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Home  »  Fashion  »  I’m Not Old, I’m Vintage!
Fashion

I’m Not Old, I’m Vintage!

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Fashion isn’t just for young people, it’s for everyone! Just because you’re not a spring chicken, you don’t have to fall off the fashion band-wagon. My grandmother, Josephine Certo (Jojo) is the most fashion savvy person I know, no joke! Jojo always looks like she stepped off the runway and she’s 90 years old! That proves it, fashion is in my blood and has been passed down to me from grandma Jo. The woman gave me a Chanel wallet for my birthday when I was 8 years old for cryin’ out loud. And what did I do with it? I put my favorite Mickey Mouse pin right through the impeccable leather. If I only knew then what I know now! Below is a picture of Grandma Jojo back in the day.

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With age comes wisdom, yes? This will work to your benefit in the fashion world.
You won’t make those same horrendous mistakes like you did in middle school. I used to wear blueberry scented roll on glitter to class. What was I thinking?!

The secret to looking great at any age is knowing what looks good on you and what doesn’t. You want to accentuate your best features and skillfully cover the imperfections. I think the mistake that most older women make is that they never update their wardrobe and wear items that are simply, just out of date. Instead of going under the knife, give your wardrobe a face-lift ladies! Check out the photo below. The look is simple, but updated.
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1. Dressing younger does not make you look younger! When you’re older, dressing like a 20 year old makes you look older! You don’t want to wear mid-drift bearing ensembles and trendy mini-skirts. Dress your age! But dressing your age does not mean you have to be boring. Look at the woman in the picture below. She may older, but she is totally on trend and looks fabulous!
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2. Celebrity stylist Wayne Scott Lukas advises his older clients not to wear crinkley fabrics by the face. Those fabrics bring out the wrinkles and make you look older. Try smooth fabrics such as cashmere and silks. “Subliminally, wrinkles say ‘wrinkled’ so a crinkley shirt or a rough wool will give those qualities off when you put them near your skin!” See Meryl Streep below. She is wearing a smooth, beautiful red jersey material that just drapes over her body. Stunning! Good job Meryl!
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3. Wear big and bold accessories. Great accessories are a must! They make you stand out and look stylish. Try adding a funky belt, or a statement necklace. Obviously, the two women below look amazing!
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3. Add a POC (pop of color) to your outfit. It’s easy to get caught up in wearing dark colors, especially in the winter time. Break that habit by adding a beautiful scarf to your outfit! Scarves are so popular now and not only look awesome, but keep you warm as well! I found this video below that teaches you how to tie a scarf in 25 different ways! So cool. Make sure you POC daily people!

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4. Say No To Mom Jeans. I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. There is nothing that ages you more than wearing ill fitting jeans. You don’t want to look like this…
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It’s obvious that the women above are doing NOTHING to flatter their figures. Invest in a great pair of jeans that make you feel AND look great. Don’t wear jeans that make you look 10 pounds heavier! There are comfortable jeans out there that will flatter your figure. A common issue women have with finding jeans that fit well is that they are too long or too short. But that is nothing that a good tailor can’t fix. I get my jeans hemmed all the time, and I’m 5’8! But, there usually are petite sizes available, so ask the sales associate at the store. If you’re issue is jeans are too short, then find brands that have “tall” options. Most designer jeans have an inseam of ’36 or ’37 so that’s good news for all the tall gals! In the future, I will write a post about finding the perfect pair of jeans that compliment your body.
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Shopping tip: Darker washed jeans are more flattering. They hide any lumps and bumps and compliment curves.
When it comes to fashion, everyone has the potential to be in the game! All you need to do is throw out the junk and flatter your trunk! If you have any questions or need advice, please feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email.
And that’s my two cents….

