7 Fashion Rules To Break For Women Over 40

Fashion Fridays, Kuel Life Thought Leader: Tracy Gold

What is with all these crazy fashion rules for women as we get to 40, 50, 60, and beyond? 

I turned 50 last year. I don’t know about you, but I am not going to follow silly style rules that don’t make sense just because society thinks I should. If you are with me, read on and learn how to be a fashion rebel and love it. 

“Wear what suits your personal style.”

7 Fashion Rules You Should Break:

Having watched a whole bunch of YouTube videos by over 40, 50, 60 influencers, these are the fashion ‘rules’ I found.

1. Women Over 40 Should Wear Classic Style Items:

If you really like a classic look, then go ahead, wear it and wear it with delight because it suits your personal style, but I don’t feel that we should restrict ourselves just because we are now ‘women of a certain age’ (urg! I hate that term). Wear what suits your personal style. In fact, my favorite ‘classic’ piece is my red biker leather jacket, because I believe red goes with everything.

2. Women Over 40 Should Not Wear Trends:

Do we necessarily need to be in the latest and trendiest like we were in our 20s? Maybe not. But we still want to look current and we still want to look fashionable. Regardless of your age, you can wear trends. Just choose the trends that suit your personal style, your lifestyle, and your body shape as it is now.  

3. Women Over 40 Should Wear Plain, Muted Tones And Colors:

This is the worst advice that I have ever heard because as we get a little older, our skin and hair looses natural color. Wearing bold colors that suit your complexion close to your face, can actually make you look 10 years younger. 

4. Women Over 40 Should Not Wear Bold Print:

Print can be your best friend, especially as you go through body changes, because it disguises what solid colors just don’t. When you wear a dress in a solid color, you have to worry about panty lines and other lines you aren’t crazy about, but in print, that isn’t an issue. The only time print will make you look bigger is if you wear it in a shapeless garment. Print allows you to wear more flattering shapely styles without showing what you don’t want seen. This is one of my favorite fashion rules to break.

“Wearing bold colors that suit your complexion close to your face, can actually make you look 10 years younger.”

5. Women Over 40 Should Not Wear Statement Necklaces:

I love wearing a statement necklace because it creates an illusion of a v-neckline. If you are busty, this is a great way to draw attention down and away from the girls. Also, if you don’t have girls, this is a way of drawing attention down and away from the girls. So, you see, you can’t really lose with statement necklaces. 

6. Women Over 40 Should Not Wear Short Skirts:

This is really about your comfort level. If you love your legs and feel comfortable showing them, why not? If not, you can wear shorter lengths and wear tights or leggings underneath. And… the dress over pants is coming back in fashion this year, so there will be ways to wear those shorter length dresses without having to show your legs.

7. Women Over 40 Should Not Show Skin:

What’s with this thing that women over 40, 50, 60, and beyond don’t have a right to look and feel sexy and love their bodies? We know that we get into our prime as we get older. We feel better about ourselves, sometimes even more confident in our bodies than we’ve ever felt before.

So, why not show a little bit of skin? You don’t have to overdo it. Choose a piece of skin or a part of your body that you like. Maybe it’s your legs. Maybe you still love your upper arms. Or maybe your shoulders look fab. Whatever is going to make you feel good. And you know what? If people don’t like it, they can just not look. And feeling great about yourself, ladies, is a gift.

Do you have any fashion rules to break that I have not already mentioned? Leave your comments below and I will explore!

To see more examples watch this video:

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