History and High Heels: The Age Issue

As I was stepping out of T.J. Maxx yesterday, a woman of about 50 years was walking in wearing thin tights, a small white ruffled miniskirt, and a cleavage revealing blouse. This outfit has prompted me to address a serious problem facing women of all ages: dressing age appropriate. So I have come up with a few basic rules for some of the more basic age groups because it is imperative that if you are going to try to dress with a modicum of fashion sense you must be aware of what pieces are fitting for your age. For example, it is inappropriate to see an older woman wearing a miniskirt, a woman in her twenties wearing a moo-moo, or a college student wearing a high school letterman's jacket. These are pretty obvious fashion no-nos, but they help illustrate my point.

For college students, I realize that your fashion is wrapped around feeling comfortable as you sit in class or walk around campus. Therefore, jeans are any college student's staple item. However, the key to dressing fashionably in this setting with jeans is focusing on dressing up the outfit with interesting pieces or classy tops. Keep in mind that while you may want to dress like a slob, that only reflects poorly upon yourself. Keep your pajama pants in your bedroom/dorm - they do not belong in a classroom because it is disrespectful to the professors and makes them think you are just lazy. No one wants to give off that impression!

Dress Your Age: the College Student by historyandhighheels

Madewell chambray shirt, $68
Marc Jacobs leather jacket, $615
Almost Famous skinny jeans, $30
Minnetonka fringe boots, $65

For 20 somethings, it is very important to dress young, but not like a college student. While you may have a boatload of greek shirts or collegiate attire, these need to be kept for football games or downtime with friends or at home. If you wear these out, it screams "I haven't gotten over college!" However, this really is the time to have fun and experiment with your look. The use of fun colors, leather, sequins, and other interesting fabrics will really make you stand out and keep the outfit youthful.

Dress Your Age: Twenties by historyandhighheels

Mini skirt, £10
Suede shoes, £180
Rebecca minkoff clutch, $350
Ranjana Khan drop earrings, $257
Monsoon studded belt, £10
Ballantyne Jumper - Bernardelli - farfetch.com - Item 10108551

For women in their 30s, fashion has become a bit more practical. These are the years when families are started, but it is important not to give up on fashion altogether. Also, what is fundamental is not to forget to care about yourself and keep yourself looking young. Women of this age still need to go out with the girls and make time to go out on dates with their significant other. One really fun pairing I like for this age group is the mixture of navy and black. While traditionally the mixture of these two colors has been on the fashion hit list, these rules have begun to break down and the combination of these really makes you look classy and fashionably daring.

Dress Your Age: Thirties by historyandhighheels

Love Moschino polka dot shirt, $317
Maison Martin Margiela shawl collar blazer, $1,140
A L C mini skirt, £138
Wedge heels, $30
Givenchy leather clutch, $929

Women in their mid-forties and beyond need to have the goal of looking young and in touch with the new fashion trends. I have found that many of these women hit their fashion peak when they were younger and never invest in new trends. So it's important that these women integrate newer items into their wardrobes like a sequin jacket, studded belt, or plaid shirt. Remember, with this age it is no longer appropriate to wear short skirts or low neck shirts. The shortest skirts should be is just above the knee and showing off the ta-ta's should be kept at a minimum. This doesn't mean that you cannot dress sexy at this age by any means! A lower backed dress or shirt reveals a flattering part of your body that doesn't scream "Cougar!" Motorcycle jackets, sequin tops, or daring stilettos or other youthful items dress up an outfit and adds some sex appeal to the outfit.