Fashion advice

What to Wear to Date an Older Man

Help, I want to stay young while dating an older man! I have a unique, creative and daring style, but I have met someone who is polished, somewhat conservative and in a position of power and respect at work. He is a good bit older than me and I am confused about how I should dress. I do not want to give up my stylish side, but I feel that I need a more conservative approach due to our work. He is happy with my youthful look, but I feel that it boosts his ego and makes me look too young. I am 30 and I don't want to dress too old or too young. Any suggestions? (Myrtle, MS) I

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How to Remove Shoe Odor- Tips to Keep Your Feet Smelling Great

 Please tell me if there is anything I can do about my smelly sandals! I don't know what to clean them with to get the odor out. (Nahunta, GA) When the smell of your own shoe makes you keel over, you know it's way past time to stomp out killer foot stink. Prevention is best: Bathe regularly, wash between your toes and, dry thoroughly.Follow the J. Sisters' advice and give feet a spritz of Sea Breeze before putting shoes on. If your feet tend to perspire a lot and you want the look of a bare leg, try to wear shoes that you can inconspicuously wear cotton peds to absorb perspiration. A charcoal-based inner sole, like Odor Eaters will also

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What to Wear Under White…

What to Wear Under White... I'm an African-American woman with a medium-brown skintone. What is the best color lingerie to wear under white clothing (white cotton shirts, white CK khakis, etc.)? Some are of the opinion it should be black, others feel it should be white. Are either right? (Columbus, OH) Regardless of your race, you want to wear lingerie that blends with your skintone when you wear white clothing. Whatever matches your fleshtone is the desired color for you. If you are dark skinned, black undies can be fine. Otherwise, more cocoa-colored lingerie would blend in better. For lighter skin or Caucasian women, anything from what they call champagne to suntan would work dependant upon your skin color. Under

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MODERN MOM– TURNING 30 IN STYLE…

It's all about easy pieces and the right hit of makeup for terrific casual style It's all about easy pieces and the right hit of makeup for terrific casual style 8 great ways to get casual right now Dear Sharon:I will be turning 30 soon and I need some advice on fashion. I dress casually most of the time since I'm astay-at-home mom. But, when I do go out for fun or to my child's school, I try to look nice. My problem is I feel like I am still dressing like a 23 year old. I want to dress more my age so I can fit in with the other mothers but I don't want to look like June

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Men In Panty Hose- Love It or Leave It

Men In Panty Hose- Love It or Leave It 1. I'm a 29-year-old married male and I wear pantyhose daily. I wear them under my jeans or with shorts for comfort; as well as for the look they give my legs. I would like to wear some sheer hose with a pair of tailored black casual dress shorts and a nice brown/black paisley button-down T-shirt. Do you recommend any styles or colors of pantyhose that would coordinate and what type of men's shoe would look nice with it? Thank you for your time. (Garland, TX) 2. Your Web Site and Columns are GREAT!! Keep up the good work... I need your advice on an issue I have been struggling with

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What to Wear on an Airplane

I'm not sure what to wear on the airplane to visit an old boyfriend out of state. When I walk off the plane, the first impression that I want him to have of me needs to be a GOOD one! I want to wear the right outfit that's casual and fun without looking too contrived or like I tried too hard. Movie stars and supermodels always look just right when you see them in airports and that's the look that I want! I'm thirty-years-old and like simple things with not a lot of frou-frou! Please, please help me with my "airplane chic" look so I can appear stylish, put together, and elegant. Thank you so much! (Nashville, TN)   First

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Wheels of Inspiration…

Fashion and Thunderbird team up for charity Let's face it, good, bad, or indifferent your choice of car says plenty about your style. Then what happens when top fashion designers get inspired by the classic American dream car? You get some pretty nifty "Thunderbird-inspired" trend-setting sportswear and accessory designs from John Bartlett, Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs, Gene Meyer, William Reid, Diane von Furstenberg, Lambertson Truex, Jack Spade and, Oliver Peoples. If it's hot right now, it's a Stylething from Focus on Style by Sharon Haver. Wood-paneled station wagon soccer grandmum Monster truck guy with a helluva lot of testosterone Antiquated jalopy Beverly Hillbillies "I see a car as a little home that can move and take you

