Oh dear. I think this describes me. I’ve never been able to work out what goes with what, which colours look good together, nor how to accessorize without looking as if I’ve been playing dress-ups from Mummy’s wardrobe. I love the way some women manage to look so good the way they dress but if I were to try to emulate them, well, it’d be a disaster.
Remember, like even sven pointed out, we’re talking about red carpet-type fashion with a capital F here. Thankfully, few people actually have photographers greeting them on their way out of the house and analyzing what they’re wearing!
If you want an idea of what some basic and more down-to-earth ideas are, I recommend recording (or finding on Hulu or whatever) a few more recent episodes of “What Not to Wear.” The shows are typically the same format: presentation of someone who’s dressing poorly, secret footage/comments from friends about what the lack-of-style is like and why, ambush by the two hosts and the person’s friends/family, watching more secret footage, talking about why the person dresses like that, picking outfits out of the current wardrobe for different purposes, giving advice about what outfits would work instead, going through the old wardrobe and throwing out unsuitable stuff, sending the person on a shopping spree where they struggle to figure out their shopping rules and usually backslide into “comfortable” bad choices, second day of shopping they’re ambushed by the hosts and helped to find new clothes, hair makeover, makeup makeover, presentation of new outfits to hosts, big reveal to friends and family. Ta-da. The basic story is different - post-weight-loss, big tragedy led to depression, busy dealing with kids, trying to hold onto youth, etc. - but you want to look for someone whose body shape is near yours to get the best tips.
For the first episode or so, watch the whole thing, or maybe fast-forward through the “I fail at shopping” first day of shopping. You’ll get their basic fashion rules from an episode or two. Then try to find one where the woman’s body shape matches yours, and you can get some tips for dressing to the shape.
It’s helped me a lot - I’m definitely not a fashion plate but I look neat and professional, and even get compliments on good choices.
Not a fashionista so my opinion isn’t worth much here, but I think the shoes are fine. I agree with Go Fug Yourself that the dress is too short though, and generally too flashy/trashy for her. Since Jayma Mays’s character on Glee dresses VERY modestly I can understand that she’d be inclined to go the other way, but shiny/bright/strapless/short all at once is a bit much.
That said, I can’t see criticizing her fashion choices too much when she’s promoting a 3D Smurf movie. I mean, I’m kind of impressed that she managed to get herself out of bed. I’d been hearing for a while that there was going to be a Smurf movie, but only learned the other day that it would star Jayma Mays and Neil Patrick Harris as a married couple who encounter the Smurfs. I thought “Why on earth couldn’t they have just made a movie where Jayma Mays and Neil Patrick Harris are a married couple who don’t encounter Smurfs? That sounds entertaining!”
Red carpet - absolutely not seeking this. The very best that could be said about my fashion ‘sense’ is that I’m neat and tidy and don’t wear outlandish garments. If I had a middle name, I think it would be Safe. I’m not looking to be a fashionista but a teensy bit of style (relative to my age - I’ll never see 50 again) would be good.
I have watched WNTW (both the UK and US versions - I’m in Australia) and I love the shows. I kind of know what things I definitely shouldn’t wear, based on my age, colouring, shape etc but I never seem to be able to find the right things when I’m out shopping. And as for buying a skirt/pants and then trying to find tops to go with them - hopeless. So I always end up breaking the Trinny & Susannah rule about black, because I figure a black bottom half with a somethingelse top half will be safe (there’s that word again) or at least not totally clash.
How can a woman get to 57 and still be so hopeless?
If you tend towards safe clothes, that means you can be a bit wild with the accessories. There is nothing that can’t look nice with a black dress. or even jeans and a well made tee shirt. Simple clothes are a great backdrop. It’s totally okay for your outfit to actually just serve a couple accessories. And older women can get away with bolder jewelry than younger women.
Go people watch for a bit, and note what catches your eye. Do you find yourself admiring big gold earrings? flowy scarves? chunky bangles? red pumps? It doesn’t matter what is in fashion. Just note the pieces that make you say “Wow, that is nice.”
Now go to Claires. A lot of it is teenybopper stuff, but there are some decent cheap copies of nice stuff to be found. It’s a cheap way to try different looks. Buy versions of the stuff you liked. In fashion, it is okay to copy and imitate. In fact, it’s encouraged. Find people who have a look you like, and get stuff that looks like what they’d wear.
When you start, just work one thing in to your outfut. Pair your black pants and solid top with either a bold pair of earrings, or a colorful acarf, or an eye catching pair of shoes. After you find favorites, work your way up to two statement pieces. I’ll pair my huge gold Indian earrings with my great grandma’s blue rhinestone bangel, my red leather books with a flower in my hair, or my chunky turquoise necklace with a metalic scarf used as a belt.
And two is all you need. That is all it takes.