It's time for a new installment of my review of Genevieve Antoine Dariaux's book, A Guide to Elegance. For the complete description of this series, check out the intro post here. Previous posts can be found here. This weekly series looks at traditional fashion rules and seeing if and how they apply to a modern, practical approach to style. Be sure to add your thoughts in the comments!

The section is titled "Age" and discusses what is appropriate for older women to wear, both in terms of style and color.

I take issue with a lot of the points made in this section. Genevieve Antoine Dariaux suggests older women only wear neutrals and pastels and avoid “electric blue, bright orange, shocking pink, and pea green” (pg. 6) on account of those colors clashing with grey hair. (Later in the chapter it becomes clear that when she is referring to "older women," she means those between the ages of 55 and 60. She then classifies the "more elderly lady" (pg. 8) as 70 years old.) However, the last time I checked grey was also a neutral and I think electric blue looks absolutely smashing with silvery grey hair. In the TV show Burn Notice, Sharon Gless wore electric blue, orange, and many other bright colors and looked fabulous in all of them.

Personally, I am not a huge fan of pastels at any age. It is incredibly easy to look washed out in them because they can diminish the vibrancy of an outfit. While I have no issue with neutral colors in general (and believe that they have a place in every closet), black can be a harder color to wear as you age. Navy blue is a great alternative because the color is not nearly as harsh against the skin.

Bright colors should not only be the domain of the youthful and while some styles may be more appropriate when you are young, an additional birthday under your belt does not necessarily mean that all your skirts should suddenly become longer. At any age you will look your best when you choose styles that flatter your body and colors that enhance your complexion and make you smile.

What works for you as a young and middle aged woman may not continue to work for you as you age further. Sticking with a formula may seem like a good idea, but chances are you will be disappointed when it begins to look different on you. Instead be willing to discard old habits when you no longer are excited about the way your clothes make you look and feel. It is hard for women of any age to make a style change, but aging should not preclude you from looking your best. Use your years of experience as a springboard and then have fun with your fashion!

Dariaux, Genevieve Antoine. A Guide to Elegance. New York: William Morrow, 2003. Print.

I apologize for the long and unplanned hiatus. Between a bout of being under the weather and computer problems, time got away from me. I will retroactively consider this my summer vacation from blogging. I have lots of great posts coming up both here and on my new (but rather neglected) lifestyle blog, bread & flowers.

Since I have made you wait so long for a post, I am going to give you some teasers of what to expect here on the blog in the next couple weeks:

• Fall clothes are already available in stores which means that summer pieces are on super sale. I'll give you suggestions on which pieces you should snag and which deals aren't worth it.

• The post series reviewing fashion rules from Genevieve Antoine Dariaux's book A Guide to Elegance will return, with discussions on her chapters regarding Age, Bargains, and Beachwear.
  

• I will also be continuing posts about what to wear for wedding season, with ideas for creating a fresh look even if you have already attended a hundred weddings already this year.
  

On bread & flowers I will be reviewing all the books I have been reading (when I was supposed to be writing posts here). Some are new titles such as The Vacationers by Emma Straub and The Rise & Fall of Great Powers by Tom Rachman, and some are just new-to-me titles I found in the bargain book section that I think are worth sharing. Although I don't do a ton of cooking in the summertime, I will also be sharing an easy and delicious orzo pasta salad recipe along with some other light summer fare.

I look forward to seeing you all in the comments! Regular posts resume on Thursday.

When the weather gets warm, the easy clothing option often wins out over the stylish one.  Dresses are a great all-in-one outfit and shirt dresses can be a great casual option. However, not all shirt dresses are created equal, so before you start ordering them online from the comfort of your air conditioned home, beware of these pitfalls of tunic style shirt dresses:

For a tunic style shirt dress to fit properly through the shoulders and butt, it will often become quite baggy in the midsection, looking at best like a sack and at worst like lumpy sausage. This is because they are cut to fit loosely through the body, but the arm measurements do not increase proportionately. In a size that fits your arms comfortably, you are drowning in fabric  everywhere else, and if you size down to create a cleaner line through the body, then your arms may feel squeezed which is especially uncomfortable during the hot and sticky summer months. Another issue is that tunic style dresses are generally very straight which leaves no room to accommodate any curves. The result is a tight fit through the shoulders and arms, billowing fabric through the upper body and then more tightness through the butt and upper thigh area. This highlights your widest part without taking advantage of the smallness of your waist, which is the opposite of the silhouette you should be aiming for. 

You are probably wondering why I don't just suggest adding a belt around the waist to add some definition and easily solve the issue. This is a viable solution, but only if the dress is already a bit long. When you add the belt, you will lose length because fabric will have to be pulled in so far to reach your actual body. Depending on how a specific dress fits you, there is the possibility of losing a couple inches. The other downside is that the fabric will bunch around the waist, creating unwanted gathering that not only requires repeated adjustments, but will wrinkle the fabric. 

When you are looking for a flattering shirt dress, I suggest looking for one that is designed with a belt in mind (although you should feel free to swap out the fabric belt they sell with the dress for a a skinny patent or metallic one) and that has a skirt that is slightly wider than the bodice. This will help reduce the extra fabric that is widening your midsection and give extra room to prevent unattractive pulling across your butt. 

I love shopping for new dresses, but during wedding season it can be a little overwhelming. Imagine you are invited to three weddings this summer, as well as the accompanying bridal showers and rehearsal dinners. You now have a total of nine events that require you to dress up (in varying degrees). Wouldn't it be nice if you could wear the same dress to several different events?

Looking for a few more options? Here are some other dresses I love that will be a hit at parties that you are invited to: