I'm over 50 and very petite, and patterns have to be very subtle and small scale or they look silly on me. I think it really depends on your size and shape.

Anonymous wrote:I had to look up the brand you mentioned. They have some nice stuff!
You mean a dress like this? I don't think it would have an age limit
https://oliphantdesign.com/products/1140stealmerritt

NP I think that's hideous. Doesn't even look good on the model.

Anonymous wrote:I had to look up the brand you mentioned. They have some nice stuff!
You mean a dress like this? I don't think it would have an age limit
https://oliphantdesign.com/products/1140stealmerritt

Yes similar. I may be overthinking!

No. You’ll look like a piñata

I had to look up the brand you mentioned. They have some nice stuff!
You mean a dress like this? I don't think it would have an age limit
https://oliphantdesign.com/products/1140stealmerritt

I think it’s fine unless by sundress you mean the more juvenile styles with smocking, tie strings, super shapeless, etc. I think it’s more about the style and fit than the pattern. I’m 51 and have a jersey sundress with pockets in a bright pattern. It’s fun to wear to things like kids soccer games, the farmers market, etc. I’ve worn it to casual dinner with a Jean jacket. I also have a black sundress from athleta that I like for casual summer stuff.

I think they are great! Wear what makes you feel happy as others have said.

Anonymous wrote:Wear the patterns of they make you happy. At your age, you should know life is too short to GAF

Yes. Embrace this thinking.

I love patterned dresses because they’re more forgiving when I inevitably spill pasta sauce on them.

i find they often look cheap or ill-fitting. I have a great liberty dress from j.crew. But I'm not quite 50 yet.

I think you should wear what you want. If you don’t like them anymore, don’t wear them.

I am over 50 and I would not want to wear them, but I would not judge anyone who did.

As I get older, while I still love color, I do like to keep things simpler and less fussy. I also think black can be very elegant looking. I used to love to wear ruffles and frills but now I’m careful about it because too much, or the wrong kind, just feel messy on me.

I do not have brands to recommend, unfortunately.

I think it depends on where you live as well. I’m in Charleston and there’s no way ladies here are parting with patterns simply because of their age.

But I get that you are in DC. I’d check out Sezane Harper dress. That French brand might have the aesthetic you are going for.

Wear the patterns of they make you happy. At your age, you should know life is too short to GAF

Depends on the person. It suits some people's style, others no. I don't think age is a factor as long as the dress is flattering.

If you are going more streamlined and modern, you might look at Cos, Rag & Bone, Modern Citizen, Marcella NYC. Maybe All Saints if you like a more casual look. Depends on how feminine you want things to be. When you are wearing simpler shapes and fewer patterns and colors, you either lean into a more androgynous look or you need to look for structural details that are more feminine (I think Modern Citizen does this well).

I’m trying to go for a more elegant streamlined aesthetic. I have a ridiculous number of patterned long sundresses (for example, by Oliphant, no Lily) and am thinking it may be time to part with most if not all of them. I’m 53, tall, relatively slender if that matters for the feedback.

And if you have modern, elegant but casual (could wear to dinner) dress brands you’d recommend I would love to have some ideas. I have a few solid Staud dresses I like