Who says you can’t be stylish and sexy at sixty? Granted, that new mini trapeze dress may not be on your fashion horizon right now, but there are many other fashionable options for the “mature” fashionista.
Here’s my tips on being fabulous after sixty…
Please throw out the following:
- Floor-length floral printed dresses
- Muumuus (unless they are for lounging around the house)
- Long (ankle length), unstructured, A-line skirts
- Elastic-waisted pants that make everyone look like a balloon
- Unstructured pants and suits
- Large, oversized t-shirts
- Khaki/mauve-colored grandma flats
- Unstylish jumper-type dresses (usually made of khaki or jean material)
- Sweaters with embroidery, appliques, etc (especially christmas sweaters)
Then start re-building your wardrobe. The easiest first step is to go the monochromatic (ie wearing one, simple color like blue, black, white, khaki,etc) route. which will make you look slimmer and classic. Now monochromatic doesn’t mean boring or boxy, just means keeping it simple. Take a look at fabulous women over sixty like Susan Sarandon, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, and you will notice that they keep the patterns to a minimum, tending to focus more on wearing solid colors.
Founded in 2003, TBF is a fashion blog dedicated to helping you live your best for less. We give you the 411 on the latest fashion trends & tips and sample sales. 
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
“Long (ankle length), unstructured, A-line skirts”
Crap!! I’m wearing one of those right now! I thought it could pass as ‘writerly.’ No…?
And I’m only 32!
Another fabulous over 60 fashionista is Patti LaBelle. Ms. Patti always does it up, and is very classy. I would love to have her fashion sense when I’m her age, heck, I’d like to have it now at 30!!!
Hey Kathryn:
Yikes…I am no longer Forever 21 so perhaps I am one of your more “mature” readers but THANKS for this. Really helpful. Now can you make me look like Susan Sarandon? I just love her look. Or how about Candice Bergen?
Great suggestions for real women. I use dark, oversized sunglasses as my youthful, trendy accessory.
Please – keep more info on fashion for older women coming! This is great!
Love Ms. Patti… she is hot.. so is Tina Turner…
Please keep the fashion tips coming for this age group, which is my age group.
I think the items you suggested to throw away can be given to any age group! I’m nowhere near sixty, but these are great tips, Kathryn
Even though I’m not 60+, today’s Fashion Advice is still relevant. Today I’m wearing a pair of wide leg jeans that I purchased from the Banana Republic Premium Outlets in Las Vegas, that I have been getting compliments on all day. Your columns are always right on time.
Thanks so much for this! There are plenty of us who are fabulous & over sixty.
We don’t want to pull our hair back in a bun, wear all black and fade into the background!
We want to shine.
Thanks for encouraging us to do just that. And do keep these over-60 articles coming our way.
A good pair of jeans can be found at QVC, too. They offer custom denims which fit and look great on all body types. Oh, and I’d love to see the more mature set ditch the color coordinated nylon track suits. They are just so wrong.
Thanks for the great “mature” women tips, hope to see more on your site. 50+
How timely! I’m part of a group called Prime Time Women (over 40) and we’re talking about fashion tonight. I’m also a fashion designer for clothing for women over 40. I very much agree with the “throw-out” list. Thanks.
My philosophy is form and function. It’s clothing that not only is comfortable, breathable, and “green” but also elegant with a bit of edge, and uses style lines to give the illusion of an hour-glass figure, and styling of structured garments that just skim and flatter the figure. But most importantly are cut and fit to our mature bodies. Been working on the fit for 2 years now!
If you’re looking for help with jeans try this fabulous site http://www.zafu.com, they make personalized recommendations for your body type -it’s really cool AND it seems to work.
Need a makeover, approaching 60 and feeling fabulous. I want to look fabulous.
List is exactly right….for all ages! If only we could all look like Susan Sarandon. She is the ultimate sex symbol. Suggestions are right on target. I’m trying but struggle twith the mid section, spare tire as I call it, all the time!
very well good ideas.. I love wearing straight skirts,but the lenght i love is just below the knee. I feel unconftable with the lenght to half calf. Any suggestion pls
I am 5’1″ weigh 114 lbs and am 63. I hate shopping for clothes because I never can find anything that fits me, appropriate for my age or within my budget! I work part-time and do not need dressy clothes. Where can I find clothing to suit my lifestyle and body shape on-line?
I will be sure to keep checking on this site. I am 63, have always tried to eat right, exercise, and actually get taken for years younger. When my children were young, I spent on them – I now have much more disposable income, but I no longer know how to dress. I chose not to look like my grandaughter, but I am sure not ready for the matronly look either. I have never felt so unself-confident when it comes to my clothing. I need help!!!!!!!
I am 70. I have always considered myself a fashionista. However, I now find this to be complicated. Help. I am attending a 5:00 pm formal wedding in LA in Oct. I have well shaped legs but I have veins that protrude on one leg. I don’t want to wear thigh highs but I look better if I do. My dress I am planning on wearing is a black “on the knee” low V neck with straight skirt. I love the dress but the other problem area is that it is sleeveless. I know I can wear a jacket but what color? I don’t want to look like I should be going to a funeral??? Please help this 5′ 5″ 150lb granny look her best!!!
Do I really have to throw away the long ankle-length jumpers? Am planning to return to work after a 10 year hiatus, and was wondering if they are still in-style enough to wear. How about the knee-length jumpers? I am 57.
I am 64 years old and very frustrated about fashion, hairstyles, and health matters. Are we a forgotten lot? There is relatively little information out there to help us. While I am certainly not against youth, it seems as though that is what all the fashion etc. is geared around. I am for one not about to lay down and just grow old and frumpy. Is there anyone out there that can help or wants to help? There are a lot of us baby boomers out there. I do not understand why there is so little info for us besides AARP. Come on!!! Why can’t there be fashion magazines out there for us? If you say there is no demand—well I am demanding and I am sure if there was any kind of polls taken you would find a lot more interested women in this age group. So can someone please help or at least respond?
I’m so glad you’re addressing this topic. I’m the owner of B.BOLD Jewelry for Boomer Girls and really think that beauty over the age of sixty is underestimated. If you work at it, you can look your best at any age. Your photo of Helen Mirin is amazing! Not that we can all have a figure like hers, but each of us can find a style that brings the inner beauty out to the surface because that’s what we’re all about. We’ve earned the right to display our inner beauty by finding a style that communicates who we are as individuals. Thank you!
I so agree with Dee and Marcia!! I’m 60 and love to dress chic. I not trying to dress matronly nor 21, but please help! We need more fashion geared toward our age group.
I have never known how to dress.I think that I always look frumpy.I’m 5′ 1″ and just turned 60,not heavy nor skinny.I just don’t know who to go to for advice that I can afford.Am i doomed?
Are there any magazines out there for women over 60? You would think Family Circle or Red Book would have somethng for older women. I just don’t see teens reading this magazine and yet the clothes are for women in their late teens or early 20′s…We need our own magazine for real women.
@bonnie unfortunately non of those magazines target those over 60, the closest magazine is MORE. in regards to TBF, we try to add some posts for older women, because we know you’re undeserved, but over 60 isn’t our target either. However there’s really awesome blogs like Fab over 50, etc that do a really great job catering to older women.