I think both C&B and Chicos started out great but have gone downhill. I find a lot of cute "vintage" things nowdays at my Goodwill. Perhaps one could say the same of Coldwater Creek. I have some very cute things from there that I bought before I was even in their age range, but have not found much in their stores lately. Unfortunately, like Grapefruit, I live in a very rural area and so either have to drive quite a distance to shop at a brick and mortar store (more so now than ever) or buy online, both not so much fun.

If you need to kick your wardrobe up a notch for evening, these would look cute (or something like this) with your white crops. Plus, they go with everything.

2" heel.

Or, I don't know how you feel about suede but the ones below are on Sale at factory.jcrew for $49. 1 1/2" heel.

6pm.com has some great deals on nice better quality summer dresses but the sizes are limited.

This one is my fav because I would get a lot of use out of it. I would have it hemmed though.

Feeling wild and funky?

Need something a tic fancier but not too showy?

Or, these are not on 6PM. Long summer dresses on Rachel Pally.

Grapefruit do you already have the dresses for the conference dinners? Like you, I wear dresses for as many events as possible. Floral dresses are very much in style this season.

To those loving cropped pants: I have one pair and feel that they make my legs look shorter. May also evoke childhood memories when I had outgrown my pants legs (high water pants.)

Looking at the second pic mtn posted above, I think that the wearer looks long waisted (with the low rise pants) and short legged.

Bonnie Ann, I thought that I had the dresses but I may have to make changes. I do not like any dresses that feel stiff and are difficult to sit in confortably. I have to try them on and evaluate! I have MANY nice fall/winter dresses,but only a few spring/summer.

Thank you all for the continuing input, Maybe it will help others, too.

Justterri, I ordered the Flexx sandals in 2 colors. I am anxious to get them!

There are so many beautiful dresses for spring/summer, I've been looking at floral dresses for an art event this weekend. Yes, I have a dress I could wear but this is my inspiration dress (from mai tai above):

I would much prefer a knee length dress, and so I search!

I like the MaiTai (sp?) ladies' style, but to me she looks like she is/was a model. For example, I don't think she needs to wear a bra with the above dress. How many middle aged women can go braless?

Therefore not all of her ideas are broadly applicable.

JT - you mentioned a blog by someone in the Naples area and I think it is the one someone recommended to me a while back:

http://jljbacktoclassic.com/

I've enjoyed it and used it for some inspiration so maybe grapefruit and others will find it useful. I'm also following this thread as I'm still/always in need of style inspiration!

Ruby that's it! I couldn't get that link to work. Try this http://jljbacktoclassic.com/

Anyway, although it's not exactly my style there is some good inspiration there on putting outfits together. The only thing that bugs me is the sweater arms tied around the neck thing.

Thanks JT for fixing the link!

You are welcome! Thank you for showing us that great blog.

Sigh. My mom is/was very attentive to her wardrobe: St. John, Lafayette, ferragamo shoes. It was difficult for her to hear that her beloved ferragamos were not giving her the appropriate slip-free support she needed, and to find that her caregivers threw everything in the washing machine and and dryer. I found Alfred Dunner pants for her at Christmas! They fit and wash beautifully, especially now that she's moved to skilled nursing, where everything really IS thrown in the washer and dryer, She'd DIE if she knew she was wearing them! She can kind of tell, actually, I think. She's 94.

Yes, I agree that site has nice ideas for anyone who does not want to look matronly but is concerned about dressing like their daughters. Although my DD's would like almost all of those outfits on there, too, and they are in high school. They vacillate between trashy Forever 21 and Ladies Who Lunch, you never know w them

Aww, BP. I think that kind of vanity and attention to detail helps keep us young. It is better than only talking about what pills they take, n'est-ce pas? And I bet she looks better than most in her Alfred Dunner! She sounds like she has style in her own right!

Thank you RubyClaire and JT. I enjoyed that video. I can definitely pull off some of those looks. I really do not like long dresses/skirts, so I will avoid them. I thought that some of the dresses on a few of the ladies did not look good. A dress with pleats around the waist on a " fluffy" lady is not a good look IMO.

I will be staying at the Ritz Carlton which means that my entire wardrobe might need to be revamped!

Not really, i was just there in Feb. You see a lot of variation, but if you are attending a conference, you want to be smart causal no matter what. Hope you have fun!

Grapefruit, I don't like long dresses either and I also don't like close to the neck or rounded necklines, don't have a long swan like neck so prefer a V. However, I have almost all of my basics and plan to do my color in tops. I will revisit her "What I Wore" section for inspiration on color combos and try to pull off some looks with my neutral shades of shoes and purse because there is no way I'm traveling with the amount of luggage that would be needed.

Excluding conferences,some Palm Beach dining or charitable events most of her dressier short outfits is what is mostly seen in my area. That and white crops and a nice top. During the season you see a bit of everything though. Also, although subtle, there are attire differences depending on the area of Florida.

