Fashion and Beauty Items to Keep — and Those You Can Toss

3. Bye-bye to bad-guy accessories and clothes.

Anything that’s no longer flattering or that makes you whine, wince or complain is also on its way to a donation bin. Sometimes we make excuses for clothes and beauty items, saying things like, “These shoes will work with a few Band-Aids and inserts,” “It’ll zip up with shapewear” or “I need a powerful flat iron or my hair will frizz.” Let go of:

Shoes that hurt. Stilettos, towering wedges and rigid platforms that cause sore soles, ankle sprains and back pain; pointy-toe flats that put the squeeze on bunions and hammertoes; no-support flip-flops; thin-soled ballet flats that cause foot fatigue and plantar fasciitis; ankle-tie shoes that hamper circulation: All are leaving.

Hot tools that are excessively hot. If your blow-dryer is a scorcher, your curling iron singes and your flat iron fries, it’s time for a safer upgrade.

Large, heavy shoulder bags offer nothing but shoulder, neck and back pain, and can throw off your balance. Look for a lighter crossbody or shoulder bag, stat!

Any pants or jeans that give you a front or back wedgie. Bottoms in the wrong-for-you style, brand or size will never be right. Donate them!

Challenging skirts. Any skirt with a high slit that makes sitting and crossing your legs difficult, wrap styles that don’t entirely wrap, and skintight pencil skirts that reveal your lunch are not your friends.

Knits that show everything. If you need a full shapewear bodysuit for everyday wear, it’s not meant to be.

Knee-high leather boots that squash your calves. No matter how costly, they’re not worth the compression. 

Sweaters that itch. Layering a sweater over a tee is stylish; having to layer a sweater over a tee because it’s scratchy is not.

Shorts. If you’ve given up wearing them, really give them up. You’ll find better bare-leg substitutes in cropped pants.

Heavy, dangly earrings. They may look fabulous, but your already stretched lobes don’t need extra stress or tears.

Brushes and combs with broken or missing bristles. Bid goodbye to tangles, snarls — and damaged hair, too. Toss them and buy new ones.

4. Never let some things go.

Some items, however, belong in the “wish I hadn’t thrown that out” category. You know what I mean. Even happily donated items can cause regret. For example, how about the favorite broken-in, just-right Levi’s you ditched for leggings, the workwear blouses you deemed “stuffy,” or the pink cardigan that seemed too girlish?

To prevent regrets, here are a few things you should always keep.

Costume jewelry. Statement necklaces may have looked overdone for five minutes during the delicate chain-layered necklace trend, but who cares? Eye-popping jewelry is still one of the best ways to personalize a simple top and make a basic dress outstanding. Hold on to all your earrings, bangles, cuffs and necklaces.

Dressy blouses. Silky button-downs and frill-trimmed blouses now look their best when paired with jeans. Take the starch out of them by unbuttoning to a V, rolling the sleeves and doing a half-tuck for a timeless casual look. Also try layering them under a leather or denim jacket for an opposites-attract effect.

Your favorite jeans. Covet jeans that still fit and aren’t low, belly-revealing rises, outdated washes or distressed with rips, tears and straggly hems. Great blues like Levi’s Women’s High-Rise Wedgie Straight Leg Jeans in Max Effort ($70, target.com) that mold to your curves never die, especially classic straight-leg and bootcut styles. Like us, they get better and more beloved with age.

Clutch bags. You’ll always need one or two for evenings and events, and they never date.

Cashmere sweaters. The badly pilled ones should go, but cashmere like the Quince Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater in Teak, True Navy, Black or Heather Grey ($50, quince.com) always gets better with age … and hand-laundering.

Anything that makes you feel fabulous. It could be a wide-brimmed straw hat you bought on vacation, like the Lane Bryant Straw Hat With Adjustable Interior Tie ($24, lanebryant.com); a designer bag you splurged on to celebrate your 50th; heirloom jewelry, from Grandma’s locket to your mom’s pearls; or the off-the-shoulder swimsuit you can’t swim in but that makes you look sensational while lounging around or walking.

5. You’ll always need 10 things. Buy them to fill the gaps.

When you edit out the bad and hold on to the good, it’s easy to spot what’s needed. To be clear, you do not need the “capsule wardrobe” or “French girl style” list of items that social media influencers advocate. However, in my experience, every woman over 50, regardless of her lifestyle, looks, shape or size, needs these 10 things. On standby in your closet, they’ll save you from nothing-to-wear doldrums and weight fluctuations. If you own them already, good for you. If not, put them at the top of your shopping list to give your body and wardrobe a boost.

