Effortlessly eccentric dressing at 50 plus. How to look quirky not completely daft?

[SureIusedtobetaller]

I saw a woman when I was on hols, harem pants, flowy fabrics, grey hair, clearly didn’t give a damn. Looked gorgeous. Must’ve been at least 60 or over. I often see older women looking fabulous but not classic. But sometimes I see older women just look like they got dressed blindfold in the dark and didn’t brush their hair.
How can I achieve this? I like hippy stuff, Dr martens, pretty colours. But I just feel stupid when I try and end up in jeans and a t shirt.
Help me. Where to shop? What to get? What’s the key? I suspect good skin and hair helps? I don’t want to look classy I want to look odd but lovely!!

I love harem pants am currently wearing a black H&M pair with a black cashmere polo neck and a green kimono knit over it. I wear my black patent Chelsea boots with most things. I’m almost 50

Like MC Hammer baggy trousers?

I’ve discovered in my 40s that i feel best when I’m brave.
For me “safe” looks so frumpy as I’m curvy and short and not at all striking (more homely/friendly looking).

So I feel great in silver shoes or a jacket with a big pattern or a dress with chevrons.

I’m short and dumpy, I think I just look frumpy and boring.
You are right about the tops underneath Frankie’s dresses! Had not noticed and it does look nice.

Ooh I like this thread. Heading for 50 and my taste is quirky but I too often end up in jeans and a jumper through not having the time to faff about in the morning (at least in winter - I have lots of summer dresses).

The 50-something looks/dressers that appeal to me involve interesting colour, texture and print, eclectic mixes of styles (but done stylishly and not OTT, rather than a rolled through a jumble sale look!), trainers, birkenstocks, and boots rather than "ladylike" shoes, wideleg trousers, cool specs/shades, and very nice, quality simple items that you can pair with the wilder items. For example I love really nice, plain but quality t-shirts and jumpers, and then wear them with a bright or retro print skirt or dress, or eccentric necklace.

For shops I like Toast (in moderation - choosing the more flattering things), Other Stories, Hush (some of it), Finery, and Scandinavian brands like Moss Copenhagen, Saint Tropez, Ganni.

Also have my style icons, like Kirsty Wark, Vivienne Westwood, Anna Dello Russo (she wears mad outfits, but somehow always looks amazing and doesn't give a crap how outlandish it is). And Jo Brand - she has a fab eccentric sense of style and looks better the older she gets. It's not so much about dressing exactly like someone but they inspire me to wear what the hell I want IYSWIM.

Oh and Philippa Perry - her looks range from super-sophisticated to totally bonkers, always creative and give me new ideas.

I spent ages writing to you to my child just sat on my phone and it’s gooooone!!!

In short. Go for it please do!

museumum talks such wisdom with her insight about feeling brave.

I realised I had lost both myself and my bravery and have been on a slow and steady journey to rediscovery. 6 months in and it’s so much the right thing to be doing. I’ve got a way to go but even these first steps have changed my head as well as my clothes and hair.

What I’ve been doing can be divided into two halves: reinvesting in myself and looking through my eyes to decide whether ‘it will do’, vs looking through others eyes to see if I can pass muster. So, hair cut because it matters to me, though I will still get by being invisible and blending in for a good while yet.

Then the dressing for me, and bringing out the ‘cool’ me instead of trying to suffocate her in a cupboard as I try and fail to do normal well / ok/ well honestly... doing an ugly miserable soulless normal!

So... I got a few pieces that are definitely not your average choice. And they mix nicely with the camouflage clothing I have lots of already (until I can phase it out with nicer stuff, or at least stuff that suits me better!).

So I have things that ‘lift’ the outfit and also me... Shoes, handbags, even new glasses that are definitely stylish vs ‘quiet’. And my favourite thing is that I have died my hair pink on the ends, which I totally love, and means every outfit feels a bit more ‘me’ even if it’s the same old stuff as before.

Honestly I’m not quite sure if I really carry off the pink hair... but even though it was done just for myself, I’ve had so many compliments it really has felt like for the first time in half a decade, I’ve shimmered out of thin air and my invisibility has temporarily been suspended. Which is nice. But don’t want to be the crazy old lady so care needed - a continuing journey I think :) I thought I’d mind more though, but I feel SO much better like this than being small and invisible and sad. I think it’s because I’m being brave, and living brave with pink ends (which do actually suit me), is ally healthier state of mind than living grey and huddled up.

Long live the somewhat eccentrics!!!

eBay. Add lots of filters to your search to narrow it down. I wear 70s style retro prints, leopard coat and have pillarbox red hair. But younger than 50 but no plans to change it as I age. Try a bold coat or boots to start, coloured tights or patterned leggings under a dress.

younger than 50 not but.

