The Fab 40's | 8 ways to wear pleats in your 40's

Welcome to the fab40's.

I am honoured to be included in a group of international bloggers, called The fab 40's.
The purpose of the group is to show how different women interpret a specific style.
{There is a different 'theme' every month}
Proving that being 40+ does not mean you have to be dowdy, frumpy, boring or forgettable.

Pleats

This month the style we were given (by the beautiful Diane) was pleats.
This time, I was delighted. {Last month, I had a wobble}
As soon as I heard the theme I thought,

"I have just the thing!"

But, pleats can be tricky to wear.
They can hang, unflatteringly, over lumps and bumps. Highlighting them.
Especially with skirts and dresses.
Short-waisters (like me) can look stumpy, lumpy, bumpy and generally frumpy in a pleated skirt!

Today's pleated look came together easily.
I had the perfect pleated top!
This pleated top/dress has been featured on the blog previously, with an 80's feel.
It is so much fun to wear.
With it's giant sleeve and general silliness.



I originally had my satin pyjama trousers, and funky heels, looked out to wear with it.
In the end though, foot comfort won, and these red ballerinas came out to play.
Ballerinas worn with loose trousers looks a mess, so I am back in my faithful skinny jeans.
I know the fashion magazines say skinny jeans are over for 2016, but I am not letting mine go.
I decided to tuck this dress in to my jeans, but leave the pleated top layer loose at the back, like a cape.

I'm not usually a matching-things person but, today I couldn't resist matching my shoes to a patent leather belt, bangle and lipstick.
{My lipstick is a gift from the lovely Ann @krembdelakrembe}
It felt good to do something slightly different.

Over to you...
Do you love pleats?
Or, do you think they are unflattering and add bulk?

Please let me know how you style your pleats, in the comments...or tweet me @samantha4blair

Top: Topshop (this one is beautiful quality, and much easier to wear!)
Jeans: Falmer (these are perfect!)
Shoes: French sole (these liberty print ones are gorgeous)
Belt: Topshop (old) (this one is nice)
Bangles: Blue-Charity shop, Red-From my mum, Silver-from a friend.

Let me introduce...

Now it is time to introduce my fellow bloggers, and their fabulous pleated outfits.

Dawn from Fashion should be fun

Dawn (from California) looks amazing in her pleather pleated skirt.
Part lady, part steam punk goddess.
{Check out those tattoo tights}
I love it!

Skirt - Shein

Top - Shein

Shoes - Nine West

Bag - Vintage

Tights - Stop and Stare

Sheela from Sheela writes.

Sheela is a pretty as a spring flower in her pleats. 

Showing us her delicate and feminine side, in swaths of floating pink pleats...until you get to those shoes.

This flower has thorns!

She is one fierce and fabulous lady.

Jacket - Charter Club

Dress - Lush

Leggings - Zara

Boots - Bakers

Bag - LeiC

Rings & Cuffs - Gifted

Yvonne from Funky Forty.

Yvonne is our guest blogger this month, from Zurich (originally New Zealand)

Her blog is full of fun and a great attitude to life.

{You can probably guess this from her photograph!}

She also believes that chocolate can cure most ails, and that gets my vote any day.

Yvonne chose a casual look, which proves pleats don't have to be dressed up.

She has dressed them down with effortless ease.

Easy to wear and great for anyone who wants to try pleats but is a little wary.

Jacket - H&M

Glasses - Cerjo

Jumper - Zara

Skirt - Storm

Boots - Vintage, somewhere in Beaune

Ann from Krembe de la Krembe

Ann is as cute as a button in this casual look.
I love the thrown together feel of this outfit, and the mixing of prints.
{Although, I think Ann classes leopard as a neutral!}
I am crushing on those Star Wars shoes.

Sunnies-Zara

Evil Eye Earrings and Leopard Backpack-Hong Kong Market

Top-Forever 21

Denim Vest-TopShop

Skirt- Lianjiang Village, China

Slip-ons-Vans Star Wars Limited Edition

Jennie from A pocketful of polka dots.

Jennie is every inch the lady here.
She often has a masculine touch thrown into her look, and the way she has styled this shirt has an androgynous vibe about. Which I love.
Her leg lengthening heels make a great work-appropriate way to wear pleats.

Shirt - NY&Co.

Skirt - Simply Vera Vera Wang

Shoes - Madden Girl

Necklace & Ring - Local Boutique

Bracelet - Gift

Sunnies - Charming Charlie

Diane from Fashion on the fourth floor.

Diane usually adds a tomboy twist to her looks.
And, this is no exception!
Her blouse maybe super-girly but she tones it all down with her casual coated jeans and a pair of tan heels.
Making this an outfit we could all wear!

Tunic: Metropark

Jeans: Habitual from NYC Scoop

Sandals:  Coclico

Watch:  Quartz 

Mary from Curlybyrdie Chirps

Mary's take on the pleated theme is classy, elegant and feminine.
I was not at all surprised, she oozes femininity.

I love the boldness of the dress with her fabulous hair!

Dress -Eliza J 

Shoes -Jcpenny

Bag - Jcpenney

Linking up to: I will wear what I like (Monday), Visible Monday, Turning heads Tuesday The Pleated Poppy (Wednesday), Colour and Grace (Wednesday), Top of the World Style (Thursday), Brilliant blog posts (Thursday), Hat Attack (Friday), Forage Fashion Friday , Mummy's got style (Friday), Fun fashion Friday, Style story (Saturday)

If you liked his post you might also like:

The Fab 40's do Red and Pink...together!
Fab 40's in Florals.

Inspired? Join in the pleated fun, and get my look...