Ask Angie: Does this dress work? What about the boots & jackets? - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: Does this dress work? What about the boots & jackets?

ElleH

Veteran

This is for anyone interested not just Angie. There are a few questions. Firstly does this dress work for my body & age. Secondly which boots look best? I like the color matching of the black & tan ones & generally love the boots, though I do love both, but do the solid tan ones make my legs look longer? Do the color blocked ones make my legs more stumpy or is it OK?

Also do any of the denim jackets look OK with the dress or is it too much of a 1:1 ratio? I haven't removed tags from the jackets & am trying to decide whether to keep any of them, maybe both, even if they don't look good with this dress necessarily. The white one is a Lucky Brand extra small & the only one available so I can't get a bigger size. It doesn't close without pulling but does that matter? Is it good to be able to button it sometimes?
I tried the white AE & it sits funny on the body.

The denim one is AE but I have since purchased a Levis one that I think is better but I haven't got pics yet. I will post all the denim jackets in a new thread with different outfits but thought I might as well post these since I have them.

Thanks so much to Angie & everyone!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fcb.....eOGmZ9Qs9_

Dressing

54 replies

Latest reply was from Janet

Thistle

Veteran

I really like the dress on you. I think it is very flattering.

I don't know your style, but I don't like it paired with either set of boots. Maybe knee high riding boots instead? Maybe booties?

I like the denim jacket, just not sure it looks right with the dress. That is what my eye tells me, though I can't tell you why. Maybe someone more knowledgable will know, or I am just blind!

JR

Veteran

Elle, I don't know how old you are, so I don't know if it's a fit for your age or not. It does have a youthful vibe to it, although a shirt-dress is so classic that it's not really that much of an issue. This particular dress doesn't seem to fit you perfectly across the back though. How important is that to you? If you plan on keeping it for years, it would be better to wait for a perfect fit. On the other hand, if it's relatively inexpensive, and you just want to wear it into the ground for a year or two AND if you're comfortable in it, then it might not matter too much.

The tan boots do give a longer line, but your legs are so slender, I don't find the black boots make you look bad. On me it would be a whole other story...

To my eye, the denim jackets work just fine.

ElleH

Veteran

Thanks ladies

Thistle I like cowgirl looks, not with a hat & daisy dukes that is too costumey but I like the boots, mostly with dresses, sometimes with skinny jeans tucked in but that reminds me too much of the 80s most times. I think what looks unattractive to yours & my eyes is the ratio with the jacket & dress below the jacket being the same length 1:1 instead of 1:2. A 1:2 ratio would mean a more cropped jacket is required but these are the most cropped I've been able to find. They hit my natural waist.

JR, the dress is loose on me but has a belt that ties & I think I tied it too tight creating the fabric riding up at the back. I can tie it looser. I'm not sure if that is what you meant. Also the waist does not hit where it should on my natural waist as I am long waisted. I have no idea what it costs to have clothes custom made but it's hard to find anything that hits my waist where it should. I already own this dress but am doing a purge so I may have a lot of posts for you ladies to help me decide what to keep. I am 46 & hate telling anyone with this question, even though I asked the question lol, not because I'm ashamed of my age, I tell everyone and they are always surprised, but because of bias people might have as to what one "shouldn't wear at their age".

Mo

(website)

Veteran

IMO, it skews a little young paired like this. But that's just my opinion. I'm 42, but still get carded (just this morning actually!) so I understand the age part not being a concrete dealbreaker. I recently got rid of a dress that I felt fine in at 41, but not this year. It's very individual.

jayne

Veteran

so adorable. The dress is great and your legs are fab. I think it works with both boots and with the jacket. How about a bit of bling up near your face?

Thistle

Veteran

Some thoughts o. Age appropriate that I liked
http://notdressedaslamb.blogsp.....riate.html

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

The proportions of the denim jackets look great to my eye! I do find the dress a little juvenile and "girly" for 46. It's that tiny puffy sleeve with the length and style of skirt. Of course, this is subjective and you are welcome to disagree. I like both pairs of boots though. They work really well.

