Jennifer Aydin’s Green Tropical Print Dress, Belt, Espadrille Wedge Sandals and Bag

Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13 Episode 8 Fashion

While, as always, teams are forming on the Real Housewives of New Jersey, one we should all be on is “Team Jennifer Aydin’s Tropical Print Dress.” My longtime bestie Becky has the dress and looks amazing in it. It’s super flattering and the perfect print for Spring and Summer.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her Bronx & Banco Dress

Click Here to Shop her D&G Belt

Click Here to See her Valentino Espadrille Wedge Sandals

Click Here to Shop her Chanel Bag

Photo: @JenniferAydin

Originally posted at: Jennifer Aydin’s Green Tropical Print Dress

Every few years some designer gets the hare-brained idea to feature sheer, see-through clothes on women models. In some earlier years these models wore attractive undergarments, making the “costume” (because that’s what it was, basically) less shocking.

But this year we’re actually seeing sheer clothes on naked breasts. It’s being labeled the “free-the-nipple” movement, as if to give it some authenticity. These sheer fabrics are even appearing in another popular trend, “utility” style (i.e., lots of pockets, although I can’t think of anything less utilitarian than organza pockets on an organza jacket.)

So, who started this so-called “movement?” And why aren’t feminists who care about “objectification” of women screaming in outrage? And why are women, notably Hollywood actresses, grabbing these items off the racks!

Well, outrage aside, by now we know that what comes down the fashion runway aisle is toned down by the time it reaches the ready-to-wear customer. You will still see the more extreme versions on younger women attending fashion week designer shows or at the awards show after-parties (the networks still enforce SOME “decency” laws for live TV, although years ago Cher came pretty close to violating them in that black top-to-bottom sheer Bob Mackie outfit.)

Some younger women are simply ditching their bras, revealing what are clearly un-tethered breasts beneath their sweaters and t-shirts. I’m not opposed to going bra-less at home. As the saying goes, “home is where the bra isn’t.” But in public? No, thank you. Not at my age and not in my youth. And I never burned my bras either. They were expensive and necessary!

Nonetheless, the whole concept of going “sheer” has become one of the big spring trends this year. Let’s look at how we will see it and what versions might – maybe, possibly – work for us.

Who Can Wear Sheer Textiles?

Fundamentally, sheer, transparent, flowing textiles, especially if they are shimmery or glowing, tend to only flatter those women who have a fair amount of what we call an “Angelic” style in their features and bone structure.

These are the types who have fine-textured skin, finer wispy or cloud-like hair texture, and hooded, somewhat bedroom-y eyes. Their overall look has a slightly unearthly quality. Think of actresses like Tilda Swinton, Vanessa Redgrave, Cate Blanchett and to some extent, Diana Ross.

But it’s hard to image Redgrave, at this age, wearing see-through anything. Swinton and Blanchett, possibly. Ross, not likely.

For those of us with little-to-none of those Angelic style qualities, we would have to be strategic in how we might embrace the trend. A few years ago, we started seeing a lot of bathing suits with sheer panels along the sides or in areas just above the breast up to the neckline. That’s a version that you will still find and that could definitely work for some of us older women.

Now, we’re also seeing the trend in blouses and tops that feature sheer textiles in the arms or along the shoulders. This is a variation on the cut-out features we saw in blouses and dresses the past two years.

If you’re not worried about exposing upper arm flab or bulges, this could be a very pretty alternative, worn with two other trends this year: looser, flowing pants or skirts, blinged up with a pair of long fringed or cascading drop earrings to wear as a special occasion outfit.

We’ve also seen some long chiffon scarf-like pieces worn over dresses. It feels a bit like a throwback to Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame. But again, for a special occasion, this could be a lovely finishing piece for a mother-of-the-bride type outfit or even possibly a daytime outdoor dressy event.

Shine on, Angel!

Glitter, glimmer and shine, style elements usually reserved for the year-end holiday season, are also big trends this year. Combining both that with the sheer textile trends we are seeing a lot of gold and silver-shot sheer linen textiles for the summer. It gives them a little more texture and a little more opacity.

