Athletic Shoes & Jeans are Like Peanut Butter & Jelly

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Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Athletic Shoes & Jeans are Like Peanut Butter & Jelly

Quote of the day: “We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.” Stevie Wonder

I truly believe the quote above. We all have wonderful abilities. I know each and every person that I come in contact with has some sort of amazing trait or talent unto themselves! And this is why I believe that putting effort into our clothing style is important! Not that we need to be a show off, but to have our outsides match our insides!

So that thinking brings along a confession time for me. This athletic style that is taking over the market, is, in a way, against everything I believe. I don’t want us to look more casual & slobby! But therein lies the exact reason I should concentrate on athletic wear then, right? To show ways to wear it, yet still look fabulous! Who’s with me?

This wonderful idea came from a reader and on top of that, I was lucky to have Jude & Karen who are also readers join in too!

And don’t you think that sneakers & jeans go together like PB & J? It’s a combination I see daily on everyone around me. So how could I take this recipe and add to it? Keep reading to find out!!

Jude (blogette): Jude may be wearing the iconic Adidas sneakers, but she has some other great details going on.

First the jeans have a super print on them! Then she has on a white jean jacket (it’s almost like she knew the 3 of us are going to be styling jean jackets next month) and then there’s the neck scarf as a fabulous accessory!! I think most of us could recreate this outfit, easily!!

Karen (blogette): I love the colors that Karen put together for this look!! The green shirt just pops against the white jeans, and then a yellow purse adds so much springiness!!

Jodie’s (50’s) Outfit: I’m a sucker for fun, colorful jewelry, so that was how I thought I’d play up my jeans & sneakers.

I always say that I think of my accessories as icing on the cake. Of course there are many times you don’t need them, or want to let the shirt shine by itself. But since I was thinking to add more pizzazz to the sneakers and jeans, I went all out! Now my necklace is many different colors like this one or this one.  But if you wanted to keep it more all one color, here is a fun turquoise one and here is an interesting green color that I bet would go with more than you thought!

 Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

I actually have a couple pair of fun sneakers, so it’s good that I see them everywhere. During last summer I wore the ones that Jude DIYed for me (here), and then I also have an orange pair that I won from Bucketfeet!

Of course I’m going to showcase a plethora of sneakers at the bottom of this post, but if you think that black is the answer to everything then let me show you these or these with embroidery!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Hats could be considered a girl’s best friend if you’re having a bad hair day. And if you don’t ever have a bad hair day, then I need to know your secret!

The funny thing is we buy these hats and caps for my husband, Rob. And then I end up wearing them a ton more than he does! Here’s his fedora that I’ve worn many times on the blog! He loves the idea of wearing a hat, but he just doesn’t think about it when he gets dressed, you know?

I think many of us are the same way when it comes to hats, so I’ll be tackling that subject in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, this baseball cap has the same pattern as my cap below but a lot more expensive…ha ha! This one is close in color but a little poofier!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Isn’t this the coolest gate ever? I see it many times when we pass this place, but it’s usually too sunny to take photos in front of it. Luckily this day was cloudy, so I thought we’d use it for a backdrop!!

The other element in my outfit that I’d love to focus on for a minute is my cardigan. This is one of those pieces that I would have never picked out in the store until the sales person brought it over! And yet, it’s now one of my most loved pieces in my closet! It’s that “Aha” moment when you should try on different items than you normally would!

I know many of you would say that yellow is not a great color for you! Well if that’s the case, then how about the color yellow in the embroidery like in this cardigan or in a print like this one? But if you do like some shades of yellow, then this lightweight sweater is very trendy, and inexpensive!!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Jeans: Express (similar here)~~Cardigan: Gro a live (similar here)~~Top: Zenana Outfitters (similar here)~~Shoes: Guess (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Cap: (similar here)

Nancy’s (60’s) Outfit: For Nancy’s jeans & sneakers outfit we added in a frilly top and bolero jacket.

I think most of us would pair these tops with dressier items than jeans & sneakers! And that’s exactly why I put these together!! Ruffle shirts are everywhere this season, like this one or this one! And then adding a colorful bolero over it is extra fun, right? This bolero is very lovely, but if you like your toppers a little longer then this one might be more up your alley?

 Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Of course we had to add in jewelry to Nancy’s look too, because I think of it as icing on the cake. It’s one way to make it look like you put some thought into your appearance!

I know many of us consider the matching set of necklaces and earrings to be the the way to go! You know what I mean, right? When the necklace and earrings come together and look the same like this set or this set. But I’m always so proud of Nancy that she’s willing to try styling items differently. The pendant she’s wearing came with a matching set of earrings. But I thought it’d be way more fun to add in some color instead!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

The other thing I tried with this look is rolling up Nancy’s jeans.

