Well the party season is here again and one thing I can guarantee you’ll see a lot of this year, along with little black dresses and seasonal red outfits, is metallics.
Personally, when it comes to wearing anything with a high shine, if you get it wrong you can look like you are wrapped in a piece of tin foil. I have always felt metallics to be bordering on very dangerous fashion territory. Especially when you are over 40 or 50.
If like me, you are a woman of a certain age and larger than a size 6, it may be a case of “just don’t go there”. That said, there is no reason to enjoy a bit of sparkle and shine when it comes to the holiday season, if you choose wisely.
Metallics for Winter 2011/2012
This winter season has seen the fashion world embrace everything from pink metallic skirts and jeans to gunmetal tops and bronze dresses. Add to the mix, metallic nail polish and shiny footwear and you get my drift. Designers such as Stella McCartney, Richard Nicholl and Moschino are rocking the metallic trend this year.
One particular fad is “bling jeans,” which are flying off the shelves in major high street chains such as Top Shop, La Redoute and Zara. However, the golden rule, if you don’t want to look like a foil-covered Christmas Turkey, is to think sheen rather than shine. Avoid head-to-toe metallics and keep things understated by mixing metallic jeans or a shiny skirt with a plain top and vice versa.
How to Look Stylish in Metallics
To keep you looking stylish in a shiny outfit then take on board the following fashion tips on how to wear metallics:
- Do not go for a top-to-toe look (unless you want to look like an Oscar statue). Don’t pair a metallic top and pants, or jacket and skirt together. For older women, less is more, and certainly chicer.
- When wearing a metallic dress make sure and keep all other accessories simple. Go for matt jewellery, shoes and handbag and keep your make up natural.
- When wearing a shiny piece such as a top or jacket, keep the rest of your outfit understated, e.g. a metallic top paired with some plain trousers, or metallic jeans with a simple white blouse or plain T-shirt.
- Stick to darker colors if you are 40+, which will give you a richer sheen. These include gunmetal, pewter, dark copper and bronze, which are more stylish for your age (and can also look stunning).
- Shiny metallics can be the enemy when it comes to showing up figure flaws, so stick to darker ones such as gunmetal gray for a more figure-flattering effect. Gunmetal gray can be particularly slimming, whilst lighter colors such as silver can have the opposite effect.
- Shiny pieces can be toned down by playing with texture. For example, team a metallic skirt or jeans with a plain knitted jumper or lacy top.
- A good way to embrace metallics it to liven up a plain outfit with a metallic bag, scarf or pair of shoes. Wearing a scarf with metallic threads close to your face will highlight your skin and make you look younger. The same applies with a knitted sweater that has metallic threads too.
- If you want to slim down your legs, then metallic gold or silver shoes will make them look longer and leaner than a black pair.
Personally, my foray into metallics so far this season has been to wear metallic gray and navy nail polish. Contrasted with an ageless and timeless outfit such as plain cashmere sweater and jeans, it makes me feel on-trend and sassy, without going over the top. Interestingly, it also garners a lot of attention!
However, if you want to put a bit of extra sparkle into Christmas this year then if you are the wrong side of 40, 50 or 60 and want to stay looking chic, then choose an outfit with a more subtle shine rather than dazzle other partygoers with too much bling. Dressing fashionably is not the prerogative of 20- or 30-somethings, even in metallics!
Sources:
- Power, Marianne. "How to wear metallics without looking like you are wrapped in tin foil", Daily Mail, December 15, 2011.
- Coleman, Claire. "How to wear metallics and not look like Uma", Daily Mail, April 21, 2011.
Gill Hart - Gill Hart is a fashion and image professional who specializes in women's fashion over 50.