But again, they are still fairly revealing. So, you would likely want to wear them over a bathing suit or with a tank top either in your skin tone or in the same color as the blouse. We’re seeing a lot of younger women wearing them with “fashion” bras in black or in a color exactly matching to the blouse that are intended to be part of the whole look. I’m not convinced that will work for a lot of us.

Shiny organza, a very sheer fabric not usually associated with casual wear, is also making a strong appearance in blouses, long jackets, “coats,” and shrugs as well as a lot of ruffled dresses. Ruffles add enough texture as to make those dresses not terribly transparent. But you might want to tread lightly when it comes to wearing ruffles.

Full-on ruffled dresses typically say “bridal.” But a pretty pink, blue, or other colored organza blouse with neckline ruffles, cascading ruffles, or even ruffled sleeve cuffs, might appeal to a lot of women, especially after seeing three years of mostly neutral toned oversized, loose, “menswear” type fashions. It could add the lovely feminine touch to your wardrobe that you might have been craving.

Because almost anything goes these days, especially if you have the confidence to carry it off, pair it with jeans, shorter skirts, or even with leather pants. But a more on-trend look would be to pair it with a silk or wool maxi skirt or satin flowing slacks.

Loose Knit Weaves and Peek-a-Boo Textiles

If you held onto your long, flowing, hand-made crochet topper from your hippie days, you are in luck! And very much in fashion!

Loose-weave knits, including crochet stitching, are a new option for the warmer months. Some of these pieces started showing up in the market at the end of last summer in the form of loose pants worn over matching panties or bathing suits. Younger women, of course, were the first adapters.

But now you will see this trend a lot in dresses, tank tops, blouses, and pants, often combined with another see-through weave, lace. Many of them are see-through around the legs and arms and lower torso, but strategically more tightly woven to cover specific areas: the bust and waist to thigh area. If you love the idea but just don’t want that much exposure you can find a lot of dresses and blouses with crocheted and lace sleeves. Still, be prepared to reveal your upper arms.

Lastly, for decades we haven’t seen anything in eyelet. It was considered kind of passé or just for children. Personally, I’ve always loved it. Maybe that’s just because it does remind me of my youth. We’re also seeing two other youth-related features: Swiss dot and polka dots.

Eyelet Button Down Blouse

Retailers that cater to older women, like Chico’s, offer a version eyelet blouses with solid linings over the torso area but not on the sleeves. Some also feature another trend which is the billowy sleeve, another feminine touch. Similar styles, but without any lining, are being worn with nude camisoles or skin colored bras.

Eyelet Billow Sleeve Shirt

So, what to make of all this? Well, it could indicate a broader sociological desire to move away from feelings of restriction and despair for the past several years. A lot of younger people felt the brunt of this greatly. That’s because at their time of life when they are first looking for a mate, they want to say, “Hey! Look at ME!”

Nothing says “Hey, look at me!” like walking around half-naked.

Will I Be Wearing These Styles?

Then there is always the consideration of climate. Most of these clothes are designed for warm months and warm climates… and warm bodies. As for me, until the temperature climbs above 70 degrees daily, I’ll most likely be curled up with my cup of tea, wearing my comfy loose cardigan, and let the trendy fashionistas deal with the whims of the elements.

Getting a Visual

Crochet

Beach cover-up from Anthropologie

Anthropologie crochet tunic

Crochet top and skirt Bloomingdales

Macy’s crewneck cotton crochet sheath dress

Sheer Blouses/Sleeves

Macy’s Casper blouse

Ruffle neck polka dot sleeve blouse Walmart

Sheer Polka Dot Blouse Walmart

Amazon sheer sleeve blouse

Sheer Dresses

Halston Cape sheer dress Bloomingdales

Sheer Ruffled Dresses

Macy’s belted ruffled dress

Dillard’s Ruffle Tulle corset dress

Topper/Cardigans

Sheer “Cardigan” at Dillards

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Would you wear any of the new sheer styles? Which type might you experiment with? Have you already and what reaction did you get?

The cooler breezes and shorter days signaled to me that the end of our magnificent Autumn was fast approaching. I mourned the thought of having to store away my bike, golf clubs and outdoor sneakers, and other constant warm weather companions. I pondered how I would endure the long dismal winter ahead.

My desire for participating in outdoor winter activities had dwindled over the years, despite once being an avid skier and skater. I knew, now that I was entering my senior years, that I needed to discover new active hobbies to help keep me fit and to fill my idle time.

