Best Fall 2016 Trends in Review 5 Years Later High Latitude Style

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I picked these trends as the best trends in fall 2016. Now, in retrospective, five years later, it shows that they are still wearable and were worth the investment.

Suits with wide pants

Matchy-match suits are awesome for young professional women to earn respect and convey that they mean business. However, on us mature women, it quickly reads old-fashioned, conservative, and outdated, which are all adjectives we can’t afford and want to have in the high competitive job market.

Thus, if you want to jump the suits with wide legs bandwagon, go for an unmatched suit. In this case, riot your closet for wide pants and a jacket that looks great with it. It is just a safer bet. If you absolutely have to jump the trend, look for a suit with wide pants as evening wear in a jewel color with a perfect fit. Here wearing a suit instead of a gown is unexpected and hence fashion forward. However, don’t spend too much money on it – I assume you are not Mrs. Jenner – as people will remember your entrance. Spending money on this item makes only sense when you have different events (weddings, anniversaries, etc.) coming up with different crowds or you are not that person that always needs/wants to have a new outfit at each occasion. Recall, even the Duchess recycles gowns.

Velvet

Velvet is perfect for winter. Go for a blazer or jacket in a neutral color of your palette and style. A velvet blazer looks great over jeans on casual Friday or with a black pencil skirt and a white shirt for an office appropriate winter look. While velvet dresses are also great they often have a very festive vibe. Thus, think twice. When you have a lot of opportunities to wear the dress go for it.

#fashionover40 mature woman in LBD and green pumps — Ellen Tracy LBD, Nine West pumps, Dooney Brouke bag, collier de chien belt, Medor watch, head band, and BeBe leather jacket (all own)

Warning: Velvet collects dust, and hairs. You need a lint roller ready to not look like you spent the night in a dog kennel.

One-arm tops

It’s winter and you have two arms, remember? Skip this one except you are looking for an evening outfit.

Bold shoulders

When you liked the trend in the 80s and still like the look, go for it to balance your hips when you have a triangle shape. Otherwise, skip it as it looks like you live in the yesterday when you were young, and are not proud of who you became. Recall
Style is a mean to tell who you are without having to say a word. #fashionquote Click To Tweet

#fashionover50 LBD with motorcycle jacket — Front view of work outfit with Ellen Tracy dress, Nine West pumps, Dooney Brouke bag, collier de chien belt, Medor watch, head band, and BeBe leather jacket (all own)

Large floral prints

Large floral prints are fun. Look for abstract floral prints rather than prints that look like real flowers. Make sure the print does not overwhelm your frame. When the trend appeals to you, you may want to read about how to look ageless in floral print prior to hitting the mall.

Gray plaid

When gray is in your color palette, stock up on classic cuts and basics for your wardrobe. Gray is a neutral and plaid an evergreen. A gray plaid blazer, pencil or straight skirt or gray plaid wool coat are great pieces to invest in.

Pink and yellow

I wrote already a post on this trend. Wearing pink and yellow together is a big fall trend. Unless you are a bold redhead, keep the color that doesn’t belong to your color palette as an accessory and wear the other color on a clothing piece.

Kelly green

If this color is in your color palette, go for a Kelly green sweater or cardigan or scarf. If not, but you like the color look for a belt or pair of shoes like those in the OOTD of this post or a cheap clutch for the holiday parties.

Weird ways to hold your bag

We have been there, done that, and can pass this.

Butterfly accents

Any item with a butterfly print will look like a curtain in the next season. Instead of jumping on the butterfly clothes look for a silver butterfly pin or brooch. If you absolutely have to have a butterfly print, get a white T-shirt with a butterfly for the gym. It will be done before the next season anyway.

stylist wearing black, brown and green together — Side view of work outfit with Ellen Tracy LBD, Nine West pumps, Dooney Brouke bag, collier de chien belt, head band, and BeBe leather jacket (all own)

School girl jumpers

fashion blogger over 50 in jumper styled with brooches — Carhartt gingham shirt under eShakti jumper accessorized with brooch worn instead of a belt and Liz Clairborne open toe pumps (all own), wood watch c/o Jord

Well, the name tells it all. When you go for the trend era on the side of a fitted jumper. Think more Mad Man than high school.

Booties with plateau soles

Don’t overdo the plateau height. It’s hard to walk with them on snow and ice.

London Tradition pea coat — Pea coat c/o London tradition styled with own leather pants, Jeanne Pierre striped sweater, scarf, H belt, beret and Buberry bag

Navy overcoats and patent leather trench coats

Invest in a military-style inspired wool coat like in the photo above and/or trench coat like in the photo below. Tune the shine down as shine adds pounds, moreover, it will scream yesterday in no time. A nice leather trench coat is an investment for years.

#over50fashion leather trench coat trend for fall — Burberry gold colored leather trench coat with London boyfriend white denim jeans, silver Puma sneakers, and Jaeger tote (all own)

Hoodies

Hoodies are nice for the gym, at the spa, or for jogging. If that’s you, go for it. If you want to go the hoodie-trend, look for unexpected pieces, but don’t spend a fortune on them. A down or faux fur vest with hoodie, for instance, is unexpected.

mature fashion woman with down hoodie vest — Down vest with hood styled with Sienna skirt, GNW tight, Great Northwest denim shirt and riding boots for a winter work outfit

Do I have to mention that you have to pull the hood outside your outerwear to not look like the humpback?

over 40 style Leopard light weight faux fur vest under coat

Hood of leopard light weight faux fur vest c/o Covered Perfectly under coat to don a sleek elegant silhouette

over 50 fashion woman in fall trend of vest with hood

Lightweight faux fur leopard print vest with hood c/o Perfectly Covered with plaid skirt, GNW tights, Anne Klein sweater for a winter office look

Over-long sleeves

You work, right?

Maxi dresses

Maxi dresses are great in southern California’s winter with its many days of sunshine. I like them. However, maxi dresses are unsuitable in regions where fall and winter weather brings a lot of rain and/or snow. In rain or melting snow, you get unintended polka dots from splashing. When the snow is dry, your dress acts as a snow plow. Consequently, you collect a lot of snow on the skirt of the dress that melts once you are at the office. The wet dress is a recipe to catch a cold, not to mention that it is uncomfortable and make you look stupid. Leave the winter maxi dresses for teenagers to learn.

Which fall trends do you like? Which fall trends will you work into your wardrobe? Let me know, I am curious.

When you liked this post, I would highly appreciate your sharing it with your friends by tweeting them have a look at this great post on fall trends for women over 40.

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Photos of me: G. Kramm