My husband and I were at an upscale casual restaurant and tiki bar last Sunday when a women walked in in a skin tight bright yellow mini dress with her voluptuous nips barely covered. This is not common in these parts.

I am having the same EXACT issue. I bought some clothes this week for our upcoming trip to Europe. These are from a store called Trashy Diva, these are the dresses I purchased.

It was very expensive, but I can’t find stylish clothing that covers everything, highlights my figure and I don’t want to look matronly. I have been searching for days and these were my favorites so I did it. I am heading out now to go look at more stores. All the dresses I purchased hit right below the knee.

Sabbath, you have chosen really cute dresses! They are surely not matronly. I would have to shy away from any that are too neck-baring. Eczema and moles make for a funky looking neck. I especially like the black/white and the blue with the cap sleeves and " smocked" waist! Thank you for sharing those.

Hi Grapefruit, I have to take two of the dresses and have the bustline brought up just a little, cannot have the girls showing. If I see anything cute today I will share it. The polka dot dress has sleeves that can also go up on the shoulders. I bought a cute orange cardigan to go with that.

Looking around at fashionable younger women, in general, I think the trick they use is to look like you didn't "try". They just reached into their closet and pulled out a top and bottom and left the house and maybe added a scarf that was in the car already.

I know this isn't actually what happens, but only what the result appears to be. Is trying to look like you thought about what you were wearing what makes women look "matronly"?

Speaking of looking like they didn’t try: I, naively, thought the straight hair pulled back into a casual ponytail look was just that, casually pulled back and banded. But years ago on a vacation with 2 young women (18-20 years old), I found out the hair was washed, styling products added, blown dry, straightened with a flat iron, and then very carefully smoothed into a casual ponytail. Who knew?

dragonfly,

Maybe in the sense that, as with decor, a certain generation tends to be very matchy-matchy. Of the four outfits I posted for example, only one has a matching element, tho I do not think you would call the look mis-matched either. It is "Not Matched Without being MisMatched".

Make up is the same way. My girls eschew obvious makeup. It is the NoMakeUp-Makeup-Look. Tend not to wear lipcolor or even gloss lately and very little, very subtle blush.

I thought of this post when i saw this article, how-to-update-your-look-for-spring

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/02/fashion/how-to-update-your-look-for-spring.html?mabReward=ART_CBD1&recid=144MoUVPTrR8xmTZMhLp8vhMh9a&recp=1&moduleDetail=recommendations-1&action=click&contentCollection=U.S.&region=Footer&module=WhatsNext&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&src=recg&pgtype=article

I am zero for five. The first and third items are remarkably unflattering, even on models. The second is impractical. The fifth would probably 1)give most people blisters and 2) not look good on less-than-nubile, pasty white feet.

The fourth option, big colorful plastic earrings, is a possibility. I bought similar earrings last fall in FL but they are white!

I have had good luck finding trends with a twist on this site. By with a twist I mean, "that little something" a something that is updated but doesn't show too much skin. They have something for all age groups though and a wide array of pricing and quality levels.

I haven't bought these but am using as an example of things I would wear in my fifties. They have a bit of trend but not too much.

You can filter preferred necklines, sleeve lengths etc.

https://www.shoptiques.com/

This matron decided on these dresses for the weekend events.

Knee-length dress, hat and sunglasses with Clark wedge sandals (and Billie, always Billie! She will be disappointed that she can't attend):

Above is a close-up of the short dress and a pic of the long dress I chose. I just can't seem to get beyond black and white no matter how hard I try. I have a white shrug and a coral short jacket that can be worn with both.

Clark wedges and Jack Rogers sandals

Mtn, those SHORTS??? Oh, my!! I do not know how the designers keep a straight face! I guess that I am destined to be matronly.

JT,I like those tops, but not likely for a 68 year old. You have found some nice options.

Bonnie Ann, your choices are great and look comfy, too!

I am not a trendsetter! I wear leggings and short skirts together for most of the winter. Sometimes my leggings have colour in them so my skirt is black and my top is all one colour and sometimes my leggings are black and my skirt has black and colours in it and my top matches a color in the skirt. For summer I wear light coloured pants along with a more summery top. I am about to be 61 in this month. I think those tops are perfectly appropriate if you like quirky and identify as somewhat artsy. You could borrow that identity:-). I do. It's your choice!

These were at a small boutique on Magazine Street in NOLA. They don’t have an online store, but can be used as inspiration.

Sabbath 7, all three appeal to me. That's basically the style I like and feel comfortable in. This spring I bought a wrap dress, similar to the one above, it's white with small black checks. It's always fun to visit boutique stores that don't see the typical clothing that you see in the chain stores.