Trying Curling

My friend Diane suggested that we sign up with our spouses for curling. Having never played before, I knew truly little about the sport. I was slightly hesitant to commit because I perceived curling as just sweeping on ice and I was not fond of sweeping or spending time in the cold.

My husband thought it would be good for us to try something new, and so we agreed to join our friends and attend the orientation session. We all quickly learned that there was more to the sport than just sweeping and that it was much more strategic, challenging, and interactive than I had originally anticipated.

During our first few games, everyone in our beginner team could barely throw the stones and, after the games, I could feel aches in my hip and legs. Like most sports, the more you play, the more skilled and adaptive you become.

The next month my bodily aches slowly diminished. I began looking forward to our recurring Friday night outing where our team played a different team every week. The standing curling ritual is that the winning team buy the losing team a drink after the game.

Our consistent game losses rewarded us with many complimentary drinks but, more importantly, with an abundance of invigorating conversation and laughs. We met new friendly faces each week, some of whom have become our newfound friends.

I probably enjoy the social aspect of curling as much as the physical activity and feel thankful to have discovered a new hobby that blends the two so brilliantly. My hope is that our team gets to buy at least one first round of drinks before the season ends.

Pickleball Came Next

I continued to seek a new daytime indoor physical pursuit, in addition to discovering curling, and was intrigued by pickleball but didn’t know any details about this very popular game. In my younger years, I had played many racquet sports, including ping pong, tennis, and squash. In fact, playing squash was one of my favourite hobbies in my earlier adulthood, and yet I could not remember the last time that I had actually held a squash racquet.

I decided to attend a pickleball beginner orientation session on my own that was held at our local community recreation centre. I was nervous and excited. I did not know if any of my youthful eye and hand coordination skills would resume or whether I would be a complete embarrassment on the court.

Ken, a very patient and seasoned instructor, explained the many rules to our new group and had us all play a practice game. I was very rusty, missed obvious balls, kept forgetting the numerous rules, but I came home and reported to my husband that I was certain that pickleball would be an activity that I would eventually play regularly.

After the introductory session, I could barely walk for several days. I pushed myself and attended my first drop-in session at the same recreation centre with a few acquaintances who were also new to the sport and also eager to continue to learn.

We quickly realized that most of the attendees were incredibly competitive and had been playing the game for several years. A few were not shy in showing us how appalled they were when having to partner with newbies like us.

Despite my inexperience, I still gave it my all that day, and even returned back the following week, when my ego and aching muscles were telling me that I should remain home. The more times I played, the more rules I retained, and I continued to progress in my fitness abilities. I began to enjoy the game the same way that I had once loved playing squash.

I also discovered that there were more regular attendees at the centre who were more helpful than not and who understood that the only way beginners improve is by playing consistently. The drop-in format allowed flexibility and the ability to play regularly and pickleball is a portable sport that can be played in many different locations. I’ve now played on cruise ships and other vacation spots and plan to pack my racquet whenever we travel.

It Takes Time, but Persistence Is the Key to Success

I have come to understand that in my senior years, my body and mind definitely take much longer to learn and adjust to new pursuits. However, when I do take that chance to try something new and persevere, when it would be more comfortable to just give up, my mind, body and spirit all benefit and I finish new hobbies feeling fitter and happier. I am grateful that I can now add curling and pickleball to my growing list of new passions.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What new sports or physical activities have you tried recently? Are you persistent with them? What does it take you to learn a new activity at your age? Is it the same as when you were younger or do you need more time to get familiar with the rules of play?

My 17-year-old grandson is in the process of exploring where he wants to go to university.

As usual, there are ‘good’ places and ‘better’ places, and he is pondering where he is likely to be accepted and the general implications of any decision.

This got me reminiscing about how I didn’t get accepted by my first choice of college (Radcliffe College, then connected to Harvard University and later merged with it). I was devastated at the time and felt a complete failure.

But, in fact, that one failure was a major turning point in how my life turned out. At the time, I was sure it would be for the worse. In retrospect, I think it was very much for the better.

How many decisions – whether made by you or made for you – change the course of your life on the turn of a dime?

