A Guide to Fashion Over Fifty

Dressing age appropriate can be a challenge at any stage in life. This is especially true for women over fifty. We often get asked for tips on how to dress stylish and age-appropriate and what brands cater to women over fifty. We decided to put together a guide for fashion over fifty.

5 Quick Tips for Dressing Over Fifty:

1. Cultivate Your Personal Style- We think that at any age you should have a sense of what works and what doesn't work for you. Know what makes you feel best, what cuts flatter your body the most and don't let the past dictate how you dress in the present. Our bodies are ever-changing. Honor that and dress to feel your best self.
2. Update Your Favorite Items- Even classic pieces need to be replaced over time. If your go-to black trousers are starting to look worn, find a new favorite pair. Refresh you favorite blazer by replacing the buttons or having a seamstress redo the lining in a different color.  
3. Quality Counts- Buy the best quality that you can afford. Pay attention to fit and how the fabric lays on your body. It's better to have one pair of more expensive trousers that you love than 4 pairs of cheaper ones that you don't.
4. Top Trend Pieces- If you live in a cold climate, invest in a signature jacket. If you're in a warmer climate, your handbag should be your signature piece. Scarves are another great way to incorporate a trend.  
5. Frame Your Face- As women mature, we want to focus on framing the face rather than your body. A pair of long earrings will elongate your neck and draw attention to your face.

4 Must-Have Wardrobe PIeces

1. Dark Denim Mid Rise Straight Leg Jeans- Straight leg jeans go perfectly with longer jackets or tunic tops.
   Our pick: NYD Denim Marilyn Straight Leg in Peacoat.

2. Fitted Black Jacket- Short, fitted jackets that hit at the waist are great. Layer a longer blouse or colored t-shirt underneath.
Our Pick: Dylan Gray Faux Leather Pocket Black Blazer

3. Tank Tops and Tees- Once you find a brand you like, but them in a range of colors from white to blue and cream. They are great layered under sweater, cardigans and blouses.
Our Pick: Uniqlo Supima Cotton Crew Neck

4. Crisp White Blouse- You can wear this to work, out to dinner or anywhere. It's chic, timeless and comfortable.
Our pick: Blue Illusion Long Sleeve Multi Panel Shirt

We have more tips to share, so stay tuned for more in this series!

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Fall 2016 NYFW: An Insider View

Courtney's front row snap from Leanne Marshall's Show

A few weeks ago, I made a quick leap of faith and jumped at the opportunity to fly to New York for a long weekend to see friends and fashion. While there I met up with friend and fashion week veteran, Courtney Nejedly, to get an inside scoop on how 2016 Fall shows were a new chapter NYFW. 

Courtney is a multi media journalist and a wealth of knowledge on what is trending in fashion, design and interiors. She has been participating in fashion week for several years and had a full schedule of shows on her calendar so, thank you for taking the time to meet up and talk shop with me!

Courtney & Kimberly on the streets of NYC and Courtney's chic and glam looks at the shows.

Here Are Five Take-Aways From My Chat With Courtney About 2016 Fall NYFW:

1.) Many Designers Were NOT Showing At The 2016 Fall NYFW. Why? In short, holding a show is expensive and there have been many Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) changes to fashion week this year. Some designer held out to see the outcome of the newer format.

2.) A New Audience. There has been a shift in focus-- more blogger attendees, partnerships (i.e. music/film cross promotions) and social media driven shows that were held all across the city "Pop Up" style. Traditionally shows have been exclusive invite only for industry buyers, executives, editors etc. and held at one main location.

3.) "Instant" Ready To Wear. Many 2016 Fall NYFW shows promoted new lead times this year instead of the typical six month purchase order.  This means fast fashion is taking on a new meaning with mainstream designers. More designs will be ready to walk off the catwalk and right into your closet.

4.) A Challenge To Stay Relevant. Today's society is over stimulated and there are multiple draws and influencers.  The "false idealism" that has been maintaining the fashion market with aspirational beauty is starting to shift. There is a current struggle to connect with the audience/consumer in a captivating way. "2016 Fall NYFW Collections were largely redundant and very safe." Black and neutrals dominated and silhouettes were repeated in new prints/shades.

5.) Crowning The Next Big Influencer. This year it was questionable if the audience or the catwalk was the focus of the event. With the accessibility of technology at everyone's finger tips the audience holds more weight now than ever in their review of what they love. "Designers who watch who their audience is and are authentic/genuine" in their approach and "look for connection for (greater) good" will have a better chance of capturing the future fashion market.

Stay Stylish,

K&M

Tech+Fash Update: Our Second Deliveries from Rent the Runway & Le Tote

Here is a round up of Megan and my second deliveries from our online shopping services.  We'll be extending the review through the month of March to give you a full recap of our experiences.

