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I agree with whoever said that winter clothes tend to look classier. I'm 58 with 7 kids but luckily no wrinkles and neither fat nor skinny, but very curvy which can be a problem with clothes. My 2 youngest daughters are 15 and 17 so it is important to them that I look attractive as most of their friends moms are in their 30's. I still have good legs so in the summer I wear bermuda shorts or clam digger length (just below knee) most t-shirts are a little clingy and I do have a small tummy bump (7 kids) so I wear instead a short sleeved cotton or linen button up shirt or a polo shirt. I find these are much more flattering. For shoes either white canvas keds type sneakers or if i'm a little dressier a wedge sandal with about a 2 in. heel.A line skirts just below the knee are flattering too. In the winter it's usually a v neck cashmere sweater (lands end has great sales on these) and mid-rise jeans or slacks. Blazers are nice if not too cold out and tend to pull things together. A good quality leather shoulder bag, nails manicured and a small amount of jewelery. I have colored my hair since I noticed a little gray. I kept to the original color, an ash blond and used to wear it long and straight but was bothered that it seemed to lack body. A few weeks ago I had it layered and now I can use the hot rollers and get loads of body with a bit of wave. We live in a very casual coastal town so I never have any reason to wear a dressy dress, good thing as my top half is much larger than my bottom half. I really don't worry about my age or ever try to dress to look younger and I know that most people don't care what others are wearing (unless it's offensive) but it's so nice to hear my husband or one of my children say "Wow, you really look beautiful!"
Wow! So many posts here with so many women in the same boat (btw I just recently joined the four-oh club myself). What a golden opportunity for someone (who's not afraid of this economy) to focus on our demographic. I totally hear you with this issue. Opening up a store or clothing line and marketing to us is what so many of us would LOVE! Calling all fashion designers/entrepreneurs!!!
nowdays, i see more older women in their 40s look and dress much better than in the past. many are working out more too!
I'm 56 but wear the same clothes I did when I was 40, which were the same ones I wore when I was 40 and not too different than when I was 20.
My typical wardrobe is a tank top with spagetti straps, low rise jeans, several layers of shirts and other warm things in the winter and usually just that in the summer. I wear sandles in the warm weather and one of my supply of boots in the colder/cold weather. And I like them knee high and laced.
I color my hair dark brown so I have no idea how much "silver" is in it and don't want to know.
I wear a jr extra large and buy there because I like the styles. Hate the "womens" department.
I haven't worn heals of any kinds (except for the ones on the cowboy boots and the snow boots) for a long long time.
But I don't look or feel my age. Most people don't have a clue that I'm past my 30's unless I mention something about my growing up online and most have no idea I'm past 45 in person.
But when I do look older I will not change the way I dress either. Its a personal statement and mine is that I don't deal with "fashion".
Someone mentioned What not to wear... I watch that once in a while and get very annoyed with it. Maybe these people look "better" but I think they dressed the way they liked before they were "shamed" into pretending they were someone else. And I would tell them where to take their money and take my clothes home with me.
We dress the way we feel good and the way we feel expresses who we are. If we don't then we are among the programmed to believe that we "must" in terms of fashion and a whole bunch of other things.
If you like dressing up and wearing classy clothes, its great, because its you. If you like jeans and tshirts and boots then its you. Never ever let someone tell you that because of your "age" or "status" you have to dress any particular way. I'd like to see all the "fashion" stuff dissapear and let people simply be themselves, but too many people don't know enough about themselves to choose.
We dress the way we feel good and the way we feel expresses who we are. If we don't then we are among the programmed to believe that we "must" in terms of fashion and a whole bunch of other things.
If you like dressing up and wearing classy clothes, its great, because its you. If you like jeans and tshirts and boots then its you. Never ever let someone tell you that because of your "age" or "status" you have to dress any particular way. I'd like to see all the "fashion" stuff dissapear and let people simply be themselves, but too many people don't know enough about themselves to choose.
Truer words have never been spoken. You are my hero. I agree with what you say about fashion being a personal statement. I often think on those make over shows that they dress older women in a stereotyped idea of what middle aged or older is perceived to be by the average person. This doesn't do justice to who the person "is" at their core. Not every one over 40 is or wants to dress like a lady who lunches.
Myself, I have loved jeans since I was in junior high in the late 70s - I was quoted to say I wanted to be buried in jeans and tennis shoes - and I love them still. They are my uniform. I love every style of jean except tapered, which I wore in the 80s before sh* happened. If someone told me I had to stop wearing my jeans, Ts and cowboy boots I'd tell them where to shove it. These items of clothing are me. I may refine my style to change my body as I age, but I'm not going to dress a particular way just because of my age.
Scarves and fitted blazers paired with jeans (boot cut or wide-legged), and heels or stylish flats. The blazer and heels make the outfit dressed up and put-together while the jeans, scarves, and other accessories are youthful and fun.
Those 4 items can be mixed and matched to make 1,000's of different outfits... For example:
Never mind over 40, I'm over 60 and have trouble finding clothes I would be seen wearing in public. I have a decent figure, and can find clothes that fit in the misses department, but the styles are just wrong! In my tiny town there is nowhere to shop except KMart, WM, and Belks. Left to my personal preference, I would wear jeans and T-shirts all the time (with an occasional sweatshirt if it's chilly) but that won't do either. Catalog shopping doesn't seem to work..either their size charts are off, or my measurements are. And the pants are ALWAYS too long. And I wear one size on the bottom, and another on top. I may have to go back to sewing my own clothes.
I think choice is a wonderful thing... there are so many choices for women of any age, but I would think by the time a woman turns 40 she can wear whatever the hell she wants. Hopefully it will be complementary to her. She has earned that right.
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Opportunity knocking?
