Neutrals and I Need Your Help
Today I have an outfit that I love, plus I’d love to get your answers to a few questions. As much as I enjoy wearing color, neutrals have my heart. They’re timeless and easy to coordinate plus they’re less memorable than brighter colors which make them more versatile.
This faux suede moto jacket has been a best seller on AWSL for many months, with good reason. It comes in several flattering neutrals, it’s incredibly luxe and soft, and the price is amazing.
This fawn color coordinates with so many other colors. It feels as versatile as black…but a lot more flattering for many of us. It comes in sizes 00-18, I’m wearing a 6-8. Leather and faux moto jackets have a hard look to them, which I avoid, but this super soft, ultra-suede dials back the edginess because it lacks shine.
These are super-soft cords from Banana Republic which have a straight leg and high rise. I like the way the fuller leg helps add balance to my shape. I’m sure skinny pants will be back before we know it, but I’m not anxious to wear them anytime soon. How about you?
The surplice-wrap blouse has a shirt tail back you can wear out, or tuck in. It has a lightly draped front with a snap at the V which keeps it from gaping open, always a plus for me. The front is the perfect length to wear over your waistband which shows some waist definition but conceals your tummy. It comes in several patterns, regular and petite, sizes XXS-XXL. I am wearing a regular in small. The subtle lug sole combat style booties are from last year, similar here, and here, and here.
Now, here’s where I need your help-
Please feel free to answer in the comments, which I feel proud to say is a safe, nurturing environment for us to chat. If you’d like to be more private, simply respond to the email and tell me that way.
Why do you follow my blog? What it is about A Well Styled Life that you enjoy most? How does it differ from other blogs you follow?
Several of you have mentioned that you’ve given up reading other blogs, but continue to read mine. Why? I am honored, but I have never asked why and I would love to know.
I would love to know your fashion and lifestyle goals and how I might help you achieve them.
Could you also please share what country you’re from.
Thank you for being here and helping to make this community what it is.
xox
I have been following you for years and I like your relatable style. Weāre about the same age; while you are in the north , Iām in the south of California. You are not trendy like some other bloggers I follow; I appreciate classic and traditional clothing and usually avoid āwhatās hotā at the minute. I have noticed some of my favorite bloggers seem to be going off the deep end with promoting brands, beauty products and diet programs. I like that you donāt hop on every trend yet stay current and stylish. Keep up the good work!
I started following you years ago when I wanted a relatable woman to get advice from. I was also following Brenda until the end. I thoroughly enjoy the aspect of a well rounded womans opinion with the daily realities of life thrown in. Your travel, lifestyle and gentle advice, not pushed on us is fun to follow. When you visit Vanessa and Honey Pug, it feels like catching up with a friend. I am quite different in looks, taller, rounder and curly grey hair, but I like how I can get suggestions to adapt to my look as well. I may not like all that you show us, but that is because it would be a pretty boring life if we all dressed the same and I love to imerse myself in fashion of any sort. The posts that you do for items that you have tried are not pushed on us but rather a suggestion of what might be worth a try. I have been enjoying your dive into colour and stye and how different the outcome of a virtual and in person analysis can be, and do look forward to the explanation of your recent ones. When you add in the medical issues of you and your husband, it shows your openness to explain what is going on in your life and in some cases may lead to a better outcome for your readers. I am from southern Ontario in Canada and live in a very different climate, but love to read about your lifestyle. Thank you for all the effort you put in to keep us all connected.
I do enjoy reading your blog. I like when bloggers are more down to earth and tell what is good and bad going in their lives, this resonates with more people than you realize. Thank you.
JenniferāYour blog is my favorite. It is instructive, warm, positive and often funny!
I learn a lot from the dressing room try ons where you explain why an outfit is flattering or not. I am interested in your favorite cosmetics, skin and haircare products. I also enjoy hearing about your travels and family.
My goals are to create a flattering and comfortable wardrobe. I recently moved
across the country ( United States ) and itās a little lonely. Your cheerful blog gives
Me a boost every morning! Tracy
I love your blog! You dress more casually than other bloggers I follow. I like that you give sizing for all your clothes. I enjoy your travel stories!
Jennifer, initially I followed you and a few others, but eventually lost interest in them and remained with your blog only. So many reasons: yours is always a more polished look, one which aligns with my own style; your choices are mostly within my budget; Iāve learned so much about accessorizing pieces, which has increased my fashion sense and confidence; you write well, a skill this teacher applauds; your photographs with various background settings are always interesting; you move beyond clothes snd suggest cosmetics and the hair products for thinning hair which I now use and love; you come across as your readersā ally and friend, not some distant expert. So thanks for all you do, Jennifer. Youāre doing a great job!
I follow your blog for many of the reasons mentioned below and I particularly love that you talk about being an inverted triangle in body shape like me. Iām as happy as you to see the skinny pants take a break from popularity! Ps I love you have Canadian roots too and enjoyed your stories visiting Vancouver.
