Page 132 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2017

GOLDEN YEARS pizzaz
Perfertly Polished
Fashion for all ages
A re there rules for what
mature women should and should not wear? The
owners of two of the Coast’s popular ladies shops say there are no hard and fast rules.
Sandra Gagliano, owner of
Bayou Belle in Ocean Springs,
said, “The rule is wear what
looks best on you. Things are
not as proper and rigid as they once were. I’ve given myself permission to wear what I want to wear!”
Those sentiments are echoed by Melissa Hamilton, owner of Bijoubel and Joan Vass Off Broadway in Bay St. Louis. “I encourage women to wear what they’re comfortable in; what their personality can pull off,” she said. “They don’t necessarily wear the same clothes as their daughters but they want to be stylish.”
Color is important for mature women
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of Sandra Gagliano and Melissa Hamilton
Sandra Gagliano
Melissa Hamilton
are important to all ages. “There are some great fabrics, such
as washable velvet, that are easily laundered now. That’s something everyone looks for.”
Hamilton finds that more mature women like to have sleeves, fuller pieces that are not so fitted and an asymmetrical style that’s complimentary to various body shapes. “A lot of mature women also stay away from skirts and dresses, opting
for pants; or if they wear skirts, they tend to wear darker hosiery.”
Although Gagliano feels that older women are dressing younger than they did generations ago, most just want
to look good for where they are. “And they want to cover all the right places and flatter themselves,” she added.
Two of Gagliano’s popular brands for senior customers are Bella Dahl and Joseph Ribkoff. Hamilton says her ladies like the timeless pieces of Joan Vass.
who may have gray or white hair. “For fall we have cranberry, rust and an eggplant color that’s called blackberry — all go beautifully with gray hair. That gray hair is a woman’s halo and I say highlight it,” Hamilton said.
Actually, Gagliano feels all ages should embrace more color in their fashions. “It really depends on skin type. Blue is flattering to the most women and yellow to the least,” she said. “Everyone needs colors that brighten them.”
She also says that comfort and fabrics
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