Even at my age!

From time to time You Tube have blogs on how to make the most of your existing wardrobe to achieve new looks without buying yet more clothes. I've found them to be really helpful. I sometimes think that we are all too quick to 'declutter', often giving away clothes that could be re-styled, altered in fit or worn with different accessories to achieve a new look. Try it, even if you have to take clothes to a tailor or dressmaker to be altered. If they were good quality to begin with, it's well worth the outlay.

I do think having my colours done was one of the best things I’ve done. I am a “warm Autumn “. No black or white (too harsh) and I do actually look ill in these colours! Navy or brown as dark basics and golds, rusts, reds, turquoise, dark green, peach or apricot shades and I always feel good and get compliments. I use scarves/necklaces for interest and I feel it really works.

Sara65. Don’t be nervous about getting your colours done. I had mine done a few years ago and it really shook me out of my rut. Your favourite colours are probably your colours otherwise they wouldn’t look good.

Liz46 I am sure she would be so flattered to be asked

I too had my colours done about twenty years ago,
I think they were called “Colour Me Beautiful “.
I turned out to be an Autumn.
I’ve used the swatches they gave me, so all my clothes
mix and match.
The only trouble as I’ve got older I’ve lost confidence
in my first choice of outfit, then try on another, and another
finally going back to my first choice?
My husband once said it looked as if we’d been burgled
when he saw the heaps of discarded clothes lying on the bed.

If I try to do the 'co-ordinated' look I tend to look like Mildred from George and Mildred.

Thank you pinkjj

My late aunties collection of around 40 items obviously did not include lingerie but did include trousers, skirts, dresses, tops, jumpers, cardigans etc. Everything matched impeccably.

Bijou I think it was Bathsheba that has 50 tops and she was just answering gillybob . I think so anyway hope I didnt confuse it further.

I too have a wardrobe(s) full of clothes but still seem to struggle to find something to wear every day. Most of my stuff is summer wear and brightly coloured - today I have on a pair of wide leg palazzo trousers in a mixture of orange, yellow, blue and black - I love them as they're so cool and comfy so this year I bought more in black with orange flowers and a pair with different coloured stripes - a plain top is a must but that's ok as I have too many of them too so can match them up! I'm another who impulse buys and often end up wondering what was in my head when I went out that day In winter I mostly wear dark colours. I'd love to have a capsule wardrobe but think I might get bored so have never tried it. I also can't do huge necklaces which make my neck ache or scarves which annoy me and don't seem to suit - I have a drawer full and look at them thinking one day I'll wear that but know I never will!

I had an aunt who bought all her clothes from the market - she was short and plump and always looked fabulous and didn't shy away from bright colours.

Bordersgirl great description of getting your colours done, I like the sound of it. Like someone else said I no longer even know what suits me, although I thought I used to. Or maybe nearly everything suited me because I was young! Sadly those days are long gone. Also frustrated with a wardrobe crammed with stuff that doesn't do anything for me so I'm googling 'getting your colours done' now.

You read wrong then Bijou I do not have 50 + tops !

I’d be nervous about having my colours done, incase it turned out all my favourites were on the banned list, and I had to face a future of greys and greens YUK!

Moom, thanks for the heads-up for Chicatanyage. I’m having a look, although I am happy with what I wear. I do go for bold, rather than ‘mumsey’ prints. I love bold colours and I always wear earings.

You have to be really honest about what suits you from the front and back view
Full length mirrors are key

Oh so true Gabriella. Leggings are definitely not for everyone. Or me really! I am far too plump. I wear mine indoors but wouldn't be seen out in them, except in winter when I wear a mid thigh length tunic and boots with them.

Last summer I saw a large lady in what must have been very cheap pink leggings that were almost see-through. She wore a short fitting T shirt with them. I thought she was naked from the waist down. The leggings highlighted every single lump, bump and roll of flab. I know we are not supposed to criticise our sisters ("Hell, wear what you like! You go girl!This is 2019!" etc <ahem> but I can only conclude she didn't possess a mirror or have a friend or relative kind enough to suggest she wore something else. on her bottom half at least.

I conclude she was another (like me) without the old capsule wardrobe.

Interesting thread I am so glad I am not alone in having “nothing to wear” when I am going away.
I went to a personal stylist at a large department store a few years ago. It was free and she was so helpful. There was no pressure to buy anything, but she had me trying on styles and colours that I wouldn’t have even bothered taking off the rail, to an amazing effect. Mind you I was working then and I have a different life now I’m retired!
My daughter is very good at advising me what suits me but she tends to persuade me to buy something which yes looks good, but I would hardly ever wear unless I had a very hectic social life - which I don’t !

When I read Gillybobs post that her aunt only had 40 items of clothing I was astounded. Unless it included underwear I thought it a lot. Then I read that Gillybob had 50 + tops!! How do choose to wear out of that lot?
I wear skirts in the winter and have one each of brown and grey and three black. Have ten tops. All good quality. In summer I wear floral dresses. Have twelve. Mainly blues and greens. Am often complimented on my dress.
I believe in fewer good quality clothes and do not follow fashion trends.

