Hello! It’s wonderful you’re here for my inaugural post on Style At A Certain Age! I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share what I wore during my recent trip to Charleston, South Carolina.  Packing for this trip was challenging for me for a couple of reasons: the forecast called for rain and cooler temps; plus, I haven’t done much sightseeing in the last few years which translates to I haven’t been wearing “going out” shoes for extended periods.   This all amounted to packing for comfort, style, and possible rainy weather. Fortunately, our hotel was centrally located!  So, I wanted to show you some of my best vacation outfits from the trip.

Evening Out

My husband Alex and I chose one of our three nights for a special dinner out. We chose a very highly recommended restaurant called 167 Raw. It’s a wonderful seafood restaurant, with super fresh seafood preparations, raw oysters, and chic cocktails. If you’re in Charleston, I highly recommend you make a stop at 167 Raw.

Little Black Suit

This ensemble is not a suit per se, as the blazer and the pants are not exact matches. But it works!  A black blazer is a wardrobe staple. I get a ton of use out of this blazer; it’s perfect for dressing up a pair of jeans and it works perfectly over a dress or with a skirt. 

Parke Blazer | Regent Blazer (similar) | Unstructured Blazer (similar) | Pintuck Camisole (similar) | Shirred Top (alternative) | Drapey Top (similar) | Cameron Slim Crop Pant in 4 Season Stretch |  Cameron Pant in Bi-Stretch Cotton (similar) | Vince Camuto Enella Sandal | Vince Camuto Saprenda Sandal (similar) |  Nine West Sandals (similar) | TSATSAS Tape Bag | Hobo Waver Wristlet (similar) | Hobo Brave Leather Clutch (similar) 

With a classic little black suit, you can get creative with your choice of top. A strappy camisole is a perfect option. Another great option to achieve this look is with a drapey top, tucked in.  I went with this top by Frame, from Nordstrom. It’s no longer available, but there is a similar version still available. 

Straight-leg cropped pants in a heavenly four-season stretch fabric from J.Crew are a dream to wear. These pants are so versatile. They dress up beautifully, but they also look great with a t-shirt and denim jacket. The straight leg cropped fit is perfect for a petite frame and J.Crew’s Cameron Slim Crop Pant fits true to size. 

My favorite shoe to wear with a little black suit is a strappy sandal, with a little bit of a heel. These Vince Camuto heels are super comfortable and easy to walk in for blocks! 

For a classic neutral outfit, you can go with almost any color handbag you like. For this special evening out, I decided to go with the quietly elegant black Tape Bag by TSATSAS. 

Shop the outfit (click below)

Sightseeing in Beautiful Charleston

Fortunately, we did end up with a sunny day to stroll around the historic Broad Street neighborhoods of Charleston. You can’t help but be immersed in the history of Charleston and our nation, as you walk the cobblestone streets amongst the 18th and 19th-century architecture. 

My favorite places to tour are the cemeteries and graveyards. This has a lot to do with the fact that cemeteries are quiet places; one can contemplate and get lost in imaginations of times long passed. The south has some of the most beautiful cemeteries; the spring flowers add color and the Live Oak trees draped in Spanish Moss really set the tone. 

Walking tour

For our self-guided walking tour, we had beautiful sunny skies and warm spring temperatures. It was the perfect day to wear a skirt! Spring is my favorite time of year, especially for fashion. There are so many options with skirts, dresses, shorts, and jeans – you can mix them up with a variety of shirt styles to create fun, colorful, bright looks. 

We started in the morning, so I have a denim jacket, which is my favorite go-to light jacket for Spring. I haven’t yet come across an outfit that doesn’t work well with a denim jacket! 

Madewell Denim Jacket | Gap Denim Jacket (similar) | J.Crew Factory Button-up | J.Crew Factory Skirt | Quay Aviator Sunglasses (similar) | Whirlpool Aviator Sunglasses (similar) |  Kingston Aviator Sunglasses (similar) | Puffy Crisscross Sandals (similar) | Crisscross Slide Sandals (similar) | Similar Olive-Colored Slides (similar) | Sydney Crossbody Bag | Transport Crossbody Bag (similar) | Transport Saddlebag (similar)  

Gingham is one of my favorite prints all year long. But somehow as soon as Spring arrives, gingham comes to the forefront of my mind. This olive and white gingham button-up feels especially appropriate for the shoulder seasons, the color is just perfect for Spring.

