Every Day Outfits - Casual and Work

My work wear look is mainly constructed around "statement shirts" with boots that match or contrast with them, and a skirt or trousers and cardigan in neutrals. 

The shirt above was in the sale at the Bias-Cut.com. I love the colour combination, particularly with the green sleeves and the yellow stripe around the collar and cuffs which co-ordinates perfectly with my yellow boots  (Sainsbury's, 2018). It's too cold in our brutally air conditioned office to wear a shirt on its own so I wore it with my green poncho.

Something about January makes me reach for sequins to bring some light into the dreary days. I have long espoused sequins for day time. If you need reminding, have a read of these:  Sequins for Summer; Sequins for Daytime.

Above is a red sequin number.  The cardigan was a Christmas present. I sized up in this Boden cropped cashmere cardi, choosing a large. In spring and summer I like to wear a colourful cropped cardi buttoned up over a pencil style skirt, but in winter I prefer a black cardigan for warmth and like it to be a bit longer, but not as long as a "standard" cardigan which can look a bit ageing.  A cropped style doesn't work so well with a  longer asymmetric skirt. 

I love how the green thrifted necklace adds even more bling to the outfit, while the snakeskin neoprene boots add some interest. 

Sometimes on a bitterly cold day a big cosy jumper (sweater) is required. This one came from Tesco, so yes, fast fashion, but I've worn it a lot and will continue to wear it over the next few winters, so I'm not feeling bad about it. A large shapeless jumper can swamp me so I added a belt, and the trousers are my faithful old "Rupert Bears" from the early 90s.  I love the rucksack, it was another Christmas present and came from Marks and Spencer.  It has a zip round the top of the rucksack so that nasty hands can't reach into the bag while my back is (literally) turned, always a fear when you're in a busy city like London.

Here's another way of making a baggy jumper/sweater slightly more workable.  This one was a purchase last winter. I did the side tuck.  Adding soft ankle boots in the same colour as the jeans makes my short legs look longer.  With the gold boots below, it's more apparent the jeans are too short.

How do I look good in casual wear?

One of the most frequently asked questions by women over 50 is: what to wear for casual, every day use. I used to struggle with this, tending to wear functional not fashionable, athleisure and my hiking sweatshirts.  My recipe now is to have a few tee shirts which you like, and wear them with jeans and a loose cashmere jumper or cardigan and interesting boots.

Cheap colourful t-shirts are not the solution - they don't flatter and they don't wash very well, losing their shape very quickly. So I spend a little more on t-shirts, preferably made of organic cotton. The t-shirt above came from eBay - I also have a couple the same from Ted Baker "Wake me for champagne" and a lovely black one with a space motif from The Bias Cut.

Still time to complete the Is This Mutton? survey

If you haven't done it yet, there's still time to make your thoughts count in the annual Is This Mutton? survey of women over the age of 50.

Head over to the survey where you'll find questions around your attitude to grey/gray hair, how you feel about telling people your age, and which garment terrifies you the most - a bikini, a mini skirt or leather trousers. Or all three. The results will be shared next Wednesday, and I can tell you they're quite surprising.

Sharing this post with Claire Justine, #iwillwearwhatiwant at Not Dressed as Lamb, Top of the World Style at High Latitude Style, Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style,  Turning Heads Tuesday at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish; Style with a Smile at Stylesplash; Chic & Stylish at Mummabstylish, Linkup on the Edge at Shelbee on the Edge, Red Carpet Link Up at Glamadventure, Muttonstyle, Fancy Friday at Nancy's Fashion Style #BloggerClubUK or #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings Thursday Moda at Elegance and Mommyhood

Now it's time for #WowOnWednesday, the weekly link-up for readers to find new blogs to enjoy and bloggers to grow their audience.

Last week's most clicked was Before and After Colour Analysis by Pamela from Style Yourself Confident. I am a great advocate of colour analysis because it makes a huge difference to your life, and shopping habits, if you find the shades which suit you. I wrote here about my experiences with colour analysis. 

My favourite post was by Amber from The Hungry Mountaineer: How to be At Your Fashionable Best while On Holiday in Goa. I love Amber's sense of fun and the way her joy of travel - and life- shines through in her writing.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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