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How we look says a lot about our attitude toward aging. Just like cars, TV sets, dating, frozen foods, vacuum cleaners, coffee and cellphones, we need updates, too. That means avoiding predictable clothing, hair and makeup ruts that make us appear stuck in a time warp. Sure, we’ve changed. We have grayer hair and a few more wrinkles but that doesn’t keep us from wearing leggings, leather and leopard, nor should it. Here are 10 ways to defy aging stereotypes and look cooler at 50 than you ever did at 25:
1. Keep wearing a black leather jacket
Wearing black is one of our favorite things to do. It makes us feel cutting-edge contemporary, slim and sleek. However, adding a black leather jacket to any outfit says you’re sort of edgy, possibly a little rebellious and definitely have a gutsy approach to life. Everyone needs a black leather jacket, but which one? Choose a biker style heavy on the zips and studs for a sassy streetwise attitude, a sleek bomber for minimalist polish and a buttery blazer with notched lapels (harder to find but worth it when you do) for a downtown twist on a classic. Wear them with everything, day or night.
2. Flaunt your long hair
Short hair from pixies to crops, bobs to lobs can be sexy (and solve many of our thin hair issues) but thick luxurious locks at 50-plus are among the age-defying things that turn heads every time. Whether the thanks go to amazing genes or a little extra help from the fake-it department, long flowing hair on mature folks is a look. Guys with a full head of hair should aim for a longish look that’s cut, styled and groomed to the nape. (Just skip the shoulder-length manes and stringy ponytails, please.) Women who want a Rapunzel effect can opt for temporary DIY clip-in extensions (and braids or ponytails) for under $200 or splurge on salon versions for about $600 to $2,000. These are taped, sewn or glued in and require a redo every six to eight weeks. Shhhh! They’re the reason so many mature celebs have long hair these days.
3. Choose leopard every chance you get
Whether the print you wear is leopard, ocelot or cheetah doesn’t matter. The point is animal spots are an easy way to show your wilder side. For some confident women 50-plus, leopard is our go-to print. It’s feminine and easier to wear to wear than zebra, tiger or giraffe and mixes well with black, brown, tan, beige and red and with blue denim. Don’t worry about overload or looking trashy. Just wear one leopard piece at a time and stick to realistic shades. For the biggest statement, opt for a dress, jumpsuit or coat in a classic shape without lots of trendy details or wear leopard as an accent in shoes, a belt, scarf or bag to inject a basic wardrobe with sparks of style.
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