Your opinion on "age-appropriate" dressing??

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I turn 41 in two weeks sad2 and shop primarily at Banana Republic and White House Black Market, Gap and Old Navy.

I must still be pretty hip, because both my 17 year old and my 21 year old daughters steal my clothes.

 

[ImagineerM]

I'm 25/m....DF is always making fun of the way I dress...says I dress like a 50 year old man. I blame it on being fat...they just don't make hip clothing for fat guys....not that I'd wear it, I'm anything but hip.

And when I wear tshirts, they're always so long I have to tuck them in, further cementing my place as a bad dresser.

sigh....

 

[Crankyshank]

I'm proof that you can take the girl out of Catholic school, but you can't necessarily take Catholic school out of the girl.
I'm 32 and dress pretty preppy. classic black, navy, tan, brown, or grey pants. all solid colors except for 1 pin stripe. Lots of vneck shirts or button downs in a variety of colors. I own several blazers as well. In the summer I wear capri versions of my pants and vneck tees or short sleeve polos. I adore my penny loafers and ugg clogs. I'm normally wearing those or my birkenstocks. I feel frumpy and sloppy in the summer but with my size and time/money constraints I don't know how to snazzy it up.

 

[Mkrop]

I am glad I inspired!

I have always dressed more conservately than my friends. When we were in college, they were always dressing me in miniskirts and stuff. Not me, give me a pair of jeans and I'm good.

I really dont care what people wear but it just needs to look right on you. I dont like when I see people trying to shove their bodies into short shorts bc they are "in". They look silly.

My other pet peeve is "old cleavage". I dont know what the cutoff should be but there comes a time when lowcut or certain v neck shirts should not be worn bc your cleavage is umm not sexy any more

 

[Crankyshank]

My other pet peeve is "old cleavage". I dont know what the cutoff should be but there comes a time when lowcut or certain v neck shirts should not be worn bc your cleavage is umm not sexy any more

Not only old cleavage, but first thing in the morning cleavage is just wrong. I'm sorry but falling out of your top in the early part of the day makes it seem like you did the walk of shame and didn't have time to come home and change.

 

[Mkrop]

I'm proof that you can take the girl out of Catholic school, but you can't necessarily take Catholic school out of the girl.
I'm 32 and dress pretty preppy. classic black, navy, tan, brown, or grey pants. all solid colors except for 1 pin stripe. Lots of vneck shirts or button downs in a variety of colors. I own several blazers as well. In the summer I wear capri versions of my pants and vneck tees or short sleeve polos. I adore my penny loafers and ugg clogs. I'm normally wearing those or my birkenstocks. I feel frumpy and sloppy in the summer but with my size and time/money constraints I don't know how to snazzy it up.

16 years of Catholic school! so I think that has rubbed off on my conservative attire. I just have this notion in my head that I cant reveal too much!

But one thing from Catholic school I did not take was a love of penny loafers!!!!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

My other pet peeve is "old cleavage". I dont know what the cutoff should be but there comes a time when lowcut or certain v neck shirts should not be worn bc your cleavage is umm not sexy any more

I don't get the cleavage thing in the workplace, young or old! When did it become acceptable to show off your girls at the front desk of a physician's office (for instance)? I thought that was for the beach, the theatre, going out to dinner, or possibly even the mall, but at work??

I admit I wore halter tops indiscriminately in my teens , but teenagers are permitted some indiscretions. (And I occasionally reserve the right to come off like a cranky old lady now that I'm middle-aged ).

(I live in a college town where some young women wear shorts cut up to THERE and tops cut down to THERE, and I have to remind myself I dressed the same way when I was 18. )

 

[ducklite]

I'm very into "age appropriate" dressing! I'm 43 years old!

I like the example given in the other thread about the older woman wearing clothing from "Bebe". I think they have the cutest stuff in there, but I would not wear it. I wouldn't even wear their simple black T-shirt with the rhinestone "BeBe" across the front. I see LOTS of women my age doing it and, as well toned as they might be, they just look silly for some reason.

I feel the same way, only instead of Bebe I love the clothes in Hot Topic. I'll buy a pair of socks, or maybe a blouse every now and then from there, but the days of wearing those skin tight pants, micro-mini's, and some of those tops... I do have a cute pair of flip flops from there though.

It's very hard to explain why but it is something that will just "hit" me right away when I see it.

I try to find "youthful" things that still look somewhat sophsticated. For instance, I buy the long sleeve button up blouses from Victoria Secret. They have great coverage (don't gap between buttons) and they are cut trim through the ribcage and waist, but they have a very subtle sexiness to them. If I buy the same type shirt at Kohl's it will gap between each button and it will be very wide and too short.

Not sure if that was suppose to be a tip, but it's a great one! I'm going to have to check that out!

