|

|

Random Q&A + Bloggers I Follow for Style Inspiration

Greetings, friends! Happy Tuesday!

I’ve been gathering up some questions that have been asked recently as well as some that I didn’t get to address in my reader survey results, and I thought I’d compile them into a new post. I’m also sharing the bloggers I follow for style inspiration because I’ve been asked for that several times recently.

Let’s dive right in!

sweater // jeans // shoes // sunnies

Q: I love your clothes! Do you ever sell any of the clothes when you are done with them? Most of them I can’t afford to buy brand new, but maybe I could if sold second hand.

A: In the past, I’ve sold some on Instagram, but it’s a lot a lot of work. More recently I’ve taken them to a local consignment shop, and I actually give a lot to friends and family.

Q: I’ve seen Pink Lilly Boutique featured in some of my feeds, but I don’t know if their clothes would work on women over 40. Your thoughts?

A: I took a quick look, and honestly, the styles seem rather young, but I think it’s also a southern thing. I’d say, go with your gut.

Q: When I do a search on your site, the results don’t seem to be returned in any particular order. It seems like if they could be returned descending by original post date, that would be SUPER helpful.

A: The search results show in order of relevancy, not post date, so if the search terms are in the blog title, those will come up first, and then they’ll go on to the posts where the search terms are in the copy.

I can’t adjust how the results show, however, if you are looking for certain styles like “white jeans” or “ankle boots,” I have tags for a lot of those terms at the end of each post.

I’m not perfect with remembering to tag my posts, but I do it when I remember.

If you have other suggestions for tagging that would be helpful, let me know. I don’t usually tag exact styles (like Felicia Flats or Converse Shoreline) but I could if that’s helpful.

Q: I would love to see more of what you actually wear rather than just what you are styling for the blog. I know you often post that on Instagram, but I miss seeing the weekly what I wore posts on the blog like from years ago.

A: This is why I do the Instagram Roundup! It’s pretty much the same thing. 🙂 In fact, sometimes I used to even label it “What I Wore,” and maybe that would help make it more obvious. I’m also wondering if I should leave out most of the duplicate blog content so it is just what I’ve actually worn. Would that be better? Curious to hear everyone’s thoughts.

Q: What do you really wear on your feet running errands when it’s frigid outside? What do you wear around the house to be totally comfortable yet presentable?

A: This is what I post on Instagram. I really am wearing that stuff at home. *grin*

But to further answer the question, when it’s frigid outside, I often wear my UGG boots. They’re like 10 years old, NO JOKE. They’re pretty beat up, but I won’t part with them because they are so warm and comfortable. There’s nothing like them available now, but these are really cute and on sale! And these are taller and a little dressier, but not on sale.

What I Wore

similar sweater // similar jeans // similar boots (option) // bag // necklace // bracelet // earrings // specs

Around the house, I usually wear a sweater and AG legging ankle jeans. (I have a few different pairs I’ve accumulated over the past few years but I always opt for my ripped ones with the raw hem first.) Sometimes I wear slippers, sometimes ballet flats or loafers, and on occasion my Converse Shorelines. If it’s really cold, I throw on the boots pictured above.

Yes, there are days I wear pajamas till noon, and sometimes I just want to be cozy and throw on a sweatshirt and joggers, but 95% of the time, I get dressed in jeans and a sweater and shoes and even jewelry. I am far more productive that way. (I don’t always do my makeup and some days I throw my hair into a ponytail, but getting dressed is a priority for me.)

applying eye cream

Q: I would love to hear about your skin routine. You look great! Do you use retinol? I know you said you use the dermaroller most days. Can you use the retinol too? Do you do anything else for your skin? Such as microderm abrasion? Or anything more invasive?

A: I’m kind of using a mish-mosh of stuff right now, to be honest. I’m sure it’s better to find a routine and stick to it, but since I review things for the blog, I often end up with a skincare menagerie in my bathroom. I hate for any of it to go to waste so I usually keep rotating between items until I deplete them.

I was never very consistent with the roller, but I do believe it helps my skin’s texture when I use it. (For anyone curious, the Micro-Exfoliating Roller System is a Rodan + Fields product, and it’s currently only sold with their two most popular skincare systems — Redefine (the one I use) and Reverse (I actually plan to try this next.)

Full disclosure: I’m a R+F consultant, and I’m linking to my site.

rodan and fields redefine system

Beyond that, I’ve only done facials. Right now I don’t do anything anymore invasive, not that I’m opposed, but I don’t know where to start, and I’m afraid of doing anything that looks fake or, heavens forbid, messing up my face.

