06.29.07
Check Out My New Website
Check out my new website that just went live yesterday. You can still find it at www.erinstafford.com.
We still have a few more pages and photos to add over the coming weeks, but most of the site is up as we’d like it.
I hope you enjoy it! If you do, tell your friends!
Erin
06.28.07
Baby Boomer Beach Attire
I realize I’m talking about the beach, bathing suits, and beach attire a fair amount, but it is summer and I am in the south of France, so it just seems so appropriate. I also know that most women over 50 dread the thought of getting in a bathing suit or exposing their arms in summer dresses or tops. Fear not!
There are so many cute sundresses, skirts, and tank tops on the market right now to accomodate all body shapes and sizes. They can all be used or adapted to look fabulous on you.
I don’t know about you, but I find that a lot of sundresses and beach attire are see through. I fought it for ages trying to wear modest underwear or slips, but the reality is, when it’s hot you don’t want to be wearing a slip! My theory is just wear your bathing suit under these dresses if you are in a beach or pool environment. Then it doesn’t matter if your straps stick out or if your bathing suit can be slightly seen underneath. It actually can look a little sexy. It’s a nice solution to the battle of the slip.
This obviously doesn’t work for every situation, but for a casual beach or pool scene, it’s perfect.
06.26.07
Great Women’s Quotes
Here are a few great quotes I came across in the last book I read. Some of them apply to fashion, but many are just general quotes to apply to your life. Enjoy!
“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun” – Katharine Hepburn
“You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at one time.” – Oprah Winfrey
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt
“A good goal is like a strenuous exercise – it makes you stretch.” – Mary Kay Ash
“Thoughts are energy, and you can make your world or break your world by your thinking.”
- Susan Taylor
06.24.07
Baby Boomer Swim Suits
If heading to the beach or the pool is in your future this summer, you are probably starting to think “Oh my God, I actually have to get in a bathing suit. Why did I agree to this? I should have been excercising more.” Not to worry. There are so many great bathing suits and cover ups on the market now. With a little planning you will be sure to look beautiful and stylish while you are on holiday.
One piece bathing suits have come along way over the years. They are no longer the matronly swim suits that your mother wore. There are so many different styles now and most are very sexy. Many have low backs or low fronts or some sort of interesting ring or knot inbetween the boobs which provides a great focal point…especially if you are trying to divert attention from your thighs.
Many have skirts that can be bought to match as well. These are fantastic, as you can wear them while your laying by the water and they cover that dreaded inner thigh area. You can also keep them on if you want to go for a dip, as they are the same material as your bathing suit.
Don’t feel like you have to spend a fortune on a swim suit either. Check out your local Target for a huge selection of really stylish and current bathing suits. Issac Mizrahi and Mossimo both have great lines available at Target. I buy two new ones each summer and just keep rotating the old ones out. At about $20 each, you can’t beat the price.
Enjoy the water this summer and know that you’ll look great doing it. Don’t forget a big hat and sun glasses and you’ll be set!
06.22.07
Saint Tropez Fashion
I spent the day in Saint Tropez today…I know, it’s a very tough life, but someone has to do it.
Continuing on with my observations of French fashion and the French women over 40 in general, Saint Tropez certainly was no let down. Every woman there was perfectly put together. Not in a “I only wear Louis Vuitton” sort of way, but in a “I actually thought about what I was going to wear today, spent some time doing my hair and makeup, and changed my purse to match my outfit” sort of way. It is so refreshing to see women of all ages taking pride in the way they look and the way they present themselves to the world. One certainly gets the sense that in the south of France, women, like their wine and cheese, definitely get better and more refined with age. Vivre la France!
06.20.07
Embrace Your Body
I’m in the south of France at the moment and I just love the French culture’s view on aging. I’ve been here many times before, as I used to live in France, but I don’t think I was as in tune with the older women here.
It is so nice to see women well into their 70s and 80s walking along the beach in their bikini’s or lying in the sand topless, while their husband with a potbelly and a speedo lay next to them. No one stares, no one cares. Sun bathing is not just for the young. The same enjoyment of feeling the sun on your skin, hearing the sound of the ocean, and the refreshing feeling of cooling off in the sea can and should be enjoyed by all, regardless of how you look in a bathing suit.
