In this post I will share 9 things you are wearing that is holding your style back as you are gracefully cruising through your 30s, 40s or more. Take all of this with a positive thought. I am not here judging anyone, and a lot of these are learnt by my own mistakes and wrong doings.
I personally have seen my style evolve and my personality change as I have stopped using them when I get dressed daily. But then again, you are also welcome to ignore them if you like.
You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.
All The Wrong Kind of Jeans
There was a time when you could rock any jeans in style and confidence and it really didn’t matter how you looked or what kind of personality you were portraying. That definitely shifts in your 30s. You start to notice details and feel more conscious about what you are reflecting with your attire. So, certain kinds of denims no longer work for us. And that’s what I am pointing here.
- RIPPED JEANS: There was a time and place for ripped jeans and that time is in the past. I cannot stress on the fact that these style of jeans look extremely childish and unprofessional. If you are someone who wants to dress better and look presentable, please ditch this.
- STUDDED JEANS: This is another style of jeans, that has slowly become rare, but I see someone wearing it sometimes and wonder why. These are western style jeans. If you are headed to a ranch or live in a location where this is appropriate, please ignore. Though I can still argue as to why normal jeans would work. But you already know how tacky and old fashioned these style of jeans look. Please don’t wear.
- LOW WAISTED JEANS: Even though low waisted jeans are back in style, I would recommend otherwise. They are really impractical and back when we had no other options, we were forced to wear them. But now, why would you wear something where your behind might be exposed the moment you bend over or sit. High waisted jeans look perfect and even if you have a little bit of tummy you can still wear them. Check out how.
- WRONG SIZE: This one is not really related to any type of jeans but actually wearing the wrong size of jeans. Mostly jeans that are too tight. If you don’t feel comfortable, you won’t look comfortable either. If you have a budget constraint there are plenty of stores like Asos, Levis, Loft where you can get a great deal on a good jeans.
All The Wrong Kind of Tops
Now let’s move on to tops that you should not be wearing in your 30s or beyond. Now, you will be surprised here that a lot of these that I will be sharing are not even styles of tops but wearing them makes you look frumpy, tacky and cheap. These are definitely not age appropriate.
- REALLY TIGHT TOPS: Wearing Tops that are absolutely too tight for you. Now, I have seen this with many styles of tops. Just because you can fit into it does not mean you should wear it. Any piece of garment should fit you well. And fitting you well does not mean skin tight clothes. This was a common misconception of mine when I was in my 20s. But as I got older I realized wearing clothes that are breathable and you look comfortable in them makes you look more stylish than skin tight clothes. It does not matter whether its a T shirt, or a silk top, stop wearing it.
- WRINKLED CLOTHES: This again does not cater to any style of clothes but how you take care of them and wear them. Wearing tops that clearly need pressing because they are wrinkled just makes you look unpresentable. As we get older, our outfits should reflect the sophistication and all these details makes a huge difference.
- CHEAP MATERIAL: This one is a big one actually and even if you are not doing the other two I mentioned above, you made wearing this. I have never liked cheap material tops, because they reflect that. But sometimes, even the most expensive ones have poor quality material. And I am talking about wearing See through tops. It just looks tacky and childish. If you can never conceal your bras underneath a white t shirt, maybe that T shirt is not made of good quality or you need to find another one which is thicker.
Wearing Clubwear for Every Special Occassion
I used to do this so much in my 20s, and as I got older I realized how tacky and immature that looks. Clubwear are specifically meant for night clubs or bars where you want to wear your party outfits like backless tops, dresses or the body con dress. And there is a reason for that, because most of the time you are there just drinking.
But every party outfit is not for every special gathering event. You cannot wear a body con side slit dress to a baby’s first bday. It might be ok for a teen to do that, but as we get older we also should dress mature. And there are plenty of ways to turn heads without wearing those kind of clothing.
Hopefully I have said enough to make you think.
Wearing All The Wrong Shoes
Footwear to me is a deal maker or a breaker for any look and often kills a really nice outfit. But more importantly, there are some kins of footwear that no longer suit you or me as we head to more sophisticated side of our age and its not about heel height, trust me.