Life is short. I wear clothes that I love. Lots of colour. Floaty maxi dresses on holiday, wide brimmed sun hats, quite trendy, but flat shoes. I’m 60 next month (that feels weird and I don’t like it), but I’m still me.

I can’t bear to cull my clothes. Why is that? It’s not as though they’re designer or anything! If they are ‘wearable’ I keep them. And then add to them, ad nauseum.

Urm, you are describing me!

I thought I had a plan. I wear trousers or jeans 99% of the time, so have black and navy and paler blue in my wardrobe. But then I buy myself some taupe ones, olive green ones, and some sand coloured linen ones, and a pair of grey striped linen, and oh, must have those apricot coloured cotton pedal pushers for summer, and those fine navy striped jeans would look nice with a white blouse, etc, etc, etc. So I buy.

Then invariably I go hunting for T shirts or tops to go with the trousers. Every single summer I add to my T shirt collection so they really pile up. I bought two lovely summery T shirts in Sainsburys last week ( as you do when you go food shopping, sigh.) And because I have so many items, none of them ever wear out or look worn enough to be discarded. I have too many clothes and it makes "what shall I wear today?" a very difficult decision to make. Not only that, If I am not planning on going out the nice clothes stay on the hangers and I wear things I don't mind cooking in or getting messy.

I read somewhere that too much stuff needs maintaining and it makes decision making harder. It is true when It comes to clothes as well. I am just not sure I want to loose my good clothes, but I have run out of wardrobe space and have pretty cream clothes rails in the spare bedroom - which has become my walk-in wardrobe. I think I really will have to be charitable and do myself a favour by bagging up clothes I decide I can spare.

And then buy no more!!!!

Oops!
GeenGran78 GreenGran78

GeenGran78
That's a good outlook to have.
If you're conscious of your clothes and fiddling with earrings, straps, hemlines or tight waistbands then life is a chore.
Wear what makes you feel comfortable and then you can concentrate on more important and interesting things.

My problem is that I like to 'be comfortable.' I hate wearing synthetics. They make me feel sweaty and itchy. I dislike anything clingy or close-fitting. I take after my mother in finding anything but the lightest necklace around my neck irritating, and scarves annoy me, and never look right. I can't abide bras with wires, and lacy bits that itch and irritate, and they have to be made of cotton, as do my knickers! I have to remove any labels from garments, for the same reason.
I am 5ft tall and size 16-18, and it's difficult to get sensibly priced clothes that fit. I have two wardrobes full of tops, trousers, and a few dresses, and a drawer full of t-shirts. I can rarely find an outfit that does anything at all for me, and tend to wear the same few loose-fitting and comfortable tops and trousers all the time.
Basically, I am a natural-born slob! I don't have many social events that require me to dress-up, and can't wait to get home and change into my 'comfies' afterwards,
I would love to be co-ordinated and smart, but at almost 80, frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!

You can 'do your colours' yourself by sitting by a mirror and draping different colours round your neck. Study the effect of each colour.

I recently went shopping with a friend, in the changing room I was trying something on and I said what would I wear it with? It would go with my red jacket, I have a blue bag so I could pick our either colour. Suddenly sounding rather irritated my friend snapped “why do you always do that ? what does it matter what it goes with? if I like it I just buy it”. I felt a bit silly and said I like to mix and match.

On the way home my friend suddenly looked at me and said “oh gosh that is why you always looks so stylish and well turned out because you actually buy it to match.” For me I actually think about my working wardrobe if it won’t fit in, I don’t buy it. Each piece has to work hard and be able to be versatile.
Pick out a few key pieces from your wardrobe take pictures then actively built on those. Think about how you can make them work for different occasions, can you dress it up /dress it down, what will it go with. Its not about what you have its how you make it work don’t discount little things like earrings, belts, sunglasses and bags they make a big impact.
I don’t really stick to rules but I never wear anything much more above my knee, no low tops, if I am wearing long maxis I keep the top shorter, I hate long t-shirts or cardigans with maxi’s, I never wear double denim even though its on trend I also never clash patterns and that’s on trend too. I keep it simple and it becomes simple

Several suggestions on here for plain white tops but can you wear white? I can't. Not proper white. It has to be more of a creamy shade or else I look as if I'm about to expire!
I did my own colours from online sources and it is true that once you know which colours to go for then there will always be something in your wardrobe to go with it. So that's the colour aspect now it's just style of clothes to suit you!!!

Bold coloured glasses, short choppy hairstyles, earrings, a slick of bright lipstick, big bold scarves and 'get your colours done', are what almost every person over 55 who's ever been asked, recommends.
To me, it screams overload.
Where I live, I can't even remember seeing anyone over any age with a full face of make-up, earrings, noticeable lippy or huge scarves.
Au natural is the order of the day but then, we don't need artificial masks to face the world, we're secure and confident.
Yes...I know there will probably be GNs going 'off on one', but this is my opinion and I respect the fact that opinions differ.