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Palos Verdes Estates, CA

“Mauve? Mauve is just pink trying to be purple.” – James Abbot McNeill Whistler 

Outfit Details:
Pink SkirtMoto JacketOTN BootsTank, Bag 1Bag 2, Sunnies 1Sunnies 2

Who doesn’t love a fashion style challenge? Last fall, I traveled to New York City from LA to meet the Always Discreet team at an event to talk about a critical women’s issue and to have an empowering discussion around incontinence and bladder pads. Authentic? Absolutely. After giving birth to my children, I experienced the issue first hand and wish there had been something available to me as feminine and effective as Always Discreet. The response to my blog post last year from women who currently experience these issues was overwhelming. So when the Always Discreet creative team, in conjunction with the launch of the new Purple Line, challenged me to create a fall wardrobe look in “Mauve” … I jumped at the chance!

When 70 percent of women admit feeling embarrassed to talk about wearing bladder leakage underwear, it’s clear we have a problem that needs to be addressed. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know having conversations about sensitive subjects is mainstream for me. It’s been my clear intention since the very beginning of my journey into the world of social media and finding my own voice, to be open and honest about just about everything. There’s strength in vulnerability and there’s beauty in shining a light on a conversation that’s been in the dark for way too long. I love helping women to feel confident at any age and if any of you out there shy away from an active life due to incontinence, I’ve got news for you! Always Discreet is feminine and effective, and you won’t know you are wearing them. In fact, I wore them throughout this shoot! And I felt confident as hell!

This post is dedicated to the women of the Forever Fierce Revolution that confided in me and thanked me for tackling this subject with openness and confidence! Together we are shifting the perception of women at Midlife & Beyond to one that is vibrant, exciting, and empowered. Shifting perceptions, letting go of shameful cultural stigma, and sparking dialogue to affect meaningful change is what lights my fire and gets me out of bed. So Sisters, let’s have a go at “pinky purple” and I’ll show you how I transition my fall wardrobe by incorporating a gorgeous shade of “mauve.” You may think that fall fashion means hues that are traditionally warm in tones like brown, black, taupe, rust or burgundy. Most women can’t necessarily afford a new wardrobe each season and extending styles from one season to the next is much more budget friendly.

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There’s nothing like a fashion challenge to spark some creative inspiration. You may think pink, purple and black aren’t a natural combination but I beg to differ. I love to defy myths and misperceptions. One of the staples in my fall wardrobe is a pair of black suede over the knee boots. Not long ago, I wasn’t sure if I was too old for the over the knee style. The first time I tried on over the knee boots, I was a believer and they quickly became a classic for me. They have a way of making your legs look long and lean and what woman doesn’t need that? The next step was how to combine pinky-purple and black to create the perfect fall fashion looks.

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, fall meant back to school and loading up on cozy sweaters and getting ready for the leaves to begin changing color and temperatures beginning to plunge. Traditionally, fall fashion meant warmer hues of rust, brown, gold, blacks and burgundies. Fashion magazines were brimming with fall styles showing cozy sweaters and more subdued tones. Shades of pinks and purples were relegated to spring and summer fashion. In this day and age thankfully the former “rules of fashion” no longer apply. I believe in breaking the rules and showing women that style is deeply personal, ageless and timeless. If it makes you feel beautiful, wear it. It’s as simple as that!

Relocating to LA eight years ago, fall looks a little bit different with palm trees and sandy beaches but you may be surprised to find that LA women love to rock cozy fall fashion. One of the best ways to extend your spring and summer wardrobe is to mix in darker colors. I love to incorporate shades of pink and pale purple all year long and one of my favorite ways to transition a more summery color is by pairing it with black. Black will always be a staple in my wardrobe. My personal style is constantly evolving and changing. It’s funny, as I was far more conservative in my younger days than I am now. I find myself more adventurous in both spirit and style and over the knee boots have become a staple in my wardrobe. A few years ago, I thought they were way too young for me. Not anymore! Adding some black to pinks and purples is an easy way to make the transition into fall.

I began by combing through my spring and summer wardrobe. I had found a short mauve A-line skirt last spring at Zara. It was the perfect length for the over the knee boots. Next step… what to wear on top? A classic in most women’s wardrobes is a black tank. I found a simple stretchy black tank, also from Zara. When it comes to fall fashion, leather jackets are always top on my list. I have a collection of black leather jackets that last from one season to the next. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect black leather jacket. This one I happened to find on the Rebecca Minkoff clearance sale. I loved the combination of fierce and feminine, black leather mixed with a beautiful floral pattern. I grabbed a pair of ray ban mirrored sunnies to add to the overall fierce but feminine vibe and began working on my next outfit combination. I added a black suede bag with the prettiest silver detail to finish off the first look in style.

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The second look is centered around a mauve tweed romper I found on Zara. As women have become more daring with fashion, shorts and rompers can be worn year round. This romper is the perfect combination for fall with a soft summery shade of mauve in a beautiful tweed fabric. When you combine tweed, pinky purple, and black chain detail, a more summery look automatically lends itself to fall. The beauty of fashion is the endless creativity. When the temperatures drop later in the year, I would add a skinny turtleneck or long sleeved tee and a pair of tights. I always have a collection of sunglasses on hand and grabbed a pair of black ones to anchor the fall theme. I decided to add a black patent handbag with a more modern feel. It was a great way to incorporate a bit more black into the look.

When it comes to fashion, there really aren’t any rules. Fashion is meant to be playful. Pretty much anything goes. When it comes to fall fashion, don’t hesitate to play around with things you have in your spring and summer wardrobe. What woman doesn’t love shades of pink and purple? A huge thank you to the Always Discreet team for the challenge and sponsoring this post, as there’s nothing more important than helping women to look and feel beautiful with confidence. As women, we owe it to ourselves to open up a dialogue and take the taboo away from this topic. Let’s give women permission to feel beautiful at any stage of their life. We have the power to bring beauty and sexy back to wearing bladder pads or anything else in life. Breaking taboo begins with us! I hope I’ve sparked some creativity in you. I invite you to join me in this conversation. Take a peek in your closet and join me in the Always Discreet Fall Fashion Challenge. How would you incorporate a beautiful shade of mauve into your fall wardrobe? Let me know you’ve posted a pic and be sure to use #alwaysdiscreetboutique and tell ‘em CGO sent you! Cheers, Beauties!

8 comments

Reply

Hi Catherine!. As a male I have to wear always discreet underwear too because I have weak pelvic muscles and then I have urinary leakage.
I need to keep an active lifestyle and with always discreet underwear I regained confidence.
I can go everywhere with no worries about having an accident.
As a male I have accepted to wear women’s protective panties.
I don’t wear men’s underwear anymore with always discreet underwear.

Reply

powerful beauty

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When I think of tall boots, I think of you! Absolutely gorgeous my friend, both inside and out. I’m grateful to Always for creating this product – it’s a problem so many of us have, so let’s feel pretty while we deal with it! I’m going to go see if I have any mauve in my closet so I can join you in this challenge!

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You should definitely try them sister…the boots! And, yes, you know how I love to tackle sensitive subjects and remove stigma!

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Wow! What a great post! I love pink and black, your combinations look ah-mazing! One of these days I’m going to try a pair of those taller boots! You look fantastic!

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Thank you for sharing and I sure hope you do. Maybe a Forever Fierce challenge???

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What a perfect venue Catherine. The wardrobes fit this so well and it’s about time we talked more and wear pretty always panties.

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Isn’t it time, sister, that we had this conversation? Goodness, we know our mothers and grandmothers weren’t given permission. Let’s give it to ourselves!

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