Hit Your Sweet Spot Style…The Christmas Tea and Luncheon at Over 50

Welcome to a new collaboration with Jennifer of A Well Styled Life and Pam of over50feeling40.  We desire for all of us…the grandmothers, the professionals, the retirees, the volunteers… the fabulous women over 50 …to look and feel our best each and every day.  After years of blogging for this audience, we have heard from so many of you about your discouragement and despondency when you look in the mirror every morning.  But, we both know just how transformative style can be and we hope to encourage you with specific, step-by-step guidelines right here every Sunday.  We would like to see all of us empowered with strength, joy, and confidence!
Each Sunday, we will bring to you a scenario we face each week and show you our step-by-step process as we decide what to wear…you will see on our individual blogs how we handle the challenge and seek our personal sweet spot for the day!


Christmas teas inspire thoughts of little old ladies in fancy hats and long dresses…

But, today’s events are not our grandmothers’ teas.  In fact, I attended one luncheon last week featuring a talk by TANUJA SINGH, D.B.A. the Dean and Professor of Marketing at the Greehey School of Business at St. Mary’s University.  Her holiday message was about Women Empowering Women…how we can help one another succeed.  It was so inspiring.


With an abundance of special events, I do not want to look like a grandmother (though I am proud I am). So, I try to decide how I can bring a fun, festive, stylish look to the events.

MY OLD THINKING: I would panic sometimes about worrying over acceptance and looking like everyone else.  So, often I went and spent money on new clothes, when it wasn’t necessary to do so.

New Healthy Thinking:  I am more confident of who I am.  I no longer compare myself to others but walk in to any situation feeling as though I own it.  So shopping in my closet is a fun option because I know what is there and that I like it.  I also know there are many ways to mix and match different pieces. 

Some blogs will tell you to throw out anything not worn in a year.  Jennifer and I both disagree with that line of thinking.  This cape is two years old, and capes returned in a big way this year.  Sometimes participating in a trend will update a style. The red pencil skirt…I do not wear often, but I am glad it is in my closet.
My black turtleneck and Christmas pin are from Coldwater Creek before they closed.  I will keep them for a long time..great pieces to have.
The Liz Claiborne boots are about three years old and I love to pull them out in the winter only….found at MARSHALLS.  


Shop your closet first….and look for something you will feel awesome wearing.  Enter that luncheon with a confident smile and posture.  Try to avoid over the top holiday wear…let the room decor say it!  That way you can leave the old fashioned grandmother-style at home.




Now, if I were hosting a luncheon or tea, I would head over to my favorite hardware store for some fun decorations….it is…

SUNSET RIDGE HARDWARE in Terrell Heights on North New Braunfels…
such a great place for San Antonio!






It’s time to go see what JENNIFER AT A WELL STYLED LIFE is wearing…and I also wanted to send you to see fellow over-50 blogger, Susan, where she showed a Christmas luncheon and what her friends wore.  Check out FIFTY NOT FRUMPY HERE.  Also, for more ideas, remember our HIT YOUR STYLE SWEET SPOT PINTEREST BOARD!

24 Comments

  1. Thank you so much, Susan…I love your blog as well and these topics fit perfectly together, providing us with more ideas and options! Thanks for stopping by!

  2. Great outfit for a holiday tea! Beautiful red skirt, and I love the boots!

    I like your advice to shop your closet and put together an outfit with pieces you already own. I think if you buy great separates, you can come up with much more unique and beautiful outfits than going out and buying a whole new outfit for a specific occasion. From past experience, often those "ready-made" outfits end up not working all that well with the rest of my wardrobe, and I don't end up getting much use out of them. My focus for 2016 is to add/replace the basics in my wardrobe so that I can put together outfits for any occasion easily.

  3. That's exactly what my wardrobe is, Andrea…a cornucopia of different separates. I think your focus for 2016 is spot on…plus it is fun to see just how many outfits you can create! Thanks for stopping by…have a wonderful week ahead!

  4. You look very festive and I love the holiday brooch! Coldwater Creek had some really good pieces. Too bad they are gone…

  5. I have several CC pieces in my wardrobe…I agree it is sad they are gone but thankful others remain like Soft Surroundings and JJill and Chicos. Thanks for stopping by Donna…have a great day!

  6. Great advice, Pam. Shopping your closet is always the best place to start, no matter the occasion. Since I've been whittling down my wardrobe even further these days, it's a quick shopping trip. Love your red pencil skirt. Red is actually a more versatile color than people realize.

    You look lovely and festive.

    Cheers, M-T

  7. We are totally on the same page this week too! I love the red pencil skirt. Shopping in our closets is the best way to go. Buy and keep those special pieces that we love!

  8. Good Evening Pam, At last, someone who feels as I do…. that it is not necessary to throw things away, even if they have not been worn in a year. I cannot bear to throw things out which I love.
    I have to tell you, I wore a pair of trousers the other day, which I bought in early 2000… yes that long ago…. but because I love them, and I felt I looked fabulous, that was enough for me. Actually, my friends loved the trousers and were amazed when I said how old they were.
    I agree wholeheartedly with you, that if we wear clothes with confidence, we radiate confidenence.
    I love your little red skirt teamed with your black tights and boots…. very stylish.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

  9. I love the red skirt, Pam, and agree about not tossing pieces we love, even if we haven't worn them in a while. Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!

  10. Thanks so much for stopping by…I also am trying to whittle with purpose. It takes time to really ask myself certain questions about each garment…but it is worth it!

  11. Jennifer and I plan to talk more about this soon, Daphne. We believe there are purposeful questions we can ask about our garments so that we not toss too soon Thanks for your comments!

  12. I am so glad I kept these pieces, Patti. I might not wear my red skirt often, but I love to pull it out occasionally. I know you get the shopping your closet idea, since you do it so well.

  13. I am having a wonderful holiday season…thanks! I just miss my grandsons and their parents! But, this red skirt does put a smile on my face. You look amazing and I love your shorter hair! Thanks for stopping by.

  14. You do look great and I appreciate the idea of shopping our own closets… But "looking like a grandmother" is not a bad thing!!! I'm a stylish 53 year old who also happens to be a doting grammie to twin babies. Grandmothers are not automatically uncool or unstylish. I look to blogs like yours for positive perspectives on being happy with our age and stage, not negative ones. I'm sure you didn't mean to be negative or insult anyone. Looking forward to more positive perspectives about grandmas going forward!

  15. I did not mean it negative at all, Linda. In fact, I said how proud I am to be a grandmother and love my grandsons immensely. There are old stereotypes of how a "grandmother" dresses and stylish women like yourself are helping to break those molds. The positive message, I hope is clear here, is that we can be awesome grandmothers and break those old stereotype molds by looking and feeling our best. There is no negative intention here and I am sorry you read it that way. I am one grandmother who loves it…supports the rest…and wants us all clothed in strength, confidence, and joy.

  16. Thanks for the quick and positive response. I did not read it as completely negative, but just something to be aware of. The phrase that particular struck me was "I do not want to look like a grandmother." But I much appreciate your positive perspective and response and look forward to breaking stereotypes right alongside you.

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