How to not look middle aged

[Justtakeatowel]

I've seen a few pictures of my recently and I look frumpy. I don't mind looking my age (mid 40s) but I just look uurgh.

I've started curly girl and I think curly hair ages me loads! Where do I need to buy from to make myself a bit more with it? I've a tendency to buy cheap supermarket stuff which I think isn't always cut the best and I'm willing to spend a bit more.

I'm 5 ft 7 and 9 stone 9 if that makes a difference but a definite apple and have a bit of a belly which I think adds to the frumpiness

Thanks!

I'm 38. Why is everyone saying curly hair is ageing? I have natural ringlets to my lower back. I certainly don't want the hassle of straightening it. My dd straightened my hair for fun several months back. Took 2hrs!

@LizzyAnna99

I’m 20 and buy supermarket stuff, it’s fab haha! I like ASOS but I mainly shop on Depop. My main colours are black, white, grey, and pink. I’m far too tall to wear skirts so I spend most my time in leggings, a t-shirt dress, and a pair of Vans/ASOS knock offs or Adidas Superstars. They’ve lasted me 5 years so far! I’m by no means a fashion expert 😂

You don't need to be a fashion expert , you are 20! The world is your wardrobe. Enjoy it while you can, look after your teeth, look after your skin and keep away from tattoo shops.

@Toastandjams

Also NEXT clothes I think are frumpy.

Yes.

Forget Botox, eat keto for youthful and unsaggy face - drink loads of water , minimal alcohol (I don’t drink and if I do my face looks gross instantly )

Resistance exercise 3 x a week , cardio every day (I walk or jog an hour a day and do some boxing or something if I have time ) - when gym is open I do 3-4 classes a week

Hair -balayage is way to go! Now in lockdown I do my own!!! Just tint my roots and put some highlights in once. I use those old fashioned rollers if am wanting it nice !

Nails -and waxing used to spend loads in beautician , with lockdown I bought waxing machine (hot and roller ) and so my own - inc fanny ! Hahahaha

Same with shellac - bought a machine and do nails myself as hate not having them done as feel messy

I do some stretching every night to chill so i sleep well

Oh and I tint my own eyebrows about every 2 weeks with that eyelure (eserntial else look awful ) and I used to get eyelash extensions but now just wear false if am going out (hardly ever lol)

Oh and green tea and dark choc , lots of green veg errrrr

Oh and I have this face exerciser I use after I clean my teeth for 5 mins

Oh and speaking of teeth - I have a whitening tray from
My dentist and do it regularly to make my teeth white and also use that pink pearl drop toothpaste

All these things massively help me - I’m 47 and always being told I look loads younger (massive effort though but worth it !?

Wow Sunnydays!

I’m a huge fan of Linda Rodin’s style. She looks fabulous for a woman in her 70s! The key points seem to be:

• Stay slim

-Medium length hair, not too long or short -Good quality basics styled with statement pieces like a big coat or jewellery -Statement glasses -Don’t be afraid of bright colours, patterns, textures like faux fur, metallics and sparkle

I’ve been inspired to buy a pair of silver trainers and a massive oversized coat similar to the ones Linda wears. It makes me feel a little bit more glamorous even if I’m only wearing jeans and T-shirt.

@QualityFeet lol was just thinking - no wonder I have to be in bed by 10pm lol

@viques hahaha thank you 🤣🤣 however cannot follow that last piece of advice as I have already made my way into a few tattoo parlours and have some very stereotypical tattoos 🤣 I love them nonetheless haha

Also, is looking our age so bad ? We can’t change our age, and should be happy to have reached it. I feel lucky to be here in my fifties, having friends who didn’t make 50.
The older women who I think look amazing, wear things that suit their shape, but also wear things they love, without worrying. I have a stunning friend in her 80s. She has beautiful skin , a mass of tumbling curls, Smokey eye makeup ,and she has her own unique style. She is gorgeous.

We are the yin and yang of 47. I went to bed last night at 3.30am after a half bottle of rum and giant bowl of home made chips.
I go for a run now and then and have just tinted eyebrows and lashes for the first time - am delighted with the difference but it’s relative huh!

“Statement jewellery” should be avoided at all costs - especially necklaces.

Hahaha @quality this is a fairly
New phase for me

Used to be far more fast living lol

@candilemon omg AGREE I absolutely hate statement jewellery. I wear tiny (like 6mm) hoop earrings, 1 small Favori necklace, 1 ring, and sometimes a watch. I can’t stand loads of necklaces piled on or big clunky items

Sunnydays let’s see where my eyebrow tinting takes me!!

