Real Women, Real Style Online

Some men and women are born with an amazing sense of style. I have one acquaintance who can wear piles of one-off scarves and bracelets adorned with crystals and skulls and pull it off (and he's a man!) Another friend looks effortlessly chic in a white shirt accessorized with an antique turquoise necklace.

Although I love to shop and read fashion magazines, I find examples of real-life style the most inspiring. And the internet is a great resource for seeing how real people pull themselves together, often making extraordinary outfits out of ordinary looks.

The problem with some of the sites focusing on street style is that they have a juvenile approach. Although it's cute that a 15-year-old wants to show pictures of her wardrobe to the world, that doesn't really help me much.

So sites and photographers that focus on grown-ups are a real find. My all-time favorite on-the-street reporter/photographer is Bill Cunningham of The New York Times. His reporting of what's happening on the streets of New York – whether its chronicling the rise of maxi skirts or noticing how many men and woman are wearing fedoras – makes him a legend in fashion. Although he shoots all ages, he's not afraid of mature women as well.

Another great resource for watching real style all over the world is The Sartorialist. What you'll love about The Sartorialist is that it's a glimpse at how the fashion world hunts for inspiration. While he doesn't just do grown-ups, he does have an appetite for fashion in all its forms, from the older rasta man to the preppy teenager. He seems to appreciate fashion at any age, so there's plenty of middle-age inspiration for men and women. There are five years' worth of updates on the site, so you'll have plenty to flip through.

Want to just look at pics of our age group in action? There is a site for street style just for our age on Fab Over Fifty. The women – all looking chic and amazing over 50 – are photographed on the streets of New York and interviewed about favorite pieces, labels they love, etc.

Finally, there is even a street style site for seniors called Advanced Style. Glorious pics of silver-haired men and women from around the world – many of them dressed to the nines – and looking like they still enjoy strutting their stuff on the street. Now that's fun to look at it!