This linen-cotton pull-on skirt from J.Crew Factory is a no-brainer for me. I have this skirt style in a few colors and this cream-color version is by far my favorite. As a neutral, the cream color will work with nearly every top in my closet. It’s lined and so comfortable – plus it has pockets! You will definitely see this skirt on repeat all Spring and Summer long. 

These Vehla Dixie sunglasses are my new favorites. I love the lightweight tortoise frames. I especially love the lightly tinted, sage-colored lenses. 

I haven’t walked for miles in closed shoes since the pandemic, so my feet have become more sensitive to shoes (anyone else have this issue?). So I went for an ultra-comfy pair of crisscross sandals.

These olive green sandals are from last summer, but I’ve given you similar styles.

My Favorite Crossbody Everyday Bag

A crossbody or shoulder bag is a must for a day seeing the sights. My favorite, most-used bags are all from Madewell. I absolutely love their leather goods, they make well-priced, quality bags, shoes, and belts that last for ages.

This is the Sydney Crossbody Bag. It has a removable shoulder strap for versatility. Its rounded, structured hobo shape is updated for this year, and its classic styling will be a go-to for years to come. 

Shop the outfit (click below)

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In case you missed it

Those were some of my best vacation outfits from Charleston.  If you’re looking for more fashion inspiration, make sure to check out Beth’s 5 ways to wear white sneakers this Spring.  

And remember, Thursdays are a two-post day.  Make sure to check out the one piece of Spring clothing Beth can’t live without.

Travel week is winding down.  I’m heading home for Georgia tomorrow.  Last night, I was going through the archives, and I thought I’d do something fun today.  I know a lot of you are planning on traveling this year, and I’m sure many of you will be spending time by the pool or the beach.  Getting ready for a beach vacation is relatively easy, right? Just pack a swimsuit, and you’re good to go. Not so fast.  If you’re spending hours on the beach, then you want to be prepared. There’s nothing worse than settling into your beach chair then remembering you forgot to toss sunscreen into your beach bag or a bottle of water. Don’t worry, I have you covered. Today, I’m putting everything from this week together and sharing how I prepare and my must-have items on my beach vacation packing list.

Steps to a self-tan 

Before I head to the beach, I use self-tanner for a little summer glow. Yep, the safest tan is a fake one. Ha! it’s easy to apply tanner at home, but you need the right supplies for a flawless tan. the good news is it’s safe and suitable for all skin types. Below are some of my favorite products.

Exfoliating Glove | Self-tanner Mitt | Body Bling | L’Oreal self-tanning mist | Jergens Natural Glow | L’Oreal Self-tanning Towelettes

Step 1 

Shower and exfoliate. If you want to avoid streaky tan lines exfoliating is the most important step. One of my favorite body scrubs is Elemis Frangipani that I apply with an exfoliating glove that leaves my skin smooth and soft.

Step 2 

After I step out of the shower, I apply moisturizer to ankles, feet, knees, elbows, wrists, and palms. These are the key areas that tend to soak up too much self-tanner. Wait ten minutes or until your body is completely dry. This is an important step as your skin needs to be dry to absorb the self-tanner and avoid streaks.

Step 3 

Apply the self-tanner with a mitt. If you skip using a mitt, then your hands tend to turn orange. Plus, the mitt helps apply the tanner evenly and smoothly. Apply the product directly onto the mitt.

Step 4

Use long even strokes when applying self-tanner, working one section at a time..

Step 5

Wait twenty minutes before you put your clothes on. This allows the product to settle and avoids staining your clothes.

Step 6

Moisturize daily to keep your faux tan for as long as possible. Jergens Daily Moisturizer is my go-to moisturizer all summer long.

Outfits

Travel outfits

On Sunday, we ran 5 travel outfit ideas from Spring.  Whether you’re driving or flying to your destination, chances are the temps of your origin city are different than your destination one.  Head over to the post for ideas on what to wear on your trip.

