Wardrobe Essentials For Women Over 40
So you are looking to create a capsule wardrobe over 40? You have come to the right place. The chances are you used to be reasonably confident about what you wore – in recent years, that may well have changed. How do you create a capsule wardrobe that has you looking and feeling fabulous without looking frumpy?
It often feels as soon as you hit 40 that fashion is not aimed at you unless you want comfortable flat shoes and a nice cardie. Not you? No, it is not me either. There is no reason why you can not still buy similar styles to the ones you loved when you were younger. All you need to do is update that look. Whether you love the French style or are just looking for help with styles for your body shape, a capsule wardrobe that works for you is the answer.
One of the easiest ways to do that is by building a simple capsule wardrobe to mix and match.
How To Build A Capsule Wardrobe
When you consider building an over 40’s capsule wardrobe, you should answer some questions before getting started.
What is the environment like where you live? Do you have seasons? Is it always cold or warm? Does it rain a lot? Is it humid? This is important in determining what clothes you will need for where you live.
What colours suit you? I have touched on this above. It can make a huge difference to confidence and self-esteem to use colour to dress well. Consider a colour analysis to determine what would work best.
What clothes feel good on you? You should instinctively know the answer to this whenever you put something on – either what physically feels good or mentally. Both aspects are essential.
Are you conscious of your body shape? Often when working with private clients, I come across this one. More often than not, they have a warped vision of what their body shape is and how bad it is. For help on this, consider a style guide that will identify what suits you best.
What are your favourite brands? Why do you like them? Is it that the cut suits you? Do you like the quality? The price? The style? Make a note of which brands you like and why.
How To consider Colours Over 40
As you age, colour becomes increasingly important. If you had your colours done twenty years ago, the chances are they will need doing again. As we age, our colouring follows. The shades that suited you twenty years ago may not be the best ones for you now. I strongly advise you to get a colour analysis done if you have not had one done recently. It will give you a great start to building your capsule wardrobe by enabling you to choose a small collection of shades that you know suit you.
To get started, the first thing you need to do is choose a selection of colours. Ideally, you want to select under eight options. By choosing a limited palette creating an outfit becomes simple and easy. A few colours will suit every skin tone during a colour analysis. Below is a small selection of those colours. Each of these shades will suit everyone and mix and match easily. You might notice that I have not included black. Black does not suit everyone, but charcoal and navy do.
Alternatively, to find out what colours suit you best, you can opt for a full-colour analysis and then choose colours you like from a broad range of options.
The colours below include;
Blood red
Charcoal Grey
White
Stone
Navy
Fuchsia pink
How To Choose Styles Over 40
The next area you want to consider is your shape. It is also common for this to change throughout the years. Knowing your shape helps you make clothing choices that enhance your best features. Knowing your colours and body shape means you are well armed to build a capsule wardrobe that works for you and your lifestyle. To learn which body shape you are, take a look at my body shape style guide.
In the meantime, check out the advice below.
- For any area of your body that you are unhappy with use simple, dark block colours. For anywhere else, use lighter colours, patterns, and fabrics that catch the light, like velvet, satin, silk and velour.
- Avoid any huge frills, floaty fabrics or anything that adds bulk on areas you want to hide.
- Choose styles that skim your body rather than swamp it.
- Learn your body shape and use what you learn to make the most of your clothing.
- Do not buy clothes that hang straight off your bust with the thought that they will hide your tummy. They will only make you look larger than you are.
10 Capsule Wardrobe Outfit Ideas Over 40
Below are ten outfits ideas for your capsule
Maintaining Your Over 40 Capsule Wardrobe
Intentional shopping is the way forward. Once you start to build your capsule wardrobe, be very intentional about what you add. For example;
You need a new pair of trousers for work.
What colour do you want?
Will that colour goes with the rest of your wardrobe?
What will you wear with these trousers and how will they go with your current wardrobe?
What type of shoes will you wear with them?
Are there any fabrics you want to avoid?
What season are the trousers for?
Do they need to keep you warm or cool?
What style fits your body shape?
What colour suits you?
What is your budget?
What brands have a history of working for you?
Ask yourself these questions or similar every time you buy something for your capsule. That way, if the item comes up in the sales, it IS a bargain.
If you are feeling the perimenopause and need help finding clothes to get you through, check out the best menopause clothing. For help learning what colours and styles suit you, you can start your capsule wardrobe right from the outset and head over to the personal styling online section of my site. Alternatively, book a free consultation with me for a limited time only.