Fashion Tricks For Women Over 50

Learn how to dress to flatter your figure in your 50’s and beyond. Let’s face it, we don’t all have hourglass figures, or wear size 2. As we age, our body changes and loses its shape no matter how hard we try to look 25.  Reality is, we will never be that age again, but does that mean we have to look ugly? No. We can be beautiful as a seasoned woman!

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

PEPLUM TOPS

I love these cute little tops. Not only do they cover the tummy bulge, but they create hips by flaring at the waist or just below.

Take it from me, I don’t have hips, and need to create them in whatever I wear. I’ve got one of those straight racer bodies, so hips have always been something I want.

I love that I can create the illusion that I have hips.

A Peplum top will also create a waste for those people who don’t seem to have one anymore. It happens during menopause. No matter how many sit ups you do, or pounds you lose, there is just something about having a thicker waist. It’s normal for us.

We have to get used to these changes and accept who we are now.

Like I said, we are not 20 somethings anymore, and we have to be smart about it.

Being smart means dressing by illusion. Once we understand this, we will start to look like a million bucks, and feel that way too.

A newer post has been written about my favorite Peplum tops, if you want to also check that out.

Crunchy Menopause - Peplum Tops and What They Can Do For You

HIGH WAISTED PANTS

My favorit wardrobe trick is smoothing out the tummy somehow. If you can find a way to do this you’ve won the lottery.

High waisted pants of any style will smooth your middle and take away the lumpy look under t-shirts and tops.

To heck with the stupid low-rise jeans. They sucked when they came out and they suck even more for middle-aged women and for those who didn’t have flat washboard stomachs.

Well no more! Revolt ladies! Throw out all your low rise jeans and go buy high waisted pants again!

Remember the 80’s? Of course you do. Those were OUR times and we were smart. The higher the waste the better the look.

Rinse and repeat!

SHORT FLARE JACKETS

Remember, you want to create a waist again. Anything that flares at your waist or just below will do that for you.

Short jackets look amazing on middle-aged women. They give you a sophisticated look and tuck you in. They also draw the eye to the narrowest part of the jacket, giving you the illusion that you have a small waist.

How great is that!

As we age, quality is important as well, so go out and get yourself a fit and flare (leather) jacket. Leather just looks smart.

But make sure you buy the right size. I have large man shoulders and even though something fits me in the waist, it may be tight in the shoulders. One of my favorite fit and flare leather jackets is too tight in the shoulders.

A-LINE DRESSES

You want to give the illusion that you have an hourglass figure. One of the ways to do that is to give the illusion that your hemline is the widest part of your body. For example, a circle skirt would be A-Line. Wide at the bottom and narrow at the top where the waist is.

If you look at an hourglass you can see it’s kind of like two triangles. One is upside down and the other is right side up.

This is shapely and will make you look shapely.

The old-fashioned 50’s dresses were designed to create shape where there is none. That’s why they were so popular. They are A-Line dresses.

Let’s bring them back.Crunchy Menopause

EMPIRE WAIST CLOTHING

These garments do the same as A-Line. They create the illusion that you have a teeny tiny waist. Instead of putting your waist at the natural waistline that is thicker, you create the waist at the smallest part of your body.

Right under your breasts.

How clever is that.

So now, nobody really knows the size of your waste. It’s hidden. Instead they think is’t higher up and you trick them.

The eye is drawn to the narrowest part of your body and walla. Waist trick illusion 101.

V-NECK TOPS

Oh I’m in heaven! V-Neck tops are my favorite. Not because I want to show off my boobs, because I certainly don’t have much, but because it will elongate you.

Yes, I’m short and stout and anything that draws the eye down, is figure flattering.

This will also narrow broad shoulders and make you look thinner.

There is nothing more flattering than wearing a fitted V-Neck top with fine clunky jewelry. You will look like a million bucks and sport the seasoned women look quite nicely.

Crunchy Menopause

MOO MOO TOPS AND DRESSES

Okay, just don’t! You might think wearing larger clothing will hide your tummy, but you are sadly mistaken. All these type of tops and dresses do is make you look bigger than a house.

If you want that look, then fine. Perhaps you are as skinny as a stick and want to look like you’re bigger. That’s a great illusion, but it doesn’t work on those who are plus size or have a unibody look.

Stick to structured garments that will tuck you in and create shape. If you ever do wear a flouncy non-shaped top, then wear a fit and flare jacket overtop or a long gardigan. It will give you the illusion that, yes, yes I do still have a shape.

But by itself, the Moo Moo is a fashion disaster!

Trust me on this one. Throw out the Moo Moo looking clothes in your closet right now!

LEATHER BOOTS

A heel will perk you up and make you stand tall. Leather will make you look expensive, and that is the look we seasoned women are going for.

We’ve been there, done that, and now it’s our turn to look like we have a fat bank account and not a care in the world.

Even if you don’t, we can give the illusion that we do.

Boots will always do that for you, especially those with a heel.

