"Burgundy is the New Black"

Nina Garcia of "Marie Claire" magazine and the TV show "Project Runway" says "Burgundy is the new black."  I've noticed some very beautiful burgundy clothing and accessories in magazines and on the Internet recently.  There have always been burgundy lip and nail colors but I caution women over 50 to be careful when wearing them.  Dark lipsticks can bleed into the tiny lines and wrinkles around the mouth.   If you plan to wear them be sure to buy a lip pencil in the same color.  After lining and filling in your lips, dust with loose powder to set the liner in place.  This will keep you from having a dark line around your lips as your lipstick wears off.  After applying your lipstick blot the excess off with a tissue and add some clear gloss just to the center of your lips.  This will make them appear wider.  Dark lipstick on thin lips will make them look even thinner so if you don't want that look opt for a nude or pink lipstick to wear with your burgundy clothing.

Burgundy nail polish will be high maintenance. If you don't use a lot of top coat on the edges it will chip off very easily.  As your nails grow out the area next to your cuticle will show.  You will have to touch up that area by applying another coat of polish to your entire nail.  The negative side of dark nail polish is that it will accentuate age spots on the back of your hands. If you don't like the appearance of your hands then opt for a nude nail polish.  Nude will make your fingers and nails appear longer and will not draw attention to age spots, veins and freckles.  Always apply sunscreen to the back of your hands so you won't get additional spots.

I'm sure there will be burgundy hosiery for sale this season.  I think it will be hard to coordinate that color with anything other than black.  If you choose burgundy opaque tights for instance, don't wear a burgundy dress or skirt.  It would be better to wear black and add a touch of burgundy close to your face with a scarf or jewelry.  Garnets are a beautiful stone to wear next to the face and are not very expensive.

When I was growing up we wore Bass Weejuns that were called "Oxblood." This is very close to Burgundy, maybe not as dark.  If you like to shop in vintage and resale shops look for Oxblood loafers.  They look great with everything from jeans to wool plaid skirts.  They are comfortable for wearing to work especially if given a fresh coat of polish.  Loafers can usually be re-soled at a shoe repair shop.  If you find old ones take them directly to a shoe shop to have them reconditioned. If you cannot find loafers in the women's shoe department check the men's shoe department.  Men have always worn loafers and you might be surprised by their comfort and style.

Burgundy dresses of every length are elegant and beautiful.  They look just as good as an LBD (little black dress) for special events.  The nude and metallic shoes you wore all summer will look beautiful with burgundy.  Unless the colors are identical don't try to match a burgundy dress, skirt or slacks with burgundy shoes.  It will make you look very "dated" and old fashioned.  Black shoes would be better if you don't own nude.  Look for nude shoes every time you shop.  You never know when you will find the perfect pair that comes close to your skin color with the perfect heel and style.  A nude pump is a good investment because it can be worn all year and with just about everything in your wardrobe.  I believe if you have black and nude shoes in your closet you don't necessarily need other colors.  Nude shoes make your feet almost disappear in photos unlike white shoes that almost always make your feet look larger, especially in photos.

A little burgundy can go a long way.  Only wear one piece at a time.  It's a nice color to add to your accessories if you don't want to invest in clothing or shoes.  Check out the collection of scarves in consignment and resale shops.  It was popular in the early 1970's so I'm sure there are scarves still in circulation from that time and made of very nice fabrics like silk and wool.