I enjoy your blog because I like your style and sense of fashion. Iām also in my 60ās and really like getting outfit ideas from you. I enjoy your fitting room room try-ons and your blog is short; theyāre not too long and donāt lose me. And I too have short, fine hair and aging skin. Keep up the great work!
I live in the great state of Virginia!
I love your blog and find that you are particularly practical in your outlook. I have purchased several items that you have recommended and love each of them. Many of them are from Talbots which is a store that I rarely frequented in the past and now love – clothes from there really fit me. I haven’t dropped any other blogs, but yours is the one I read first!
Thanks for everything!
Hi Jennifer,
I follow your blog because I love seeing someone in my age range discuss fashion and health/beauty. You’re not a 5’10”, size 2, 16 year old runway model, but a real person, a real size. I like that you’re real about health, beauty and fashion for real women. I enjoy your DRD and “Would you wear it?” posts. It’s fun to read your take, but also the input of other women. (Plus you shop at the same stores, by and large, that I favor. š You resonate with me.
I recently found your blog and I find your fashion sense is very similar to mine. I was looking for a blog that gave fashion tips to mature women without making us look like āold ladiesā. I want to look current but not trendy. Your blog tends to point me in that direction. Even some of the other ladies blogs that are geared towards over 50 or even over 60, are frequently a bit āold lady-ishā to me. Also, I live in Arizona .
I follow your blog because everything you comment on seems relevant to me. I am 70 (so hard to actually commit to that number) but would like to think that I am more vibrant, youthful, and aware than that age indicates. So much of your content is realistic (looking chic in flats) and pertinent to me. And, you manage all of this while looking stylish and awfully attractive! Thanks for your hard work. I am a dedicated follower.
Good morning!! I follow your blog because you are down to earth and it’s like reading something from a friend. Your ideas are great and very informative. Some of the other blogs make me feel rather inferior while yours doesn’t do that. You’re an inspiration, a very attractive and friendly woman and I am proud to call you my “online friend”.
I have been following you for some time now. I keep following you because I donāt get the sense that you are āsellingā me stuff that you donāt fully endorse. You scour the āshopsā and find things for us to consider, but donāt tip over into pushing product for advertisers. Totally understand and accept that you make commission on the links we follow and purchase, and that advertisers send you things to showcase, but you do so with integrity. That sets you apart
I enjoy your blog as your style was
my style purchased from my favorite store Talbots followed by AT then I switch to JJ where you go to Nordstrom(not a local store for me). You validated I was doing alright and gave me tips and broadened my limited horizons somewhat. I am 74 blonde (natural)and recently put on a lot of weight post COVID which Iām struggling hard to lose but still 12lbs to get back to my usual. I am an ex-patriated Scot now living in MA, USA which explains my penchant for the more tailored looks of Talbots and AT as Europeans are dressier than Americans. However Talbots is loosing ground as petite lengths are no longer short and quality is dropping daily and as a retired person except for 1 day a week I need more casual clothes for travel and that is where your input is most helpful and ensure I donāt end up looking like mutton dressed up as lamb. With leggings and jeggings the norm out there itās a scary world!
You look as unlike me as anyone could. I eat meat and live in the Midwest (although I also have a daughter in Vancouver). My hair isn’t really thin or blonde. But you shop at the same places that I like. And I love your dressing room diaries. Early in my reading of your blog, you led me to Banana Republic, which I never would have tried before. Your blog is relatively easy to read – there is no distraction from popping ads and stuff. You admit to not being perfect and gaining weight – I read one blog which I do like but the author always says one bite of a dessert is as good as a whole one, an idea I simply can not subscribe to. I like how your blog is regular – every day there’s something new from you. You don’t have too much content – some seem to. Over time I can say I only read yours reliably. I do wish you’d show some of the things you’ve knit as I am also an active knitter. Please keep up the good work and help me add to my wardrobe!!
I like your blog because you offer a variety of clothes in different price ranges and I like your style. You always look well put together without going over the top. My style is casual and you show how to kick it up a notch. I am not retired yet but I canāt wait until that day comes. I live in Texas.
I’m 61 years old and still can’t believe it! I like your style, and I also have fine, thinning hair. I started taking collagen when I saw it mentioned in your blog around 8 months ago, and after 4 months I really saw a change. My doctor even said that she’s seen positive changes in bone density tests due to collagen. I have my bone density test coming up, so we’ll see! You’re also the same height and weight and have the same coloring that I do, so it’s easy to imagine what the clothes will look like on me. BTW, even though you don’t like to wear color, it really brightens up your face when you do. That shirt looks great on you. Lastly, you’re not pushing a specific brand or product. Thanks !
Your style and age are similar to mine, and I really enjoy your dressing room posts. It is great to see how an item looks on, as it doesn’t always look the same on the hanger. You don’t go in for the latest style fad, and stick to what brings out the best in you. You seem honest and down to earth with what you share and I share you thinning hair issues, so find solace in not being alone! You are just very relatable!
