Welcome to Be-Colorful-Style or You Can't Put A Number On It

A 50ish Life

So glad you stopped by.

Less that a month ago I wrote my first post on this blog which I had titled A 50ish Life.

My intent was to put together a  fashion blog for stylish women of a certain age with a fashion forward lean.

 There are a lot of us out here that want to look our best and come across as confident, vibrant, and yes still sexy women.  We don't want to look like we are trying too hard or striving to look like our daughters but we also don't want to resign ourselves to thinking that our style ship has sailed. When I launched this blog I was hoping to write for other women like myself.   I wanted it to be apparent that this blog was for women that had moved beyond their first jobs, first babies, and first homes. I am writing for the woman that has moved up the career ladder, or is re-entering the job market, the woman whose oldest child is leaving for college or whose baby is moving out. I am writing for women that have a little more time and the means to focus on themselves.  

But I needed a name.

  A 50ish Life made sense to me.

I was hoping to direct my thoughts to women in their forties, fifties and beyond.  The reality didn't match my intentions.  

Those under fifty were adamant that this wasn't for them.  

While women in their sixties thought these looks would be too young for them.  There isn't some imaginary style line that we cross the day we turn thirty, forty, fifty, or sixty.  Subtle adjustments can make a fashion trend appropriate for every woman of any age. 

The fun is in discovering what works and in learning from each other. I don't pretend to be an expert when it comes to fashion but I inherited a love of clothes from my mom who has a real feel for mixing colors and knowing what looks good .

Megan Clausen Photography

 I also have the benefit of an incredibly stylish daughter with a definite eye for small details with big impact. Lucky me.

Now, one month into this blog it has become obvious that a name change is in order.  My other blog, BeColorful, is all about my creative endeavors and living life colorfully.  It took me a while to realize it but now I know that the logical thing to do is to build on the name recognition there and to rename this blog 

Be-Colorful-Style

So Be Colorful Style it is.

The premise is the same. This will be my venue for  highlighting the trends,  learning how to make them work, and discovering where to find them.

I'd love to hear from you if there are particular issues you'd like to discuss or products you would like to know more about. 

I hope you will continue to follow along.

You can find the blog

here.

or follow BeColorful Style on Facebook

or Pinterest

hugs,

p

Friday Faves - Summer Into Fall

I fell in love with this maxi dress the moment I laid eyes on it. Better yet, now it is on sale. Gotta love that. The flattering lines of the skirt and halter neckline were what grabbed me but also how versatile this dress could be. I'd wear it shopping or in the evening. Add a denim vest or short sleeve shirt  for now if you don't want to expose your back or add a 3/4 sleeve jacket and skimmer for the cooler days ahead to make this look work appropriate.

Friday Faves Summer Into Fall by pambecolorful featuring a red jacket

Trending - Mirrored Sunglasses

Trending Tuesday - Smoke and Mirrors

Nylon Magazine


Mirrored sunglasses. I wore them back in the 90's and I am crushing on them again today.

This is a trend the celebs are sporting and a look that we can easily incorporate into our own style.

Drew Barrymore

Paula Abdul

Shakira

Hillary Duff

Jessica Alba


From aviator to cat eye and square frame there is a shape for every face.

They can be found in every price range from the high end "I die" versions

 Tom Ford Nastasya $380

Dior Paname $200

to the swoon worthy editions

Kate Spade My Cordelia $138

Michael Kors - Lola $129

Toms - Modern Retro $139

Wildfox Carfarer $169

Ray- Ban $160

 and also  the guilt free - no big deal if I lose them options.

KW - Envoy Nordstrom's $10

asos $20

Steve Madden $38

Seasonless and sexy. A fun way to bring a bit of mystery and moxie to your look.

Do you have a favorite?

xoxo,

p

Friday Faves - Summer Reading Look

This week's Friday Fave would work for any body type.

I found this dress at Piperlime this summer when I was in New York

 but you can buy it online and ON SALE!  

Friday Fave - Summer Reading by pambecolorful featuring post earrings

Sam Edelman t bar flat shoes
heels.com

Tory Burch post earrings
nordstrom.com

Charlotte Russe straw fedora hat
charlotterusse.com

The dress is cut in on the shoulders ( giving a leaner look to the upper arm)

 but looks better with a racer back bra. I recommend this one from Soma.

