Stylish Thoughts – Jodie’s Touch of Style

These Stylish Thoughts come from Jodie, of Jodie’s Touch of Style which is a blog for women over 50 Inspiring Style for Many Sizes & Budgets.

Jodie shares the real world and everyday styles of herself (50+), her mother Charlotte as her 70+ model and her stepmum Nancy as her 60+ model on the blog and they all live in Denver Colorado USA.

1. What are your top tips for looking stylish when travelling?
You would think I would be a pro at packing for all of our travels, but I find I learn something new every year. Maybe it’s just that I realize as I’ve gotten older, that I still don’t know everything and never will.

But one of the best things I’ve started doing when getting ready for a trip is to try on all of my outfits beforehand. Sure it takes a little more time, but I found that then there aren’t any surprises once I’m at my destination.

And then when I have the outfits styled as I like them, I write down the items so I can refer back to it when we are on our trip.

For example, on our last trip to Seattle, we knew about most of the activities planned, so I had my day outfits and my evening outfits written down. It made it much easier when we went back to the hotel to get dressed for dinner because I already knew what to pair with what.

I also try to wear the same outfit on the plane coming and going, except I change out the under top in case it gets dirty.

2. What is your current obsession?
I have to admit that I have been loving so many of the new styles lately. And even the ones that at first I wasn’t sure about, have definitely grown on me. I think part of this excitement with the new trends is due to the philosophy of having fun with our clothes and style.

This is a 180 turn from my past. I grew up with a mom that always followed the “rules.” That along with the fact, that my first profession was as a cosmetic dentist which stifled any creativity in my clothing choices because I had to dress seriously so as to be taken seriously.

When I first started blogging, I was sure there was only one “right” way to dress and I thought that I knew what that was.

Well that thought just makes me laugh now. Because everyone should dress to make themselves feel good, and there is no right way.

So to answer the question, I would say that I’ve been loving wearing ankle boots with skirts and dresses. It seems like such a modern approach to wearing skirts!

3. The one piece of advice most women need but don’t get?

You are beautiful!
Every woman I have met has such beauty on the inside and outside. Yet it’s always surprising to me that they don’t realize it.

I think most women are too hard on themselves and too critical of their “flaws.” Yet we all have these imperfections which really are not a defect but a unique characteristic.

Take me, for example. I was born with a cleft lip and now have a scar on the middle of my face. No piece of clothing will ever hide it, and yet many women I meet never notice it until I point it out.

Other women I know, feel that their weight is something that inhibits them from being beautiful, and that is so far from the truth. Every size, every age and every woman on this planet has their own beauty. And I finally think that marketing and retail are slowly realizing this.

4. What is the one thing you would spend a lot of money on?
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a thrifty woman. I’m sure much of that is how I was brought up, and I rarely spend a lot on most of my clothing items. Of course, there is an exception to everything.

One of the items that I spend more money towards are my winter coats. Living in Denver, Colorado, USA where the winters include a lot of snow makes it practical to have some warm, yet interesting coats. I figure the winter is dreary enough that we need some fun and delightful outerwear. I figure since these are usually items you don’t outgrow, and they get worn almost daily in the colder seasons, it’s definitely worth the extra money. Of course, I also have more than one of these beauties, but they all get lots of use in our fall, winter and even springtime.

The other items I will end up spending more money on are those one-of-a-kind pieces. To me, it’s important to stand out in the crowd occasionally, and it’s way more fun to have an item that is unique.

5 . What is the one thing you wouldn’t spend a lot of money on?
Everything else, LOL!

Although I love the idea of slow fashion, I also don’t believe in having to spend a lot of money in order to look nice. I was raised by a mother who was a home economics teacher and professional seamstress, so she made much of our clothing. In fact, she still loves to sew and create her own items. Therefore, it’s hard for me to pay full price for almost anything.

I tend to purchase most items on sale. I feel like most styles do not change overnight, and if I buy a piece at the end of the season, most of the time it will work fabulously in the next year. Besides, with the ease of online shopping, there is usually some kind of promotion or discount the retailer is offering for certain items.
I’ve also discovered thrift and consignment stores where there is a treasure at every turn.

6. How would you describe your personal style?

I feel like each woman’s personal style should be a reflection of their personality.

Therefore I would describe mine as colorful, quirky and constantly changing.

7. Who are your style icons?

I wouldn’t have known how to answer this until I saw the movie “Red’ in 2010. When I saw Helen Mirren in this, I had that “aha” moment, that I could grow older and still be incredible. Not only is she fabulous on the outside, but she speaks her mind and has such a down to earth personality. Of course, it’s not like I’ve met her in real life, but she is one that I definitely look up to in so many ways.

8. What’s the secret to looking polished?
I feel like the one most important aspect to looking polished is the fit of your clothing. Like I said, I was raised by a seamstress, so I learned from an early age that much of your clothing should be altered to fit you properly.

If it’s not possible or practical to have your pieces altered, then it’s worth taking the time to try to find clothing that really fits well. If someone settles for an item that is too big, then they tend to look sloppy. If that same person tries to fit into something that is too small, then they don’t look proper and are probably uncomfortable also.
I also believe in the magical properties of accessories. To me, these small extras can take an outfit from blah to wonderful. In fact, I would describe myself as a maximalist, especially when it comes to those extras.

One other item that really can make or break an outfit is footwear. I’m a true believer that you can have comfort and style together in your shoes. Maybe I love shoes so much because you can gain 5 pounds and they still fit? But no matter what the reason, shoes can be the cherry on top of any outfit!

You can also find Jodie on Instagram: @jtouchofstyle