Look at Gringo for tie dye stuff. An xl is around a size 14-16.

El Naturalista, Fly, Conker, Camper, Oxygen etc for quirky shoes.

Adding striped long socks can kook up plainer stuff as can handknitted necklaces.

Fairtrade stuff too.

Ivy arch blog is also good s she makes her own stuff and is very creative in how she puts it together.

Here's the link to the quirky dressing thread (not called that at all and getting on for a year ago - no wonder I couldn't find it)
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/2901467-I-dont-want-to-look-expensive-thread-I-like-colour-prints-and-comfortable-quirky-stuff

And dammit I can't stop thinking about that black denim asymmetric skirt on Gruach's YBD link . But I won't link it as it's not particularly eccentric.

Spending the day on Ebay and Gringo then....
Thanks for the thread link.

Not sure how to do clicky link but this company do some interesting styles:

www.forgottentribes.com/collections/palazzo-pants/products/extra-soft-palazzo-pants-with-thai-cotton-front

www.forgottentribes.com/collections/tops/products/deconstructed-tunic

What about Gudrun Sjoden? I think if you wear all of it, it can look too much but when I see someone wearing a vibrant top or skirt paired with a plainish top/bottom, I love it.

Sadly, when we were in Hamburg last year DH and I went into one of her shops and I just looked a bit deranged as the assistant, who was tall and willowy and looked beautiful in the clothes threw too much at me and I looked like an explosion in a Dunelm curtain outlet.

what about those of us who are lumpily overweight? Is it possible to carry off this kind of thing, while not looking like a barrage balloon? I worry that tunics and the like make me look all boob and belly, and also rarely come in V neck.

I do like the skinny top under something look further down - who is that please? She's slim though (I think?) so stuff will naturally hang better .

Im currently sporting "long grey hair and proud of it " aka "needs a haircut, but I haven't got round to it", but I'm thinking groomed hair/face etc keeps you on the right side of bag lady here?

I’m looking at the Gudrun stuff on ebay, love much of it but I agree sparing is best. At my height I would look like I’m trying to be 5 again if I went mad there!
Today I’m going to get out all my clothes and decide what I love.

Watching with interest. Pics welcomed.

I'm mid 30s, and previously been considered a ecclectic dresser, I like lots of Free People stuff, but now I'm wondering how well this is working. Potentially a bit outing, but today I'm wearing a vintage band T shirt, gold cowboy boots and a poncho shawl.

Your op made me think of this place:

https://www.gudrunsjoden.com/uk/m

Also here:

https://www.hampsteadbazaar.com

I think easing yourself in via accessories is a good start and then expanding beyond with what you are comfortable with as you get more accustomed.

Lagenlook style plain base layers with quirky shoes, necklaces, bags etc would be a good starting place.

Amazon has some Lagenlook basics called Voguees /Vogstyle.

I know the OP doesn't sew but if anyone does, I can recommend Marcy Tilton, Katherine Tilton and Liz Mizono patterns. Marcy and Liz are Vogue and Katherine on Butterick (older ones may be different).
They are not scary sewing either - no tailored sleeves
Some of the dresses look like those that Frankie was wearing.

I’m following this with interest. I’m 57 and feel that I need to embrace the clothes and looks that I love, which are mostly lagenlook although I also like an androgynous style (bit different!). I bought some pink DMs that I get lots of compliments on, but I get a bit lost as to what to put together as a ‘look’.

Oooh pink DMs! Lovely!
So far I’ve started a file for pics of stuff and looks I love. Got to go through my clothes.
Dug out my jewellery too and planned more.
Going to start with accessories and the odd statement piece as a pp suggested, till I get comfier with the idea of “not jeans and t shirt”.

I've seen a couple of women do the lagenlook really well (no pics I'm afraid, all real life) and I've always tried to figure out how they make it work. I suspect it's probably a lot less random than it appears and that they think carefully about how they layer things. They mix different textures and use colour well - not necessarily toning colours but ones that work together, sometimes unexpectedly. And often (although this may be my own preferences coming out) they don't do it head to toe. One woman I sometimes see has a very geometric haircut which kind of serves as a counterpoint; another was wearing a pale grey leather biker jacket on top plus a pair of very sharp brogues.

I also know someone who always wears lots of layers but not traditional 'scandi' layers if you follow me e.g. she'll wear narrow cotton trews or skinnnies, a knee length dress / tunic but nothing linen-ish, more likely from Cos or H&M or Kin at John Lewis (I always ask!) then usually a tailored jacket on top, chunky jewellery, shoulder length grey hair either loose or in an updo. And sometimes a trilby. (I bloody love that trilby.) It always looks fab and maybe an easier access point to that style and one that you might be able to do with what's already in our wardrobe?