Hit Your Style Sweet Spot: Fashion Over 50 on a Budget

Welcome to a new collaboration with Jennifer of A Well Styled Life and Pam of over50feeling40.  We desire for all of us…the grandmothers, the professionals, the retirees, the volunteers… the fabulous women over 50 …to look and feel our best each and every day.  After years of blogging for this audience, we have heard from so many of you about your discouragement and despondency when you look in the mirror every morning.  But, we both know just how transformative style can be and we hope to encourage you with specific, step-by-step guidelines right here every Sunday.  We would like to see all of us empowered with strength, joy, and confidence!
Each Sunday, we will bring to you a scenario we face each week and show you our step-by-step process as we decide what to wear…you will see on our individual blogs how we handle the challenge and seek our personal sweet spot for the day!

You are looking at a coral necklace I bought for fifty cents at a garage sale and then I added a shell I found on a Texas beach.  Fifty cents…and I have worn it for the past two summers with pride.  With a little creativity, it is possible to look your best and even have fun with fashion on any budget.

For the past 6 1/2 years, this blog has mostly been about affordable fashion. I have showed the audience ways to find fun style at places like TARGET, WALMART, and KOHLS.

I have also demonstrated how to find designer looks at resale, consignment, GOODWILL, MARSHALLS and ROSS or even AMAZON.  It takes time to shop and try things on …but treasures do await.  I own Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Eileen Fisher, DVF and others from places like this.

I do not pay full price for anything!  There are too many ways to locate your style within a set budget including a good off-season sale. 

I like to read magazines, catalogs, and look at Pinterest to see who produces quality and what is in style…then go find it with the shopping budget I have.

For example, I discovered the Joan Vaas brand at Neiman Marcus a couple of years ago and loved it.  So, when I found a pair of Joan Vaas leggings at MARSHALLS for $18, they were mine!  And have been my favorite leggings since the purchase!  It was at a high end store where I learned this was a quality brand…and at a budget retailer where I could actually own it.

There are too many places to locate quality at any price…and unless you write a blog,  your circle of friends and associates will have no idea where you shop.
Sometimes I take a magazine page or a cell phone picture of a look I like along with me shopping and find a way to create that look on the budget I have. 
The blouse to the right was the color of the year and I was looking for that color and found it in a quality piece for $4 at GOODWILL SA. Often, they still have the tags on them.

Quality accessories are even easier to discover at a variety of places…designer, leather handbags are in almost every resale location from a yard sale to a thrift shop. Jewelry comes at any price point

And if I want to participate in a trend…I can in a variety of ways.
I saw a woman yesterday I would guess to be in her 70s who was totally wearing trends…fringe purse, bohemian tunic, leggings…and she easily could have styled it anywhere with any budget.

I love the few high end pieces I own in my closet, but they were all purchased on sale or gifted to me.  My real fun with fashion is in the hunt…what I find for less and how it fits into my style and what I want to say with my style. 

I also love to shop and style my friends…and hopefully inspire those of you who read this blog that you can do it as well!!  Budget is not a barrier to looking your best!

As I wrote yesterday, I discover ideas and inspiration from the high end retailers and events and then apply that knowledge to my own style.  I don’t get frustrated when I cannot afford something…I get ready for the hunt to re-create it on my budget.  It can be so much fun…and I hope I have inspired some of you!

Now, let’s go look at JENNIFER OF A WELL STYLED LIFE’S take on affordable fashion!

Please remember we have a live talk called a Blab scheduled for Tuesday with one of my favorite bloggers, Susan.  I hope you can join us…it is easy to subscribe to Blab (free) just click on the image below!

Just had to leave you with a more ideas…I could do this all day long!

Bye now!
Disclaimer:  Goodwill San Antonio does provide gift cards for me shop with and then blog about what I find.

21 Comments

  1. Pam – Imlove the idea of shopping high end stores to find quality brands then looking elsewhere for them. NEVER though of that! You are so smart – I learn something every time I read your blog!

  2. I have learned so much for reading magazines, blogs, and covering stories at the high end places. Check to see if your city has a consignment shop which carries only high end fashion…we have two in San Antonio and there are times you can find amazing deals on the premiere designers. Thank you for your kind words and for being here.

  3. I enjoy your blog but the pictures where you pose looking up and to the side has me puzzled. I always wonder if you are looking at birds. Please don't take offense because it's just something I've noticed and wondered about.

  4. I shop vintage, consignment and thrift shops too. I love finding a great piece that fits into my wardrobe. On my last trip I found a wool jacket, a beaded cardigan and a crisp white shirt! All for less than $40!
    Your necklace is fun and your Goodwill sounds like a fabulous shop to find a bargain…happy shopping!

  5. Well, there are two reason Naz…I prefer my profile…and I am a very optimistic person and like to look up rather than down, and like to smile rather than frown. I don't take offense to you asking. Thanks for reading.

  6. I love your budget finds! I mostly shop on a budget also ! I am 51 and I think us girls can rock fashion just like the young ones!!

    Fabulous blog …love it and all the encouraging words here!!

    Valerie
    xo
    Fashion and Travel

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