We’re excited to re-feature Beth Djalali from Style at a Certain Age, who was first featured here in August 2015. Beth is having a ball with fashion, and continues to rock both colourful and neutral outfits. She isn’t afraid of pattern, has a soft spot for preppy touches, and combines Modern Classic and on-trend pieces to put together her elegant, polished and chic looks. Her dramatic silver ‘do and fabulous jewellery collection are also very much “signature Beth.”
“As far as my style evolution, my classic style doesn’t change all that much from year to year. That’s what I love best about classic style — it’s timeless and ageless. But I do keep one eye on trends and incorporate them into my wardrobe to stay fresh and modern. Accessories are an easy way to do just that.”
Beth loves colour and built this outfit around a pencil skirt with whimsical leaves and lemons print that is perfect for Spring. Pattern-mixing the skirt with a striped Breton tee makes it extra fun, and adds the preppy touch that our blogger enjoys. Tucking the tee showcases the yellow grosgrain ribbon detail on the skirt’s waistband. Her olive utility jacket works well with the dark sage leaf pattern of the skirt. The jacket features a drawstring which helps define the waistline. Suede flat slides in yellow echo the lemons in the skirt. A gray-green bag with tan handles ties everything together. Beth finishes things off with bright raspberry lipstick, mint earrings and assorted bangles.
For after-hours casual chic outfits like this one, Beth likes to fall back on a tried-and-tested style formula of dark denim + silk blouse + blazer. For her French evening class she’s wearing dark-wash straight-leg jeans with an ivory silk blouse. Leaving the blouse untucked adds a relaxed touch, which is a nice juxtaposition against the dressy, tailor-made jacket. The gorgeous jacket has a Chanel vibe, which Beth cleverly plays up even more by pairing it with a multi-strand pearl necklace. Adding an on-trend statement brooch in beautiful blues further emphasizes the Chanel vibe. Patent pointy-toe pumps in blush add subtle sheen. A classic satchel, bright lipstick, and Beth’s trademark silver ‘do are the polished finishing touches.
Pairing white with caramel feels fresh for Spring, as does combining a blazer with Bermuda shorts. Beth is sporting dressy, above-the-knee Bermuda shorts with self-fabric belt that can be tied in different ways. Tucking the sleeveless cotton shirt showcases the waistband and belt. The shirt’s stand-up collar works well with the blazer lapels and draws the eye to our blogger’s beautiful short hair. Adding an elegant, single-breasted blazer in crisp white further dresses up the outfit. Dainty wedge sandals in tan lengthen the leg line. Beth’s two-toned satchel echoes the colours of the outfit perfectly. Chandelier earrings and her signature lippy provide a touch of glam.
Beth’s Fridays with Oscar (her German shepherd) blog posts are among my favourites, and this is polished casual at its best. I’m not surprised these bright pink gingham trousers appealed to our blogger’s preppy gene. Aren’t they delightful! Beth has paired the ankle-length pants with a crisp white shirt and navy crew neck sweater with hand-embroidered crabs and anchors. The whimsical, nautical-inspired embroidery picks up the pink in the trousers. Flat white sandals bookend the Modern Classic shirt. Pink nail polish and lipstick complement the statement trousers perfectly.
Every year Beth goes shopping for an Easter dress, and this time she came home with this chic Karl Lagerfeld Paris sheath dress from Dillard’s. The mint green tweed is unusual, and looks marvelous on our blogger. The fringe around the arms and V-neckline are signature Chanel, and the pattern is repeated in the skinny belt with fun tassel detail that accentuates Beth’s waistline. The pleated front is an elegant design detail, while the flattering above-the knee length elongates the leg line. So do the refined pointy-toe pumps with dainty bow-ties. A simple, elegant black satchel, gold floral clip-on earrings, and arm candy in black and gold pick up the black trim in the dress.
Another polished casual look, in neutral colours this time. A pattern, like the polka dots on this breezy black and ivory popover shirt, is a great way to create visual interest. Beth has tucked the shirt into high-rise cropped jeans, and jazzes up the look with a wide black belt with oversized silver buckle. I love that she found a knitted, tie-front gilet with contrast tipping. This sophisticated topper cleverly echoes the colours of the shirt. The animal print slingback flats with black tips add extra polish and are an easy way to do a bit of pattern-mixing. A stack of silver bangles, silver hoop earrings and a simple black bag are all that’s needed to complete this polished look.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of Beth’s marvelous outfits. Let us know in the comments, and be sure to browse the rest of her elegant and polished looks on Style at a Certain Age.
