The world often has a confusing stance when it comes to aging. Many marketing spiels are focused on the beauty of looking younger than you are. Along with this, there are entire anti-aging cosmetics lines and products that are all about delaying the appearance of wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and other mature skin problems. Meanwhile, there are also messages of loving the skin you’re in or embracing your age and being graceful about getting older.
Be that as it may, you will find that as you get older, what the rest of the world has to say becomes less important. Therefore, you don’t always have to listen and acquiesce to what others have to say, especially when it comes to the way you dress. You can take what works for you and what it doesn’t.
However, when you receive proper guidance and reassurance when it comes to dressing your age, getting ready every day and feeling fabulous as you present yourself to the world becomes easier. Here are 10 principles that have worked for many.
1. Support is key
If you want to look smart and comfortable in your outfits, you will need to invest in high performing underwear. Supportive undergarments can improve your posture and the way you move. Best of all, they help create a more polished overall appearance.
2. Comfort is a priority
As you get older, you will realize how important comfort is when it comes to dressing. Comfort will support your different activities better and make you more productive. However, wearing comfortable clothing doesn’t mean adopting a careless style, which a lot of people spiral into. This means opting for the best-looking clothes and pairings as well as footwear that support the activities you engage in at this stage in your life.
For example, if you’re a mom with toddlers and grade-schoolers, your short denim dress can still look great. However, you need to be mindful of the possibility of a wardrobe malfunction should you need to bend down often to pick up toys, retrieve socks and shoes, or anything else you need to do when looking after your little ones in public.
You can certainly still wear this versatile outfit, but give it a new twist by pairing it with a pair of linen shorts that peep under the dress. It’s almost the same attire, but elevated to suit your age’s unique responsibilities.
3. There’s no need to play it too safe
A uniform is a good idea if you want to make dressing up a breeze. However, there’s a fine line between having a signature look and being stuck to one. You can always energize your staple style with a few tweaks here and there.
For example, inject a bit of playfulness by adding a boldly colored jacket to your mostly neutral palette for outfits. Another thing you can do is to choose an unexpected color for your shoes. Taking chances with your clothing this way is one of the most effective solutions against stale style.
4. Experiment with accessories
Do you know that as you get older, accessorizing only becomes more fun? Take a cue from 99-year-old style icon Iris Apfel. Quite often, you will find that the quickest way to reinvigorate your style to suit your age is to play around with various accessories that can add texture, pops of color, and a whole new attitude.
5. Trends don’t matter
One of the most important nuggets of wisdom about dressing according to your age is that trends cease to be impactful when it comes to your fashion choices. What’s hot during Fashion Week or what celebrities are wearing does not matter much anymore; with age comes a better understanding of what looks good or works for you.
6. Focus on what you love about yourself
Indeed, as you move through different stages in life, you will come to accept who you are better. Therefore, when it comes to clothing, your focus shifts from the beauty of a piece to what actually looks best on you. Dressing up is all about highlighting what you love about yourself all the time.
7. Fit is the cornerstone of impeccable style
Another key to dressing your age is to understand the fit that suits you best. This will ensure that whatever style of clothes you own will look good and also feel comfortable. So, find a good tailor who can customize the fit of your outfits for you.
Typically, with tailoring, you can request special adjustments to make an outfit completely your own, taking into consideration your style preferences, mobility, and other vital requirements.
8. Quality is worth splurging on
With trends becoming less important, your focus shifts towards a better way of dressing, which includes evaluating the quality of the pieces you buy. One of the leading benefits of getting older and dealing with various responsibilities is that you learn to study the total value of the things you pay for. This means you now make sure that your clothes don’t have fleeting value and will last you through different life stages.
Say, you love the look of tapered, cropped trousers. It’s best to purchase some from high-end designer brands which are impeccably constructed and use top-quality fabric that stretches and shrinks back to form. Over time, you will grow more appreciative of luxury brands because you will get the excellent quality you pay for. However, it’s crucial to be smart about this and avoid going beyond your budget. Learn how to shop for amazing deals on high-end brands by checking out outlet brands online.
9. Be your color master
Sticking to your best colors is a tried and tested way of making sure that your clothes look amazing on you no matter your age or stage in life. Take a color theory test online to discover your color season so that you only pick colors of clothing that can enhance the way you look.
10. Wear what makes you happy
Finally, at the end of the day, your happiness with what you’re wearing and how you look is all that matters. You can skip some of the principles shared above if you feel too restricted. Indeed, you have no one but yourself to please, so wear whatever makes you happy.
Getting older is a gift because it’s the best indication of the time you have had to pursue what you want. So, bear that in mind, and you will see that even the little aspects of life, such as dressing up for every new day, can be a genuine source of joy and satisfaction.
AUTHOR BIO
Ethiopian-born and Dubai-based fashion designer Feiruza Mudessir discovered her curiosity to mix the traditional with contemporary at a young age, and this has become the trademark of her designs for Finchitua today. With her unique style standpoint, she served the VIP Color Forecast Panel 2017 for Al Jazeera Paints Company and VIP Color Forecast Panel 2019 for Asian Paints Berger. Ms. Mudessir is a shortlisted nominee for the prestigious Fashion Scout London 2018.