The Weekend Read✨Aging Stylishly: Why Growing Older Should Make You Bolder

Hello

There’s an odd thing we tend to do here in Britain. Sometime after our forties, we collectively develop a sort of national shyness about style. It’s as though the moment we feel ourselves edging away from 'youth', we’re expected to quietly retreat into neutral knitwear, sensible shoes and a wardrobe firmly playing it safe.

And yet, when we look around at the people who inspire us most, the ones we double-tap on Instagram or Facebook, or the ones we admire on the street, they are rarely dressed to disappear. They’re the women (and men too) who embrace the colour, the drama and the joy of dressing. They’re the ones who understand something very simple but very powerful: Style is not tied to age, it’s tied to attitude.

So in this weeks' The Weekend Read, we’re exploring what it means to age stylishly and to adopt a mindset that says 'I’m still here, and I’m still me'. As we age, we should no longer be prepared to fade away. If anything, we should turn the colour and style right up.

Why Do We Dumb Down?

Let’s be honest: British culture carries a certain modesty tax. We’re taught not to be 'too much', not to draw attention to ourselves and not to be 'showy'. It’s the same instinct that makes us apologise when someone bumps into us. Dressing boldly can feel against the rules and almost rebellious.

But the quiet truth is that playing small doesn’t actually make us feel comfortable, it just makes us invisible. And invisibility is not the natural destiny of a stylish, evolving human being.

Colour has power. Fit has power. Self-expression has power. The real discomfort doesn’t come from dressing up, it comes from suppressing the parts of ourselves that want to be seen.

Style Through the Ages: What We Can Learn From Icons Who Refuse to Fade

In Our 20s & 30s: Experimentation Without the Panic

Our twenties and thirties are often celebrated as the time to find ourselves, which is really just code for trying lots of things and hoping some of them work! We wear vintage army jackets over sparkly tops, boots with everything and hairstyles that seemed like a good idea at the time until the photos resurface years later. The joy of this stage is about permission to play, fail, and reinvent.

What we forget though is that permission never actually expires. It’s just that many of us mistakenly think that it does and we should dress 'normally'.

Look at someone like Alexa Chung, whose style is effortless, quirky and unbothered. She still speaks to the power of playful dressing and she’s the poster girl for not taking fashion too seriously. So, why should we?

In Our 40s and 50s: The Age of Intelligent Confidence

This is where things get interesting. Many women hit their forties and fifties and suddenly feel unsure of their fashion footing. Our bodies change, our lifestyle shifts and the high-street trends seem designed for people much younger than us.

But this is the age where real style often emerges. It’s the decade of knowing yourself, your shape, your colours and your true preferences. It’s no coincidence that so many style icons come into their own power here.

Think of Tilda Swinton, who is all sculptural elegance and androgynous ease. She’s a masterclass in minimalism that’s never boring. Or Tracee Ellis Ross, who proves again and again that bold colour isn’t just youthful, it’s universal. She wears fuchsia suits, enormous sleeves, joyful prints and she does it with the conviction that says 'Why wouldn’t I?'

This is the age to reject the idea of dressing appropriately in favour of dressing authentically.

In Our 60s and Beyond: The Liberation Stage

Ah, the sixties. Not the decade, the mindset. Some of the most stylish people on the planet are well past the age where society claims style matters less.

Enter Iris Apfel, the patron saint of ageless fashion. Her philosophy? More is more and less is a bore. She was living proof that age doesn’t dilute style, it intensifies it. She built her signature look around bold accessories, unapologetic colour and the courage to embrace whimsy. Her impact wasn’t just aesthetic, it was emotional. She taught us that clothes are a form of joy, play and of identity.

Then there’s Dame Helen Mirren, whose style is characterised by defined silhouettes, vibrant colours and prints and statement jewellery. She is proof that you can embrace your natural beauty whilst rejecting age-related fashion rules. She is consistently chic and proves style is about feeling good.

Both women demonstrate the ultimate truth that great style at any age begins with self-acceptance.

