What type of outfits should you wear once you turn 50? Should you continue to wear the clothes that you wore when you were younger? Should you invest in clothes that will make you look 10, 20, or 30 years younger? Should you stick to age-appropriate clothes instead?
Once women hit the 5-0 mark, fashion routines and styles become different.
For starters:
Stop buying clothes that are uncomfortable
Think of all the time sretail or department store employees suggest other items that may not look good on you but will add to their sales commissions. Being a 50-something woman should now give you the confidence to say no. Just listen to your voice inside and don’t be suckered into buying something you have no intention of actually wearing.
Now, let’s move on to the list of fashion items that you need to stop wearing when you hit 50.
Camisoles
Camisoles aren’t the most comfortable clothes to wear. And the only reason women wear them is when they need to wear them with tops that have very deep necklines. Is this your dilemma, too? Do you hate buying and wearing camisoles?
One solution is to sew the v-neck together so it’s not too low. Or you can sew in an extra layer to increase the neckline if it suits the outfit.
Padded Bras
Did you know that padded bras can lead to wrinkled décolletage on the chest and cleavage area? Padded bras may have worked at a younger age but it’s a no-no for women over 50. And after menopause, your body will have changed again and the bras you once wore and loved will no longer work for you.
Prioritize support when choosing a bra. Look for non-wired bras with fuller cups and higher sides.
High Heels
Wearing high heels over the age of 50 is dangerous. Wearing them can damage your feet and backbone. But this doesn’t mean you can’t wear heels. You just have to find the right height and type of heel to wear. Choose mid-length heels that will make it easy for you to walk with or choose platform-type heels because they give enough balance.
You don’t want to look good with your outfit and make-up and fall over because you wore shoes that are no longer right for you.
Shapewear
Shapewear is uncomfortable. Anyone who wears this or has worn it can attest to this. They pinch, stick, poke, and make it hard for you to breathe. What good is having some kind of shape if you can’t breathe, right?
Besides, you don’t need shapewear. You can buy tops with an empire waist, a v-neck top, or a top with vertical stripes. You can also try wearing high-rise jeans to manage that tummy.
Crewneck Tops
Crewneck tops are okay but not the most ideal. But they do hide aging neck signs. If you want to still look good without wearing a crewneck, you can opt for scoop neck tops. Scoop neck tops open up and compliment your face.
V-neck tops are also a better idea because you can wear a nice necklace that can highlight your face and neck as well.
Matching Jewelry Sets
If you’re a fan of matching jewelry sets, then go for it. But know this, you don’t need to match your jewelry pieces all the time! You can mix and match. It’s okay to buy and wear earrings that don’t match your necklace and bracelet but complement each other.
Show off your personality through your jewelry and just buy the pieces you actually like.
Souvenir T-Shirts
When you go on a vacation or attend an event, do you always buy souvenir merchandise? And even if it’s tacky, you still buy it because you have to have a souvenir? And then when you get home, you end up not wearing them because you finally realize it is tacky.
Resist the urge to buy it just because you think you need to have it. You don’t.
Matching Sweater Sets
Matching sweater sets usually come in unflattering designs and colors. They also fall above the hip or the middle of the hip. And you know what this means? That draws attention to the tummy area. Plus it cuts the body in half!
If you want to wear matching sweater sets, then opt for longer ones that fall below the hip. And get the ones with the same flattering color tone.
Anything that doesn’t “wow” you
Stop wearing clothes that don’t wow you now. Are you planning to buy a dress that you think you’ll be able to wear soon? Don’t buy it. Are you planning to wear an ugly sweater because you’re meeting the person who gave it to you?
Don’t wear it. Life is too short to wear bad clothes. Wear clothes that make you happy.
Any clothing that doesn’t bring you joy
When you put on your clothes and look at yourself in the mirror, do you look happy? Does your outfit give you joy? Does it get you excited about the rest of your day? If it doesn’t, then don’t get it or get rid of it.
Wear clothes that celebrate you and give you confidence.
Clothes with holes, rips, or stains
Let’s face it. No one should ever wear clothes with holes or stains unless they’re cleaning or doing some mechanical work or gardening. And you should not wear these clothes outside if you are over 50. You’re already 50-something.
Repair that hole, remove that stain, or just keep it in the house if you can’t. And if it’s beyond repair, you can repurpose it or just get rid of it.
Anything that is too small or too big
We’ve said this too many times. We buy clothes that we’ll wear when we lose weight. But we don’t. So the clothes end up in the back of the closet, never worn. Or we’ll buy something that’s too big and we tell ourselves we’ll fix it and we never do.
Guess where it ends up? At the back of the closet. Do yourself a favor and buy clothes that fit you right now.
Anything you haven’t worn in a year
If you haven’t worn these clothes in at least a year, do you honestly think you’ll still wear them? Like what Elsa sang in Frozen, “Let it go! Let it go!” If it’s still in good condition, donate them to a shelter or a charitable organization.
Make these clothes serve their purpose instead of hidden in the back of your closet.
Don’t wear shoes only built for comfort
Would you wear heels or flats? Chances are, you’ll choose comfort so you’ll choose flats. Yes, choose comfort but you don’t need to compromise style with comfort. There are so many many stylish shoes out there that are also comfortable.
Choose those designs instead.
Choosing pants that are the wrong length
Choose pants that fall on the ankle or just above the ankle. This will highlight the skinniest part of your legs. Stop wearing pants that stop at your calf. It shows the widest part of your leg and makes you look frumpier than you actually are.
We don’t want that. So choose the right length.
Wear a bra that fits
Women over 50 now have to worry about gravity taking over their breasts. What do you need? You need a bra that can support and lift your breasts. And because your body has changed because of menopause, have yourself properly fitted again for the right bra.
The right bra will make you feel good and look good, too.
Stop wearing statement jewelry
Chunky statement jewelry was good to wear in the 1980s to go with the popular high hairstyles back then.
Today is a very different era where things are more minimal and understated. Dial down your jewelry and you will appear more sophisticated and younger.
Don’t wear too much black
Black is harsh on the skin and will remove all your imperfections. You might have been able to get away with it when you were younger but it’s trickier now. We’re not saying stop wearing black. Maybe just one at a time.
Black bottoms with a light top or a black top with different colored bottoms. Or maybe black clothes but with colored prints.
Wearing nude pantyhose
Nude pantyhose, unfortunately, are very outdated. It’s better to just tanning creams or go au naturel. Embrace your legs and your features and show them to the world.
Nude pantyhoses will just age you faster and make you appear to be out of touch with today’s world.
Don’t wear running shoes with casual wear
Wear running shoes only when you ARE going running or another type of sports activity. If you want to go casual with your outfit and want to wear comfortable shoes, wear sneakers.
It’ll update your look and make you look younger.
Not updating your style
You can never go wrong with classic outfits. They are timeless and classic for a reason. However, you can still add modern pieces to your classic look to stay updated. Show off your personal growth by updating your style every now and then.
Make sure your updates are appropriate for you though.
Don’t wear drugstore reading glasses
Stop wearing reading glasses that you buy at drugstores. They’re generic and will not fit you well. And because they don’t fit you well, they will make you look older than you already are.
Just like with the bra, have your eyes checked so you can get glasses that actually fit you and look good on you.
Don’t wear long skirts
It’s not the length that’s the problem here but the reason for wearing long skirts. Most of the time, women over 50 wear long skirts to hide the extra weight or hide their not-so-perfect legs. And it just ages them and makes them look frumpier, too. Go for knee-length skirts or just above the knee instead.
They’re very flattering and make sure to wear them with stylish, comfortable shoes.
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