A go-anywhere dress. Choose one that’s seasonal, works day or night, has some flow so it doesn’t require shapewear, and a neckline that flatters your bust. Additional pluses: a midi length that lets you sit and stride, a style that works with flats, sandals or sneakers, or a color or print that makes you feel glam even on the glummest days. It may be black, an interesting print or a timeless bright red. Current options include the Nine West Women’s Plus Size Dolman Faux-Wrap Midi Dress in Ivory Wrap Abstract ($32, kohls.com) and the Old Navy Women Waist-Defined Puff-Sleeve Midi Dress in Black Jack ($42, oldnavy.gap.com).

A tunic top. Untucked and long enough to cover what needs to be covered, it skims over bulges, hides extra pounds and bloat, and lets you relax. Striped versions such as Lands’ End Women’s 3/4 Sleeve Cotton Supima Tunic in Ivory/Black Breton Stripe or Deep Sea Navy Breton Stripe ($50, landsend.com) never let you down.

Straight black pants. Whether you choose cotton, linen, black faux leather or ponte, black pants paired with a crisp white shirt or a black sweater make you look slim, stylish and appropriate. A super knit like Chico’s Juliet Ponte Trim Detail Ankle Pants in Black ($90, chicos.com) resists wrinkles for all-day polish.

A white shirt. You can’t have too many. Whether it’s a billowy boho style, a tailored button-down or a minimalist popover, a white top wakes up the face, brightens skin and refreshes dark pants and skirts. The J.Crew Slim-Fit Button-Up Cotton Gauze in White ($80, jcrew.com) and Ann Taylor Blouson Sleeve Shirt in Winter White ($85, anntaylor.com) are cool summer choices.

A relaxed blazer jacket. A knit blazer like the Maeve Knit Blazer in Neutral, Brown Pattern or Cobalt ($158, anthropologie.com) has enough structure and softness to provide style and comfort. Wear one to snazz up jeans, a dress or those black pants, and you’ll feel like a million bucks.

Sexy black sunglasses. Styles like the Prive Revaux The Hepburn 57mm Cat-Eye Polarized Sunglasses in Black ($22, kohls.com) not only hide dark circles and puffy, fatigued or sleepless eyes, they also deliver instant glamour.

A sweater in your favorite color. It’ll give you a lift on moody days and give dark neutrals a flattering pop of color. Red stands out in a crowd; pink and coral rev up a tired complexion just like face blush, and blues worn with jeans give you a monochromatic look. Try the Banana Republic Women Oversized Cotton V-Neck Sweater in Executive Pink or Trailblazing Red-Orange ($85, bananarepublic.gap.com).

Black ballet flats. Walkable and versatile, cushion-soled flats like the A New Day Women’s Jackie Ballet Flats in Black ($20, target.com) combine polish and practicality.

Downtime pants. Whether it’s joggers, cargos or wide-leg pull-ons, lifestyle pants with a relaxed vibe are taking over. Neither as clingy as leggings nor as structured as jeans, styles like the Gap Factory Women Mid Rise Linen-Blend Pull-On Wide Leg Pants in Flax Linen or Thyme ($42, gapfactory.com) will fit in with your day-to-day.

A do-everything coat. This one actually does appear in many capsule wardrobes and “French girl” mood boards as a “trench coat.” A light coat or long jacket that works rain or shine, day or night, can top anything from a dress to jeans, and lets you run errands and go out for dinner in style. Try the machine-washable Donna Karan New York Women’s Double-Breasted Trench Coat in Khaki or Black ($209, macys.com) for endless multitasking.

6. Put comfort on that “do need” list.

Your style and look at 50 is as much about what you don’t like anymore, or don’t want to wear, as what you do. Whether it’s longer tops and skirts, pull-on elastic waists or multitasking beauty products, making specific swaps can be a wardrobe game changer. Consider making these the new normal:

• Long-sleeve and three-quarter tees like the Gap Factory Favorite Stripe Crewneck T-Shirt in Black White Stripe ($14, gapfactory.com) instead of short-sleeve styles … forever.
• Midi skirts and dresses like the Banana Republic Factory Women’s Poplin Midi Skirt in Blue Floral or Green Floral ($75, bananarepublicfactory.gapfactory.com) instead of knee-length and above-the-knee hemlines.
• Elastic-waist pants, jeans and skirts such as Madewell’s gmEasy Pull-On Pant in 100% Linen in Oat or Chocolate Raisin ($98, madewell.com) instead of zip-up styles.
• Tinted moisturizer and moisturizer with SPF30+, like the Tula Skincare 24/7 Moisture Hydrating Day Cream SPF 30 ($58, target.com) and Versed Skin Solution Multi-Serum Skin Tint Foundation SPF40 ($24, target.com), for no-sunscreen options and minimal layering.