I’m definitely seeing a lot of fine lines developing lately (I’m sure this ridiculously cold weather doesn’t help) and bags under my eyes, so I’ve actually been thinking about looking into options, but I keep putting it off. Of course, I’ll share anything I do!

Q: I was wondering if you might get your mom involved. I’m thinking you probably got your fashion sense from her, and I don’t find many blogs for people my age.

A: Ha! I told her that I had a few people suggested this and she just laughed. Besides being insanely busy running a company, caring for an aging father, helping out with two sets of grandkids, and serving at her church, she’s a very private person and has no desire to appear on my blog. In fact, I’m pretty sure this blog took some major getting used to at first (although she’s always been supportive!)

All that to say, that probably won’t be happening, but she really would be a great addition. She has a great sense of style, especially when it comes to work wear, so you guys really would love her if I could ever convince her to participate. (But don’t hold your breath!) I credit my mom with instilling in me the value of quality over quantity, while being patient to make those bigger purchases in order to live within our means.

Q: I’d love to know more about your exercise routine. 

A: Basically, I run and lift weights. I’m also trying to work in some yoga, and I’m psyched that I’ve found some videos on the Roku I can use because while going to a class would be nice for the camaraderie, I just don’t see myself making that a priority. I’d rather just do it at home.

I have a personal trainer for strength training. It is the ONLY way I will ever be consistent with that. I also like having someone to make sure I’m doing the exercises properly because I’m not very coordinated. Sometimes it takes a while to get the moves right.

I’ve been running for 5 or 6 years, now, and I’m trying to get back to a more regular routine, but the weather is making that a bit of a challenge. My trainer (who is also a runner — like a legit runner who ran in college and still wins local races, not a hobbyist like me) keeps lecturing me about consistency. The older we get, the more important it is to be consistent with our exercise in order to avoid injury.

I’ve had my fair share of injuries and set-backs so I know I need to heed her advice. So even though it’s been stupid cold outside, I’ve bundled up and gone out anyway — every other day for the past week. I hope the weather doesn’t prevent me from getting out there tomorrow. I don’t have a treadmill or any way to run when I can’t go outside.

You can see why I’m always so tuned into the weather! It not only dictates what I wear, which I discuss often of course, but it also dictates whether or not I can exercise, and that’s super important to me. Before I started working out regularly, I used to have depressive episodes that were pretty miserable, so now I do everything I can to keep up with my workout routine.

how to you make money on a blog

Q: I’m curious about the blogging income, and how you make a living doing it. I realize this is personal, but you asked. 🙂 And of course, don’t have to answer this one.

A: I don’t mind answering this at all. In fact, I wrote this post a couple of years ago: How Do You Make Money On Blog? It’s pretty thorough, so in the interest of time, I’ll refer you to that.

Q: I would love to know what other blogs you like to read, and where you go when you’re looking for inspiration.

A: Happy to share! I have quite a list. I follow a lot more bloggers than these — many who are friends or I feel like they’re friends, but these are the ones I mainly go to for my personal style inspiration or to see what’s next. I subscribe to most of these by email, and I pin a lot of their looks to my Pinterest boards for future outfit inspiration.

