Age-Appropriate Dress- Real Women Are Pretty Harsh When It Comes To Fashion Choices

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Age-Appropriate Dress- Real Women Are Pretty Harsh When It Comes To Fashion Choices

I’ll Have What She’s Having: Style WITHOUT an expiration date

I don’t think Jane Fonda (70′s), Sigourney Weaver (60′s), Madonna (50′s), and Demi Moore (40′s) got the memo from the British ladies polled who seem to think that 30 is the new 60– well, sort of– when it comes to style!

These gorgeous at any age celebrity ladies were probably too busy being vital rather than worrying if they are too old to wear stilettos. Yes, the study says that at age 51 you’re over the hill for high heels. Can you imagine?

Madonna wearing a vintage Roberto Cavalli dress from the Spring/Summer 2008 Collection out and about in NY yesterday.

Listen, I’d be the first one to tell you that you’re a bit long in the tooth to be skipping around in pink velour pants with some cute slogan on your tush and a tramp stamp peering out above that when you are no longer a kid.

But ageless style is NOT about a number; it’s about how YOU look.

Albeit, the pink velour sweats, a cute little romper, or some micro mini lycra bandage dress are best left to the kiddies, there is no reason to throw in the towel when you pass 35.

What is tacky on someone young, will be even more tacky on someone older- think the "talking" velour pants.

What you need to be super cute and skinny to pull off at 20, you need to pretty well forget over 30-that would be the babydoll romper.

What looks slutty on a young woman will make an older woman look desperate- that would be the micro mini lycra bandage dress.

>> MORE: Age Appropriate Style

At a certain age, one would hope that you have finally come to terms with understanding what flatters your figure and then, goddammit, the sands of time come in and changes everything around so you need to get used to the new you.

Diet Chef in the U.K. polled women between the ages of 18 and 65 , and this is what they said, according to the Daily Mail

Style is a process and we need to continually adapt and not give up.

According to the 2,000 women between 18 and 65 polled by Diet Chef, 44% of women worry that they are too old to wear certain items of clothing, as reported in the Daily Mail.

Style isn’t about worrying about what you cannot wear but being aware of what you can wear. You should be looked at as being beautiful and ageless rather than what you can pull off at that age.

Giving up on looking modern is just giving in to being dowdy- and, that will certainly pile on the perceived years to your appearance.

Demi Moore vacationing in St. Barts in January wearing a Missoni bikini from the Resort 2011 Mare Collection and a Missoni Scarf

I hate any rule that is so hard and fast when it comes to what you should or should not wear, but there is one rule that says it all: never give up on common sense! Wear what you feel confident wearing and use the mirror as your best friend.

At a certain age, what you do need to avoid are extremes, as they exaggerate your less than positive features, but that does not mean frumpy. It means that you must modify certain elements of your style just as you do during the time of the month when you feel bloated… it’s all about adapting. Here’s what I mean…

Sigourney Weaver in Alexander McQueen on the cover of the “The Who Cares About Age Issue," V MAGAZINE issue #68

The women polled say that 47 is too old to wear a bikini. Look at Demi Moore, just look at her!

Granted Demi is almost bionic in her age-defying gorgeousness, but it’s not her figure alone. Her hair is long– imagine, the poll puts a kibosh on long hair at 53– but, her’s is also shiny and young, rather than overdyed and aging.

Her makeup is light, following suit that less is more than when it comes to ageless makup, and her tan is light and dewy, rather than looking like an over-cooked LV bag! Put all the negatives on one woman and no matter how hot she may think she looks in a bikini, the rest of the package just doesn’t work.

And that’s just it, it’s about the entire package, not merely your age-appropriate fashion choices. From head to toe you need to exude a certain kind of modernity, of freshness to excel at looking ageless.

It’s not a matter of not wearing knee-high boots at 47 like the survey says, but wearing knee-high boots that flatter you… and those, probably won’t have a fetish heel, fist-size platform and be in bright fuschia! Leave the fads to the kiddies and dress like sophisticated woman who flaunts the best that she can be!

It’s always better to be accused of looking young than appearing dowdy… I’ll take what aspirational ageless beauties are having any day! What do you think?

AGE APPROPRIATE RELATED:

Jane Badler, Age-Appropriate Fabulous
Makeup and Beauty Tips to Look Fabulous At Age 50

Photos:

Demi Moore, courtesy of Missoni

Jane Fonda, Pixplanete / PR Photos

Madonna, courtesy of Roberto Cavalli

Sigourney Weaver, courtesy of V MAGAZINE

Published on May 13, 2011

Sharon Haver

Resident fashion expert- With just about 20 years experience in the glamour industry as a New York-based photography fashion stylist, syndicated columnist, contributing editor, lecturer, on-air television/radio fashion expert, and founder / editor in chief of FocusOnStyle.com. Sharon Haver knows the modern-thinking woman wants easygoing style that suits her individual needs, spiced with just the right amount of flip and wit to make it personal.

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Tags: age , age appropriate dress , Age Appropriate Style , age-appropriate , age-appropriate fashion choices , ageless , appropriate , boomer fashion , demi moore , dress , I'll Have What She's Having , jane fonda , madonna , Sigourney Weaver