Dressing Young When You're Getting Older

Anonymous
I am turning 42 soon. I have always like to dress in slightly trendy clothes. I will sometimes wear skinny jeans with flats and a long sweater with a belt. I like to also wear wide-leg pants. I wear cashmere sweater-hoodies too. I like wearing cargo pants from BCBG. I like to get my clothes from Bluefly.com or Anthropologie. And sometimes I can find a thing or two in the Misses section of Nordstrom. But I don't shop at Forever 21 or Abercrombie or any place that markets to young 20's. I'm about 5'5" and 112 lbs so my body can pull it off. People are shocked when they find out my age and tell me I look about 10 years younger. But why do I still feel like I'm crossing the line with my trendy clothing? I wonder why women need to start wearing all LLBean as soon as they turn 40 (not to say I don't like LLBean for some items). I saw a TV show on Valerie Phlame, that ex-CIA agent who was Joe Wilson's wife- and she is 46 years old. She was wearing tight jeans and a trendy belt. She looked gorgeous and not a day older than 35. So clearly some older women do dress trendy. But is it socially acceptable?
Anonymous


I'm also about to turn 42 and I'm nowhere NEAR 112 pounds! Hahahah! Maybe when I was 10. But anyway, people constantly tell me I look 10 years younger as well. I think it has to do with dressing to flatter your body, honestly. There is such a wide variety in fashion these days, as long as you aren't showing too much skin or wearing anything super-tight, it should be fairly age-appropriate. For example, I wore the low-rise jeans a lot a few years ago, but with long shirts, so there was no belly showing. I can't wear cute little cap-sleeved shirts though, my upper arms simply would not allow. So I pick and choose.

That, and having an up-to-date hair style and make-up. Nothing dates a woman like last decade's do.

So wear the trends, have fun.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I am turning 42 soon. I have always like to dress in slightly trendy clothes. I will sometimes wear skinny jeans with flats and a long sweater with a belt. I like to also wear wide-leg pants. I wear cashmere sweater-hoodies too. I like wearing cargo pants from BCBG. I like to get my clothes from Bluefly.com or Anthropologie. And sometimes I can find a thing or two in the Misses section of Nordstrom. But I don't shop at Forever 21 or Abercrombie or any place that markets to young 20's. I'm about 5'5" and 112 lbs so my body can pull it off. People are shocked when they find out my age and tell me I look about 10 years younger. But why do I still feel like I'm crossing the line with my trendy clothing? I wonder why women need to start wearing all LLBean as soon as they turn 40 (not to say I don't like LLBean for some items). I saw a TV show on Valerie Phlame, that ex-CIA agent who was Joe Wilson's wife- and she is 46 years old. She was wearing tight jeans and a trendy belt. She looked gorgeous and not a day older than 35. So clearly some older women do dress trendy. But is it socially acceptable?


I think of thin women wearing plain [no decals, embroidery type stuff] skinny jeans with a long sweater and conservative belt a CLASSIC NOT TRENDY. Like a nice Juicy hoody and pants without the writing on the but, back, or front. Have to be thin or gently curved and go up a size so you don't look competitive with the teens and twenty somethings.

At 5'5" and 112 you are better able to carry off the look than many teens --- mine is shorter and weighs less. Stay away from layered camis and wife beaters under open or button front sweaters . Also keep away from minis with tights . You are not crossing a line. Enjoy your clothes. There is no reason why you can't buy some stuff at Amercrombie or Ruhle or even Hollister. The jeans are well made at A and I as the main family launderer have thrown in the wash and dryer even sweaters [cotton cashmere blends] that held up wonderfully after multiple washings.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am turning 42 soon. I have always like to dress in slightly trendy clothes. I will sometimes wear skinny jeans with flats and a long sweater with a belt. I like to also wear wide-leg pants. I wear cashmere sweater-hoodies too. I like wearing cargo pants from BCBG. I like to get my clothes from Bluefly.com or Anthropologie. And sometimes I can find a thing or two in the Misses section of Nordstrom. But I don't shop at Forever 21 or Abercrombie or any place that markets to young 20's. I'm about 5'5" and 112 lbs so my body can pull it off. People are shocked when they find out my age and tell me I look about 10 years younger. But why do I still feel like I'm crossing the line with my trendy clothing? I wonder why women need to start wearing all LLBean as soon as they turn 40 (not to say I don't like LLBean for some items). I saw a TV show on Valerie Phlame, that ex-CIA agent who was Joe Wilson's wife- and she is 46 years old. She was wearing tight jeans and a trendy belt. She looked gorgeous and not a day older than 35. So clearly some older women do dress trendy. But is it socially acceptable?