Travel capsule wardrobe

On Monday, I gave you a glimpse of my travel capsule wardrobe.  Head over to the post to see the 6 outfits I took with me to Mexico.

Bathing suits

Yesterday, I posted pictures from Mexico.  I also shared with you 3 swimsuits and cover-ups I took with me.  In case you missed it, take a look at the post for great 2022 swimsuit ideas.  

Beach vacation packing list

Alright, now for my beach vacation packing list.  It includes:  

• travel outfits 
• bathing suits 
• beach towels 
• sunscreen 
• beach chairs 
• beach blankets 
• beach umbrellas 

For each item, I put together a shoppable widget to help you as you prepare for your vacation. 

Beach towels (shop below)

Sunglasses (shop below)

Sunscreen (shop below)

Beach chairs (shop below)

Beach blankets (shop below)

Beach umbrella (shop below)

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In case you missed it

It’s travel week all week over here on the blog.  So far, we’ve shown you

• 5 travel outfit ideas for Spring; 
• my travel capsule wardrobe for Mexico; and 
• 3 swimsuits & coverups for the beach.

Daily Looks

Make sure to catch up on our DAILY LOOK. We post a dedicated photo to our daily outfit every Wednesday-Sunday. And you can shop those outfits easily through the shop the widget below the picture. 

This post sponsored by Nordstrom

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Whether you’re on team one-piece or two, one thing is for certain swimsuit season has arrived. So pick a suit any suit and go enjoy the beach, lake, or pool. This week, I gathered a few swimsuits for my beach getaway in Cancún, Mexico. It’s been a little slice of heaven this week with blue skies and even bluer ocean and a white sandy beach to dip my toes into. What’s in my beach bag? I’m spilling the beans today with a little help from my favorite retailer Nordstrom which makes one-stop shopping a breeze.  Here are 3 women’s bathing suits for 2022 that I’m loving. 

Protection from the sun 

First things first, sunscreen is a must when I head outdoors, and Goop PLAY is a favorite of mine for long-wearing protection and reef-safe ingredients. But let’s not forget our lips need protection too. Enter fresh Sugar Lip Balm with SPF 15 that keeps my lips hydrated. And while we’re talking about protection from the sun, let’s not forget the importance a hat plays in keeping our face shielded from the harmful UV rays. It’s a non-negotiable in my book, as well as a pair of sunglasses that shields my baby blues from the sun.

Shop Sunscreen (click below)

Women’s bathing suits 2022

Swimsuit 1

La Blanca has been a favorite swim brand of mine for years. This black one-shoulder suit didn’t disappoint! It’s lined with molded cups, flattering ruched shirring, and built-in tummy control. The swimsuit also comes in indigo. Since we’re talking swimwear, let’s not forget to add a slouchy hooded coverup which is a must-have item to swish through any hotel lobby. It’s from La Blanca and comes in black or blue and could easily pull double duty as a light and airy tunic.

swimsuit | coverup | similar sunglasses | sandals | hat (similar here and here) | sunscreen | lip balm | tote (similar here and here)

Views from Mexico

Swimsuit 2

I’m loving this  Grecian-style two-piece from Norma Kamali. It’s definitely made for a day at the pool sipping piña coladas but isn’t that what vacay is for? White leather sandals from Tory Burch are the perfect addition, as well as all of my sun accessories.

top | bottom (sold out similar here) | similar sunglasses | sandals | hat (similar here and here) | sunscreen | lip balm | tote (similar here and here)

More views from Mexico

Swimsuit 3

If you want to put a little FUN into your swimwear, then look no further than Trina Turk. Her swimsuit prints are always colorful and pack a punch. This one-piece is a year old, but I loved this one or this one.

Some final views

Shopping Nordstrom

 A few of my favorite things about Nordstrom:

• free shipping and returns by mail or in-store
• BOPUS – buy online pick up in store
• curbside pick up (no muss, no fuss. Nordstrom brings your merchandise to you while you wait in your car)
• the Nordy club where you earn 1 point per dollar, status based on spend, and enjoy perks to beauty and style workshops, curbside pickup, and the first to shop select brands. sign up here.

