Ask Jae: Part II

So after I did my last "Ask Jae," I had a bunch of questions filter in via email and Facebook and I'd feel like a huge jerk if I didn't answer them. I mean, I'm a huge jerk anyway, I don't need this on top of it. Luckily most of the questions are pretty broad and helpful for everyone, so instead of just answering them via email, I'll do it here. YAY efficiency.

Elise asked: "Are leggings an appropriate resolution to a skirt that leans towards being too short?"

Hi Elise. Okay, so you can take this with a huge grain of salt, but I am not a lover of leggings. I can see why you'd want to wear them for modesty's sake, but I'm all about looks because I'm super vain. Seeing that legging peeking out throws the outfit off for me because it becomes super casual. I'm much happier with an extender slip -- you can see my What I Wore post from two Mondays ago. They're super cute and I feel like they add to a look rather than subtract. I've been very happy with mine and love that a lot of my dresses and skirts feel "new" with it.


Patricia asked: "So I was wondering if you could maybe give me some outfit ideas for the summer? I always love the layering and maxi dresses I see on here, but I'm from Tucson, AZ and sometimes I wish I could go out naked it is SO very hot here."

Kristina also asked: "What's a tall 40 year old girl to wear in the summer? I typically stick to skirts, dresses, or a light weight pair of jeans cuffed at the ankle. I think I might never wear shorts again. 2 inch inseams? Are they kidding?"

A|Wear fitted wedding dress, $15 / Dress / H&M capped sleeve dress, $30 / A|Wear lacey dress, $18 / Dorothy Perkins cotton dress / H&M h m, $38 / Wallis print dress / Shirts dress / Knee boots / A|X Armani Exchange leather strappy sandals / Oasis leopard print shoes, $36 / TOMS shoes / Michael Antonio espadrille wedge / N.Y.L.A. espadrille wedge / Lining shoes / Charlotte Russe skimmer shoes

Well, by all means, go out naked -- the neighbors would love it. But, in the case that you just don't feel naked-ready, I can tell you that when the desert summer rolls around, I love in my bermudas and dresses. Not maxi dresses -- just knee-length cotton dresses I pick up on the cheap. I love that they're one piece, don't need layering and have a built-in ventilation system if ya know what I'm sayin'. Casual dress + cute sandals = love forever.

Check out places like Dorthy Perkins and Asos for cute, knee-length dresses to keep you cool. 

Shorts can be trickier. Short and it's scary bum cheek territory and too long and you can look a little dumpy. I look for shorts to hit juuuuust above my knee cap. Then you get a nice long leg line that is cute and not stumpifying. Pair it with a featherweight tee and you're pretty much done!

Lorraine is adorable and wonders: "I'm retired and feel most comfortable in casual clothing. In summer it's shorts, my fav Asics or flip flops and a tee.  Occasionally I need to step it up a notch.  Nice jeans, etc.  But I can't seem to find or know how to put things together that say  "She knows how to dress her body"!  Help!"


Well you are just my favorite person ever for being retired and still wanting to look cute. You're petite, so you want things that won't overwhelm your figure. When it comes to dressing over 50, classic silhouettes are best -- I love a skinny cigarette pant with a embellished top and cardigan or jacket. Add flats and you'll totally look like you know what you're doing. I think the trick is to go classic, but bring in modern colors, like coral and turquoise. Like so.

Oatmeal cardigan, $20 / Oasis metallic top, $42 / J.Crew j. crew pants / Charles Albert shoes / Cross body handbag / Pendant jewelry

Sarah sent me a message to ask about business casual wear for her new job. "Are there any pieces i should be buying that go with everything (or most)?"  

I find that offices get more casual all the time. So before you ever go shopping. I'd head to work for a week and see what other people in the office are wearing. You might find that things are a little more casual than you expected -- or more formal. That way, you know what you need to buy. And business casual doesn't have to be a total snoozefest. While you should definitely adhere to some rules -- skirts to the knees, covered shoulders, put your boobs away -- you can still have fun with jewelry. Start with a basic formula of straight-cut pants, a bright top and then a topper, like a cardi or blazer. When it gets hot, you'll want to swap out the topper for shirts that are interesting enough on their own. You don't need button-ups and suits unless you really want to wear one. Business casual usually just translates to modest and streamlined. Also, I love dresses for BC wear. It's an easy way to get dressed in the morning and boots or wedges help tone down the formal factor.

H&M h m blazer, $23 / H&M slim pants, $38 / Black Paisley Border Top, $23 / Wet Seal heel wedge shoes / Magid handbag / Sabine jewelry

Dorothy Perkins print dress, $23 / Clarks black boots, $76 / Buckle handbag / Bracelet jewelry / MNG by Mango coral jewelry / Elastic belt

Julia wanted to know "I was wondering where good places to shop for maxi skirts are??"

I can definitely tell you a few places where I've found awesome maxi skirts! LulaRoe.com has sent me a maxi skirt before and its an entire store dedicated to just maxi skirts of crazy adorableness.  I've also done really well at like, neighborhood boutique places like Urban Trends... if you're in Utah, let me know and I can direct you ;). I also have a few skirts from Forever21, just be mindful of the length because I find them to be a little shorter than normal. Check with department stores too -- Macy's had a ton and for cheap when I was there a few weeks ago!

Heather has a serious prob: "With my job I have to wear a ton of work polos or tee shirts with a logo on the front. It's very blah and I want to spice it up...only thing is that I work in the front office of a warehouse."

When I was in high school and right after graduating, I worked as a receptionist in a front-end office of a warehouse-type place. I didn't have to wear a polo, but it definitely wasn't a dress-up place. And if I were in your situation, I'd definitely steer clear of khakis because khakis+work shirt makes you look like you're a  theme park or Best Buy employee. Instead, I'd spice things up with styling the shirt -- cute, statement jewelry or wearing bright wedges with some ankle pants. Or, you could top a polo with a well-fitted, bright blazer to differentiate yourself from the average warehouse worker. That would also work well with a graphic work tee, as long as the tee fits well. Does that help?

Finally, Lori asked: "What do you do about pale skin? Summer's coming and I am NOT ready!"

 

Yeaaaaah about that. Honestly, I don't think there's anything wrong with pale skin. Okay, so a tan might make you feel better. But after my bout with stupid skin cancer last year (it was completely non life-threatening, but it did result in a sucktastic surgery and a scar that I could have done without) I am a respecter of sun. I've never been in a tanning bed in my life. If I do need to get some color, I either use the Jergens lotion that adds color gradually (because I'm a spaz and probably won't apply one-shot color well) or run and get a Mystic Tan. Other than that, I wear sunscreen every day and embrace my Canadian paleness. You can too!


Okay, I think I got them all! Remember you can send questions whenever and I'll more than likely answer them in a completely non-timely manner. But it's the thought, right?