Style Tips for Wearing Black, Brown & Confidence: Look #3

It’s getting closer to the weekend, so let’s take our Style Tips for wearing Black, Brown and Confidence and LIGHTEN UP a bit!  It has been such a great week here on the blog and I appreciate so many of you participating with your thoughts and ideas.  Hope you are getting ready for Fall and thinking of all of the different outfits you can compose.

 

Today’s Confidence Tip is: DON’T LET YOUR PHYSICAL CHALLENGES HOLD YOU BACK OR SHUT YOU DOWN

I feel confident in writing that all of us have new and developing physical challenges which happen with age.  We cannot stop aging.  All we can do is look and feel our best every day with what we have.  You have to decide where you are going to draw the lines or make investments.  I still color my hair…it is quite gray under there.  But, I feel more confident right now with the highlighted hair.  I do not however, participate in Botox or anything like that.  I just practice good skincare and use excellent plant based products.  ( Check out Chamonix Skincare Here).

Sadly, I am a walking…or barely walking…body of challenges.  I have a ripped ear and it is the second time it ripped through, so I have not been wearing earrings.  I am considering a return to clip ons, just to see if there have been any advancements that don’t hurt as much.  I write often about my funky feet with hammer toes and callouses.  I see a nail tech every two weeks just to keep my feet functioning well.  But, heels of any kind are in my past.  Isn’t it great that we have such fun jewelry other than earrings, and such cute and comfy flats??  I have chosen to show you outfits as I wear them.  For me to wear heels in a post, would trigger to you, the audience, that I am just wearing them for the image and not for real life.  I do not feel right doing that.

For the past 15 years, I have dressed my curvy figure to look slimmer and confident.  There was a time in my life I stayed home because I was over weight and did not attend events…when I began to dress my body as it existed, I returned to the world of fun and laughter.

In order to be confident from the inside out, do not focus on what isn’t working, focus on what does work and choose to look your best every day.  Do not let aging keep you from experiencing life.  Life is Short…don’t waste the time.

Believe it or not, the foundation of this outfit is black and brown.  The top is black and the pants are brown.  I lighten it up with a cream colored topper I purchased earlier in the summer on Nordstrom Rack for a very reasonable price…I think it was $19.  I love Nordstrom Rack, but you do have to act fast when you see something.  The items go quickly.  Several of you sweet ladies commented on the length of my jackets.

I like to wear both the shorter and the longer, but know at 5’8″, I do tend to select longer ones more.  When I wear a shorter jacket, I believe it communicates classic, polished, professional.  The longer jackets on me are communicating artistic, creative, flair.  This is why I tend to go longer, because I love to communicate creativity with my looks.  But, I agree with all of you that the shorter length is more flattering.  I am glad I can have fun with both and not be placed in a box with just one.

I have added gold to this style because all gold is a Fall Trend as well…and I just wanted to pop the whole look with a leopard flat (as you know, animal prints are a fall trend!).  I might add here that I use to be 5’8 1/2″.  That was my height most of my life.  But, when I tested for Osteoporosis, I also discovered I had shrunk!  This was six years ago and what lead me to begin strength training.  The weights turned the disease around and I have not needed medication and I reversed the bone scans.  Lift weights…it works, but do it with a trainer!

I hope these three styles have given you some ideas for fall looks.  Have fun with it and by all means…..

KEEP SMILING!!

22 Comments

  1. This post is very relevant for me and I love your advice. I struggle with hip pain from arthritis and have been told I need a hip replacement (at 54! – I guess I thought I’d have more time before body parts started wearing out and needing replacement)! ? I also really can’t wear heels, but there are so many really cute and stylish flats available now that it doesn’t really bother me.

  2. Hi Pam,

    My feet are killing me. i have jammed my little toes so many times that they are swollen and hurt when they touch shoes. I was very happy in sandal season, but now am suffering with closed toe shoes. I have a shoe stretcher and am stretching the area where the little toe is on my shoes. naiDo you see a regular nail person or is it a specialist? I am always looking for foot tips. Thank you.

  3. I know many women who are doing well with their hip replacements, so have hope that it all will be fine. And YES to cute flats…so many on the market now. Thanks for being here, Laura Jane!

