To Be Stylish in Your 40s, Shop Beyond the Mall
Dear Fashion Police: I am very frustrated. I am a professional, over 40, in desperate need of career wear. Even at Nordstrom the clothes are too frilly and way too young. Suits are getting repetitive and boring. Please help.
--FASHIONABLE DOCTOR
Dear Fashion Police: Please help the aging “baby boomer” generation get some hip fashions that flatter us somewhat. The shorter tees and shirts emphasize our not-so-small waists and our “ample” stomachs!
In addition, I’m short, and they are carrying fewer petite sizes today, and it seems the petites are getting longer in the body--or am I shrinking already?
--NOT OVER THE HILL YET
Dear Doc and Not: Isn’t getting older fun? Not only is it a laugh riot watching those gray hairs and wrinkles appear, but it’s also harder and harder to find clothes!
Ladies, we feel your pain. Why, just the other day we found ourselves at a Gap looking for pants. We found lots of stretch, some cargo styles and corduroys. With a resigned sigh we said to ourselves: “We are not the demographic.”
It’s like the day you picked up Seventeen magazine and realized you had grown beyond it. Or the day you realized you were old enough to be Miss America’s mother.
Not that there aren’t great things about getting older--but we have to agree that finding clothes isn’t one of them.
Here’s the thing: Although we’re not kids anymore, we also have no intention of looking like some dowdy matron. Although we can get by with jeans and khakis on the weekends, we need appropriate, stylish clothes for work and going out. We’re doing the gym thing, but the flat stomach and taut arms still elude us, so we’d like a bit of coverage.
The bad news is, it is difficult to find clothes that meet all our needs. The good news is they’re out there--we just have to look a little harder, and it may mean going beyond your usual mall realm.
Try shops you’ve been curious about but never been in. I know a lot of you are opposed to catalog or Internet shopping because you can’t try the clothes on, but don’t rule it out, especially for basics like T-shirts and sweaters. If the photo doesn’t tell you the length of a shirt, ask customer service.
Not all stores cater to a younger clientele. Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Eddie Bauer and J. Crew stock sophisticated, stylish clothes. If they’re beyond your budget, wait for sales or find out if there’s an outlet near you.
If the stores you usually frequent suddenly aren’t carrying anything that makes you happy, tell them. We know we’ve advised this in the past, but we cannot stress it enough. Nothing will change without a catalyst--and you are the catalyst. Just remember to be nice about it. No shouting at the store manager.
And don’t think you have to compromise your style just because you’re getting older. If you’re 50 and you love vintage clothes, wear vintage clothes. If you’re 40 and you like short skirts, wear short skirts. What doesn’t work is an older woman dressing exactly like an 18-year-old. That’s pathetic. But it’s hardly a fashion felony for a woman over 40 to put on a pair of capris and a cardigan.
Now, specifically to your questions: Suits are not the only way to look professional, and actually, we think they look dated. Try suit separates instead--they still project that “damn, I’m good!” aura, but you won’t look boring if you choose well-made jackets with figure-flattering cuts in rich fabrics such as wool or silk. Try a silk or nice cotton T-shirt underneath instead of a blouse, and accent your style with jewelry and accessories. You can pair the jackets with long, midlength or short skirts (whatever works), or pants. If you can handle a slightly more casual look, trade the jackets for a twin set.
As for those T-shirts, try the stores mentioned earlier, plus catalogs, such as that from Lands’ End ([800] 356-4444 or https://www.landsend.com), J. Jill ([800] 343-5700 or https://www.jjill.com) and Tweeds ([800] 999-7997). And stay out of the junior department, you’ll only get depressed and frustrated.
We’re not sure if petites are, indeed, getting longer in the body or if you’re shrinking, but there are variations among designers’ and manufacturers’ sizes, so try a few brands to see what fits best. We haven’t noticed any dearth of petites lately; most department stores, as well as smaller chain stores, stock them. If your favorite shops truly are shrinking their supply of petites, say something. The squeaky wheel gets the clothes. Or something like that.
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Write to Fashion Police, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, fax to (213) 237-4888, or e-mail to socalliving@latimes.com.
