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7 Tips for Looking Your Best in a Little Black Dress

I love wearing dresses. They are a little more forgiving than pants, especially if you’re curvy like me. And there is nothing like the Little Black Dress (LBD). It’s every woman’s secret weapon.  Black is my favorite color to wear, because it’s sleek, sexy, and sophisticated (think Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s), and with the right fit can take five pounds off you like that (SNAP!). You can dress it up or down and it goes with EVERY other color so you can never make a mistake.

little black dress, spanx, dressing at midlife, fashion over 50, midlife, midlife women

My 7 tips to rock a LBD:

1. Spanx, a good bra, and an even better attitude. Because, really, who cares?! Repeat after me, “I’m sexy and I know it!” (Confidence is S.E.X.Y.)

2. Find the right fit and a good tailor. Sometimes I buy a size larger, because much of the fashion is too short now and I’m too old to dress like a toddler.

3. Show a little skin. Don’t be buttoned up to here (pointing to chin) and don’t be unbuttoned to there (pointing to naval). Only J.Lo can get away with that. Don’t have tons of cleavage and a lot of leg showing. Pick one.

4. I prefer bias-cut, A-line, or wrap dresses. They seem to hide a multitude of sins, as my mother likes to say, and showcase my best assets. (It’s all smoke and mirrors, baby.) Go shopping with a trusted friend who has good taste and the good sense not to let you walk out of the dressing room looking like Snookie.

5. Wedges are fabulous and comfy. They are a high heel lovin’ gal’s best friend, however, nothing elongates the legs like a sleek stiletto.

6. Accessories are important. And yes, a good rack can be a fine accessory, but I’m referring to a great pair of dangling earrings or a chunky necklace. Again, I go with less is more and would pick one or the other. Usually, I prefer wearing one or two shiny delicate necklaces and hoop earrings.

7. Pick your best feature and focus some attention on that. Maybe it’s your hair, eyes or lips. When it comes to makeup, I like to highlight my eyes and soften my mouth. The idea is to look pretty, not scary.

Keep it classy. Keep it sexy. Now go rock it, Mom!

Read more from Linda Wolff on her blog, Carpool Goddess 

Linda Wolff

Linda Wolff writes the lifestyle blog Carpool Goddess where she explores life in the empty nest now that carpool is over. Follow Linda on Facebook and Twitter and see for yourself that midlife's not so scary.

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marcia @Menopausal Mother

Friday 18th of April 2014

I wish I could rock it---I love my little black dress but it doesn't love me after all the carbs I ate at the ERMA conference….

Carol Cassara

Friday 18th of April 2014

Ok, it's way early here. When I saw "a good rack makes a good accessory" I did a double take, thinking you meant slang for bosom. Well, still, a good rack does make a good accessory!!! Where's my coffee????

Norine of Science of Parenthood

Friday 18th of April 2014

You're singing my tune, lady! I've got a closet FULL of LBDs. They are my absolute favorite. With a LBD and some pearls you are ready to go.

Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl

Thursday 17th of April 2014

Great tips..and you remind me I need a new black dress!

Suzanne Fluhr

Thursday 17th of April 2014

In January, we traveled for a month---2 weeks independently and 2 weeks on a cruise. My no wrinkle LBD from Dress Barn (no less) was a key wardrobe item.

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