Page 48 Daily Mail, Thursday, August 8, 201948 femailMAGAZINE
W
omen over the
age of 60 are more
visible than ever
on our television
screens, in films,
on social media and in fashion
campaigns — great news for
midlifers on the lookout for
style inspiration.
Fashion in your 60s and beyond
has become more exciting — and
confusing — than it used to be. The
rulebook of previous generations
is definitely out, though, and, as a
61-year-old fashion editor who has
always loved clothes, I am relieved.
Women can now dress to please
themselves and have fun with
fashion at any age — but this throws
up new sartorial dilemmas.
For those of us without a personal
stylist, it can be difficult to know
where to start. Is a midi frumpy? Is
above-the-knee ‘mutton’? Can older
women go sleeveless and be stylish?
Thankfully, the answers to all these
questions are out there — you just
need to find yourself a sixtysome-
thing fashion mentor. That is, any
of the chic older women road-testing
age-appropriate, fashionable clothing
and making it look fabulous.
I am all too aware of the pitfalls
of this tricky life stage. I have my
personal go-tos, such as a collection
of five printed, pussy-bow blouses by
Rixo, which work for day or evening.
I’m a big fan of buying in several
colours an item that works for me.
I like tailored black cigarette
trousers, with trainers for day and a
court shoe for evening. earrings and
fine charm necklaces or a stack of
bracelets are the details that give
me my signature style.
I always have something khaki
in my wardrobe, and I’m a fan of
vintage. When I was younger, I wore
lots of black tops, but I stay away
from them now, preferring colour
or navy to lift my skin tone.
You, too, can take inspiration from
the over-60s women on these pages,
with our clever guide on how to copy
their style with High Street finds. or
look to the likes of former Good
Housekeeping fashion editor Alyson
Walsh’s podcast and Instagram,That’s not my Age (thatsnotmyage).
Another woman whose clothes I
admire is Dian Griesel, known on
Instagram as @silverdisobedience.
You may not like everything an
influencer or celebrity wears, but
there are ideas you can harvest.
Take 74-year-old Helen mirren’s
crisp white shirt as evening wear. It
was genius to pair it with a leopard-
print skirt, which flatters her figure
and looks elegantly dressed-down
— casual clothing is generally more
youthful than formal wear.
Celebrities make it look easy, but,
as we grow older and our bodies
change, some of our go-to pieces
no longer fit or just don’t work for
us. The post-menopausal thicken-
ing waistline can’t be helped, nor
can a slower metabolism, which
means extra pounds.L
ook carefully and
you’ll note that celeb-
rities showcase their
good points, so, if you
have great legs or a slim waist
over 60, highlight those features.
U.S. Vogue editor Anna Wintour, 69,
loves to show off her toned arms. But
if yours aren’t in such good shape, try
wearing three-quarter-length sleeves
to show off your wrists, or a cropped
trouser to reveal slim ankles.
Anti-age your complexion, too, by
experimenting with colour. Twiggy,
69, and 84-year-old mary Berry are
both advocates of brighter shades.
If you’re a larger size, choose soft
tailored clothes with big shoulders. A
jacket with a defined waist will always
be your friend, as Twiggy shows. or
choose a flowing style with clashing
prints like emma Thompson.
There are no rules. But it never
hurts to have a fashion mentor to
help you look your best...STYLE
sixty
by Wendy
Rigg
EMMA THOMPSON, 60
DAME Emma’s quirky,
androgynous style
works perfectly for
her — and her love
of comfortable
flat shoes gets my
vote every time!
The 60-year-old
film star always
favours comfort
and has her own
take on relaxed
glamour.HER FASHION
SECRET
THE longer-line
printed coat slung
over a blouse and
trousers is a super-
flattering look and
will conceal any extra
weight around the hips,
bottom and waist. The mix
of prints is modern, too
— monochrome always
looks well put together.Jacket, £120,
uterque.com;
Blouse, 27.99,
bonprix.
co.uk;
Trousers, £8,
glamorous.
com; Shoes,
£69, dune
london.comACTRESS Dame Helen knows how to
showcase her curves without being
obvious, and exudes ageless style on
the red carpet.
She makes her trim waist the focal
point, with a large black belt, while
her statement necklace and emerald
green clutch earn style points, too.
Leopard-print can look a bit try-hard
on older women, but styling it in this
very simple way is fresh and modern.HER FASHION SECRET
A CRISP white shirt is a ward-
robe must-have, and Helen
shows it can work for evening,
paired with a full-length skirt.
White lifts her complexion in a
way a black top would not.HELEN MIRREN, 74
Shirt, £35, marksandspencer.
com; Skirt, £175, lkbennett.
com; Necklace, £300, net-a-
porter.com; Heels, £89,
Carvela at johnlewis.com;
Bag, £14.99, amazon.com+
Every woman needs a
fashion mentor — so
who’ll be yours?
TV FAVOURITE Mary is known for
her bright printed jackets and
blouses, worn with slim trousers
or jeans, but here, she proves she
looks fabulous in dresses, too.
She knows what works for her
and sticks to it, often opting for
affordable High Street labels such
as Zara and Marks & Spencer.
This flattering dress skims her
figure, without being too clingy,
and the bright heels are on-trend.
Sheer, three-quarter sleeves are
perfect for concealing your arms
without being too covered-up.HER FASHION SECRET
FINDING your style. Experiment
with print and colour — and
make sure you have a
great hairdresser on
speed dial!MARY BERRY, 84
Dress, £120, phase-
eight.com; Shoes, £39,
and necklace, £35,
boden.co.ukTricks of the
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