeous….so unique!
Couldn’t agree more! As Kelly Osborne recently said: “If if doesn’t make you feel amazing, what’s the point?” And you look amazing!
Thanks Lisa. I like that quote!
Your hair and outfit are amazing. You look younger every time you post a photo! Beautiful lady.
Don’t forget these are just photos Aileen. They hide a lot of flaws…..Of course I’m only picking the nice ones…
Your hair looks fantastic!
Thanks Bella!
You look great, Syl, both the outfit as well as the haircut!
And I agree with you and Greetje, every day is as good as another. Champagne is my favourite drink. The calvinistic and down-to-earth Dutch often comment with : “champagne? Today? Now? Why?!”. My reply being similar to Greetje’s: “Why not? And every reason is a good reason. Because it’s monday (or tuesday, etc), because I feel good/bad, etc etc.” Celebrate life at whatever moment.;-).
Champagne is my favorite too Tangobabe! And you have inspired me to drink it more often. Why not? There truly is something to celebrate each day if we just look for the positive. 🙂
This type of model of your top I am always looking for, only with sleeves. It has the perfect length and it is a wonderful to hide your tummy. Up till now I found one in black. Like you I am a fan of drapes. I like your hair, I am saving to have a short bob, but everytime the hairdresser comes to my home she does my hair without a mirror and the result is short again. Next time I show her your photo, perhaps she understands then what I want.
yes print a picture Marianne. I always take pictures to the hairdresser now. It’s the only way that I can get close to what I want!
Your haircut is so cute and I love your top and necklace.
Thank you Marla. The necklace is quite old already and bought in Shanghai where jewellery was incredibly cheap.
I love your new haircut Sylvia! I’ve been growing my hair for the last year, from very short to now a slightly longer bob than yours. I wanted to grow it so I could style it in different ways and put it up (it’s not quite there yet). But after a comment from my mum at the weekend that I’m too old to be growing my hair (I’m 43) I’m tempted to have a bit chopped off again. These short bobs are so stylish and easy.
Yes, they are, but please use your own judgement and do what YOU like!
NO!! Don’t cut your hair if you don’t want to! If my hair wasn’t so fine and would actually grow past my shoulders, I’d have long hair (I’m 48). I saw a woman in my yoga class who is keeping her long beautiful hair it’s natural gray and it looks so awesome!
OK, I will admit that I like this hairstyle on you. Even though I was very fond of the long(er) hair. I still am, but this looks just as nice.
I am totally with you on wearing nice things all the time. Sometimes people say to me: are you going to a party? And I always answer: No,, just celebrating life, and every new day is a party.
Like the person who made that remark to Rita, people just say these things because they are not used to seeing it. Or because they want to make a compliment but it just comes out wrong. I much rather be overdressed than underdressed.
As for your look of today, to me it is neither overdressed, nor underdressed. Only stylish, good looking and with a Sylvia signature.
That is a very good answer Greetje. Will have to remember that!
Yes Greetje! Every day is a celebration! Your beautiful clothes are always an inspiration to me. I love how you present yourself to the world. You make me happy just to look at you!
To quote a song: … “And that’s why I love you…”. Wished you live in my neighbourhood.
Hahaha! Greetje, Anja, and Suzanne in one neighborhood would be more than the world could stand! But we would have so much fun playing in our cupboards/closets! They could probably make a reality TV show out of that. 🙂 My son has been offered a Summer Internship in Europe so I may be visiting sooner than I thought.
If you visit, I will show you around, for sure. Amsterdam and Haarlem are lovely towns. And distances in Europe and Holland are much shorter than in the USA. Which makes it easy to visit me. I am quite excited. He is not going to turn it down now, is he?
Greetje – he is having so many offers thrown at him I have no idea what he will do. He was offered a position in Australia but that is just too far away. I guess it may depend on who offers the most money. But he officially declared his second degree in German today so he will be going there at some point. He has a very good friend there and has visited him and lived with his family and he has always wanted to go back. I will make it to Europe within the next few years. 🙂
Ihope it will be Germany near the Dutch border. But hey whereever in Germany, itwi notbe a problem.
Don’t forget to make a little detour on your travels to Singapore!
Actually I’m heading to the US this summer visiting some of the southern states, so perhaps will see you then!
You look great. I do especially like those black sandals. Very modern.
Thanks Lisa. Yes, those were a good buy. Great to look at and to walk on!
This hairstyle is gorgeous on you! I immediately started thinking, oh, I want that cut… but I’ll check out your Pinterest first, see what other ideas you have. And I love your casually chic MOTG outfit. So jealous of your warm weather- cold and rainy here in Seattle and will be for the foreseeable future.
Thanks SE for your nice first comment at 40+Style. It’s lovely to get your feedback. Hope you find a great cut for yourself on my board!
