Practical fashion and style advice to look and feel your best
While there are many things we can’t control as we age (think joint pain and thinning hair), there are plenty of things we can! While age comes with unparalleled wisdom, there are certainly benefits to maintaining a lively or youthful energy.
Personally, I feel more confident when I wear something lively and energetic. And I don’t mean wearing the latest trends or shopping where twenty-somethings will — I mean dressing with personality, but that’s still sophisticated and age-appropriate.
If you could use a confidence boost in the form of a style tune-up, you’ve come to the right place, because the list below has some great practical fashion and style advice! These 7 simple tips aren’t hard and fast “fashion dos and don’ts”, but simple strategies you can use to liven up your look and feel your best!
7 Best Fashion Tips for a More Vibrant Style
1. Light up your face
The brighter your face looks, the younger and more positive you look. Having a pop of white near your face is an easy way to achieve this bright effect, so try layering a white collared shirt under a sweater or cardigan.
Yours Makeup and personal care routine It can also play a big part in your overall appearance, so you want to make sure you’re avoiding the usual Grooming Mistakes That Can Make You Look Older.
2. Don’t ignore the jeans
Classics are often classic for a reason, including classic wardrobe staples like jeans. A good pair of denim jeans can do double duty by accentuating your figure and camouflaging areas that make you feel less confident. Throwing on a pair of jeans with a fun top is an easy outfit choice for everyday work or a casual gathering.
Related: How to hem jeans
3. Pop in bright colors
Don’t be afraid to experiment with bright colors! I love to add a pop of color to my look, usually in the form of a cardigan or lipstick. Turquoise, fuchsia, orange and periwinkle are all bold options that can add a lively feel to your look! (To avoid going overboard, choose one or two brightly colored items to be the focal point of your outfit.)
4. Avoid black
black can do Be eloquent in certain contexts, but its intensity can make it less flattering for older women and men. Wearing black can actually increase the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and even make your under-eye circles look darker!
At the time I started blogging I wore a lot of black, as it was a practical fashion choice that I always heard was “slimming” and “chic”. But once I started embracing bright colors (thanks to my friend Carol Tuttle’s push Dressing your truth), I realized that so many black clothes were not doing me any favors.
If black is usually your neutral of choice, try swapping out those staples for charcoal gray or navy blue instead. Both are softer and more flattering than black, and pair well with many other colors.
5. Add some movement
If your style feels stuck in one place, adding a little movement can go a long way! Pleated skirts that sway and sway as you move are infinitely more fun and dynamic than boxy or shapeless skirts.
6. Update your readers
For glasses wearers (including those of us who only use them for reading), swapping out drab or plain frames in favor of a bolder shape or color can update your entire look! For a great example of this, look no further than Prue Leith, one of the judges The Great British Baking Show (Stop baking For you Brits), who sport an ever-changing range of fun and fashionable frames.
Consider trying a pair of cat eye frames, as they flatter almost everyone. And good news for bargain hunters – discount stores like Marshalls and TJ Maxx often have very affordable options!
Related: 7 Quick and Clever Hacks You Need to Know If You Wear Glasses
7. Keep your accessories simple
Stick to the “take one item away” rule when deciding how to accessorize your look. If you have a necklace, bracelet, watch, belt, and bag that match your outfit, wear them all and then ditch at least one.
An abundance of accessories can easily date your look or at least make it look falsely “busy”. You can absolutely keep wearing all your favorite accessories — just try not to wear them all at once!
Related: 9 Practical Purses and Bags OGT Readers Love
What are your best fashion tips?
