Michelle Obama has done a great job of defining her style and making it work for her while at the same time incorporating updated elements into her wardrobe.  And she does it without relying solely on high-end fashion designers.  She pulls things off the rack at Ann Taylor, J. Crew, even Target from time to time.  Again, it’s about style, not price tag.  She also reminds us that it’s not just what’s on our backs that counts but also, and quite importantly, our attitude.  If you know how to carry it off, you can even make a paper bag look good - well that may be stretching things just a bit.  

But, do check out this book.  It casts an important perspective on fashion and style based on someone who is considered a fashion icon.

I happened to be in a mall recently, and could not believe the beautiful faux fur coats (with dramatically reduced “on sale” price tags) that were available at Macy’s and Lord & Taylor.  Unlike the earlier generations of faux, these were impossible to distinguish from their real fur counterparts. 

 Another good source for faux fur items is Fabulous Furs, a catalogue and online purveyor that carries beautiful faux fur pieces.  And these aren’t just your mother’s furs either.  They carry many items that are fun and colorful in addition to the more traditional and dramatic pieces.  

And of course, since you aren’t buying the “real thing”, the prices are delightfully affordable. 

Many of you will say No to fur of any origin, but for those of you who have decided faux is the way to go, the industry has finally figured out how to combine beauty, quality, variety and price into a winning combination.

Some things worth repeating:

• A coat is a statement piece.  It’s the first thing people will see so make it special.
• A belt always flatters a woman with a larger waist or hips because it creates the illusion of a defined waist.
• Slender women should go for ruffles and other flourishes that add interest and round out the silhouette.
• If you’re wearing something full or bulky on top, go for a slimmer bottom to create balance.
• And yes, cobalt is a very trendy, not to mention beautiful, shade this season. 

Finally, if you get just one thing to update your wardrobe this season, get yourself a beautiful cape – very fashionable and fun to wear.  And there are endless styles to choose from.

Keep warm in style this winter and you’ll feel like a million dollars no matter how gray or blustery the weather may be.

First of all, if you value your back, feet, ankles and knees, you will avoid these ridiculous shoes and boots.  You can still find some lower heels – a nice 3 inch style still dresses up an outfit and is walkable (if you aren’t walking too far).  Or look for a cute flat in an animal print.  These will always satisfy your desire to “step out”  in fashion. 

If it’s boots you’re after, you’ll still have to wade through rows and rows of very high heels.  But if you persevere, you will also discover some low to medium wedges which are stylish and comfortable.  And if you find one similar to the style shown here, you can combine two fashion elements of the season – wedge and riding boot.  Some say that if you buy only one boot this year, make sure it’s a riding boot!  Who am I to argue?

In case you think you can just hold your breath, and wait for this awful season of stilletto to be over, the early buzz for spring suggests that the stilletto will be back bigger, badder and bolder for spring and summer.  The chiropractors are in for a good run!

And if you’re still in doubt about whether these shoes are meant for your lovely feet, check out what can happen to women who walk for a living.  Not a pretty sight.

Best of Beauty – has all the best products as determined by their editor-tested and expert-approved panel.  Everything from eye shadow, to mascara, to lipsticks, cleansers, eye creams, anti-wrinkle treatments, nail polish, shampoo, perfume…You get the picture.

Cheap Thrills – Best of Beauty winners that don’t break the bank.  Look for tried and true Maybelline mascara, Neutrogena conceler, Dove Beauty Bar, etc.  No need to spend a fortune to look good.

Hall of Fame – one of my favorites.  This features products that have been around for a while and still stand the test of time.  They are repeatedly chosen as top picks by editors and readers of the magazine.  Chanel No. 5 tops the list – talk about staying power.  Thank you, Coco!  It’s joined by Cetaphil Gentle Skin Clenser, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream, and 7 other products that have won the hearts of women across the country for a long while.

The Big Breakthroughs – This is absolutely my personal favorite.  What’s been going on in the laboratories of skin care and beauty researchers will blow your mind!  Check out the word on injectable fillers that are made from your own skin, semi-permanent mascara, do-it-yourself in home laser treatments that stimulate collagen production.  I don’t know if I was more fascinated with the science or the actual benefits of these products.  But these new offerings may give some plastic surgeons a run for their money.  Imagine do-it-yourself laser treatments at home! 

Go grab a copy and see for yourself.  Even if you don’t go for a lot of make-up, you’re bound to find helpful information on products you do use – like shampoo, moisturizers, skin care products.  I think this is a great resource for us.  No need to waste your time and money when allure has done the work for you!

