Sorry, but you are goofy! I see no fail. This looks better than I usually look (which may explain what I said in Janet's post about never receiving compliments, especially from random strangers). Anyway, I think you are being too hard on yourself. I think your hair has thrown you a bit in how you perceive yourself, and that you haven't yet quite worked out what makes you happiest. Your perspective is a little off...you are looking for yourself. That is a stage, not a fail. I'd be happy if I looked like this.

Not a fail, just maybe a little less of a statement than your usual. You are so very pretty in every photo.

I've seen the Chico ads but you don't look anything like that. I think it might just be the optic white bottoms with the optic white shoes. Really though, you look great!

You know, I think those of you who have hit on the bermudas are right. They're actually not J. Crew at all, but Mexx (I just don't have the Find for them) and they're not snug IRL (though yes, probably snugger than on the J Crew model, given my thighs...). But there is something about them and the sandals that is not making me happy, and maybe it is a bit too much white for me now with my hair as well. Great analysis -- thank you!!

C1, I can try with my olive BF shorts -- that might be fun. Thanks. I'll also try with cropped jeans, white or blue.

The sandals are SUPER comfortable, by the way. I love them -- just don't love them here. And I was also thinking that maybe I need some more texture in this outfit as well -- maybe that's where Vildy's comment about the bag makes sense. The shoes and the bag feel really similar.

I don't mean to be tough on myself. Peri, and others of you who have observed that maybe I just need to come to terms with a new me— I'm sure you're 100% right. Mostly I'm happy with the new hair but I admit it does take some adjusting to -- hence my sudden shopping and picture taking! I am actually feeling positive about it overall, and didn't mean to be harsh on myself, really. I just like to analyze why something feels good and why it might not so that going forward I have a high happiness factor!

BTW, Mr. Suz loved the top, so I think IRL it works on me. He is pretty fussy about prints and doesn't like Chicos-tastic.

I am so mesmerized by your hair that it is hard for me to see what could possibly be wrong, but refocusing I think it is the bermudas with the white shoes. Longer white or regular jeans are a great suggestion. Or darker shoes. I think the top looks terrific on you!

I was thinking about this - and had to come back with a few thoughts. There IS nothing "wrong" with this outfit. And even if it is Chico's tastic, what's wrong with that if that's what you like? You're wearing a clean/kind of country-club-ish look that is very put together and tidy. Nothing is off balance proportion -wise, and nothing is ill-fitting. I felt bad about chiming in with a bunch of ideas, because those are what I would do if wearing this outfit. But we have vastly different tastes , and the minute we decide that what we like is wrong somehow - is the minute we lose our individuality. If you had asked a specific question like " how can I make this less preppy, or how I can I tone down the matchy-matchy aspect .....that would be one thing. But I think this is a perfectly lovely outfit for YOUR STYLE. I think your hair is indeed changing things though - and with the colour and cut you have, you are now more aware that your clothes should reflect your age-sensibility (I made that up because I can't think of another way to describe it) . Putting very matched and clean and white looks on silver hair can skew the way you might not want it to - which may be more of what's going on here than anything.
Or make you think of your mother.....I don't know , I'm rambling now. But at the end of the day, this is a cute outfit that's very clean and polished. What's wrong with that? (this coming from someone who is scared to venture out it public on Monday with a too-dark and too short butch-looking haircut and has no idea what to wear either)

OK, definitely not a fail, but I can empathize with your "yikes, I look like a senior citizen" feeling. Retro, classic, and matchy-matchy can be a less than stellar combo when worn with grey hair.

I think Anna's suggestion to swap those classic, fitted white Bermudas for something more modern is a good start. Or carry a more unusual bag. Or mix up the colors with a mustard-colored tank under the top and oversized earrings. My mantra is to always wear at least one thing that wouldn't be popular with the "retired snowbird resort" crowd.

Shevia, you are so sweet.

Lisa, I think this is the thing -- it's a perfectly nice outfit but I don't feel perfectly nice.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a mean girl. (Watched that movie with DD last night). I am in fact pretty nice on the whole. And I can't do tough, RATE, grunge...

I do like polished.

But.

The hair is changing the type of polish that works for me internally somehow. And I think I want more juxtaposition, somehow. One of my favourite looks is denim with something polished. So I need that type of mix even more than before or else I skew "older" than I feel. The hair does not age me (in my mind) in itself -- but with the wrong outfits it could be aging or just dampening. And these are outfits that might have worked perfectly well with the blonde hair.

As for you, you are going to look amazing with whatever hair you have on Monday. Styling well is the best revenge...

I also don't see fail... it's a classic summer outfit. I wore bermuda shorts for the first time this season last week and felt sooooo frumpy and BLAH. I wonder if you have to style such a classic short with something edgier to not feel the frump.

Gaylene: My mantra is to always wear at least one thing that wouldn't be popular with the "retired snowbird resort" crowd.

Snorted my tea.....

Ok I haven't read any replies. I think you're asking for 100% honesty, so that's what I'm going to give. Pls pls plz don't hate me...it's 7:30am and I'm still drinking tea in bed and only half awake.

I think what's throwing you off here is combining a "frilly top" and "shorts", and that too with heels. With your silver pixie, this outfit is lacking drama AND GRACE. Nothing wrong with the outfit...it's a great one to wear around the house. But to me it does not look effortless....and I've always associated your outfits with effortless styling.

Now the top is very pretty and the minute you switch out those Bermuda shorts with flared/cropped white jeans, you'll look effortlessly elegant again.

Or, change the sandals to silver flats. That would bookend your hair and look more casual & pretty with this outfit.

