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Style at 40

54 replies

ToadRage · 25/04/2026 14:17

Did you change the way you dressed at 40? My Mum was a young Mum so I remember her at 40 but she always seemed older to me than I feel now at nearly 40. She would often talk about the fashion rules for over 40's and stopped wearing certain things, like vests, cap sleeves, shorts, skirts and dresses that were above the knee. This encompasses most of my clothes and I don't feel the need to change them but should i ve heavily modifying my wardrobe for 40? My Mum is very judgemental and will often comment on what I am wearing if she dislikes or disapproves.

OP posts:
HeidiLite · 27/04/2026 12:08

There are certain things I no longer wear, but not because of my age but that I have figured out they don't actually suit my style and/or figure.

Forty85 · 28/04/2026 12:28

I still feel young at 40. I wear whatever I want.

CaffeinatedSeagull · 28/04/2026 13:30

It was evolution over revolution for me.

Figuring out that I had reached a point where I didn’t feel the need to follow trends and to prioritise pieces that suited me. Also quality over quantity.

Backawayfromthesausage · 28/04/2026 14:29

charactershoes · 27/04/2026 12:04

Good for you. I don’t really get why there’s this narrative that younger women all look amazing and older women automatically look frumpy. I look around me and I know quite a few women around 50 who are slim and toned with lovely hair annd clothes and they look gorgeous.

I also know plenty of women in their 20s who don’t prioritise exercise and style/beauty. Absolutely no problem at all of course, there’s no reason that they should and it’s their choice, but it’s not a given that younger women all look amazing.

I agree with this, and without being arrogant, I look better than many younger women, and that’s for many reasons. I’m slim and toned, and I can afford good quality clothes, thay fit me well, I have developed a sense of style, which is rooted in current, ie I wear wide leg trousers, etc, but it’s my style. I’m also not trying to fit in nor am I knackered from raising young kids.

as a younger woman, we often don’t have the confidence or money, and often when younger we want sexy, the short tight low cut stuff, or overly fashion forward, even though it doesn’t suit our shape, or a uniform . And a lot of low quality disposable fashion can make its way in to our wardrobes.

As I’ve aged, I prefer elegant and subtle body confidence, quality fabrics, well cut, everything laundered well, clean, ironed, dry cleaned. My clothes I’d say are currenr rather than high fashion and not frumpy. and I get lots of compliments from younger women, which validates it,

of course lots of young women look better than me, lots of women my age or older look better than me, so the point stands, it’s not about age, it is not everyone younger looks fab and everyone older looks frumpy. It’s a whole mix and not age related.,

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