There is no need to dress like your daughter in order to look current.
For the most part, it comes down to good fit and color, and having the sense to put away things that are no longer of service.
24. Wearing Clothes That Are Too Big Everywhere
One can feel secure in loose clothing but an excess of fabric has a way of making the body appear older and heavier. A baggy top over baggy pants leaves the eye with nothing to trace.
It is not a matter of wearing tight clothes so much as finding balance. Should the pants be on the relaxed side, a more put together top is in order. If the sweater is roomy, let the jeans or trousers have a cleaner line.
If the sweater is roomy, let the jeans or trousers have a cleaner line.
23. Keeping Dated Jeans Because They Still Fit
Jeans may suit your figure yet still date the ensemble. Very low rises, shiny stitching, heavy whiskering and small back pockets have a way of pulling the look back 15 years without you meaning to.
You do not have to follow every denim fad. Opt for a straight or slim-straight leg in a cleaner wash and stay clear of the kind of details that will have people thinking of a certain mall store from 2008.
Try a straight-leg, slim-straight, or relaxed trouser jean in a cleaner wash.
22. Hiding In All Black Every Day
Black is chic, but head to toe black on a daily basis can be harsh, particularly near the face when hair has turned silver or lighter. It also has a tendency to show lint and fading.
If you are fond of black, by all means keep it, but soften the effect. Put some ivory, camel, soft blue or a print in at the neckline. Even a little olive or denim near the face will make the whole thing less severe.
A small change at the neckline can make the whole outfit look less severe.
21. Wearing Tops That Stop At The Widest Part
Nice as the clothes may be, a top that cuts off at the hip’s widest point will render the outfit boxy and draw the eye where it is best left alone.
Alter the proportions with a front tuck, a shorter jacket or a curved hem and end the top just above or below that spot. There is no need to feel exposed to do it.
Try tops that end slightly above or below that point. A small front tuck, curved hem, or shorter jacket can change the proportions without making you feel exposed.
20. Saving The Good Clothes For A Day That Never Comes
Too often there is a closet of “good” garments and then the daily pile of the well worn. The stretched tees do the work while the finer pieces collect dust. Make a habit of wearing the better sweater to lunch or the earrings on a Tuesday.
If something is too precious for real life it is not of any use. Clothes should earn their place in the closet, much as one would expect in secret kitchen tips that actually work.
Wear the earrings on a Tuesday. If an item is too precious for real life, it may not be serving you.
19. Choosing Heavy Shoes With Every Outfit
Comfort is important but a pair of heavy shoes can undo an outfit in a hurry. A chunky black shoe with every pair of pants, especially those with a narrow or cropped hem, adds weight to the lower half.
A simple loafer, cushioned flat or ankle boot with a neater toe offers support without the appearance of a medical device. Seek out comfort in a cleaner shape.
Look for comfort shoes with a cleaner shape: simple loafers, low-profile sneakers, cushioned flats, or ankle boots with a neater toe.
18. Wearing The Same Cardigan Shape For Twenty Years
Cardigans are handy, yet the wrong one can age you before you are out of the bedroom. A long, limp cardigan hanging straight down will make what is under it look tired.
A knit jacket, structured soft blazer or a shorter cardigan will give you the same arm coverage and warmth with a far better shape. You would be surprised what a little structure can do.
Try a shorter cardigan, a knit jacket, or a structured soft blazer. You still get warmth and arm coverage, but the outfit has a cleaner shape.
17. Ignoring Bra Fit
More than a new top, the right bra will put an outfit in its place. When the band rides up or the cups give way, a shirt will not drape as it ought to.
Have yourself measured or test a few sizes. A better fit will smooth the back and lift the bust line, making an old top seem new. It is not exactly glamorous but it is effective.
Get measured or try several sizes in the same style. A better fit can lift the bust line, smooth the back, and make older tops look new again.
16. Wearing Tiny Prints That Read Old-Fashioned
Some tiny prints are quite pretty, though they have a habit of looking old-fashioned in a hurry. A blouse with small muddy florals, beige vines or any number of busy little patterns has a way of making the wearer seem older than she is.
There is no need to go for loud prints to avoid this; opt for a cleaner stripe, a more substantial floral, a simple geometric or a solid color with some texture. When in doubt, let the print be your guide: if it brings to mind a dusty guest room, you have your answer.
Try a cleaner stripe, a larger floral, a simple geometric, or a solid color with texture.
15. Letting Hemlines Hit Awkwardly
Hemlines are more important than one might think. A pant that is too long will puddle at the shoe, while one on the short side can render the entire ensemble looking like an afterthought. Put on the pants and the shoes you would actually put on with them.
You may find a half-inch is all that stands between a clean line and something sloppy. In refreshing one’s basics, it is worth adopting the same mindset as when packing for a trip with care, as in our carry-on essentials for long flights guide.
Try the pants with the shoes you actually wear. A half-inch can be the difference between clean and sloppy.
14. Wearing Old Work Clothes As Casual Clothes
By default, old office attire tends to become weekend wear. But in the wrong context it can feel stiff. Wearing a shiny blouse from a bygone job with sneakers and a grocery tote is not going to work.
Retain what still looks current but do not make your closet a museum to past roles. If you have been out of that office for years, there is no reason the outfit should come along for the ride.
Keep the pieces that still look current, but do not make your closet a museum of past roles.
13. Wearing Capris That Cut The Leg In A Strange Place
There is comfort in capris, yet so many of them end at the widest part of the calf, which has a tendency to shorten the leg and put a fine pair of sandals in a clunky light.
Ankle pants, a cropped straight jean or a longer short that hits cleanly are better options. The point is not to banish capris for good, but to pick a length that works with your proportions rather than against them.