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Fashion Gets Romantic

Fashion Gets Romanticů Clothing Shows A Softer, More Feminine Side Clothing Shows A Softer, More Feminine Side clothing shows a softer, more feminine side Dear Sharon: I usually prefer suits and a tailored, crisp kind of style of clothing, but suddenly I can't bear to buy another blazer or wear another black turtleneck. Any advice to update my wardrobe without trashing everything I already own? -- Classically Clean (Boston, MA) Dear Classically Clean: Sweet sister of stagnant style, you have picked the right season to summon up your softer side. One of the bigger trends for this spring has more romantic inspiration than Andrea Bocelli has arias. Fashion may be having a more lyrical moment, but please promise not to

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Screwed the Bet, Forced to Cross Dress

Screwed the Bet, Forced to Cross Dress Hi, um... I have a small problem. My name is Tom. I'm 18 and I, um, made a bet that the Michigan Wolverines were going to beat the Tennessee Volunteers in football. Well, it got out of hand and I either pay $250 all around or live like a woman for a week- panties, bra, makeup… the whole thing. I don't have $500 so I'll go with the woman thing. I need advice. I'm not asking friends because I want to keep it between us three guys. Please help me. -Dragged to Drag (Franklin, TN) Sweetness, there are two things you must keep in mind: 1) The only sure thing is that most

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Men in Hose- Love It or Leave It

Re: Men in Hose- Love It or Leave It. RE: Men in Hose- Love It or Leave It Thanks Sharon for your open-minded comments about men's hosiery. There are many men, including myself, who wear hosiery for comfort, support and looks. Several hosiery manufacturers now offer products for men. Nylon & lycra are soft, man-made fabrics that feel very smooth to the skin, unlike rougher wools & cottons that men traditionally have had no choice but to wear. Whoever said these fabrics were strictly limited to women? In my opinion, hosiery works equally well for men and women (we both have legs) and men should not be intimidated to adopt some clothing that has been traditionally, in the last century

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Tipping Etiquette In A Hair Salon

Tipping Etiquette In A Hair Salon What's an appropriate tip for a stylist who highlights your hair that takes about 2-3 hours? (Hutchinson, MN) t' not about the time it takes, it's about the bill. But, of course, the extra effort should be a tipping consideration. It's safe to say that a 15 -20 % gratuity for service in a hair salon is standard. In high-end salons or urban areas, a 20% tip is more the norm. If two stylists are working on your hair, each should get a 10% tip. The person who washes your hair, or an assistant, should be tipped between two and five dollars. Technically, the owner of a salon should not expect a tip, but

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Matching A Tie, Without A Sport Coat

I am a college student and going out to a nice dinner that requires me to dress up. I am not wearing a sportcoat, however, I am wearing black dress pants with a navy blue dress shirt. My question is what color tie should I wear? I have a stylish blue one, a nice gold-ish looking one, and a plain black one. (Flint, MI) It's hard to escape the image of randy school boy in his shirt and tie, but there certainly are plenty of situations where wearing a jacket is unnecessary (think lab coat), even though sporting a sportcoat will finish the look. When spurning a jacket, your tie acts as an anchor and introducing a third color, like

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Friend of a Fashion Faux Pas

 Do I dare tell me friend that her taste is atrocious? Sadly, and much to my regret, our dear friend, Miss Lady-- yes, her real name-- will join us for dinner and then we will go out about town. She will often sport (IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, MIND YOU!) summer backless slides. I have gently tried to explain to her that perhaps she should try a more seasonal shoe… perhaps, one that will keep her feet warm, and she laughed, and laughed, and laughed! My friend consulted an elderly woman (I'm sure a part-timer, cleaning up the post-Christmas rubble) at Dillard's, in our fair city of Nashville, and was informed that backless shoes were all the rage year-round. Sharon,

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