Late 50s early 60s what are you wearing as smart casual.

[whatisforteamum]

So I fell into the rut of dark boot cut jeans and striped Breton long sleeved tops.
Coloured t shirts and trainers or crops with sandals.
The odd dress.
I'm a size 10 - 12 and 5- 5.
I really want a bit of a revamp and don't know where to start.I usually get next,fat face or white stuff bits.Help.

There’s nothing wrong with your current classic style but if you want a trendy revamp then a couple of broderie anglaise tops, boxy cut, and wide legged jeans. I’m not sure about shoes. I stick with classic loafers and suede ankle boots.

Thank you.I can't really do boxy.
I got the Skechers due to my 3 mile walk to work.

I've just bought this skirt. As I can't remember the last time I bought a skirt, I'm loving the change.

Ooh that looks nice.

https://www.brandalley.co.uk/green-petite-alex-stripe-shirt-dress-22170004.html

and it can be dressed up or down.

I’m in my early 60 s.
I love sezane for winter woolies, and I love the Pippa dress for casual in the summer.
Levi for jeans
I bought a black pleated skirt from the White company last winter which looked great with a jumper and clumpy boots. Will get me through this winter too.
My most recent purchases were from Madison 123. A knitted pleated dress in khaki ( only available in black now) . And a brown skirt which can be worn with a t- shirt or short sleeve jumper just now, or boots and a jumper when it gets colder .
https://www.maison123.co.uk/p/rivia-knit-dress-655485207.html
https://www.maison123.co.uk/p/crystal-pleated-skirt-655488887.html

Early 60s, size 12-ish. This summer I’ve been wearing mostly shirts and skirts on repeat - mainly from past seasons of Budd London, La Fetiche, Margaret Howell, Studio Nicholson, YMC. Plus a few long plain dresses from American Vintage, Loulou de Saison and Zimmerman. I’m not an enthusiastic hot weather dresser - I always intend to build up a fabulous wardrobe of t shirts and linen shorts but it never happens. (My ancient Raey chinos are completely the wrong length this year, so I’ve only been wearing them very casually^.)

I don’t love trainers, so have T bar loafers and mules - but automatically reach for a pair of clumpy Grenson boots most days.

I’m eyeing up lightweight tailored wool shorts to wear with old knee high boots, and counting down the days until September.

Today I’m wearing wide legged black cropped polka dot trousers that I made myself, with a black broderie anglaise top and trainers. I’ve only left the house to go for a massage, so very scruffy!

I’ve been wearing a lot of cotton midi skirts lately. With vest tops and either an open cropped shirt or a denim jacket. People might tell you that denim jackets are naff, but fuck that imo. I like them.

OP, look at Whistles, Jigsaw and Sezane for pieces that will update your wardrobe.

Depends on where Im going. If its work, not jeans, straight or wide tailored trou with a belt and t-shirt. Minimal accessories.
But if going out maybe a boho style silk top and jeans, or midi skirt and knit top. Still like the r&b platform trainers, loafers, boots or sandals.

I'm late 60s but I'll chip in anyway if that's ok. I've spent recent years in barrel leg and wide leg jeans or trousers but this summer I've felt the first stirrings of restlessness (which normally happens about once a decade) and I've been wearing flares a lot. In the autumn, I want to wear more skirts and I've finally got some footwear that I'm happy with so it might actually happen. I'm currently drawn to just above the ankle bone and either straight or pleated but I recently looked at one of those 'autumn trends' features and couldn't help noticing some just below the knee, slightly A-line skirts that were looking interesting again.

Also I love a jacket. Or a coat. Especially but not exclusively tweed. I've enjoyed the oversize trend but still wear shorter and fitted if the mood takes me. I wear them with jeans so I guess I take smart-casual quite literally

I also - and this is probably less helpful - collect vintage and have done for most of my adult life, plus I'm allergic to getting rid of clothes, unless they're trashed or no longer fit. It means that now I can often refresh my look from my own wardrobe. But when I do buy, I range from second hand Margaret Howell and some Toast if I have the funds to Cos, Uniqlo and M&S if I don't. (I echo everyone who says M&S have raised their style game although it's a pity about the quality.)

Thank you all for the replies.
Some perhaps above my budget.Work for me is uniform as I'm a chef.
I will check out these websites and look for something a bit nicer.
I do love a suede ankle boot and the silk shirt is a good call.

My suede ankle boots are at death's door and I can't find another pair that I like anywhere near as much. :(

I'm with you in having reached a bit of a crossroads. I've decided no more florals or tiers and am limiting my colour pallet. I'm stuck in jeans shape rut and am most comfortable in a boyfriend. I have a few maxi skirts that I'll wear in autumn with boots. I have a thing for big shirts that I've been wearing over cut off denim shorts this summer. sorry that's not much help!

@Floisme would you mind sharing what footwear you've got? I've never been overly into shoes, boots etc and struggle to find things I like/ work with my wardrobe. I lean towards plain & functional ( hopefully in a good way!).

I should have added there’s generally an injection of Zara into at least half my outfits.

And I suspect (at least I’m hoping) my nicest pieces of running gear will gradually insert themselves into my day to day wardrobe.

The weather today is a better prompt for thinking about autumn clothes.

When you say something nicer - do you have any particular style in mind, @whatisforteamum? I never really have the term ‘smart casual’ in my mind as I’m getting dressed; my tastes lean towards more or less extravagant dishevelment. I’m taking a Rochas coat, a Marni cable knit and a Sofie D’Hoore skirt (all bought long ago at massive discounts) to the dry cleaners this week, and feverishly scrolling Cos for more sensible, hard wearing things better suited for the hard slog of buses and trains. In the end, I will inevitably prefer something a bit less sleek, more crunchy, pre-owned from Vestiaire or scrabbled at the end of a sale somewhere.

