Beware of Tricky and Outdated Trends
Fashion trends move at lightning speed, one day something is in and the next it’s out. Just because something is on trend, doesn’t mean it’s cool, age-appropriate, or flattering. Instead of jumping on the latest fashion and beauty trends and advice, find your own personal style and don’t follow outdated rules. Dress and apply makeup to enhance your natural features and body shape and always err on the classic so you don’t look like a fashion victim.
1. Experimenting With Jean Trends
A great-fitting pair of denim jeans belongs in every wardrobe, but look for modern classic styles. Mid-rise, mid-wash jeans are generally the most flattering for all ages and body styles. Avoid falling into the trap of embracing the latest jean fads. The 90s-style low-rise look is too young and cuts you off creating an uncomfortable muffin top and jeans that are overly distressed, embellished, or ripped can look tacky and try hard.
2. Wearing Slouchy Oversized Styles
Fit is everything when it comes to looking put together and polished. Wear clothes that streamline your shape, flatter your figure, and highlight your best assets. Even if you are bigger or plus size baggy wearing shapeless clothing will make you look larger. Avoid slouchy sweaters, baggy sweat pants, and oversized 80s blazers, and opt for well-fitted, structured classic pieces instead.
3. Steer Clear Of Too Short Lengths
Even if you have killer legs wearing micro shorts mini skirts and dresses can look too young and draw attention to imperfections. Ask any fashion expert and they’ll testify regardless of age, midi or maxi skirts and dresses always look more sophisticated, and flattering. Knee-length shorts are also more polished and don’t wear bike shorts unless you’re at the gym.
4. Applying Makeup With A Sponge
Makeup sponges and brushes are breeding grounds for bacteria and applying makeup with a dirty applicator can cause congestion, breakouts, and uneven skin texture. Apply foundation with your fingertips, or if you use a sponge or brush, clean and disinfect them after every use.
5. Flexing Designer Logos
Wearing head-to-toe logos as a style flex will make you look like a fashion victim. There’s an art to wearing designer pieces and logos without looking like a try-hard according to the style experts at Huff Post. It’s better to create a capsule wardrobe of classic timeless fashion and accessories and wear one designer piece or logo at a time as a style statement.
6. Applying Shimmery Makeup
Beware the trend for shimmering, metallic, and glittering eyeshadow and highlighters especially in bold colors as they can look too young and draw attention to fine lines and wrinkles. Use matte products in soft shades or apply shimmer sparingly or not at all.
7. Slugging Your Skin
Beauty editors encourage slugging your skin for a major hydration hit. This deeply moisturizing process involves applying occlusive products like petroleum jelly to your skin following your usual skincare routine and leaving it on overnight. Not all skins are suitable for slugging it can overload your complexion causing blocked pores, congestion, and even speed up aging.
8. Clinging To Outdated Trends
It’s important to stay across the latest trends but clinging to outdated fashion looks makes your style and appearance suffer. “Create a curated wardrobe of timeless styles so you don’t look out of date or like a fashion victim,” says fashion consultant Sarah Meikle. Some trends to avoid or retire adds Meikle are, “Fierce gladiator sandals, embellished denim, t-shirts emblazoned with slogans, pointed shoes, impractical micro sunglasses, and oversized ridiculous accessories.”
9. Rocking Severe Hair Styles
A great hairstyle can take years off your age and it’s important to update your style regularly to suit your changing face as you age. Avoid dark, unnatural hair shades as they are unflattering and age you fast. Subjecting your hair to severe styles like tight ponytails, braids, and buns and using tight elastics puts pressure on the follicles causing breakages, split ends, and premature thinning.
10. Bleaching Your Brows
A fuller well-defined eyebrow frames your face, opens up the eye area, and can disguise a droopy brow and signs of fine lines and wrinkles. Bleached brows might be a trend if you’re a runway model, but dyeing them an unnatural shade or overplucking leads to thin and sparse eyebrows. Brows also take a long time to grow back, so leave them alone and get a professional brow job, or use a brow pen with fibers to plump and shape them.
11. Wearing Platform Shoes
Platform shoes can take you into stripper territory and aren’t flattering comfortable or practical. Chucky platform heels, wedges, those ugly sneakers, and flip-flops overwhelm an outfit, add bulk, and look tacky. “Go for a stacked heel in a mid-height or low-platform wedge as they are much more stylish and flattering,” says personal stylist duo Beckie + Martina.
12. Avoid The Naked Look
Sheer transparent skirts, dresses, and tops were all over the recent fashion runways according to Vogue. Just because “naked dressing” is on trend, doesn’t mean it translates to reality. See-through styles and showing your undergarments as outerwear is too revealing, will show up your flaws, and is not a good idea past a certain age.
14. Trying Tricky Trends
Fashion stylists will tell you to have fun experimenting with the latest trends but this isn’t a rule you should always follow. Again it comes down to your personal style as many trends can be tricky to pull off. A few offenders: Clashing prints, harem pants, overly pointy shoes, lots of layering, overloading accessories, wearing bold bright colors, and attempting tricky cuts and styles like peplum skirts and tops, cap sleeves, flouncy ruffles, and ruching.
15. Forget Towering Slilettos
Sky-high stilettos are hard to walk in, totally impractical, and bad for your feet, back, and posture. The feet get thin and lose muscle with age so always wear comfortable shoes with good cushioning and arch support. “Go for a mid-height ideally with a block heel for extra support, a cute kitten heel, or a classic loafer with a bit of height as these are chicer and much more comfortable, says Meikle.