Tuesday’s intro post about getting your wardrobe ready for December’s festivities was a long one but I hope you’ve managed to read it because this year Christmas comes in from the cold years of the Covid pandemic and there’s a lot to talk about. Today I’m going to be referring back to the four pillars of festive dressing that I highlighted and bringing the theory to life. Feedback from the reader get together was that you’re enjoying the posts where I break outfits down with style tips so I’m continuing that here and there’s nobody better to be working with on it than Boden. I haven’t done a post with them since June and unwrapping the samples I’d picked out was like opening a dressing up box filled with fabulous colours and fabrics. I could immediately see the level of detail that’s coming back into their clothes. They’re thinking hard about the things that matter – colour, cloth and how to add extra pizzazz to still wearable outfits. So let’s go through some ways of making midlife outfits stand out and I’ll chat about the fit and features as we go along.
Making midlife outfits stand out
1. Black tie
Boden are sticking with their refusal to use sequins or glitter in their products this year. It was a business decision that they took back in 2021 to support their sustainability drive and at the time a few other brands followed suit. Most of them have since gone back on their promise but Boden haven’t. They must lose sales in a season like this one that’s particularly focused on sequins so they have to be applauded for sticking to their guns.
However it doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything for a black tie event at Boden. I don’t have one coming up so I don’t have a try-on to show you but this dress is the one I’d go for. It has velour spotted tulle overlaid onto the underdress, the panelled waistband is kind to the midriff and the sleeves give a glimpse of skin to boost allure but not so much that it’s difficult to wear.
It was also released in a spectacular navy and gold foil colourway which sold out in hours but I’m linking it just in case one of you manages to secure a return.
2. Dressed up festive day outfit
Let’s move on to the more relaxed occasions that more of you are saying you have in the diary – dressier festive days. In my last post I talked about outfits with skirts so today I thought I’d look at easy to wear dresses. I have two favourites for you here starting with one that has impact and yet is simple to throw on. This is the sort of thing that I’m already starting to wear for the lunches we have with smaller clients such as solicitors but it’s also the kind of dress I’ll put on for a Twixmas meal out with the boys when I’ve had enough of cooking.
The joy of it is that it’s comfortable to wear and it’s warm too which is a key consideration with the draughty old houses and pubs we have around here. Despite being a lush velvet it’s machine washable, I’m wearing a 12R and the fit is good although the neck is on the neater side. The waist is fitted and I’ve added a silver belt to bring a bounce of metallic into the deep pile. I absolutely love this shade of mid-blue because it’s kinder than navy when your skin’s winter pale.
Velvet tiered dress; silver belt; silver boots
The dress is lovely on its own but we’re talking about making midlife outfits stand out and oh my word these boots are a great solution for that. I’ve been gazing at them longingly since they were first released and if you think about the style theory we’ve been talking about over the last few weeks they fit in the ‘unexpected item’ category. They look like an indulgence but there’s no denying that they’ll jazz up any winter outfit between now and April. You could tuck jeans into them on a more casual day or wear them with a mini as you’ll see me doing further down. They have my favourite shape of heel – solid without being a block so they have an elegant profile from the side. And the back panel has subtle elastication so if you have a wider calf, you’ll be able to wear them. Remember my point on Tuesday about turning up the contrast in an outfit by being bolder? This is such an easy way to do it.
I didn’t wear these Christmas earrings for the lunch we had last week (it’s a bit early even for me) but I did pop them on to show you. There’s a complete collection to choose from and they’re a quick way of making midlife outfits stand out. As well as adding a bit of fun to your outfits the great thing about them is that they’re so light. The problem with a lot of statement earrings is that they don’t do lax midlife earlobes any favours because they’re so heavy. I always appreciate the fact that Boden include the weight of their earrings on their jewellery pages.
My other recommendation for smarter festive day outfits is this cord midi-dress. It’s a style that Boden do all year round – there’s a touch of Boho about it but not too much. I have quite a few of the summer versions but this is my first winter one. The first thing to point out is that it has a lower waist than a lot of Boden dresses which I know some people prefer. It’s made from a light cotton cord so you won’t get too hot and the sleeves are gently elasticated so they’ll stay up if you want to push them back.
Cord maxi-dress with embroidery; silver boots
The deep grey embroidery detail gives it a Scandi Christmas feel, it’s subtle though, it will still be fine for January days and of course tonally it works really well with the silver boots. I’m wearing a 12R and the length is more midaxi than maxi on me.
Cord maxi-dress with embroidery; silver boots
Relaxed December Days
In Tuesday’s post I focused relaxed December day outfits around jeans so today I’m including my favourite alternative – a mini-skirt. Don’t for a second think you can’t wear them because you’re… [insert whatever age you are]… it’s complete nonsense. Mini-skirts are just another tool for making midlife outfits stand out, fighting invisibility by wearing the unexpected. The trend this year is to wear them with sheer black tights and if I was styling a short skirt for an evening that would mostly be spent inside I’d probably do that. For a chilly day when I’m out and about I’m sticking with opaques and wrapping up like this though!