I also won't wear "baby Ts" but I look for trim cut T-shirts. Today, at work, I have on a straight cut denim skirt that is about 3 inches from my ankles and a brown T-shirt on. I don't think I look fuddy-duddy for a 43 year old (yep, I sure do for 20 year old), but I also think it is kind of youthful.

Two years ago I found some good things at Hecht's (before they turned into Macy's). Several longish, flowing jersey material skirts with matching blouses. Age appropriate, figure enhancing, but not matronly at all.

Haven't had much luck this year.

I'll wear baby cut t-shirts as long as they aren't too tight, but I'm really short waisted to the point that I can wear a petite top, so they actually fit me pretty well. I love Eileen Fisher for classic clothes that feel great on and are really appropriate for those of us who have reached a certain age, without looking dowdy.

Anne

 

[KristinBelle]

My style is very casual. Basically my clothes consist of shorts, flip flops & T-shirts, most of which have something on them like characters or cute sayings etc... I guess some people might think I should dress older but I don't really care what other people think. I like my clothes, they're "me".

 

[camreesmom]

There is a 43 yo woman in our office that basically dresses like a hooker. She says that she has to buy her clothes from the jr section because she is so tiny.....NOT. Anyway, the day she really surprised me was when she had a tshirt on that said FBI. I didn't want to stare at her chest but it was driving me crazy wondering what her shirt said since you normally see that phrase on guys' shirts, not women's. One of the other girls in the office finally asked her what it said. It was fabulous, beautiful, intelligent. It's hard not to be tempted to wear the cutesy clothes that younger girls can get away with when most of the girls in our office are in their 20's.

I'm going to have to check out White House, Black Market. I basically live in capris with a collared shirt over a tshirt and flip flops most days.

 

[MScott1851]

I'm having a really hard time finding things that are appropriate, FIT, and that I can afford at the moment. I'm 31, and I've lost enough weight that I can wear clothing from the junior department again, but it's all so cheaply made! But when I go to the misses department, it seems like nothing is long enough, so I head BACK to the junior department, because there's alot of tunic-length clothing there. If I want to buy something "cute" there's usually not a lot of selection at the mall in my size that is also age appropriate, so I'm stuck with boutiques, and that gets really expensive, really fast!

I like the stuff at White House/Black Market, J. Crew, Express, and the young misses dept at J.C. Penney (the section with the Nicole Miller and Bisou Bisou stuff) but it's hit or miss whether they will fit me. I'm about a 6 or and 8 tall right now, and talls are hard to find in regular stores. I used to shop at Banana Republic a lot, but apparently they have decided this year that everyone has a big belly, because every single thing I've tried on there is a baby-doll or trapeze top. NOT cute unless you're a size 2 or 22. If you're stuck in the middle, it just makes you look bigger.

 

[pppiglet]

I love capri's, but I read an article on AOL tonight that said anyone over 40 should not wear capri's. (I'm 47 and people say I look 30 something). I like t-shirts, but not long sloppy ones...more lean and fitting, but not snug. I'd feel real dumpy if I wore some of the things they said over 40 should wear! I know what I like, but won't buy it if it looks too young on me. (like the camoflauge low cut capri's I saw, really liked, tried them on, and uh uh....can't be seen in these!)

 

[Mkrop]

I love capri's, but I read an article on AOL tonight that said anyone over 40 should not wear capri's. (I'm 47 and people say I look 30 something). I like t-shirts, but not long sloppy ones...more lean and fitting, but not snug. I'd feel real dumpy if I wore some of the things they said over 40 should wear! I know what I like, but won't buy it if it looks too young on me. (like the camoflauge low cut capri's I saw, really liked, tried them on, and uh uh....can't be seen in these!)

Dont take away my capris I can only wear them for 2 more years! Seriously I would rather see woman wearing capris than shoving themselves into too short shorts. I thought capirs solved a lot of fashion faux pas! WHy shouldnt over 40 wear capris? What else did they suggest, this should be interesting!

 

[JunieJay]

I've shopped at the same stores for 20 years, where I find most of the clothes are timeless for women of any age: Banana Republic, J. Crew, J. Jill, Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft, Eddie Bauer. All of those stores have clothes that are neither matronly nor slutty, perfect for women in their 30s, 40s, 50s, imo. My only challenge with clothes is finding things long enough, which I usually don't have a problem with at Banana Republic, J. Crew or Eddie Bauer so those are my top 3 stores.

I do have some styles that I've had to bid farewell to - short shorts are an example. These still look pretty good on me as my legs are still in good shape. But at 44, I can no longer wear them and not feel like an idiot. So my beloved short shorts are history, and I'm wearing longer shorts that don't look as good but are more age appropriate. I know some women don't care about stuff like this, and hey, more power to ya! I just feel that some stuff is meant for younger people....like bikinis. I could probably still wear a bikini but no way in heck would I wear one because I feel my face is a little too mature, even though the body still looks o.k. Last time I said that on the DIS people went nuts, so let me just use the disclaimer right now I'm talking about for ME ONLY, not YOU.

