Help - I am a boring dresser

[hippospot]

As I turn 40 I realise my style is dull dull dull.

I have always been attracted to neutral colours and clean lines in the hope of being "elegant" and "chic". But suddenly I wonder if I have strayed into "older lady" territory by being a "safe" dresser.

I see other women my age who have a flair or an edge about them, and I suspect I'll never have that. I am definitely not, nor ever have been, trendy. Yet I don't want to look back in 10 years and think I dressed older than my age and didn't have fun with clothes.

In brief, I am tall and slim, short hair with a few greys that I don't dye, but the cut is good and hair is in good condition. I am a "winter" and unfortunately in winter 90% of my clothes are grey, black or navy (I find summer dressing much easier and wear more colour then).

I mostly wear skinny jeans, riding-style boots, stripy tops and cardis, knitted tunics or dresses, a scarf, nice naice leather bag, classic boring wool coat...

Please can someone give me some ideas! Any help much appreciated.

They have a teal one, but full price. Nice though.

Hippo the tops you picked show that you like clean shapes and solid color and a fairly minimalist look. That's a good thing to know and a great start.

If you are thinking about your shape, both of the tops hide your waist. Sometimes clothes that are a bit shapeless can make outfit boring, unless the rest of the outfit is very different. If you are an inverted triangle, I would go for belted stuff and nipped in waisted jackets or perhaps bias-cut tops and wider necklines. This season's soft flowy pants (with and without print) would also be ideal for your shape. Google some resources that detail how to dress your shape - this is a start. This pinboard is good, more here, and here are some winter ideas. Here are some celebs who share your shape - check out what they wear right now. The 'boring' feel often comes from misproportioning the outfit and trying to hide your body in baggy clothes.

You have probably checked your bra size. If not, do the bra intervention here on S&B. I'm pretty flat-chested (former A/B now C/D) and that was something I used to try to hide - growing up in the Wonderbra era was no fun These days there are amazing bras that shape and define if you need that. The boyish look is great too - oddly enough that looks better with many outfits, designers tend to design clothes for a clothes hanger body! I love wide shoulder bras and bralettes - French women show off smaller breasts, no need to be ashamed!

Thanks FF, very useful links.

I don't think I'm an inverted triangle, I'd say my hips and shoulders are the same width. I do have a defined waist and relatively flat stomach. According to the bra intervention I'm a 32B and I now own padded bras that seem to give me as much shape as I can get without surgery! I don't like showing any chest at all because you can see my ribs. I don't mind flashing a bit of collarbone though!

I find this shape of dress suits me a lot: phase eight - this is just an example to show the style - slight cap sleeve, fitted waist with some ruching, high-ish neck to hide the ribs!

Sadly I don't live in permanent summer. I wish I did! I feel most comfortable in dresses in summer (my arms are probably my best feature).

I'm going to have a proper look at those links - thanks again.

Sweet article on Woman's Hour right now about our personal "uniforms"/ signature looks.

Working out what your best features are, and highlighting them, is much, much more stylish than obsessing about your (relatively) weaker features and camouflaging them.

I'm tall and slim (not skinny) with good skin/hair/eyebrows/eyes/feet/shoulders, so that's my starting point and where I try to draw attention.