Btw, being carded has little to do with how old people think you look. My 79 year old Dad gets carded. CLEARLY he is over 21. It's policy to see ID in some places.

ElleH

Veteran

Thanks Jayne!

And THANKS Thistle. YLF & other sites are meant to help & they DO but...they have also caused me to doubt myself & my choices due to age & body type. I love that link. It is what I have thought exactly so let me remove any question on age appropriate for this thread & only keep the other questions. I think occasions are important when choosing what is appropriate. I'm self employed, live in Los Angeles, where celebrities older than me wear whatever they want & look fab & I'm in a very creative part of LA. Madonna is 54! I live in Topanga, which is a hippy, artist, bohemian, stuck in the 60s & 70s vibe. I think my fashion persona is 70s bohemian/cowgirl/rocker. I used to be urban rocker when I lived in Hollywood (which is the rocker area more than celebrity area of LA for those who don't live here the celebs are more in Beverly Hills)

I do travel & change my style accordingly. When I'm in NY I wear more city style clothing, still with a rocker edge but not bohemian. I have visible tattoos, blurred for these pics, so I'm never going to look conservative unless I'm covered to my wrists, like in the winter.

In winter I'm less bohemian as I prefer skinny jeans & boots in wet weather so I pair that with sweaters or long sleeve shirts & blazer or leather jacket. I don't need coats all the time here but own a few for travel.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

We posted at the same time

ElleH

Veteran

Thanks Angie, I think I agree that the poofy sleeves are a little juvenile & despite my rebellion against age appropriate guidelines I don't feel drawn to poofy sleeves. I do like this shape of dress for my body & they often have these sleeves but not always. I need to apply the 3 Ps in future when shopping. The length of the dress enables me to wear boots. Remember your post on showing the knee with boots. I'm glad you like both boots!

ElleH

Veteran

I love your honesty Angie. That is why I post here:)

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Hee hee Angie! I know, I'm a bartender I remember my mom getting carded at a club with me and her license was expired so they didn't serve her - so silly! I have fun with it when it happens at places I know don't 'need' to card me. This was the grocery store I go to every week, but I hit a different shift and they don't know me. FL seems particularly lax in carding, compared to CA, so it's always a little fun when it happens. FWIW, we card those who look under 40 at the pub I worked at in Tahoe.

Elle, I totally get the rebelling against 'rules' but sometimes you just know when it's time to retire an item.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I like these looks. They have a timeless cowgirl vibe that I could totally see working in LA. I lived in Hollywood for years myself, I get what you are saying. I like both pairs of cowboy boots. But have a definite preference for the blue denim jacket.

I wonder, have you tried wearing the black and tan boots with black knee socks? It's got an alternative vibe to it that I really like. Plus it fakes a tall boot, but is straight forward about faking if that makes any sense. I have seen this with tall boots, but with some inches of knee sock peeking above and for some inexplicable reason I love this look. Just wondering how it would look with calf-high cowboy boots.

I agree the rules for age appropriate are really different in LA especially Hollywood. I was there for 20 years, it has completely informed my style. I am now 54. I wear a lot of things that aren't traditional for women in their 50s.

ElleH

Veteran

Thanks CocoLion! I will try the socks & for getting the whole LA thing.

Angie is right again! Thats why she does this for a living I guess. Thanks:)

Now re-reading what Angie wrote & thinking about why I asked the age appropriate question in the first place (it didn't feel right on me anymore) I have to agree with Angie about this dress. The sleeves on a knee length sheath might be ok but on this dress with shape etc it does look young. I want to find a way to look like a cowgirl without trying to look like Taylor Swift who's look would feel too young for me on me.

Gaylene

Veteran

Well, I see this look on some of my young (18+) year old students in my class because short, "girly" dresses with cowboy boots are quite popular in this area so I agree with Angie that it is a young look.

