Below, Helen Venables from House of Colour positively encourages women of all ages to wear WOW colours. Read how to dress with confidence and colour as you age …
Whilst many countries in Asia and Africa celebrate ageing, it is increasingly something that is dreaded by British women. But what’s so wrong with greying hair and moving on from wearing what may have suited us ten years ago? Change is so often good so why does our self-esteem have to plummet as we age and what can we do to change the minds of British women being amongst the harshest critics of ageing?
Ageing Is Beautiful
In my experience as a personal stylist, women in western countries are increasingly feeling the pressure to fight against ageing. In an age where being thin is more important than being healthy and injecting poisons into our face is a way to stop wrinkles, women are struggling with the realisation that as we age our shape, skin, hair and physical appearance generally change. But there is much we can do to buck this trend by talking openly about ageing and menopause, by focusing on that fact that with age comes wisdom and celebrating that ageing is beautiful. After all a positive outlook is thought to be able to add up to eight years to a life.
Every decade or so, many of us change the way we dress because the physical and psychological drivers to keep us feeling attractive and healthy change with age. Your changing shape and age doesn’t mean though that you have to cover up in frumpy, dark or dull outfits. So our skin may become a little drier, a little less elastic, our pigmentation may change and new fine wrinkles appear, but these are just the trophies of someone who has experienced life. The right coloured make-up is a great way of putting the contrast back into natural colouring!
The key to ageing with confidence is to avoid trying to look like we did 15 years ago or going to the other extreme and dressing as if we are slightly invisible. Instead by understanding and dressing in what suits us in terms of both our style personalities and our wow colours, we can look radiant, healthy and fabulous whatever our age!
Here’s how to feel comfortable in your own skin and to feel confident as you age ….
Tips For Dressing Confidently
- Make sure you’re wearing the colours that really suit you including your WOW colours! Wearing the wrong colours will make you look tired, run-down and much older. Wearing colours that suit you will mean that your skin looks radiant, bright and therefore younger. Colour helps us look our best and becomes even more important as we age. We all either suit cool or warm colours, and brighter or softer tones.
- Primary red is the only colour that suits everyone. Different seasons also have different reds that suit them in their colour palette such as summer palettes suit cherry and coral red whilst and springs look gorgeous in geranium and poppy red. Team red with neutrals that suit your skin tone such as grey, navy, black, cream, beige, tan or white, dependent on your season, to look effortlessly stylish.
- You may love an outfit on someone else, but it might not suit you because you have a different body architecture and style personality. Know who you are. If you like a bit of drama think asymmetric patterns and statement dressing to ensure visibility. Classic dressers feel good in elegant, timeless clothes. Know your style personality and you will feel more youthful and authentic in your clothes.
- Wear clothes that fit you properly – comfortable doesn’t mean frumpy and flat shoes don’t have to be boring!
House of Colour
- Patterns can add interest to an outfit and really flatter different body shapes regardless of your age. Just be sure you know what patterns suit you, whether that’s floral or geometric or smaller or larger graphics etc.
- Wear the right hemline – whether that is a maxi, mid-calf, knee-length or for the lucky few, above the knee. It can surprisingly make or break an outfit as the wrong hemline can either be inappropriate and unattractive, or drab and frumpy. Unflattering trends won’t do you any favours.
- Ooze confidence to anti-age by subtly drawing attention to your best assets. If you have a lovely waist, then emphasise that with a beautiful, flattering statement belt. Or if you have lovely long legs then try some skinny jeans to elongate those great legs even more!
- Use accessories to make a statement in your outfit – try a scarf or a bright coloured bag in one of your wow colours or one of your neutral colours that will go with everything. This will make all the difference between a drab outfit and a sensational one.
- Buy jewellery that has several of your wow colours in the piece to add an exciting focal point to your look.
- When it comes to your eyes, choose an eyeliner the same colour as the outside of your iris. As you age, avoid shimmery and sparkly shadows as they tend to accentuate fine lines more than matt colours.
By Helen Venables, MD of House of Colour
