Visible Monday #9: Found in Translation; More Silly Posing

Welcome to Visible Monday #9! If you want to participate, it's so easy: just go to the bottom of this post for the simple how-to.

Part of the fun and challenge of being over 40 is translating current (and often very youthful) looks into more classic and age-appropriate versions. We still want to look modern and on-trend, but well, sequined short-shorts are not for public view any more (a girl can have her memories though . . .).  Can young styles and trends translate to my (very) over-40 self in a dignified way? We'll see. Inspiration Monday at Two Birds blog got me started.

Here's an interpretation of Inspiration Monday's photo, adjusted for the woman-of-a-certain-age-who-does-not-wear-hot-pants. I went with knee-length cuffed capris and a simple black linen jacket over a white linen blouse. I do love the exuberant jacket shown in the inspiration photo, and I believe it can be worn at any age as well. I just don't own one!

I feel great in this simple outfit, as it's youthful without being "too young". Legs from the knees down can be celebrated at any age, I think, and showing some decollete feels fresh.

 Inspiration:

In the following don't-do-it example, I stayed with the sheer white linen blouse, but I am afraid I lost the youthful feel. The shirt is kind of shapeless, which is OK with the fitted shorts. But this long skirt is shapeless too, and the shoes, while pretty, are a bit mumsy. So while there's nothing bad about this look, it's not very fetching either. If I were not such a lazy blogger, and in such a hurry to get to lunch at the Pig and Whistle, I'd have re-photographed this with: a nice chunky leather belt and some strappy wedge sandals.

Looks like Mom is ready to go out to lunch now.

Last week, we had a good time gently mocking some of the more unusual model poses from a popular catalog. I could not rest until I tried the "sprawled" look so many of us enjoyed. Some of you thought it was "sexy" in the catalog shot; I thought it was "I'm exhausted". On me, I'm going with exhausted:

Or: "She just looked at her mutual fund statement."

Now I would love to see what you're wearing. Have a wonderful day.


The guidelines to participate in Visible Monday are so simple!

1. Any Monday, whoever wants to can join in! Just compose a post that includes any outfit, accessory, piece of jewelry, hairstyle, cosmetic or other adornment that makes you feel more confident, alive and visible that day.
2. Include a link to Not Dead Yet Style somewhere in your post.
3. Go to the bottom of this post and click on this cute little link:

In the "Next Step", you crop the pic (easy tool) you want to display, and you're done!