Fashion for mature women
We all change with time. It can feel like you wake up one morning and suddenly you don’t recognize yourself, but the fact is that the change has been slow but constant. We may feel like 30 in our mind, but when the birthday approaches, you realize that there are 60 candles on the cake instead of 30!
Older women often ask me how to think about fashion for mature women – they say they no longer feel at home in their old style. They think they don’t fit in the same colors as before and the old clothes don’t fit as they used to. They don’t want to dress like their 30-year-old daughter and they’re terrified of dressing like a grandma – just because you’re a grandma doesn’t mean you have to dress like one, right? ;)
And what defines an “aunty style”? Is it the pattern, cut, length or color that makes a garment “aunty”? Or is it old memories you have in your memory, of how aunts dressed in the past when you were younger? Are you an auntie only when you have a knot in your neck, an apron and a huckle tied under your chin?
I think it is the person itself who posts the pictures of what an aunt looks like in his head. If you ask teenagers, they might say that 40-year-olds dress sloppy, but a 60-year-old might associate the word sloppy with something completely different. Someone sees brown cardigans, brownish floral patterns, slippers and a hat, while another sees someone tinkering at home with baking, gardening and needlework. A third may see a grandmother playing with her grandchildren in front of her. Some argue that old-fashioned style means a mature style with classic, high-quality clothes and that you may avoid fast trends. Certainly, there are also cult differences in how the word “aunt” is defined. Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes it is also in time to dress “aunty”, regardless of age. What really matters is HOW YOU WEAR the garment, how it reflects your PERSONALITY and how you STYLE the entire outfit.
Personally, I think that many women are afraid of becoming “aunts”. When the body, one’s own colors and posture change, the old wardrobe no longer feels quite right and in the attempt not to dress like one’s children one backs off and takes the safe for the unsafe. You may also take a few steps back when you don’t know what to do after working life, and here you need to be careful! I think that it is very important to make sure that you constantly fill your everyday life with meaning, otherwise you stop progressing, and life can feel boring and meaningless.
Back to clothes and style – below I have collected my best tips for how you can think about aging and clothes. And as I always say – beauty comes from the inside, but if you have a bad day, clothes can help the machinery to start, and suddenly the day feels a little more fun ;)
My top tips for aging with style:
☑︎ Dare to use colors and patterns. If you don’t want to use bold colors in your clothes, try popping with an accessory in a standout color. Here below you see an example. The patterned dress on the left has been bravely combined with purple leggings, while the example on the right shows how an accent color can give an outfit a little something extra. Play with a colorful bottom under a long top and a colorful top that stands out under a shorter blouse.
☑︎ Feel confident in yourself – there is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman. Aging is natural, and wrinkles show experience!
Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 & Picture 4 on Unsplash.
☑︎ Dress practical. In fact, there are also clothes for older women that are both comfortable and stylish. Feel free to choose clothes that can be used for several different occasions, both for everyday life and parties. A set of basic clothes that you can style with most things will go a long way. If you feel comfortable in leggings, use longer blouses and tops. Warming cardigans and ponchos and scarves are good for enhancing the shoulder line.
☑︎ You can certainly dress in jeans and shorts, if you feel comfortable. Do short shorts feel too short? Try thick tights or leggings underneath.
☑︎ Your best assets from the past are still your best assets today. I have always liked my feet, my hair and my smile.
☑︎ Wear the colors you like – they bring out your smile. And a smile makes you look younger. Your own colors tend to fade over time, so test how you feel in lighter colors! There may be lots of undiscovered colors that suit you really well :) Read my blog post about colors.
☑︎ It’s perfectly okay to have some wrinkles and you don’t have to cut your hair short. What I think is most important is that the hair is neatly cut – then I choose the hairstyle I think looks good.
☑︎ Spice up your outfit with something surprising or eye-catching. I usually make sure to always wear earrings, the more discreet the outfit, the bigger the earrings!
☑︎ Comfortable and fine shoes are a must when you get to my age. I stopped forcing my feet into uncomfortable shoes a long time ago. Our feet carry us through our lives and they deserve comfortable shoes. I always invest in nice shoes that are a little tough! Solid soles, preferably with some nice detail.
☑︎ Don’t forget who you are, and try to use the clothes as an extension of your personality! If you’re feeling lost, take inspiration from women you look up to and whose style you like! Style icons are a good tool to use when you feel lost in the clothing jungle.
Fashion for elderly ladies doesn’t have to be so complicated. With age, you have most likely learned to know yourself, you know who you have become even though your body has changed. Maybe you finally have more time for yourself and can explore clothes and styling.
What do you think about clothes, style and aging?
Hugs, Marie