"You are dressed like a 50 year old" (I'm a young 37)

[MorelloKisses]

A little bit of guidance needed I think. Thank you in advance.

I am a young looking 37, 5ft 6, slim, I've just had another little push with clothes and beauty routine, got a pretty great haircut and colour (dark brown, graduated bob). I work in a very corporate environment and like to wear really classic things to work.

Today I had the plum coloured Hobbs Coleta dress on, with some black LK benet Stila shoes and some grey opaque tights. Just one necklace to accessorise and this is probably where it went wrong, I had this looped round 3 times, so not worn long.

In my head I was channeling my inner Diane Lockhart (who admittedly is 50 plus), but this comment this morning had really thrown me off, and I just felt a bit shit.

Can you point me to some accessories that will look impeccable, not granny?

It was rude and ageist.

Well I'm 41(42 in a few months)so nearer to 50 than you are and I wouldn't have worn that outfit in that way.

With the dress I agree with the PP I'd have gone for black tights not grey.
I'd also put a belt around the dress(it looks shapeless and the dress could still look suitable with an understated belt around the middle)and change the necklace.

I agree with sickofthis

Love that dress! I have many similar dresses... I'm 29, btw.

Gray tights? Imo a no.

I myself wouldn't wear the pearls with this dress but they are really nice.

And whoever said that was rude!!

I could see the pearls with an off white silky blouse maybe and burgundy culottes.

It bet you looked lovely. Just ignore her. No one I know would ever be so rude even if they thought the clothes looked old! most women over 50 are fat by the way and would therefore not be wearing that dress. I thnik 80% of men and women in the UK who are 50 plus have been found to be over weight so I doubt that dress is something most 50 year olds could get into. I would have gone for black not grey tights. I would not have had a necklace at all. I hope I am judged by the quality of my work by the way and I am over 50. We should not be having to worry about looks all the time (one reason I wear just about the same clothes every day - it rocks and saves time and money and means I can concentrate on more important things like earning a lot more than men and hobbies etc)

Maybe the grey tights?

The dress material looks like "crimpolene".

Too old looking for me (I'm in my 50's).

The dress is a bit 'old' op - sorry. A 70 year old wouldn't look wrong in it. It's a nice dress though

Rude!

I don't really understand the concept of 'dressing like a 50 year old' or being 'a young 37'. If you're in a corporate environment you surely dress to look professional, not a certain age? I'd love to be able to wear that outfit, and I wouldn't mind people thinking I was 50, either, as I'm now 60!

Sorry the pearls are not nice. Wasn't going to comment, but now have adverts of badly strung pearls tormenting me. Modern necklace, maybe dark grey metal and stick with the grey tights if you like them.

How very rude ! Wear whatever you like OP, and don't make excuses for that woman, she knew what she was saying.
I think the outfit is lovely, but probably better complimented, by a statement necklace and black tights.
Love the dress.

Hickey= frumpy

I'm retired and so glad I no longer have to worry about this shit. Your colleague was rude (nothing wrong in being 50, but she was rude in the context that you are not that old). She is not your friend.
In your position I would do what I should have done at your age and ditch the fucking high heels. Then build a smart wardrobe around low heels, because low heels need different clothes.

That dress is really lovely. I am 40 and to be honest I am struggling to find my style these days. I am finding it can be a fine line between classic and frump.

Dear me OP, you know some rude people, and more to the point some silly ones.

Your dress is heaven and perfect for work - straight, but strong in colour. Did you know people who wear red to work earn more? Proven, they tell me. Everyone I know with any brains - from fashion eds to lollipop ladies - has a pair of those Kate LK shoes, because they work.

In jewelry terms, I'm more of a geometry-on-a-chain gal these days, and I'm mentioning it because you might give that trend a whirl - more than suitable for work and can be fun.

Try Cos, Weekday and Primark. For proper cool, try factory floor jewels on etsy - brilliant spot where all the stuff is made of silver and offcuts from industrial projects, costs less than Whistles, much better made/rarer. Go for some of the brick lane jewellers if you fall for the trend and want to spend more than 100 quid.

Most importantly, I suggest you accessorise with some nicer colleagues and a blithe disregard for judgy style mavens (who prob dress questionably themselves),

It's no wonder women are made to feel shit about themselves as we get older, is it? Why not say (if you must comment on a colleague's outfit) "that dress is a bit staid" or "that necklace doesn't really work with that dress". Why equate 50 year old women with looking frumpy or boring?

It was defo the grey tights. Bin them.

I'd say the pearls didn't help either. Go for s chunky statement necklace.

There is a large block of colour in that dress. I have a similar one in plum and found that I needed a bold necklace. I also tried it with grey tights but found the whole look was then blocky and not very "together" so ended up with a subtle grey and black striped tight which I felt tied the black shoes into the outfit. How about a necklace like this (maybe with a slightly thicker chain?...worn long).

What a weird thing to say, however, as a fellow 37 year old I would take this as a great compliment! Ignore ignore ignore - It sounds like you looked fab to me.

Yes - those Cos necklaces are perfect.

Ok. Grey tights are granny. Dress is quite granny- it is jersey so not an office material .

Necklace doesn't go with dress. Did you have earrings on?

Stila shoes are good (with black dress and black tights)

It was rude, obviously trying to bring you down.

Honestly dress and shoes are classic. The tights could go either way. The necklace isn't good and worn short very prim and a bit Sloane rangeresque. Yes yes to one of the cos necklaces linked to up thread, they would really work with the dress.

So keep your clothes classic and make your accessories more edgy and young.

I do think the dress is fine for a corporate environment because although it is jersey it is structured and thick

Thanks all, I'm ditching the pearls and love the idea of a cuff.

To the poster who asked about my work wardrobe in general. Several 7/8 cigarette trouser suits (Reiss and Hugo boss), several dresses, always pencil type ones not skater, some worn on their own, some with contrasting jackets, always stila heels (I have several colours)

I'd struggle to get away with ankle boots for work - that is more my weekend wardrobe.

I'm going to think carefully about hosiery, I thought the grey (I wear Wolford) was an update to black opaque, so that's a lesson)
Btw, I'm not remotely phased about dressing 30, 40, 50 to whatever, I think that is all nonsense. Tellingly though the person who made the comment is conscious that she might not be ageing too wee and has 10 years on me (older). I'd only ever compliment her though.

Btw, I have cos clothes and jewellery also