“Most 60 year olds don’t want to dress like a 20 year old but they wouldn’t mind looking like a stylish 40-something,” says Maria Kelly, an image and style consultant who frequently shops and ‘wardrobe weeds’ for the 40 to 60-plus market.

Stuck in a rut
“Some clients approach me because they’re stuck in a rut. They’ve been wearing the same look for years and are afraid to be a bit adventurous because they don’t want to look like ‘mutton dressed as lamb’,” explains Kelly, who believes that everybody can achieve an elegant look whatever their age.

“Work with your body and not against it is what I advise my more mature clients. Don’t emphasize a larger bottom or tummy with a lot of fabric around that area. Opt for a tailored look that is more slimming. Find your strong point and dress to draw attention to that.

“Find out what colours work for you. Colours that don’t suit can drain your face and age you even more, while the right colours can give you a huge boost,” she says.

Bad hair day
Valerie Shanley, a journalist and former fashion editor of U magazine, herself a fashionable 50-something, says that hair becomes more important as we age.

“I think a bad hair ‘do’ is the one thing that can age a woman. Grey can look great if it’s a beautiful white but murky grey is less flattering. It’s money well spent to have a consultation with a hair stylist and come up with a flattering cut and colour.”

Keep it simple
“Keep clothes simple – no frills, bows, or fuss in your dresses, skirts or tops – and watch the neckline and hemline,” advises Shanley.

“Older women are now getting away with shorter hemlines but never ever with bare legs. It’s a fashion crime to have both a low neckline and really short hemline, regardless of age. Sleeveless dresses are hard to get away with as us oldies have usually developed the bingo wings by 50. Shift dresses, but with a feminine little cardigan worn over, hide the untoned upper arms.”

Shanley also says that shops are getting better at avoiding whole floors dedicated to ‘old women’s’ clothes made of synthetics and mother-of-the-bride outfits.

“It’s stating the obvious but a well-fitting bra makes all the difference to how your clothes look. Your breasts keep changing throughout life and before and after menopause.”

Shops that Kelly and Shanley recommend for mature dressers include M&S (Autograph Collection), H&M, Monsoon and River Island, while affordable designers include Peter O’Brien and Quin & Donnelly.

For the gentlemen
“Older men have also become much more interested in looking well,” says Maria Kelly. “A good, well-cut blazer with a really nice scarf draped over it is a great look for the more mature man. Smart casual is perfect for men in their 50s, 60s and beyond,” she adds.