Stylish Dressing for the Mature Woman

A generation ago everyone knew the rules about what to wear at what age. Nowadays those rules have largely gone by the board, which is certainly liberating but can also be rather daunting given the scope for getting things wrong. No one wants to look frumpy but, equally, many of us are wary of looking like mutton dressed as lamb.

For sure, age is no bar to looking stylish and current. Dame Helen Mirren is a great example of a mature woman who dresses well. She more than holds her own against the younger actresses on the red carpet by choosing fitted dresses with lots of stretch that show off her bust and waist (her best points) but keeping the length demure (she has described herself as having “legs like Gazza”) and favouring some arm coverage. She’ll often add a maverick touch though, such as a leather biker jacket over a full-length gown which keeps her look youthful.

Looking good at any age is all about understanding how to dress your shape, which trends will work for you and which you’re best avoiding.

Here are my top tips:

1. If you wore it first time around (be it minis, playsuits or ponchos), think twice if it comes back into fashion. I’m not saying, don’t wear it,  just that you need to ask yourself whether it’s still a good look for you.

2. Keep clothing lines simple. Flounces and frills can look too girly on a mature woman; tailoring is much more chic.

3. Avoid pleats. A young woman in a pleated midi skirt can look stylish and a bit edgy, a middle-aged woman will probably just look frumpy.

4. Ditch sensible shoes. Young women can make skirts teamed with brogues work but unfortunately as we get older sensible shoes are very aging. Although comfort is important, shoes with clumpy rubber soles in particular risk looking orthopaedic and square toes are outdated. A low heel or wedge combines style and comfort and, for those who can’t tolerate even a low heel,  coloured ballet pumps or flat knee-high boots look good whether worn with jeans or skirts, whatever your age.

5. Mix things up. Don’t just go to the same safe shops you always go to. Be brave and try some of those you may consider to be aimed at younger women. Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins, H&M and Zara all have some lovely pieces that will work for you as well as your daughter. It’s all about how you put outfits together. So, for example, whereas your daughter might wear a crop top from Zara with skinnies, you could wear the same top layered over a longer tee shirt with straight cut NYDJ’s (Not Your Daughter’s Jeans).

5. Wear some colour. There’s a fine line between looking classic and boring. Drab washed-out neutrals worn top-to-toe can easily fall in to fuddy-duddy territory. The right colours can make you look younger and fresher, whilst the wrong ones (especially black!) can make you look older. If you had your colours done years ago, it may be time for a colour review. If you’ve never had them done, what are you waiting for? Find out what it’s all about here.

6. Matchy-matchy is dated. The classics amongst us may feel the urge to match our shoes to our handbag but, these days, there is a more relaxed approach to dressing and being overly co-ordinated is a tad aging. Rather than trying to match colours exactly, think about being a bit more creative and putting together colours that tone or contrast.

7. Leaving a little to the imagination is always more alluring than putting everything on display, whatever your age. As a rule, the more mature we are, the less flesh we should show. That certainly doesn’t mean we should cover ourselves from head to toe but we do need to be more choosy about what parts of our body we expose. Take a good look at yourself and determine what your best points are and show them off in an age-appropriate way. So, if you have good legs, by all means wear a shorter length skirt but team it with opaque tights and boots rather than bare legs and stilletos. If you follow the old adage of only showing cleavage or leg , you won’t go far wrong.

8. Make sure clothes fit. Baggy, shapeless clothes that hide your body will make you look wider and older, while clothes that are too tight will look tacky. Consider having clothing altered to get the perfect fit.

9. Get the foundations right.  A great outfit will always start with good underwear. Check that you aren’t showing any VPL (visible panty line) and and always, always get properly fitted for your bra – it makes such a difference to your shape.

10. Still worried about looking like mutton dressed as lamb? Relax! The very fact that you are wary of falling into this trap, is pretty much a guarantee that you won’t.