Your hair looks great…very sleek and young! I like your black sandals with this outfit. The colors go perfectly. I must admit I’m a saver. For some reason I never want to be over dressed. I worry that people will think I’m being a snob or that I don’t know my place. Completely irrational, I know. Probably why I spend so much time in jeans! I do always wear nice bags and shoes, though. 🙂
Thanks Rita. I know that some people will think I’m overdressing at times. But who cares? I want to have fun and if I bought the nice clothes, I may as well wear them!
It’s funny…I never think other people are overdressed. I just think they look nice. For some reason, when it comes to myself, I’m careful about it. I’m sure someone said something to me long ago like, “Well don’t you look fancy?” and I took it as making fun, so now I’m careful. Oh the baggage we let ourselves carry…LOL!
Yes people will say that to me sometimes as well. But you’ll have to wonder why they say it. Perhaps they wished they had made some more effort themselves? Isn’t it much more fun to stand out rather than to blend in? I know that’s easier said then done, but whenever I feel confident, then that is what I will do.
Yes, that could be their motivation. I’m sort of a blend-er 😀 I mostly try to not stand out in a bad way…with some nice shoes to give a bit of a boost.
Dear Rita – stop being a “blender” and become a leader! Let the others follow you! I live in a very snobby neighborhood and my life became so much happier when I stopped caring about what others said about me and let them start worrying about what I thought of them. LOL! Really – it is so much fun! And hey – if you have the nice shoes/boots – what more do you need? It is all about the confidence. 🙂 I love me and it shows in how I dress. Now my friends come to me for fashion advice. Be the stand out I know you are meant to be!
LOL! Thanks for the pep talk, Suzanne! It’s funny, because I’m the leader type in just about every other aspect of life(work, etc.) except clothing. As an engineer/scientist, I work with mostly men and you definitely don’t want to try to make a career of it by looking too “girlie”. I’m long since established, though, so it wouldn’t hurt to girl it up a little. That’s why I started slow with shoes. 🙂 I’ve gotten a few men going on nicer shoes, too. Just too many Rockports at the office…eew!
And Rita, being nicely dressed, even overdressed, does not mean you stand out in a bad way. Quite the contrary. You might stand out because you look nice and people envy you. I totally agree with Suzanne (love that woman LOL).
I have lived with Engineers my entire life! I understand how they dress. LOL! Because of that I have raised my son to love clothes. My hubby says I have made him a “fashion snob” but there are no Rockports in his closet!
That’s great, Suzanne! No Rockports! I’ve just never wanted to look too girlie working with mostly men, as it can lead them to not take you seriously. Of course, once I open my big mouth, that’s not an issue…LOL! I definitely don’t want to foster envy either. So I keep things moderate, neat, and tidy, and add in a little fun with my shoes and handbags. Once I quit working, I’ll probably go to the other extreme and turn into a boho-hippie chick!
The “replies” were finished on this subject within a subject.
I suppose Sylvia never imagined that people would do what we do: back and forth, back and forth.
I want to react on Rita’s remark “I don’t want to foster envy”.
Unless we are talking about extremes here, I think “envy” is somebody elses caracter flaw, so somebody elses problem. For heavens sake…, if you take that as a starting point, you have to avoid anything you do, say, wear, have..etc. because it might make somebody envious. Envy is a cardinal sin. So beter make somebody envious, that gives that person something to work on.
Rita – I totally agree with Greetje about Envy being the other person’s problem. 🙂 But I also know why you feel you must dress the way you do for your career – especially THAT career. When you do decide to go Boho – we’ll talk! I can happily lead you down that path. 🙂
I love the new hair cut! I am a rare mother on the go in my circles as I always put an effort whenever I step out in public…I would never go anywhere without being happy if I ran into an old friend! I love your look and the drape of that dress is beautiful!
Thanks Tracey and well done for making an effort. The last look you uploaded to the forum was no nice!
This draped top looks gorgeous on you and I also love your new haircut. Mine is still long but I have a feeling that I will be returning to this length again sometime soon. It’s so flattering!
Thanks Kathy. Yes, I think a shorter haircut would look great on you too!
I am crazy about your new haircut! I am not normally a short hair loving girl but this sleek bob flatters you to perfection. And if you get any younger looking you will no longer be able to write an “over 40” Blog because no one will believe you fit into that category. Seriously. 🙂
I really like this outfit and I am agreeing with you more and more about wearing your good clothes daily. Why leave them hanging in a closet? They will go out of style or I will find something I like more before I get any use out of them. Your necklace also reminded me that I have one almost identical that I have never worn so I will add “wear new jewelry” to my list too. The shoes and boots I have no trouble with as I change those up to 3 times a day just to admire them on my feet. They are my true love but it is okay to feel the same way about my clothes. If I like it enough to invest in it I should be wearing it.
Thanks Suzanne. Exactly, that is what used to happen to me. You ‘save’ your clothes for a great occasion but by that time you already bought something else that you like even more! This necklace does not get a lot of wear either so it was good to match it with this dress.