  • Brooklyn Blonde – I absolutely love Helena’s chic city style, and I look to her to see what’s coming next. Her clothing budget is definitely bigger than mine, but I keep an eye on the brands she recommends so when I have the opportunity to splurge on a designer item, I know what to look for.
  • Dress Corilynn – If you’re ever looking for petite bloggers, Cori is your girl! I really like her style, especially her winter looks. I resonate more with her winter style than her summer style, especially this year since she recently moved from Seattle to Connecticut. She’s a stay-at-home mom of three, so she keeps it casual and her looks are more affordable than most of the others in this first list.
  • Fashion Jackson – I discovered her around the same time as I discovered Brooklyn Blonde, and they have similar styles — very classic and polished, but wearable. I love the way she puts neutrals together in new and interesting ways.
  • Fabulous After 40 – Deborah really knows hers stuff. She’s a legit stylist, not a blogger playing one on the Internet (like me, haha!), and I’ve learned so much from her over the years.
  • Kendi Everyday – I’ve followed Kendi for a long time, and I love her classic style. She recently had a baby and I think she’s still trying to find her fashion mojo again, but I’m sticking around because of her great sense of humor and I’m interested in seeing how her style evolves now that she’s a mom.
  • Sequins & Things – I’ve been a fan of Alyson Haley’s style for years. She features a good mix of high and low end fashion. She’s quite a bit younger than I am, and we don’t have similar body types at all, but I’ve learned a lot from her and the way she puts colors together.
  • The Mom Edit – These girls are local, although I haven’t met them. Their style is a little more funky than my own, but I like to see what they’re wearing, and I like how they give fashion advice, not just share outfits. They also help keep me apprised of some of the higher end brands that are trending, which is nice (but hard on my budget. Haha!)
  • The Motherchic – Lindsey is a local blogger and friend of mine, and she has a really great casual chic style. She’s the one who recommend Alison to me for a photographer when Paul isn’t available. We got to know each other last year at the RS conference, and we’ve kept in touch and like to get together for coffee every now and again. In fact, weather permitting, I’ll see her this week!
  • The Style Scribe – I just recently started following Merritt and I like her style, but it’s high end for me. To be honest, the main reason I noticed her was her hair. The length is closer to mine, when it seems like every other blogger has super long locks.
  • Thirty Something Fashion – Carly is another local blogger and friend of mine although somehow we’ve never met!!! We keep saying we’re going to remedy that… but life. I love her style. It’s definitely more edgy than mine, and she seems to have more occasions to glam it up than I do, but I love to keep tabs on what she’s wearing. She keeps me current. Carly is also a personal stylist, and she offers a variety of services including a box service and personal shopping services, if anyone is interested in checking that out! One of these days I’m going to do her roll in the rack service. It sounds like so much fun.

Goodness, that list got really long… but you should see my who I follow in Instagram list. Now, THAT would be a long list.

I hope this was fun. As always, feel free to ask any follow-up questions in the comments.

Did you like this post?

Subscribe to get updates in your email inbox! You can also connect with me on Instagram and Facebook.

This post contains affiliate links. When you shop through my links, it helps support my business (at no additional cost to you) so thank you!

Join The Conversation

34 Responses

  1. Loved this post! I am definitely going to be reaching the blog post you wrote in how to make money blogging because I seriously think I need a ” career” change after babysitting in my home for the last twenty years. I promise I won’t steal any of your business lol….as if there’s any chance of that, with me living in the woods in NB ,Canada…. Plus you’re just so FABULOUS that I am sure your readers are completely loyal ????
    Anyhow…. Again… Awesome post an an answer to prayer as I seek direction for my future.
    Have a lovely time with Lindsey… Bet she’s even funnier in person than on her blog!

  2. Great info.  And I always enjoy the weather report!  interesting reading about who you follow.  Every now & then I try to find a blogger my own age (62),  who is in the same season of life.  Haven’t really found anyone.  Even though I’m a lot older than you, your style catches my eye, as I wear jeans 99% of the time.  You always give me some inspiration for dressing them up!   We have snow going on up here, 1-3″ for today, then 3-5″ for tonight.  I think my teacher daughter is doing the happy dance!  

  3. I think it’s funny that people want to see what you wear at home. Nobody sees us there, and we have TOTAL FREEDOM to wear anything we want and not worry if it coordinates :-). I think it boils down to, does she really wear the things she promotes on the blog? The better idea is to show us what you wore to meet friends for coffee or to the mall or out to dinner………….and you do that! I think you’re doing a fabulous job! I enjoy reading your blog posts, and I refer to your outfits all the time to see what I should wear. You deserve every penny you can make when I/followers buy something. Thank you!

    1. LOL, thanks, Lori. I do think what we wear at home where no one sees us is an interesting topic, tho. 😉 I mean, it does affect my mood and I feel better when I’m dressed, even if I only see the mailman. But there are definitely times when I look like a schlump and I don’t care. It’s a balance!

  4. Well Texas is basically shut down today!  In San Antonio all the schools closed and most businesses so I got to stay home from my part time job. My daughter was ready for her first day back to college since the holidays. But she’s still sleeping so she’s not that disappointed lol 
    With all that said, it was a perfect day for this post as I enjoyed checking out all the bloggers you listed. Found two that I’m going to follow~thank you! 

