Fall 2019 Trends & the 40+ Woman

Hi there! And welcome to Dressed for My Day. My goal here is to inspire and help women like you and me to dress beautifully and appropriately for our unique days so we can engage authentically and gracefully with those around us and influence them well. To that end, today I’m giving you the scoop on a few of the fall 2019 fashion trends. But I’m also sharing specific pointers for how the 40+ woman can best participate (or not participate!) in these trends.

Let’s get started!

Special Considerations for the 40+ Woman

Of course, there are dozens and dozens of trends we could talk about. But let’s focus on those that the 40+ woman can participate in with the least effort and the most fabulous results.

When we wear fashion forward clothes or accessories we want to be careful that we:

• don’t appear to be trying too hard.
• don’t look childish or even clownish.
• stay true to our personal style essence.
• spend our wardrobe budget wisely.
• look chic and beautiful.

7 Fall 2019 Fashion Trends

Let’s consider seven fall 2019 fashion trends you might want to participate in this year.

Trend #1 – Dark Florals

Florals are never really out of style, but this fall they’re definitely having a moment. But say goodbye to the soft florals of spring and summer. This fall we’re enriching our wardrobes with deep, dark florals. You’ll see lots of teal, deep purples, berry red, russet orange and golden yellow.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Steer clear of tiny, old-fashioned florals. They’re out there. And they look lovely on younger women. But they’ll look matronly and, well, old-fashioned on us gals over 40. Instead, choose bolder, more modern looking floral designs.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Make sure you accessorize your floral dress with modern shoes, handbag and jewelry. Otherwise, you’ll look like you’re wearing your granny’s hand-me-downs.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Don’t blanket your body in nondescript florals. Instead, add a beautiful, eye-catching splash of vibrant florals to your outfit, balancing the trend with classic neutrals.

Check Out This Post: To see how I styled a dark floral skirt 3 ways, check out my post Dark Floral Skirt Styled 3 Ways.

Here’s a shopping widget full of some of my favorite florals available right now.

Trend #2 – Jewel Tones

We’ll still see soft shades of lilac and blush this fall, but vibrant jewel tones are really stealing the show. These can be beautiful on you, especially if you select colors that work best with your coloring. (Hint: choose the colors people often compliment you in.)

But as we get older and our own coloring fades some we can also look washed out and hidden behind deep, dark colors. So be careful of overdoing it.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – If your own coloring has faded and bold colors overwhelm you, opt for lighter colors in your top and wear the jewel tones below or in your accessories.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Jewel tones can look rich and sophisticated, so enjoy this trend. Choose tones that you are often complimented on.

Here’s a small selection of jewel toned clothing and accessories in a shopping widget. The jewel toned selection didn’t always come through in the widget, so you might have to click through to see that the item is in fact offered in some beautiful shades of sapphire, ruby, amethyst and jade.

Trend #3 – Tonal or Tone-on-Tone Dressing

Tonal dressing is simply wearing several shades of the same color head to toe, and it’s hot right now. For instance, just using Talbots’ new fall line as an example, you could wear their pieces in ivory, oatmeal, harvest wheat, sueded tan and camel.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Tonal dressing is especially suited to women over 40 because it potentially creates a long, slenderizing silhouette. However, you’ll look most modern if you wear shades of either a trending color – such as pistachio – or a classic neutral – think black and greys or browns and camels.

Check out this Post: To see how I used a simple pair of blue jeans to create a beautiful tonal style, check out my post Styling Fall Colors – Tone on Tone.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – In order to really pull this look off, use several different textures in your outfit. Think cashmere + corduroy + suede or maybe wool + silk + leather.

Trend #4 – Feminine Lace

Again, lace is never really out of style, but it’s definitely taking a leading role right now. You’ll see touches of lace on blouses, sweaters, dresses, even jeans. But choose carefully if you’re over 40.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Like florals, lace can age us. So choose pieces that have a distinctly modern vibe to them. Select trending colors and cuts.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Whether you’re wearing a lace top, like the one above, or just a touch of lace trim, pair it with distinctly modern pieces, such as straight leg ankle jeans and/or a great pair of booties.