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8 Comments

  1. Classy n Chic

    Great article! SO glad you wrote about age appropriate clothing – your points are very true! Loving the Fashion Cents you are offering those in the Saratoga County area. 🙂

    I love your comment specifically on middle aged women showing their bare midriffs! That leads me to pose the question, what are your thoughts when people are revealing too much….in well,,ahem, other areas? I have a friend who does and while it draws attention it unfortunately is the negative kind. I am secretly embarassed for her. Any ideas on how to break the ice without breaking her so called sense of fashion?

    Thanks!

  2. Maura Bannon

    Hi Classy N’ Chic,

    Thank you so much for reading my blog! Your your comments and feedback made my day. 🙂

    I just laughed out loud about your friend. We all have friends like that who like to show what they got! Even if it’s a little too much.

    This is what I would do if I were you. I would start a conversation with her about fashion. Tell her that you think “less is more.” When you reveal too much of your body, it does not leave much for the imagination. Instead of people focusing on your beautiful face, eyes, whatever, they are focusing on one thing and it ain’t on your head. Next time you’re shopping and she picks out something over the top, suggest she tries on something more conservative and tell her she looks amazing in it! I would suggest a “wrap dress” for someone with a larger chest. They compliment curves, rather than exposing too much.

    It’s never easy to tell someone close to you that you don’t like what they are wearing, but honesty is the best policy. I tell my friends all the time that they shouldn’t wear things. Just last week I threw out my friends scarf that looked like a hair scrunchie…and she still loved me afterwards!

    Be brave Classy N Chic!

    • Nick Certo

      Hi Maura:

      You mom sent me the link to your blog. It fun reading it. I’m not a blog reader, so I am unfamiliar with techniques. But, I liked the casual tone of it. It made it easy to read and held my interest. Good luck with it. Blogging seems to be the way into journalism these days.

      And, thanks for the picture. I hadn’t seen that in many years. It was taken in 1955 when your Uncle Peter had his 1st communion. He was 7; I was 6; JoJo was 33; dad was 38.

      Best regards,
      Uncle Nick

  3. Nancy

    Great blog, Maura!! I love it!! I want to link to my blog, http://www.modernquiltguild.blogspot.com. I like the accessories the women are wearing, and I LOVE that first sweater with the cool boots and that awesome bag!! My only issue is finding jeans that work with an older (read: fat) body. The low cut jeans are very uncomfortable for women my age – we grew up with pants up to our waists, and when I wear lower jeans, I always feel that my pants are falling off. Plus, unless you have a very flat stomach, with many moms don’t have, the jeans cut right into your stomach. Uncomfortable!! Do you have a solution??? i will check back!!
    Peace,
    Nancy

    • Maura Bannon

      Hi Nancy! Thanks for reading!

      Finding a pair of jeans can be a toughie. The most important aspect of buying jeans is buying the right size. Don’t buy a smaller size because it makes you feel better. In the end you’ll just feel uncomfortable and too tight of clothing makes you look bigger.

      Straight cut jeans look good on women under 5’4 and boot cut is ideal for women over 5’4. There definitely are modern jean styles in higher rises. Check out this website: http://www.jny.com/Denim/22962160,default,sc.html

      This denim line is made to slim older women’s booty’s. Shake it sista!

      I hope this helps!

      -M

  4. Maura Bannon

    Hello Uncle Nick!

    I am glad you enjoyed my blog! Thank you for reading it! You are so welcome for the picture. It’s one of my favorites. You and Uncle Peter look so angelic…how the times change! Haha. Glad the picture brought back good memories!

    Tell the family I said hello! Miss you all.

    Love,

    Maura

  5. Brendon Chessher

    This is the best blog for anyone who desires to find out about this topic. You notice so much its nearly onerous to argue with you (not that I truly would want…HaHa). You undoubtedly put a brand new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, simply nice!

    • Maura Bannon

      Brendon,

      You have good taste in blogs! Haha. Thank you for your wonderful comments, makes me feel great! I love writing this blog and I am glad that you enjoy reading it. Make sure you keep reading and keep the comments coming! I appreciate them very much! If there are any topics that you’re interested in, let me know and I’ll write about it!

      Fashionably yours,

      -M