What's your style? And do you fulfill it sartorially?

[DeposedPresident]

Clumsy title, I know.

I'm 53. I am a bit dumpy and I have really struggled to find my own style.

The look I love.... tends to be elegant, chic, a sort of cliched 'French' look. Blouses, jackets, etc. But I am too dumpy to do that justice, deps[ite years of trying.

More recently I have gone a little boho- lots of silver and turquoise jewellery, dangly earrings, wavy hair worn down, not up. Jeans, boots and sandals and long necklaces. Thing is, I feel good in this. And I have received more compliments than ever before. So I am thinking that much to my own surprise, the style I have been chasing for decades isn't really 'me' and this more relaxed free-flowing approach is something I am better suited to.

So i am interested in what others like as opposed to what suits them. Or if you have made a preferred style your own?

I’m in my mid-sixties, 5’3, annoyingly definitely a size 12 right now; prefer 10 as my clothes fit and hang better then. I make no claims to any particular style but my ChatGPT correspondent is certain I have one. It describes my dressing as:

Sculptural
Restrained
Intelligent (this since reading my CV)

I don’t mind the description but I wouldn’t want it set in stone. Last weekend in Notting Hill I noticed women wearing silk shorts trimmed with lace. I want some. (Or at least the totally wretched fat knees version.) I know my AI won’t approve.

I do hear you. I like baggy clothes that look awesome on willowy no boobs people. On me they make me look 3 stone heavier than I am. I’m curvy, buxom, hourglass (whatever word you want to use). I’m 51 and finally embracing- or at least accepting it. I have to wear fitted on boobs and waist to look good. I don’t want or like the sexy look - I want the effortless baggy willowy androgynous look. My dream is to wear a baggy jumper, floaty skirt and ballet pumps with floaty hair. Reality - fat geography teacher. And I’m not even fat!

my age has made me realise we all want what we don’t have - I have willowy friends who to me seem like they can wear anything and look effortlessly cool - who coo over how jel they are that I have the body I have! Oh to wear a spaghetti top
wirh no bra and a hippy skirt!! I’d be arrested. 😆. Good on you for finding a look that you love.

Marks and Ssspencer have the silky / lace shorts of your dreams. I stroked them today. Give them a go!

https://www.marksandspencer.com/satin-lace-trim-shorts/p/clp60784769?color=BLACK&extid=ps_ps-pla-pmax_ggl_ww_ch__-UK-_-_bau&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=20011577753&cq_con=&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_plt=gp&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20014443268&gbraid=0AAAAAD7g6bTXdFY7lngEHDJ5X8-RROcXr&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs5LB5NvAlAMVPo5QBh17NSwgEAQYASABEgKyovD_BwE

I’m the same age as you OP but taller (around 5’ 9” nearly 10). My style is Soft Dramatic but for some reason I’ve just bought three abstract/floral/paisley maxi dresses that I would have called, unkindly, ‘cruise ship wear’. I don’t know why. I wanted to waft. They age me about 10 years and look like I’m about to go on holiday without my imagination.

I know why, really. That dratted Religion black maxi dress with the huge pink flower that was far too big and I had to return. But that had edge, and spark… and drama!

You can go to the ball, Cinderella…or at least wear a floaty skirt and vest too. I highly recommend M&S’s bra vests. Great for the large of nork, in hot weather.
https://www.marksandspencer.com/secret-support-scoop-neck-bra-vest/p/clp60782975?color=SOFTPINK#intid=pid_pg1pip19g4r1c1

I think I have a couple of looks. Sometimes I’m more preppy, other times more boho.

Getting my colours done, and knowing my body shape were the biggest factors in knowing what suits me ( autumn pear). Made a world of difference to what I wear, and I now receive compliments.

(Also in my fifties, and not a super model)

My basic method of dressing is to take something vintage and wear it with something modern. But I wouldn't call that a style. Apologies as this is going to sound really wanky but for me, style is to do with using clothes to express yourself or to create a mood. At the moment, the mood I like is kind of, 'The Mitford Sisters move to Hackney' - tweedy / heritage fabrics with a bit of an edge. At other times I might lean more glamorous / boho - think: Grace Kelly goes to Glastonbury.

I think that for a lot of people, finding a style is more to do with dressing to suit your shape. Well I tried that and it didn't work for me, in fact it made me self conscious and miserable. I'm pretty vain and if I don't feel right in something, I won't wear it, but I don't worry any more about whether it makes my legs look too short or my thighs too wide.

Mine tends to change with the season! In winter and autumn I’m all wide legged trousers and fitted tops. Long skirts with boots and silk/satin blouses. I also love a blazer. Spring is linen wide legged trousers and t shirts (still fitted) or column skirts in linen. Summer - I’m a hippie in little vest tops and long boho skirts and dresses 😂. I’m 51 and a short arse and about a size 14 on a good day. I can’t pull off the boho look anymore but fuck it. You can take the girl out of the 90’s but you can’t take the 90’s out of the girl. Apart from slip dresses and skirts. No chance anymore