  5. I like the way you keep it real We all live in the real world most of the time… We are hard working women and most of us do not have the opportunity to have work done on our faces and body. I saw where CVS is not promoting or selling make up or beauty products anymore if the models are faking it Just my two cents… That’s what I love about you most is your honest and real helping the common woman

    1. That’s interesting about CVS. They’re an amazing company; I’ve worked with them before and got to visit their headquarters. They were one of the first to stop selling cigarettes, and they have a line of organic snacks too.

  6. The majority of the bloggers you follow seem so young. I’ve looked for bloggers my age, and there aren’t very many out there (I’m 46). You and Cindy Spivey are my favorites because we’re so close in age (and I love your style!). By getting inspiration from the younger bloggers, I worry I’m going to look like I’m trying to dress too young. How do I find a balance?

    1. There aren’t many out there, I know. Try this list: https://jolynneshane.com/over-50-fashion.html

      And this one: https://jolynneshane.com/my-favorite-over-40-fashion-blogs.html

      I think a lot of it is instinct. I don’t really worry about the age of people I follow, I just pick and choose what I like. I think Brooklyn Blonde and Fashion Jackson, while young, have timeless classic style. Also, I get a lot of inspiration from how people put colors together, and that doesn’t really depend much on age. 🙂

  7. I’m so glad someone asked what you do with clothes you’ve styled but can’t return, I’ve wondered the same thing!  If you want to sell them I’ve had success in the past with Poshmark.  It’s a little time consuming to list bc I usually take lots of pics of the item but you could just use the blog pic showing that item. I’m sure lots of your readers would buy your stuff!  

  8. Thanks for the shout-out Jo-Lynne. After all these years blogging, I’d say you are a pretty great stylist yourself!! I love how you present everything in such a real way. Your style is so modern and approachable!
    Cheers, Deborah

  9. Fun post, thanks Jo Lynne. I clicked on all the bloggers and followed a few – thanks for the ideas. Similarly to fashion magazines, I wish there were some bloggers who had a little more weight on them. They’re all so slim, they look good in everything. Still, great to get ideas for how to style certain clothes. I’m going to look out for a pear shaped 40+ (almost 50!) blogger. I’m sure there are some out there!

  10. Jo-Lynne, thanks for this interesting post. Since being very early retired this past year I have researched the “over 50” blog situation and it is scarce! Speaking of your IG acct- I have actually found others to follow via folks I already followed.  ( I was looking for additional designers on IG so I looked through the IG accounts followed by the designers I already followed if that makes sense— I found a few great home designers that way). 
    Julie 

  11. Thank you for such an informative, interesting post. Answering questions and comments is what sets you apart from all the other bloggers! Your effort, care, and compassion for your readers shows in every blog post. You have helped me hone my own fashion style and taught me so much! In my humble opinion, I do hope you do not have any invasive treatments, procedures, or surgeries done to your beautiful face or body. Expensive treatments are not something most of us can afford, and showing us how to age gracefully using accessible products are part of what makes you so real. More importantly, I strongly believe that promoting a positive body image for all ages is vital. After having a child survive an eating disorder, a healthy body image is key for all of us. Thanks for the opportunity to share!

  12. I also have a personal trainer for strength training. She is my way of being consistent and accountable. And I don’t mind having her making sure I’m doing the exercises properly either. I work out 4 days a week, with my trainer. I also do cardio, cause I like to speed walk in 5ks, due to an accident I can no longer run, but have a pretty good time for a speed walker. I have been trying the Olay Total Effects Moisturizer with SPF 15 and Olay Eyes Deep Hydrating Eye Gel for a couple of weeks now and have noticed my pores don’t show as much, and the dark circles are not so dark. You and Cindy Spivey are my favorites bloggers because we’re so close in age (and I love your style!)

  13. If you find something to help with puffiness under eyes, please let us know!  I’ve tried LOTS of products and nothing that helps. Always appreciate your posts. 

  14. Hi Jo-Lynne,

    I just wanted to send over a sincere thank you for the mention of myself and my blog in this post. I appreciate your readership and have had fun the past few minutes getting to know you through some of your posts! Thank you so much for reading Sequins & Things and I wish you all the best in 2018! xo.

    1. Hey girl! You’re so welcome. I enjoy living vicariously thru your travels. And I just realized I wrote “Alyson Haley” – ha! I know you go by Haley but I will always in my head call you Alyson Haley b/c of your Instagram. 🙂

      1. No worries, girl! You’re not the only one! So many people I’ve met through blogging do the same thing knowing I go by Haley lol I’ve accepted that it’s just something I’ve done to myself so it doesn’t bother me at all 🙂 xo.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *