Are there any rules left for age-appropriate dressing? This is not an easy question to answer when women today are looking better than ever at ages 40 and over. However, I am still part of the old school of thought that “mutton should not be dressed up as lamb”, no matter how fabulous your body is. There is a difference between looking youthful and looking tarty.

Stylists will differ on what age-appropriate dressing means and rules will be broken when we live in a world of botox and personal trainers. That said, here are my rules when it comes to dressing women stylishly for their age:

• 20’s and early 30’s – virtually anything goes at this age, especially if you have the body type. Have fun following fashion fads and wearing them in just about any combination. You’ll get away with it all and modesty needn’t be top of your list. Ultra short skirts, skin tight dresses, plunging necklines, accessory overload and carefree casual dressing is perfectly acceptable when you have youth on your side. Celebrities like Sienna Miller, Kate Moss and Jessica Alba can take fashion right to its edge because they are at the right age. 
• mid 30’s and 40’s – this is when a fundamental style change is in order. You are not a teenager anymore even if you have the body of one. Strive to look more pulled together, tailored and sophisticated. Opt to be smart-casual rather than casual most of the time. Become a little more serious about fashion and maintaining a high level of polish. You can still be funky and fashion forward if that’s your persona, but you’ll need to bypass trends that prevent you from looking chic. Pay closer attention to the accessories that you choose and the cosmetics that you buy.  Pay a little more for something that is better-end. Naomi Watts, Sarah Jessica Parker and Julianne Moore epitomize style for this age group.
• 50’s and 60’s – there is never a need to dress maturely, just appropriately. Wearing tailored and structured clothing of impeccable quality is imperative when you are over the age of 50. Strive to look refined, smart and uncluttered. Select clothing with clean lines and interesting cuts. Stay away from basic t-shirts and loud prints. You’ll still look fabulous in a pair of dark-wash higher rise jeans as long as you dress them up with an elegant shirt, jacket and shoes. Add drama and personality through your accessories and hairstyle whilst keeping your clothing items and make-up simple and dignified. Catherine Deneuve and Jane Fonda are effortlessly chic at this age.

For me, stylish age-appropriate dressing is about becoming smarter, more tailored and more modest as you get older. What are your views? Let us know by leaving a comment to this entry.

Sienna Miller, Julianne Moore and Jane Fonda, each stylish at a different age.

I am frequently asked how many times you can wear a pair of jeans before popping them in the wash. I have found that unless you’ve spilled, traveled, traipsed in the mud, or perspired heavily in them, three times works well. Any longer tends to alter the original fit of the jeans (they stretch and grow); and any shorter is wasteful. Denim will fade every time you wash it, so you should only do so when necessary. This was also the advice I received from a denim manufacturer when I worked in the fashion industry as a buyer.

Sometimes we need to attend a fancy do straight from work, with no time to go home and change before the event. Going from “desk to dinner” can be done stylishly with a few instant nighttime touches to your business casual or smart casual daytime outfit. Just add the following items: 

• Dressy heels – strappy sandals, jeweled sling backs or colouful platforms are shoes that you wouldn’t necessarily wear to work, but that you could change into just before the function.
• Fancy clutch – it’s imperative to carry a dainty bag to an evening event. Clutches are still my favourite option, but any fancy little handbag that matches your outfit will work.
• Some bling – a beautiful bracelet, necklace or earrings are just the thing to take your outfit into nighttime standards.

The above items are particularly easy to add to a worksuit or separates. By changing your shoes and your bag, and adding a piece of show stopping jewelry, you’ll have successfully modified your work outfit.

Sparkly drop earrings, a cuff bracelet and shiny heels (Nordstrom) are an instant dressy touch.

The shape of your shoulders can affect the overall look of an outfit and they rarely get the attention that they deserve. Clothing that fits poorly on your shoulders can ruin a chic silhouette. Do you have narrow shoulders? I do, but over the years I’ve developed strategies to flatter this part of my body.

• Wear clothes that fit your shoulders perfectly – shoulder seams need to be snug and in the correct position. Shoulder seams that drop when they are not an intended style feature are unflattering. 
• Select puffy sleeves – this will increase the width of your shoulders in a pretty and feminine way. But make sure that the shoulder seam of the puffed sleeve is on your shoulder. You won’t get that long lean line if it drops off your shoulder and looks too big.
• Select big collars – large collars with oversized lapels work wonders on narrow shoulders. Polo-necks and turtle-necks are also good options.
• Select raglan sleeves – people with broad angular shoulders should generally stick to tops with raglan sleeves. But somehow this style works perfectly for narrow shoulders as well. You never need to worry about an incorrect shoulder seam position with a raglan sleeve. 
• Keep the stance of your jacket high – the stance (where the highest point on a jacket hits the chest) is most flattering when it buttons above your bust line. This is especially true when you are small chested.
• Avoid boat necks, scoop necks, thin spaghetti straps, collarless shirts and jackets – these styles will make your shoulders look even narrower. Opt for wider straps on tops that are sleeveless and stick to tops that have some sort of collar.

It’s extremely important for clothing to fit you properly on your shoulders. Narrow shoulders are generally difficult to fit and especially so if you also happen to be well-endowed. Going up a size to fit your bust often leaves your shoulders swimming in extra fabric. This is when finding a good tailor is the only answer.

The grey blouse on the left was made for narrow-shouldered women. Its snug shoulder seam, puffed sleeves, gathered yoke and detailed collar flatter the models small frame perfectly. The pink shirt does exactly the opposite for the small framed model on the right. The shoulder seams drop and therefore fit her poorly. This style of shirt is better suited to curvy rounded shoulders.