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.

One area that older women always seem to get wrong is in the accessories department.  Don’t wear your entire jewelry box, but focus on one wearing one standout piece at a time. Also, don’t be afraid to wear trendy accessories.  By keeping your wardrobe basic, you can add trendy accessories without looking like you’re trying to “be young”. Stores like Target, Forever 21, Wet Seal, H&M, are all great places to find accessories without going overboard with spending.

Denim looks fabulous on older women and yes, older women can wear jeans. I’m not taking about low rise, hootchie mama denim jeans, but a nice pair of trouser cut, boot cut or wide leg jeans look fabulous on older women. The flare will help draw attention away from your mid section and give you a slightly taller look, which is important as you get older. Also look for jeans with at least 2% spandex/lycra content- this will allow the jean to stretch to fit you and help to control any problem areas. Some brands to try- Gap, Banana Republic, Levi, Seven (at Lane Bryant), UNIQLO, Mossimo at Target and even Wal-Mart’s Faded Glory jeans. Also, if you have gray hair, the dark navy color of the jeans really set off the gray in your hair. Pair the jeans with a bright colored tee from a store like old navy or a fitted sweater.  Updated jean jackets from designers like DKNY or Banana Republic But please, for all that is fashionable and good in this world, avoid wearing denim from head to toe.

Some other things to include in your wardrobe
- A pair of tailored black and white pants with a slight flare at the bottom in light fabrics like cotton and rayon. Again, look for pants will a little spandex/lycra content- this will help to control any problem areas.
- For skirts, stick to straight cuts that hit mid calf.
- Wear a shoes with a slight heel. Clarks has some hot new sandals this season that are both comfortable and extremely stylish or head to Naturalizers to buy a nice pair of black flats or comfy dress heels.
- A couple of fitted (not tight) t-shirts and tanks to wear underneath light weight, slightly big cotton sweaters or cotton blazers. For inspiration, look at Vogue and Harpers Bazaar, which tend to have fashions for women of all ages

For inspiration, look at Vogue and Harpers Bazaar, which tend to have fashions for women of all ages.