Five Simple Things to Avoid When Dressing Classy
I like to dress trendy, to a point. Some of the current trends are great for women over 60. Like breezy midi dresses that come down past the knee, not to the floor. Swing dresses that don’t fit too snugly with comfy t-shirt fabric. Tunic tops that cover the bottom yet are made of summer linen-like material. Then top everything off with a jeans jacket for cooler evenings.
My goal is to dress classy as a 60+ woman whether dressing trendy or not. These suggestions will help you get that classy look without spending or changing much in your wardrobe.
Bra or Bra Straps Showing
It all started with the popular show Sex and the City where the main character had various colored bra straps showing on most of what she wore. This look became trendy but it’s not a classy put-together look. Neither is having a black bra or underwear show through your clothing.
I’ve found it’s best to buy a skin toned bra, in several strap types where straps can be manipulated to hide under your clothes. Automatically, you have a classier look if your bra or bra straps don’t show.
Sometimes bras don’t fit well, resulting in an overflow at the top, the bra itself stands out under clothing, or there’s back bulge. I’ve tried to fix this myself with size adjustments, but I might take advantage of help at a nice department store near me, where an expert can help me tackle this issue.
Scruffy Shoes or Rounded Shoes
Due to my 60 + foot issues, I can only wear flats. Flats that have a pointed toe, rather than rounded, can make a big difference on the classy meter. I don’t like overly pointy shoes, but slightly pointy works. Try comparing rounded to slightly pointy with your next outfit. What do you think?
I don’t particularly like buying shoes, so sometimes the ones I have get dirty, scruffy, or worn out looking. Polishing or cleaning can bring back their life. If they can’t be made to look good again, it’s time to drag myself out to shop for new shoes.
After a recent vacation where I did a massive amount of walking, I took a cleaning brush to my white tennis shoes. Happily, they look brand new again. No tennis shoe shopping needed for now.
I’m particularly bad about cleaning my boots in the winter. They get salt and grime on them from our snowy streets. This winter, I’ll try to do better.
Distracting Gawdy Jewelry
If you like costume jewelry, go ahead and complete your outfit with a bit of bling. There’s a fine line in overdoing it with accessories then slip right out of the category “classy.” Trust your instincts here to accessorize classy versus gawdy. Less seems to be more in the accessory arena.
I recently bought a fun bracelet on sale. It looks like it’s made of some sort of stone. When wearing it, I’ve noticed it upgrades my outfit. In fact, I’ve been noticing women wearing small groupings of bracelets lately. They instantly add a touch of class to dressy or casual outfits.
Too Baggy or Too Tight
I have both baggy and snug clothes in my closet. When I’m in the baggy stuff, I sort of disappear. No waistline, no bulges anywhere, and no style. In fact, when I view pictures of myself in baggy stuff, I look heavier. I love the baggy stuff for comfort. Classy or not, heavier, or not, I’m wearing them sometimes!
What about those clothing items I love but are too tight? When viewing pictures, a size bigger would be just right. Too tight of clothing makes me look heavier too! I’m not going to wear those sometimes. That is, until they fit properly.
If you desire a classy look, go through your closet to find the things that fit well without bagging out or clinging to every bulge.
Wrinkled Clothes
I’m donating my ironing board. It’s big and takes up too much space. I don’t use it, even when I probably should. What I’ve done to fix the wrinkle problem, is purchase a small inexpensive steamer for clothes.
I love this thing. It heats up in a minute and steams the wrinkles right out of anything. If it weren’t for my periodic sewing, where I need to press seams, I’d donate my iron and small ironing board too.
I feel better knowing I started out of the house with wrinkle-free clothes. It makes me feel confident that I look classy and with a steamer, it’s super easy to do.
Who do you know that is a classy dresser? Can you think of a time when they had their bra straps showing, they over accessorized, wore wrinkled clothing and their shoes looked like they got them out of their dusty basement? Probably not.
It doesn’t cost much to dress classy. Use what you already have and see if it builds your own confidence in how you think you look.
I’m very interested in your comments on classy dressing. Do you have any other ideas that would be helpful? Is dressing classy your style? What style do you like? Do you think these suggestions are silly? Or are there ones you’d like to try?
I do agree with all suggestions but I don’t feel there is enough inventory in the stores fo our age. As a matter of fact, the young-looking dresses are not flattering for me. So, I ended wearing more pants even when I feel like wearing a dress.
Does anyone else feel like that?
I’m not with you on the bra strap showing. I have trouble finding bras that fit well and when I find them, I’m wearing them. I feel like bra straps are like dressing in layers. Do not have a problem with it!
Kathryn
I still love heels when I dress up. Not the 4″ ones I adored when I was younger, but a nice heel gives a certain elegance. I prefer a slightly rounded toe, more comfortable and doesn’t look like an instrument of torture like pointy toes. Open-toe heels are also wonderful and chic. Because I am still working full-time (and my work ‘uniform’ is jeans and a company-provided polo or t-shirt) I rarely have an opportunity to dress up…but I look forward to the few opportunities I have. Thanks for the information, one of my biggest fears at 70 (and thankfully still going strong) is to look in the mirror one day and look like my dearly loved grandmother. Any suggestions to keep that from ever happening even when I’m stuck in jeans and a t-shirt are so very much appreciated. Rock on, ladies.
Avoid an “old lady” hair cut/style. Doesn’t have to be short when you get older. I urged my Mom when she was over 70 to let her hair grow past her shoulders and it looked great. Plus, she could always put it up when it was annoying or warm. Like having a short option if you like! She said all her peers hated it. I told her they were just jealous and I believe I was correct!!
I love to iron. And I hate wrinkles. I started ironing my Dad’s handkerchiefs when I was about 9.And I have my great grandmothers wood ironing board. It will never leave. LOL I think the problem I have is caring about how I look and not feeling comfy. I go out very little, and I live in a small town of 1300 people. And no one seams to care about fashion. Love your comments. Will try to pay more attention to how I look.
My look is tailored-classy. Although I do have a few bohemian pieces that wow. Aged 69, I have a rare spinal disease which restricts brisk walks, creates transport issues and so on. My size is 16 but not on the larger side. My shoulders are a key feature which allows clothes to drape well. My capsule wardrobe colours are black, navy blue, grey and caramel. I attempt to buy tops that partner with two or three of my base colours. I love colour. Colour lifts my sallow aging tone. Particulat shades of purple, burgundy, red, cream, pumpkin yellow and olive green in shirts and jackets work well for me. I focus on garments that can be dressed up or dressed down. I can’t wear heals. I wear classic wedge heel,leather loafers and court shoes to support my back. I have to hunt far and wide for economical pieces. People often compliment me on my shoes and my style. My husband of 51yrs, says that my classic chic style turns heads in a crowd. I have not visited a hairdressing salon for more than forty years. For versatility I keep my hair at shoulder blade length to give style flexibility. At the moment my hair is turning grey. Due to my husbands chronic health issues for the past twenty years our only income has been a disability pension. Consequently my wardrobe comprises only of economical purchases. I know my size in several quality brands. I regularly shop on ebay for items being sold seconhand. I rarely buy items without thoroughly thinking it through. I focus on style, cut, fabric, colour and footwear. With years of wear, quality fabric garments rarely loose their style. To shop this way, one needs patience. About three times a week I go to ebay. Type in the brand name, size 16 used. More often than not, nothing interests me. But when I strike it lucky, I cherish the garment. In December 2019 the black summer bush in Australia burnt our home and everything that we owned. I mourn the loss of my classic garments because they are becoming harder to find. Being an individual has always been important to me.