292: Your colour questions answered about relaxed personality style, petite and choosing shoes.

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The relaxed personality style report you sent to me is 100% me but little of my wardrobe reflects that. I have recently retired at 66. I haven’t really transitioned into my style from work clothes, dead easy to buy, Reiss and Hobbs and silk blouses, these still fill my wardrobe yet are unworn. I’m slobbing around in shorts and tees hirts or black leggings. When I pluck up courage to go shopping I can’t decide what to buy, I dislike buying on line as depending on brand and cut I might be an 8 or a 10. Often I am overwhelmed by choice. So really where do I start?
My biggest problem is I am short (1m58), curvy (but not curvy enough to fit in plus-size models) and that’s sometimes hard to find. Help
Footwear issues: what to wear with each kind of outfit? I can’t wear heels because of a bad back and I never know what type of shoe to wear that is both stylish and season appropriate (warm in winter. etc) and what kind of leg covering goes with what: leggings and socks, just socks, foot leggings, what? The regular panty hose is not warm enough for the cold winters in my region.

267: Colour and Style Q&A: Choosing prints, balance of yin and yang in clothing, and following trends.

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I struggle with prints in general – what to choose. I’m a bit scared that they won’t work so I tend to avoid them. Any tips?
How do I dress practically and attractively, being comfortable but still in an interesting but not crazy way, so vibrant but not aggressive?
Why is it that I am tempted to follow trends even when they don’t fit my lifestyle or body type?

265: Colour and Style Q&A: Expressing Who You Are, Ageless Style, and Wardrobe Organisation.

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I want to learn better how to express who I am without being obsessed with my appearance and not to be invisible unless I choose to be. As an older women, it is easy to be overlooked, but I’m not interested in being dramatic as a means of countering that bias. I don’t object to it in other, but my own style is more understated. I struggle most with hair and makeup.
I’ve no idea what is suitable for my age – which is 52 – I’d like to be more elegant.
I have too much stuff that I picked up on sale that is now so unorganized that I can’t see what I have. How can I organise my wardrobe?

261: Colour and Style Q&A: What to wear when you’re retired, have conflicting body advice, and not sure what I’m aiming for?

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I’m a retired person now living in Mexico, my greatest challenge is making the transition from the work wardrobe to the more casual, climate appropriate style.
The body shape challenge is crazy because of all the conflicting advice.
I sew and design my own patterns, so I can make anything happen. As soon as I figure out what “anything ” I’m aiming for.

260: Colour and Style Q&A: Bras, Style Rut, and living in the wrong climate for my style.

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I can’t find a bra that fits, the cup size is not right when I choose a larger band size to fit my more expanded waist. Any tips?
I really do not know what style actually suits me. I am over 60 approximately 5ft 6in tall have salt and pepper longish hair and a pearish body shape with short body , short waist and long legs I have gained weight in the past 12 months in the hip abdominal area and have a pot belly and lost my side/hip definition therefore I don’t know what to wear and I prefer trousers
12.48 My biggest challenge is that I live in the wrong climate for my style LOL!!
I’m currently living in the UK, but I like to dress in soft, silky, lightweight satiny lacy things as well as cute kitten heels and pointy shoes. I’m either always freezing to death or dodging puddles and mud.
I just moved here 4 years ago and tried doing the lumpy sweaters and rubber wellies but I feel so *UGH* in them.
I can’t afford a total wardrobe redo, but I need to get some “sexy” back in my closet!

259: Colour and Style Q&A: Neckline, Sizing, and Weight.

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I just watched your post about flattering necklines and how matching your jawline is best. I do not wear the types of necklines I would look best in due to modesty reasons. How does wearing something under a v-neck or scoop neck affect the “ideal” neckline of the scoop or v-neck? Can I use necklaces over boat or crew necks to get this ideal neckline instead?
I struggle with finding clothes as there is so much Inconsistent sizing between stores.
My weight which has settled in my middle. I am attempting to lose weight but even if I do. I believe I will never have a waist again. I am a rectangle . At my best I will be a small rectangle. It is quite a change since my youth when I was an hourglass I am also short so when I attempt to hide the middle with longer tops I have no legs. I do not think it is possible to dress this and look attractive in any way. I try to be moderate and so have lost interest in clothes

258: Colour and Style Q&A: Ageing, Fit, and Feminine mixed with Relaxed Lifestyle.

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The big one for me atm is ageing — I don’t want to give up, any tips?
My biggest issue with fashion is finding ready-made clothing that fits well enough to wear comfortably & look good. I wear a size 8 jean, but need a 14-16 top to fit the bustline. However, the 14-16 shoulders, neck/sleeve openings, sleeve lengths, etc. are too big to look nice on me.
How can I combine my feminine style personality with a relaxed lifestyle? I love florals, lace, pink, skirts and dresses, and feminine details, but as a stay at home mom with five kids (including a baby that I’m breastfeeding), I need my clothes to be practical, comfortable, and casual. I also have (I think) medium high value contrast and medium color contrast, so the very low contrast pastel look of many feminine outfits doesn’t work for me. I would appreciate any tips.

