Fashionable After 40 (NAPSA)—With peasant clothes, crop tops and low-cut jeansfilling the shelves of today’s fashion outlets, many “fashionistas” over 40 are finding it difficult to look stylish without dressing like their teenage daughters. As a result, some designers have geared their collections toward women whowant to remain stylish, but don’t always feel comfortable in today’s younger skewing fashions. For example, TV shopping diva Kathy Levine offers a new line of boutique-style clothes called “By Request” on the TV shopping network HSN and hsn.com. The former TV shopping host has spent years hearing and learning what women want in fashion and is applying these lessons to her new design. “My designs fill a void for the fashion-conscious woman who doesn’t have a perfect figure, but still wants to look and feel good,” says Levine. “We all can’t be size four—I personally range between size 12 and 14—andit’s important to wear clothes that will enhance and adaptto ourfigures.” Levine offers the following suggestions for women who want to stay in step with today’s fashion trends while maintaining a level of sophistication appropriate for their age and work environment: * You can’t go wrong with your favorite black pants as a solid foundation for whatever look you create. In addition to being slenderizing, they are easy to coordinate with a wide rangeof tops. * Whenshoppingfor pants, try and steer clear of bulging pockets or bulky pleats. The best-case scenario is smooth flat pants with no pockets. * No more sleeveless tops. Most womenare just as concerned about showing their upper arms as they are about their midriff when they reach 40. If you've got the arms and abs of an Olympic = * ely @ A number of designers now gear their clothing toward women who wantto be fashionable without dressing like their daughters. gymnast, go for it...otherwise, steer clear of this potential fashion pitfall. * When selecting blouses and sweaters to go with your favorite black pants, look for designs and accents that draw the eye away from unflattering areas. * Jewelry provides the finishing touch to any look. Be sure to find flattering necklines that will highlight your favorite piece of jewelry. * Don’t be afraid to be bold and experiment when adding to your wardrobe. Try fresh and exciting ideas and you may be surprised by a whole new you. * Keep healthy, maintain a positive overall attitude and care about yourself, your hair, your clothes and accessories. This will all translate into an upbeat image for others to see and admire. Life is not a dress rehearsal, do it now. “So many women have shared their thoughts with me on how they want to look and I’m so excited to be able to answertheir call with my new collection. I hope these new designs bring them as much joy as Ihave had creating them.” Levine can be seen regularly on HSN with her exclusive “By Request” collection of jewelry and apparel and also on hsn.com, providing fashion tips to her many fans.
