Women’s casual clothing is a wardrobe staple after retirement and is increasingly acceptable in smaller, informal workplaces as relaxed fashion standards become prevalent.
On-trend styles include the boyfriend blazer that made its appearance on the fashion scene a few years back and the cropped leather jacket known as the scuba. This is an allusion to the close fit resembling scuba gear.
Jackets – Purposes, Fibers, and Styles
The most basic categories of jackets are those that are part of one’s ensemble and those that are strictly outerwear.
In all but the biggest, most fashion-conscious cities and buttoned-up corporate cultures, styles once confined to weekend wear are fine for work.
Women’s pants sets and mix-and-match separates are favorites for this type of style. A garment group makes it easy to select clothing without giving it much thought.
Long Sleeve Shirt May Be Used As Casual Jacke
A long-sleeve shirt may become a women’s casual jacket. Fashion color coordination makes it easy to swap between skirts, slacks, tee-shirts, and over-tops – such as shirts, jackets, and tunics.
Cotton and polyester blends are traditional fabrics for casual women’s clothing. Washable and wrinkle-free, it’s a breeze to keep garments clean and ready to wear.
Cotton gauze and broomstick skirts with natural vertical wrinkles are two good summer looks. You can build these four classic summer wardrobe styles by understanding their basic components.
Cotton is a winter fabric when it is woven into corduroy.
New fabrics on the scene are bamboo, said to be as soft as cashmere, and hemp. As prices for cotton soar, we are finding many new fabric blends in women’s pants sets and other women’s casual clothing.
New Fabric Blends Offer Easy-Care Alternatives
Linen is less than ideal for casual clothing because of its tendency to hold wrinkles and be hard to iron. New blended fabrics – for example, the addition of rayon, Dacron, or Spandex – can overcome this downside.
Cotton drawstring pants are easy to wear, and you are assured of a good fit. A bit of elastic in the waistband helps hold shirts if you prefer them tucked down.
Drawstring pants are usually too casual for business wear unless perhaps you work in a resort town business.
Polar fleece spun of polymer threads recovered from our used plastic bottles has emerged as a favorite for cold-weather casual clothing. Ladies’ fleece jackets and slacks are cozy and soft.
This durable yet lightweight fabric resists color fading, is fast drying, and wicks water away from the body, making it perfect for winter sports.
Why Cotton-Knit Tees Are Terrific
A wide selection of cotton tee-shirts will make your casual women’s clothing selection super-versatile.
Tee-shirts are relatively cheap and come in a wide variety of styles and colors, including long sleeves, short sleeves, and sleeveless. They also are great to roll and tuck into corners of suitcases for travel wear. Look for sales.
By wearing different colored cotton knit shirts, you can keep your women’s pants set, or mix-and-match separates looking fresh and new.
Organic cotton costs more, but this eco-conscious alternative is gaining fans.
Tunic Tops Are On-Trend for Casual Wardrobe
Tunic tops are another must for women’s casual clothing, and these may be embellished with embroidery beads and come in a variety of lengths. Here are some tips for wearing a tunic blouse.
A good investment is a smart go-everywhere jacket, poncho, warm shawl, or sweater to span the seasons.
A barn jacket may be appropriate if you spend a lot of time with horses, dogs, or gardening. This can be made of denim, corduroy, or some other durable and often washable textile.
If you are a city girl, you will want something a bit more stylish, such as an Asian-style cotton quilted jacket in print with lots of colors that will blend with many of your mix-and-match garments.
Alternatively, a good-looking cardigan sweater may be a better choice for you if you favor long broomstick skirt sets. A heavy shawl that feels like you are wrapping yourself in clouds is another choice if your style is Bohemian.
For summer, cotton seersucker offers natural cooling because of the wrinkled fabric weave, as well as offering easy cases.
Casual Wear that Can Go Dressy
Make sure your closer includes some khaki if you generally are casual but need to be somewhat dressy from time to time.
At some colleges, a light blue shirt and a navy blue sports jacket with khaki slacks is almost a work uniform for men and women faculty.
Good-fitting khaki slacks can fulfill many roles in your wardrobe.
Tropical prints are another way to achieve a casual look that is versatile enough to wear for dressier occasions. A tropical print shirt can add spark to khakis and a sports coat, or add pizzazz to blue jeans or white slacks.
A tropical print dress is especially night for warm summer nights dining out without appearing stuffy.
Six Tips for Building Your Casual Clothing Wardrobe
In summary, casual clothing becomes the preferred wardrobe for many older women once their schedules slow down and for many still employed in relaxed environments. The essentials are:
- Washable and wrinkle-free fabrics.
- Fashion color coordination by purchasing sets and mix-and-match garments to make dressing easy.
- Relaxed fit garments, such as drawstring pants.
- A selection of tee shirts in a variety of colors to vary your look.
- A go-everywhere jacket that can top many outfits.
- A wonderful cardigan sweater or shawl to span the seasons.
- Add a terrific scarf for that classy chic cultivated by Frenchwomen; scroll to the bottom of this page for a photo of a French woman at a country yard sale and more about how you can dress like a Frenchwoman.