Dressing to your age

CEBU, Philippines — In this age of social media, people are going crazy over their looks, becoming finicky to the smallest detail. Ironically, most people are concerned only with their facial appearance and not with their fashion sense, which actually make the larger part of the total look. Very often, people make the mistake of not dressing according to their age – older people tend to embrace styles that are popular with the young ones hoping to come across as youthful, while the young ones dress ‘maturely’ believing that it makes them look more stable.

The rest just don’t care about their fashion sense at all. They’d reason that age does not matter in dressing because “fashion is timeless.” Come on, do they mean to say that it’s okay for an old woman to wear boyfriend jeans or a breezy bohemian skirt?

If one wants to look admirable – or at least respectable – she has to dress up in a more age-appropriate manner. Otherwise, she may end up being the butt of jokes. And it’s a curious person who doesn’t mind looking ridiculous!

Age changes a lot in terms of your body shape and structure, according to the website www.neverdressdown.com. What looked good on you in your 20s may be awful to wear in your 60s. Thus, it is important to bear in mind a few fashion dos-and-don’ts to be sure that you look great at any age. The website shares some ideas:

The Right Colors. Brighter and darker colors look good on younger women, especially teens and those in their 20s and 30s. A change in the color of the skin and hair of older women make cooler colors a better option, although a pop of color can always be added in the form of an accessory, a belt or a scarf. Older women should also steer clear of bold and vibrant prints.

Nonetheless, at any age, your skin tone can help determine the best color to choose. The colors to wear shall compliment your skin tone, and not overwhelm it.

The Right Fit. Among women, who go through pregnancy and menopause, it’s difficult to keep the pounds from creeping in. A woman’s body shape changes leaving her tummy looking bigger, hips broader and bottom heavier. For her, looking good starts with dressing to her body type.

This applies for younger women too. They shall avoid wearing clothes that are too tight or too loose for their body structure. A young girl with a petite frame wearing figure-hugging clothes might look younger than she actually is.

Similarly, short skirts and hot pants wouldn’t look good on muscular thighs, as would sleeves tops and dresses with sagging arms. Wearing a size bigger will also make you look older.

Comfort Over Trends. Being excessively trend-conscious often makes women the victims of fashion faux pas. Many women think that not following the latest trends will make them look dull and outdated.

That’s not true. In fact, not every trend looks good on every woman. The secret to looking fashionable and fabulous is adapting the latest trends to one’s personal style, body type and comfort level.

Clean Out the Closet. If you’re older, your closet may have clothes that you bought as a teenager or in your 20s still sitting there. Although you have grown older, you may find those still fit and you see no harm in wearing them. That’s an absolute no-no.

To avoid the temptation, you should think about deep cleaning your closet. If you don’t want to look like you borrowed something from your teenage daughter’s closet, then you shall not keep dressing like she always did. You don’t have to wear those clothes just because you have them in your closet.

Similarly, younger girls shall wait for the right age to wear clothing handed down from their mothers or grandmothers.

Look Around. To be sure that you don’t stand out like a sore thumb, you shall look around to see what others your age are wearing and then blend in appropriately.

All told, as your age advances, you have to be more circumspect about your personal style. The www.neverdressdown.com website explains that those in their 20s are at the age to experiment. But by their 30s and 40s, women are expected to already look refined and mature.

As your age advances some more, you will have already fully figured out your personal style. It is now natural and automatic with you to avoid deep and plunging necklines. If you are on the heavier side, you shall wear darker colors and choose smaller prints over bold patterns in order to look slimmer. At age 60 and above, you will want to look good without trying to look younger, and so you better go for classic prints and styles.