Outfit ideas to tweak my style - 40 and dressing too young!

[BoPeeple]

I think I need to tweak my style

I love clothes and always make an effort. But lately I’ve been feeling a bit meh about how I look and I think it’s because I’m trying to dress for my figure and not my age iyswim.

I’m toned and slim and look quite young for my age so I tend to wear little flowery dresses, shorts and cropped tops, dungarees and strappy tops etc. But this isn’t really working any more because my face says otherwise!

I’d like to tweak my style gradually to something a bit more classic - possibly French inspired as that suits my shape and my features. But I don’t want to look frumpy and I still want to show off my best features!!

So I’m after outfit ideas. I don’t have loads of money to buy new, but I have a LOT of clothes so I suppose I’m looking for ideas of how to put them together. I buy from Depop so can supplement with second hand items if necessary.

So what do 40-year-old stylish women wear? Can you suggest some good go-to outfits?

(For info, I’m a size 6, no boobs but good legs and bum, athletic build.)

When you think of celebrities of your own age who you admire, who do you think of?

Penelope Cruz' casual looks are always beautiful. Think of celebrities you like the look of and draw on what they do. The most stylish have key looks which they regurgitate over and over with different twists.

You shouldn't try to be suddenly very sophisticated if you're fond of prints and fun clothing though...just look at styles you love on celebs and know they've been helped by professionals so you can't go wrong if you imitate them.

Finding people who's style you like on Instagram would give you lots of ideas i bet.
You could try lydiajanetomlinson , she has a very chic but youthful style. They're are loads, follow a few and you'll get tonnes of inspiration for outfits

Thank you, these are great ideas. Penelope Cruz is a good shout.

I agree about suddenly changing - I guess I’m looking to tweak slightly rather than completely change my style.

Hmm, just looked at lydiajanetomlinson and I find her a bit mumsy tbh. If she didn’t have a young face she’d look 55!

I think this is the problem… I can’t find the magic spot between teenage and mumsy.

It’s also very samey. I’m not sure I could live with one palette of neutral colours tbh.

This is hard!

A lot of inspiration on Pinterest/Insta is also very dressy. Not really suited to my working from home/school run lifestyle.

If you feel you're dressing too young perhaps you could try switching it up so that it's legs on show of arms not both? So crop tops with a long midi skirt or high waisted jeans is better than crop top with shorts, and then shorts with something with sleeves. A t shirt under a strappy floral dress is a nice look as well. This was you keep a lot of your current style but can move it to be a bit more modest and classy?

Wow. So if you look 55 or over you are automatically mumsy . You will be that age too 1 day. It doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish.

Here are a couple of pics of what I mean if that helps

I don't think Lydia Tomlinson is 'mumsy' at all - although I don't have a problem with mumsy anyway, whatever that means. I also try to be pretty stylish myself even at the great age of 54 ... 😁

Where do you but clothes now OP? Is it a question of buying better fabric and quality. And better quality accessories. And yes, showing legs or clevage or midriff but not all at once.

@RunnerDown

Wow. So if you look 55 or over you are automatically mumsy . You will be that age too 1 day. It doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish.

Sorry, I didn’t mean that to sound rude!

I just meant that she’s clearly quite young but dresses much older.

@Tickledtrout

Where do you but clothes now OP? Is it a question of buying better fabric and quality. And better quality accessories. And yes, showing legs or clevage or midriff but not all at once.

I think you might be right. I tend to buy a lot of second hand clothes so many of them I don’t know where they’re from, but often places like Hollister, Topshop etc I also have a lot (too much!) from H&M and ASOS, but not the super young stuff iyswim

I basically think I’m a teenager!

If you think Lydia is mumsy then I can see your problem! She dresses very classy in my view - so even when she’s wearing short shorts, they don’t look teenager.

Nothing makes someone look older than dressing like a teenager once they’re past that age.

I agree with the poster who said 'show off arms or legs" and if you've got your midriff out, then everything else should be covered up...not like a nun but not shorts etc.

I don't think lydiajanetomlinson is Mumsy either though...I think you're equating subtlety with being old!

Keep buying prints....just make sure it's ONE item of clothing with a print. So a floral top with a plain skirt or trousers....little shorts are for the beach or to be teamed with a stylish top and not worn too short.

If you want to feel good, then you do have to make a few changes to appear more sophisticated.

I just meant that she’s clearly quite young but dresses much older.

She dresses quite sophisticated & classic but yes probably a bit older for her (I don't know her age)

But I don’t want to look frumpy and I still want to show off my best features!!

When you say show off, what do you mean. Imo stylish people don't tend to wear clothes that show off much body or it's more subtle eg shoulders, back

@pantsdants

But I don’t want to look frumpy and I still want to show off my best features!!

When you say show off, what do you mean. Imo stylish people don't tend to wear clothes that show off much body or it's more subtle eg shoulders, back

Yes, that’s what I mean. Because I’m very slim I think I look best if there is a bit of skin on show - for example I wear a lot of cut-out things that show shoulder or back. I’m not talking cleavage because I haven’t got any!

Maybe the problem is that what suits me doesn’t suit my age any more? If that makes sense.

I did find a couple of things on Lydia that are exactly what I would (and do) wear -

But this is what I mean by mumsy. I think that’s an outfit for a much older person.

Find a celebrity who has the same body shape as you and whose style you like. Copy outfits.

I know what you mean about Lydia Tomlinson.

I like about 1/2 her outfits but the other 1/2 are a bit meh. I think she gets away with them because she is obviously quite young but on someone older they would look quite dowdy.

But I do think you can look classy and trendy without looking like a teen.

Because I’m very slim I think I look best if there is a bit of skin on show - for example I wear a lot of cut-out things that show shoulder or back. I’m not talking cleavage because I haven’t got any!

You don't need to have skin on show just because you're slim, just as you don't have to be covered head to foot if you're not slim. It's about finding a look and style that suits you and your body shape. I think Lydiajanetomlinson dresses in an understated and classy way and knows what suits her.

You can still wear cut outs. I love Lauren Santa Domingo's style.

Ditch the crop tops for a start.

I found this on Pinterest. I'm 41 and bigger than you. I appreciate this website is American and I have no idea what age the women is, but I think this strikes a good balance between dressing for your size and age. I'd wear most of this stuff.

pumpsandpushups.com/spring-capsule-wardrobe/

What you wear sounds fine tbh...why start dressing like someone who isn't you? Why do we all need to dig out the breton tops and beige slacks past 40?