5 Tips for Dressing Age Appropriate

Let me begin by saying that if dressing your age is not something you are concerned with, read no further! I think if you love something, and it makes you happy, go for it (provided you retain a certain amount of modesty). So please don't think I want to change those fashion free-spirits.

That said, for those of us who are constantly asking, "Is this outfit too young?" or "Does this make me look older?" here are a few tried and true tips for calming your fears. It's only in the past 5 years that I was concerned, as a mom, if I was dressing too young. As you age you often see yourself as you were ten years ago and still enjoy the trendy things you see on the 20 year olds. So I thought I would seek out some standards by which I can test my style. Consider these 5 simple rules to stay current but age appropriate.

1. Pay attention to what women your age are wearing. Now Lady Gaga may be your age but that is of course not what I am talking about. Consider women you know to be thought of by peers to dress well and take your cues from them. This doesn't mean you have to dress like other women your age, but considering what they wear will help you weed out the age inappropriate.

2. Shop for your staple pieces in age appropriate sections of the store. If you are over 40, less than 5%  of your clothing (if that) should come from the juniors section (unless you are 4'11" and that's all that fits). I will go into Forever 21, but I feel generally out of place there.....I know now that it's hardly forever. This does not mean you have to go to the elastic waisted St. John's Bay section of JCPenneys.  Target, Old Navy, Gap among many others have great trendy age appropriate clothing.

3. If your daughter is wearing it, it's probably not for you. Now I know there are some exceptions to this rule. T-shirts and jeans or button-up shirts etc. can be versatile and generally span the ages. But babydoll dresses, mini skirts and other trendy pieces may make you look like you are trying too hard to stay young. "They" say, if you wore it last time it was in style, don't wear it this time.......or at least use caution if you do.

4. If you have been wearing it for 15+ years, it may need an update. This speaks to the women who get stuck in a fashion rut. Perhaps it's the jeans with the 14 inch zipper, or the hairstyle you liked in the 70's. All I will say is that if you are stuck in a rut, go back to rule #1 and start looking at other stylish women your age.

5. Get to know your body type. Women in their early 20's generally have an ideal body type that can pull off most trends. As we age and have babies we develop curves in places we didn't have them before. This makes some trends totally inappropriate for our body type. Lots of women have embraced flowey tops to hide the mommy pooch and they pair it with skinny jeans for a slimming effect. If you have a small waist and larger bust or hips emphasis the waist. Pinterest has so many posts on dressing for your body type if you are not sure. It's critical for looking age appropriate.

So if you have talked with me lately, I probably mentioned my new favorite store Versona. I had no idea what kind of store it was until I popped in the other day. They offer a huge selection of on trend clothing for women of all ages.....and I think that's hard to say about most stores. They had a huge selection of adorable jewelry as well from statement to delicate pieces. I highly recommend you stop in!

The top is from Versona (link here). Jeans from Gap (link here). 

Loving the delicate details in the top!

Thanks for stopping by! Follow me on social media by clicking the links and I always welcome your comments!