I saw a very stylish lady walk into our flagship Seattle Nordstrom store last week. She was probably in her late 50’s or early 60’s, petite and perfectly polished. She wore dark wash skinny jeans, a cropped, tailored grey and black micro-check, double-breasted jacket and black, round-toe ballet flats. She carried a simple, flat black patent tote and wore a chunky gold watch. Her hair was short, dark red, bobbed and with fringe. She wore dark red sunglasses with hooped gold earrings, and just a spot of make-up.

Wearing skinny jeans over the age of 50 does not give you instant style. But this lady happened to look really good in them and pulled off a smart casual look with taste and refinement. She embraced a few trends and made them work appropriately for her age and body type. The timeless and current aspects of her look blended perfectly. She did not come across as “trying too hard” or “dressing too young”. Her style was effortless, chic, put together and comfortable. I walked straight up to her and told her that I thought she looked fabulous.

I’m inspired whenever I see older women with a superb sense of style. It makes me look forward to evolving my own style over time. The most stylish women in Paris are in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. This is also true of my own clientèle. If you are over 50, please share your style wisdom with us.

This Polyvore creation captures a similar feeling to the ensemble I describe above. Remember that the person’s dark red, bobbed hair was an accessory all on its own. It complemented the seemingly subtle, almost bland grey jacket really well. I dedicate this post to Judy and San, our stylish YLF forum members who are over the age of 50 and rock a pair of skinny jeans with the best of them.