A middle-age woman takes a light look at today’s fashion trends
Mary Fran Bontempo
Sheer, gauzy, flowy…flimsy.
That’s what I thought Wednesday when I read the Philadelphia Inquirer ’s fashion piece “Sheer Gladness”, which extolled the beauty and femininity of this spring’s lighter than air fashion trend.
Columnist Elizabeth Wellington notes that this spring’s delicate fashions, including “loosely structured dresses, blousey tops, and cotton T’s are see-through sheer.”
See-through sheer? Yikes!
I love keeping up with current fashion styles and trends. Especially after a winter as lousy as the one which mercifully came to a close last Saturday, spring fashions in particular can add a well-needed “spring” to my step.
But I’m no spring chicken, either. And “see-through sheer” strikes fear into my heart—and mirror. However, I’m not willing to pass on the concept entirely. Frankly, the idea of tossing off anything heavy, including my thinking at this point, is long overdue.
So I called on the wonderful staff at Head Over Heels (a fashion forward shop for the over 18 set) in Doylestown, PA, for some advice on how to make the latest fashions work for those of us a bit beyond the spring chick phase but not yet into old turkey mode.
“It’s all about the support garments underneath that make the look work,” says Camille Currie, a manager at one of the shops owned by mother/daughter duo Dorothy Darrah and Liz Hirschmann. “We recommend supportive camis for under blouses and tops as well as leggings or support hose with the foot cut out for bottoms. You can get a smooth look even though most of us aren’t smooth,” she adds, laughing.
The flowing fashions can be forgiving of flaws as they don’t hug the body, a definite plus for those of us with a little more to hug. And it’s important to choose things that accent our good points while glossing over our less than perfect bits and pieces.
“Personally, I look for things that accent my neck and shoulders,” notes Camille and the easy fitting fashions fall softly over those areas. “But not everyone likes their neck, so they should seek out items that flatter the best parts of their bodies.”
Fortunately, sheer doesn’t necessarily mean skimpy, as many pieces feature longer, butterfly sleeves and some, only a touch of sheer around necklines and hems. These details make the trend wearable and flattering for all figures.
The bottom line, don’t be put off because you can read your palm through that top you just pulled off the rack. By donning the proper supportive under garments and judiciously selecting just the right amount of sheer, even chicks who have hopped around the block more than a few times can float into spring with the season’s newest trend.
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