 

[JunieJay]

Dont take away my capris I can only wear them for 2 more years! Seriously I would rather see woman wearing capris than shoving themselves into too short shorts. I thought capirs solved a lot of fashion faux pas! WHy shouldnt over 40 wear capris? What else did they suggest, this should be interesting!

I thought the same thing!! Most women look good in capris. I can't wear the knee length ones, I like mine to fall mid-calf, but at 44 I'm not ready to give up my capris and still feel they are age appropriate. In fact, I would think capris are more suited to older women than younger.

 

[MushyMushy]

I think as long as a woman can confidently carry it off, there's no reason anyone over 40 shouldn't wear shorter skirts and younger looking clothing... within reason. I think they also need to take into consideration their environment. If they're out on the town with their friends, then go for it. The other day I was at a family type of restaurant (Bob Evans, I believe) and there was a family there where the mother had on a SHORT mini skirt and low cut top while she was with her teen boys. People were staring and the boys looked horribly uncomfortable. They could have just been going through usual teen angst, but I don't know.

Oh, and while we were at WDW, I was getting on the Jungle Cruise. There was someone in front of me that I assumed to be rather young, as she had on a short mini skirt and had her hair in cute little pig tails. Then as I stood there longer I noticed that her legs were really veiny and her neck was wrinkled and saggy. When she turned around, I took her to be in her 60s or older. She would have otherwise been a lovely woman, but she looked silly being dressed like a child. Ah well, if you can't dress like a child at WDW when you're 60, where can you?

 

[ducklite]

I have two friends who are both well into their 40's who still try to dress like we were 20 again. The last time I went out with the one girl, she showed up in a black leather outfit--the top was a bustier style that laced up the front, and the skirt was probably six inches above the knee. It didn't help that she's a size 18 and the outfit looked to be a size 14, and she had on black leather above the knee hooker boots to complete the ensemble. Frankly I was mortified for her. The sad thing is that she thinks she looks "hot" and just doesn't get it.

The other girl is a little better but she's carrying an extra 80 pounds due to a medical issue and is still squeezing into short shorts (and I mean like Daisy Dukes short where half her butt is hanging out!) that are three sizes too small--and wearing them with high heels and a way too tight tank top with a shelf bra. Now those built-in shelf bras are great when you're younger or smaller chested, but this girl is a "D", maybe even a "DD" and when you're 47 and larger chested, you need more than a shelf bra that doesn't even hold half of your boo-bah's.

It's sad because both of them are beautiful women, but they just can't see that they are actually hiding thier beauty because everyone is staring at the way they are dressed (and not in a good way) instead of seeing how pretty they both are.

Anne

 

[elizke]

You are all so right ladies! Finding good clothes is so hard! Like some of you, I have always been a prudish dresser, and so do not need to change much at 44, but it is so hard to find things that fit right!

The hardest time I had was when my step daughter was married two years ago. It was near impossible to find something that was pretty and dressy and classy enough, but not a grandma's beaded jacket dress and not a my first prom dress. There was just not much in between. (I ended up finding THE perfect thing on ebay for $45. Could not believe it!)

I do appreciate that they are using more fabric in clothes now. I love that you can find fuller skirts on dresses again. (Now if they'd just give us some coverage up top I'd be buying more clothes.)

As for capri's, that's a whole other issue. I wear them, but if they are not exactly the right length they look completely dorky on me. Either make my legs look really short and stumpy, or bring to mind too much the "waitng for a flood?" sneer of the 70's.

Thanks for the rant outlet.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I love capri's, but I read an article on AOL tonight that said anyone over 40 should not wear capri's. (I'm 47 and people say I look 30 something). I like t-shirts, but not long sloppy ones...more lean and fitting, but not snug. I'd feel real dumpy if I wore some of the things they said over 40 should wear! I know what I like, but won't buy it if it looks too young on me. (like the camoflauge low cut capri's I saw, really liked, tried them on, and uh uh....can't be seen in these!)

What do they expect us to do? If we're too old for capri pants, goodness only knows what they expect us to wear in regards to shorts!

Just one more reason to not like AOL.

 

[darlak]

I buy probably 75% of my clothes at J.Jill. They're a little high, but they have great sales. I buy a lot then and splurge sometimes and buy a few not-sale items. They carry a large selection of petites online. I have pieces from J.Jill that I've been wearing for more than 2 years now. My work attire is usually business casual. I love the linen capris from J.Jill that have the elastic waist. I can dress it up with a pretty blouse and cute sandals.

My post-40 rule for dressing for success is;

"What can I wear to work that feels the most like I'm still in my pj's?"