Q. I’m finding myself a bit lost these days as regards what to wear. Now that I’ve turned 40, I want to dress for my age but I am afraid I look like mutton dressed as lamb. How can dress in a stylish and youthful way - without looking like I borrowed my teenager’s clothes!
A. There's an experience common to women over 40, and it goes something like this: One day you're shopping. You try on the latest style, take a look in the mirror and wonder, "Am I too old for this?" No one relishes that moment, but when it comes, you better know the answer. Is there such a thing as age-specific clothing anymore? Navigating the rocky road of dress etiquette is no longer as difficult as it used to be. Sure, miniskirts are better left to reed-thin girls with gazelle-like limbs, as are skinny jeans and anything from a thrift store (excluding high-end vintage), but today the rigid rules our mothers conformed to have all but disappeared.
Check out our essential capsule wardrobe for women over 40.
Now, due to our ever-evolving diet, exercise, and skincare regimens - we are looking better than ever before – and whether it's stars such as Jennifer Aniston, Gwen Stefani or Sarah Jessica Parker, women with great style transcend age. Today, clothes are ageless. How you dress is more a state of mind, and it's about who you are and what you can carry off. What's great about getting older is you can get away with certain things a 25-year-old can't. You can wear a pencil skirt and Christian Louboutin pumps every day and look chic, sexy and authoritative.
Take Jennifer Aniston for example, she never wears anything too garish or too loud – instead she opts for a wardrobe of classic items that are expertly cut to fit and flatter her figure. A smart blazer paired with bootcut jeans and a pair of heels is a look that she’s often seen wearing and it looks stylish, sexy - and youthful. There may be more candles on your birthday cake, but when it comes to style, don't despair about getting older. Here are a few tips to help you look fabulous at forty and beyond.
DO'S
* Stay away from skinny jeans. Choose bootcut or cigarette style, which help to balance out your figure.
* Buy an updated accessory each season (for example, the nude shoe, popular this summer) instead of trying to pull off a whole look.
* Splurge on a few well-made separates--a cashmere blazer, a fitted dress--that can be the building blocks of your wardrobe.
* Go monochromatic--pair a gray blouse with black dress slacks for slimming, lengthening effect.
* Invest in a pair of wide leg trousers. They're flattering, as they move the eye automatically away from heavy areas like the hips.
DON'TS
* Deck yourself out in brightly colored ensembles. You don't need loud clothes to look sharp.
* Wear fussy accessories (like dangly earrings or a jumble of bracelets). Instead, choose something classic (a strand of pearls or diamond studs).
* Attempt to hide extra pounds underneath tent like outfits. Tailored clothes flatter any figure.