• For starters, several trends that we’ve been seeing for a while are still hanging in, which means if you’ve made an investment in animal prints, faux fur or bright shiny embellished pieces, sequins and the like, you’ll be glad you did.  You can wear them proudly this season and look quite au courant!
• Something else to like – really like – is that hemlines are falling.  Though they call this the “maxi” trend, for this season all it really means is that skirts will go to the knee.  But, hey, we’ll take it.  Most of us are wearing our skirts that long anyway – unless we wear a short skirt with black tights – but it’s good to know that we will be right in step when we roll out that slightly longer knee-length hemline.
• Boots this season feature stacked heels, which most of us can probably find lurking somewhere in the back of our closets.  Another opportunity to recycle what we already may have.  However, on a recent shopping trip, I found myself wandering through aisles of boots that featured a lot of very high and dangerous looking stilleto heels.  So keep an eye on this one.  More on boots and shoes later…

Other trends that you’ll be seeing this season:

• Bold colors.  Replace your whites, neutrals and pastels for the “spicey” colors of fall but don’t be afraid to throw in some fuschia, cobalt and teal, and red – red will be BIG this fall.  You’ll also be seeing color blocking – swaths of color all in one piece – reminiscent of the 60s.  Think Courreges and Yves St. Laurent.
• Coats will be intereting and dramatic this season.  Lots of color, texture, patterns.  Capes are also an interesting alternative for chilly weather.  They’re showing up in a lot of places, and they look great! 
• Lots of prints, and for those of us that are bold (?), mixing them up raises the stakes even higher.  (Just remember to stay in the same color family, and you can make it work.)
• Finally, though there is some talk that things are moving back to flesh tone and sheer black stockings, you’ll also find plenty of patterns and colors on legs this season.  Something to have fun with that won’t break the bank.

While you contemplate these trends and consider how they might fit into your wardrobe this fall, I’ll be digging around for more details and thoughts about how you can make them work for you.

Wonder of wonders, help is on the way!  A new online service is as near as your computer or smartphone.  Check out a recent New York Times article on  Go Try It On.  At the click of a button, you can upload an image of yourself in an outfit and immediately get feedback from other users on your outfit or any little detail thereof.  The responders are from all over the world so you can tap into international fashion sensibilities as well.

 At first glance it looks like it caters to a pretty young crowd, but that doesn’t matter.  We over fiftiers can stake our claim just as well.  The more of us that use it, the more we will create a virtual community of fashion advisors.   And in the meantime, it won’t hurt to get some feedback from younger women.  They have an eye for fashion, and an opinion about what works, no matter the age. 

I’d love to hear from any of you that use the site or app.  Go make some new online fashion friends and share your experiences.  When you step out confidently in that dress or outfit you’ll be glad you did.

Dresses for comfort – And what could be more comfortable when the mercury hits 100 than your favorite summer dress?  Yes, you know how easy it is to slip on a dress and be done with it.  Dresses are cool, especially in a great breathable cotton knit and they always make for a put together look.  You can cinch them with a belt or let them flow free.  When a breeze happens along (if a breeze happens along) or a well placed subway vent, you’re ready to enjoy maximum benefit when you have on a comfy well ventilated dress.

Hot/cold, hot/cold, hot/cold !!! – Moving in and out of the  heat to air conditioning and back again can be a major problem for lots of us. From grocery stores, to movie theaters to the office, inside temperatures can be a real shock in this weather.   My best advice is to always carry a cotton pashmina, a little shrug or a jacket that you can slip into a bag and pull out for those situations when you feel like you’re in an icebox.  Find something in neutral that will go with any outfit and keep it on hand so it’s there when you need it.

Shoes –  can be a big problem in the summer.  Bare feet inside tight shoes – a miserable situation on a hot day when your feet are swelling and you can’t get relief.  Best to stick to comfortable sandals with flat or low heels and good arch support or maybe a little wedge that will give you a stylish look with the stability that will keep you on your feet.  Don’t sacrifice your comfort or sanity by squeezing your swollen feet into a cute little fashion statement of a shoe that you’ll be cursing  by day’s end.

Hats – There is no excuse to be out on these sunny days without a hat.  The stores are still full of  great styles and colors.  There is truly a hat for every look and every body.  Besides the risk of skin cancer, the reality is that wearing a hat will really keep you much cooler.  And what better way to show your keep cool attitude than to top off your outfit with a great hat?  Whether you’re wearing a dress, a suit, shorts or loose linen trousers, there is a hat to go with every outfit.

If you have more fashion tips about looking your best and staying cool, please share.

It won’t be over for a while so keep cool and make fashion work for you this summer!

Happily I’m back and glad to report the discover of a great line of cool and comfortable clothes for summer.  I discovered these at a music festival, and unlike most everything else that was way overpriced, this line was reasonable and fit like a glove.  Check out the Synergy website for a fun line of dresses, skirts, tops and bottoms.  Everything is made from organic cotton which is oh, so breatheable and comfortable.  Perfect for summer.  And this beautiful cotton is very drapey and soft.  It fits well but doesn’t cling – shows off the positive and minimizes the less than positive.  Many of the pieces have hand-cut and hand-sewn appliques on them that are really fun and make these items truly unique.

The other thing I like about Synergy is that they are committed to sustainability.  Not only do they use organic cotton, but also low impact fabric dyes.  Their clothing is hand made in Nepal according to fair trade practices.  They are constantly looking for ways to minimize their footprint in clothing production and daily operations.  They make clothes that look good and that you can feel good about wearing.

I bought two of the summer dresses, and I’m practically living in them.  You might like them too.  Check it out.