Do you have any 'Style Rules'?

[WilburIsSomePig]

These days I generally believe that you should wear what the hell you like but I can clearly remember thinks from my youth that were an absolute no no.

My mum was horrified when I went out in a coat with my skirt hanging down a couple of inches from the bottom. (This was the 80's).

I would never have worn red and green together, whereas now I have a pair of bottle green trousers that I like with a dark red jumper and hope that I don't look too much like an extra from Elf.

Do you have any particular 'rules' that you stick to?

Beautiful coat Bobo, and hope 2017 is a much better year for you.

Skinny jeans only (boot cuts if I can get them)

Summer palette of colours.

No black near face & avoid black if possible.

No high necks.

Tidy eyebrows daily and wash hair everyday.

Don't take make up off. Just wash face with water and a dry flannel to wipe otherwise I get spots.

Very much rules for me rather than rules for others!

• Only wear colours that suit me (Autumn palette, plus charcoal/navy)

• nothing too girly - I have big broad shoulders and I look like a big galumphing bloke in a dress in any of those pretty tea dress/camisole and skirt/fit and flare type outfits.

• not too much colour - I am actually a House of Colour analyst, but for me a lot of it is about knowing my best neutrals/splash of colour, not dressing like a CBeebies presenter.

• look after the skin that's on show - scrub, de-fuzz, moisturise etc. I feel yucky if the weather suddenly turns warm and I have arms/leg still out without a little prep! I am not remotely high maintenance, but a bit of body brushing and lotion works wonders.

So interesting reading these. Mine are very similiar. But I have recently had a yearning for a black cashmere roll neck, almost but not quite cowl.

I am nearly 49. I have not worn black since I was a tortured misunderstood teenager. Is it really that aging?

Rick I have recently got back into black. It looked fab in my 20s and awful I my 30s but bizarrely okay it my 40s. I love cashmere crew necks but I am too saggy for a roll neck.
Bobo that coat is incredible - totally timeless.
Another rule I have adopted is to not overdo the highlights. I am very grey at the front but got my hairdresser to weave in lots of different dark blonde shades so that my hair looks a much more natural almost mousy shade. I was tired of being an identikit over 40 blonde. It is so much more youthful IMO.

Another thing I remembered (while shopping with DD aka taking DD out and buying her things while I try to cling to Low Spend 2017) is (for me) no fur.
Not real, not faux, not that straggy candyflossy stuff round a parka.
If it doesn't come off , I don't buy it.

I personally never wear black. I walked out of the office in 2008 and said right, that's it, I'm never wearing black again. The end. Nowt wrong with grey in all its shades, but never black.

Never white either. That's just sensible.

No writing, no logos, no high-necks, no faces, no cartoons... but I mean, really, this stuff goes without saying doesn't it? Although apparently not, I got a cartoon t-shirt for Christmas and I was like... really? When did I ever convey to you that I was a 'cartoon t-shirt' kind of woman?

I don't wear jogging bottoms (again, isn't this obvious?) or leggings-as-trousers. No bold patterns, no bright colours, nothing children's-TV-presenter. No lace. No sleeveless.

I think it very much depends on your skin tone Rick, and that sweater sounds lovely!

As a disclaimer I'm one of the people black really suits, but I've drifted towards wearing it in more luxurious/pristine fabrics only. A navy coat for everyday seems to wear better, but a great dress and cashmere sweaters in black are still on my list.

Black can look wonderful on older faces - I think the trick is having a colour accent (red lip,chunky jewellery, or colourful scarf). The image I have is Carmen del'orefice, who is simply breathtaking in her 80s and wearer of lots of black, or the inimitable Iris Apfel.

Rick I gave up wearing black in my 40s after seeing myself in photos. My hair was turning grey and I hadn't realised that my skin tone had changed too so that black just looked way too harsh. We're all different so that doesn't mean it's the same for you but I think it's worth bearing in mind that sometimes it's not only hair colour that changes.

For an elderly take on the tortured misunderstood teenager look - which I do still quite like - I go for charcoal grey.

Daphne Selfe (80+) modelled for Me and Em - who use a lot of black and white - last year and looked fabulous. In fact looking at her makes me think it's not just about colouring. She also has a dramatic looking face with strong features and great cheekbones so can carry it off

I want to have rules but I never seem to stick to them. I know I suit a classic, breton stripe, boden, french style look but I end up looking fat and frumpy. In all honestly I blame the fashion on offer in Australia difficult. There is little that suits me so I struggle to shop here.

Anyhoo, my style rules are simple:
Never wear anything wider then it is long.
Just because they make it in my size doesn't mean I have to wear it.
No turtle necks or anything that creates a monoboob look.
No citrus colours, beige, caramel, or grey.
No ankle straps on shoes.
Black flats or heels only. No sandles or other style shoe in black.
No ugg boots ever.
No bra on show.
Try to avoid florals but I often fail with this.
No checks or plaid.
Nothing so short you can see my cervix.