Sorry, that’s rambling! What I’m meaning to say is that if you don’t have to dress for work you can surely be as free as you like in your clothes shopping. I’m ashamed to say I don’t currently own a pair of jeans; I do have a disproportionate amount of tweed, velvet, kilting, hand knitting, translucence … (And it’s very hard to point to anything for which I’ve paid the full original price.)

Right now I'm in a dark denim midi skirt and short sleeved light knitted top, comfortable and keeping me warm on this unsummery morning.

Skinny jeans, a t-shirt type top and a Welligogs smart jacket.
https://welligogs.com/products/cc-blossom-tailored-jacket?variant=39721146417216

I'm 61 & a size 12.
I've recently lost weight & have been trying to recover my style which is largely classic with a side of Bohemia in the summer.
I've been wearing either jeans & a Boho top.
Midaxi Skirt often with a knotted cotton gauze shirt.
Crochet top with trousers.
I record everything on the Whering App so these are recent examples. I tend to wear a lot of blues, especially in the summer, lots of neutral knitwear in Winter & increasingly more brown & suede.

I’m 63. I live in Chelsea Boots. Love nobody’s child, white stuff & I buy a lot in M&S. Big fan of Breton tops and buy a lot from Lucy & Yak & Boden. Skechers are my go to trainer. Wear a lot of denim & usually buy it at Uniqlo or Benetton.

I’m 55, size 14, 5’9.

I’m wearing a lot of (mostly preloved) Japanese designers, mainly Issey Miyake Pleats Please (and a bit of his other lines) and Yacco Maricard. That sounds a bit pretentious but actually it’s really practical as all the clothes are super-comfy but they look chic/stylish and they don’t need ironing (hurray!!) and are machine washable. I’ve been a huge Pleats Please fan for years as the clothes work regardless of weight changes (my weight tends to yo-yo) and you can just throw them in a bag and they come out looking great so ideal for travelling.

I mix in trousers/jeans/shorts from Rew and some (preloved) linen/silk tops from Grizas and Sahara, or knitwear from mumshandmade and Jaki London. On what seem to be rare cooler days, I add a jacket from Moloh (bought in sales or preloved) or Yacco Maricard (preloved). I am desperate for cooler weather as I love knitwear, jackets, coats and layering!! For work I tend to wear a lot of dresses (or Rew trousers with Yacco Maricard shirts), mainly from Jaki London, Grizas and Privatsachen. Almost all preloved.

Footwear is usually trainers from Nobull or Walsh but I also have an embarrassingly large collection of shoes from Tracey Neuls (accumulated over the past decade) that I should wear more often. Like a lot of people, I’ve struggled to get back into wearing actual shoes since lockdown days. 🙄I have arthritic knees and Achilles issues (oh the joys of getting older!) so need to be sensible these days but still like my shoes to have a bit of an edge.

I’m also a big jewellery wearer and I think it can really finish an outfit nicely. I tend to wear more distinct pieces (so unusual earrings or a distinct necklace or ring) rather than anything classic / dainty as I’m quite big so anything dainty gets lost on me. I wear a lot of Shaun Leane, Tessa Metcalfe and Karl Karter.

Then finally….Victoria Beckham gold lame eyeliner and Hourglass lip oil in Bare. Almost always. 😍

I'm 55. I'm 5ft 9" size 12 -14 depending on the brand. I'm (slowly) working on getting back to a definite 12.

I work in an office environment but in a creative sector so don't necessarily need formal office wear.

I pretty much only wear trousers to work. No particular reason. But I think mentally it allows me to separate work / home life as I love to wear dresses going out.

For work i wear slim leg cigarette 7/8ths trousers in black & navy from Sezane, m&s, benetton & Whistles.

Or wide leg cropped black trousers from Whistles

Or barrel leg trousers from me+em which i have in wool & Italian corduroy

I wear with Hoff metallic trainers & silk or cotton shirts from sezane, ba&sh, independent boutiques, &otherstories + other similar shops

Or in cooler weather bottle green loafers from Toast with light zip from patterned bomber jackers. Or a cashmere jumper (from whistles/ m&s/ cos )

For weekend casual I wear wide leg cropped joggers from Cos with a cos wool tshirt, or jumpsuits made from cotton & linen - i have 3 summer ones from Whistles & a winter corduroy one from me+em
I also wear wide leg jogger bottoms from me+em with studs up bottom of legs so can be opened or closed . I wear with tshirts from sezane & a zadig & voltaire sweatshirt.

I have wide legged jeans from Reformation & I'm contemplating a barrel leg pair too. I like to wear these a boat neck navy tshirt from cos or a pretty blouse from sezane.

For going out i wear dresses from me+em, ba&sh, reformation, the kooples, maje & cos.

I favour plain colours & clean lines & wear lots of darker colours - navy, plum, dark green & black. I love a bit of unusual embellishment like embroidery or nice buttons or pleating or the odd sequin etc

I adore fabrics like wool, corduroy, velvet, silk, cashmere & a friend once described my style as contemporary bygone which I was flattered by but don't necessarily think is always true but I'd like it to be.

I love shoes & boots from ba&sh, anonymous copenhagen, toast & trainers from hoff.

I wear gold jewellery & my favourite gold necklaces are from annoushka

Swishy longer skirts. Longer length padded bomber and fitted cardigans. DD is wearing the skirts and cardis already so it’s bang on and wearable for mums. Well cut trouser suits with fluid trousers and !!! Stripes! They are fine this winter. Cashmere stripes - great!

You sound amazing!!

@NonHighStreetClothes I love 7/8th trousers too.
Could you suggest any ideas for a jacket style to wear with them, I seem to struggle with this?