Fall Outfits That AGE You!

YouTube seems to be the place for sweeping statements. In the last few days, I’ve listened to rants against pencil skirts, cereal, and sleeping in. Advice is everywhere. Some of it is truly helpful and uplifting, and some of it needs to be filtered through our own personal lens.

The same is true of videos like this one. When I suggested slouchier blazers in Tuesday’s video, I had a wave of comments mostly from petites, like myself, stating that oversized blazers are not flattering to many women.

I hear you. I’ve been struggling with this for years. Everything needs to be filtered through the lens of your body type, personal style, lifestyle, preferences, etc. And everything is relative.

For me, at 5’2″ and 53 with a Red Body Type, that means a blazer that’s just a little bit roomier than the ones I wore 10 years ago.

The same is true with the aging/modern items in today’s video and post. Some will work for you, and some won’t.

The key is to find an item that is both flattering and modern. You deserve both.

Today, I’m going to talk about some trendy pieces and some not-so-trendy pieces for fall that are potentially aging/frumpy/unflattering. And then I’m going to offer some alternatives.

As always, you’ll find everything featured below in this catalog.

The Overwhelming Sweaterdress

I love a cozy sweaterdress in the fall. It’s so comfortable and so cute. Except when it’s not. Some of the huge, oversized sweaterdresses are hard for us non-supermodels to wear. It’s important to create balance by showing a glimpse of skin somewhere, whether it’s the neckline, the arm, or the leg. The second option is much easier to wear and a real throw-on-and-go piece.

Yellow sweaterdress (comes in other colors)

The Outdated Bootie

The booties that we’ve been wearing for seasons are now looking dated. The new styles go have a higher boot shaft. While you can (and should!) continue to wear your ankle boots with pants, consider an updated bootie to wear with skirts and dresses. There are regular block heel and platform versions available or try the new sleek kitten-heel styles. (I dug up an old favorite from my closet).

Black Boots

Brown Boots

The Dated Party Top

I love a good party top. You just throw it on with black pants and go, right? Well, there’s a more modern approach to dressing up in a flash, and this top is not it. Choose a more updated style, and pair it with denim, leather, or a black trouser style pant for the freshest look. (More on this in next week’s video on Cool Girl Style).

Modern party top

The In-Between Turtleneck

I ADORE turtlenecks, but they are not for everyone. If you feel your bust is overly highlighted in some styles, or if your neck is on the shorter side, you might want to stick to a mockneck. If a turtleneck does flatter you, you’ll find that it’s super elegant and also conceals the neck a little. Turtlenecks should be sleek and fitted or chunky and a little slouchy. Not in between. Skip the baggy fine knit turtlenecks this season.

White slouchy turtleneck (comes in other colors)

White fitted turtleneck (comes in other colors)

The Dated Jeans

If you want to know the most modern denim silhouettes, peruse the styles on Revolve.com or look at brands like Frame, Mother, and Rag & Bone. A pull-on style is never in style, so if you have a pair you love, wear them with a top that hides the waistband.

A classic style like the Levi’s 501, the Ribcage, or the Wedgie fit are also great options.

Flattering jeans

The Gargantuan Collar

Who needs a collar that doubles as a pillow? Or serves as a placemat in a pinch? Not me. Not only is an oversized collar out of scale for many of us, but it also highlights the chin and jawline in a way that might be unflattering. Choose a modified collar for a modern look that suits most of us better.

Collared sweater

The Tweed Suit

The prim and proper and conservative looking tweed suit is so so chic, but also potentially very aging. I hate to say this because I LOVE them, but there is a modern modern variation on these that can work well. If you have the very classic version, try updating it by wearing the jacket open, or pairing the jacket and skirt with other separates.

Obviously, the tweed suit on the right has a shorter skirt, but that length will be longer on many of us, or pair the jacket with a black skirt, pants, or jeans. It’s all about the blazer in this look.

Modern tweed suit

Classic tweed suit

The Tweed Dress

Like the tweed suit, this uberclassic piece requires an update to look fresh and modern. Skip the dated details and cut of the first style or the very young second style and choose a sleeker version like the last two.

Black and white tweed

Brown leather-trimmed tweed dress

The Matronly Midi

I’ve covered floral midis so many times on this channel, so I’ll just share two examples here. The first has a more dated and aging cut, pattern, and details, while the second is much more modern.

Modern Midi

The Long Cardigans

Cardigans are tricky anyway, and this was really brought home to me when a bunch of teens at church recently wore cardigans to look older. The long fine-knit styles have been out of the spotlight for a while, so shelve these for now and replace with a chunkier style.

Brown cardigan

The Long Knit Vest

These are tricky. Note: The one I featured in this video is not a vest at all, but a cardigan with slits on the sides. Oh well. The still give off Maud vibes to me, and need to be styled well. I prefer a vest that is more like a sleeveless blazer or a sleeveless trench.

Trench vest

The Bulky Jacket

While a parka is a wintertime essential for many, a fashion jacket that adds unnecessary bulk (and length) is probably one to skip. Try a more modified quilted jacket for a sleeker look.

Cute quilted jacket

What do you think of these potentially aging trends? And which of these updates will you consider this season? Let me know in the comments!