Rock chick lite?

[catteabook]

In my younger days my style was very much “rock chick”: leather, ripped jeans, band tees, heavy eyeliner, fishnets etc.

in my 30s I had young kids and lost my way a bit lived in skinny jeans and tunics.

im largely happy with what wear now which is basics with some more edgy elements so a plain ish dress with my beloved leather hooded bomber jacket and DMs or DM sandals.

the problem is this is quite seasonal and also if I for example visit someone and remove jacket/shoes at the door I’m essentially wearing a plain dress with no personality.

I’m relying too heavily on accessories which are often/sometimes removed at my actual destination.

My question is how, at 45yrs, do I honour my ‘rock chick’ sensibilities without feeling like I’m cosplaying? I’ve evolved from the full on aesthetic but still want…suggestions…of it iyswim?
so I want to add some ‘toughness’ to an outfit (aside from leather jacket + boots) without being too ‘on the nose’? Any suggestions!

I’ve put a few examples of the kind of thing I currently wear, and a leather skirt I’ve just ordered. (I will style completely different from photo).

Please don’t just say ‘wear whatever you want’ ‘don’t worry about what others think’ It’s more about me feeling comfortable, not feeling like I’m wearing a costume, as opposed to what others think.

thanks!

Belts, jewellery, nails, makeup, piercings, hair, tattoos. Some or all of these depending on your preferences.

You need fifteen minutes every day on the R13 site. That would acclimatise your eye so thoroughly you’d automatically reach for exactly the right thing in Zara or wherever.

https://www.r13.com/en-gb?sw=393

The other thing is grooming - do your hair and make up reflect your style leanings?

All Saints I would say is somewhere to look.

I think you just need to focus more on things you don’t take off at the door — so not shoes and jacket, but jewellery, makes up, piercings, hair cut and colour.

Thank you that’s a really good thought, to train my eye a bit better.

funnily enough I posted here a little while ago (under a different name) complaining about how my hairdresser always gives me a long layer and some face framing no matter what I ask for. This is after requesting and not getting shaggy layers. So I do need to get onto finding a more versatile hairdresser

Yes you’re right!
I’d concluded this but had focused on looking at items of clothing and found it was all a bit ‘Here I am dressed as a Rock Chick’.

But make up and day to day jewellery I haven’t thought about/revamped for a long long time.

For years I have only had 2 of my ear piercings in, with plain huggies (unless for an Occasion). And my make up could really be changed tbh. I might get on you tube and try and learn a new look.
thanks.

I like the Vivienne Westwood large orb pendants. I have two different colour ones which really add to a plain outfit.

The clothes you have posted are exactly my style but I never knew it was called Rock Chic Lite. I actually have that black dress in the last pic (those flat shoes aren’t my thing though) and a couple of maxi silky skirts not dissimilar to the one in the second pic. I have several short biker style leather jackets in different colours and a gazillions pairs of boots! Rock on 🤘

Ha cool! I’m not sure what I would call our style tbh, I’m trying to adjust it to become more rock chick (aka rock chick lite!) because I don’t think it’s there yet.

I got a mullet and it was frankly life changing. I get so many compliments from men and women of all ages and I feel amazing even when im just wearing jeans and a t shirt. It kind of depends on your vibe though

Was driving home on Friday and saw a mum (forties?) walking with dyed reddish pink hair, a band T-shirt and jeans, and thought she absolutely rocked the look. She looked stylish and rock chick all at once.

My simple contribution to your wardrobe is a studded black belt.

I had an MRI last week and the radiographer had an incredibly cool mullet and general rocker vibe, even in scrubs. I was mesmerised.

Maybe a bit of layering? Eg black & white striped or lace top under the black dress

Now I would absolutely love a mullet but have been too scared to take the plunge.

But I should put my money where my mouth is and go for it.
did you go to a particular type of hairdresser? If do how did you find them?

i live in a very small town and the hairdresser just doesn’t seem vary from what she knows.
She has the considerable benefit of being cheap and in walking distance, but we’re all walking round with the same two haircuts here.

maybe I need to go into the city/find a more trendy hairdressers.

yes! I used to ove a long sleeved lace body under a t-shirt.

I’ve got this jumper in my basket which is that kind of vibe but a bit more wearable every day. (Laddered black jumper in case photo doesn’t post)

Having had a quick google this looks like my hair type/length - this sort of thing looks like a good entry level mullet. See how I get on with this and then work up to the full-mull (sorry).

Band t shirts. Belt. Shag hair cut ? Ripped jeans ? Don’t have to wear them all at the same time but they would all help!

Careful though OP, those pics you posted could very easily stray into David St Hubbins territory.

I would be wary of using AI pics as any kind of guide or inspiration.

Hmm i understand the idea but in my experience something like this outside of the highly stylised (and in this case, AI!) photos tends to actually look a bit meh in reality. The point of some kind of statement cut is that even when you're wearing a boring outfit it has attitude all by itself

Those photos aren’t mullets just layered hair. Real mullets are proper short on top and then long at the back.

Miley Cyrus almost always has a rock edge to her, even when dressed for the Grammy's or whatever. Lots of rings, Bracelets, studded gloves (maybe a bit much for every day wear!) PVC leggings and never a boring haircut!

Oh no I didn’t realise the photos were AI although now I look I does seem obvious :/

anyway I’ve booked an appointment at a salon that mentions ‘staying on top of the latest trends/contemporary styles’.
It’s not until October though due to logistics.

The AI photos aren’t that far from my hair now, just with more volume/shorter layers around the top.

i did consider getting teen daughter to cut me some shorter layers at the front (she’s a curly girl and does cut her own front layers) but that’s a bad idea…right?

Yes as I said, I’m not ready to straight into a mullet yet.

I also tried to do a cat’s eye eyeliner yesterday and it was comically bad. I’ve completely lost the ability, plus my skin’s older so it feathers / my ratty old liquid liner is not up to the job.

I did do heavier black liner, which I had previously moved away from. It definitely looked more rock chick, albeit I’m not sure actually suits me that well. Maybe just a case of getting used to it.