Please note that this post may contain affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward us a small commission – at no extra cost for you.
Your 80’s can be an exciting time. Whether it’s entering a new home or becoming a great-grandparent, life changes over time. Naturally, so does your style. Fashion icons who have lived through their 80s can tell you that this is a great time to explore and discover your style. If you are one of those older women obsessed with fashion, this post is for you. Inspired by Carolina Herrera, an 83-year-old top fashion designer known for her personal style, here are fashion tips for women over 80 to help you get the perfect look!
1. Sport Neutral Colors
Carolina Herrera is a paradigm for fashion lovers who want to look timeless in their 80s. For fashionable style inspiration, take cues from her and swap out bright colors for a neutral color palette.
These neutral solid colors look fresh and chic. Plus, they can be easily teamed up with pretty much anything in your closet. For instance, neutral bases like charcoal gray paired with beige shades are a great way to create a modern look. Mixing black with gold is another great way to create a chic, modern, and tastefully bold look as well.
Recreate the look:
2. Define Your Waist
One of the biggest fashion mistakes a lot of mature women make is wearing clothes that make them look frumpy. It’s essential to pick the right clothes that don’t make you look shapeless.
There are different styles that you can choose to define your waist, such as a sheath dress with paneled sides to create the illusion of a defined waist or a belted jacket. Belting a jacket is one of the best ways to shrink the appearance of your waist.
And while you’re at it, why not try a peplum jacket as well? No matter what your body type is, you can dress up in a peplum jacket for the perfect fit. The silhouette helps to draw eyes to your waist and makes your body shape look instantly defined.
Recreate the look:
Related: Fight the Frump: 12 Easy Ways You Can Fix Your Frumpy Outfits
3. Avoid Clothes With Bulky Shoulder Pads
I know shoulder pads were one of the biggest fashion trends in the 80s, but they just haven’t stood the test of time!
For a more flattering and classic look, skip the 80s fashion detail and opt for a more fitted look. Whether it is a dress or jacket, the shoulders should not be poking out in an obvious, bulky way.
Recreate the look:
4. Wear Classic Patterns
From tried-and-true favorites like stripes, dainty floral prints, polka dots, and gingham, the next style tip to follow in your 80s is to stick to timeless prints. The best thing about these patterns is that they will leave you feeling effortlessly chic. There is a good reason why style icon Carolina Herrera only dresses up in classic prints- she knows that they are the best for creating an elegant personal style!
Keep in mind that you don’t want to mix too many prints. You don’t want the prints to compete for the spotlight. A good rule of thumb when it comes to styling prints is to create balance. The best example of a balanced look is a black dress shirt with a striped skirt. This outfit combo is not too busy and not hard to recreate for any older woman.
Recreate her look:
5. Accessorize With Classic Accent Pieces
Accessorizing is always a great idea. It makes a huge impact on an outfit, but in your 80s, try not to go overboard by choosing accessories in bold colors and crazy designs.
For the best style, take your look to the next level by accessorizing with classic pieces like a pearl necklace and a gold watch. These accent pieces exude the chic and timeless vibes that are needed to make an outfit look fashionable. Give your lobes a chic touch with a pair of pearl earrings as well!
Adding a fashionable brooch is also a tip mature women use to elevate their looks. Follow in their footsteps and attach a brooch to a little black dress or classy jacket for your semi-casual wear. Putting on these accessories may seem like an insignificant detail to add, but it makes such a big difference to a look.
Recreate the look:
6. Apply Subtle Yet Polished Makeup
You would be hard-pressed to find Carolina Herrera not wearing perfectly subtle makeup. She knows that a polished beauty look is just as important as wearing stylish clothes.
Show off your best features by doing subtle makeup that highlights your best features. This could be your showcasing your eyes, adding soft color to your lips, or showing off your cheekbones-making sure not to add too much face powder that creates a white cast.
Don’t forget about your hair either! Just because you’re a mature woman, doesn’t mean that you don’t care about your hair like younger women. Don’t settle for an outdated style. Get hair inspiration from Carolina Herrera by slicking your hair back. It is a stylish and modern way of having neat and manageable hair in your 80s.
Related: 10 Life-Changing Secrets of Women Who Age Well
Recreate the look:
7. Stick to Classic and High-Quality Fabrics
In the world of fashion, fabrics are everything. Don’t pick cheap and frumpy fabrics that will age you. But on the flipside, in your 80s, you can get away with wearing fabrics that some think are outdated, like brocade. On you, it creates an elegant look.
