6 Great Autumn (Fall) Outfit Ideas, Over 40 Style

Here it is: A simple, definitive guide to six great autumn/fall outfit ideas for some over 40 style (or older, or younger) inspiration! To be honest it doesn't really make any difference - if you like my style, you like my style. I've picked some of my own outfits with shopping picks for you to hopefully get some new ideas.

After the end of each season I usually do a round up of the best outfits I wore from those previous three months, but showing summer outfits in September when we're heading into colder weather doesn't really make much sense. So I've looked back over last autumn and this spring - after all, the temperatures are about the same! - to show you some outfit ideas and tips for how to style what you may currently have in your wardrobe right now.

THE OUTFITS I'VE CHOSEN ARE LEANING TOWARDS THE AUTUMNAL TONES OF CAMEL, GREY, PEACH, DEEP RED AND ORANGE (WITH A HEFTY DOSE OF BLUE OR DENIM WITH WHICH YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG).

The outfits I've chosen are leaning towards the autumnal tones of camel, grey, peach, deep red and orange (with a hefty dose of blue or denim with which you can never go wrong). Very similar pieces are available in the shops right now so take a look at some of the shopping ideas I've found for you.

Do check back in on Sunday morning for a post where I'll be asking you your thoughts about a particular subject where the blog is concerned... I need your feedback, my lovelies!

HAVE YOU FOUND SOME AUTUMNAL INSPIRATION HERE? TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS OR TWEET ME @NOTLAMB!

1. On casual days swap your jeans for track pants and add a denim jacket and classic sneakers

A patterned sweatshirt (in this case I chose polka dots) under a denim jacket always works - add a few great accessories that are practical, too, like a bright scarf and mirrored sunglasses. Original post

SHOP THE LOOK:

The Best of the Blogosphere - 13 Unmissable Links (September 2016)

My Favourite Fun and Fabulous Links now has a new name: The Best of the Blogosphere - Unmissable Links! It's still a monthly post of things I've seen, watched and liked on the internet, but I'm going to concentrate on what's been going on in the Blogosphere only. It's also staying in its current spot of the fourth Wednesday of the month.

This month I'm sharing a refreshingly honest beauty review, posts about travelling solo and taking the controls of a jet plane, notes on older women making waves at Fashion Week and what happens when you get bumped to first class on Emirates.

I've loved reading and discovering these blog posts and vlogs - I hope you will too...!

WHAT LINKS DID YOU LIKE - AND HAVE YOU FOUND ANY FABULOUS NEW BLOGS TO FOLLOW? COMMENT BELOW, OR TWEET ME @NOTLAMB!

Excellent blog posts to read

Why Hayley decided to travel solo: A scary prospect for many of us, but with many older women being divorced or separated it's something we shouldn't just rule out.

I've just discovered the amazingly bright, fun and infectious style of Instagrammer @pompadour_vintage - you will love her.

Greetje's before and after of a woman over 60 is all the proof anyone needs that colourful, stylish clothes and accessories make all the difference as you get older.

How to Style Cropped Wide Leg Jeans For Autumn/Fall #iwillwearwhatilike

Olive knitwear, a cognac-coloured tote bag, a silk scarf with deep brown, yellow and green tones... I know autumn has definitely arrived when I start choosing these sorts of colours! 

I wanted to style one of my favourite items I bought in the summer - the cropped wide leg jeans (similar) - for the fall, so while I only needed to add some layers, I can still get away with bare ankles/no socks for a while yet (I hope so, anyway). I have a feeling I'll be wearing these jeans as much with ankle boots throughout autumn/winter: They're the perfect length for a funky ankle boot (these peach boots with perspex heel are my current OMG-gorgeous faves).

Strangely I actually bought the olive cardigan at the end of last summer as an evening cover up for our Santorini holiday (being a useful thing to have when the sun had gone down explains why it didn't appear in any daytime photo shoots). But being olive green it's a perfect autumn piece and I think it'll be on rotation a lot this season.

SO WHEN OCTOBER ROLLS AROUND THIS WEEKEND (EEP!) I'LL BE GETTING OUT MY WINTER CLOTHES FROM STORAGE AND SEEING WHAT FITS AND WHAT DOESN'T. AND WHAT I WANT TO KEEP, AND WHAT'S GOTTA GO.

So when October rolls around this weekend (eep!) I'll be getting out my winter clothes from storage and seeing what fits and what doesn't. And what I want to keep, and what's gotta go. In yesterday's post I wrote about how I'm starting the 90 Day SSS Plan by The Body Coach, so hopefully anything that doesn't fit right now should do by Christmas.

SHOP THE LOOK:

A New Fitness Regime | I'm Doing The Body Coach 90 Day Shift, Shape & Sustain Plan

Today is 25th September - that means Christmas is exactly three months away... How scary is that thought?! (I'm so sorry for pointing it out!)

