Q. I have, pretty much, worn jeans every day since I was sixteen but now, as I’m about to turn 50, I’m beginning to think that my denim wearing days may be numbered. How old is too old to wear jeans?
A. One of the toughest challenges of middle age is striking the right balance. Dress too young and you look like you're trying too hard. Go too conservative, and you can wind up looking frumpy. Because the changes in the way you look occur gradually, it is
often difficult to know when to start reassessing your wardrobe.
But if you are nearing 50 chances are you need to make some changes and that may mean ditching the denim. By that, I mean getting rid of the ‘wrong’ kind of denim and this includes any distressed or faded jeans or any styles that are too dated- because these will instantly age you. Take a good hard look at your jeans and ask yourself if they are “Too young/ skinny/ unwearable?” and if the answer to any of these questions is "Yes", then get rid of them.
If you wear jeans, they need to fit well, which really means the area around the hips has neither to sag nor to be overly tight. The new high-waisted, wide legged styles are ideal if you have the height. Don't worry that you might have worn them in the seventies. Dark denim is more acceptable than light and, although I know many women who love their denim jacket almost more than their husband, to my mind denim is better worn on the lower half as you get older. Slim fit cigarette jeans are a stylish alternative to skinny styles and the bootcut jean will help balance your proportions if you have a wide bottom or large hips.
If you are carrying a little bit of extra weight, don’t worry, because here are plenty of jeans out there to flatter your curves. My favourites include Not Your Daughter's Jeans (From €100 at tummytuckjeans.uk.com). Another great brand is Glamour 24/7 Wizard Jeans (from €110, glamour247.com), as they stretch but keep their shape. Dignify your denim with a fitted jacket and heels or for a night out, pair jeans with a dressy top for a glamorous up to date look.
DENIM RULES
* TAKE YOUR TIME when you shop. Quality time in the fitting room - 45 minutes to an hour - pays off. Pick a store with lots of choice.
* SIT OR SQUAT while you're trying on jeans to make sure not too much bum cleavage is showing (and to gauge comfort level).
* THINK WARDROBE rather than one grubby pair you wear to death. Three to five jeans are the minimum: one or two for work or going out (dark, straight-legged denim looks most polished), one or two for weekends (with sneakers or flats), and one with extra give or stretch for "fat" days.
* PREVENT FADE-OUT by washing dark jeans inside out in cold water. Dry-clean your dress-up jeans (the ones you wear with heels) from time to time: It's pricey, but you'll look crisp and immaculate.
* BOTTOM Jeans without back pockets emphasize your bottom--flattering if your rear is flat. If yours isn't, go for back pockets that are large and angled. To try on: Levi's Nouveau Stretch 505's, a current take on the classic cut.
* CURVES to play up your pluses and minimize your minuses, go for a dark rinse, a little Lycra, and a slightly flared leg. To try on: Mavi Jeans "Marie," which has the perfect amount of stretch to smooth bulges while showing off your shape.
* THIGHS If yours are big, try jeans that are darker at the edges of the legs than at the centre, with a whiskered look (faded, whitish "crumple lines" in front)--which will create the illusion of thinner legs. To try on: Lucky Brand "Bootsie" or 7 for All Mankind's stretch boot-cut jeans.
* HIPS AND TUMMY If yours are prominent, a high waist isn't the answer - go for a medium-rise style in a fuller cut. To try on: Aura from Wrangler.
