Don’t Dress Your Age

A popular fashion influencer that I follow recently did a post on dressing for your age. I don’t know about you, but this made me kind of bristle a little bit. So right here, and right now, I’m encouraging you. Don’t dress your age!

My reaction wasn’t too surprising, I guess. People who know me well, know that I really dislike being lumped into someone else’s idea of what’s appropriate. I especially don’t like people telling me I’m too old, or can’t do something. Oh, really?…Watch me!

Buy what you love

We all have our own style. Or maybe we have a lot of different styles. That fits me best, I think. My office style was very classic, with pencil skirts and fitted tops under a structured (not boxy) jacket. I rarely wore slacks to meetings or events. I liked to look professional and feminine, and always wore something that popped, such as shiny red pumps with a completely white outfit.

My casual style has never been very casual. I love pretty tops and accessories to dress up jeans or what I like to call my “dress shorts”. I tend to gravitate toward clothes with a boho vibe, and I really enjoy details like sparkle and fringe. These detail trims were what the blogger specifically said that women over 60 should avoid. She called them “costumey”.

Well, I’m not 60 quite yet, but I love having fun elements in my wardrobe and I don’t plan to stop wearing them just because some 30-something blogger says they’re inappropriate for someone my age.

Now that I’m home most of the time, I haven’t figured out what my new style is. We almost never leave the house. I’m wearing mostly shorts and tees, or bike shorts under long tank-top tunics. In the winter I wore mostly jeans and long-sleeved tops and tees. So I guess comfort is the new rule of thumb.

Wear what is flattering

It’s been said that women of a certain age shouldn’t wear short skirts. I totally disagree with this. I’ve seen women in their 20’s who shouldn’t wear a specific styles of short skirts. You are never the problem, it’s always the clothes. Instead, you should wear what flatters you. If your legs are a great feature, then wear short skirts. If your ankles are beautiful, then highlight them by wearing cropped pants. If you have beautiful shoulders, show them off. If your waist is the narrowest part of your torso, then by all means, wear a belt. Don’t buy in to age specific edicts.

I’m a tall woman and in my heels I’m at least 6 feet, depending on the heel height. So I’ve always felt like the jolly green giant, even next to most men. My personal style no-nos are puffy sleeved tops, and short flounced-hem skirts. Those look too juvenile on me, and I feel silly. But on someone thin and petite, those elements can look pretty and feminine. Instead, I choose pencil skirts, and wear them just above the knee. That’s what looks best on me.

Dress to your body type

If you must follow a certain guideline, I’d look for clothes that flatter your body type. Nordstrom Trunk Club has a great video showing you how to measure and determine your body type, and several outfit ideas to flatter your figure.

Each body type looks great in different styles. I look dumpy in blouson type tops, as an example. They are blousey in the middle and have snug bands at the hips that cover my narrowest part and showcase my widest. These styles are better for someone more apple, or goblet shaped.

Regardless of our age, we’d do better to choose styles that flatter our body types. Alterations can be your best friend. There is nothing more flattering than a garment seemingly made for you.

Choose colors to flatter your complexion

We all fall into three categories of skin tones. We’re either warm, cool, or neutral. There are some who break it down to 4 categories, but they still all play out to be warm, cool, or neutral. It is really is important to choose the right tone to flatter your complexion. Once I had a deep wintergreen sweater and pants set that I absolutely loved. I bought it for a party, and wore it for the entire season. But every time I wore it, someone would ask me if I felt OK. Had I been sick? They would comment that I looked tired.

Suddenly it clicked, and I realized it wasn’t the right color for my complexion, even though the style was very flattering. Most people can wear most colors, it will depend on the person’s undertone and the color shade. So wintergreen isn’t very flattering on me, but a more yellow olive green looks great on me. I have a warm complexion with golden yellowish undertones. Wintergreen is better on someone with a more cool toned complexion. InStyle Magazine has a great article, here, to help you determine your skin tone and best color choices.

The best advice – don’t dress your age!

To quote my favorite song from the musical, Kinky Boots, “Be Who You Want To Be”. It’s never a good idea to limit yourself based on some random idea of what looks good. Some women won’t wear sleeveless tops, or long hair after a certain age. In fact, my 88 year old grandmother wouldn’t wear sleeves shorter than the middle of her forearm because she didn’t like that her skin drooped. This is a personal preference that is based on her own feelings about her body. She didn’t impose her opinions on others, though. If your outfit makes you feel good, confident, and comfortable, then you should wear it, no matter what anybody else says. I plan on wearing tank tops well into my golden years…and maybe even fishnet stockings.

At this stage in my life, I’m pretty comfortable in my skin and I know what I like. I even wrote a piece about the relevance of women over 50, here. In it, I talk a little bit about image, and style is part of what brands you and your image. If you have style questions, drop me a line in the comments and I’m happy to help you out!