HOW TO LOOK GREAT IN A DRESS

Dresses made a major resurgence a few seasons back and being a fan of one step dressing I welcomed their return. However they've been a disappointment. They look great on the rack and I grab armfuls to try on, only to find that when I do their attractiveness vanishes. They just hang and are not at all flattering. Many friends my age voice the same opinion and it got me to thinking.

Back in the nineties and late eighties, dresses were the mainstay of my wardrobe and I recall no problem with the fit. So what's different? As I stood in the dressing room fussing with a dress tugging at the hem, lifting it at the shoulder, and tying the belt in different places, I suddenly knew; it needed shoulder pads. I'm not talking those mammoth Dynasty ones here just a moderate pad that helps give a garment shape and affects the way it fits and hangs. As we grow older most of us, despite time spent at the gym and maintaining a constant weight still tend to get a bit round shouldered which can throw our bodies out of proportion. A shoulder pad can work wonders. Why do you think they never banished them from men's wear?

Michelle Obama's Style Trick

Michelle Obama appeared Tuesday night looking elegant and comfortable in a simple purple silk jersey dress (I'm guessing about the fabric) I don't know who her stylist is or even if she has one but it was the perfect choice for her curvaceous body. Accessorized with a wide black belt it was flattering and sexy with out being clingy.
I know from experience that a woman with an hourglass figure runs the risk of looking broad in the hips in such a dress. The only way to avoid that pitfall is simple, but not widely known. I stumbled upon the solution after spending an inordinate amount of time in front of the mirror performing all sort of contortions. The trick is to raise the waistline of the dress an inch or so above the natural waistline so that the fabric flows over the hips rather than jutting straight out, which emphasizes them. In Michelle's case the dress was belted just a bit above her natural waistline defining it.
She looked great, a woman confident in her body and in her dress. I'll be watching her wardrobe choices closely.

SEXY AFTER 60?

I don't know about you but I've had a hard time finding clothes lately. The stores are chock full of sleeveless flowing styles that warrant I appraise my arms with a more critical eye. Empire waists remind me of all those months spent pregnant and the cinched waist with a full skirt has a retro look better suited to my granddaughter. So what' s a woman over 60 to do? Don't laugh but I've even given fleeting thought to the sari that Indian women, no matter what their age, wear with such elegance.
I want elegance but with an edge that I'll not find at Ellen Tracy, Ann Klein and the rest of the group aimed at my demographic. It looks as if I'm out of luck for summer but fall is another story. Coutorture.com just showed a photo shoot of Diane Von Furstenberg's fall collection. She knows what we want and she designs clothes that are sexy in understated elegant way. Her clothes are body conscious , but not clingy, the colors vibrant but not garish. She knows what flatters a woman's body regardless of size. One trick she shows repeatedly is a cardigan or jacket open but belted over a floaty dress, skirt or relaxed pants The belts she uses are about one half inch wide and work whether you want to show off or just define your waist. I picked up a terrific copy of the gold one in Filene's just the other day. Even if you can't afford the clothes, you can try to replicate this flattering look. Log on to Coutorture and see what I mean.