You're beautiful however you are. I'm finding the obsessions with looks here really depressing.

You've got a great figure for wearing sharper clothing. That sweater looks fine. What's not looking fine are the floppy, thin shapeless cheap-looking white jersey tops. Wear more fitted clothing. Wear colour. Wear fabrics with a bit of weight.

Thin white jersey is never a good look. Even teenagers look cheap in it. Unless you've got the exact colouring for it, white is more and more difficult to pull off as you get older unless it's a crisp white cotton shirt that's seen an iron.

Hahaha yes !! It’s a slippery slope !

I think it’s when I started having loads of beauty treatments from when I hit 42 ish and now with lockdown I couldn’t bear to stop them so found ways to do them myself ! Which am so chuffed about !

I'm mid 40's and don't think I look frumpy, in fact I really feel like I've hit my stride style wise. I don't spend a lot on my clothes but I'm good at knowing where to get good quality on the high street.

I stick to plain colours in 90% of the time with only a few patterns or stripes. I buy a core of black, white, grey, navy and khaki - v neck tshirts long and short sleeves, plain fine knit jumpers, straight jeans rolled up a bit all M&S, H&M (perfect for basics) and Uniqlo. Also some pleather skinnies (worn with blazer, cami and black blazer with a clutch and heels for nights out) and pleather leggings with half tucked in v neck tshirt and trainers. I also have a load of midi dresses which are plain coloured and I wear with trainers

I then funk them all up - nice belt, big sunglasses, expensive trainers (Golden Goose / Vega) animal print heels for nights out, layer lots of bracelets. I also have quite a few piercings with mismatched earrings. My style inspiration is very much someone like doesmybumlook40 on insta although I'm much more conservative. I also have some nice bags - newer mulberry's, YSL

Key for me is always wearing a bit of makeup
Colour every 4 weeks to cover greys
Shellac on short nails every 2-3 weeks
Regular blowdry or do it myself with babyliss big hair
i do have botox but I don't think that it's a given for everyone

Yeah exactly. I don't want to look several years older than I am but I'm happy to look my age - 44, there is nothing wrong with being and looking 44, or indeed any age.

The wonderful thing about being in my 40s is having a lot more confidence in myself than I did 20 years ago. I wouldn't say I don't care what I look like but I have accepted myself and can say "I'm ok!" don't need to be the most beautiful or complete with anyone. And I haven't been anywhere near the OP's weight since I was 28, before I had kids, and I worked very hard to be that weight, I was 11st 7lbs when I was 16 years old.

Why is everyone saying curly hair is ageing? I have natural ringlets to my lower back. I certainly don't want the hassle of straightening it.

Well, I'm certainly not going to start when I get older. All my life, I've had more complements on my hair than anything else.

I'm reasonably confident that it isn't just because the rest of me is awful.

@candilemon

“Statement jewellery” should be avoided at all costs - especially necklaces.

Like every generalisation this isn’t true. Quirky jewellery can look amazing, you just have to be careful with it. Like everything really.

I'm 51 and I have grey/white hair and it's amazing. No dye would ever get the same look. It's perfect for my skin tone and it's in excellent condition. It isn't always the benchmark for 'letting yourself go' .
I have a belly and I've found batwing jumpers to be the perfect shape for me. I don't wear much colour, ever since going grey I've been able to go back to black clothes and red lipstick without looking washed out. When I do wear a bright colour, orange really suits me now, I do get a lot of compliments, but I feel better in black or navy.
One thing I do need to invest in is a more substantial bra.

Have just seen your photographs, OP. Been reading back the way to see the most recent contributions first.
I agree with you and the curly hair. I feel if it was shoulder length or so it would be less ageing. So basically the length is wrong. Grow it and clip it up or whatever in the meantime.

About the curly hair!

I think what is more important to me is not having an old person's attitude. I'm generally very positive and open to new ideas and technology, and want to learn all the time and don't just get grumpy and nostalgic and think things were better in the past. Or that my generation are superior to millennials or teenagers/kids now, as we certainly aren't. If you have an old person's mindset, it doesn't matter whether you are 22 or 92, or how funkily you dress, you will always appear old.

41 here and a stone over what I should be and for me that's pushing me into frumpy but I do find watching others and copying styles helps greatly and gives you an idea of what you like. The most stylish woman I've ever known was mid 50s when I met her and I was mid 20s. She spent on coats, shoes, boots and had excellently cut trousers and shirts and distinctive lipstick. Her clothes were very similar and she only wore 2-3 colours but they were what suited her. She had actually very few clothes but all were expensive. She wasn't rich but oozed and still does well into her 60s, sophistication and confidence.