Instead of disappearing into a fashion wilderness, never to be seen again, it is time for older women to embrace a more elegant side of fashion and establish a signature style of their own.
Women like Dame Helen Mirren (the poster girl for grown-up girls), Sharon Stone, Michell Pfieffer and Joanna Lumley prove that it is possible to become more glamorous with age. It is all down to clever age-appropriate dressing and wearing pieces that flatter the body shape.
What to Wear in Your 50s
Whilst there are still many fripperies of youth that can be got away with by a woman in her 40s, her 50s is a time for reassessing her wardrobe. It’s time to bid farewell to mini dresses, shorter-than-short shorts, jumpsuits and cropped leggings in favor of staple items such as a good quality well-cut pair of jeans or pants, a simple shift dress, and hemlines which finish on-the-knee rather than high above them.
In her book Style Clinic (Harper Collins 2009), Paula Reed suggests letting one key fashion trend be the focus of a look, rather than embrace many. A shirt or dress in the shape-of-the-season or a hip handbag will look stylish without trying too hard to still be trendy.
The ratio of investment pieces hanging in the wardrobe should be around 70:30, with around 30% representing the look-of-the-moment. Instead, use on-trend accessories such as a fashionable belt, a scarf in a season-appropriate print .
What to Wear in Your 60s
Now is the time to opt for more classic pieces in simple but well-cut styles rather than go for fussy clothing. Frills and fussy lines are instantly aging, whereas clean cuts look chic and stylish the more a woman gets older. Stay away from prim suits, ditsy florals and country flowers and go for bold graphic or geometric prints.
This is the time when a woman can carry off strong colors such as purples, reds and blues in hues that flatter her skintone. Color Me Younger (Hamlyn 2008) by the Color Me Beautiful team is one of the best style guides for understanding how to achieve a youthful radiance in your 50s and 60s.
Go for pieces which disguise problem areas, such as a three-quarter sleeve to disguise flabby arms. Heavy denier opaque tights can make legs look slim and shapely, and opt for a V-neck or scoop neckline to flatter that décolletage.
Keep the figure in proportion by following the top and bottom rule. A mature woman can get away with baring skin on one or the other, but not both. When wearing a dress with a short hemline then arms should be covered. Conversely, if cleavage is on show then the dress length should be longer.
What to Wear in Your 70s
Previous fashion guidelines still apply but rely on color to give that extra oomph. Stick to simple stylish pieces in well-cut heavy textured fabrics. Strong colors like purple really flatter the older woman, or go tonal by layering an outfit in the same color family, such as different hues of gray or blue.
Classic wardrobe staples like black pants, a well-cut shirt and a fitted jacket will look stylish jazzed up with some on-trend pieces. Avoid high-fashion cuts like huge shoulders and peplum waists. Keep lines simple by wearing pieces that are cut to flatter the figure. Instead use color and print to make a style statement, along with some fabulous fashion accessories.
Stay away from bows and ruffles and also shapeless outfits. Gentle draping however, is elegant, on-trend and covers a multitude of sins.
The Mature Woman's Uniform
Tweed suits, twinsets, pearls and sensible shoes are no longer the uniform of the mature women. These days fashion rules for the older woman are more likely to be set by her figure and not by her age.
Gill Hart - Gill Hart is a fashion and image professional who specializes in women's fashion over 50.
