On Glam Up Your Lifestyle, Germany-based Claudia Steinlein (51) writes about fashion, beauty and lifestyle for the 40+ woman. Her relatable style is casual and on trend with the occasional tomboy and Sporty Luxe touch. Our blogger loves a pendant necklace and prefers uncomplicated silhouettes with few layers. She likes to remix favourite pieces, adores stripes and above-the-knee skirts and dresses. Her modern asymmetric bob and trademark bright red lipstick bring polish to her outfits.

“I found my basic style a couple of years ago and I call it easy chic. The only thing that’s changing are little details.”

This is a fab example of the on trend long cosy cardigan. Claudia picked one in a vivid blue that pops against the neutrals layered underneath. Pairing an unstructured piece like this with rolled skinnies and a tucked shirt streamlines the look. The stone shirt and jeans are low contrast, which creates a long lean line. The fuzzy cardigan adds textural interest. Claudia’s stiletto heel booties are an unusual shade of teal that works brilliantly with the rest of the colour palette. 

A tonal look with great textural interest. Nice juxtaposition between the casual cosy knit and dressy silk woven frock. The long cardigan dresses down the silk dress, while the high-low rounded hem showcases the drapey line of the dress. Sporting the frock with black ankle boots and sheer black hose creates vertical integrity. When the cardi comes off, elbow-length sleeves and the deep V-neck create subtle allure. A large grey gemstone brooch accentuates the empire waistline. A bright red lip is the glamorous finishing touch.

A striking floral print top gives this crisp Summer look tons of visual interest. The exaggerated high-low rounded hem is playful and on trend. The soft pink running through the top adds subtle colour to the graphic black and white. While the criss-cross neckline emphasizes Claudia’s lean shoulders. Slim-fit boyfriend jeans are rolled to showcase our blogger’s bare ankles. The block-heeled sandals bring subtle pattern mixing into the mix. The small cognac crossbody with fun oversized tassel complements the colour of the footwear. A simple pearl bracelet, red lippie and Claudia’s polished asymmetric bob finish off the look.

A feminine tonal look in delicate neutrals that works beautifully with our blogger’s pale skin. Claudia cleverly transformed a pleated chiffon dress into an elegant skirt by layering over a champagne pullover with deep V-neck. The long sweater looks modern paired with the above-the-knee skirt. Light cognac ankle boots and an unstructured bag casualize the look. A long white pearl necklace and pendant complement the soft colour palette. Bright red lipstick and nail polish add cheerful pizzazz.

Claudia’s statement sweater is the centrepiece in this monochrome cold weather look. The attached, oversized scarf can be tied in many different ways, and, together with the cosy knit, provides loads of textural and visual interest. The head-to-toe mid-tone browns are flattering with Claudia’s blonde hair. Wearing brown on the top and bottom creates a column of colour that makes our 5’9” blogger look even taller. The volume of the big scarf tie is balanced out by pairing the sweater with skinny jeans. Pointy toe pumps in a bronzy brown add outfit depth. The oversized Louis Vuitton bag brings tonal pattern into the mix. Claudia’s trademark bright red lipstick is the polished finishing touch. 

A super fun Sporty Luxe look! Claudia dresses down a beautiful pleated midi skirt with white sneakers and a striped tee. Pairing a mid-calf-length skirt with flat footwear isn’t the easiest thing to do, but our blogger creates proportions that are just flattering enough by tucking in the roomy tee. This also exposes the higher waist of the skirt, which elongates the leg line. Showing some bare skin by rolling the T-shirt sleeves and the lower neckline adds structure to the outfit. A boxy cream crossbody fits the playful vibe of the outfit perfectly.

Let us know in the comments what you think of Claudia’s fab uncomplicated casual style. Visit her blog to browse the rest of her outfits, or check out her pinboards for more visual inspiration.

The logical and obvious answer to this seemingly simple question: when the weather cools down after the heat of Summer. That first hint of crisp Autumn air signals us to dust off our boots and incorporate them into outfits. That’s why shooties, booties, mid-calf boots, knee-high boots, and over-the-knee boots start to get a lot of attention this time of year. 

But it really isn’t quite that simple. First of all, seasonally confused combinations are trendy. Booties with shorts, harem pants or skirts are fun looks. Pairing mid-calf boots with short Summery dresses is a fab throwback to ‘90s fashion. Leave off the hose and show skin as a way of compensating for the coverage of the boots. And bootcut jeans worn with cowboy boots and just about any top combination is in style across the seasons, especially in places like Texas.

Secondly, Summers aren’t always too hot for boots. Although we’ve had two years of glorious hot weather in Seattle, our Summers are usually mild at best. Sometimes even chilly — like having the fire on in August chilly — which makes boots a cozy and comfortable option. It can also cool down at night if you live by the sea, making boots a great option for evenings out. And of course, the arctic air conditioning of some office environments makes wearing boots a comfortable option despite the scorching heat outside.

So just like you can wear white after Labor Day, wear boots at any time of the year if it makes sense for your climate, environment and style. Fashion definitely doesn’t dictate a correct season for boots.

Personally, I typically wear my boots in Autumn, Winter, and early Spring. I try to not wear them in late Spring and in Summer so that I can give my warm weather footwear a workout. Over to you. When does boots wearing season start and stop for you?

I’ve seen a few of my clients wearing double ball stud earrings recently, both in gold and silver, and I loved them. There’s a small stud on the front and a large one at the back where the earring fastens. In fact the large back stud is the fastener. The effect is asymmetrical and modern. Chunky, yet neat and simple. And interesting — I did a double take when I saw these for the first time. 

My clients tell me that these earrings are comfortable as long as they’re lightweight. The back stud might feel a little odd at first because it’s a bulky bit at the back of your ear, but you do get used to it. Double stud earrings are also available in diamond and pearl renditions.

It’s becoming trickier and trickier to determine whether wardrobe items are dated because fashion has become an incredible melting pot of colours, fits and silhouettes. Throw in the fact that vintage pieces can look trendy when remixed with a good dose of modern, and it’s even MORE confusing. 

On the other hand, there are items that defy the trends and have a high longevity factor. I find that they normally fall into one of three categories.

Modern Classic

Classic pieces are versatile because they can be worked into almost any style. Therein lies their power. I like to put the word “modern” in front of classic because classic items do date and it’s important to keep them current. 

It’s common to keep a classic piece for more than five years if the quality holds up. Some classics like Ray-Ban Wayfarers and Aviators, Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers, the original Dr. Martens boot, cowboy boots, the 2.55 Chanel handbag and a Burberry scarf have an exceptionally high longevity factor because they have become iconic, and therefore timeless. 

Retro

Retro pieces are not the same as vintage pieces. Where vintage pieces are old, retro pieces are current, but they imitate styles from past fashion eras. The distinctive retro piece has a home in your wardrobe because it’s not competing with the trends. Like modern classics, retro pieces can complement the trendy pieces in your outfit. Although retro pieces are current, the throwback to a previous era makes them a little more immune to dating. 

Avant-Garde

An avant-garde piece is highly unusual. It does not fall into mainstream trends, nor is it retro. But it isn’t dated either because it has no sense of time. Their innovative and experimental qualities make them stand on their own. In some cases, styles go from avant-garde to fringe trend. Avant-garde pieces can be remixed with trendy items, retro pieces and modern classics.

In my most recent outfit post I combined two retro blouses with a pair of avant-garde harem pants. The lace blouse and pants have been in my wardrobe for years and will continue to live there until they’re worn out. I’ll have fun reinventing their support acts so that they stay true to my style and feel fresh for the season.