A big thank you to Nordstrom for this sponsored post. And thank you, lovely readers for supporting the brands that allow me to bring you fresh ideas.

Shop the Post (click below)

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In case you missed it

It’s travel week all week over here on the blog.  So far, we’ve shown you

• 5 travel outfit ideas for Spring; and 
• my travel capsule wardrobe for Mexico.

Daily Looks

Make sure to catch up on our DAILY LOOK. We post a dedicated photo to our daily outfit every Wednesday-Sunday. And you can shop those outfits easily through the shop the widget below the picture. 

Happy Sunday, ladies.  We’ve got a fun one for you today.  After two years, I’m taking my first real vacation.  I’m heading to Mexico this week for a few days at the beach.  And I’m excited.  Travel posts used to be fairly common things over here at the blog.  But due to obvious reasons, we haven’t had an opportunity to do one in a really long time.  But with things opening back up, I imagine some of you have already booked trips for the year.  Whether you’re traveling regionally, heading cross country, or flying out of the country, I’ve got 5 travel outfit ideas to help you pack. 

5 travel outfit ideas

In a lot of ways, today’s post is a companion piece to last week’s Spring jacket roundup.  Each of my five travel outfits features one of the coats from that post: 

• Trenchcoat 
• Denim jacket
• Moto jacket
• Blazer
• Windbreaker

So in addition to the 5 shoppable outfits I’ve pulled together, I’ve also reposted some pictures and widgets for each jacket type.  So whether you’re traveling or not, there’s something for you.   

A trench coat

Outfit 1

The first outfit is a monochromatic pairing of black pants from Nordstrom and an oversized sweater from Banana.  My trench is classic khaki, keeping with the neutral base of the outfit.  Keeping in mind that animal print functions as a neutral, my scarf adds visual interest and takes an otherwise subdued outfit over the top. 

pants | sweater | similar trench | scarf | sneakers

Alternative stylings

Shop trench coats (click below)

A denim jacket

Outfit 2

My second outfit pairs a mock neck shift dress from Ann Taylor and a denim jacket.  Couldn’t be simpler while still maintaining that classic style.  I’m loving espadrilles this Spring.  They’re comfy in all the right ways, especially when I’m on my feet at the airport.  And I couldn’t not have a little fun on my way to Mexico:  this hat just says, “I’m on vacation”. 

dress | similar denim jacket | similar hat |  similar espadrilles

Alternative stylings

Shop denim jackets (click below)

A moto jacket

Outfit 3

The next outfit is just as simple as the first two.  (Detecting a theme, here?) I’ve pulled together a pair of jeans mid-rise taper jeans from Ann Taylor and a tan sweater.  The moto jacket takes center stage here but is softened considerably by my sneakers.  

denim | similar sweater | similar leather jacket | sneakers

Alternative stylings

A blazer

Outfit 4

Layers, layers, layers.  The key to traveling is packing layers.  Temperature changes from your departure and destination cities are common.  And if you have an early (or late) flight, you’re going to want to be able to reach for a jacket.  

Our fourth outfit layers Miller Dickey blazer and Slate dickey, both from Veronica Beard, on top of a linen sweater from Banana Republic.  Paired with a comfy ankle pant, this outfit proves you can maintain classic style while staying comfortable on a long flight or car ride.  

similar Brooklyn pant| sweater | Miller Dickey blazer | Slate dickey | sneakers

Alternative stylings 

Shop blazers (click below)

A windbreaker

Outfit 5

The most casual of the 5 outfits, our last travel idea combines a windbreaker and joggers.  For better (or worse), gone are the days of “dressing up” to get on a plane.  But that doesn’t mean that casual can’t look put together and stylish.  

joggers | tee | similar windbreaker | sneakers

Alternative stylings

Shop windbreakers (click below)

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In case you missed it

If you’re interested in more Spring jackets we:

• styled a denim jacket for Fridays with Oscar; and 
• featured a beautiful coral red moto jacket Monday. 

Daily Looks

Make sure to catch up on our DAILY LOOK. We post a dedicated photo to our daily outfit every Wednesday-Sunday. And you can shop those outfits easily through the shop the widget below the picture.