It looks fine and flattering but if it's not you, it might be making you feel less than fab. I have had people say I suit something but if I dont feel it's me or it has associations for me, I won't feel great.
By the way what is chicos? And what is the association? We don't have it here.

Maneera, you're totally right. I'm going to try it with white crop jeans and silver sandals (now that I have them). I'm also going to try with cognac sandals or even my black ones and darker denim.

Marianna, you're right, too. I need to go for something a bit edgier with the shorts if I am wearing them -- or something very clean lined and classic, which is my usual fallback. Like a button down or a boatneck tee. Both of those feel fine to me with bermudas. But not this feminine top.

I'm going to push this a bit further , because I feel like it. You say you "can't" or drama /edgy is "not you". Try again. We cannot expect our look to work for our entire life . Change is a good thing . One piece of a RATE-r look can take the edge off the snowbird look. Now I can't get that out of my head - thanks Gaylene. I try prettier looks and office-y outfits and nearly die from self consciousness and feeling like a mumsy blob but it's a work in progress . I'm now thinking it's the shorts that are the culprit. Anyways - one foot in front of the other . I'm following your lead with this hair /style issue , ma'am.

I don't think a matchy look is necessarily bad or something. To my eye, the problem lies in the shorts. Maybe they should be just a little more relaxed and roomy in outline... Or maybe they just need to grow longer to just above the ankle.

The shorts aren't Chicos, they're Costco-esque
I was just on the Costco website looking up something for Dad. All the shorts were Bermudas except one pair of sweats.

Lisa, I didn't say I couldn't do drama. I said certain kinds of drama or edgy aren't me. Not all. Obviously...or I would not have gone for an extreme pixie, which is pretty edgy in its own way (at least by some standards).

So...the skull patterns and jewellery that are so fab on you and Una aren't me, and I don't want them to be me. Black drapey drama the way Debs does it (and does it so stylishly) is also not me, and I don't want it to be. I think my style does incorporate some drama, though. Just drama of a different kind.

The question is, how do I evolve it to meet the new hair? I think I have some ideas shaping up, but I do need to keep experimenting.

I understand what you're saying about feeling mumsy in full on classic or office-y -- that's what I was feeling today. Full on classic is definitely not me. Polished is me, and I am afraid that's a given -- I'm born that way and feel equally self-conscious and awkward in RATE. For me the trick is finding a balance. But the balance may have shifted with the hair.

Anyway, thanks for humouring me in this self-analysis and I hope it may help someone else on their own style mission!

Olen, I think you are 100% right. Thank you.

Anna, Drat! I should have got a bargain and got the family size!! Oh well. Bermudas work for my work-at-home life, but maybe they're staying at home this summer.

I'm sitting here reading magazines tonight . Specifically the June InStyle . And Julia Roberts is wearing a lot of unmatched different shades of white in the same outfit . Preston Davis is all over this in her blog too - mixing creamier and colder whites together - and even throwing in ivory or creme with white . It's so gorgeous and unstudied looking . Ok, I really must stop now . Good night .

I have to run, but I have other ideas for white shorts for you.

I'm late to comment, but I like the top and think you just need to mix up the shorts and/or shoes. I don't think either piece is bad itself, just doesn't quite work all together. Love your attitude! It's hard to put ourselves out there and ask for criticism but you do this very gracefully.

I saw your picture earlier and could not figure out why you thought this outfit was a fail so I didn't comment. I had a busy day and just getting a chance to check back and chime in and say you look radiant, polished and very well composed. I see the problem as your eyes needing more time to adjust to your hair. Which is so fab!

I think you look great - the only issue for me is the white tank under the sleeveless V neck. I have a bit of a poison eye for that exact thing. If the tank were a dark blue, it might not bother me. Then again, I'm currently buying pinafores so I could be wrong!

Also to make up for aforesaid pinafore comment, what do you think of this Topshop print shirt which also reminded me of you?

My thought is to get edge inspiration from high fashion...or the sunnier subcults...

What do you think of these? Not literally but in terms of aesthetics...

Oh, and the last one for me (it's Etro)!

Suz, forgive but I did have chuckle reading your post:) Looking in the mirror and seeing my mum (stylistically speaking) is my worst fashion nightmare? I think you look nice, but what struck me was the white shorts and stark white sandals. I need to be sensitive because Bermudas have never been an item of clothing I could personally relate to. Cropped white pants or jeans and say a silver sandal would just make the look more interesting in my very humble opinion.

I like 4 for Suz! But Una, ya almost gave me a heart attack with that low power bar. Lol. Thought that was the power bar on MY phone after charging it up! Haha!

Suz you do provoke the most interesting threads!

I definitely sympathize with not wanting to look like your mother fashion-wise! It's funny that you are worried about looking too old--I feel like my mom dresses way more young and glam than me, LOL! Her favorite stores are bebe and Forever 21. She loves fashion and dresses well, but she's more into the low-cut/body con and blingy looks so I kind of shy away from that. She also bleaches her hair. I want to put some highlights in my hair but I'm afraid of looking like my mom! I think she looks very pretty and she loves it that people always say she looks so young, but there's something to be said about striking out on your own fashion path. DH would have a cow if I started dressing like her!

As to your outfit, I think it looks great and I'm not sure what is making you feel Chico-tastic. Maybe the white block sandals and Bermuda shorts combo? The white tank top under the print tank? I think all of these pieces still seem like they would work for you, but maybe all together they're too conventional feeling for you and you just need to break them up and add in some more edgy pieces? Like the white sandals with some harem pants or culottes? Or the print top with some leather leggings? Your hair looks fantastic and I think maybe you're just still getting used to it.