So what SHOULD a woman in her late forties be wearing?

[BalloonSlayer]

. . . if late forties is too old for jeans?

. . . and if she likes wearing jeans and boots and leggings and long tops and all that, and that's what she has always worn?

Does it have to be per una? Worse still . . . does it have to be < whispers > expensive, capsule-wardrobe classics?

Can I no longer buy cheap stuff?

I went to the shops today, and I nearly howled like a wolf in the high street "But I am too ooooooooooooooooold!"

I NEED HELP

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=madonna+2011&hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=O3yXoCpAYyjktM:&imgrefurl=entertaintments.blogspot.com/2011/03/madonna-2011-haircut-pictures.html&docid=fSUOr0kByVny0M&w=373&h=594&ei=qMd0ToGXM6iQ0AWP25yZCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=737&vpy=338&dur=555&hovh=283&hovw=178&tx=91&ty=138&page=2&tbnh=147&tbnw=92&start=38&ndsp=42&ved=1t:429,r:35,s:38&biw=1600&bih=805" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this

I'm still wearing all that stuff I shouldn't be wearing, according to your post.

Sorry balloonSlayer - bit premature - this is fifties

Anything you like! wore my www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/fr/en/zara-W2011/122009/387355/LEATHER%2BMINISKIRT Zara gold skirt today, with a Marni padded cape (in khaki/black), white Vanessa Bruno blouse and black knee high suede boots and anthracite tights and felt great. Am thinking about buying Zara sequinned skirt to wear with a huge mohair knit (as yet to be identified).

Come shopping with me. I look lovely. [rueful]

But jeans are fine for late 40s. It is less to do with what you wear and more to do with how you wear it. I can't wear jeans. I tend to spend more because I need more structure in what I wear.

But never ever shop in per una until you are 70 plus. Actually my mum is 79 and she thinks it is frumpy.

I shop at Nicole farhi, day birger mikkleson, comptoir, lk bennett, some fancy designer stuff but also miss self ridge and h&m. you just need to buy less and figure out what suits you.

I know what you mean .
I am 51 and look around in despair.

I do wear skinny jeans, slim black trousers, leggings and boots, long fitted tunics.
I bought a couple of nice tops in Monsoon this week and a lovely blouse in BAnana Republic.
Disclaimer..I do not wear per una.

Zara gold skirt

oh Bonsoir Will you be my stylist? :)

Best I go hide somewhere now. I wear all those things and I'm 48.

I am 46 I am wearing skinny jeans navy and cream striped t shirt long navybfine Cardigan coat new ash studded ankle boots and I have long hair too so shoot me!

Balloon, I wear all what you wear and will carry on doing so.... I am 46.

A woman in her late 40s should be wearing whatever she damn well pleases.

HTH

:)

Sure, when do you want to hit the shops ?

Whatever she likes. When I am not at work I wear skinny jeans (which are not skinny now I've lost weight) and t-shirts or cotton khaki trousers and trainers.
I'm not sure what I'd choose if money were no object, I choose my clothes based on what is in the charity shop in my size. I like jeans though

My 14 year old DD is always pinching my clothes - I'm 47 and thrilled about it!

...ps she looks great in my "I love Justin Bieber" t-shirt

(that was a joke by the way)

I'm sad because I can no longer borrow DSS1's jeans (he has grown too big!) - he thought it was cool and so did I!

I am 48. I wear jeans. Skinny jeans, sometimes. I wear leggings sometimes. I wear boots. I wear dresses sometimes (and here, reluctantly, I have faced the fact that frocks that flap around mid-thigh do look absurd on me now).

I look pretty nice, most of the time.

I'm late 40's and wear whatever I like. It honestly never occurred to me that one day I might not be able to wear a certain item of clothing due to my age.
Having said that, I've always been a "less is more" type of person so not much danger of me showing too much flesh.

I'll be wearing jeans when I'm drawing my pension.

I echo TrillianAstra.

But can I put in a good word for capsule wardrobe? Jeans can be part of your capsule wardrobe and there is a lot to be said for a couple of fine things that will travel well

Of course not on OP's jeans question. No upper age limit at all on nice jeans, or on boots, or long tops - in fact it's a look that suits any age. Noone must or indeed should ever wear Per Una.

Bonsoir your Zara skirt is in French Elle this week. it is indeed a thing of beauty.

Lots of kind and encouraging advice here - thanks

I guess I worry that I am in denial.

I saw a girl in her twenties today wearing tight black leggings to the ankle, little lace-up pumps and a t-shirt and I thought "ooh she looks nice." Fair enough. But I realised that I wasn't thinking it in a "what a nice looking young lady" type of way but in a "I'd like to wear that" sort of way - you see, that was what I did wear, in the 80s, when I was young and - why oh why didn't I realise it? - beautiful.

I know of course the golden rule that you are too old to wear the fashion the second time around. But leggings and long tops were in my comparative youth too . . . am I trying to dress too young and looking awful? I have a nice figure and dread being a BOBFOC (Back Off Baywatch, Front Off Crimewatch).

So next question:

what is better - to dress a bit too young for your age and risk people thinking "what's that old bag doing dressed up like a dog's dinner?" or to dress slightly older than your age and have people think you look bloody fab, "considering." ?

But I've worn maxi skirts/dresses both times round !!!

I think the trick is to take bits of what is fashionable & mix with more stylish pieces rather than trying to be uber-trendy.

I still get things from Top Shop. You need to be careful sometimes though. I was in Top Shop looking at what I thought was a lovely "top" but it seemed familiar. I was glad I didn't buy it because that night, DS's girlfriend (19) was wearing the "top" and it was a dress!

and at BOBFOC