Now many of us worry about our jeans and pants being too short, right? We remember all too well the cat calls of having high water pants as we grew out of our trousers. Well at least for those of you who grew..ha ha! Some of us never experienced that!

So actually cuffing our jeans so they show off the shoe can be a tough experiment for some. But let’s look at the facts. One, we just learned how change is good for your brain, here! And secondly, if the stores are selling the items this way, then they must be stylish. So even if you don’t believe me, then check out the jeans here and here to show you that cuffs are great!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Now let’s talk about socks with your sneakers!

I was reading a great post about why younger women don’t like socks showing with their shoes. And really it comes down to the “style of the day.” For some reason, it’s been decided that socks are not fashionable…yet. If you cannot go without socks in your sneakers, but still want to look fashionable, then the no-show socks are the way to go.

But don’t despair if you have a ton of socks and don’t want to buy more. You can either just cut off the heel portion and wear the toe half instead. It really works marvelously!! Or be patient, because I’m starting to see the trend change!! But if you’re going to show off your socks, at least make sure they are fun like fringed ones, or sheer ones!!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Jeans: Style & Co  (similar here)~~Jacket: Sao Paulo (similar here more muted in colors or here darker)~~Top: NY City Designs Co (similar here)~~Shoes: Cole Haan (similar here these are basically Nancy’s shoes, but she bought hers at DSW for half the cost)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)

Charlotte’s (70’s) Outfit: Since my mom loves to match her clothing, I picked out a cardigan that had the same colors of her sneakers in it!

To those of you grew up in this generation, this could make your outfit feel more cohesive? Of course, then you might need to purchase many pairs of sneakers in all different colors, ha ha!

Of course at this time period, that will be an easy task! Now even though I’ll be showcasing some fun sneakers at the bottom of this post, I had to show you a couple that didn’t make the cut like these and these! I’m always very cost conscious, so I usually only show items that I’d consider purchasing, but I had to throw in those couple that are over $100. Besides it’s good to see some of the more expensive options, so you’ll feel good about your savings!!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Another fun element in my mom’s look is her moto jeans.

Jeans are really quite the must have item in every woman’s closet now a days, don’t you think? If you are reading this post and don’t have at least 2 different pair in your closet, then I may drop down dead. But let me save you and me by showing you these or these! Those two are great beginner jeans for anyone just starting their collection!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Now I also want you to notice that we are print mixing with her shirt & cardigan.

I’m not sure if mom doesn’t mind the mixing of prints as much anymore, or if she’s too tired to argue with me, LOL! But I think this mix is perfect because the stripes are very subtle, and the cardigan print is what stands out!

If you don’t happen to have a striped shirt in your closet yet, then I will steer you in a couple of directions. This one is going to be your basic one that goes with everything! But after that, you’re going to want to branch out a little and try something different like this! Both of these striped shirts would look fabulous mixed with floral, abstract prints or even polka dots!!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

The other item that really makes the outfit look less basic is my mom’s bright scarf. This is a square scarf like we talked about here, but tied using a another version in which to wear it!

For this outfit, my mom just folded the square in half and then rolled it like a cigarette. Then she tied it on the side and left the ends to flop on the front and back of her sweater.

I’m sure most of you already have a ton of scarves in your possession. I’ve heard from you that they are a great souvenir from your travelling or even a treasured hand me down! But I couldn’t talk about them and not show you some of the fantastic options out there like this or this!

Women over 40 can wear sneakers and still look good

Jeans: DG2-thrifted (similar here)~~Cardigan: Boundary Waters (similar here as a color blocked version)~~Top: Rafaella  (similar here)~~Shoes: Mossimo-thrifted (similar here)~~Scarf: (similar here not a square, but I bet you could still tie it almost the same)~~Earrings: (similar here)

I bet everyone of you have worn this combination of jeans & athletic shoes within the last month. Tell me–how do you make it you and fun?

Thanks to one and all of you for your support. It means more than you know!

Charlotte’s photography by Kari Strand Photography

The Facts

Even if you wouldn’t consider purchasing your clothing online, it can be helpful to look through my links to see what is available! It certainly doesn’t hurt my feelings, if you click on them but don’t like them. Just so you know, one of the ways I make money from this blog is through these linked items.

What this means is that when you click on a linked item, I receive a couple of cents. Those couple of cents can certainly add up! So I appreciate it if you keep clicking to help support Jodie’s Touch of Style!

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