Personal style at any age
“It’s a truth universally acknowledged…… that after the age of forty five one does not know what to wear”. I find this statement to be true, but only sometimes. Personal style and true body confidence CAN be achieved at any age—there is no magic milestone birthday that can claim to be the absolutely pivotal point. In fact, I have a strong sense that I didn’t become fully colour confident and aware of my own personal look until after I had had children and gingerly toed over into the 45+ age bracket. Sue has always known her sartorial strengths and weaknesses and that is why she whizzed through her personal styling and colour qualifications so easily.
Some people are just born stylish aren’t they? Some lucky clothes-lovers manage to find their signature look early on and hold onto it throughout their lives, adjusting and nuancing it ever so slightly to fit the changing times and trends. This is Sue. For others, understanding the outfits and clothes you feel most comfortable in can be a more tricky and experimental process. This is me.
I had to learn to ignore all manner of silly advice or fashion trends e.g skinny jeans have had their moment, it’s time for ‘mom’ jeans. Someone actually said this to me two years ago – the time of writing this blog is Spring 2023 – but I took one look at ‘mom’ jeans and walked away still sporting my beloved skinnies and highest of vertiginous heels. Mum jeans are gathered at the waist, have extra volume in the arse & thighs and only seem to come in the palest of denims. No Thanks!
Age really is only a number and here at Wardrobe at The Cross we want you to know that we are here to help. While many of us were once taught that top tier design sensibilities were reserved for women under “a certain age”, nowadays, fashion for women over 50, 60 and 70 is more fun, elegant and show-stopping than ever. Just look at 45+ fashionistas like Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Amanda Holden. In fact, don’t look too closely at Amanda Holden because she really is irritatingly gorgeous, looks about 23 and her bottom is the teeniest of tiny. Nobody needs that in their lives do they?
If you’re feeling the urge for a little inspiration then I would advise that you start with the staples. The more simple the piece, the better condition and fit it needs to have in my opinion. Condition and quality come through loud and clear in your basics. This is one reason jeans and a white t-shirt can look like a million pounds or jeans and a white t-shirt can look frumpy and somewhat old hat. Great basics elevate things, bad basics bring them down.
The other thing I always talk about is colour. I bang on and on about it, but it is so very important. Did you know that businesses large and small spend a ton of money analysing what colour they should use for their product packaging? The colour of your favourite restaurant is probably by design, some colours make us want to engage more, become more enthused. Equally, the hospital waiting rooms are probably painted in a colour to help soothe the nerves. Colour affects our bodies and our minds and often for the better.
I am a huge fan of a bright cerise pink/orange colour clash. It can sound very ‘EXTRA’ ( in case you’ve not figured it out yet, I am very EXTRA) but it really works. It lifts the spirits, it becomes a talking point and because it is so bright it lifts both the mood and the skin. Sue, on the other hand, loves a soft floral and often favours pastel tones such as baby blues and soft pinks. These are less zesty but really flatter her complexion, eyes and bewitchingly casual style. A floral maxi on Sue does ALL the talking, let me tell you.
Navy is also the most amazing hue. It’s a better friend than black I find. That’s not to say that black does not, over time, become a wardrobe reach-for (it is universally flattering in the ‘bottoms’ department) but it can drain colour from the face in about the same amount of time as it takes for me to reach for a beloved navy replacement. Show me a woman who has no navy blue in her wardrobe and I’ll show you a woman who lacks understanding of what works in the world of apparel. Seriously. The absence of fashiony puce or sickening pea green indicates common sense, but a lack of navy blue in all its inky, expensive-seeming glory? That’s a wardrobe nonsense.
We’ll talk more about colour later, but for now, remember this, “Life’s too short to wear boring clothes..”
