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.
Today is an icky day. Spitting rain, the air feels heavy and dank. No desire to go to work, and wardrobe is terribly stagnant. Cherry ribbed crewneck sweater from Chico’s, black triacetate suiting trousers from Ann Taylor Loft, black city boots from Aldo, silver hoops and cuff bracelet. Hair is second day, a bit blown…
Gray-blue Susan Tedeschi tour tee shirt, khaki twill jacket from Target, Gap Straight Bootcut jeans, teal suede wedges from Seychelles. Hair is second day, I got up late this morning and just hit the bedhead pieces with a straightening iron. These pictures were taken after being at work for 4 hours, when I got to…
So I got home, and had a quick salad before I headed to the city for the Andre Leon Talley presentation. And I spilled all over my black sweater and pants and was frantic. Hated my hair, outfit ruined, and just having an all-over grumpy day. I went upstairs and straightened my hair really quick,…
There are no pictures from Wednesday because my husband has decided to paint the hallway. This means the rug, the table, the artwork and everything else is in the room with the full-length mirror to the point that one cannot fully open or close the room’s door. Also the light in that room? Well the…
Meeting with client. Business casual is the attire. Then have to fly home in the outfit. Comfort and chic. Black merino turtleneck from Ann Taylor. Ivory ribbed suiting pants from Ann Taylor (dry cleaner ruined the matching jacket, but the pants are still nice). Same black city boots from Enzo, same silver hoops and cuff…
Flying out int he afternoon for business, and had to get to work early to get everything done in time. Packed the night before and didn’t want to yank out hair and beauty supplies again. Black cherry tissue-weight merino v-neck from J. Crew, brown ribbed tank from Old Navy, straight bootcut jeans from Gap, black…
Friday Night – Concert. Black merino crewneck from Banana Republic, black footless tights from Old Navy, distressed denim skirt from Old Navy, leopard print ballet flats from Target. I don’t love the shoes, but my feet were killing me and I needed a quick fix for the evening. Got them on the commute home. Silver…
I missed thursday because I forgot my camera at work. No big loss, dark red scoop tee, tweed pants in a shade of tan/ivory/russet. Gold jewelry, same makeup. So today is Casual Friday. And all my clothes are dirty or old or boring. And I have been feeling quite stagnant and corporate lately. So I…
White tailored shirt from Ann Taylor, denim trousers from Ann Taylor, two gold chains from Express looped around to make shorter necklaces, leopard peep-toe heels from BCBGirls. Hair had Frizz-Ease Dream Curls sprayed in while wet, the hair was twisted while drying, and the bangs were blown straight. Picture taken while some of hair was…