OK, so you’ve graduated to middle age with honours. Apart from the obvious congratulations, it generally means you don’t have to suffer for fashion any more.
Reaching the half-century mark is no longer the matronly death knell of fashionability. You can be in your 40s, 50s and beyond and still look modern and cool, but there are some things a women past a certain age should not wear — think silly graphic T-shirts, cropped tops and mini skirts among others.
The secret from going drab to fab looking relevant without being trendy, comfy without being lazy and sexy without being overt, only comes with experience and age. And simplicity is key: a clean, lean silhouette with modern sharp lines is timeless and ageless.
Here are six fashion habits that age you, and simple ways to fix them. Remember, great style is truly ageless.
HOW TO BREAK THE FASHION HABITS THAT AGE YOU
1: YOU’RE STUCK IN A STYLE RUT
Unfortunately, style doesn’t come with a use-by date (a time — or an age — to ditch your old clothes and invest in new pieces). Instead, sadly, many women (and men) continue to wear the same old pieces — for years! If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Right?
Wrong. Without the occasional refresh of clothes (and hair and makeup), you can end up looking dated and older than you really are.
Stop relying on the same trusty old pieces and update them with more modern versions that fit well. Ditch the drab boxy old double-breasted jacket for a fab fitted slimline single-breasted version; change the mumsy leggings and easy-to-wear fleece for a boyfriend shirt and classic fitted jeans; swap out square-toed pumps for kitten heels or white sneakers; and the longline cardigan for a khaki army jacket.
You’ll not only appear more youthful and on-trend, but you’ll probably enjoy getting dressed every morning when you have more modern pieces that fit.
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2: YOU’RE STUCK IN A BEAUTY RUT
As we age, our skin tone and hair colour lighten, and our eyebrows gradually thin. So if you haven’t changed your hairstyle and makeup since college, it’s time for a change.
Consult a good hairdresser and try a style that’s more modern and manageable. Visit your local beauty counter and embrace new colours and products better suited to your skin now — not when you were 20!
Super-thin eyebrows are also harsh and ageing, but makeup really helps. Experiment with brown pencils or powders. If your eyebrows are starting to go grey or getting lighter with age, get your lashes and brows tinted. Alternatively, consult a brow specialist and explore whether a feather touch eyebrow tattoo is more your speed.
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3: YOU WEAR RETRO OR VINTAGE PIECES LIKE IT’S STILL 1985
We all know that fashion is cyclical. But the second time around is never quite the same as the first incarnation.
However, it’s not so much about what you wear but how you wear it.
Just because your vintage bomber jacket is circa 1985 doesn’t mean you have to dress like you’ve taken the DeLorean back to 1985. You’ll look like you’re in costume and older than really you are. Instead, style the bomber with modern staples such as a pleated metallic skirt and loafers or block-heeled ankle boots.
Found a fabulous vintage floral full skirt? Wear it with a cropped leather jacket, a T-shirt, and white sneakers. Or team a vintage pussybow blouse with cropped jeans and slides. Making fashion that can mix and match outfits can create great styles. Here are some tips that you can read in Lifestyle to the Max.
Putting a modern spin on retro pieces will not only give you a more contemporary look, but you’ll also stand out from the crowd. Win-win!
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4: YOU DRESS TOO YOUNG, TOO TRENDY OR TOO SEXY
Turning 50 doesn’t mean you can’t be sexy, but it also doesn’t give you a licence to dress how you used to!
There are certain style choices you should leave behind because you’ll look like you’re trying too hard.
Your signature short-sleeveless, low-cut dresses were fine in your 20s. Now in your 50s, you need to tone it down — make your outfit chicer and age-appropriate as opposed to flashy and trashy. Instead opt for a long-sleeved mini-dress with heels (if you have great legs), tight jeans and a gorgeous silk blouse (rather than a tight cropped T-shirt), or a figure-sculpting one-piece rather than a bikini.
Sexy equals subtle and strong — remember a stylish woman knows to leave something to the imagination!
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5: YOU FORGOT ABOUT FIT
Fit is the key to everything!
If you don’t care about the fit of your clothes, you run the risk of looking older. Ill-fitting clothes look like you’re trying to hide your body, which looks conservative and makes you look frumpy and older.
Instead, a clean lean silhouette with modern sharp lines is timeless and ageless. Think a properly fitted bra (when your bustline falls lower, you get a short-waisted, matronly effect and clothes don’t fit properly), a fitted dress with a nipped-in waist and a hemline that sits just on or below the knee, a jacket that fits you in the shoulders and skims your body, or a pair of slim-fitting jeans that hit your ankle will show your figure in a way that’s both stylish and youthful.
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6: YOUR GLASSES ARE SO LAST YEAR
The style and shape of your glasses are just as susceptible to fashion trends, just as seasonal embellishments and detailing can date your clothes and accessories.
Take a risk and try something you wouldn’t normally wear; see what a difference it makes.
But frames and lenses can get really expensive (especially if you’ve graduated to wearing bi- or multi-focals as I have and need both optical glasses and sunglasses). So updating them every year is not always an option. Alternatively, opt for transition lenses instead. And if you only need cheap’n’cheerful readers from the pharmacy, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how they are getting a lot trendier.
Know someone who’s stuck in a style rut? Found it difficult to let go of certain pieces in your wardrobe? Or still wearing your trusty old favourites for the past 20 years? Would love to hear from you. A problem shared is a problem halved. Ever stylishly yours …
*Picture: Pinterest
