When it comes to FOF fashion, there are no rules but plenty of opinions. Check out what our Five Fashion Gurus have to say about this look, then tell us: Do you agree?
FOF Robin Mizrahi: "Love, love this woman! I admire her confidence (this outfit is not for the meek). I feel her "going native" with the vicuna-colored accessories; the way big soft unconstructed bag and her "I-am-a-nature-lover," Flintstone jewels, topped off by the Park-Avenue-meets-safari zebra cardi. With all that said the proportions are not flattering for her bod. I would have preferred to see a simpler dress and the cardigan peeking out of her bag for a pop. The ladies luncheon shoe is too dressy. A cooler, anonymous flat or ballet shoe would have kept her more modern."
Robin Mizrahi is co-owner of Pamela Robbins boutique, buyer, merchandiser and entrepreneur.
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FOF Terry Gibraltar: "Love the look! The black, tan and white color combo is great, as is the au courant touch of zebra print. I love how she modernized with footless tights, an over-sized bag and great ethnic-looking jewelry. My only criticism: The shoes; I wish they were less matchy-matchy and delicate. All in all, I think she’s an FOF who’s rockin’ it!"
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Terry Gibraltar is the founder of Bespoke Custom Shopping Tours, carefully-crafted shopping “vacations” and a self-proclaimed, “fashion-obsessed” FOF.
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FOF Susan Grant: “Too much is going on. The dress is the focal point and has prominent buttons, so it should be more simply accessorized. I like the necklace and touch of color in the bangles, but I'd prefer a solid black sweater and shoes. The bag is too large for a light-feeling outfit."
Susan Grant is merchandise manager for Muse, a full-service jewelry showroom.
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FOF Sherrie Mathieson: "This woman is trying to look youthful and artsy with leggings, her bold printed sweater and copper disc jewelry. However her leggings are not worn age appropriately and her accessories overtake her look. The leggings do little for her legs. Pairing leggings with a flat shoe or boot and a 3/4 length sweater or trench about 1 inch above the knee would have been better. For accessories, her bag and shoes would have been enough. A black or dark brown sweater instead of zebra print would have been much simpler and chicer."
Sherrie Mathieson is a leading style expert and Random House author of
Steal this Style and
Forever Cool.
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FOF Gail Garramone: “This FOF clearly has a sense of exuberant style, which should be applauded. The colors are repeated nicely in the accessories; the shoes are wonderfully stylish, and zebra sweaters can be fun. But an FOF trying to recreate the look should be careful when piling it all on. I like that she only wore one animal print at a time and didn’t emulate a zoo.”
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Gail Garramone is a veteran V.P. of Liz Claiborne Inc. where she traveled around the country with Tim Gunn producing fashion workshops.
Tell us FOFs: Do you agree with our style experts? What do you think of this outfit?
{FOF Homework} Then & Now 
{Giveaway} Another shot at intimacy! 
{Bedroom Confessions} He wouldn't put it down!
OMG! What’s wrong with this outfit? Just about everything. Accessories are too large as is the bag. These shoes with leggings don’t work well at all. A flat shoe would go better. That being said, why is she wearing leggings at all? They don’t go with the rest of the outfit at all. Is she just wore the dress with the shrug she would look great.
I like all the pieces separately. Together is way too much for the eye to abosrb it all.. everything is competing with each other!! Too much all at once!
Is she trying to wear everything she has, tone it down a bit. Like the purse.
I can’t get past the length of that sweater….too bad it isn’t a hip-length jacket which would have flattered her figure. Leggings make the outfit more casual, which means the dressy shoes have to go. Love the chunky jewelry. Wouldn’t this have been posh with tall leather boots?
This is an example of an outfit that I would not personally wear, but I think it is very nice looking, very creative, and shows her artistic sentiment in a positive way. The look does not distract from her, it is a nice polished look in an upbeat and modern way.
This is one of those looks that shows signs of greatness if some of the components are changed. The color of the accessories are good, but I’d choose a less overpowering bag and a plain heeled shoe. The necklace seems to help take all your attention away from the zebra jacket. Take away the leggings and shorten the hem and then maybe the outfit would be a bit more wow!
She looks confident and stylish but I’d probably leave off the black & white jacket or leggings.
I like the leggings and the shoes but the rest..Nope
Total fail! Sorry!
Why ruin a chic look with footless tights???? The accessories are bold but this stylish lady can pull them off. I’m also sooooo glad to see black accessorized with something bright (bty I think the leather goods were the in color for the fall).
Love the looks, I would wear the whole things myself.
Agree – love everything but the shoes – the theme of the out fit is African Safari & then pumps? A boot or at least more substantial shoe would be been better…
Not for that age
The shoes aren’t appropriate to her out fit. Hmmm that sweaters gotta
go! Perhaps a black one or the sweater over her arm. I like the
necklace!
no no nooooooooo
GO HOME AND TRY AGAIN. way tooo much mix and no match, rethink it all from leggings with those shoes, dress, to jacket . less “jewelery” is always a show of class, she wearing clunky over load !
