Cardigan Empire

Salt Lake City Fashion Stylist

Age Appropriate Dress: Winter Winsomes

Happy Mothers Day to one and to all, but especially to one Susi Q
This one’s dedicated to you and all the other Grandmas out there.

“Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty – they merely move it from their faces into their hearts.” Martin Buxbaum

Two Perilous Pratfalls to Avoid
Age can be interpreted as a frightening prospect. Much in life, including fashion, seems to be geared to green inexperience. In response, many choose to become stationary, refusing to allow any progress into the dark unknown. Below are two examples of this tragic misstep.
1. Dressing to a favorite decade
The 80’s might have stroked your pretty little ego. Your hair might take to a perm like a soul mate while your thighs inspire envy in the Dynasty Dames. But digging your heels into a past decade, be it flattering to you personally or not, makes you look stale. You might as well stamp an expired date on your forehead. Just because you don’t want to wear the trends of the current season, doesn’t mean you can get away wearing the trends of a past.

2. Avoid the Fashion Uniform
13 shades of a single velour running suit isn’t acceptable. Velour suits of any type are adorable on little ladies under the age of 5. And chances are they’re going to change their ensemble by the afternoon. I’ll allow you one velour running suit for house-wear only, if you agree to select a variety of ensembles, preferably purchased within the last ten years. You and your wardrobe need to continue to move forward. Age is nothing to be afraid of. It is waiting with wisdom, class, and internally achieved beauty. But you will never be able to own these prizes if you don’t step forward to claim them.

1 hundred 98 cents = your own Age Appropriate fashion look book cheat sheet.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own professional wear recommendations and much more.

Feed me fashionably fresh

Dress Your Age: Autumn Apogees


You may be asking: spring ingenues, autumn apogees…why was summer overlooked? Obviously you have never spent a summer in Arizona. If you had, you’d realize why we’re glossing over the torrid trauma.

Now, my fair ladies advancing on the sloping rise of life, how can you ensure age appropriate glamor?

I recommend making decisions based on this simple modus operandi:

+ 10 years = -1 trend = <>In other words, remove one trendy item from your ensemble every ten years. For further emphasis, I have charted it out for you below.


In essence this chart says, tees screenprinted with sassy witticisms are cute on tweens, not on their mothers.

Trendy items are anything that draws significant attention. It can be a statement accessory, a funky hairstyle, a garment in a non-standard cut or color, or if you choose a cheeky expression.

And when you do experiment with trends, choose a softer interpretation. For example, instead of a leather skinny pant, opt for a cotton that tapers slightly.

Your signature style should also be coming into its own now. Switching between modern, romantic, bohemian, and diva on a daily basis will make you look ungrounded. Start narrowing your range of options to what speaks with the greatest force to your soul.

Below I’ve collected age appropriate ensembles for a mature set, compliments of Anthropologie, which is in fact targeted to meet the needs of women 35 and over.

1 hundred 98 cents = your own Age Appropriate fashion look book cheat sheet.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own professional wear recommendations and much more.

Feed me fashionably fresh