These Stylish Thoughts come from Jodie, of Jodie's Touch of Style which is a blog for women over 50 Inspiring Style for Many Sizes & Budgets.
Jodie shares the real world and everyday styles of herself (50+), her mother Charlotte as her 70+ model and her stepmum Nancy as her 60+ model on the blog and they all live in Denver Colorado USA.
1. What are your top tips for looking stylish when travelling?
You would think I would be a pro at packing for all of our travels, but I find I learn something new every year. Maybe it's just that I realize as I've gotten older, that I still don't know everything and never will.
And then when I have the outfits styled as I like them, I write down the items so I can refer back to it when we are on our trip.
I also try to wear the same outfit on the plane coming and going, except I change out the under top in case it gets dirty.
2. What is your current obsession?
I have to admit that I have been loving so many of the new styles lately. And even the ones that at first I wasn't sure about, have definitely grown on me. I think part of this excitement with the new trends is due to the philosophy of having fun with our clothes and style.
This is a 180 turn from my past. I grew up with a mom that always followed the "rules." That along with the fact, that my first profession was as a cosmetic dentist which stifled any creativity in my clothing choices because I had to dress seriously so as to be taken seriously.
Well that thought just makes me laugh now. Because everyone should dress to make themselves feel good, and there is no right way.
You are beautiful!
Every woman I have met has such beauty on the inside and outside. Yet it's always surprising to me that they don't realize it.
Take me, for example. I was born with a cleft lip and now have a scar on the middle of my face. No piece of clothing will ever hide it, and yet many women I meet never notice it until I point it out.
4. What is the one thing you would spend a lot of money on?
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a thrifty woman. I'm sure much of that is how I was brought up, and I rarely spend a lot on most of my clothing items. Of course, there is an exception to everything.
5 . What is the one thing you wouldn't spend a lot of money on?
Everything else, LOL!
Although I love the idea of slow fashion, I also don't believe in having to spend a lot of money in order to look nice. I was raised by a mother who was a home economics teacher and professional seamstress, so she made much of our clothing. In fact, she still loves to sew and create her own items. Therefore, it's hard for me to pay full price for almost anything.
I tend to purchase most items on sale. I feel like most styles do not change overnight, and if I buy a piece at the end of the season, most of the time it will work fabulously in the next year. Besides, with the ease of online shopping, there is usually some kind of promotion or discount the retailer is offering for certain items.
I've also discovered thrift and consignment stores where there is a treasure at every turn.
8. What's the secret to looking polished?
I feel like the one most important aspect to looking polished is the fit of your clothing. Like I said, I was raised by a seamstress, so I learned from an early age that much of your clothing should be altered to fit you properly.
If it's not possible or practical to have your pieces altered, then it's worth taking the time to try to find clothing that really fits well. If someone settles for an item that is too big, then they tend to look sloppy. If that same person tries to fit into something that is too small, then they don't look proper and are probably uncomfortable also.
I also believe in the magical properties of accessories. To me, these small extras can take an outfit from blah to wonderful. In fact, I would describe myself as a maximalist, especially when it comes to those extras.
You can also find Jodie on Instagram: @jtouchofstyle