Friday, July 4, 2014

Fashion Over Fifty: Say it isn't So!

Hello!  Have you heard the news?  Capris are out of style!  Say it isn't so!  I love capris.  But sadly, it is true.  According to the fashion gods we are no longer suppose to wear capris anymore.  Pants should no longer stop in the middle of the leg.  They must either be above the knee (such as Bermuda Shorts) or at the ankle (ankle pants).  I am devastated.  As a fifty something woman, I love capris.  They are my alternative to wearing shorts, and keep me cool and comfy in the summer. What am I to do?   Have you noticed you can't even find capris in the stores anymore?  Everything is ankle pants.  So ladies, if you love your capris as much as I do, hang on to them and take good care of them, because you can't replace them!

Now I've seen this before where the fashion gods have tried to take something away from us and we all screamed 'Heck No!'  Remember shoulder pads?  I think we all cried like babies when we were told not to wear them anymore.  "Whyyyyyyyy?  They make us look tall and skinny and give us good posture!" So it took about another year or two before everyone obeyed the fashion gods and gave them up.  Now we laugh when we see eighties movies with women wearing shoulder pads big enough to make them look like line backers.  Hmmm, maybe the fashion gods were right about that one.

Sadly, I think it will be the same with capris.  I think women will continue to wear them for the next season or two, and then they will be no more.  Now, the positive side to taking away our capris is that the fashion gods are giving us a replacement:  CULOTTES.  Remember those?  I have yet to try a pair on, so I'm on the fence about them.  I fear only a 110 lb, long legged woman is the only woman who would look good in those.  I mean, they are so WIDE….do we really want to look wider than we already are?

In the meantime, here is my alternative:  capris that flare at the calf rather than hug it.   These capris are super old and a little loose on me, so they give the illusion that they are more like culottes than capris.


 If your stubborn like me and are not quite yet ready to give up your capris, then these are the type you should wear:  flowy, drapey, and loose at the calf:  not tight.  I actually own two tight-at-the calf capris that I still wear to work just to keep cool.  But hey.  It's work, and I wear a uniform, so who cares?  I will wear those two pair till I wear them out.

My sheer pink jeweled t-shirt and my belt are my only new items I'm wearing.  Everything else is old.  I bought this blush blouse at Express (sold out, but HERE is something similar)  this year because I thought it was so pretty, but it is so sheer I really struggled with what to wear with it.  If you put something underneath the shirt, the bulk of the tank really shows and you see all the straps of both your bra and the tank;  and if you put a jacket or sweater over the shirt, you cover up the pretty jewels.  It's a very hard shirt to style,  I probably shouldn't have bought it.  But I loved the color and the jewels, so it won me over.  The only way I could think to solve my see-through dilemma without covering up the jewels was to wear another sheer sleeveless blouse over the top.  I like it, but I don't love it and I'm open for more suggestions.

 The basic body of the t shirt is a sheer, soft knit, but the neckline is an even sheerer mesh type of material.
 We couldn't get a really good photo of the back of the shirt, but it opens halfway up the back.
 Because the shirt was already accessorized with jewels, I didn't wear a necklace but wore chandelier earrings and gold bracelets instead.
 Nude sandals with gold accents were my chosen footwear.  I wanted to keep the entire outfit clean, fresh, cool, and neutral looking, and it must have worked because when I walked down my staircase on  this very hot day my husband remarked "Well, don't you look cool and comfortable!'  Exactly the look I was going for!
 My vintage looking floral belt from Forever 21.
 And if you forgot what culottes look like, here are some examples from Pinterest.  Everything old is new again.



So what about you?  Have you tried culottes yet?  Or, would you rather leave them in the past?  I'll have to go to the store and try on a pair before I make my final decision.

Have a Happy Fourth of July and Have a great day!  Amy

4 comments:

  1. Interesting post. I just recently bought a pair of capris by silver jeans. I love them. I know I won't be parting with them anytime soon :-)
    Your outfit looks so comfortable and summer. Love the t-shirt. And gorgeous earrings too. I am not one who really follows fashion trends too much (although I've been falling in love with lace accents on clothes), so I probably won't be trying the culottes.

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  2. I recently wrote a post on 3/4 length trousers. I think if you know how to wear them they are great for this time of year. I love how you've layered your tops too!

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  3. Well I will be saving mine,darn I was really loving them! Now having said that I used to love my culottes so I will probably be buying them. Still the same weight and body shape (for the most part:O) so hopefully they will still be attractive. love your look and shoes as always.
    hugs
    Glenda

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