So what sort of things do you think 40 somethings should wear without looking like mutton dressed as lamb but still stylish and trendy and cool????

[inanidealworld]

Title says it all really.

And I hate to say it but depending on your skintone black can be very ageing.

It makes me look absolutely haggard and I avoid wearing it as much as possible, especially near my face.

I have recently found my "Adam Ant leather trousers", circa 1983. I put them on and my teenage dds were literally crying with laughter

Have mixed caucasian/black african colouring Mrs Badger.
You could wear black but with a flash of white (shirt collar, t-shirt) directly next to your face to soften it a bit maybe.

Erm I think I would have been too aol lol

oh, white's even worse on me, esp with black - I look pants in sharp contrasts.
Mostly I happily wear browns and rusty oranges and greens and only occasionally swoon with jealousy at people who can pull off black and white.

Oh dear - I have only read the first few threads but I feel it is me you are talking about. I never EVER used to wear black, now my wardrobe consists entirely of black. I will be 40 in June (and counting down rather rapidly) and still like to wear trendy-ish clothes but I will NOT wear the same clothes as my 14 year old daughter (who is slimmer, taller, bigger boobed, etc. than me!).

The one reason I like to wear black (although my boyfriend calls it the "James Bond" look) is that I have long blonde (highlighted to cover the grey) hair and I feel it makeds me look slimmer (a bit slimmer anyway) and shows off my hair (unfortunately I don't have many assets but I think my hair is one of them!).

If you're slim, you can get away with a lot more, even after the dreaded 40.

If you want input from Planet Bloke, I can think of lots of 40ish women who look good in not-too-short skirts, black tights and knee-length boots.

I love that blonde hair on black look Bumblelion.
Thanks for all your comments. I've got to collect DS now but I'll be back on Monday for a mutton v. lamb check from you lot.

Message withdrawn

Just wanted to add that if you feel good in it, fgs wear it!

Will keep that in mind UD.

Message withdrawn

What do you wear with that top megglevache? It looks good for disguising the less than toned midriff

Message withdrawn

Funny, Meggle, one of my mates has that and also looks great in it.

For those afficionadoes of black - me included - (the right) dark chocolate brown can be very flattering.

I'm 45 now and, thinking over the years, what's happened is that my clothes have gradually got more tailored and more classic. I'm fussier about cut of t-shirts, I really like 3/4 length sleeves, I like interesting subtle texture (like a silk/wool tweed for trousers) rather than noisy patterns. The things I used to wear that wouldn't now are things like baggy trousers with wild prints on them & really droopy jumpers.

Places I like are Principles for t-shirts, White Stuff for casuals, Muji (love Muji), H&M for office shirts - fantastic - really wide range, not too off-the-wall, and bargain.