That said, I was surprised when you mentioned your age, because, in the pictures, I'd have thought you were much younger. So, if your preference is to look like you are still in your twenties because of your environment, then this outfit would do that.

But, I'd also like to mention that age-appropriate dressing is something many of us on the forum embrace wholeheartedly because we find a style evolution to be much more exciting than remaining with looks we wore when we were younger. So, to us, age-appropriate means developing a more sophisticated, bolder, and edgier style that seems more in tune with our lives.

JR

Veteran

Elle, you seriously look much younger, at least as well as I can judge without the face.

Yes, LA is its own world and plays by its own rules. But I think when it comes to age-appropriate, we take not only our environment and its rules into account, but our personality, our face, our body. What works on one woman might look ludicrous on another. And I do like Gaylene's point a lot; the opposite of youthful is not necessarily "old", it is also mature and confident and very, very glad of the richness of our life experience. If you no longer feel comfortable with the style of this dress, it might be because it doesn't reflect that reality very well.

My own guidelines are that I do not want to look like an old lady trying to look like a young lady, nor do I want to look like an old lady trying to look like an old lady. I want to look like someone who is both mature and enthusiastic, who knows who she is and where she's been but who is not afraid to stretch and grow.

ElleH

Veteran

I think this particular dress looks young for all the reasons Angie mentioned but I love cowboy boots & have 5 pairs & I prefer them with dresses because with shorts I'm daisy duke & with skinny jeans too Guns & Roses & with bootlegs you don't see them. So I will give up this dress & find better ones to wear them with. I almost wore cowboy boots with my wedding dress last year but changed from a rustic location to a Beverly Hills location so went glam instead.

I like the link Thistle posted on occasion appropriate rather than age appropriate. I also take location into account, as in NY vs LA or even Hollywood vs Topanga, Brooklyn vs Lower East Side vs Upper East side. I don't think I'm TRYING to look young. I just think I didn't feel I looked too young before now. I don't have kids & in LA we don't change that much unless our life dictates it. I don't go to baby showers, school events playdates, job interviews etc.

I agree with JR what looks good on one person may not look good on another but that is based on wrinkles or not, cellulite or not, flab or not, rolls or not, varicose veins or not & then of course the occasion. I don't mean to offend anyone by mentioning some of the things we may not like about our bodies but I think these play a part when deciding what looks good at our age. btw I don't think certain clothes suit even young people who have some of these body conditions. I see 16 year olds in short shorts who don't look fab because of their weight. I never show cleavage if I can help it but I don't like that on 20 year olds either. I do show leg but I don't have the above mentioned things that I think some women try to cover up. I also don't wear studs or rhinestones anymore but still wear a leather jacket, as does Angie who is not much younger than me.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Alright the text is way too painful to read and boots are shorter than yours, but I like this look

http://www.iredtags.com/black-dress-cowboy-boots/

I found it doing a google images search "cowboy boots and dresses"

ElleH

Veteran

Annagybe I love that look but judging by the opinions on age appropriate dressing I imagine that I would be told it is too young for me

I will probably give everyone a coronary with this look below. Mutton anyone?

OK all jokes aside is the t-shirt too tight to wear with the shorts?

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Mo

(website)

Veteran

I like Anna's link - I think the looseness and drape of the dress make a difference.

ElleH

Veteran

btw, do denim jackets need to be able to button? When I find them to fit in a way that looks good on my body they are too tight across the bust.

MsMary

Veteran

I'm about Denise's age and I live in L.A., too. I will wear almost anything, but the one time I've felt like I was dressed to young, it was in a puffy-sleeved, low-cut blouse. YMMV.

As for the shorts and tee, without your face showing you look like a very young girl. Not just the outfit, but also the hair. If your face is youthful, then I think it's fine if it's appropriate for the occasion. But I always worry about being a "1661" -- looking 16 from the back and 61 from the front! I tend to think an aging face with a super youthful outfit is aging, even if you have the body for it. You also have to watch out that you don't keep wearing the same clothes you've always worn, even though they still fit. And forgive me, and I say this with a ton of love and respect, but the shorts outfit looks like what we wore in the 70s, especially with the fringed bag.

