"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?

Wolfords used to do a barely black that was great with colored dresses. Cool blueish grey can be frumpy, slightly warm, taupe grey is better.
Freudian slip there with the wee ageing

A "rather lovely" woman wouldn't have made that comment even as a slip of the tongue. Watch out for her, true colours might have slipped through there. She not only managed to insult you but anyone of a certain age at a time when age really is quite immaterial, it's how you look think and feel which defines us rather than a number.

I had some Hobbs' stuff in my 20's at work (City law firm), a lot of their dresses are classic and cut across the ages depending on your figure and overall style.

Ignoring what a 50 year old actually looks like these days, basically she was saying you looked like a fuddy duddy.

Given your age, build, hairstyle and the shoes you were wearing it's unlikely you looked anything but chic and elegant, irrespective of pearls and grey tights. I think there is more to the comment than you're prepared to acknowledge.

Proceed with caution around her!

I think your wardrobe sounds tres chic. It's now all about the mix. Check out pins on Pinterest for putting things together.

I also thought the dress/pearl combination looks a bit Theresa May-esque.

Very rude of that woman to say what she did though. You obviously have a lovely figure OP. I'd be tempted to wear something fabulous next time you see her - shut her up for a bit.

I love Hobbs OP but I have always found it looks frumpy and ageing on me . I am an hourglass figure, maybe the cut doesn't suit me? Am a similar age to you, too.

I am glad cheese and pineapple said what they did. She might not be that lovely. I work in a profession but it is far from professional and a lot of personal comments are made.

We are at work to work !

Lots of ageist comments here assuming 50 year olds and grannies are frumpy and fat! Don't think style is a matter of age or indeed size.

Having said that, I agree with others about the necklace - not really stylish. I think pearls are tricky to carry off anyway and those are not great examples.
Much older than you but much prefer a largish, interesting pendant.
Love that necklace, purpleshortcake. Where is it from?

I shall be the bigger person and rise above some of the comments on here.

I'm sorry you're upset. I like the dress although it's a long time since I had to wear anything as smart. I also don't know corporate life and how far you can push it but basically I'd ditch the beads and play around with jewelry and shoes to spike it up a bit. Necklaces are getting smaller but I'm not sure how well a pendant would work with that neckline. I might be tempted to try a large mannish watch instead - don't know if they're fashionable, I just like them. Just go somewhere where the jewelry is modern and mess about.

Same with shoes. I'm in a bit of a flat ankle boot rut at the moment so not best placed to advise but I've seen some low, block heels on threads recently that look interesting.

Take advice from people who know the corporate world better than I do and always be yourself.

And do not be dismayed. The divine Christine Baranski (aka Diane Lockhart) is in fact 60+, as are some of the most stylish women I know. Some of them are even grannies

Love your last point, Floisme.was thinking same about the magnificent Christine B.

If I could look like Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart for just one day, I'd be happy. She always looks incredible!

I think your outfit sounds great. Professional, smart and perfectly fine. I would have probably gone for sheer-ish black tights rather than grey, but that's it.

And I hated the "up the 'vamp' factor" comment (sorry). Why should the OP try to look like a vamp?

I think the biggest issue was the grey tights
A pendant necklace would have also worked better for me

To make that dress chic modern rather than chic older corporate I would wear vair vampy stilettos, probably leopard print, with deep burg nails and black statement necklace. Tights 10 den sheer. Eyeliner and lipstick worn but not statement iyswim!

polyhymnia

The necklace is from here;

http://cdn.notonthehighstreet.com/fs/8d/d5/739a-8b70-44ad-bcaa-089fb5e0b0f2/preview_caitlan-personalised-leaf-pendant-necklace.jpg

I'm 50 and am having some jewellery that I inherited from my mother reworked, so have been looking intensely at ideas. I am going for fine gold with small amethysts and I suggest you look at Net-a-Porter for inspiration for up to date jewellery looks.

I wouldn't ever have worn a dress like the Hobbs one you linked to so don't really feel able to comment.

Oh and I'd keep the grey opaques - I prefer them to black. If they don't work with the shoes then I'd change the shoes. No way bare legs or nudes - it's 5 degrees out there!

OP as fab as Diane Lockharts style is The Good Wife wardrobes (Diane & Alicia) are suited to a more mature woman IMHO.

I'm your age & tend to follow the style of Suits... more Donna & Rachel I'm not tall enough to pull off Jessica's wardrobe

not

I think it depends on how conservative you want to look, tbh.

I think Alicia's clothes could work for many.

What a snipey comment! No one wants to be told they're dressing >10 years older than their age!

Your wardrobe sounds fab, I aim for classic with a modern twist and agree that with conservative clothes, accessories need careful consideration, and love the cos jewellery ideas.

Tell her she looks tired

I'm sure people are giving you good advice more stylish jewellery options. I am reading with interest.

However, I wouldn't give that rude woman's advice too much headspace. What kind of colleague makes a remark like that? It's meaningless.

I'm 53. I don't wear dresses like that either (adjusts short velvet skirt).

She sounds a dick. You sound like Claire underwood. What's so great about her clothes? Maybe she looks trashy to you!

I don't think she sounds like a dick, but perhaps didn't deliver her message as constructively as she could. I agree with her - that is a very corporate 90s dress. I don't even seen female solicitors wear dresses that old fashioned. The OP has obviously taken on board the comment and is trying to find clothes that don't age her.

OP, have you tried dresses from Winser London

Those pearls would look great with the v cut dress and there's a burgundy version of the Hobbs one too

I've not even seen... Gah, bloody predictive text and fat fingers are a dangerous combination

You sounded great op, right up until your comment about how conscious she is of not ageing well. All I can say is, you just wait.......

'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'