Casual Chic

Chic casual style because dressing down is as important ant as dressing up. Stylist tips to look everyday casual chic and polished.

Leather Weather: A Black Leather Jacket At Any Age To Suit Your Every Mood!

Kate Moss, Isabelle Hupert, Sarah Jessica Parker in black leather jackets
I'll Have What She's Having: A modern & global spin on a classic black leather jacket as an age-appropriate celebrity favorite Baby, it's leather weather! Not too hot, not too cold (yet) and just right for some hard core downtown motorcycle style done right, may it be city, casual, or dressy. From London, New York, to Cannes, we've got Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Isabelle Huppert sporting a black leather jacket in three ageless ways that will surely suit YOUR wardrobe. >>MORE: Leather Style When it comes to rocking it out whist still being both age-appropriate and ageless, please note that these ladies are in their LATE 30s, 40s, and 50s. Style doesn't have an expiration date when it looks right. Kate Moss in

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Stylist Advice- Plus Size Layering, Define A Focal Point

Dear Sharon:  I am overweight. Sometimes I wear blouses open with turtlenecks underneath. Can you wear a scarf with the open blouse and turtleneck? (C.M. via Fashion Advice)   I'm not sure that I love the way you start out your question by announcing that you are overweight. Regardless of your size, we ALL need to make the most of what we've got which should come from a place of confidence and pride with our unique self. That said, what's with ALL the  layers? When it comes to plus size layering, or layering clothing for any size, with rare exception, it is key to create a longer visual line with your clothing to look leaner, less bulky, and polished. The emphasis for

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Stylist Advice- How to beat cold feet? Bootights & sheepskin insoles to the rescue

Dear Sharon,  I'm hoping you can help me out. Now that the temperature is dropping I finally get to break out my boots. Happy me! I love wearing tights with boots but find that my feet are always freezing, especially at work. I really need to beat cold feet while looking stylish and office appropriate. >> RELATED: Style Guideline for Women Entrepreneurs I usually wear an ankle sock over my tights for added warmth but they tend to slip down and bunch up in my boots. I've tried wearing taller socks and I know that showing some sock above your boot is trendy in a casual setting, but I don't think it's very professional looking in the workplace. Other than seeing my doctor for my poor circulation,

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How to look pulled together in jeans? Look at Christie Brinkley’s ageless style for inspiration

2012 Smile Train World Smile Day Hosted by Christie Brinkley
I'll Have What She's Having: Grown-up gorgeous in down-to-earth and polished jeans Crazy that what so many of us wear so often can be impossible to pull off-- with style. Don't fret. Look no further than perennially gorgeous Christie Brinkley for celebrity style inspiration on how to look pulled together in jeans. Ok, you may not look like her (who does??), but you can master her sublime style and look pretty darn fabulous too. And, it's far more realistic than fantasizing about a red carpet gown too. >>MORE: Jeans Christie hosted the 2012 Smile Train World Smile Day to raise awareness that helps children born with clefts around the world and wore jeans for the event. Not sloppy jeans but ones so

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DL1961 Denim Spring 2013

DL1961 Denim Spring 2013 Runway Review: The DL1961 Denim To Make Your Next Cult We all have our denim brands we are devoted to and follow like it's their last world tour, which I commend and adhere to myself (I am devoted to AG, Rag & Bone, and Lucky Brand - period), but I dare I say, there is a new (fairly new) denim cult to follow, and it's DL1961.  It's as simple as this: it's all in the fit.  For those curve-a-licious girls in particular, this is THE brand for you.  On that note, I would say for those without any hips and an ass, this may not be your spiritual denim calling. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS  DL1961 more or

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Stylist Advice: Should I Revamp My Wardrobe From The Ground Up For French Chic Style?

French actress and model Clémence Poésy
Talk Thursday continues... don't forget to send your fashion questions for a bit of stylist advice!    Hey Sharon, I went from a polished mod style and attending MBFW as an invite because of my fashion sketches, to literally digressing into a wardrobe of almost exclusively leggings and shapeless tunics. I obtained a full-time job in graphic design where the bar is very, VERY low. Think: free t-shirts and Crocs on my co-workers-- I will never stoop that low. For me, the realization that I've gotten lazy is now a bit too much-- it almost feels like I am uninspired on a daily basis. I don't want to go back to the mod look. I have been researching basic pieces for implementing a

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Stylist Advice: Age Appropriate Shorts And What Leggings To Wear To A Wedding

Rebecca Taylor - Sequin Tuxedo Shorts at Saks.com
For our first round at Talk Thursday full of expert stylist's advice, our new weekly installment of style & lifestyle questions from YOU for us to contemplate, comes TWO questions that everyone could learn a thing or two from  From Lisa-   'I like the shorts with platform heel look. I am not talking short shorts but at least a 5" inseam. What I am wondering is what age is too "old" to be wearing this? I am not looking for a cougar look. I do like this look, it looks good on me but when am I not age appropriate?' (via fashion advice)    We agree, shorts paired with platform heels can be quite a killer look as they can highlight assets, offer a