Floisme, where do you get your heavy duty tube skirts from? I need to replace some and can't find the really thick ones. Thanks

My rules (or rather preferences):

no shapeless T-shirts
no leggings
nothing too revealing
only one strong colour (the other clothes are neutral or variations of that colour) - so, no bright red and green (it also looks like my national flag)
only one piece of statement accessories (or necklace, or handbag, or earrings, not all)
no ripped jeans or with embroidery.
a good bra and the right knickers too
nothing too tight

Thanks for the comments. I do wear navy and charcoal grey ALL THE TIME. Might go wild and wear pale grey now and then. My coat is charcoal. My warm scarf is charcoal. I am in the slightly ridiculous position of thinking that buying a black jumper is somehow edgy. I also have a string of river pearls that I dream of wearing with said jumper. I look my age, but my hair is not yet grey. It's all moot anyway as I can't find one that fits my criteria, and I live in the deepest country so hard to get to shops and don't have much money. But it's good to dream.
Anyway I am sorry for the derail and will list my style rules. Thanks again.

Dress for the season. Don't wear flip flops and summer dresses in April.

Jackets, fairly tailored, but also funky.

Make one item your focus. Either scarf, jacket, shoes or top.

Minimal jewellery. I usually wear earrings, but nothing else. If I do wear a necklace I take the earrings out.

Moisturise every day, usually shed loads of Nivea.

Try and mantain hair, if to difficult wear it up.

Floisme that is pretty much the look I am aiming for you have special powers

For me
No red, orange, yellow or pink unless it's within a pattern
No polo necks/high necklines
Nothing I can't fit a bra under
Waist belts with 99% of dressss

Rick so pleased you like it! Sadly I can't see the cashmere on in the Me and Em sale but they have this one in merino wool

Oeuf tube skirts haven't been the same since Whistles and Me and Em stopped doing them but the best one I know at the moment is this pure collection one It's thick, double layer, below the knee and I just pray they keep on doing it.

I've noticed mint velvet have started doing one too which is great news though I've not seen it in real life yet.

H&M do one for about £6.99. I was so excited, I bought 3 but sadly I can't recommend them as they went saggy very quickly.

If you like a bit of ruching there's Boden and also Kettlewell Both a bit thinner than the old school ones but not bad. Kettlewell also do a short length. But I didn't get on with either Hush which was too short for me or Baukjen which was too thin and flimsy

That concludes my survey! Any updates welcome.

Lweji I misread one of your rules as "nothing too revolting"

This is a great thread. Mine is the same as your mum's OP! Even if I love them, I now never buy coats of mid-thigh or hip length, as I am always in skirts. Skirt poking out under coat is one of my greatest peeves.

I also hate ankle straps on shoes and ankle boots, unless worn with jeans. Both utterly stumpifying, I can't understand why people desire to cut their leg off just as it's narrowing.

Only buy it if you love it. You'll be wearing it for at least 5 years.

Think, smart. comfortable and a bit quirky when shopping.

Hopefully nothing too revolting either.

Also:

Absolutely no flip-flops except the beach, swimming pool or home.
I also don't do straps around ankles.
Or any platform shoes. It gives a funny walk.
Discreet make up.
Nothing too flowery or frilly. Or too much 70s patterns.

Btw, I don't think I have a style as such. I'm happy in quite different styles and sometimes I mix them.

But mostly, confidence. If for some reason I enter, say, a restaurant in a fleece, track suit bottoms and trainers (or wet dirty wellies), I'll do my best impression of all smiles, shoulders back, and lots of eye level contact.

On my feet, "no-show" socks should be just that, no-show. I don't like the bits of white or black or bright colours sticking out of my trainers. I either wear ankle socks, or none at all.

And unlike many others on this thread, I live in sportswear!

I just can't wear trainers without socks and I think the very short ones look better with shorts or cropped bottoms.
(Sometimes I am in sportswear too)

Fab thread.

My rules are strictly for my shape and colouring; I suspect that my tall, willowy younger sister has an entirely different set to follow.

I try to wear block colour, with a palette of neutrals like ivory, grey, navy, denim and leopard, then add interest with a nice bag and leather shoes/sneakers.

I like an interesting (but cheap!) necklace to add a bit of texture over a plain knit or jersey top, but it has to be toddler-proof.

As much as I'm drawn to a print, they just make me look like I'm wearing curtains.

With G cups boobs and a bum to match, I have to wear something that fits my waist, or I look 4 sizes bigger than I am.

I have a figure that would have been best clothed in the 1940's - while I'm not one for tweed pencil skirts day to day, it helps if I bear that silhouette in mind when shopping.

Clean hair and a bit of blusher and I feel presentable, if you don't look too closely at sticky handprints and baby dribble!

Great thread - I've really enjoyed reading it!
For me
I don't wear pattern or stripes close to my face.
Deep colours or white close to my face, no biege, mid grey to charcoal or pastels
Trousers need to be flat fronted, skirts pleated from mid hip are ok
No branding on anything even bags except for a small bit on sportswear.
Good quality shoes - cheap are never comfortable and never get worn
Knitwear is either cashmere or merino, other wools are too itchy and linen/cotton loose shape too easily.
No t-shirts
Iron clothes - didn't when I was younger but feel wrinkly face and wrinkly clothes is a bit of overkill
Aviod head to toe classic and safe - it always makes me feel dull and frumpy.