Barbara DesChamps
Barbara DesChamps is a personal image consultant and the author of two books, It’s In The Bag: The Complete Guide to Lightweight Travel and It’s In The Bag: Your Custom Business and Travel Wardrobe.
As a woman over 60, personal image consultant Barbara offers style advice to readers of Retirement Life Matters.
By Barbara DesChamps
One: Find your best colors, the ones that make your skin glow and your eyes sparkle. Those old systems based on seasons or times of day were simplistic and didn’t handle changes in hair color. You are unique. I use about 100 color cards to create a list for you. Now I can do this over the internet with digital photos. Wearing your best colors near your face will take attention away from figure problems.
Two: Your clothing should be appropriate for your lifestyle and occupation. Many suits worn in Hollywood or in the fashion industry would seem out of place in banking or aerospace. Study the well-dressed people where you live and travel and make surreptitious notes before spending a lot of money on clothes.
Three: Acceptable colors and styles vary by location. There is a long chapter in _It’s In The Bag: Your Custom Business and Travel Wardrobe_ that addresses clothing protocol worldwide.
Four: Make a plan. Once you know the right colors and styles, it’s time to design your wardrobe. Start with the major items: For women, a water-repellant coat, preferably with a hood; waterproof boots which can be worn with both slacks and skirts; mid-heel pumps with cushion insoles, and a waterproof briefcase large enough to hold those pumps, along with your business materials. Add color-compatible suits, separates and accessories. Aim for order and balance. Starting with a good plan and buying the larger pieces before the smaller ones will save you much time and money and avoid orphan items in your closet.
Five: Fit is important. The most expensive suit in the world will look terrible if it doesn’t fit properly. Expensive jackets are usually cut to a better shape than cheap ones. Sometimes a jacket will look much better and more expensive if the waist is nipped in. Find a tailor or seamstress or learn how to do basic alterations. If fitted jackets are not a good style for you, try less-constructed styles. I can help you find your best styles via the internet with digital photos.
Six: Shop smartly. The book has a long chapter titled Shop or Sew? It discusses shopping in various types of stores and which items are cost-effective in each for the woman over 60. It also has detail style advice on taking along color swatches and measurements so you don’t waste time trying on items that are hopeless or having to return them.
To learn more about Barbara DesChamps, visit her website at http://www.chateaupublishing.com
Other Fashion Tips Articles:
How to be Stylish From Head-to-Toe
Fashion on a Budget For Women over 50
Look Stylish in Middle Age and Beyond
Women in Their 50s Look Stylish
How to be Stylish For Women Over 50
Fashion Advice For Building a Functional Holiday Wardrobe
The Top Items Women Over 50 Should Have in Their Wardrobe
Dress Your Age: Fashion for the Mature Woman
Fashion Tips the Woman Over 50 Can Make to Improve Her Image