Try ankle pants, cropped straight jeans, or a longer short that hits cleanly.
12. Forgetting That Glasses Are Part Of The Outfit
Glasses occupy the center of the face and therefore dictate the tone of an outfit. Frames that were a hit a decade ago can now drag the whole look back. One does not have to chase trends, but the frames should be in keeping with one’s face, hair color and present day wardrobe.
A change in hair calls for a change in glasses. Haircuts are no different, see easy haircuts that still look good without much styling for example.
Try frames with your current hair color and everyday clothes, not the face you had ten years ago.
11. Wearing Thin, Clingy Knits
Thin knits have a habit of clinging to every seam and bra strap, and they lose their shape in short order, aging the piece even if the color is sound. With tees and sweaters, seek out a bit more heft.
A cotton blend, ponte or a smoother jersey will skim instead of grab, and a ribbed knit can be very effective. Good fabric is usually more flattering than an involved cut.
Look for a little more weight in tees, sweaters, and knit tops. Cotton blends, ponte, ribbed knits, and smoother jersey can skim instead of grab.
10. Matching Everything Too Perfectly
Some women still adhere to the old rule of matching the belt, bag, shoes and jewelry, perhaps because fashion has since moved on. The result can appear overdone. Go for coordination.
Pair brown leather with denim and cream, or silver with gray sneakers. A navy bag and a striped top can coexist without needing to be the exact hue.
Coordinate instead of matching exactly; similar tones usually look fresher than copied shoes, bag, and belt.
9. Wearing Jackets That Are Too Long And Boxy
A boxy jacket of a certain length will do nothing for the torso or legs, and while it gives the impression of coverage it conceals the shape required to make an outfit work.
Look for something with a bit of shaping at the side seam and a jacket that hits at the high or mid hip, or just under the waist to suit the pants. It will put a newer spin on the same jeans.
Try a jacket that hits around the high hip, mid-hip, or just below the waist depending on the pants.
8. Wearing Colors That Drain Your Face
Even after sleeping well, the wrong shade close to the face can leave one looking fatigued. Beige, olive, black or white might suit one person and drain another. In the daylight, hold a color to your chin and study your face and not the garment.
Should you see dullness or shadows where there should be none, go for a warmer, softer or clearer version. It is not a matter of vanity, but of lighting.
If your skin looks dull or shadows jump out, try a warmer, softer, or clearer version.
7. Keeping Clothes From A Store Version Of Yourself
At times the problem is not with the piece of clothing itself but with the old version of you that is tied to it.
Be it a blouse from a go to department store, a jacket for a life you do not have any more or a dress that is just a little off in the fit.
Having such items can put a weight on the process of getting dressed. For a bit of retail nostalgia there is American department stores that quietly disappeared, but your closet has to be of service in the present day.
Keep only the pieces that suit your life now, even if the old store or old version of you feels familiar.
6. Wearing Scarves That Overwhelm The Outfit
A scarf brings softness and some colour. Yet if you put on an oversized one the same way each morning it begins to resemble armour, shortening the neck and concealing the neckline to the point where the ensemble seems too much.
Put on a lighter scarf, a small square or a necklace. If you are fond of them by all means keep your scarves, but let them complement the outfit rather than obscure it.
Try a lighter scarf, a smaller square, or a necklace instead. If you love scarves, keep them.
5. Wearing Travel Clothes As Everyday Clothes
There is no denying the utility of wrinkle free tops, zip pockets and stretchy travel pants when you are on the road. But in daily wear they give the impression you are perpetually en route to the airport. Combine those travel staples with ordinary pieces.
Put a proper sweater on with a wrinkle free pant or a fine jacket with a plain sneaker. The kind of editing you would apply to unexpected packing items for international trips is called for if you are a frequent traveller.
Save technical travel pieces for travel days, then use cleaner casual basics for everyday errands.
4. Ignoring The Shape Of Your Shoes
The shape of a shoe will age. A thick sole or a round toe that is out of date will only make newer garments seem so as well. One need not suffer in painful shoes.
Find something supportive with a cleaner line to the toe and less bulk, in a colour that suits the rest of your wardrobe. It is the quickest way to put a new face on an outfit.
Look for supportive pairs with a cleaner toe, less bulk, and colors that work with your closet.
3. Dressing Only To Hide
Wanting some coverage is understandable. But when an outfit is put together solely to put a shield over the arms or hips it becomes defensive, not flattering. Be selective: show shape in one place and let another area be skimmed.
A soft jacket with straight jeans does the trick, or a looser top with a clean ankle pant. You can be at ease and still look like you are there.
Choose one area to skim and one area to show shape. Maybe a soft jacket with straight jeans.
2. Forgetting Hair And Clothes Work Together
If the hair is at odds with the clothes the whole thing can seem dated. A modern cut paired with an old cardigan or a fresh shirt with a tired haircut leaves the look incomplete.
There is no call for a complete overhaul. Tackle one side of it. Should your hair be lacking volume, the suggestions in hairstyles that make thin hair look thicker after 50 will do your attire some good.
Check your hair and neckline together; a small haircut change can make simple clothes look more current.
1. Dressing By Old Rules Instead Of Your Real Life
You will make a mistake in your outfit if you follow rules that have outlived their usefulness. Whether it is the rule about white after Labor Day, matching bag and shoe, or wearing what is “slimming” come what may.
Once you pass 50 good style is not a matter of looking 30. You should look awake and like the person you are now. Let go of the things that do not work and put an end to old rules running your closet.
Keep what works, retire what does not, and stop letting old rules boss around your closet.
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