stylish skirts and dresses when you're over AHEM

[coatsonNOW]

...the AHEM is 40.

I can't do jeans or trousers. I just can't. I'm small (size 8) but very poorly proportioned (thighs=danger zone). My teens and 20s were a sad travesty of fashion as I slavishly tried to squeeze the turnips into denim.

In my 30s, I worked it out - shortlish flippyish skirts/dresses, vintage wherever possible, thick tights, boots or ballet pumps. Hopefully the right balance between Interesting and Inappropriate.

But now - my wardrobe looks dangerously muttonish. But I don't want to turn into a librarian. (No offence to librarians. Some of my best friends...it's just that when you're small, if you go librarian, you can look like a Miss Marple toy).

Any comments are welcome within reason.

COS?

have you looked at hobbs nw3

i am approaching 40 and having similar concerns, seem to be wearing cords, top, jacket/blazer ,,,and that's it. occasional dress but not floral or flippy.

sigh

Hello Coat fellow ahem 40 year old here not sure why you think you can't wear your shortish flippyish skirts and dresses your not ready for Country Casuals yet you know !!!

The skirts I wear are a long black tube skirt with elasticated stretchy waistband, high on my waist with shirt tucked in for work with high heeled ankle boots, for going out I wear it with a slouchy metallic or silky top and high heeled ankle boots. For casual wear i wear it lower down on my waist with biker jacket T shirt big scarf and low heeled ankle boots for a more casual look then with vest top and flip flops loads of bangles and hipster belt in the summer.

I have a very short denim skirt I wear with leggings (long ones right down to the ankle) jersey blazer floaty top and either converse or jalouse style ankle boots. In the winter I wear it with woolly tights biker boots and chunky jumper.

I have an a line leather skirt which after some fab fashion advice off another mumsnetter I now wear casually with opaque tights a slouchy or chunky knit and low boots. Going out it is a silk shirt and high heels. It is even making its debut at work tomorrow with a white blouse and black fitted crew neck sweater with opaque tights and heeled ankle boots.

I have a fuchsia pink pencil skirt which I wear for work with blazer, going out I wear with t shirt and biker jacket.

I have a floaty maxi skirt with a muted snakeskin pattern with vest top and flip flops on cooler days with t shirt biker jacket and the Jalouse style boots again with oversize cream pashmina scarf for warmth.

I appreciate this may not be your style but what I am trying to say is I reckon you can get away with most styles of skirt and if it makes you happy and you feel good just wear it !!!!

I'm 43 and still wear quite short skirts, but always with opaques.

Interesting...I was about to start a thread based on this pic of Kate Moss.

Now I too have just turned 40 and still (IMHO) can and do pull off a short skirt/opaque tights combo (I may even have been one of Limoncello's "advisers" re leather skirt, I certainly was to someone who was questioning age and leather skirt appropriateness)...but, but, I think there comes a point where something, usually short shorts, just look a bit too try hard? I know she has the legs for it but wouldn't some kind of skirt or trouser look a lot classier and therefore sexier?

Anyway-OP, definitely no reason to turn into a librarian, or start wearing skinnies if they really aren't you. Limoncello has great ideas. Have you tried more clingy skirts/dresses? Ruched jersey types like this are very flattering and can be teamed with lovely sweaters, cardigans, scarves...maybe slightly more grown up than flippy ones?

Don't like KM there at all - she looks as if she just forgot to put a skirt on, and I think thin black tights can look cheap.

Love pencil skirts btw OP and there are lots of ways to wear them without looking like a librarian. Limon has given some excellent ideas.

Hello sleep think you were one of my advisors !!! anyway yyy to ruched skirts I'm useless at links but I have the Baukjen karlie skirt (it is very like sleeps me&em link) anyway it has been fab endlessly flexible flattering because it hugs without being too clingy and adjustable in length depending on how much ruching you do!!! I wear it casual with opaques nice and short with biker jacket or denim jacket and boots going out I wear it longer with t shirt blazer and heels.

Oh Lordy to KM is she even wearing a skirt !!!

Mmmm lovely, lovely, lovely ideas. You are keeping me safe from librarianship.

As a last request - Limon or Sleep, can you recommend any Pinterest people to follow who do this style? I'd like to collect images, get some ideas together.

You could take a look at my wardrobe just as an example of a 40year olds! it is quite skinny jean heavy but there are some skirts/dresses there that I wear as described previously, with opaques and bikers/Pistols.eg the red long sleeved dress with pale grey poncho, dark grey ribbed tights, pistols and long grey and black knitted scarf. Lots of my tops would work as well with clingy maxi skirts and boots I think.

Oh KM looks terrible in that pic.

coatson I don't have good legs - chunky thighs and weirdly fat knees - but I have embraced shorter skirts this year at the grand old age of 39! For me, what works is an a-line shape, that sits about an inch above the knee and worn with opaque tights. I have this H&M skirt which is the perfect shape and length and I wear it at least twice a week ATM. Chunky shoes good for balancing proportions such as brogues or loafers.

I'm a nearly ahem librarian, so feeling quite offended

also now wondering what on earth I can wear!

A-line doesn't suit me, so I wear pencil skirts/dresses or tunics over trousers (though I also seem to be the wrong shape for trousers). I'm not helping the librarian stereotype am I?

Sounds like sexy librarian norkily...pencil skirts are as cool as possible at the moment, what's the problem?

Sleepwhenidie - well I didn't realise librarianship was such a bad thing, stylewise, so who knows if I'm doing it right

Coats I am on pinterest but havent got round to pinning anything yet !!!!
I just go on there search for example 'black maxi skirt' and have a peruse of some looks !!! If I was you I would simply search skirts it will throw up all sorts good and bad find some styles you like and narrow it down from there.Polyvore is also good it does look boards but again would help if you could decide on some styles.

Sleep Lovely board a very foxy 40 year old

norkily If you like pencil skirts try sleeps suggestion of a ruched one might be more practical for work and I think librarians come in all sorts of designs I dont think Laura Ashley gets issued as standard our local librarian is a goth think she would be really offended by a knee length A line too !!!!

Norkily - ah, sexy librarian - I think you have just identified my ideal style!

I'mindependentlymindedandreallyquitesexybutIdohaveabrainactually

Can an item of clothing convey this?

Can we start a Sexy Librarian thread?

Liberty thank you for the HM skirt - I need to buy that NOW
Sleepy I like that red dress. I am just imagining your thighs. (Please do not be alarmed, I mean it in a sisterly way). I bet they are long and slim and I would sell my family to have them.

Sexy Librarians, we must persevere with a pencil/A line/ruched thread.

marking my place...

This is my Pinterest - not sure if any use though.

Remus, you run a beautiful universe, I'm following you

:) Thank you. I will follow you right back! What's your name?

Kate moss looks like Shes suffering from alzeimers and forgotten to put her skirt on. Shes far too old for that look

I'm 4OH! And boards are here
pinterest.com/shopafrolic1/
This dress is a nice day to day option (looks better in RL)

pinterest.com/pin/122230577358860246/

Where's it from, Shop? I like the colour but don't think the shape would work for me.

The dress? Warehouse. This season. It is so much nicer in real life....very flattering and can dress up or down I think...... Came in a pale blue and a black/white print too....