Street Style Do's and Dont's

I love looking at street style trends, and I must admit, I laugh at many of them.  Some of them are just plain ridiculous, some only work if you are under 20, and some can be surprisingly cool.  According to Harper's Bazaar, one of my favorite fashion and beauty mags, here are some of the street style trends for this Spring 2015.  And here are my recommendations about which ones to avoid if you are a femme d'un certain age.

1. FRINGE: There was a time when I thought fringe was pretty cool, but that has been a while.  In small doses, it's okay, but beware the allover fringe look.

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Now I think Olivia Palermo almost always looks fantastic and she looks good here, too. But if you're over 50, I wouldn't go there.  If you must have fringe, try it on a scarf or bag.

2. LADYLIKE BAG: This is an all time classic.  I have a camel Bally bag from 1991 that is a dead ringer in shape and size for some you see on Bazaar's pages.  it still looks fresh and pretty with an outfit. A definite YES!

Ladylike Bag

3.  OVERALLS:  I had a pair of lilac overalls by Liz Claiborne that I wore in the '80s - does that tell you anything?  Unless you need to do yard work or paint a room, please avoid.

Overalls

Stay tuned for the next 3 trends!

Street Style: What You Can Learn From It

 So many women think that so-called "street style" is only for the young, avant-garde, artsy-looking New Yorkers who are looking to stand out and turn heads on a busy street.  However, street style is interesting because it shows us fresh ways to style our clothing, not replicate a complete look.
If you look at the street style photos on this page, you will find that there is a fashion tip, or fashion lesson in each one of them, sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle.
For instance, the photo above may not look particularly daring, but note the way her scarf is tied (perfect!), the way the 3/4 length sleeved coat works in colder temperatures when paired with a heavy sweater, and ow that bright pink cheers up an otherwise somber outfit.  In fact, if nothing else, street style photos can convince you that a pop of bright color that is not necessarily found already in your outfit will make a real difference in its fashion quotient. Below, just jeans, but that bright red mini-bag and bright red nail polish makes a huge difference.

 Below, if you are over 40, lose those too short wide pants and opt for black pants that are straight-legged or skinny. Keep the cream layered on top and add a wonderful fringed shawl in a print on a cream background. Perfectly elegant. Skip those shoes, too.

 The power of color really shows on a rainy day.  There ought to be a law that umbrellas can only be made in the brightest colors possible.

 Below, forget the outfit on the left with the weird ripped-hem peplum (or whatever that is) and look at the classic outfit on the right.  When is the last time you wore a simple white shirt with jeans and then put a great red coat or blazer over them? So fresh looking!

 This look will work for anyone over 40; layer the tops, grey over bright (hot pink would look good), skinny jeans, and instead of boots with sky-high heels, go for flat boots and still tuck in your jeans.  Lose the white purse; try one in another bright color.

 Below, a wonderful look for almost anyone.  Black shoes and tights lengthen your legs forever.  A skirt a bit longer (if you aren't in love with your thighs) would work just as well. The lady-like bag gives the whole outfit a polished look even though it's just a sweater over a skirt!

 Above, the lesson here is mixing navy blue with sky blue and black.  Try this look with a longer skirt, tights and medium heeled black pumps. Gorgeous.
Below, the pink coat is beautiful; the color-blocked bag updates the classic outfit.

 Above, the lesson: black jeans with a black jacket, black boots, black bag and a light shirt or sweater. Make sure your black jeans have no holes if you are over 40.  

Below, a bright jacket over all-black is gorgeous! Make those shorts a pencil skirt or a pair of black jeans and you have a winner. If you are over 40, use self-tanner on your bare legs or wear a pair of thin tights and forego the peep-toes (which usually aren't very comfortable anyway).

Street style is exciting, eccentric, and fun! Add those qualities to your own wardrobe by studying the latest photos. Two great street style blogs are Streetpeeper and also Caroline's Mode.