WEDGE SHOES

Wedges are another way to add height and give the elongated illusion. They usually come as some sort of sandal. They don’t have to be really high, but we can wear them high if we want to.

Think of a maxi skirt. If we wear flip flops with a maxi skirt we feel comfortable, and it’s doable. But if we add a lovely wedge heel open toed sandal, that immediately changes the look and the feel of the outfit.

Try it!

I have worn this look many times. Flats feel casual, whereas wedges glam it up. You look and feel important, tall, and glamorous.

Just the look we’re going for as a seasoned woman.

I have a pair of lovely black wedge sandals I wear all the time to glam a outfit up. I especially like the fact that my red sparkle toenails peek out.

And by the way ladies, splurge on a pedicure if you like that sort of thing. Those toenails are a fashion statement and add more than you think to an outfit.

The only thing I don’t like about high wedge sandals is the sound they make when you walk. Clunk clunk clunk. If you’ve ever worn them, then you know what I mean.

But… I must say, that cluck sound is a small price to pay for the amazing feeling you have when you wear a wedge.

LONG JACKETS

If you’re short and wide you need at least one long jacket. No matter what you wear underneath, it will give the illusion that you are thinner than you are.

The eye is drawn down the long sides of the jacket and will give the illusion that your are not as wide.

That’s a plus in my book.

Crunchy Menopause

LONG CARDIGANS

Long cardigan sweaters give the same illusion as long jackets but they don’t zip or button up. They are a fashion statement that says, “I’m tall, and thin, and look at me!”

Always have a long cardigan in your wardrobe to throw over an outfit if you want to give the illusion that you are not as wide as you are.

SHAPEWEAR

Yes, we all know about shapewear and we hate them.

I hate them.

I hate how hot I get in them, and it sucks to have to wear them under a nice sundress. It totally defeats the whole purpose of wearing a sundress.

You want to be cool, but you can’t because you have to wear that stupid monkey suit underneath just to look smooth and contoured.

The lengths we go to for beauty.

I say either you love shapewear or you hate shapewear. Yes, it does the trick under a lovely tight fitting dress, but it may not be for everyone.

Some tricks to wearing shapewear are to buy a size larger than you are. I know specialty shops would disagree. They have said so, but they don’t always know what is best for YOU.

The worst thing in the world is feeling like your circulation is being cut off from some girdle you’re wearing.

All you really want the shapewear to do is to make you look smooth. So… lets address that.  Why can’t we wear a size larger that does the trick?

The trouble is, that it feels hot, and during menopause we want to avoid that. So.. there are a few tricks to this.

Wear a tight cotton t-shirt under a sundress or fitted dress instead. As long as it tucks you in and smooths your middle, then it’s doing its job.

UNDERWEAR

Oh come on! Does a well fitted panty even exist? I can’t tell you how many styles and sizes of panties I have tried. My dresser drawer is filled with every size panty out there.

One for the bloaty days, one for comfort where I wear my pj’s around the house, one for jeans, and one for under dresses, and one for under leggings and so forth. You get the drift.

It’s ridiculous.

My quest for a panty that does everything I want it to, has been never ending.

FIGURE FLATTERING DRESSES

Oh me, oh my, these dresses are AMAZING. If you’ve never heard of them, let me educate you. They are made with panels of two different colors. The illusion is to make it look like you are smaller than you are, and more curvy than you are.

SWIM DRESSES

Last but not least, the swim dress.

Please, whatever you do, don’t wear those high-cut 80’s style swimsuits you use to wear. They are NOT cool.

As you age, you will want to cover up, and not show all the celulite you’ve accumulated over the years.

Wearing a swim dress will make you look and feel decent on the beach and not half-naked,

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to feel like I’m wearing my panties and bra at the beach when I’m over 50.

Sure, if you’ve worked on your body and want to show it off with a bikini, then go for it. Show off your abs if you’ve got them, but there are still age-appropriate bikinis you can wear.

We simply are NOT 20 somethings and trying to wear the same kind of spaghetti bikini like we did in the 80’s is not wise.

Swim dresses can look very nice and shapely. Remember what I said about creating an hourglass silhouette? You can do that with the fit and flare of the swim dress.

The flare gives you a hip and the waist becomes the narrowest part of the garment, giving the illusion that your waist is teeny tiny.

You can also buy swim dresses that have ruching in the middle to smooth and cover the lumps and bumps in your middle. It acts as a sort of shapewear, one that you WANT to wear, and helps tuck you in.

I hope you have found this fashion guide helpful as you age, and you will look and feel amazing in whatever you decide to  wear. Remember, it’s up to you, so be wise in what you choose.

There are plenty of books to help you. Check out the following Amazon affiliate link, Timeless Style. 

Be brave, be beautiful, and be blessed!



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Author Kathleen Morris

Kathleen Morris is a successful published author, blogger, and Youtuber. She enjoys writing about things she’s passionate about and making a difference in the world.

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