It’s hard to find good advice for dressing business casual for women over 50. You don’t want it to look like you’re trying too hard, but you want your style to reflect your success.
Plus, there are a lot of old-fashioned rules out there on what women over 50 “should” wear. This can make finding your style even more difficult.
In the blog post below, I’m busting a few myths and sharing fashion strategies for over 50 business casual style.
Find your style + break the rules
Photo Credit: @SquarePearls
When it comes to style for business casual for 50 year old woman, there is a lot of bad advice out there:
– “You need to dress more conservatively”
– “Trends are only for young people”
– “Great style is only for young people”
– “Style for older women is boring”
Another way this manifests is when clients say:
“I can’t wear X because of my age!”
In my experience, this isn’t true in most cases.
Your age shouldn’t limit your style. Often I’ll have my clients try on styles that they “can’t” wear because it breaks a style rule they learned previously–they’re usually shocked to see how good it looks on them!
To start your style journey, try creating a style Pinterest board.
There’s just one rule: you can’t stop yourself from pinning something because you don’t think it’ll work for your age or body.
This exercise will help you get a sense of what styles actually make you excited to get dressed–regardless of the “rules.”
How should I dress for the office after 50?
Photo Credit: @Dressed_4_my_day
For over 50 business casual, you can follow the same office rules as anyone else.
However, you should consider how you can use your style to convey your professional brand.
In other words, think about what message you want to send and then use your style to help convey it.
For example, do you want to convey authority, trust, innovation, or confidence?
(Personal branding is a key part of my women’s image consulting service.)
To get started with personal branding, read my professional branding guide.
Next, start building a professional capsule wardrobe.
I recommend focusing on the following:
- Investing in essentials
- Core colors
- Alterations
These three steps are the foundation of our Next Level Wardrobe Style System™
Following this system makes it easy to get dressed in the morning and still look put together.
So, what are business casual closet essentials for women over 50?
The answer depends on you.
The industry you work in, your professional goals, your location, and other factors will all affect what is necessary for your closet.
But, generally speaking, a wardrobe for business casual for women over 50 will include:
– T-shirts
– A few blouses
– Trousers (I love elastic waist or drawstring styles)
– High-quality sweaters for layering
– A couple of blazers
– A low maintenance dress
How should older women dress casual?
Photo Credit: @SquarePearls
Most of my clients want to look put together whether they’re at the office or not.
Fortunately, you have so many amazing and comfortable clothes to choose from. And, in many cases, your business casual office clothing can also work for the weekend too if you style it right.
For example, you can add jeans and sneakers to your look to dress it down.
Or, if the weather is nice, add a pair of sandals (like in the photo above).
Another way to make sure your closet works for the office and the weekend?
Make sure you’re investing in high-quality essentials.
Fabrics (like cotton or cotton blends, silk, or cashmere), and well-constructed clothing will ensure that your clothing is comfortable and can easily take you from the office to brunch.
Check out the outfit below for an example of casual business attire female over 50 that could work in the workplace or at home:
Photo Credit: @ToryBurch
What should you not wear over 50?
Photo Credit: @Violeta.Zuvela
So, what clothes should you avoid after 50?
This is 100% up to you and your comfort level.
For example, if you don’t feel comfortable wearing a dress that shows your shoulders (like the one at the beginning of this blog post), then try a long-sleeve version like this one.
After you build up the basics in your closet, you can also try integrating other colors and styles.
The photos in this blog post are proof that you can have great style and look fashionable at any age.
Photo Credit: @RobinRobertsGMA
How to dress over 50 and plus-size
Photo Credit: @katiesturino
Dressing for size is a topic I get a lot of questions about.
It’s something that many women struggle with, but unfortunately, the advice online can be downright confusing and even wrong.
The basics that we recommended above work for all body types.
To make sure your clothing is flattering, it’s especially important to focus on fit and tailoring. Avoid anything that puckers or is too tight.
Your clothing should glide over the body–not restrict it.
A tailor can help you with this. They can help you shorten pants, bring the waist of your blazer, and ensure you get just the right fit.
For more help with plus-size styling, check out our blog or apply for our plus size-styling and consulting services.
Remember, your style is not limited by your size or age.
At Next Level Wardrobe, we specialize in helping successful women create a work wardrobe they love.
Ready to take your over 50 business casual style to the next level?
Apply for our women’s personal styling service.