Kimberly-Rent the Runway Unlimited, Take Two!

Following my ho-hum initial experience --I returned two of three items unworn to RTR's Manhattan pop up location --I was skeptical about the Unlimited service.  It felt, well, limited. 

The verdict of round two? I AM IN LOVE (insert smilie heart here).  The Rent the Runway Unlimited service has some bugs to work through in user interface/product selection offering, but I LOVE the concept. When it works, it is magic.  Who wouldn't like to try beautiful brands without the commitment of a full purchase?

For my second order I received a Milly Jacket that fits perfectly which I DO NOT want to say goodbye to.  As a perk they offer a 30% discount if you want to purchase one of your rentals.  However the price of this jacket is still too steep to me.  I also received a Tibi Navy Dress with tie sleeves that again fits well and is a great weight for the current season.  I wore it over the weekend with tall boots and tights and will be wearing it again tomorrow for a client meeting.  

(Full disclosure: Kimberly was not in a photo mood in the second picture, but she was a trooper and obliged me.)

Want to TRY RTR Unlimited too?! They are offering a temporary $20 credit off your Unlimited order with the code: FFUNL1CAADB 

What made my second order a success?

1.  I did my homework...I heavily filtered through all the items offered on Unlimited. I read the customer product reviews and carefully looked at photos to guess my size/fit accurately.
2. I was lucky...inventory is still fairly limited and if you see something you like your size may not be available. This week I was able to get what I wanted.

Megan Says Buh-Bye to Le Tote

I wanted to love Le Tote, I really did. But after my second delivery we had to officially break up. As I mentioned before, I wasn't thrilled with the quality of the items. Many of the purses they offer aren't real leather, the majority of the tops are synthetic and the fits felt off to me. But the clincher was when Kimberly and I were at our morning meeting on Monday and this happened...

I lifted my arm to enthusiastically made a point and Kimberly spotted a hole in my sweater! Thank goodness she noticed it before I went about my day and headed to a few meetings.

Final thoughts:

1. Le Tote is geared towards a younger demographic that wants to swap out items often.
2. Check your clothing! There may be holes
3. While the quality isn't great, their customer service is wonderful. Deliveries arrived 2 days after I ordered them.

Now on to test out Stitch Fix!

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Three Spring Makeup Trends You Need to Try Today

Hello 70 degree weather and sunshine! Anyone living in San Francisco will agree that spring has made an appearance.

We love the change of seasons and refreshing the closet with new styles. But it's also a great time to refresh your makeup look as well. And for this spring it's all about bright lips, vibrant eyes and bronzed cheeks.

Lip Trend: Red Lipstick
Red has always been a classic lip color. But for spring there is one specific red that has everyone going crazy - Candy Apple Red. Our favorite is MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in New Temptation.

Eye Trend: Vibrant Blue
Blue eye makeup can be worn any way you want. You can go smokey with a sparkly navy eyeshadow or be bold by drawing a heavy line across your lids. For a more subtle look, place a small amount right at the inside crease of your eyes. Our favorite is Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Radium.

Face Trend: Bronzed Skin
Kiss your skin with an endless bronze by applying bronzer and a highlighter for a naturally tan sheen without exposing yourself to skin damaging sun. Our favorite is Nars Bronzing Powder.

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Pounding the Pavement: Kimberly's Fav Men's Street Style Looks from NYFW

While I basked in our 75 degree weather last week, Kimberly braved the cold for New York Fashion Week. Now it goes without saying that one of the best parts of NYFW (and NYC in general) outside of the shows is the amazing street style that you get too see. And after seeing some shots the Kimberly got, we can all agree that the men of NYC are on top of their game.

Kimberly chiming in here: West Coast guys, let me remind you that these gents found a way to be stylish even when it was -20. And they made it look easy! Take note, great style doesn't need to be forced.

We picked these two as our favorites because we love it when men stay true to what is natural to them. The bold accessories and pop of color with pattern really gels the look together in the first shot. The man in the second photo simply mastered casual and fitted style despite his tall stature. His pants are cuffed just right, his coat fits perfectly and he popped his collar for an added touch. 

Here are a few other NYFW week street style shots we really enjoyed. These were taken by some of our favorite photographers from Huffington Post, GQ and Adam Sinding for W.

Stay stylish,
K&M

Spring 2016 Pantone Colors- What to add to your wardrobe this year

graphic by @Alison Vinciguerra

Whether you are surviving the Polar Vortex or enjoying a balmy El Nino Spring, new collections will be on their way to stores soon!  To help inspire you on what new shades to invest in we've created a Pinterest Board with a breakdown of the top new colors will be in stores this spring.

This year the color palette focuses on tranquil calming shades infused with a few happy candy colored pops. Here is a link to our Pinterest Board to explore more.