  4. Hi Pam, I think you buy things from Soft Surroundings. I never have especially online, but I am looking for a maxi dress for a special event in October.what say you about fit etc.i wear a 2 and a half or 3 at Chico’s…I am 5:7 on a good day…
    Any suggestions? Do they run small? Appreciate any insights.
    Thank so much. I am not near any stores on the summer…otherwise I’d go….
    Holly Rigby
    Texas and New Hampshire

  5. Hey Lori…story of my life! I see a nail technician every two weeks faithfully. She previously was a nurse in Mexico and is amazing! She makes my feet very happy. I have wasted a lot of money on products to make my hammer toes happy. Here is what works best: I buy the Flexible Fabric adhesive bandaids and wrap the three problem toes at the beginning of the week. These are industrial strength band aids and usually stay on through showers and many shoe changes. They keep my toes very happy but I have had to go a half size up to get a comfortable toe box. I hope that helps! I understand the frustration.

  6. Hi Holly, you should easily be able to wear an XL at Soft Surroundings. The Larges might be a little tight in some of their garments. They have some stunning dresses on their site and in store right now, but I love the Sari Caftan…it would dress up or down and very comfortable. https://www.softsurroundings.com/p/sari-caftan/
    See what you think. Let us know if you find something!

  7. I, too, have foot problems, making it difficult to wear most shoes. I need a mid-foot joint replacement. I have to try on many shoes to find a pair I can tolerate. Sneakers are fairly easy, but dress shoes are a nightmare. I totally agree with the weight lifting g. Women have very poor upper body strength, which causes falls. On to a brighter note. I love black and brown together. This is one trend I am happy to see.

  8. I just ordered the Sari Caftan! Interestingly enough I have been looking at it all day…so your opinion was all I needed. Hoping I look just like the model in it..Ha Ha Ha! the pockets sold me…and I love your taste…I’ll let you know! Thanks so much! I am trying to hide my knock knees before surgery…so hopefully this will work! You’re the best!

  9. Since we are inevitably going to age, I agree that we should focus on making the most of where we are, looking our best at the age we currently are. I am not going to look 30 again no matter what, and like you, I have no interest in cosmetic surgery. I feel I’d just look like a 60-something who just had cosmetic surgery, which isn’t appealing to me. I color my hair too, because at this stage gray hair ages me (speaking for myself), and I know this since I did a trial with a high quality gray wig in a cute style. Just not good! I do weight training and like the muscle definition that has resulted in. I use machines, many different ones and don’t use a trainer, but it does work for sure. Honestly, I feel very blessed to still be mobile without issues at my age. It could change in an instant. I like how you wear both longer and shorter jackets. What you said about the longer ones was like a revelation today, how it is more creative which is one of your style goals. This is probably why you wear them well. The longer lengths really are more creative and until today I wasn’t looking at it like that. I think shorter women (I am one) can wear them if the proportion is right. Petite sizes are made for this and do work. Tailors can make them fit wonderfully too.

  10. Glad to give you some new ways to look at pieces, Karen! You and I are so similar in the way we are approaching this aging thing!

  11. This post really resonated with me. Though I feel 100% healthy, I know that I am not. Now that my cancer is no longer being treated, I don’t have any idea what the future holds or how long I’ll feel well enough to do all the things I love doing. So far, though, I’ve managed to remain positive and I continue to enjoy life. I think there are 3 very good reasons for this. You’ve mentioned 2 of them today and the other one quite recently. Those 3 are my faith, exercise, and dressing in a way that gives me confidence and helps me feel good about myself.

    I’m also 5′ 8″ or at least I was. I haven’t actually measured since I was diagnosed with osteopenia, so I may have shrunk a bit too. I have lifted weights for many years and I hope that they, along with medication, will keep my bones from becoming thinner.

  12. Another fun outfit! You always look so amazing and upbeat that one would not guess you have the problems with your feet. High heels are really our enemy, you know.

  13. Yep…one of those things I regret! Wore them so much in my 20s through 40s and now have big regrets! Thanks Donna!

  14. Pamela, I so enjoy your blog. It’s the only one that I thoroughly read. I always love your outfits; we have similar styles. I so appreciate your willingness to share. ?

  15. You wear brown so well. It’s not my colour at all…as with burgundy or mustard shades. These colours
    a) wash out my colouring
    b) make me feel ‘uncomfortable’
    However, you look smashing in all three of your black/brown & confidence blogs. As Aussies say, “good on ya.”

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