Come to France to see how going to the beach should be. Everyone is there to enjoy it. No one cares what you look like. And old and young mix seamlessly together. It is so refreshing!
06.18.07
The Importance of Having Basics in Your Wardrobe for Baby Boomers
One of the best pieces of advice I could give any baby boomer woman, or any woman for that matter, who is looking to update her wardrobe is to make sure you have lots of basic tops and tanks. Make sure you own black, white, cream, and beige short sleeve tees and tanks. You should have at least two of each color and style. I cannot tell you how much you will wear these.
Layering solid colored tees and tanks under lower cut tops or dresses allows you to look on trend, but keeps your cleavage or arms covered to make you feel more comfortable. You can also layer these under funky blazers and jackets to look instantly updated. When you wear something that is more modern or trendy, pair it with one of your solid colored tops so that they are not competing and so you don’t look like you are trying too hard to be young! I want you to look chic and modern without looking like you are trying to compete with every 18 year old out there.
Find solid tops that fit you well and buy lots of them! Most are cotton, so they need to be replaced every season or so, as they get fadded or worn out easily. Keep a constant rotation of these in your closet. When winter rolls around, substitue long sleeved tops in place of the tanks.
06.15.07
Second Guessing Your Packing?
So you’re going on vacation, you’ve planned, you’ve bought a few new pieces to take along with you, you’ve packed, and then the day you leave comes along and all of a sudden you think “Oh my God, I’ve overpacked” or ”What if it rains?” What do you do?
First realize that you’re not alone. Most women go through some variation of this every time they go away…whether it’s for a weekend or for weeks. Take a moment to think. Take stock of where you are going. If you’re headed to the beach, most likely you won’t need that parka for the off chance that the temperature drops below 20 degrees.
You don’t have to prepare for every conceivable scenario. If you bring versatile clothes that can be layered and easily washed, you should be in good shape. One of my favorite, must have travel pieces is a cream colored pashmina. I take it with me everywhere and include it in my carry on. It is so versatile. It can be used as a blanket on the plane, as a scarf if it’s cold, as a wrap around your shoulders over a sundress, or balled up as a pillow if you need it. I highly suggest picking up one of these. They are great bridge pieces that bridge outfits and climates together.
06.14.07
Prints Charming – The Trick to Putting Prints Together
I’m often asked by my clients if it is possible to wear two different prints together at the same time. The answer is yes, but there are a couple rules that you need to follow.
1) There needs to be a common color base. You don’t want to wear a red, white, and blue stars and stripes with an army green, beige, and brown floral skirt. Stay in the same families or tones of a color.
2) The scale of the patterns can’t be the same. One pattern needs to be more dominant. Giant orange and white checks with a bold orange and pumpkin paisley wouldn’t work. However, the orange and pumpkin paisley could work well with a cream scarf that has a faint orange pin stripe. The paisley would not have to compete with the scarf and the look would work.
More tips next time!
06.11.07
Packing for a Vacation
I’m leaving for a month long vacation on Friday and I was starting to think about what I would bring. I have travelled a lot, so I have got this packing thing down pretty well. I’m not the type that plans for weeks what I’ll bring.
The key to not over packing is to make sure that every piece of clothing you bring serves more than one purpose. Don’t pack an entire outfit that doesn’t match anything else you are bringing…it limits your choices. I tend to like skirts and tops for warm places because skirts can be dressed up or down. You can wear the same skirt to the beach with a tank top and flip flops that you can wear out to dinner with a nicer top, blazer, and strappy sandals. The tops that you bring for your skirts can also be worn with your jeans, linen pants, and other skirts of the same color combinations.
Here’s an example of what I’ll be bringing with me…keep in mind we will be at the beach for a month:
1 pair of jeans
4 skirts
8 tops
3 sundresses that can be dressed up or down
2 cardigan sweaters
3 bathing suits
2 pair of pajamas
2 work out outfits
1 pair of beach flip flops
1 pair of dressier sandals
1 pair of running shoes
All of the clothes that I’m bringing can be mixed and matched with each other to give me countless outfits. Packing like this will mean I will be covered for any type of situation. I can’t wait to get there!