Here are some of my favorite lace pieces available right now. You’ll notice that many of them have just a lace trim or insert. And camisoles are a great way to add just a touch of lace. Wear them inside a plaid or solid blazer for a decidedly contemporary and chic look.

Trend #5 – Animal Print

Leopard print is still trending big, but it’s been joined by all the other animals. Ha! In fact, snakeskin is probably the hottest ticket right now. At this point, if you’re not accessorizing with some animal print you’re missing a party you’re going to wish you had joined much earlier. It’s such a fun, easy and chic way to elevate your look and add visual interest.

I’ve collected some of my current favorite animal print looks in the shopping widget below.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – An animal print belt adds such a chic touch to a basic jeans and button up shirt or tee.

Check Out This Post: To see how I have styled leopard print with bengal print this fall, check out Go Wild with Animal Print.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Leopard print coats and jackets are really trending this year. Because leopard print will never really go out of style, invest in a good quality one with classic lines if you decide to participate in this trend. You’ll wear it for years.

Trend #6 – Pistachio

Yes, you read that correctly. Pistachio is the hot color of the season. The color may not be called pistachio on the label, but you’ll recognize that mossy, muted green when you see it. And you’ll definitely see a lot of it.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Pistachio is going to work beautifully with many 40+ women’s coloring. As our hair takes on a grey hue, our eyes fade in intensity and our skin changes, soft shades look better on us. Definitely participate in this one if green is one of your signature colors.

Trend #7 – School Girl Plaid

Of course plaid is always in style, too. But this year the trending plaid is that which evokes memories of parochial school uniforms or book satchels. I love this large, identifiable plaid. But, at our age, we do want to be careful of how we wear it so that we don’t end up looking like we’re trying to appear too young.

Trend Tip for the 40+ Woman – Go ahead and participate in the school girl plaid trend full force. But balance the look by adding sophisticated and very “adult” looking accessories. Maybe a floral scarf, a chic fedora, pointy toe pumps or elegant earrings.

As I’ve perused shopping sites lately, I’ve discovered the following favorite plaid pieces. Some of them are available in more than one color combination, too.

Check Out This Post: To see how I styled the plaid blazer in the shopping widget above, check out Styling Fall Colors – Tone on Tone.

Final Tips

While there are style and fit rules that help us look our best, there are no fashion rules that can’t be broken. So don’t get hung up on advice such as “If you wore it before, don’t wear it again.” You absolutely can wear puff sleeves, plaid and menswear inspired styles, even though you wore them first in the 80s. Ha!

But as we get older, we do need to be mindful of how a particular trend affects our overall style essence. If you prefer to look classic and chic, then don’t forfeit that essence just to participate in a trend that doesn’t really work for you.

Also, remember to invest the bulk of your wardrobe budget in classic wardrobe essentials that will stand the test of time. If you just want to put your toe in the water on a particular style trend, so to speak, start with an accessory and spend as little as possible.

Most importantly, have fun with fashion trends. If you just don’t like it, don’t participate! You absolutely do not have to wear a particular trend in order to be stylish. There are plenty of trends to go around, so choose those that you love and go for it!

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What trend are you looking forward to participating in this fall? I’d love to hear from you today!

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Blessed for My Day

I poured the hot contents from my Crockpot into a disposable aluminum pan and reached for the foil to cover the meal. About that time one of my children walked into the kitchen and commented on the delicious aroma filling the room. That’s when I realized I had prepared a yummy dinner for another family, but hadn’t yet given any thought to what my own family would have for dinner. Have you ever done that?

Why is it that we’re more gracious and creative when it comes to meeting the basic needs of the folks down the road, but less enthused about daily feeding our own families? Today let’s ask the Lord to give us a renewed excitement about serving our own…our own husband, kids, parents, employees, students, customers, etc. These are the people He has entrusted to us to serve. Let’s serve them well.

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ~ 1 Peter 4:9