Dress your age not your shoe size.....well maybe sometimes......

Earlier this month I posted on facebook asking if anyone had any questions and SKS said:

Age appropriate fashion tips. i.e. even though it's Southern California, at what age should a woman no longer bare her legs and go with stockings? What about swimwear- I don't care about the fact you CAN wear a bikini, when does it become inappropriate? Skirt lengths for 45+ and exceptions to the rule. ‪#keepitclassyLosAngeles

My first thought was......there are no rules, wear what you want, but that's not true. I love rules....ask my friends....I have too many. So there is no black and white, hard and fast rules. It depends on your body size, age and what you can pull off  - meaning your personality. I'll do my best to be as clear as possible.

To answer SKS 1st:

Bathing suits: If you look good in a bikini, then wear it; there is no age limit in my book. Besides if you have a decent body and you're in a one-piece, to me it looks weird. 

Stockings: Sorry but just the word stockings sounds old. If you mean tan nylons - I say never. Not ever, never. If you have age spots on your legs, tell yourself they are freckles and freckles are cute. Anyone who wears tan nylons screams OLD. Go bare legged all day long.  Or nude fishnets are super cute with brown shoes. Now, black tights, fishnets, and fun patterned tights, these I like. I wear them during the winter with boots. I'm not a big fan of dark tights with heels; it's a hard look to pull off. Also, NEVER EVER wear stockings with open toe shoes. I thought everyone on the planet knew this until I saw a lady with open toe heels, a mini skirt, a terrible bra which made her boobies look like weird cones and she had to be pushing 60+. It was a very bad look it hurt my eyes.

Skirt length: Ok now this will be difficult to describe. I don't think age dictates the length of the skirt. For example: I have a friend, she’s 40, under 5'5” and she used to be a dancer. Dancer = muscular legs. Her legs aren’t long; she has amazing muscular calves and thighs. If she wears knee length skirts it will make her legs look short, stocky and it’s not flattering. She wears mini-skirts/short dresses, but she’s figured out a way to wear them tastefully, here’s how. Her skirts/dresses are loose and have an A-line to them, never tight. When she wears a skirt, the top is always loose and not revealing, since she’s already revealing leg. Because she has fab legs, when she sits down and the skirt rides up, it does not matter, her legs look fab!

I know another girl, just over 40; she’s maybe 5’6” – 5’7” (she always wears heals so I’m not sure of her true height). She wears short dresses that are tight at the boobies with heels. The dresses are too short, when she sits down, she’s self contentious of the sides of her legs and so she’s constantly adjusting her skirt, pulling it down, trying to hide the sides of her legs. She looks ridiculous, like she’s trying to look younger than she is. Unfortunately it does the opposite.

For me, I’m 5’8”; long legs (thank you baby Jesus and Mom) mini-skirts with heels are out of the question. I do have a few short skirts; one is really super cute, camouflaged, a-line, with a few sequined details (you have to see it, it sounds weird in the description) I wear this with a loose top and converse slip-ons or flip-flops. I have a few dressier skirts, I wear them with tights/opaque hose and flat riding boots, I have some summer dresses that are short, and I wear them with Tory Burch flip-flops. Hint, the cheaper the dress/skirt the shorter it is. I can’t go into Forever21 and find a dress, ever.

**Note for those wanting to look attractive and classy but not super sexy, not trashy following these suggestions** Show one body part only at a time. If you’re showing cleavage, have your bottom half covered in loose clothing. No tight top and tight pants/skirt. If you have tight, sexy pants on then wear a loose shirt. If you’re wearing a short skirt, then a loose top is preferred. If you think your short skirt might be a bit too mini, wear flats. Heels with a mini are for Vegas, a club or girls under 30. 

Hope that helps!