When I went shopping recently I got confronted with the question: What is more important – Comfort or style?

I love the new pencil skirts and glamorous 40s look. So with high expectations, I visited some shops today to see if I could score some good outfits.

Of course I tried on several pencil skirts but came away quite disappointed.

They either did not fit properly (it’s quite hard for a not perfect over 40 body to get the right fit for this kind of skirt!) or they were made of a too thick material, or had polyester lining inside. All of which is not good here in Singapore, as it gets very hot and a polyester lining is the last thing I want.

On top of that you become very aware of any bulges or imperfections on your body that are clearly highlighted when wearing pencil skirts.

 

Find out how to hide your belly with the right clothes.

 

Now, I know I’m not fat, but even thin ladies my age will have certain fat bubbles that are not flattering.

Of course I could wear shape wear to cover all that up, but that adds an extra layer of cynthetic, and therefore discomfort to the outfit.

 

Also check: shape wear. Do women over 40 need it?

 

How much am I willing to sacrifice?

So after all this, I kept asking myself. How much am I prepared to sacrifice comfort to achieve the style that I like?

Or will I sacrifice on my ideal style at any particular moment and go for a more comfortable look (which for me would be a flowy dress or skirt). I haven’t made up my mind yet.

Do you choose comfort over style?

Of course in some cases you do not have to sacrifice style over comfort.

In the above image for example, both outfits look very stylish to me. But the outfit on the right would be much more comfortable to me than the one on the left.

The question is: if I want the style on the left, am I willing to sacrifice my comfort level?

Why it’s important to know what YOU like when it comes to style!

Understanding if comfort or style is more important to you is one of your style components.

Another important thing to know is your body type and which parts you want to highlight or downplay

Whether you feel comfortable in a particular piece of clothing also depends on your body type.

Although I have articles on the 5 main body types, none of us will completely fit one of those categories. We may have characteristics of another body type too which will then be your secondary body type or we may feel that our body does not fit any of these categories.

Even though I have all these articles on body types and think they can be helpful in working out what will work for you, I think it’s even more important to know which parts of your body you want to highlight or downplay. When you know that, body type becomes less important and you can just focus on your figure priorities. These figure priorities are very unique to you and are part of your unique style.

The next step is to figure out which clothes make you happy and make you feel like YOU.

Which clothes and silhouettes make you feel fabulous!

You can discover these by play!

  • Try out different silhouettes and find out which styles you like most on yourself.
  • Play with proportions and discover how they make you look and feel.
  • Take pictures and see the difference the length of your top or skirt can make to your overall silhouette.
  • Try adding a bit of color and notice what it can do to your complexion.
  • Discover how a subtle print or texture in one of your accessories can make a real difference to the overall look.
  • Play with different necklines of your tops and notice the impact that can have to your overall appearance.
  • Discover how accessories can have an impact on the parts you want to highlight or downplay.
  • Discover simple tricks that let you downplay certain areas.

Of course all of these and much more is exactly what we do in the style course

“Even after the first couple of lessons, I had learned so much about myself, good things that I had lost sight of over the years of being a wife and mother. It’s easy to lose your identity. The course gave me the confidence to wear different outfits that I haven’t worn in a long time and to not be afraid of looking my best.” Sarah (read full testimonial)

 

You will discover your unique style and personality, your unique bodies and what makes you feel your most special and unique self.

We will do a lot of playing and will have fun with fashion and style.

More than 1000 women have already taken the 40+ Style course 21 Steps to a More Stylish You and the course is now open to all women who like to take the course at their own pace.

 

This course exceeded my expectations  and was the most amazing experience. The content was excellent and the assignments were fun and enlightening. The comments Sylvia and the other participants made really helped me in a way that was not at all threatening – just lots of good will guiding me on my journey. I learned a lot about myself, I look better already, I have lots of new outfits that came from my closet without spending a dime, and I have new friends who supported me.” Bonnie Gough, USA (read full testimonial)

I recommend doing it slowly though and take it one step at the time.

When you really take the time and do a lot of playing with all your clothing and accessories and do all the assignments I give you, you will get the most out of this course.

You can complete your assignments in private or share them on our private forum where you will receive personal feedback from me on any looks you share. You will also be able to answer any questions you may have relating to style.

 

“What I loved most is just thinking about style on a deeper level. And effective ‘wardrobe management’ I think I will save some $ from having completed this course.” Shelley, New Zealand (read full testimonial)

You will get a lot of tips and some great guidelines to follow, but YOU will have to do most of the work. Your important job is to find out what works for YOU. What makes YOU happy and confident.

Once you have defined some of the key characteristics of what your style and clothing should be like, you will find that you develop a unique style that is truly your own. You will find that you will dress with more pleasure, wear your clothes with more confidence and generally feel so much better about yourself.

 

What I came away with was a knowledge of myself that I didn’t have before. Now I know what I like and what looks good on my body type so I can make informed decisions regarding my stye.” Glenda Bibbero, USA (read full testimonial)

I welcome you to read some of the 5 star rated reviews that the course received or read one of the many testimonials from women that have taken the course.

Then, if you like to find out what makes you happy in terms of style, I hope you will join us!

Do you know exactly what you like when it comes to your style?

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Sylvia

Sylvia is 40+style’s editor-in-chief and has been helping women find their unique style since 2011. An alumni of the School of Color and Design, she is devoted to empowering women of any age to look and feel their best. Read more about Sylvia and 40+style on this page.

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