What is your style over 65?

Smart casual when I am out and about, very smart casual in quality fabric when wining and dining, casual indoors and scruffy casual for gardening!
I absolutely hate ‘frocking up’ , wearing make up and trying to look elegant for any occasion. Though I say it myself, I can look good like that, just feel mentally uncomfortable and can’t wait to rip it all off.
The last time I did so was for DH’s funeral…I think he would have been pleased.

I don't like jeans on older people - women or men. I think it looks as if they are trying to be young. Fitted clothes are flattering and baggy ones not so much except for baggy jumpers which can look quite good. Patterns are not flattering. Beige can make a person look ill. A lady I admire always looks good in straight dresses, long cardigans and coloured tights. I like that look. Always wear lipstick if you do nothing else.

I don’t possess a skirt and the only time I wear a dress is on the very unusual occasion in the summer when it is VERY hot here in wet Wales!
I live in jumpers and trousers… ( tops and trousers in the summer) but nice ones for going out in with accessories… although in this weather I’m wearing so many layers that going out I probably look like a cross between the Michelin man and a bag lady… but I’m happy with my look at nearly 80 and my adult son payed me the unbidden compliment of saying how nice I looked when he and family visited from Japan this last July.
Wear what you feel happy in and if YOU feel good in it … go for it!

Oh the hair ... I go for half up, half down, as in the top/front in a ponytail and the back loose ... best of both worlds.

I always seem to end up in slim jeans and a basic sweatshirt or tee, but these days I've started swapping my scrunchy to a barrette and trainers to dealer boots, and trying to find shoulder seams that are actually on my shoulder, because that makes my posture look better. I've always been short, so I've always gone for "petite fit" and I think sometimes people who've gradually shrunk with age might not realise the magic of this! It's different proportions that help avoid you looking overwhelmed.

I’ll soon be 68 and so far still wear what I wore when younger. I do tend to wear more jeans/trousers now and I’ve always loved maxi skirts so wear those in summer (when we have one). As for tops - nice tee shirts in loads of different colours and a few nice tops - all 100% cotton. I don’t really think about what I’m wearing and whether it’s suitable for my age. I dress in what I like and if I feel good then that’s all that matters 😊

Jeans and jumpers in winter; linen or cotton trousers and either T-short or tunic top in summer. I've just bought some boot cut jeans, loved them when they were last in. I also have a pair of wide-leg linen trousers which I feel good in. I have a couple of 'smart' Boden midi-dresses but unless I can wear them with boots I never know what to wear on my feet. I live in a very rural area where few people really look smart, so when I go to Harrogate I people watch for ideas.

Trousers (wide leg cords) or dark wash denim jeans -also straight or wide leg, ankle boots, a jumper, currently one of my Seasalt fair isles which I have in various colours. When it was really cold last week I also wore a Uniqlo heattech fleece roll neck underneath. Or a cowl neck.
In a bit as the temperature goes up, possibly a sleeveless knitted tank top/vest with a crisp white shirt under.
Shearling coat or jacket on top or if it is really mild, one of my Borg gilets waistcoats things.
Winter is so much easier than summer.

Ohhh well, this is interesting, my style icon is Yoko Ono!
It's a little bit bonkers but not in the silly old fart type-way.
I call it my London look; T-shirts, always trousers, headscarves, boots, jacket, ect.
It's almost a uniform, which is just comfortable & easy to wear each day but it's still me.
My Boy's approve, not so sure about my husband mind, I think he would prefer me to wear pretty dresses! 🥳

I really dress for comfort these days, being quite ancient now.
Casual trousers, or jeans, and jumpers or hoodie tops.
But if I'm going somewhere nice I do have some smart trousers and pretty tops to wear. I seldom wear dresses except in hot summer weather.
At home I wear soft comfort trousers and casual tops.

Straight leg jeans (or trousers if I have to) for me. I don’t like wide leg styles and think you have to be tall and slim to carry them off.

I don’t like baggy tops either. They make you look bigger than you are. Fitted or semi-fitted looks much smarter. Same with jackets or coats. I don’t like cardigans.

My hair is straight and shoulder length, easy to look after. I don’t think a plait is a good look except on a schoolgirl!

Above all, I think avoiding fussy styles and not wearing lots of jewellery or several different colours all at once is important. I mostly wear black and navy, maybe a white or blue shirt or top but not a lot of bright colours. Each to their own of course!

I don’t own a lot of clothes, buy rarely but carefully.

When I retired I read somewhere to wear what you normally wear at the weekend but upgrade to better fabrics, better quality. Cashmere rather than wool for example. I use that as an excuse to treat myself to a cashmere sweater every winter!

I am with you Aveline

I often scroll through websites of the clothes brands that I like, to gain inspiration.
I underwent a change after retirement and have become a little more casual. Trousers and sweaters for around the house and then blazers, jackets and smart cardigans for going out.
I like Sahara, Gudrun Sjoden, Seasalt and Box2.
I like nice accessories, jewellery, scarves, handbags and shoes.
I buy less frequently and better quality items and always scour the sales pages of the websites!

Have fun! Do let us know how you get on. 💐

Over 65 same as it was at 61 when I retired and no longer had to occasionally wear smart work clothes.
Straight leg jeans, t shirts and jumpers in winter, exchange jeans for shorts in summer, or if really hot, long cotton dresses. Skechers, ankle boots or flip flops, dependent on the weather. Hair is a long bob, fortunately with a natural curl, nice n easy home colour every 8 months, friend is a hairdresser, trimmed when the fringe gets too long.

Smart or smartish casual. And absolutely nothing that looks (to me anyway) at all old-lady-ish.
But equally nothing that would have looked fine on me when I was 35 and a size ten but would certainly not look good on me now.

