Every Day Outfits - Casual and Work

My work wear look is mainly constructed around "statement shirts" with boots that match or contrast with them, and a skirt or trousers and cardigan in neutrals. 

The shirt above was in the sale at the Bias-Cut.com. I love the colour combination, particularly with the green sleeves and the yellow stripe around the collar and cuffs which co-ordinates perfectly with my yellow boots  (Sainsbury's, 2018). It's too cold in our brutally air conditioned office to wear a shirt on its own so I wore it with my green poncho.

Something about January makes me reach for sequins to bring some light into the dreary days. I have long espoused sequins for day time. If you need reminding, have a read of these:  Sequins for Summer; Sequins for Daytime.

Above is a red sequin number.  The cardigan was a Christmas present. I sized up in this Boden cropped cashmere cardi, choosing a large. In spring and summer I like to wear a colourful cropped cardi buttoned up over a pencil style skirt, but in winter I prefer a black cardigan for warmth and like it to be a bit longer, but not as long as a "standard" cardigan which can look a bit ageing.  A cropped style doesn't work so well with a  longer asymmetric skirt. 

I love how the green thrifted necklace adds even more bling to the outfit, while the snakeskin neoprene boots add some interest. 

Sometimes on a bitterly cold day a big cosy jumper (sweater) is required. This one came from Tesco, so yes, fast fashion, but I've worn it a lot and will continue to wear it over the next few winters, so I'm not feeling bad about it. A large shapeless jumper can swamp me so I added a belt, and the trousers are my faithful old "Rupert Bears" from the early 90s.  I love the rucksack, it was another Christmas present and came from Marks and Spencer.  It has a zip round the top of the rucksack so that nasty hands can't reach into the bag while my back is (literally) turned, always a fear when you're in a busy city like London.

Here's another way of making a baggy jumper/sweater slightly more workable.  This one was a purchase last winter. I did the side tuck.  Adding soft ankle boots in the same colour as the jeans makes my short legs look longer.  With the gold boots below, it's more apparent the jeans are too short.

How do I look good in casual wear?

One of the most frequently asked questions by women over 50 is: what to wear for casual, every day use. I used to struggle with this, tending to wear functional not fashionable, athleisure and my hiking sweatshirts.  My recipe now is to have a few tee shirts which you like, and wear them with jeans and a loose cashmere jumper or cardigan and interesting boots.

Cheap colourful t-shirts are not the solution - they don't flatter and they don't wash very well, losing their shape very quickly. So I spend a little more on t-shirts, preferably made of organic cotton. The t-shirt above came from eBay - I also have a couple the same from Ted Baker "Wake me for champagne" and a lovely black one with a space motif from The Bias Cut.