Love the accesories….but not with the dress or shrug. The dress (cotton cashua) does not go with the shrug (more black knit or skirt and simple pull over). The bag can stay. The shoes and tights forget it. The are better left forother outfits altogether. (Ever wonder why some women never get treated with the respect they have earned when they get older? Take a look in a full length mirror.
Yikes! That bag makes her look 30 lbs. heavier. And nothing dates a women more than having her shoes and purse match.
Judith Marshall
Author of “Husbands May Come and Go but Friends are Forever.”
Its a bit overdone, okay if you removed the shrug.
Here there is too much competition going on. The shoes I love… Actually all the accessories are great, but not necessarily together. They are stealing from one another. I don’t like the dress. Buttons I would have black, and the leggins must go. Semi-sheer black hosiery would look better. But the dress is way too casual for the dress shoe… it calls for flats.. also lose the zebra jacket and wear a cardigan… keep the necklace… inside the dress, maybe… I’d have to look and see… I would save the gorgeous shoes for a simple LBD!!! I love them!
Cécile
I think there’s just too much. Get rid of the shrug/cardigan, the leggings (if you need to cover leg veins, go for a dark, but sheer-ish stocking) and the bows on the shoes, and reduce the size of the bag. I do like the zebra print of the shrug, but it looks bunchy around the shoulders and her neck. How about a zebra-print scarf tied to her bag? Ideally, I’d go for a sturdier-looking shoe, too–a little lower heel that’s not so spindly.
When all is said and done, I’d rather see one of my peers dressed this way than in chambry wide legged capris and tshirt that hits at the widest part of her hips. A little too much going on and the shoes don’t make it but I’ll take this look any day.
Way too much going on! Separate the pieces and they may look good~ouch!
no, no, no she is too old for that style.
Too much. The tights are a no go, the sweater is to short and a solid color would have been better. I think the shoes with out the tights would be ok, there is no POP.
LOVE this lady – great sense of style and give her a hand a trying to bring “it” all together! Only thought is that the dress is too long for leggings and her shoes are a bit over dressed for the total look – try something shorter, and ballet shoes to bring it all together with FABOver50!
Nope, I don’t find it attractive. I think the jacket is too short for a dress with gathers below the hip and I really think the leggings do nothing for her or her outfit.
I’m trying to find something nice to say and I just can’t. I hate the choppy look of footless leggings, bare leg and dressy shoes. Save the leggings for high boots. Tights would look better. I would prefer black shoes, slightly shorter dress. The bag looks very heavy.
she looks like a bag lady. embaressing..
dont like it at all,its not style,its a mess! take away leggins, just throw it all away,cant save this ,none of it!!!!!! lol
Like this woman I like to dress “fashion forward” – but believe the secret for doing this as a FOF is moderation. I try to use only one or two “toned down trends” OR “mimic” a trend (similar look but tones it down)
Love the individual pieces – but this outfit looks like she wasn’t sure which trend she wanted to wear. Here are the changes I’d make:
Solid true black knit dress
Skip the leggings and wear black hose or tights instead (mimic leggings)
Solid black pumps to keep the line
Leave the necklace at home
Keep the bangle (LOVE it)
Smaller (much) bag
She does has guts…but let’s be honest, she’s trying too hard. Style is something that flows. This look does not. Possibly a different cut of dress and black tights instead of the leggings (which make her legs look cut off) and some solid black flats.
Again, bravo for her bravery, but that’s about it. Just because it’s the style and all these She-She stylists just absolutely adore it, it does not make it something everyone can wear. haven’t we all learned that by now!?
I believe this woman has some flare and bold personal style…and for that I must salute her.
However, as with any good design, you need to know when to stop or when it’s all just too much.
I like accessories and accent pieces, but she just has too much going on at once…and also a little too matchy matchy. She looks like she is trying too hard is all. I agree all black would have made for a more sophisticated look. Also she could even loose the some of the bangles to have less going on…however, she is STILL a thousand times better than most of women I see on the streets, so I DO admire her fashion effort for that!
The outfit is ‘one step past’ – it was good, then she went one-step-past. Either lose the leggings or change the dress to a hip-length shirt. It’s that hemline with leggings on a short body. I love the print sweater and the jewelry!
What may work for one person does not necessarily work for another. Personally, for me (not to break it down detail by detail), it is too much.
I like each piece of clothing and accessory she chose but not together in this outfit. Wearing that long of a dress with leggings hindered the look she was going for. I also think the color of her bag distracts.
I am eccentric enough to wear it. I escpecially love the accessories. I think she’s foxy.
Sherrie Mathieson……loosen up!
I see those words “age appropriate” and I recoil, they are judgmental words, condescending and patronizing.
The other experts provided “constructive” criticism – points to consider.
Personally, I don’t like this look – it’s not for me but what I do like about it is her style speaks confidence and strength, traits which are ageless…..