The Devil Wears … Hot Trends

You don't have to look like a "Gossip Girl" cast member to prove you know your fashion. Exhibit A, Anna Wintour. The 61-year-old not only knows the trends, most of the time she's the one who made them happen.

As Vogue's editor-in-chief, Wintour decides whose careers to make and whose to break. Which looks to trumpet and which to trash. So, it's no wonder she dons trends fresh out of the oven. Considering she oversees what many refer to as the "fashion bible," it should also come as no surprise that she executes each trend in age-appropriate, tasteful form. Let Wintour act as a style role model to any woman over 40 who wears her daughter's clothes to stay "hip." If your clothes look like a pathetic attempt to rewind the clock, the result will inevitably look more fashion-backward than fashion-forward.

The ensemble Wintour wore to Women's Wear Daily's 100th anniversary celebration is just one illustration of a woman over 50 looking her age -- in the best way possible. Let's start with the floral print dress. Never mind that florals are a "must-have" and the silhouette gives a nod to the "Mad Men" craze. We're more impressed with how comfortable she looks in it. The pockets act as the first indication, yes, but also the length. If your legs require cover up, then why reach for the makeup bag when you can just extend the hemline?

If arms are another area of concern, use it to your advantage. Wintour's long, fur-trimmed cardigan is the one piece of this ensemble that suggests her limo driver is just a finger snap away. A favorite target of PETA's, we suspect her fur is real. For those who read "The Devil Wears Prada," we also suspect she flung it across her assistant's desk earlier that day.

Her knee-high, pointed, black boots are yet another item sure to show up on the pages of any fashion magazine. Wintour keeps them age-appropriate by avoiding heels higher than the high horse she rode in on and avoiding loud embellishment. They have a fine way of saying "that's all."

If her outfit this far hasn't yet made a statement, then the fashion puppeteer's necklace certainly takes care of that. The statement piece frames her face, which, in this photo, boasts a rarely seen before smile. Someone in their 20s might prefer a piece with more exclamation points, but when you've got the fashion industry hanging on your every word, it's just not necessary. This is how you do the trends when you're old enough to have grandchildren doing the trends.

To copy Wintour's fashion-forward look, take a peek at the items we suggest.