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Hi Ladies,

I am excited that this week we're all talking about one of my absolute favorite pieces of clothing...Jeans! The world is a much more casual place than it was 10+ years ago and I think jeans are perfectly acceptable to wear about 95% of the time. Obviously, I wouldn't wear jeans to a funeral or most weddings (unless it's a casual wedding out in the country...how fun!), but I do think that depending what you pair with them, they work really well for most occasions!

For this post, I am featuring 2 of my favorite pairs of jeans...my black bootcut and my black skinny jeans. My boot cut jeans are by NYDJ, and my skinny jeans are by Paige. Both of these brands are great brands for gals, especially those of us over 50 because they their mid-rise styles fit most of us really well. Now, I know Tina is probably cringing that I am featuring my skinny jeans because these are a little harder for all gals to wear, especially those of us that are over 50. Hands down, the mid-rise boot cut jean is the most universally flattering jean on every woman. I have been educating my clients about this and it really is true. Tina and Francie talked about this too, in their posts. If you missed them, you can read them here and here. It all has to do with the balancing of the proportions with your shoulders, hips, and ankles. The boot cut shape at your ankles will create the perfect balance so that your bottom half doesn't look like an inverted triangle. PROMISE. TRUST US. The other point I want to stress about jeans is that they need to fit you snugly. This is a hard point for many women (and men, I will add!) to grasp. Jeans will stretch as they are on your body, so make sure before you buy them that they are form-fitting. Otherwise after a few wearings, they will be too big for you.

Black Boot Cut Jeans

Black boot cut jeans are very similar to dark wash indigo jeans because they are dressier than lighter rinses. I have been to many board meetings and other important meetings sporting my black boot cut jeans. The key is to put a sharp crease down the front of the jean (its hard to detect the crease in these pictures, but you will want to do this!). Just match your inner seam to your outer seam on each leg and run your iron down both sides so that the crease is in the front of your legs. Be careful with your black or dark jeans though, because you don't want your iron to leave a mark. Make sure you lay a thin towel over your jeans so the iron only makes the crease and won't leave the mark!

My outfits for a board meeting and/or important meetings would definitely include a topper. In this case, I'm wearing my cognac leather jacket which is a wonderful addition to every closet! I love my black and white gingham blouse under the beautiful cognac color. I really consider this black and white blouse to be a great neutral piece because it can be worn with black, brown, grey, camel, and even navy. This is a wonderful year-round item that illustrates beautifully that we need to make purchases that we can wear over and over again many ways; therefore keeping our Cost Per Wear (CPW) low. If you want to read another blog I wrote about CPW, you can read it here. I love wearing my leopard heels with these jeans to further dress them up; and it's fun to mix the leopard print with the check print while still presenting an overall pulled together, modern, and current look.

Black Skinny Jeans

I must say that as a gal in my late 50's, I wear my black skinny jeans with a bit of caution, ha! I personally like to wear these jeans when I'm going out to dinner with my husband Greg or with girlfriends. I love the look of the skinny jean or any other ankle pant with any kind of heel, even a kitten heel. This suede sleeveless top, again in cognac, is the perfect top to wear in the fall with almost any color jean. I would really love it with my white jeans if I wanted a change from this look. I carry pashminas and/or scarves almost everywhere I go in case I get cold in a restaurant, and they are also a great accessory to add to finish an outfit.

I have included similar looks to these you can shop in my Style Vault collection. And if you need some one-on-one help with your fall wardrobe, I'm booking appointments now for the Fall season. You can email me at [email protected] and we'll get you all ready for all of your fabulous Fall excursions!

All the Best!

Barbara