If you’ve celebrated your 40th birthday you are officially grown up but that doesn’t mean you’re old, especially in the world of fashion! How many times have you heard that 40 is the new 30?
The fashion industry mainly focuses on the younger market, but we still want to look modern with an elegance and style as we mature. That’s the difference as you age – focus less on ‘fashion’ and more on ‘style’!
The good news is that there appears to be an increasing awareness for this age group thanks to the original ‘super’ models like Cindy Crawford (49), Naomi Campbell (45) and Claudia Schiffer (45). These ‘coming of age’ models are helping to give the over 40’s more stylish options because lets face it, what suits you in your mid 40’s will not be what you’d be looking out for in your teens. You’ll need to be more discerning and diverse in your shopping, but at least it’s out there. With increasing collaborations, for example, a French style guru with Uniqlo, Balmain with H&M, it means you have more options. However, it will be more important to think about fabric and fit – having some key quality pieces in your wardrobe can make a big difference to the complete ‘look’.
H&M Jacket £29.99 Uniqlo dress £39.90
If your wardrobe is working for you, you can stride out with confidence. When you look in that full-length mirror you should instantly smile – then you know you’ve got it spot on! If not, you’ve got to go back and spend sometime reviewing your wardrobe. Stuck for inspiration, I think Pinterest is great, you can check out my boards at ‘Lesley Clarke Style Advisor’. Whilst it is fashion lead and a bit samey, it’s good for helping you to work out what you like and why, offering ideas, styles and how to accessorise in ways that you might not have previously considered.
And forget about the size label, it’s about what it looks like on. I went shopping with a client the other day and we bought everything from a size 8 to 14 – it just shows you, there is very little standardisation in sizing these days!
Don’t forget, if you’re in your 40’s you’ve still got energy, sex appeal and a lot to offer. Dress age-appropriately and wear clothes that make you feel great.
In keeping with this age theme, next month I’ll be focusing on ‘How to look stylish when you’re over 50’!
As always, if I can help in anyway, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
