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!!

Ooh someone mentioned tv judges loved the top/blouse the older woman judge wore on the latest Portrait Artist of the Year episode - any ideas of make?

I'm 40, and definitely not mainstream in style myself, but older women (50+) with unique style really turn my head. I especially love naturally grey, long hair. So I'm getting my own ideas from this thread but also wanted to give encouragement to the op!

Checking in ...

I'm placemarking too as another former quirky girl who now throws on a jumper and jeans/gap bistretch in winter and a t shirt and jeans/gap bistretch in summer.

Am 52, legs are still a 10. body is not. Therefore flowy and drapey is good.

Ilovecardigans, thank you. But the kind of cowl neck I mean is more like a polo neck but a lot looser. I've picked up a couple of warm M&S ones from charity shops , but need some lighter-weight too.

www.wearethought.com/base-layer-bamboo-roll-neck-top-black/

How about this Footle -this used to be Braintree organic clothing....

Thanks, Frankiewears, but neck needs to be floppier. So many nice tunics and over-things with scoop necks crying out for something under them.

Scarf?

Ah - I think I know the sort of thing you're after, Footle. I'll have a good think and a root around t'interweb and get back to you.

Meant to say earlier, I was watching a Diane Keaton movie at the weekend and had huge wardrobe envy (she was 57 at the time of filming, so only 4 years older than I am now). Her off duty style is also fabulous - very quirky, but classy and I would love to try and pull off her look.

I love to wear unusual things. Am 57 prob look bonkers some of the time but give no fucks

But no one cares if you look bonkers once you are 50. That’s the great thing.
I am feeling very inspired by this thread- thank you for all the ideas everyone!

"But no one cares if you look bonkers once you are 50 "

It really isn't about your age

Thanks cardigans, I don't know anywhere else to try.

elspethflashman beat me to it: the op seemed to be describing Frankie!

Lily Tomlin has a very thin body and gorgeous, striking hair. She then uses fascinating patterns and jewellery.

My DM is a pensioner, short and overweight, disabled and uses sticks/a frame. She wears artsy stuff, bright colours, lots of funky knitwear and layers. She has assorted coats and jackets, a nice one is a teal cord pea coat, another has all different colours of threads. She wears those “base” cotton, tight layers like the blogger photos on this thread, or camis in the summer.

She has to wear awful shoes for health reasons, which drives her crazy, she was always mad for shoes. She also gets cross that you can’t get funky yet functional walking sticks.

She does have good (silver) hair, well cut, and fantastic skin (I am as mine is more like dad’s who is like a prune!). That definitely helps.

I am more “classic” in my tastes but one of my DDs is arty and eclectic in her style so far and loves clothes, colour, accessories, perhaps it’s skipped a generation!

You have to stop thinking about age. That's the thing that will hinder your style. It doesn't matter how old you are, wear what makes you happy.

I am in my 60s and love clothes. I never thing "Oh that's not right for someone my age" though I am aware that I've got a crepy neck and my upper arms are not my best feature. Having said that it doesn't keep me awake nights but I do work around these. I wouldn't wear a plunging neck line or a sleeveless top, but that's it.
I get a good hair cut and colour regularly at a good salon, my stylist is fabulous.
I get clothes from here and there , some cheap, ebay stuff, other things more expensive. Vivianne Westwood cuts well and I love her clothes. Feeling a little adventurous in my clothes without feeling I might be doing something completely daft is sort of a good thing for me. Being crazy is not one of my aims.

I'm 55 and I wear either black or dark denim Abercrombie jeans (not jeggings but super skinny because I have good legs), Chelsea DMs or black Vans - no laces - and funky socks. I wear tops from Lucky Brand or, even better, Free People and Anthropologie. eBay is good for getting lower priced stuff. I have a red duffel-coat, a black puffy but streamlined winter jacket and two Max Mara coats I got in a good secondhand shop. But that's what I wear every day and it's boring to wear what has become a sort of uniform. I don't want to fall into the "interesting/eccentric bohemian older woman" look with floaty kaftans or tunics and chunky jewellery - it's not my "thing". Any suggestions?

Haven't read the whole thread because I'm just about to head out the door, so apologies if this has been mentioned. But check out iris apfel, notdeadyet and accidentalicon on instagram. There are others too. Great place for inspiration

Damn good thing I work mostly from home ... Am spending a third day waiting for a delivery from Vestiare of an item by a designer I had never heard of until a mail shot from Alex Eagle alerted me to their existence a couple of weeks ago.

I wrote a long post yesterday pontificating on my own alternatives to the floppy and bohemian area of eccentricity. But it just turned into a distressingly pretentious list of designers - which would have been misleading. (And laughable on a site where anything beyond Sainsbury’s is seen as evil extravagance.)

I certainly don’t aim to look outlandish. But I’m aware that my predilection for extreme artistry in tailoring, (sharply conceived shoulders, long tight sleeves,) innovative fabrics (wool and paper tweed) so stiff they can stand up by themselves and refusal to engage in competitive clothing expenditure martyrdom mean that I’m sometimes more visible than I realise.

But quite half of my wardrobe is emergency buys from Cos or wherever, half an hour before a meeting, because while concentrating on individual pieces I’ve omitted to provide myself with any actual outfits.

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I was bowling along thinking I was channelling Stevie Nicks, until I caught sight of myself in a shop mirror and... I was a mad bag lady.

I think unless you do have a sort of "bearing" , the art teacher look is quite difficult to carry off. You also need that thick wiry hair that can effortlessly be put into an updo, rather than slippery, fine hair.

The Gudrun clothes stuff is absolutely huge and clearly suited to the healthy, big Scandinavian figure rather than diminutive people.

People are mentioning Diane Keaton, Lily Tomlin, and other women who have angular sort of bodies. I am really hoping to find a style that suits a more Sandi Toksvig type!

I don't think this is necessarily a question of age at all. I'm 37 and am finding this thread really inspiring. I feel that I've lost myself a bit over recent years and want to get back to feeling more like 'me'. Surely it's more a question of how to fit a more quirky look into actual everyday life? If I was a fashion editor, for instance, I'm sure that I'd look fabulously eccentric. But my day actually involves dogs, gardening, the school run, cycling everywhere etc.. and I find it difficult to look quirky but yet not totally bonkers or just plain scruffy.

I see someone has beaten me to it with the Gudrun link Gudrun but also check out the used Gudrun oage on facebook. Most things go for half price in good condition.

@Dozer for your Mum