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Carven & Celine Wear It Now! Cropped Printed Pants- Resort 2013 Highlights

Resort 2013 Highlights that you can wear now! Take note ladies, no need to wait until December to get your hands for top inspiring trends to hits stores... First up, cropped printed pants. >>More: On Mastering Printed Pants The 2013 Resort collections may not be hitting shops until months from now, but we take that as even more reason to take a cue and get ahead of the game by paying attention on how to wear the latest future looks now, especially come the transitional weather many of us are currently facing. >>MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Our first look at key notes that caught our attention at the Resort shows that everyone can instantly adapt into their summer repertoire were a smart

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The Ultimate Shorts Trends Shopping Guide

Banana Republic sateen shorts
 Are you game? I'm not sure when the moment was exactly that took shorts from the casual comfy set to a de rigueur piece  in so many women's wardrobe, but it did. The thing is, when it comes to shorts trends, MOST women just can't get the styling to work. No matter how much they try or OVER try. Let's get it right with the hottest styles this summer. We've even pulled some fab styles in the FocusOnStyle Ultimate Shorts Trends Shopping Guide at the very end (good things are worth waiting for). >>RELATED: How to Wear Shorts: The good, the bad, and the very ugly… What's on trend now are high waist shorts, Bermuda shorts, colored denim, and bold prints. My mom and

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Weekend Chic – Cheap, Comfortable, Casual Clothing and Stylish Too

Christy Turlington Weekend Chic
Same old weekend chic: Fitted jeans for those casual days Now that it's time to lose those coats and heavy knits, look to these chicsters for off-the-job inspiration for easy, approachable weekend chic that's fuss-free and perfect for those on-the-go moments And while you're at it, drop those baggy sweats, ditch the wide-leg jeans and store the harem pants. You'll thank yourself when you see how simple it is to dress quickly with very little thought. Nothing new here, just wiping the slate clean after season's of challenging offerings at hand. >>Going away? What to wear while visiting the countryside We suggest you take trends out of your daily routine gear and go for minimal basics with a sense of Jackie O.

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Age-Appropriate Casual Chic for the Silver Hair Set: How To Shop To Master An Ageless Stylish Wardrobe

An ageless look from Banana Republic
Sometimes age-appropriate casual chic can be a tough call to shop for... a FocusOnStyle reader shares how to work around it...  Thanks for the article/photos on Susan Sarandon. Any advice for a retired 60 year-old female graphic artist, (60)? I like to be somewhat trendy/edgy while still being age appropriate and doing it on a budget. I've begun a capsule of sorts (turquoise, charcoal and some violet), and it helps a lot, but if you could recommend basic pieces one should have for a casual wardrobe that's stylish I would appreciate it. Our pretty reader I am petite, about a size 10/12 and gain weight at my waist/midriff. I don't know where to shop. Chico's is usually too glitzy for me, Jjill is

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Age-Appropriate Everyday Chic via Susan Sarandon’s Fierce Oxford Flats

Filmmaker Michael Moore and actress Susan Sarandon attend Tribeca Talks Directors Series during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival
I'll Have What She's Having:  Pretty, polished, and casual at any age. We all get so wrapped up on the fantasy of fabulous sometimes that we tend to forget the simple casual style that most of us wear on a daily basis. For that very reason of  feigning "senior moments" on everyday style does that core easy part of our wardrobe get forgotten, particularly when looking polished, modern and age-appropriate fashion is on the menu.   Filmmaker Michael Moore and actress Susan Sarandon attend Tribeca Talks Directors Series during the 2012 Tribeca Film FestivalLet's look at Susan Sarandon and what she wore to a director talk at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Face it, there's nothing monumental about her outfit, but there is

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Fancy Pants Street Chic Sneakers with Roman Style

Isabel Marant Willow Sneakers in beige or black at myTheresa
Shhhh, I've been sneaking around and got a taste of  stylish street chic sneakers, Roman style. Honestly, I'm not a sneaker person. Never was. Being neither Amazonian tall and muscularly lissome, nor the proverbial fleshy tourist, sneakers just never found a spot in my life outside of the gym or a mountain trail. >> SHOP: Newest Stylish Sneakers Fast forward to a vacation in Rome and a sudden weather change and all those otherwise spring shoes just wouldn't cut it in an unseasonable dip in temperature and on again off again downpours. Those Y-3  by Yohji Yamamoto bronze sneakers that I packed suddenly took on a new life as a wardrobe staple. Actually, ALL my different versions of a theme, including high-heeled bootie

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