You make my day better.You deal honestly with what life offers and make it more fun with fashion.
I love reading your blog! Your outfits are perfect for women our age. I particularly enjoyed the blog about comfortable shoes. I am all about comfort. I miss the video chats you did with the other 3 blogs. They were fun to watch and listen to. I hope they start up again soon!
Like the others, ārealā and ārelatableā are the keys. I am another Midwestern petite who needs to lose weight (I went from a 14 to a 10 a few years ago but statistically should be a 6) and was born loving clothes. I do and have read other fashion blogs but drift away from them and find yours and the problems you solve the most real-world and practical yet fun and up to date. I see us all as artists and we are our own canvases.
I keep reading because 1. You donāt preach! I want a fashion/ lifestyle blog without political or religious interference.
2. You know what youāre talking about. Probably your background, bit I think you have a good eye too.
3. Youāre younger than I am, but still within a decade. Iām retired and leading a very different life in the middle of Connecticut than when I was commuting to NYC in my black pantsuits and heels! Youāve given me lessons ( unintentionally Iām sure) on how to be casual and stylish at the same time.
4. Even thoughI canāt wear a lot of the colors you wear ( dark hair, light eyes, soft winter coloring) and am 4ā shorter (!) Iāve been able to take your cues and put myself together in my own palette.
5. Not everything you show is super expensive. Thatās not realistic on a fixed income. Youāve directed me to lots of bargains without sacrificing quality.
6. You include personal information without going overboard. It makes your blog human and relatable.
Sharing issues you deal with from your hair and your lovely daughter in Canada to more serious medical issues makes me care the way no amount of pretty clothes can. You project likability without sacrificing your opinions. Soft sell really works!
7. Your readers are delightful. So if you edit them, well done. But if these are just the women who follow you and express opinions, youāve drawn a good group.
So thatās why Iāve stayed and will continue to stay. Even if you wear leggings or not-really-straight leg pants occasionally. And, frustratingly, show clothes that arenāt made in petite sizes!
Bravo, Jennifer, Iām a fan.
Like your blog. You present focused information yet give us a glimpse into real life issues. You always seem upbeat — love your smile! I enjoy the different ideas you have for styling the items you are presenting. The clothing you talk about is varied but realistic in style, shape, color even though I am lots older. Although many of the pieces are more expensive than I would buy, it gives me ideas of what to look for in resale shops or at lower price points. I like that you post frequently. I wish I could find a blogger who writes like you but with a body shape more like mine, which is the opposite of you, since styles that look so wonderful on you would not look the same on me. I live in the midwest.
Good morning from southern middle Tennessee! And, yes, there are bloggers that I quickly scan and move on. Too edgy, or too conservative, or too much of the same stuff day after day! But most of the time I will spend some time with you! Your sense of style and life seems to speak to me plus you seem like a person I could set and chat with, really easily! I like that you do not allow yourself to get in a rut and stay there! You do add trends that work for you and can possibly work for me; you share real aging issues, I.e. hair thinning, hand issues, (I just went thru successful trigger finger surgery ). I think we could relate!
First of all I adore your outfit, it really suits you and I too am a big fan of neutrals. Your style is probably the closest to mine that I have found with any blogger, even though I hardly ever wear jeans and have different colouring and body type and live in a different climate (southern Ontario, Canada) LOL. I appreciate your style and colour background and your expertise shows through your with your writing and explanations of why and why not something works. DRD is a particular favourite, as going into a dressing room to try items on hasn’t been possible for much of the last 1 1/2 years.
I also like that you experiment with skin care and cosmetic products rather than pushing one line.
I discovered your blog in 2015 when I first discovered fashion blogs, and followed a few out of curiosity, but over the years, yours is the one I read daily now for the above reasons.
And you always have something interesting to say or show.
I follow your blog because you provide objective style advice at all price points. Your style is timeless and early on you made sure this was a safe place to engage in conversations about aging. You give parts of your life which helps remind us you are living in the same world and these concerns are universal.
I continue to read your blog because you post almost every day and it gives me great ideas and inspiration. Other blogs tend to disappear over time and leave their followers behind. I like your dressing room and mannequin features in particular. Live in Florida now so please keep us in mind for some lighter weight outfits. Thanks!
I must echo the other readers for reasons I read your blog! We are of similar age, size and life style. The brands and price points work for me and you always seem to give honest and helpful feedback about why a look or fit works or could be restyled to suit. I have discontinued several other bloggers because there are too many of them and their content is frequently one long sponsored advertisement. I truly hate “Amazon Hauls” and in several years of following you, I don’t believe you have ever done one. Thank you!!
I like your blog because you wear clothing very similar to my style. Causal but polished. I love neutrals. I like the stores you shop at. I like to see the clothes on a real person. I am from South Carolina, USA