Anyone 50 plus out there? How do you dress?

[fedupandfifty]

Just wondering what you wear when in this age group? I tend to wear pretty much what I'd wear if I were 20 years younger. I don't work in an office any more, so don't have the problem of having to dress formally.

What do you lot all wear?

[RockMummy]

I'm almost 51 and like you, I still wear the same style clothes worn by people 20 years younger than me, jeans, biker boots, dresses with opaques,wool coat, leather jacket. I don't work in an office either so no need for formal dress. Had my colours done and abandonned black as a result. I think I realised it didn't suit me but refused to acknowledge it until then!

[Floisme]

I'm 57 and I don't dress the same as I did 20 years ago but that's not my age, it's because I'm a different body shape now. When I was young I was straight up and down but these days I have both hips and boobs and am verging on hourglass. I'm very happy with my new shape and enjoy wearing things I never wore when I was younger such as pencil or tube skirts and deep V-necks. I wear biker boots and leather jackets too - why wouldn't I? People obsess about age but it's far more important to dress for your shape and to wear colours that suit you.

You might enjoy the 'rules' thread where we are giving some of the 'age appropriate' advice a good kicking!

[QuizTeamAguilera]

51 here. More of a departure towards dresses (look in TK Maxx), opaque tights, boots, blazers, scarves. I also wear skinnies and long sleeved t shirts with nice necklaces etc. Pretty much what I was wearing 20 years ago too but always age appropriate and probably a bit more stylish these days.

[dementedma]

Fifty and frumpy. Need an overhaul....

[clary]

I'm just 50. I am wearing today leggings and a long hoody with a padded gilet and walking boots when I went out.

Tomorrow I will wear either tailored trousers and boots/ballet flats with a smart T shirt and Boden cardigain or a long dress with cardi or maybe a long skirt and boots. Opaques with my skirt.

I am a secondary teacher so need to be fairly smart but practical (standing all day etc). It's pretty much what I have worn for years tho clearly with a slight nod to fashion (ie what you can get in the shops).

I still wear jeans and leggings (not at work obv), why not?

[MelanieCheeks]

52 and still work in an office.

Daily work wear - fitted dress, nice cardi, opaque tights and boots. Sheer tights and heels or flats in the summer. Sometimes a trouser suit.

Weekends - leggings and tunics, or jeans and t shirt.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Pretty much the same as before (come to think a few of my clothes date from when I was 20 years younger...). I work from home, so typically the day starts in exercise gear, may be dog-walking stuff later (at this time of year craghoppers, fleece and goretex) and then jeans and some sort of top later. I like skirts and dresses in the summer, very much same styles as I've always liked.

[BombayBunty]

I'm 51, tend to wear boyfriend jeans, dresses/skirts with coloured opaques and bikerish boots. Lots of chunky knitwear and scarves as well.
I don't hold with dressing for your age. By this stage in life you know what works for you and what to avoid.
I have no intention of changing my style because I'm getting older!

[Floisme]

BombayBunty, while I am completely with you over the not dressing for your age nonsense, I disagree with this bit: 'By this stage in life you know what works for you and what to avoid.'

I've described up-thread how my shape changed when I hit my 50s and the menopause. At first I couldn't understand why the round necked, stripey tops I'd been wearing all my flat-chested life were looking so frumpy. It was only when a good friend pointed out that I was bursting out of my bra that the penny dropped But I had to work out all over again what suited me so actually, I am a big believer in rethinking your style in your 50s. Has this happened to anyone else??

[fedupandfifty]

bombay I'm always rethinking too. My body has changed. I've only just realised I've been in the wrong bra for God knows how long, and my waist has completely disappeared. I struggle with y weight on a daily basis and clothes have to be bought accordingly. So it's longer-line, unstructured stuff for me, plus scarves and chunky bling.

[HeadFullofSteam]

I am 50, and a bit chubbier than I would like to be, but think I have reached the point where I broadly know what I suit, and also don't really care too much whether what I am wearing is "conforming". I really like a vintagey feel to my outfits,

For work I tend to wear casual dresses (wraps, knitted tunics) with opaque tights and cardigans, or skirts, such as cord a-line skirts with cardigans, with ankle or biker boots or brogues.

For casual I love relaxed skinny jeans, with slouchy jumpers. In fact I bought a new pair of that style of jeans in Next today in pale grey - had a debate with myself about whether they were "too young" for me then thought stuff it, they look nice on, buy them.

In a way I am enjoying clothes more, partly as my DSes are a bit older and I have a bit more time to think about what to wear, and also as probably for the first time in my life, I don't worry about what others think.

[LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance]

I wear what I like and what makes me feel good. I don't worry about being fashionable.

I have a plan for when I retire though. I'm going to wear party dresses all the time. There are such beautiful dresses and they're cheap in the sales so when I can finally retire, I want to wear them all the time because we're a long time dead.

I won't be wearing weird make up though

[MillyRules]

I think that women in their 50s are much younger looking and thinking than our mothers generation. Like the rest of you I enjoy dressing more now than I did when I was younger. I still love fashion but tailor it to suit me.

[futterbingers]

Floisme, that happened to me too. I used to be able to wear pretty much anything but, since I have gained weight in my late 40s thats not the case any more (53 now). My waist has crept up to somewhere under my bust, and my bum has got a little flatter. Jeans dont seem to work on me any more, so I wear a lot of thick leggings or jeggings with long tunics or jumpers for casual wear, and dresses with thick tights for work, or sometimes trousers if I can find a nice long top to go over.

BUT, I find it very hard to know where to shop anymore. Cheap clothes looked fine on me when I was straight up and down; nowadays I need good structure which 1. is hard to find and 2. costs more. Also, I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror in a shop yesterday and thought 'that woman looks a bit bedraggled in her leggings, boots and long jumper combo' - then realised that woman was me. So I might have to ditch the leggings.

I have always aimed for a smart/casual look but I think as I get older that I need to aim to be a little smarter, otherwise I'm straying into baglady territory!

[fedupandfifty]

futter yes to the beddragled look! I think it's fashionable, though, to be fair. I think the trick is to make it look a bit smarter, without trying too hard. And without looking like mutton.

And looking put together without being too 'matchy': difficult too.

Incidentally, anyone go in for the Mary Portas thing?

[Floisme]

What was the Mary Portas thing? I missed that.

[fedupandfifty]

I meant buy Mary Portas stuff. I can't seem to see it in the shops. I quite like her look, but not sure if it would suit me.

[Floisme]

Of course, Mary Portas clothes - sorry, I'm not awake properly yet! I lhad a look when they first came out and was a bit disappointed. I liked some of the styles but not the colours - lots of bright blues and reds and blacks that don't suit me at all. And very pricey considering a lot of them were polyester.

The clothes I like best at the moment are Me and Em. They're quite classic but still have an edge to them and the fabrics give me a great shape. But they're too expensive for me to buy regularly although the sales are good.

[DrNick]

christ - remind me nto to ever buy biker boots - the boots of the 50 year old

[Cleanthatroomnow]

My DS says I'm not "allowed" to wear Uggs "at my age" (50).

[Floisme]

57 year-old Dr Nick do keep up

[DrNick]

the best thing about getting older is knowing what suits
thats the great release.

the rest is shit - I hate ageing

[Floisme]

the rest is shit - I hate ageing
Why?

[DrNick]

i hate looking old
i hate looking wrinkly tired and being at work grouped as " more experienced " ( aka old)
i hate feeling unattractive
thats it

[DrNick]

oh also hate that thing where oyu make a smutty joke and its no longer funny - its a bit ew - purely as you are older