The current season and year is the time of the bralette. While we are inundated with lovely pictures of twenty and thirty something’s rocking this style under suits, atop jeans and designer sweatpants, this exciting trend is a bit more of a learning curve for those of us in our more “mature” years. However, not to dismiss it or regard the trend as unreachable; it is still very wearable if we try some style variations.

One is finding a bralette in an outerwear fabric, a sweaterknit, leather, corduroy, or silk/satin. The bralette then functions more like a tank top and is perfect under blazers, v-neck sweaters, cardigans and shawls. It is a frilly or glammy substitute for a tank top, just a tad more flirtatious.

A second option is the wearing of the bralette like an accessory, over a white or black tshirt or long sleeved top. In this way it is worn similar to a vest or scarf, as an attention grabbing statement accessory against a neutral or blended ( in the case of print underneath) fabric. This showcases the beautiful bralette.

A third idea is to wear it as a bra and let it barely peek out of boyfriend sweaters, blouses or a shirt dress. It is essentially being worn as an undergarment.

All of these variations on the bralette add style and statement to the outfit without compromising modesty and age appropriate class. They are similar to ways to modify other types of clothing that can be worn as under or outer wear, such as shorts, tank tops, corsets, and slips. Interestingly enough, another trend is the slip dress, which can be worn similarly, stand alone, or under/over a neutral garment.

In the mood board, the author in a selfie is wearing the Isalis cream sweater bralette over a thin black turtleneck, paired with bootcut tall girl leggings. A very modest outing for the knitwear bralette at sexagenarianshopaholic.com.

When you see a bold accessory or prop, larger than regular size, or the contrast if a bold accessory against a muted or smaller background, it makes me think of the beautiful work of Marie Chaix, fashion stylist.

Marie Chaix was born in Strausbourg, France. She is now in her early forties. She was born to a doctor and a social worker, and was initially interested in design. At 18 years of age, she studied at Central Saint Martins in London, a university of the arts. She graduated from Saint Martins in 2000, and with great motivation and determination, landed an internship at Self Service magazine, in Paris.

After her internship, she stayed and assumed a five year position as a fashion editor. In 2006, she established herself as a freelance stylist, contributing to the magazines i-D, Dazed, Another, M le Monde, Vogue Paris, Vogue, and Double. She has worked with designers Bottega Veneta, Schiaparelli, Courrege, Marc Jacobs, and Proenza Schouler.

Chaix has also worked with celebrity clients including Scarlet Johansson. She is currently listed on artpartner.com has a portfolio andbiography there. Her portfolio emphasizes primarily fashion, artistically arranged. . She also has styled objects for prints, both alone and as a part of a fashion photograph. She adds her own artistic accessories and styled props, to high fashion garments, giving them an edgy and very distinct style. Sheuses contrasts of color, texture, height, time and mood to create interest. She juxtaposes light and dark colors of fabric, skin tone, and focal accessories.

Chaix also states directly in interviews that she creates a mood and persona for the photographs shestyles. Some of the photographs distort perspective to draw attention to a particular property of theclothing or pose being photographed. For example, in one of the shots, the legs and feet are moreprominent than the body and face, drawing attention to the edgy cut-out pant legs.

She is known for her bold creativity and artistic styling. She is also recently credited with helping Bottega Veneta with its recent success in the industry. She has collaborated with others styling campaigns.

I have always found the problem of day dressing to be finding an attractive, presentable, statement making outfit that also serves all of the various purposes of the day. Most of us live in routines that include various activities like exercising, work, meetings, lunch dates, child or adult care, commutes etc, all in the same outfit. Taking a gym bag of shorts and T-shirt’s, dressing again for dinner, changing for childcare, we’d have to carry a suitcase of clothes with us every day.

My solution: the tunic and uniform look, jacket and uniform, etc. The uniform can consist of neutral or basic colors, and you should have a lot of them. I choose a very long, almost dress like tank , and a pair of wide leg or palazzo yoga pants. The clothes can go to yoga or dance class, even the gym, and then be brushed off and decorated for work and dinner, can be covered by a jacket for outdoor recreation, a blazer for a meeting. Jewelry pulls the look together.

Your uniform could be a plain tank or sheath dress, a tee and tube skirt, jeans and tee shirt, plain blue business suit, whichever look will work underneath on most days of your week. This is also more economical, as you don’t need so many different types of boots, shoes, belts, etc to pull the look together. Try to keep your color scheme very basic, most people only look their best in a few main colors. Figure out which yours are, and buy multiples. You are trying to create a look, rather than accommodate trends or styles from a magazine or look book.

Here I have put a Zara bodysuit over my uniform for a flowing office look…

Photography by Shoey Sindel.

And here, the same uniform allows dinner with a crocheted sweater and necklace, (Anthropologie). The necklace is the statement piece here, the sweater could even be a simpler one.

The uniform has gone to dance class, worked, commuted, been to a dinner meeting, been to a business meeting, and prepared for the next day at home. What mileage! Isn’t this easier and more attractive than jumping in and out of three of four different color coordinated outfit combos, pantyhose, athletic socks, blazers, etc? And can you imagine the makeup changes you’d have to endure? Makeup can be added and subtracted as you go, like layers in coastal climates. Start the day with cleanser and sunscreen, moisturizer and brow gel, add foundation right before work, lipstick and possible mascara. add eyeliner and shadow for lunch meetings, dinner dates, etc, and you’re good to go. Keep plenty of makeup wipes, deodorant wipes, and other go tos for a quick cleanup.

The tunic or the jacket or blouse are great toppers for the uniform look. Make colors complimentary, so they can be subbed out quickly, and keep a couple toppers nearby or in your car or work closet just in case. I always keep a simple gold chain and a simple silver piece of jewelry in my bag to throw on and off for different activities during the day.