Ten Tips on what to wear for older guys
Fashion does tend to get a little more confusing as you hit middle aged and beyond - questions start popping into your head.....does this look too old? Too young? Should I be wearing that at my age? Does it look like I'm trying too hard? If I wore it the first time round can I wear it again? Or perhaps not....maybe you've given up somewhat and stick to the same tried and tested shops and items that you've used in the past.
So here are some tips that I wrote recently to contribute to an article addressing this issue in Oxford based magazine Your Letterbox:
1. Try out new shops - even if you think a shop might be too young, take a look and you could be surprised.
2. Make sure if fits - especially the length of the cuffs on jackets which is one area a lot of men don’t bother to alter. Try on a size smaller – a lot of men tend to wear their clothes too large.
Oliver Sweeney lightweight silk/linen blazer
3. Be patient - you might not find the perfect thing in the first shop – be persistent.
4. Remember accessories - this is what sets some men apart from others and expresses your personality - you are allowed to have more than one belt / scarf in your wardrobe!
David Evans from Grey Fox blog - Image by Paul Harries
5. Look at your view from all angles – remember the side and back too when trying on clothes.
6. Embrace colour – as we age, our colouring fades, which often means softer colours might look better but don't turn into “beige man”!
Oliver Sweeney Old Faithful pink shirt
7. Learn what suits you – if you can identify specific details about the things you love, you can replicate that in future to achieve success.
8. Keep the silhouette up to date - mens fashion moves slowly but at the moment the overall silhouette is a slim cut.
9. Have some structure to your clothes - I find a lot of guys need this as they get older and perhaps their bodies have a little less structure!
10. The more worn in your face the less worn in your clothes should be! Leave the ripped jeans and raw hems to the young kids with perfect skin and go for a clean wash dark indigo instead.
If you're an older guy and would like some help to refresh your style, then please do get in touch and I'll be glad to help.
Here's what one older gentlemen said after I'd worked with him:
" The styling and body shape sessions were useful, the best bits being - looking at slimmer fitting shirts and trousers and going for a lower waistline and avoiding trousers that are a little tight under the armpits!
The best bit though was definitely the shopping trips and being introduced to shops I would never have tried, having things suggested to me that I wouldn't have normally considered and best of all, having loads of stuff picked for me so all I had to do was try it on and say yes or no. And of course, it was great fun - thanks to your enthusiasm and encouragement."