Jumper; Mini-skirt; Silver boots (moleskin coat, velvet scarf my own)
Boden always has the perfect cut of mini as far as I’m concerned, they somehow accommodate curvy hips without being A-line. I’m wearing a 12R here and it’s the perfect length, other brands’ minis are much longer which makes them more outdoorsy than sassy, it depends what you’re looking for. And you know I’m a fan of these warm merino jumpers. I’ve sized down to a 10 here so that I can wear it with dark indigo flared jeans. The navy sleeves will add balance to those outfits really well and yet the purple panel adds a pop of winter colour.
Jumper; Mini-skirt; Silver boots
Christmas night ‘out out’
I was glad that we had a weekend in Newcastle to take these ‘out out’ photos because dialling up your evening outfits is never a problem there. Recapping on Tuesday’s post, we talked about ‘jeans and a nice top’ and that’s what I’m bringing you here. I find that as I get older, the contrast between high and low becomes more and more important in a look for a night out. I would never wear a smart pair of trousers with a top for ‘out out’ now like I used to in my 30s, it feels very ageing. So for me it’s always a well cut pair of jeans or sometimes a leather trouser when it comes to night-time and making midlife outfits stand out. A rougher/tougher bottom half balances out the dressiness of the top in the same way that you smudge a smoky eye or tousle your blow dry. Remember Dynasty? It avoids the Krystle Carrington effect.
These are Boden’s wide leg jeans, I haven’t tried them before but as you can see they have a simple, straight cut to the leg. I’m wearing a 28 Long because this kind of night out means heels rather than trainers for me and so they need to break low over a shoe or boot. They fit perfectly and I was surprised by how much stretch they have in the denim, wide jeans like this are usually quite rigid.
I’ve added a warm, navy wool jacket for a touch of sportiness that would work well with everyday outfits but for a night out like this, balances out the frill of the blouse beneath so that it isn’t too girly. This jacket is a very good buy, it both looks and feels far more expensive than it is.
Navy wool jacket; gold blouse; wide leg jeans; belt; (Boden boots and earrings past season, bag 80s vintage)
The quality is superb, the wool is soft and the sumptuous bouclé texture lifts the flatness of the denim jeans. And I have to show you the lining which is a London street map. As you take it off it catches the eye, it’s a beautiful detail. This jacket is such a quality workhorse that I’m tempted to buy it in the red too.
And now for the blouse… I was hesitant when I ordered it because of the collar, it had a hint of Pierrot and as I’ve said, I avoid anything girly but somehow it just adds the chutzpah you need. I think it’s because it adds weight at the neckline to frame the face and it sits open so the frill isn’t too pronounced. The sleeves have hidden elastic at the cuff so if you want to wear them as three quarter length they stay put which is another great detail that Boden often work into their clothes. Oh and it doesn’t crease – foil finishes often do but this one stays smooth.
Gold blouse; wide leg jeans; belt; (Boden boots and earrings past season, bag 80s vintage)
For my last ‘out out’ outfit I found a different way of making midlife outfits stand out. We’ve dialled up the contrast with bold boots, we’ve done the bold blouse, now it’s time for the bold jacket. And the thing that sets this apart from other faux fur jackets is the cut. It has the oversized collar that you need for the Studio 54 vibe as well as the crop that makes it work as well with dresses as it does with wide jeans. If there’s one thing I’d change it would be the cotton lining, I’d prefer it to be satin so that it slipped more easily over sleeves but I suspect they’ve chosen cotton to make a warm jacket like this more breathable.
So many people said nice things about it on Saturday night, it’s just one of those pieces that makes everyone smile. And, if you’re into colour-blocking, the gold blouse above comes in a pinky purple shade that would tone with this beautifully (so tempting!).
Faux fur jacket; Navy devoré spot blouse; Wide leg jeans; Belt; Woven clutch; (Boden earrings and glitter shoes past season)
The blouse I’m wearing here is one I bought from Boden as soon as I saw it in this season’s drop. I’ve been looking for one like this in navy that I could dress up for evenings out but that I could also wear under a tank top on a more relaxed day. I wanted something with texture and the soft devoré polka dots on this are perfect. The bodice is lined but the sleeves are left sheer for that touch of allure.
Faux fur jacket; Navy devoré spot blouse; Wide leg jeans; Belt; Woven clutch; (Boden earrings and glitter shoes past season)
And just a word on the bag – you’ll see I’ve used the ‘red thread’ style trick with pink throughout this outfit to build cohesion. The shoes are old Boden ones but the bag is this season and it’s so much nicer than it appears on the website. Boden do faux leather very well and so this feels lovely to hold.
So hopefully that’s been a post for everyone whether you’re buying completely new outfits this year or not. Making midlife outfits stand out is really quite easy to do with thought through accessories, interesting fabrics and good colours. So with that I’ll leave you to my weekend. I’m keen to log off today because unexpectedly all three boys are home for a few days. In a happy coincidence the youngest’s reading week aligned with the eldest having holiday to use up before the end of the year. It’s the first time we’ve all been together since June so my cup runneth over. And anyway you’ll be sick of me soon – next week there will be three posts, one to wrap up the festive outfit suggestions and then we’ll move on to a few carefully selected gift ideas. So if I can type as fast as I hope, I’ll see you on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday! Have a great weekend in the meantime.
Disclosure: ‘making midlife outfits stand out’ was commissioned by Boden but all thoughts and outfit suggestions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who help me to keep o writing Midlifechic.
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