Colour Isn’t Just Allowed, it’s Transformational

One of the most common things we hear from clients is that they used to wear colour, but now they're older, they feel like they shouldn’t and should blend in more. Says who? There is no Colour Police, no age limit on electric blue or upper age restriction on turquoise.

What often happens is far simpler where we don’t recognise our own changing colouring. Our skin tone softens, our hair fades, and our contrast declines. Instead of finding new colours that love us back, we start shrinking into beige because it feels safer. However, beige is not a personality or a life strategy. Beige is just a colour, and for half of us, not always a flattering one.

Once you discover the palette that brings your face to life, whether it’s vibrant tones or soft pastels, the effects are astonishing. It’s as though someone switches the light on. Colour doesn’t age us, the wrong colour does. The right colour makes you look not just younger, but brighter.

Why Stylish Ageing Matters For Everyone

The most stylish older women all share one trait: They’re still engaged with their clothes. They have opinions about what they like, they enjoy clothes and they find what works for them. Age is not the enemy of style, apathy is.

This isn’t just about women, and it’s certainly not just about clothes. It’s about visibility, self-expression, and the quiet message we send to the world when we choose to show up fully.

Men face their own version of the beige slide too. How many retire their colourful shirts the moment they hit 50? How many swap personality for practicality? And yet, look at the men who age with real style:

• Paul Smith in his joyful stripes and tailored jackets.
• Idris Elba in relaxed-luxe street tailoring.
• Jeff Goldblum in patterned shirts, bold glasses, and unapologetic charisma.
• Sir Ian McKellen with his enviable collection of scarves.

They prove the point beautifully: style doesn’t diminish with age, unless we let it. It’s not about peacocking or showing off, it’s about choosing clothes that reflect the energy and identity you still possess. When women dress with intention, they show younger generations that ageing is something to look forward to, not fear.

When men do the same, they break the stereotype that masculinity must narrow with time. Whether you’re 28 or 78, getting dressed is an opportunity to reaffirm something important: I still matter, I still have presence and I still get to choose who I am.

Your 7-Day Style Re-Ignition Challenge

Take our simple challenge to begin reclaiming your style confidence, whatever your age, wardrobe, or comfort zone.

Day 1: Wear One Thing That Makes You Smile

A colour, a print or a pair of shoes you love but rarely wear. Start small, start joyful.

Day 2: Add a Statement Accessory

Choose a necklace, watch, scarf, glasses, brooch or anything that elevates the ordinary.

Day 3: Swap Beige for Your Best Neutral

If beige is your best neutral, that's wonderful. If it's not, why not try charcoal, navy, olive, soft white, chocolate or burgundy. Pick one of your seasons' best neutrals from your colour palette.

Day 4: Dress With Intention

This is not to impress anyone else, but to match your mood or identity today. How do you want to feel today?

Day 5: Edit One Piece Out of Your Wardrobe

Just one. Remove something that no longer fits, flatters or feels like you.

Day 6: Add a Pop of Colour

Select a belt, a jumper, a pocket square, a bright lip or colourful socks. A small dose of colourful energy can shift your whole look and mood.

Day 7: Wear Your Favourite Outfit on an Ordinary Day

No waiting for a special occasion. Today is the occasion.

Final Thoughts: Ageing Isn’t About Fading, it’s About Blooming

Style is a lifelong relationship. It should deepen with age, not decline. If youth is about discovery, then maturity is about refinement, using everything you’ve learned about yourself to present the most vivid, comfortable, expressive version of who you are.

Let’s retire the idea that ageing means stepping quietly to the side. Grab your colour, and find your confidence by wearing your favourite earrings, your printed trousers or your beautifully cut navy jacket that makes you feel like the best version of yourself.

It's time to age stylishly. Dress to be seen, not edited out. And above all, stay vibrant!

Next week in The Weekend Read we are talking about the colour trends still on the high street this season and how to make them work in your wardrobe this Winter.

Best wishes,

Jenny & Judi xx

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Curator of Confidence

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