Too black, too young and too terrible

[jubileebell]

I fear I may be in a (casual) style rut.
Work - dresses and jackets
Outside of work - stuck, stuck, stuck.

When I was young, I wore a lot of:

Short (a few inches above knee) black flippy skirts
Black fitted top
Boots (or ballet flats)
Fitted short jacket - e.g. biker, denim, little blazer thingie
Dark painted nails
Fierce eyebrows
Spare silver jewellery
On size 8, 5ft 1ish figure. This seemed to work

Now I am over 40, same size, same height, remarkably, and I fear I am dressing for someone much younger.
Also black definitely suits me (I'm a cool Winter, if you believe in that sort of thing) but I'm not sure how to wear it anymore - usually I wear a coloured scarf and fitted short cardie in similar colour - but it all looks a bit too easy.

I do NOT suit skinny jeans
I LOVE dresses and am trying to expand them

Any tips? Ideas? I see lots of threads on here for revamping/slimming/up-grooming/pimping your wardrobe, and excellent advice, but they all seem to revolve around skinny jeans. I would describe my look as 'sexed up librarian'.

If anyone on here knows me in real life, I will be instantly recognisable, and hi.

[Polkadot1974]

Watching with interest. I'm with you on cardi/scarf but haven't found great skirts as o am not an 8!

[Pisssssedofff]

Get onto Pinterest, lots of boards I blatantly copy. I do the pencil skirt - baujken with H and M cardis, buy at least 2 in each colour each season. Looks quite pulled together with red lippy and eye liner, all I can manage. Hair up or down it works and off you go. Never wear boots but heels or ballet flats work

[jubileebell]

Glad to find another who shares my pain, Polkadot.
Pissssssssssssssssssed, intrigued, can you link to any on Pinterest?
You're meaning this kind of skirt www.baukjen.com/uk/baukjen-sale/skirts-sale/the-high-waisted-pencil-skirt.htm

[burnishedsilver]

I'm a 40 something winter too. I'm finding navy and grey are becoming more flattering than black for during the day. I still tend towards black for evening.

[burnishedsilver]

...and burgandy. Lots of burgandy.

[Pisssssedofff]

Does burgundy work with navy ?

[Pisssssedofff]

Yes Jubilee, order three of those if you can, sucks you in nicely and gives a great shape. Brilliant quality too I've got tshirts from them that are older than my Yr2 child

[burnishedsilver]

I don't necessarily mean wearing burgandy with navy, I mean replacing some back with burgandy but, yes burgandy works with navy.

[Pisssssedofff]

Ah good, I've spotted a lovely J crew dress I'd like but I'm trying to swap all my black for navy, shoes etc so wondered if it worked well. I'm a soft Autumn but refuse to wear 50 shades of shit which seems to be my "colours"