Susanne Ackstaller (53) is a journalist, blogger and copywriter who lives in Germany and documents her outfits on her blog, Texterella, where she wants to inspire women of all ages and sizes to celebrate life and have fun with fashion. Susanne loves bright colours, stripes, and bold patterns. She complements her polished, Modern Classic style with a trendy blunt ear-length bob, and bright red lipstick that is trademark Susanne.
“My style certainly became more expressive and colourful over the last years. In the past I used to wear a lot of black and went for more pragmatic and practical clothes especially when my children were younger. Now I love bright colours: Classic red (especially when it comes to accessories and shoes), deep blue, strong green or yellow. This Winter season I am all into purple! My looks are far from modest, in fact I love to go a bit over the top! I am not willing to hide just because I am over 50! And why should I? I am in favour of pro-ageing instead of anti-ageing. Recently I discovered my love for vintage and second-hand, “pre-loved” clothes. No need to buy everything new…”
What a fantastic juxtaposition of dressy shirt and skirt with casual sneakers! Susanne’s A-line skirt with bold floral pattern in stunning colours is the star of the show here. Doesn’t it look like a wonderful work of art! She’s tucked in a white button-down and scrunched the sleeves for a relaxed touch. The red on-trend belt accentuates her waistline and echoes the red in the skirt. So do her playful hoop earrings. Our blogger’s low-top sneakers come out to play again, cleverly repeating the white, red, and blue in the rest of her outfit. A gold chain bracelet, happy lipstick and sunnies complete the look.
Metallics for the win! Susanne dresses up blue jeans with a white button-down and silver jacket. The flowy tunic-style shirt adds drapey volume, while the skinny jeans streamline the look. The statement moto style topper adds refined bling and loads of visual interest. Cuffing the jeans showcases our blogger’s well-chosen footwear: sparkly bow-adorned pumps in a gold and silver mix that doesn’t match the jacket but complements it brilliantly. Dangly earrings continue the sparkly gold theme. Susanne finishes off this polished casual look with a unique colourful chain-strap bag with diagonal stripes and her trademark bright red lipstick.
This is a fun example of Angie’s full-length flares & sneakers formula. Our blogger is a big fan of both bright red and stripes, and here they come together marvelously. Susanne is sporting an untucked black and white striped tee and tomato red drapey trousers. The tee’s square neckline and mix of horizontal and vertical stripes is flattering on a fuller bust. Adding a wide fabric belt in the same red as the trousers creates an interesting optical illusion effect. Low-top white sneakers give the look a sporty touch. They have a thin blue and red stripe that ties in with the rest of the colour palette. A small neckerchief bookends the red trousers, as does Susanne’s lippy.
A cosy Winter outfit with tons of pizzazz. Susanne is sporting blue skinny jeans with a cream turtleneck sweater. For a topper, she’s picked a classic wool camel coat in a collarless style that works great with the turtleneck. She then brings her favourite red into the mix by means of a sassy pair of high-heeled tall boots. A happy and bold choice. Susanne bookends the boots with a jaunty red beret that looks marvelous with her hairstyle. The chunky cable-knit jumper, soft fabric of the coat and leather footwear create lots of textural interest. Finally, she adds an extra bit of blue with a scarf tied to her travel bag.
When asked which items she is looking forward to wearing the most this Fall/Winter, Susanne said:
“Probably my favourite trend is skinnies tucked into boots! A style I already loved during the past two Winter seasons but only now seems to be popular again. Maybe I am a trend scout? Also, I re-discovered various shades of purple especially in combination with beige and nude tones. And not to forget checked trousers, which instantly get me in good mood! I love pairing them with classic cashmere sweaters in Winter.”
Susanne had been longingly looking at tulle skirts, but was worried people might find it silly on a fifty-something woman with a fuller figure. When she finally pulled the trigger on this dreamy little number, she felt elated and wondered why she’d waited this long. The light grey full skirt has an anthracite underlayer that makes it unique, and creates extra visual interest. The striped Breton tee casualizes the look and brings a pattern into the mix. Leave it to colour-loving Susanne to dress it up with a bright yellow topper and red shoes. The cropped jacket works well with the full skirt, and the rounded lapels bring softness to the look. Our blogger’s elegant pointy-toe slingbacks lengthen the leg line when wearing a midi. Three vintage brooches add retro flair.
Susanne’s love for bright red accents continues in this Sporty Luxe outfit she wore for a day of sightseeing. She’s paired stretchy tapered trousers in a grey check with a fluid-fit taupe mock neck sweater with high-low hemline. The taupe complements the trendy tuxedo stripe on the trousers, as does the stripe on the taupe sneakers. The ribbed detailing on the sweater creates a bit of structure and visual interest. Red leather gloves add warmth when needed, and match Susanne’s small crossbody and signature red beret. Her trademark red lipstick is all that’s needed to complete the look.
I’m looking forward to hearing what you think of Susanne’s marvelous style. Let us know in the comments, and be sure to browse the rest of her fab outfits on her blog.
* All photos by Martina Klein MK Pictures, except for 4th photo (by Simone Naumann Fotografie).