I think of thin women wearing plain [no decals, embroidery type stuff] skinny jeans with a long sweater and conservative belt a CLASSIC NOT TRENDY. Like a nice Juicy hoody and pants without the writing on the but, back, or front. Have to be thin or gently curved and go up a size so you don't look competitive with the teens and twenty somethings.

At 5'5" and 112 you are better able to carry off the look than many teens --- mine is shorter and weighs less. Stay away from layered camis and wife beaters under open or button front sweaters . Also keep away from minis with tights . You are not crossing a line. Enjoy your clothes. There is no reason why you can't buy some stuff at Amercrombie or Ruhle or even Hollister. The jeans are well made at A and I as the main family launderer have thrown in the wash and dryer even sweaters [cotton cashmere blends] that held up wonderfully after multiple washings.


Why stay away from minis with tights? I am 41 and wear minis with tights regularly. If I may say so myself, I have nice legs, and the look is flattering to me. I don't see anything inappropriate about that type of look.



Anonymous
With your body, you can get away with it.

People like me switched to more conservative clothing for two reasons: weight gain / body changes from pregnancies make the trendy looks pretty gruesome, and I am stuck in the decade in which I grew up, making it difficult to embrace newer looks.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am turning 42 soon. I have always like to dress in slightly trendy clothes. I will sometimes wear skinny jeans with flats and a long sweater with a belt. I like to also wear wide-leg pants. I wear cashmere sweater-hoodies too. I like wearing cargo pants from BCBG. I like to get my clothes from Bluefly.com or Anthropologie. And sometimes I can find a thing or two in the Misses section of Nordstrom. But I don't shop at Forever 21 or Abercrombie or any place that markets to young 20's. I'm about 5'5" and 112 lbs so my body can pull it off. People are shocked when they find out my age and tell me I look about 10 years younger. But why do I still feel like I'm crossing the line with my trendy clothing? I wonder why women need to start wearing all LLBean as soon as they turn 40 (not to say I don't like LLBean for some items). I saw a TV show on Valerie Phlame, that ex-CIA agent who was Joe Wilson's wife- and she is 46 years old. She was wearing tight jeans and a trendy belt. She looked gorgeous and not a day older than 35. So clearly some older women do dress trendy. But is it socially acceptable?


I think of thin women wearing plain [no decals, embroidery type stuff] skinny jeans with a long sweater and conservative belt a CLASSIC NOT TRENDY. Like a nice Juicy hoody and pants without the writing on the but, back, or front. Have to be thin or gently curved and go up a size so you don't look competitive with the teens and twenty somethings.

At 5'5" and 112 you are better able to carry off the look than many teens --- mine is shorter and weighs less. Stay away from layered camis and wife beaters under open or button front sweaters . Also keep away from minis with tights . You are not crossing a line. Enjoy your clothes. There is no reason why you can't buy some stuff at Amercrombie or Ruhle or even Hollister. The jeans are well made at A and I as the main family launderer have thrown in the wash and dryer even sweaters [cotton cashmere blends] that held up wonderfully after multiple washings.


Why stay away from minis with tights? I am 41 and wear minis with tights regularly. If I may say so myself, I have nice legs, and the look is flattering to me. I don't see anything inappropriate about that type of look.





PP here. There are several variations on the tights and minis. Depends on how mini, the skirt fabric, and type of tights. Not Abercrombie minis - sorry it's not appropriate. Very short and low cut. J Crew minis re usually OK .
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am turning 42 soon. I have always like to dress in slightly trendy clothes. I will sometimes wear skinny jeans with flats and a long sweater with a belt. I like to also wear wide-leg pants. I wear cashmere sweater-hoodies too. I like wearing cargo pants from BCBG. I like to get my clothes from Bluefly.com or Anthropologie. And sometimes I can find a thing or two in the Misses section of Nordstrom. But I don't shop at Forever 21 or Abercrombie or any place that markets to young 20's. I'm about 5'5" and 112 lbs so my body can pull it off. People are shocked when they find out my age and tell me I look about 10 years younger. But why do I still feel like I'm crossing the line with my trendy clothing? I wonder why women need to start wearing all LLBean as soon as they turn 40 (not to say I don't like LLBean for some items). I saw a TV show on Valerie Phlame, that ex-CIA agent who was Joe Wilson's wife- and she is 46 years old. She was wearing tight jeans and a trendy belt. She looked gorgeous and not a day older than 35. So clearly some older women do dress trendy. But is it socially acceptable?


