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Fashion confusion!!

(44 Posts)
kittylester Thu 20-Dec-12 14:34:56

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I wear lots of black, mainly because it's slimming, with bright colours eg. scarves, beads, cardigans. My confusion arises because I keep reading that black is not good for the more mature (ok, older) woman! Worse than that, I read that one should now wear navy and black together to soften the effect. What's more, my slim, blonde, elegant friend envy has started to appear in black and navy. Advice please - do I need a whole new wardrobe grin or not?

ziggy Thu 20-Dec-12 14:53:03

Just wear what you are comfortable in, you can get away with anything at our age,wink

Ana Thu 20-Dec-12 15:22:29

Hmmmm...perhaps, ziggy, if you don't really care what you look like, but what if we want to continue taking some pride in our appearance, especially on special occasions?

I saw a similar article recently, kittylester, although I didn't notice the bit about wearing navy with black, just the advice about navy being more flattering to older women. The trouble is, for many it reminds them of school uniform - I suppose if you can get over that then it is a softer colour and looks good with almost any other colour (except brown! hmm).

gracesmum Thu 20-Dec-12 15:25:58

I think you know what you feel good in- the feeling that comes with a colour that suits you (you know what I mean not to mention all the unworn things in the back fo the wardrobe that never quite seem "right") In my case, that is green - a colour I love but which usually occasions sympathetic remarks like "You do look a bit tired" !!!
So I sort of agree with Ziggy about what you feel comfortable in, but not with the idea that we can get away with anything - those days are long gone in my case!!

grannyactivist Thu 20-Dec-12 15:27:59

I like navy and wear it quite often, but it's a harder colour than black to find in the charity shops. hmm

Ella46 Thu 20-Dec-12 15:34:57

I wear lots of black because I think that navy is ageing....just goes to show that you should wear what you feel and look good in, we're all different.

Movedalot Thu 20-Dec-12 16:26:28

I love black! You can dress it up or down and it tends to stay in fashion longer than some things. I think it may be ageing if you are very pale and don't wear make up but just enough slap will work wonders.grin You could just put some colour near you face if it bothers you.

Don't think I would wear black with navy blue, pale yes but then I live out in the sticks and we don't worry too much about what is 'in'.

don't you just love people who have their own style? They always look good. envy

JessM Thu 20-Dec-12 17:23:59

navy and black -eeeeywww - that would not co-ordinate in my eyes.
I am not OCD about many things - quite the reverse, but navy and black just don't GO. Unless it is a v light navy - well a blue really.
Saints Trinny and Susannah used to say to be a bit careful combining bright primary colours and black.
The other huge advantage of black is that it does not show the dirt grin
Apart from the whitish splodge on my fleece... which needs attention.

Ana Thu 20-Dec-12 17:26:55

And pet hairs.....and dandruff!

Ariadne Thu 20-Dec-12 17:32:23

I love my black stuff, and I like my very dark navy stuff too, but the co-ordination police in my head wouldn't let me mix the two.

I do think that the wrong shade of navy can a) be aging and b) look like a service industry uniform.

Anyway, my mother - a Hyacinth Bucket (I've told you this before) said that navy was "common". However, given the list of things that she assigned to that category, it is not to be taken seriously!

johanna Thu 20-Dec-12 17:38:52

I agree that navy near the complexion is not a winner at our age.
Even for blondes.

" Any colour as long as it is black.."
Now where did I leave those car keys ? smile

Sook Thu 20-Dec-12 18:16:05

I love wearing black, a good job too as I have three very affectionate black hounds. Like kitty I wear it with bright colours although I do think it looks good combined with tan, I would never wear it with navy.

I do have to wear a touch of blusher on my cheeks when in black mode otherwise I can look as if I've just been dug up.grin

johanna Thu 20-Dec-12 18:30:43

Being nosy here sook
Which type of black hounds do you have?

FlicketyB Thu 20-Dec-12 19:00:05

I never wear black, never have, never had an LBD, the colour makes me look like one of the living dead. Navy doesnt flatter me either, but brown or very dark grey really do suit me

glammanana Thu 20-Dec-12 19:06:04

Kitty most of my wardrobe is black apart from my jeans,and I do have just one pair of those I have loads of sparkly scarves which I tie in different ways,during the winter I use a darker foundation and at the moment I am using Garnier BB cream in medium during the summer I will wear the light tone or a clinque stay true make-up in beige.I don't tend to change my lip gloss just the foundation.
This year I have gone for an Ivory winter Parka rather than my bog standard black leather and it has brightened up my appearance no end.I don't think I would wear navy it seems to bring back memories of my nana and her friends in their old navy dresses with tie around pinnies over the top.

annodomini Thu 20-Dec-12 19:06:47

I prefer rich colours - purples, blues, reds, pinks - on my upper half, but stick to grey and black - sometimes navy - on the bottom half.

Sook Thu 20-Dec-12 19:09:34

johanna I have two greyhounds and an almost greyhound he is a quarter Saluki. As I type all are stretched out snoozing on their duvets.

johanna Thu 20-Dec-12 19:24:57

Thanks soop

johanna Thu 20-Dec-12 19:31:13

Has anybody else found when slapping on foundation the effect is actually the opposite of what you wanted to achieve?
I never end up with what it says on the tube, jar, pot, whatever.
I look the same person, just WORSE!
Be it £5.00 or £50.00 , makes no difference.
Advice please.

Ana Thu 20-Dec-12 19:36:50

Perhaps you shouldn't be 'slapping it on' johanna! grin Less is more - I use L'Oreal something or other (would have to go upstairs to find out) and I find a squirt of the pump is quite enough to give good coverage. I do use a primer first - Boots no. 7 Airbrush Away. A quick sweep of powder blusher on the apples of the cheeks gives a bit of depth, I find. Experiment - and do get the right shade of foundation, so many women get the colour wrong.

Nonu Thu 20-Dec-12 19:43:44

I basically just go over the cheek area . Not too much where the wrinkles are , as it settles in , and is ageing .

grin

POGS Thu 20-Dec-12 19:56:12

Nonu.

Doesn't it rub off when you sit down. grin

gracesmum Thu 20-Dec-12 19:59:50

grin POGS

Nanado Thu 20-Dec-12 20:01:32

Less IS more. I wear a tinted foundation during the day, which is very light, has SPF (ha!) and just enough colour to even out skin tone. It's too light to settle into wrinkles (if i had any!) If going anywhere special / formal I add in some subtle eye shadow and a fair amount of mascara and a touch of lip gloss. At night I may use a little concealer too, using the tinted foundation as primer or a base.

Whatever you choose has to match your skin tone. It looks awful when you see an over made up face with a line around the chin when the make up stops.
Ana is right. Experiment. But make sure your face is cleansed and moisturised at least and you're working in daylight with a good mirror.

As for colours? Depends on the season, the weather and my mood.

Nanado Thu 20-Dec-12 20:03:12

POGS you been at the Christmas sherry wine