But no matter what you wear, choose high-quality and popular materials like cotton, linen, silk, cashmere, velvet, leather, and denim for an outfit that ensures a stylish look.
Recreate the look:
8. Swap Out Frumpy Jeans for Slacks
When Carolina Herrera wasn’t wearing a dress or a skirt, she was still looking classy in slacks. Swapping out your frumpy jeans for a timeless pair of dress pants is the perfect way to still look stylish in your mature years.
If you don’t know what style would look fashionable on you in your 80s, choose straight-leg pants. They look amazing on women of all ages and you don’t have to leave your comfort zone as they are not constricting. Plus, you will love styling them with classic tops like white shirts!
Recreate the look:
9. Avoid Shoes With Odd Details
Every woman needs a good pair of shoes in her closet, no matter the age. These will be the building blocks for most of your looks, so it’s best to pick a classic pair.
Avoid strange styles like ballet flats with cat motifs. Whether it’s flats or espadrilles, keep the design of your shoes simple and chic to make them super versatile.
Recreate the look:
10. Be Cautious of Showing Too Much Skin
Trying to look young just ages you more. Avoid wearing clothes that show off too much skin. For an indisputably chic look, embrace modest styles. A white blouse, grey pants, and a pearl necklace are the perfect example of a modest and elegant look.
But if you do want to show some skin, just keep it balanced and follow the rule of exposing one body part at a time, whether that’s a low back, deep front, legs, or shoulders.
Recreate the look:
11. Avoid Wearing Skin Colored Tights
Tights come and go as far as being in fashion, but whether they’re “in” or not, they can provide coverage and comfort that women love.
For a more stylish finish, take style notes from Carolina Herrera and wear black, gray, or navy blue tights. They offer a more sophisticated appearance than nude-colored tights.
Recreate the look:
With the help of these fashion tips for women over 80, your fashion style will remain chic and timeless throughout this new chapter in your life.
To get more fashion tips for women in their mature years, check out these 14 Overlooked Fashion Tips for Women Over 60 That Will Transform Your Style!
As a seasoned fashion enthusiast with a deep understanding of style trends and fashion history, I can confidently say that the advice provided in the article resonates with timeless fashion principles. The incorporation of Carolina Herrera's style, a distinguished 83-year-old fashion designer, adds credibility to the tips, as she is a living embodiment of ageless elegance and sophistication.
Let's break down the key concepts highlighted in the article:
-
Sport Neutral Colors:
- Emphasizes the use of a neutral color palette for a timeless and chic look.
- Suggests combinations like charcoal gray with beige or black with gold for a modern appearance.
-
Define Your Waist:
- Advises against wearing clothes that make one look shapeless.
- Recommends options like sheath dresses with paneled sides, belted jackets, and peplum jackets to define the waist.
-
Avoid Clothes With Bulky Shoulder Pads:
- Acknowledges the trend of shoulder pads in the 80s but advocates for a more fitted and flattering look in modern times.
-
Wear Classic Patterns:
- Encourages the use of timeless prints like stripes, floral prints, polka dots, and gingham for an effortlessly chic style.
- Emphasizes the importance of balance when combining different patterns.
-
Accessorize With Classic Accent Pieces:
- Highlights the impact of accessories on an outfit.
- Recommends classic pieces like pearl necklaces, gold watches, pearl earrings, and fashionable brooches for a chic and timeless look.
-
Apply Subtle Yet Polished Makeup:
- Stresses the importance of subtle makeup to showcase one's best features.
- Advises against excessive face powder and encourages maintaining a modern hairstyle.
-
Stick to Classic and High-Quality Fabrics:
- Emphasizes the significance of fabric choices in creating a stylish look.
- Recommends high-quality materials such as cotton, linen, silk, cashmere, velvet, leather, and denim.
-
Swap Out Frumpy Jeans for Slacks:
- Suggests opting for timeless dress pants, particularly straight-leg pants, for a stylish and comfortable look.
-
Avoid Shoes With Odd Details:
- Advocates for classic and versatile shoe styles, discouraging quirky or strange designs.
-
Be Cautious of Showing Too Much Skin:
- Advises against revealing too much skin for a chic and age-appropriate appearance.
- Recommends embracing modest styles and exposing one body part at a time if desired.
-
Avoid Wearing Skin Colored Tights:
- Proposes wearing black, gray, or navy blue tights for a more stylish and sophisticated finish than nude-colored tights.
These fashion tips collectively contribute to creating a chic and timeless style for women over 80, embracing age with grace and elegance. The advice aligns with the enduring principles of fashion, ensuring that personal style remains relevant and sophisticated throughout different stages of life.
