These outfit posts document real-life personal style on a 5’3″ size 14/16 midlife body. Since 2005, Alison Gary has shared what she actually wears to work, on weekends, while traveling, and during everyday life, offering an honest archive of how style evolves over time.
Unlike curated influencer lookbooks, these outfits reflect real closets, real budgets, and real bodies. You’ll see how pieces are reworn across seasons, how trends are adapted for women over 40, and how fit, proportion, and comfort work together in everyday dressing.
These real-life outfits serve as a visual extension of Wardrobe Oxygen’s fashion advice, showing how capsule wardrobe concepts, denim reviews, footwear recommendations, and layering techniques translate into lived experience.
If you’re searching for outfit inspiration for women over 40, midsize style ideas, curvy petite fashion, or realistic examples of how to style trends in daily life, this archive provides two decades of documented looks to explore.
Use tags to browse by fashion brand, season, occasion, or wardrobe staple.
Friday night we stayed in, made dinner and watched movies. Somehow our Playstation (which doubles as our DVD/Bluray machine) was left on all day and was overheating so we opened the glass door of the entertainment center to let it cool off. I forgot about it, came down the stairs, entered the living room and…
Black sheath from Banana Republic by way of eBay, two coral glass chip necklaces from a shop in Rehoboth Beach, shell necklace was originally my mom’s, tan “Bern” boots from Duo, silver cuff, earrings from Diamond Nexus Labs. The day was so warm, I only threw on my orange crinkled silk scarf from Banana Republic…
Black cashmere puff sleeved sweater from Banana Republic, gray “Drew” trousers from Limited, black booties from Sudini, white gold and diamond solitaire necklace and studs from Diamond Nexus Labs. Hair is second day, bedhead smoothed with curling iron. Makeup is L’Oreal True Match concealer in W1-3, philosophy The Supernatural in Beige, Nars blush in Orgasm…
Navy pique dress from Isaac Mizrahi for Target, plum tights from target, brown suede slouch boots from Silhouettes, silver necklaces from H&M, orange silk scarf from Banana Republic, silver hoops and cuff. Wore my long brown suede coat from Express. Hair washed and conditioned, Jonathan Silky Dirt twirled around sections while damp and then dried…
Orange merino scoopneck from Marshall’s, tan tweedy trousers from Ann Taylor, black booties from Sudini, white gold and diamond solitaire necklace and studs from Diamond Nexus Labs, silver cuff. Hair was washed and conditioned night before and dried while sleeping. This morning hit the bedhead with the curling iron and then some Jonathan Silky Dirt…
Saturday I had a bridal shower. No pics, I wore my dark red merino shift from Banana Republic, my brown suede slouchy tall boots from Silhouettes, tortoise shell necklace from Rehoboth Beach with matching earrings and a single gold bangle from Ralph Lauren. Wore that for the rest of the day and evening festivities. Sunday,…
I didn’t take pictures this morning. Just didn’t feel like it. We are starting yoga classes on Mondays in one of our conference rooms at lunch and I have offered to help with setup and takedown. Today we did a dry run and if I am going to be lugging around big honking tables, I…
Red ponte dress from Ann Taylor, black ponte jacket (worn as coat) from Banana Republic Outlet, black and white oblong scarf from Express (ended up leaving it on), silver necklaces from H&M, black croco peeptoe heels from BCBGirls, silver bracelet from Ann Taylor Loft, silver hoops. Hair is second day, flipped head upside down and…
Black matte jersey wrap dress from Old Navy, black synthetic cami from H&M, leopard peeptoe heels from BCBGirls, gold necklace from Express, gold twig bracelets and simple hoops from Ann Taylor. Hair washed and conditioned, bit of Jonathan Silky Dirt and dried with paddle brush. Makeup is L’Oreal True Match concealer in W1-3, philosophy The…