I recently read an article from the Sydney Morning Herald titled “The Secrets of Stylish Women.” As usual, it emphasized that true style means “less is more,” with neutral colors and elegance. For most of my life, I followed this minimalist approach, both in my home and wardrobe. However, I’ve since embraced more color, prints, and risks.
As we age, how should our style evolve? Let’s review some points and my thoughts on them.
1. Less Is Always More
This is up for debate. Minimalist clothing in pale colors might have worked wonders when you were younger. But as we age and our appearance changes, we might need clothes that are a bit more distracting. Black can highlight the shadows on your face, while older women might look better with some color and adventurous clothing. These choices can make you appear more dynamic and less boring. You can still keep a minimal look but add bold lines or colors. Accessories can also make a statement while keeping the rest minimal.
2. Effort Equals Elegance (Grooming)
Good grooming is crucial at any age, but it’s especially important as we get older. I find it increasingly difficult to keep up with my eyebrows, facial and body hair, nails, and hair. But grooming is the foundation of a good appearance, so it’s essential to make time for it.
3. Trends Fade Fast
I agree with this point too. While I love trends, I only follow those that suit me. It’s important to know yourself and the message you want to convey with your clothes. Then, see which trends can complement that. Developing a signature style can be powerful. You might want to list things that are definitely NOT you and some that you ALWAYS want to include. Consistently buying from your “definitely you” list can help in developing your signature style.
4. Fit Is Everything
Fit is crucial. No outfit will look good if it doesn’t fit properly, no matter how expensive the clothes are.
5. Bravery Is Style & Style Evolution
Adding something extra to your style can make you look fantastic. This should relate to your signature style. In Kendall Farr’s book “Style Evolution,” it says that as we age, our style should evolve. Experimenting with trends was for our 20s, by our 30s we start knowing ourselves, and by 40, we hopefully know our style. However, many women over 40 can get stuck in a style rut. It’s important to keep evolving, try new things, and get better. Understand which clothes work with your changing body and which colors you want to embrace.
Let’s be a bit braver with our style, embrace elegance and simplicity, but add a twist with statement accessories.
So, do you agree with the statement “less is more always”? What are your style rules?