I think of thin women wearing plain [no decals, embroidery type stuff] skinny jeans with a long sweater and conservative belt a CLASSIC NOT TRENDY. Like a nice Juicy hoody and pants without the writing on the but, back, or front. Have to be thin or gently curved and go up a size so you don't look competitive with the teens and twenty somethings.

At 5'5" and 112 you are better able to carry off the look than many teens --- mine is shorter and weighs less. Stay away from layered camis and wife beaters under open or button front sweaters . Also keep away from minis with tights . You are not crossing a line. Enjoy your clothes. There is no reason why you can't buy some stuff at Amercrombie or Ruhle or even Hollister. The jeans are well made at A and I as the main family launderer have thrown in the wash and dryer even sweaters [cotton cashmere blends] that held up wonderfully after multiple washings.


Why stay away from minis with tights? I am 41 and wear minis with tights regularly. If I may say so myself, I have nice legs, and the look is flattering to me. I don't see anything inappropriate about that type of look.





PP here. There are several variations on the tights and minis. Depends on how mini, the skirt fabric, and type of tights. Not Abercrombie minis - sorry it's not appropriate. Very short and low cut. J Crew minis re usually OK .


I am the PP who wears minis with tights. The ones I wear are indeed J. Crew ones and not the Abercrombie-type ones. But if I were a different sort of personality and figure, I might wear the shorter ones, and I wouldn't think it was inappropriate. Just my opinion; it doesn't bother me if others disagree. It's a free country, and thank goodness people can wear what they want.

Anonymous
Yes, I saw an olllllder woman (I think 60+?) who was still wearing mini skirts and tank tops. Friends turned her in for a rescue by the makeover police on Oprah.

Turns out, minis were okay for her but in dark colors and the key to it all was OPAQUE tights and long sleeve close fitting sweaters. The woman looked terrific in a black ensemble. A silhouette of her body looked very nice. Seeing bare skin, or translucent stockings... not so nice.
Anonymous
I agree with Stacy London on mini-skirts:

http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/whatnottowear/quiz/video6.html
Anonymous
I don't mind minis on older women if they can rock it....just don't wear one when its 20 degrees...that doesn't look right no matter how old you are.
Anonymous
For me, the issue comes down to dignity - or the lack thereof.

For instance, when it comes to revealing skin, less is more. The idea that (low cut shirts + midriff and back showing + short shorts or mini-skirts + dangly earrings and too much make-up) = sexy, is just so wrong at so many levels.

When you have confidence in yourself as a sexual being, you don't need to dress in ways that overtly "advertise" (for lack of a better word) sexuality. That's the mistake I see a lot of women make.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:For me, the issue comes down to dignity - or the lack thereof.

For instance, when it comes to revealing skin, less is more. The idea that (low cut shirts + midriff and back showing + short shorts or mini-skirts + dangly earrings and too much make-up) = sexy, is just so wrong at so many levels.

When you have confidence in yourself as a sexual being, you don't need to dress in ways that overtly "advertise" (for lack of a better word) sexuality. That's the mistake I see a lot of women make.


Agree with this in general, but minis with opaque tights aren't revealing.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:For me, the issue comes down to dignity - or the lack thereof.

For instance, when it comes to revealing skin, less is more. The idea that (low cut shirts + midriff and back showing + short shorts or mini-skirts + dangly earrings and too much make-up) = sexy, is just so wrong at so many levels.

When you have confidence in yourself as a sexual being, you don't need to dress in ways that overtly "advertise" (for lack of a better word) sexuality. That's the mistake I see a lot of women make.


Agree, agree, agree! They look like sluts.
Anonymous
I am 50 and my best friend, who is 30, will not allow me to dress dowdy. I don't tend toward trendy clothes, but there is a big area between dowdy and trendy and you just need to find what flatters you. I don't bare my midriff or the backs of my upper arms, but I do like to wear clothes that show my figure, especially with her encouragement.
Anonymous
I am 50 and my best friend, who is 30, will not allow me to dress dowdy. I don't tend toward trendy clothes, but there is a big area between dowdy and trendy and you just need to find what flatters you. I don't bare my midriff or the backs of my upper arms, but I do like to wear clothes that show my figure, especially with her encouragement.
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