By Rachel
Matthews Burton
Mature’. Unless associated with a vintage
wine, or an aged cheese, we, womankind, do not particularly like the
label. Especially when it comes to our
clothes. The fashion challenge as we
age, is finding clothing that respects that we are not twenty-one anymore, but
does not transform us into our Grandmother. So, how do we put together a look
that says, “I am not old, I am sophisticated. I am not irrelevant, (even though
marketers seem to believe so), I am a professional and modern woman, who has it
going on!”.
Let us begin with the basics; A neutral
pant, dress, skirt and blazer. ‘Neutral’ meaning a colour that will play well
with others: black, grey, tan, navy. Find a great fit in the basics. Trust and
patience is required here, oh! and
please, go hunting with an open mind. You must throw yourself at the mercy of a
good sales associate and ask for their guidance in finding a shape that works
well for your body. Here are some good examples of basics:
Spend most of your budget on your blazer,
as cheap jackets tend to look, well, cheap. If you can afford one in a few
neutral colours, go for it! The next step is to turn these few basics into
something fabulous, fashion conscious and sophisticated.
Here`s how I suggest you do it: Blouses,
shoes, belts, scarves and shoes that have pattern and, or, colour. (Because nothing
screams drab and `mature` like a navy suit with a white shirt, navy pumps, belt
and matching purse). A punch of colour can give you an instant facelift and
will catapult you into this season. It will also revive boring blazers and
carry you from the office to the weekend, (if you style it the right way).
Images:
skirt: thisnext.com. Beige suit:
bananarepublic.com.
Just because you work in a corporate
environment doesn`t mean you should wear a uniform of black or grey. Here are some great examples of how to wear colour fabulously:
Images in order of appearance: youlookfab.com.
jcrew.com
But, if these brights scare you a little, scale down the colour with a purse or a belt:
Images: where.ca. llbean.com
If colour is simply something you can’t get
comfortable with, take your inspiration from a woman who is always in the public eye
and whose image is under very close scrutiny. Michelle Obama commands respect,
dresses with impeccable style, is always on-trend and still manages to ‘look
her age’.
To finish, I`d like you to take a look at
the two looks and decide for yourself which feel `mature` in a good way,
or, in not so good way. When you`re done, ask yourself why. Remember, you are
as old as you feel and you feel the way you think, so think joyfully!

Rachel Matthews Burton was born and raised
in the United Kingdom and Asia, she now calls Canada her home. A mother, wife and business woman, Rachel has
lived her passion as a professional fashion stylist and in her fourteen year
career has become a top-billing veteran of the image-making industry. RMB has
styled models, celebrities and everyday people for magazines, advertising
campaigns and television shows. She has appeared as a style expert on dozens of
television series, a spokesperson for large corporations and has been a guest
writer in several high-profile magazines and online posts. Her ‘Rack to Rack’
fashion workshops have received accolades from local and national press, well
known websites and respected fashion bloggers. Her partial portfolio and TV
reel can be viewed at www.judyinc.com and
more on her workshops can be seen at www.racktorack.com
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