On the other hand, here are a bunch of 1661s who wear the label proudly: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....front.html

ElleH

Veteran

MaryK I don't look old in the face at all & I want to look like the 70s. It's a retro look I love! I live in a place where we have music festivals & everyone looks like they are at Woodstock.

I didn't dress like this 10 years or even 5 years ago, though I did still dress young, because my tastes change but I guess what doesn't change is my youthful spirit & thank god not my face either yet.

I agree that an old face on a young fit body looks odd when dressed too young. I don't have that face yet.

The women in the link you sent me do look too old from the front. I don't look like them. I may when I'm 61 but that's a long time away.

JR

Veteran

Well, the bag and shorts seem to be quite on trend. I think you look good like that, because you have the body to pull it off. But MaryK does have a point. If your face looks much older than the rest of you, the contrast will draw attention to the age of your face, and actually end up with the youthful clothes making you look older rather than younger. I suspect you probably have the face to pull this look off successfully.

Anonymous

Are those Frye campus boots? I have my mother's from the 1970s and they look dead ringers for those. I actually think you have a kind of Rae look going on.

ElleH

Veteran

Ceit they are Frye Campus boots, as well as having a love for cowboy boots I love Fryes & own about 5 pairs. I also own 2 pairs of Minnetonka fringe moccasins. What can I say? I'm a retro bohemian. Everyone points out the houses around here or mentions that they live in what used to be Neil Young's house or one of "the Doors". I guess we don't want to move out of an era that we love.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

How about the Sundance Catalog. Their whole aesthetic seems to fit, eg

http://www.sundancecatalog.com.....y=ourPicks

Gaylene

Veteran

Elle, you have a lovely shape and I'd be the first person to tell you not to hide that gorgeous body, regardless of your age. Personally, I don't think the T-shirt is too tight and, with the shorts and accessories, looks fine.

But, I guess my point is that age-appropriate dressing has nothing to do not showing off one's well-toned body. If anything, it's more fun now because I finally can wear a very fitted dress with cleavage, heels, and serious jewelry in a way that I couldn't when I was younger because now I have the confidence not to let that dress upstage me. That to me is what differentiates sophisticated-sexy from youthful-sexy.

What I love about this forum is looking at any number of women who are 40+ who wear bikinis, body-conscious garments, leather jackets, and the latest trends in a way that totally suits them. Age-appropriate dressing is NOT about hiding cellulite, varicose veins, and flab in baggy clothing.

ElleH

Veteran

Gaylene I guess what I meant about cellulite & flab is that I see 16 year olds wear short shorts that do not look fab because they are very overweight or women of any age, including young, showing too much cleavage which looks unfab to me. I also think a too sexy or tight top looks unfab with shorts or mini skirts at any age, hence my question about the t-shirt. So for me it isn't always an age question, though those pics of 16 at the back, 61 at the front do look unfab to me. They do look too old so there are looks that look too young. I just don't think any of you would say my clothes are too young unless I told you my age. I don't post pics of my face because I don't want my clients to see me having such self doubt as what I seem to post here.

A relationship therapist when asked by someone (not me) about the age appropriateness of their mate said if the aztecs never invented the calendar it wouldn't be an issue. My husband is 9 years older than me yet I don't feel he is too old as he has a youthful spirit. I am not interested in younger men as they are not sophisiticated enough, haven't experienced enough life & traveled etc (with many exceptions of course) Now someone else might prefer what a younger or older partner brings to a relationship.

btw my husband wears skinny & straight leg jeans & converse. He is a musician & we are both just not ready to feel like what would be old fogies to us. He does not look like those guys on Sunset Strip though who still wear what they wore in the 90s.

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