Hey Grapefruit how is your shopping going? Anyway, I wanted to share this site that I would have never thought I would like (some). However, I needed some decent quality basics that were reasonably priced. I thought of you when I ordered this top because you mentioned you like things near the neck (this can be buttoned further. It comes in a zillion colors. There are many many tops that would work down here and I like that there are also several lightweight 3/4 sleeve options.

https://drapers.blair.com/

I attended my high school reunion last night. It was a casual evening so the ladies were dressed in many different styles of casual. Since we are the same age it was easy to spot the people who looked more matronly. It wasn't about the clothes, weight or make-up at all.

It definitely was the hair styles. The style not the color. Many who embraced the grey looked vibrant. So be sure you get a good haircut that fits you.

btw/it was our 50th!

ML

I so agree Maddielee! Although, there are some different takes on the hairstyle thing. I have one friend that wears her hair hanging in the same sort of look she had in high school. Her hair is now tinged with gray but her overall look was very boho and nice. She wore slim ankle pants and a long sheer flowing gauzy (don't know what you call them) cover thing over her top. She looked amazing. That same hair would not have looked as nice in a more tailored business look (unless you are an older model type).

ETA: found out what that garment was called: duster or Kimono or topper.

https://www.softsurroundings.com/clothing/tops/toppers/page-2/

I don't see these kimono's around but I really like them. Are they still "in"?

Anthropolgie has some cute ones. I think I want.

Hi Grapefruit, I have read through most of these post and agree about A. Dunner and Chicos. Like you Talbots clothes are too big and boxy for me. I have purchased some nice pants from the loft, but White House Black Market slim ankle are a perfect fit for me. I am not a big fan of the store in general. I three pairs of of the slim ankle and they are very nice fabric and made well. I also wear Jack Rodgers sandals with practically everything in the hot weather. I have a gold pair for dress up. Also the stretch slim pants and shorts by Lisette are great for travel. I agree with , maddielee about the hair!!

JT, my new Flexx sandals arrived, and I love them!! Thank you for the recommendation! Maddielee, my 50 will be this fall. I agree about the hair. I do try to be up-to-date with my style. I wash and style my hair EVERY morning. I cannot do the bed head look.

Cran, thank you for the heads up about White House Black Market. I will be going to our second home in a few days, and there is one nearby. In fact, I will be checking out many stores while there. Many of the ones mentioned are very close.

Do any of you shop at Stein Mart? I have gotten some very nice things there, but I get there only about 2 or 3 times a year.

All suggestions have been appreciated!

I used to shop there a lot for my husband as they had really nice golf shirts but the one in my area has changed. Maybe now there is more competition with stores getting the good stuff?

Occasionally I look for myself but It's a bit overwhelming. They do have some nice things though...just a lot of weeding for me.

I love kimonos and in my area they are definitely "still around". I bought a new one last week LOL. I was at a wedding shower yesterday afternoon and two of the ladies had on kimonos over above the knee dresses. AND there was a gal at church yesterday morning with on over a dress too. They looked cute. I usually wear them with skinny pants or jeans.

Tina, I love them. I can't really recall seeing them down here. It's mostly either briefly cold ( coat or jacket) or hot to hot enough that you want no extra fabric anywhere near your person except those that cover your nakedness. I have never ever seen anyone wearing a scarf, even a light weight one in the summer and I've lived here since 78'. I have seen those skinny ones sort of hanging but never around the neck. But, I'm talking summer.

When gauging the weather down here there is the temp and there is the "feels like". So, if a summer temp is 85 it feels more like 95 unless you are right on the ocean getting a breeze.

You even have to wear different makeup in the summer because you will sweat. Waterproof mascara so you don't get the smudges and the same goes for eyeliner.

justerrilynn, you have lots of humidity there. We have it too, just not as bad. I don't wear scarfs in summer either. The kimonos are thin fabric and I usually wear a tank under them.

I’m afraid I’d look like Mrs. Roper in a kimono. I think they look nice on tall, willowy types, though.

I just ordered a few things from Gudrun Sjoden, which is often advertised in the Sunday NY Times. I am trying to get out of my gray/black clothing rut. I love all the things I ordered! AND, everything fits. I got a couple of cute spring sweaters and 3 t-shirts. Really cute packaging, too, not that it matters but it was fun. :-)

Why not share Sue? I would love to see what you bought. I have never heard of that store.

Some of the models are a little Out There... anyway, this is what I got. The last sweater isn’t as shapeless as it appears.

Cute, but they all look a bit shapeless (other than the polka-dot). Maybe it is the pics. I love pink!

Colorful and fun, definitely not matronly! Nice choices Sue.

Snipped from the blog post of Passage des Perles , an observation on styles in Paris:

The knee-length skirt is worn with flat shoes, usually with laces; sneakers, substantial sandals, derbys. All very sensible yet pretty, in pale spring hues. And no stockings: legs au naturel, whatever the skin colour, are clearly no problem.

So, to look current and non-matronly in Paris, and perhaps elsewhere, wear skirts and flats.