Comments on: What is the perfect skirt length and skirt type for women over 40?

By: Madame Flutterby

Madame Flutterby — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 20:51:44 +0000

I have never liked the just-above-the-knee, at-the-knee, or just-below-the-knee skirt lengths; they just don’t work for me. I do, however, love lower-calf-length, ankle-length, and, through my late twenties, mini-length and mid-thigh-length skirts.

I think your choice of length should compliment your body-type and reflect your personality.

By: Some of the best knee-high skirts available online now

Some of the best knee-high skirts available online now — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 22:15:10 +0000

[…] skirts and feel it’s a fabulous length for many women over 40. In fact I identified it as the best skirt length for women over 40 in an earlier […]

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 09:44:20 +0000

In reply to me.

I would be wary about what other people say or how they react. There are a lot of reasons why people react how they do – it could be they are not used to seeing you dress in a particular way, they could be jealous, they have preconceptions about how somebody ought to dress, they think you are drawing attention to yourself, it’s not what they consider age appropriate or they could be saying what they think you want to hear, etc etc. Even husbands are not reliable critics (although if they refuse to leave the house with you it’s quite a good indicator!).
If you stay on this blog long enough you will see most of us are in the same boat! I came to this site because I was looking for guidance on capri pants. I now realise they are probably not the best thing for me to wear for my body shape but I love them and still wear them – but not the leg-flapping variety. In short, we are learning about our bodies and what suits us, how to interpret trends so we can look up-to-date, and most of all, how to have fun with fashion! Good luck!

By: me

me — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 21:56:05 +0000

My google search about whether or not a woman over 40 can wear long skirts and maxi dresses led me to your blog. I just wanted to comment…I probably jumped the gun but I couldn’t help myself. As I mentioned, I often face the dilemma of what will work and what doesn’t work any more. My husband is my toughest critic (but he is kind). He definitely does not want me to dress too frumpy but he will let me know if something looks too young for me. Another good way to gauge things is by what other people have to say…and by what their reaction is.

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 15:17:45 +0000

In reply to me.

You’ve said it me. What I aim to do with this site is give you ideas. Yes, I provide some guidelines but it’s up to you whether you want to follow them or not. I celebrate all kinds of style here and the aim is to find what is right for YOU. That is also what my style course is all about. No rules there, just self discovery. Everybody feels different about what is ‘age appropriate’ or not or if we should even have that discussion. You may like to read this article that talks about this: https://40plusstyle.com/what-is-age-appropriate/

By: me

me — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 15:06:08 +0000

Hi, Sylvia. Thank you for your response. You are right, of course. I didn’t mean for comment to sound ‘rude’, but I think a lot of women may balk when we hear or read these ‘rules’ about fashion that are laid down for us. We can feel very limited. I guess the dilemma that I face is finding styles that are appropriate but still stylish and fun whenever I sew my own garments – especially when using vintage sewing patterns (which I adore and am a big collector of). The styles for children and for ingenues (teens and early 20’s) from these bygone eras are so much more ‘fun’ (and beautiful) than those that were intended for ‘mature’ women. Do you see my dilemma? I want to indulge in what I love but do not want to make clothes for myself that look ridiculous. I guess that we have basically answered that question: nothing too precious, cutesy, clingy, short, or revealing. No styles that were obviously intended for children, teens, and 20’s. The rest is just a matter of personal taste and preference. I think that a person’s bone structure, size, body shape, hairstyle, and overall appearance should be taken into account. What will still work in one”s 40’s may not work in one’s 50’s and so on. No one will ever see me in a mini skirt, bikini, cropped top, or short shorts ever again – that’s for sure! Peasant skirts and wrap skirts -yes. Mini skirts no. : )

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 09:01:12 +0000

In reply to me. I agree with you, but these guidelines are for women that like some direction and should not be read as 'must do'. I absolutely think long skirts and peasant skirts can look wonderful. I always encourage everyone to find 'their style' and see what makes them happy. The main thing is that you have fun with fashion and that you are happy with the way you look.

By: me

me — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 16:59:16 +0000

Why can’t women over 40 wear long or peasant skirts? What about LONG dresses? Are they a possibility? Remember the movie “The Stepford Wives” from 1975 (not the awful 2004 version)? If I am not mistaken, many of the women (the wives) in that movie are over 35 or in their early 40’s (I looked up their ages at the time of filming that movie). I LOVE the long dresses that they wear…sophisticated but not too ‘precious’ in my opinion. I realized that is just a movie (and that was a different era), but why can’t women over 35 or over 40 wear long skirts and dresses in your opinion? I know we all have our own style and our own taste. I love vintage and I love to sew, so I want to incorporate what I love into what I wear. I realize that I cannot wear too-revealing or too ‘precious’ styles at my age, but I still want to have FUN. The examples that you have shown us are all very fine and acceptable, but a little boring in my opinion. I am in my early 40’s and wear my hair long which actually flatters me more than a short hairstyle would because my face is kind of rounded (though I am small-boned and have a long neck). I look young for my age. I don’t want to ‘compete’ with younger women for attention as I am happily married for nearly 14 years now, but I don’t want to dress too frumpy, either. I am not really into jewelry and accessories. As I said, I love to SEW and I love fabric, and frankly these over 40 suggestions are not thrilling to me. I realize these are general rules, but a person’s overall appearance, hairstyle, weight, and body type should be taken into account in addition to age when determining what is age appropriate and what is not.

By: How to dress after 40 and still look hip? Some dressing tips for women over 40

How to dress after 40 and still look hip? Some dressing tips for women over 40 — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 04:30:07 +0000

[…] 6. Wear skirts that are just above or on top of the knee which is the best length for women over 40. Try not to go too far over the knee as this is not flattering for your calves and your overall look will be older. You will look the sexiest and chicest if the skirt is not too wide and not too long. For more info see my article on the perfect skirt length for women over 40. […]

By: How to wear an a-line skirt over 40

How to wear an a-line skirt over 40 — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 22:15:12 +0000

[…] I personally find A-line skirts very flattering and easy to wear and I’m happy to see them back on trend. They look good on almost every woman when you wear them at the perfect length for your height. Petites may want to shorten their skirts while tall women can get away with lengths below the knees. The best length for women over 40 is usually on top of just above the knees. (for more advice, check out my article on the perfect skirt length). […]

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 06:27:19 +0000

In reply to Barb Lobato. Thanks for the feedback Barb. Great to hear that this article helped you!

By: Barb Lobato

Barb Lobato — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 02:20:43 +0000

Great article, I wear skirts most of the time and love it. I love the girly feeling. Today in CO it turned cold. I just moved here from the FL and trying to figure how to dress here. Seems the weather dictates the style of skirt to wear. Not a fan of a flared skirt due to settleing in the thighs. This article is getting me off to a great start. Love to sew and like dressed up to date when I walk out the door, even to Walmart.
Thanks
Barb

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 23:16:45 +0000

In reply to Veronica. Great. Thanks for your feedback Veronica!

By: Veronica

Veronica — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 22:58:36 +0000

I recently had some ankle length skirts made for me. I only ever seem to see longer skirts with elasticated waists so had them made with a fitted waist, with a proper zip on the back. They have a nice flare to them too, very feminine. Also when I say ankle I don’t mean maxi as so many people seem to. At 5’7″ a bit of leg showing below the hemline looks so much better than floor grazing maxis.

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 09:25:17 +0000

In reply to Claire. Yes they are very hip right now. Wear with small booties for a very trendy look!