257: Colour and Style Q&A: Pink, Capsule Wardrobe, and Best Clothes.

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How exactly do colors need to match when you have an outfit with multiple items in the same color? For example, I have a pink and beige patterned skirt. I would normally think to wear it with a pink top or cardigan, but none of mine are exactly the same pink. Is that okay, or is it better to wear a top that’s neutral or a different color?
How do I create a perfect capsule wardrobe where everything goes together for all changing seasons and no thought about what to wear everyday?
How do I edit my wardrobe so it’s just my best clothes?

255: Colour and Style Q&A: Colour contrast dominant vs value contrast dominant, getting out of the rut, and some clothing recommendations.

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I just wonder if you can be value contrast dominant although your ideal value contrast is medium? But what if you have medium value contrast and neutral features?
My biggest style challenge is getting out of the rut I’m in with my clothes – I feel like my clothes are boring, dull and lack imagination and creativity.
Would you please recommend some clothing styles that would work for someone petite, creative (but in a business setting), and will let me look my age or younger?

250: Colour and Style Q&A: Streamlining your wardrobe, Belt for X shape, and Clothing that last a lifetime.

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My biggest challenge is streamlining my wardrobe. I have too many items that I don’t wear.
I wear belts to highlight my waist as I’m a petite X shape and it works really well. My problem is many skirts and pants don’t have belt loops and I find the belts slip up at the back or twist as I move. Any suggestions as to how to keep them nicely in place.
What clothing can I buy to last a lifetime?

248: Colour and Style Q&A: Mixing Outfits, Wardrobe on a Budget, and New Body.

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How do I choose outfits I could easily mix and match and not feel as though I’m wearing the same thing over and over again.
How do you find great clothes without spending a fortune or buying cheap unethically created (no cheap and abused labour in poor countries) garments?
Having had 2 children my body shape has changed and I struggle to fit my style into the new body – any tips?

247: Colour and Style Q&A: Youthful dressing, Yin & Yang, and Plus size.

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I don’t want to dress like a teenager but I want to dress like an old woman. Any tips?
My biggest challenge is combining what looks good on my more yang frame and also fits my more yin personality. I wear jeans to work and rarely have a need to dress up. Plus, comfort and not putting much thought into getting dressed are important to me. Most inspiration outfits that would look good on my silhouette are with blazers, dresses, skirts, or dress pants, which I usually don’t wear. A lot of the clothes with bows and other pretty details come in pastel colors, which wash me out. Simple has always looked best on me. But, as I’m getting older, I find that I need more drama in my look.
My biggest challenge is being overweight. I don’t look as good in my clothes and can’t do some of the styling with my clothes that I could if I was thinner. My classic rectangular body that goes with my classic, style has disappeared.

246: Colour and Style Q&A: Activewear, Sensory Values, and Prints that Flatter.

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I am retired and exercise and train triathlon. I am classic style with a bob. I currently wear leggings or stretch pants long legs with a top that is wickked. I get very salty hair from my workouts and am trying to develop a style where I don’t need to change more than once a day. Sometimes I might do a hard bike ride eg 2 hrs then meet someone for lunch then go swimming pm.
I don’t have a sense of what looks good on me. I also have sensory sensitivities, particularly to fabric feel and tightness. I’ve been studying color theory, and personality style. My biggest issues are trying to put all of this together while still having a functional, practical, and comfortable style for my lifestyle, which relies on layers and outfits suitable for a casual outdoorsy lifestyle.
With age I’ve shrunk and my waist has expanded and I can’t wear heels. I love wearing skirts and dresses but having difficulty choosing pattern/style for the dress which doesn’t overwhelm me or shorten me. (I am a sewer)

245: Colour and Style Q&A: Curated Wardrobe, Beige Outfit, and Creating a Go To Outfit.

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What challenges me is how to move from my existing wardrobe to a more curated style – especially with a restricted budget.
I have a really nice light beige dress pants and jacket that I really like to wear in summer. As an “enigmatic”, I tend to wear it with a darker top.
I was thinking it would be nice to get some more wear out of it before winter sets in. Would you have any ideas how to wear it? or should I just forget about it until next summer?
I love my taste in fashion and I have fun with it too. But, getting dressed for work in the morning is a real pain. I love looking put together and I have very nice clothes but lack the desire to take the time and effort to do so. Since my job is casual I mostly opt for activewear (cute activewear though). I wish for the motivation to wear those faves in my closet

243: Colour and Style Q&A: Greens, Stay Warm in Cold Office, and Flattering Clothes.

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Can you reinforce for me the difference between cool and warm greens. I know olive is warm but it is those greens that are somewhat sage and those that are mint greens that confuse me.
I would love to know how to stay stylish and warm in a cold office? I feel my style is ruined as everything nice I wear leaves me cold and I have to always wear a big cardigan. My other issue is that I am slim but often get bloated so what looks good in the morning has me wanting to cover up by evening. Any hacks for this other than more cardigans?
I don’t know how to put things on that are actually flattering. I need clothes that are comfortable and practical as I live on a farm, but when I do go out and want to look more stylish when I see pics of myself I can’t believe I went out looking like that.