- BULGING FOOTWEAR: Strapped Footwear like sandals mules slides are perfect for spring and summer and also add chicness to your outfit, but wearing sandals that have wider strap gaps where your toes and almost all of your feet appears to be sliding out of the shoe is not a good look. There are two reasons why this happens, either the heels are too high for you, or you are wearing shoes that are too big for you. This just looks tacky.
- TOO TRENDY SHOES: While I love to try out trendy shoes, there are certain trends that just take it too far and are better suited just on the runway. While I am a big fan of Carrie Bradshaw, she also had her own set of footwear that looked good on her and she wore it. Wearing trendy shoes are not at all a bad thing, but its important to pick the ones that look goo on you.
- UGGS: They are not your everyday shoes, they look great in snowy locations. Please stop wearing them with shorts, dresses or skirts like they are summer shoes. They are not. I am sure you can find other season appropriate boots if you love wearing boots all year.
- SNEAKERS THAT ARE MEANT FOR WORKOUT: And I had to end the shoe section with this one. I often see women wearing the wrong shoe for the wrong occasion and I am not even talking about parties. You can seriously injure yourself sometimes. If you are going for hiking, please wear appropriate shoes. But if you are create a casual look and want to wear athletic shoes, please don’t wear your multicolored New balance shoes. You can get something which is monochrome and simple. Better yet pick converse. The same way, flip flops are for the beach. If you do want to wear something lightweight, pick slides, they look nicer.
Flashing Logos Does not Mean Luxe
This is another pet peeve of mine and I honestly cannot stand it even when a 20 year old does it. Now, there is no problem with logo, I pretty much love having a designer logo on my bags, shoes, but I cannot wear or carry one where all you can see are logos.
And yes, I am talking about the Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag. When you were in your 20s, and you saved up and bought the bag, maybe it meant something and you loved it, but now you know that with the same money you can buy something that looks way more expensive than that.
Now, there is another side to it as well. And I have also been guilty of it. You also should be mindful of wearing too many different pieces at one time which have logos. It does not matter whether it is designer or not. Your outfit just looks like a giant billboard. Try to keep your logos to 2 or the max 3.
Wearing Clothes Too Short For You
This applies to women in all age group. But when we are younger, we often associate beauty with showing skin and looking sexy. Hence go for short shorts, skirts or dresses. But doe we really need to prove that we are hot in our 30s. There is no need to wear those short shorts that are actually inappropriate and uncomfortable.
I personally don’t like to wear them except if they are pajamas. The same applies to short skirts and dresses where you can potentially flash someone if you sit inappropriately or bend over. I think I don’t need to prove myself anymore. I know I look good but I also want to feel good about what I wear.
Wearing Too Much Jewellery
Jewelries have made a huge come back since 2020 compared to the minimalism that we had seen earlier. And I am all for it, but there should also be a balance. Just because you have 10 nice rings that all look good on you and fit all 10 of your fingers, you don’t need to wear all of them. You can just go for 4 or 5. Or even better try stacking them. They look even better.
You also don’t need to wear all your statement jewelries at one time. Even though you have all the finest jewelries in the world. It just looks tacky and cheap. Most rich women who have that many jewelry don’t flaunt them at the same time. I always say less is more in terms of jewelry.
Wearing Too Much Makeup
Makeup completes our look, so I had to share my thought about going overboard with it specially when you are in your 30s. I personally have started exercising less and less makeup. This not only looks better on me. I look more radiant naturally. Now I understand that not everyone’s skin can permit foundation free makeup. But you also don’t have to wear 15 layers of it.
Also, its just not about foundation. The right foundation is something that is invisible on your skin while hiding your imperfection, but you also don’t have to wear those fake lashes that just looks tacky and unneccesary. You also don’t need to wear 15 layers of eyeshadow or apply too much of blush. You already know what I am talking about, so I will leave it here.
Childish Hair Accessories
I have been guilty of this in my late 20s. I had a whole dresser full of hair accessories. And honestly now, I cannot be bothered by any hair accessories at all. Rather I spend money on good haircare products that will keep my hair healthy. You have to think, hair is the first thing someone notices and even though you are dressed amazing, if your hair does not look good or is not styled properly, it does not do any justice to the rest of your look.
If you do like hair accessories, keep it minimalistic and simple is a great way to keep your style looking sophisticated and not tacky.
I hope you found some helpful tips that will aid to making your style better and you feeling better about your style. Please share any other item that you think is no longer appropriate in your 30s and beyond.