It's pretty apt however, as today I'm starting a new fitness programme that I've invested in: The Body Coach 90 Day SSS (Shift, Shape and Sustain) Plan. (Yes, the #notlambFIT programme that stalled abysmally sometime earlier this year is back on track as part of my recent "I'm back" drive.)

For those of you that don't know Joe Wicks A.K.A. The Body Coach, he started off as something of an Instagram sensation and has been on my radar for a few months now. I'd been intrigued about his methods since having a bit of a read of his book Lean in 15: 15-Minute Meals and Workouts to Keep You Lean and Healthy that my niece had for her birthday. His recipes all looked so delicious (and it didn't hurt that he was somewhat easy on the eye, though not quite so easy on the ear #sorryJoe).

"JOE'S PHILOSOPHY TO HEALTH AND FITNESS IS SIMPLE. FUEL YOUR BODY WITH LOTS OF FOOD AND CONCENTRATE ON CORRECTLY TIMING YOUR MACRONUTRIENTS TO ENSURE YOUR BODY BURNS FAT, INCREASES IN ENERGY AND TRANSFORMS YOU INTO THE SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE"

- The Body Coach

His website says "Using Instagram, Joe created Leanin15 as a way of both showcasing some of the food contained within his meal plan and to inspire people to take control of their diet with quick, fun and easy cooking. Joe's philosophy to health and fitness is simple. Fuel your body with lots of food and concentrate on correctly timing your macronutrients to ensure your body burns fat, increases in energy and transforms you into the shape of your life."

So why did I choose to go ahead and buy this plan?

How to Spice Up a Really Plain Outfit With 4 Fun, Bright Accessories

Take one charcoal grey t-shirt and one pair of grey/khaki track pants, and what do you have? A really plain outfit, that's what. 

However, it's the sort of thing I throw on most days - swapping the grey tee for a white one, or the track pants for jeans. Not the most imaginative outfit I can think of, but when I'm not really going out anywhere (apart from my daily morning walk) then it's the easiest thing to grab and put on.

No-one, not least me (and of course as a fashion blogger I have a reputation to uphold, ha!), wants to look that boring on a daily basis. But it's so easy to fall into that trap of throwing on something dull every day if you're not going to the office, or you're "only" doing the school run, or you're "only" doing the grocery shopping...

Begone, boring outfits, and let accessories be your friend!

JEANS AND T-SHIRTS WILL BE TRANSFORMED WITH A BRIGHTLY COLOURED SCARF OR FUNKY BAG. WHITE SHIRTS AND BLACK TROUSERS (THE YAWNIEST OF YAWNY OFFICE OUTFITS) WILL COME TO LIFE WITH CRAZY-GORGEOUS SHOES AND A STATEMENT NECKLACE.

Using fun, bright accessories is the absolute easiest way to spice up any outfit, no matter how plain. Jeans and t-shirts will be transformed with a brightly coloured scarf or funky bag. Or both. White shirts and black trousers (the yawniest of yawny office outfits) will come to life with crazy-gorgeous shoes and a statement necklace.

So you imagine how, on the day I actually had to go out unexpectedly on a (weekend) day I had done the unthinkable and thrown on my old grey t-shirt and track pants, I immediately wanted to change. But...

SHOP THE LOOK:

How My Blogging Break Saved Me (Emotionally and Financially)

After a difficult few weeks, I thought I should give you an update on my situation where the subject of my short blogging break was concerned, as so many of you have asked how things are! I'm glad to say I'm back on the regular blogging schedule, and taking a break was probably the best thing I could have done. It's been a torrid time, but things have settled down - for the time being, at least.

I wanted to say a massive, MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has been in touch either through comments on my blog post, via tweets, email - even Instagram messages - your support has been truly overwhelming and I can't begin to tell you how kind everyone has been.

HERE'S WHERE THINGS STAND AT THE MOMENT, AS A KIND OF REASSURANCE ABOUT MY FUTURE AS A FULL TIME BLOGGER

I'm sorry to say it seems an awful lot of you have been through similar experiences, but here's where things stand at the moment, as a kind of reassurance about my future as a full time blogger - I know many of you were concerned I wouldn't continuing with Not Dressed As Lamb (as was I)...!


[If you're after this tea cup, saucer and plate set it's by Royal Albert, you can buy it here in the UK and here in the US]

The Last Breath of Summer in a Tribal Print Maxi #iwillwearwhatilike

So I'm back, the #iwillwearwhatilike link up is back (not that it ever went away), my mojo is back... Basically, I'm back on track after my two week blogging break. I'm saying a final farewell to the last breath of the summer 

and starting this week a little fresher, a little more inspired, and a little more financially secure (more on that later this week where I'll explain what's happened since I wrote that post... Rest assured I'll be pouring a lot of "thank yous" into it).

THIS WAS ACTUALLY FROM THE AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY, NOTORIOUS IN THE UK FOR ITS (USUALLY) APPALLING WEATHER. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAD THE SUNSET TO END ALL SUNSETS.