Stay Stylish,

K&M

Top Five Pantone Colors Used in 2016 Collections according to WWD:

1. Rose Quartz 13-1520 Percentage of designers who used this color: 22.55
“This really is a beautiful pink that will radiate well on the skin for women as well as men,” Eiseman said.

2. Peach Echo 16-1548 Percentage of designers who used this color: 19.87
Peach Echo is a very warm, friendly and accessible color,” Eiseman said.

3. Serenity 15-3919 Percentage of designers who used this color: 15.86
“As the name suggests, Serenity is a calming color that plays to the whole idea that we know we’re still living in turbulent times.” Eiseman said.

4. Snorkel Blue 19-4049 Percentage of designers who used this color: 15.21
Eiseman said this shade is “meant to be a bit more fun, less serious than navy, and serve as one of the anchor colors for the spring palette.”

5. Buttercup 12-0752 Percentage of designers who used this color: 11.45
“Buttercup is all about sunlight, happiness and cheer — ” Eiseman said.

To read the full of the WWD Article click here.

5 Questions for Spring Cleaning Your Closet

February is a great month to start organizing your closet for spring and purging items that you know you won't get good use of anymore. That way you can start to make a checklist of things that you want to get for spring.

When going through your closet and weeding out pieces, a good thing to ask yourself is "Does this item bring me joy?". It's something that Marie Kondo talks about in her amazing book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  Her theory is that everything in your home should bring you joy.

For more tips on spring cleaning, check out our previous blog post with 5 stress-free tips for cleaning your closet. And just remember, all the space you make getting rid of old clothes just means there's room for awesome new spring finds!

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Update: Our First Deliveries From Rent The Runway & Le Tote

Since it's mid-week and we are almost through the second week of February, we thought it'd be a good time to give you a quick update on how our experiences with online shopping services have been going. (As you may remember, we are focusing on technology and fashion for the month of February.)

Kimberly joined Rent the Runway Unlimited and I joined Le Tote. They are both subscription-based clothing rental services that allow you clothing and accessories delivered to your door unlimited times a month. All of the items are gently worn and when you are finished you send them back for new items. Rent the Runway has more high-end brands and you get 3 pieces in each delivery. Le Tote is mid-range brands and you get 5 items in a package. 

After getting our first packages, we are both feeling a little disappointed. Kimberly had a tough time finding items that she wanted in her first delivery. Let's correct that -- she found items, but they were all out of stock in her size. The dress she received wasn't the right fit and she didn't love the top, which wasn't seasonal. On the plus side, the bracelet she picked out is a hit and she is currently in New York for Fashion Week and rocking it!

As for me, my 5 pieces felt random and didn't create a cohesive outfit (which is often a complaint we hear from clients who use services like this). The skirt was cute, but I didn't have a top to match it. The blouse they sent felt like poor quality and it felt weird to be wearing earrings that someone else had already worn. That said, I loved the black Sanctuary pants that I received and plan to purchase them from Le Tote.

We are both excited to see what our second packages bring. Stay tuned...

Happy Wednesday,
K&M

Winter Beauty Rescues: Tried and Tested DIY Hair and Skin Masks

Dry winter air can wreak havoc on our hair. We love this DIY hair mask that conditions without leaving hair greasy. It's easy to prepare and you probably already have all of the ingredients in your kitchen.

Hair Mask Ingredients:

• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well blended. Apply to wet hair and leave on for 20 minutes (we like to put a shower cap on over to avoid getting any our furniture). Rinse with warm water.

We love the smell and soothing nature of this DIY body scrub.  If you have more time, leave the scrub on a few minutes to soak in the moisturizing and revitalizing benefits.  

Body Scrub Ingredients:

• 3/4  cup oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp sweet almond oil
• 1 Tbsp organic honey
• 2 tsp citrus juice
• 1/8 tsp of cinnamon (optional)

Use a food processor or blender to pulse oats until they are coarse (like brown sugar texture). Mix all ingredients together in bowl. Rub over skin and rinse with warm water.

Stay Stylish,

M&K

How to Survive Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco--in style

Photo: SF FUNCHEAP

Whether your favorite team didn't make it or you only watch the Super Bowl for the commercials and half time show--you may be seeking a few stress-free alternatives to Sunday's "Big SF Event"  So we did the heavy lifting for you and found a few great resources for Super Bowl Alternatives.

You'll want to save this SF Eater list regardless, it is an excellent line up of some of the best drink spots in the city. They are some of our personal favorites!

http://sf.eater.com/maps/san-francisco-super-bowl-no-tv

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/8308034-lots-to-do-on-super-bowl-sunday-if-footballs-not-your-thing/

Stay Stylish, 

M&K