Summer dresses for all ages

This has been such a fun spring to shop for dresses with my clients! For some women, it’s new terrain. For many women it’s something that’s been on their list but they never believed there was actually a dress out there that would work for them! In three separate shopping trips with three separate clients (ages, 35, 58, and 70) their expectations were wildly exceeded by what we found!

Jessica Simpson. Okay, some would say her line of clothes would be too trendy, too young. Not so! A blue and white crisp fit and flare dress was perfect for my petite 58-year old client. The body of the regularly sized dress fit her frame perfectly.

For some reason, dresses can highlight parts of the body in unexpected ways. This client was worried about a little tummy showing. Her weight has never changed but she’s had a redistribution of weight thanks to menopause. But this fit and flare style made her nervousness about that part of her body completely go away!

She’s someone who spends the summer going sleeveless but we added an AG jean jacket for chilly evenings. For anyone nervous about showing their arms, this is a great way to add sleeves. It’s lightweight. Add chunky heeled sandals and this outfit is ready to go!

My 70-year-old client has an enviable shape and great taste. I totally fooled her when I brought into the dressing room a Maggy London dress for $148 that had the design elements of a Roberto Cavalli dress which would have been over a thousand dollars. The halter shape was great, the black side panels were so slimming to the body and the striking floral design was something she could totally carry off. We purchased it, brought it home and styled it with a short black silk Max Mara jacket that has been a workhorse in her closet for years. This one is similar.

My thirty-five year old client was looking for two types of dresses. Dresses that would be appropriate for work and ones that would be worn strictly for the weekend – going to the Farmer’s Market, shopping with girlfriends on Saturdays. We found perfect print maxi dresses for her weekends and a sleeved black sheath dress for her work week. And because her workplace is fairly casual, that AG jean jacket would work for work and casual.

What dresses are calling out your name? I really encourage you to get out there and shop for a couple this season. They’re all going on sale right now so it’s a great time to snag some flattering dresses. Like jeans, you sometimes have to try several of them on before you find winners. It’s worth it! I’ll be bringing you some fresh dress ideas next week, starting with sleeved dresses for summer and venturing into sleeveless. Stay tuned!