My Story in Brief

Not all decisions about which university to attend seriously alter your life, although they do doubtless alter it in small ways.

But in my case, because I failed to get a place at either of my first two college choices, I went to a large State University, which had been suggested as a fallback by a friend of my family who taught there.

(As I thought it would never happen, I didn’t think any fallback mattered much. Oh dear, how unable we are to imagine the worst when we are young. Or, perhaps I should say, when we are young and an inveterate optimist.)

Although I was happy enough with the education at this university, I was keen to do a ‘junior year abroad’ (for non-Americans, this is studying abroad during the third year of a four-year course). I chose to spend a year at the London School of Economics.

And, as these things happen at that age, I fell in love with an English student, just finishing his economics course at the time.

We eventually married and decided to live in London. We had two children, who each had one son, including the one currently considering what university to attend.

I am very certain that I never would have done a junior year abroad had I gone to either of the other colleges. They would have discouraged such a plan.

Counterfactuals

It is somehow interesting to consider counterfactuals.

A counterfactual, for those unfamiliar with the word, is an exercise in thinking about what would have happened if a different decision had been made at some point along the way.

Students of history love to explore these ideas. What would have happened to civil rights and other legislation if President Kennedy had not been shot? Or how would the Second World War have turned out if the Japanese had not bombed Pearl Harbour?

One can spend hours on these hypothetical questions.

Perhaps it is something about growing older that makes us think more consciously about our past decisions and how we got to be where we are. Growing older makes us think about so many things, as I have discussed elsewhere.

Indeed, I have already written one article about how I had once wanted to be a ballet dancer, but that was slightly tongue-in-cheek. Yes, I did want to be a dancer when I was a child, but it was a very unlikely event in any case.

But it is less unlikely that I could have been accepted at one of the two colleges of my choice. I have no idea what I would have decided to study (my eventual decision was highly influenced by a very stimulating professor of political thought) and who I would have married.

It is very unlikely that I would have ended up in London, which has been my home for nearly 50 years. And certainly not with the same Englishman.

Strange to think. And, as I told both my daughter and her son, if I had got into a different college, where would you all have been?

Do you ever think about the slim threads on which our lives depend? What if you hadn’t gone to that particular party? What if that special high school teacher hadn’t urged you to follow a particular dream? What if you hadn’t got pregnant when you did?

You can take it even further and speculate on what if your parents had not met by chance on a particular day. And so forth up the line.

It can all unravel in the time it takes to ask the question.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What key decisions in your life changed your life course? Do you think you would have been happier or less happy with a different path? Are you still making decisions that will affect the rest of your life?

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When I think about Cameron Diaz, she’s always wearing a bright lip. It can be daunting to wear a bold shade, but she never fails to pull it off with ease. Because I’m not one to stray far from my natural lip color, I aspire to be more adventurous like Cameron. But I do think it all depends on the product. Does the lipstick leave your lips dry and crusty or smooth and plump? Can the pigments endure two cups of coffee and a bowl of pasta? Will the inside of my face mask look like an abstract work of art within an hour? These are all important things to consider, and it seems like Diaz found one that hydrates, lasts and doesn’t transfer.

Merit Beauty’s Signature Lip is so lightweight that you’ll forget it’s even on your lips. Leaving a sheer satin finish, the lipstick can be layered to make your pout even more vibrant and eye-catching.

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RELATED: This Is The Chicest Makeup Bag We’ve Ever Laid Eyes On—Here’s How to Get It For Free

Photo: Merit Beauty.

The ingredients that distinguish Merit Beauty’s lipstick from the rest are plant-derived squalane and sunflower seed oil, which bring lasting moisture and a weightless finish for comfortable, all-day wear. In addition, papain enzymes soothe dry cracks, while stabilized vitamin C minimizes the appearance of fine lines.

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Photo: Merit Beauty.

“This lippie is perfect for everyday wear!” raved one reviewer on the brand’s website. “Super comfortable formula that feels soft and not thick. Doesn’t transfer or rub off quickly. Very wearable!”

There are eight striking shades of Signature Lip that you simply cannot go wrong with. Reach for Cabo, a soft red-orange, Tiger, a brick red, or 1990, a deep brown. The brand shows each color on a diverse range of skin tones, making it easy to find your perfect match.

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