style secrets for women over 50

when i first started blogging almost six years ago, at the age of 56, the hot topic was style rules for over 50 women. there was much discussion of the “do’s and don’ts” of style for mature women. it seems we were deathly afraid of making a fashion faux pax when we turned 50 and were constantly reminded if we did. frankly, all the lists compiled by 30-something fashion editors telling women over 50 what not to wear make me cringe. anyone remotely connected with fashion knows that style is intensely personal no matter if we’re in our twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, and beyond. the style goal for any woman of any age should be how to look modern and fresh, not dated and stodgy. it’s time we focus on style secrets for women over 50, not what style rules we need to follow.

there’s no doubt the current fashion landscape can be confusing since we’re constantly being reminded to “look ten years younger” while at the same time we might very well be “mutton dressed as lamb,” and God forbid we’re “trying too hard.” personally, i’ve never wanted to look younger – i love being 62. what’s wrong with looking my age?  i’ve also seen plenty of lamb dressed as mutton, and i give credit to anyone anywhere who is out there trying, whether it’s too hard or not. it’s fashion, ladies, not neurosurgery. it’s okay if we make mistakes now and again. good heavens, i’m happy to still be making mistakes. they remind me i don’t know everything, and i never will. but mistakes should never keep us from experimenting or adjusting to our ever-changing bodies, skin, and hair. it’s high time to remove those negative fashion phrases from our vocabulary and focus on the positives of style that will help us look and feel our best. so today, i’m sharing style secrets for women over 50 – not style rules.

style secrets for women over 50

1. style secrets for women over 50. honor the event.

this one style secret has kept me in good stead for over 50 years. since i was a young girl, i dressed for the occasion. if i’m headed to a wedding, i want to honor the event. that’s when i pull out my pearls and my best dress and pay close attention to my makeup. on the flip side, if i’m going to a holiday party or attending a baseball game, i still honor the event. who doesn’t love to put on a festive holiday outfit? or slip into a pair of blue jeans if you’re seated in a stadium? and, yes, weddings, parties, and sporting events have been put on a temporary hold. but we all look forward to the day when we will have all three back in our lives.

2. style secrets for women over 50. show more, show less.

whenever i wear a shorter skirt, i adjust the height of my heel. the shorter the skirt, the lower my heel. it’s a simple style secret to show less of one body part when you’re showing more of another. if you wear an off the shoulder blouse or show more cleavage, then forgo that short skirt in favor of a midi-skirt or a pair of slacks. to be sexy, you need a bit of mystery. 

3. style secrets for women over 50. dress comfortably.

style is all about form and function. which simply means your outfit needs to feel as good as it looks. a skirt too tight or lingerie that pinches takes all the fun out of your day or evening. clothes have a way of transforming us from the outside in. while we want to have fun with style, our clothes need to fit beautifully, so we’re not tugging or pulling a blouse or skirt into place. that goes for shoes too. who wants to be on vacation (yes, we will travel again) with a pair of shoes that give us blisters? so remember to dress comfortably.

4. style secrets for women over 50. add trends judiciously.

of course, we want to stay modern, fresh, and relevant. but we should filter trends into our wardrobe judiciously. pay attention to current hairstyles, makeup, and skincare. nothing is more aging than an outdated haircut or makeup that’s stuck in the 1970s. and skincare has come a long way, baby! there are so many a-ma-zing products that help our skin look and feel its best.

let’s talk trends. do you love distressed jeans, wide-leg pants, or mom jeans? then go ahead and wear them. style doesn’t have an expiration date, ladies. there is no such thing as age-appropriate outfits. if a trend catches your eye, why not experiment? how about faux leather pants? if that’s your jam, then don’t worry what others think. and there’s nothing more comfortable and chic than wearing sneakers with a dress. style is always about personal preference. am i right?! platform sneakers might not be to your liking and vice versa. so go ahead and add trends judiciously, not blindly. because we need to stay abreast of what’s modern, fresh, and relevant, especially after the age of 50.

5. style secrets for women over 50. wear the right lingerie.

have you ever worn the wrong bra with a simple tee shirt? maybe it was a beautiful lace bra that looks amazing underneath a silk blouse but just isn’t quite right with form-fitting fabric? been there. done that. or how about a bodycon dress that showed every lump and bumps? well, there’s help, ladies. it’s all about wearing the right lingerie with the right outfit. nude or flesh tone bras and panties need to be worn underneath white. a tee-shirt bra should be worn underneath tees and tight-fitting sweaters. and Spanxx came to the rescue years ago with shapewear that helps conceal a myriad of figure flaws. if you’re interested, i have an entire blog post devoted to lingerie. 

Beth Djalali

is the Founder and CEO of Style at a Certain Age. She writes Sundays-Fridays on all topics ranging from fashion, health, wellness, home design and more.

She’s 65, 5’8, and size 8.

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