How to Dress in Your 40s, 50s & Beyond – Girls
I’ve hit my mid-40s and I’ve never looked or felt better; and it’s not because I’m trying to look like I’m 30. It’s because I take care of myself and try to continually personalise and update my style, so that it reflects who I am. I don’t want to look like I’m half my age. I just want to look great for my age—and I’m quietly confident that I do.
I’ve assembled some fashion dos and don’ts for these middle years. Consider them more like guidelines, intended to support you in creating a wardrobe that’s classy and unique. You want a style that shows your seasoned personality, instead of just defaulting to easy trends that might not work well with your changing body.
Want to age yourself instantly? Put on way too much makeup.
1. Too much makeup
Unfortunately, when older women wear too much makeup, you risk looking unattractive, harsh, or as if you’re playing a role. As you age, you’re unavoidably going to have fine lines and texture in your skin. But when you add heavy layers of makeup on top of those, they won’t hold makeup well at all. In fact, your fine lines will only be exaggerated.
You should particularly avoid the typical “too much makeup” look of heavy foundation, bright blue eyeshadow, dramatic blusher and deep red lipstick that bleeds and feathers out.
Less is more. Scale back on makeup like glitter and sparkles in your eyeshadow, since they’ll just get stuck in your creases. Choose matte shades instead—you’ll notice a huge difference.
2. Baggy and Oversized Clothes
Every few years, a new fashion trend surfaces that includes baggy clothes. We see celebrities and young women wearing baggy pants, oversized shirts, or large sweaters. You may even be tempted to wear them because you think they might hide extra weight or other age-related “imperfections”. However, instead of hiding all of these features, baggy clothes actually put emphasis on them.
What to wear instead: Wear clothes that fit you properly. You’ll be amazed at the difference. You won’t feel frumpy or afraid of being seen. You’ll feel proud of your style, your body, and your confidence.
3. Crop Tops and Hot Pants
Let’s be honest, these are hideous styles for teenagers and young women. You’ll see influencers and fashion bloggers effortlessly wear these styles. But be careful. As a woman over 40, remember that you can be sexy without revealing too much skin. Crop tops will age you dramatically, and hot pants revealing the ‘camel toe’ will not make you look young and hip. Even if you’re Kate Moss.
What to Wear: T-shirts and shorts are fine—just make sure they cover enough!
4. Heavy Earrings
You already know where I’m going with this. That’s right—time and gravity will eventually stretch your earlobes. It’s those older pieces that weigh so much and were not made with your long-term interests in mind!
5. Elastic Waistbands
Ladies, I know they’re comfortable, but they will age you instantly. If you absolutely love them and don’t want to give them up, that waistband must be hidden!
6. Fleece
Fleece zip-up sweaters are quick, easy or cosy and cheap items that we love to grab while we run out and get the food shop or take the dog for a walk. But what do they really say about you, your style, and your personality? Zero. I also don’t believe these fleece sweaters would flatter our bodies as we hit 80, let alone 40.
Mi-Soul Fashion
HOW TO DRESS WELL IN YOUR 40S AND 50S AND BEYOND – MEN
If you’re over 40 years old and want to dress better than most 20-somethings, this guide is for you.
The way you dress is frequently influenced by your lifestyle and what kind of work do you do? Do you follow a specific dress code on a daily basis?
It’s important to remember that being older doesn’t mean you have to dress a certain way.
If you’re older and want to wear “younger” clothing, that’s totally fine. But if you want to dress in a more traditionally “age appropriate” way, it’s actually much easier to suggest what NOT to wear. So here goes, with my “Not To Do” list:
- Distressed jeans (any kind of tears, fading or stains)
- Graphic tees
- Sandals
- Baseball caps worn backwards
- Clothes with large logos or obvious branding
- Very short shorts
- Singlets
- Overly trendy hairstyles
- Tight fitting clothes
- Baggy clothing
And always remember, LESS IS MORE
HOW TO LOOK YOUNGER
There are a few subtle things that you can do to add a youthful touch to your look – without being blatant about it.
#1: WEAR BLUE
First off, you can wear navy or blue instead of charcoal or grey. This especially applies to suits.
Blue is appropriate for any age, but it’s a decidedly younger colour than grey.
#2: ACCESSORIZE
Feel free to go wild with accessories. Get a trendy new pair of glasses. Add some funky ties and colourful socks to your collection (but avoid “novelty” socks). But of course, don’t over-accessorize.
#3: GROOM BETTER (OR DIFFERENT)
Been clean shaven for a while? Try the scruffy look. Had a beard for the past few years? Shave it all off!
And make sure to take care of your face. Use a great moisturiser with SPF and anti-aging cream. Trim those eyebrows, nostrils and ears.
#4: TRIM THE FAT
While clothing fit is extremely subject to trend, slimmer silhouettes have been in style for years and probably aren’t going anywhere, at least not anytime soon.
This is great because it’s a very flattering look on most guys, including men over 40.
So be sure to get your clothes tailored: shirts taken in, pants hemmed, sleeves shortened. Trim the fat out of your garments for a younger, leaner look.