Again, if you don't like beige, don't wear it. The scattergun effect in choosing is fine if it works for you, but it sounded as if it was working less than it had.

Creating a capsule wardrobe means that every penny spent is a penny well spent, and that you wear all the clothes you have. That suits me, but it may not suit everyone. The big thing is that you have fun and feel 'put together' and your best self.'

I have so far had fun with my wardrobe, accessories, jewelry, hair, and makeup, and I think retirement is just the time to do that!

Good luck with your journey.

I'm with Sara on this. The feel good factor is king. If I can look in my mirror and be delighted by what I see then that's a big win for me. Smart casual with coordinated colourfulness and short well groomed hair does nicely. Oh yessss...... Nothing clumpy or frumpy ever. Strictly taboo.

Gentleshores, I don’t think you need to cut your hair unless you particularly want to, in my opinion you’re lucky to have it, mine is shorter now, but only because it won’t grow, when I’m at the hairdressers I see a lot of older ladies with longer hair and they look fab.

PoliticsNerd

I think retirement brings such a change in lifestyle, often accompanied by a change in body shape, that it's a great time to review our wardrobe.

I would recommend ignoring any talk of colors; they are for you to choose. Some time ago, on another thread, someone suggested that we should 'never wear beige and put on a touch of coral lipstick.' While beige may not be for everyone, it can be one of the hardest-working neutrals in a wardrobe and can often elevate your style. It can also help your other clothes earn their keep by being suitable for very different occasions. Coral lipstick simply suits some people and not others.

I see 'black' trousers mentioned here. Discovering that black is not a neutral and that you don’t have to include it in your wardrobe was a eureka moment for me.

The first thing I would do (and did do) is look at what you do in a week and work out the percentages. (Include everything even dog walking and gardening - we just want to feel good as often as possible.) This way, you will know what you are dressing for and - often more importantly - what you no longer or very rarely dress for now.

The second step is to determine which two or three colors suit you best and that you enjoy wearing. Then choose a neutral that goes with each and all of your base colors. This is often white. That’s okay as it’s just a start. You can begin to hang any clothes that fit these colors together in your wardrobe.

If this is useful I can come back with further steps.

Thank you. Yes I think I'm there with the white tops to go with everything :-) I have to say though I can't stand beige. I don't think I possess anything beige. It's also not very flattering to my colouring. Neither is red. Red bottom half is ok but not top half, near my face. I actually don't really have favourite colours either. If I see something I like I might like the colour or if I don't like the colour I don't get it. I do tend to mostly have black trousers but this year bought some sage green ones and love those. Hence the white tops to go with everything.

I'm gradually replacing most things because they are either falling apart or just aren't me any more. But it will take time due to the cost.

I think sometimes you just need to see something and think - yes that's what I need.

I'm not sure I can work out the percentages - I'm at home too much which doesn't help (mobility issues). But going out a bit more now and that has made me more conscious. I could do with a new smarter raincoat/jacket, but can't justify it as there's nothing wrong with the old one!

@Whitewavemark - thank you. I haven't heard of Poetry before - I'm clearly out of touch. I just tend to look online at Next and Fat Face usually as their sizes always fit. And while I like some of the Fat Face clothes - they are again on the casual side and not all styles are suitable. Or sometimes Seasalt clothing.

But that's why I think I need to look elsewhere. And have some inspiration.

My lifestyle is typical for a retired person. All casual, except the occasional visit to the theatre, smart restaurant etc. and even then I don’t dress up like we used to years ago.

So going out is really a question of best casual, and casual for everything else😄😄.

I do have stuff should the need arise, like funeral wear or full evening regalia or cocktail type of stuff, but the need never really arises these days, - much to my relief.

Saying that I would say that 90% of my wardrobe is made of natural fibre. I also love colour. I dress to suite myself - not bothered about fashion or impressing. But my go to would be say Poetry or that type of easy wear. For something a bit smarter say LKBennet, but honestly I have dresses hanging in my wardrobe waiting to be worn, and I really won’t ever need another. That is the joy of getting older.

I think retirement brings such a change in lifestyle, often accompanied by a change in body shape, that it's a great time to review our wardrobe.

I would recommend ignoring any talk of colors; they are for you to choose. Some time ago, on another thread, someone suggested that we should 'never wear beige and put on a touch of coral lipstick.' While beige may not be for everyone, it can be one of the hardest-working neutrals in a wardrobe and can often elevate your style. It can also help your other clothes earn their keep by being suitable for very different occasions. Coral lipstick simply suits some people and not others.

I see 'black' trousers mentioned here. Discovering that black is not a neutral and that you don’t have to include it in your wardrobe was a eureka moment for me.

The first thing I would do (and did do) is look at what you do in a week and work out the percentages. (Include everything even dog walking and gardening - we just want to feel good as often as possible.) This way, you will know what you are dressing for and - often more importantly - what you no longer or very rarely dress for now.

The second step is to determine which two or three colors suit you best and that you enjoy wearing. Then choose a neutral that goes with each and all of your base colors. This is often white. That’s okay as it’s just a start. You can begin to hang any clothes that fit these colors together in your wardrobe.

If this is useful I can come back with further steps.

Basically I'm starting to look more Glenda Jackson than Helen Mirren! And I'm not keen on the look!

Someone mentioned hippies. I think at heart I'm a hippie style - it was the generation before me and I always liked it but it had gone by the time I was an adult. Still like the longer skirts though so I'm glad maxi skirts came back.

I think basically I don't feel old but am too old to wear what I wore when younger - except in summer somehow.