I've had a bit of time to take some outfit photos at a nice leisurely pace - you may have seen a few of them on my Instagram feed - so this was actually from the August bank holiday Monday, notorious in the UK for its (usually) appalling weather. But as you can see we had the sunset to end all sunsets, resulting in a glorious golden hour (the likes of which hasn't been seen on the blog since almost a year ago in Santorini) that made me look like I had a golden tan, when in reality the lack of sun this year has meant I'm still somewhat lily white.

SHOP THESE FABULOUS SUMMER-TO-AUTUMN MAXI DRESSES:

12 Colourful, Inspiring and Stylish Outfits From One Year of #iwillwearwhatilike

The #iwillwearwhatilike link up started just over a year ago and after the massive success of the 17 gorgeous women who shared their bikinis, swimsuits and cover ups 

in my swimwear special the other week, I thought it'd be nice to feature the 12 most colourful, inspiring and stylish outfits from one year of the link up!

(The link up is back for another week as always - last week I wrote about why I'm having a blogger break so there'll be no other posts apart from the Monday link up for a short while.)

Without all of you linking up your amazing style and fabulous outfits each week there would be no link up, so I thought it was time I featured the best of the best...!

I USUALLY FEATURE FOUR OF FIVE FAVOURITES EACH WEEK, SO TRYING TO CHOOSE JUST ONE FROM EACH MONTH WAS ALMOST ASKING THE IMPOSSIBLE.

I decided to pick one favourite of all my featured favourites from each month - though this was an incredibly hard task. I usually feature four of five favourites each week, so trying to choose just one from each month was almost asking the impossible! Keep scrolling to see who I decided to go with in the end :)

I'm Taking a Short Blogging Break (and Why All Bloggers Need to Take One Now and Then)

In Monday's post I mentioned that I'd be taking a short blogging break - I promise it won't be permanent, and when I say short I mean perhaps only 10-14 days or so. 

However I thought I'd explain why I need to take a bit of time off, and why it's important that all bloggers (who post a few times a week religiously) take a break now and then.

Many of you very kindly passed on your best wishes - thank you, I really appreciated them! - and hoped (assumed?) that it was for some r&r. I really wish it was...

Unfortunately, the reason is not as nice as simply needing a break. As a freelancer/full time professional blogger (which I've been for the past three years) it's always been a little bit of a struggle to ensure where my next "pay cheque" is going to come from. However, I've always kept my head above water and have been very lucky to have had a steady stream of paid blogging jobs come in. Plus I have [had...] a good back up of savings (mostly from from my redundancy money from my full time job).

I HAVE ACTUALLY REACHED CRISIS POINT, TO THE EXTENT THAT I AM OWED SO MUCH MONEY - SO MUCH MONEY - THAT I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW IF I'LL BE ABLE TO PAY THE MORTGAGE AND THE BILLS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

The problem is payment. I have actually reached crisis point, to the extent that I am owed so much money - so much money - that all our savings have gone and I honestly don't know if I'll be able to pay the mortgage and the bills at the end of this month.

A How to Wear Polka Dots Special #iwillwearwhatilike

On 3rd September 2015 I started the very first #iwillwearwhatilike link up - one year on and it's still going strong!

As this week's theme is polka dots I've celebrated the one year anniversary with a round up of my favourite polka dot outfits from my years of blogging. I think it's highlighted the fact that I don't wear polka dots nearly as often as I should, so I've made a mental note to change that in the near future.

AND AFTER A YEAR OF HOSTING THE LINK UP I'VE DECIDED TO CHANGE THINGS A LITTLE - DON'T WORRY, THE LINK UP ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE

And after a year of hosting the link up I've decided to change things a little - don't worry, the link up isn't going anywhere and it'll still be every Monday at 3pm UK time, but I thought it was time to shake things up a bit!

Capsule Wardrobe Pieces: 9 Classic White T-Shirts to Shop

Something I've always been obsessed with getting right - in terms of wardrobe basics - is the classic white t-shirt. 

As I'm sure many of you have as well, I've really learnt the hard way when it comes to getting hold of the perfect white tee. After about 30 years of more white t-shirt purchases than hot dinners, I think I've finally cracked it.

I'm continuing my Capsule Wardrobe Pieces series with no.4 this week, the white tee. I've scoured the internet to find what I think are the best out there - and although you might be thinking "ugh it's just a white t-shirt, Catherine...!", believe me, when you find a perfect white t-shirt it's like the holy grail of wardrobe essentials.

BELIEVE ME, WHEN YOU FIND A PERFECT WHITE T-SHIRT IT'S LIKE THE HOLY GRAIL OF WARDROBE ESSENTIALS.

There are very subtle differences between the ones I've chosen to feature in order to offer something to everyone, but it's those subtle differences that make all the difference (and in case I haven't said "differences" enough, there's another one for you). The cut of the sleeve, the shape of the neck, the fit, the length... All make a massive [ahem] difference to whether it's your perfect t-shirt - or not.

Keep scrolling for nine high-quality, classic white t-shirts to suit all shapes and sizes - and where to shop them...