Because it has been cooler here this week I paired the dress with a Tory Burch canvas jacket. To bring an unexpected element to the look I chose to pair it with aqua colored sandals.

Top the look off with a straw fedora and the perfect light summer reading

and this look becomes another Friday Fave.

Have a great weekend.

xoxo,

p

A Call to Arms - Solutions For Those Waving Muscles

It used to be that our thighs were the number one concern on our body issues scale but somewhere along the way our upper arms have become the thing that most women least like about our bodies.
Perhaps it ties in with the whole fitness frenzy where tone and body mass index are more important than the number on our bathroom scale.  We hate the look of  fleshy upper arms so much that we have even taken to giving them graphically descriptive names like bingo wings or waving muscles.

I never used to think about my arms at all then one day, while drying my hair with a blow dryer, I noticed a jiggle and a wiggle waving back at me. CRAP! How did that happen? WHEN did that happen?
I started looking at other women and comparing my arms to theirs. Why do women do this? I could get my masters degree in comparison and body envy.

The arms I most admire belong to Lisa Rinna

I wanted to look like that so I started using resistance weights almost immediately and I have been loyal to my workouts for over a year now. This has definitely helped but my arms will probably never look like they did when I was in my baby and child toting thirties. C'est la vie. Add this to other body issues that I'm slowly coming to terms with.

:D

 In an earlier post on my BeColorful blog I shared a link to the Seven Day Challenge for Summer Arms  - a great set of Youtube videos that offer some easy arm toning exercises with weights that could be done almost anywhere.

Still, even with exercise we may not get the results we would like or we don't have time to wait. We need to look good NOW!

Compounding the matter is the fact that for years the fashion world has ignored our pleas for stylish options with sleeves. Instead they have dismissed our cries for chic options by offering us fugly and matronly looking jackets.

No way. Not good. Step away from this hot mess of a dress. We are not ninety.

 Yes, it's summer and it's hot, so what's a girl to do?  

Maybe we start with what NOT to do. The least flattering sleeve is a probably a short fitted sleeve that stops at the widest part of the upper arm. This can actually make your arm look heavier than it is kind of like a skirt with horizontal stripes wouldn't be the best thing for most hips. It draws attention to the thickest part of your arm.

Instead try going for a three quarter sleeve that conceals the less toned or fuller part of the arm and reveals only the more slender forearm. 

Piperlime

This fools the eye into believing that the upper arm matches what we're showing off.
:D

Another favorite upper arm tamer would be an off the shoulder with an elbow length sleeve.

Ralph Lauren for FreeBuy

Worried about needing a strapless bra? Well, those rules just don't apply anymore. Team this top with a  black bra. A black strap will look like it is part of the top. Or, if you're feeling bold, opt for pink or turquoise and flaunt those pretty straps.

A free flowing sleeve is feminine and flirty and also creates the illusion of a smaller arm.

Banana Republic

Other times nothing other than totally sleeveless will do and surprisingly this look is almost always more attractive than a cap sleeve.

Macy's

Another favorite trick of mine is to wear a top that is cut in at the shoulders, either a halter or racer back. This draws the eye away from the upper arm and toward the shoulder and face.

Nordstrom

Shoulders can be very alluring.

:D

So, don't dread summer and baring your arms. There are a number of flattering options out there that are sexy, youthful and on trend.

Embrace what you have and learn to highlight those assets.

:D

xoxo,

p

Trending - Oxblood Nails

Trending Tuesday 

Oxblood Nail Polish

One of the colors that repeated on the runways for Fall 2013 was Oxblood. It's like a mix of deep burgundy, eggplant purple, and a dark brown.

The designers featured this exotic hue in their clothes, shoes and handbags.

It was also a trending shade for lips and nails and is an easy way for you to update your look this season.

The beautiful thing about this color is that it looks fabulous with fair, medium or dark skin tones and it works if you are in your twenties, eighties, or anywhere in between.

It's an affordable update that is available everywhere.

Mani-pedi anyone?

xoxo,

p