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Who doesn’t struggle to pull together a flattering and fashionable outfit? As a fashion editor, stylist and personal shopper for women over 50, I see every mix, match and style mistake in the book. Despite what you may think, fashion faux pas are not really all about having the wrong clothes. It’s more about how you choose and put together the pieces in your closet. Here are the 10 most common outfit mistakes and how to fix them.
1. The mistake: Being underdressed or overdressed.
Situation 1: You’re in joggers, a mock neck and sneakers, and everyone else is in dresses or fancy tops, slingback heels and full makeup. Situation 2: You’re in a flow-y dress and velvet Mary Janes, and everyone else is in jeans and sweaters. Both feel like a bad dream, but scenarios like these happen to all of us. Dressing too casually or too glam for a situation is one of the most common outfit mistakes women over 50 make.
The solution: Take the middle road but aim on the high side.When you’re unsure of the dress code being a little overdressed earns compliments; being underdressed gets the side-eye. My motto is it’s better to stand out in a crowd for your style than for your lack of it. An elevated head-to-toe outfit in black never fails. This can be anything from black pull-on pants and a black cashmere boatneck sweater to a jumpsuit or a black sweater dress. Not too dressy, not too casual. The last trick is to add one standout accessory — great shoes or a dramatic bracelet that lift a solid basic to special. Try these for starters: The Quince Mongolian Cashmere Wide-Rib Midi Dress in Black ($150, quince.com), the Madewell Tie-Waist Straight-Leg Jumpsuit in True Black ($180, madewell.com) and the Ross-Simons Sterling Silver Wide Polished Cuff Bracelet ($269, ross-simons.com).
2. The mistake: Wearing out-of-date clothes.
Some women recycle their old clothes and say, “It’s in again! So glad I saved it!” They add items like an 80s power blazer with huge shoulder pads, a real leather jacket with fringe and studs, platform pumps and low-rise whiskered bootcut jeans. However, there’s a difference between a stylish comeback and items that date your outfit and you. Fashion trends do circle back every 20 years or so, but they’re never exactly the same — and neither are our bodies, which means some of those pieces you covet are not doing you any favors. For example, new blazers are relaxed and feature small shoulder pads for structure not attention; leather jackets are now mostly faux leather and have a streamlined look; platforms are on loafers and sneakers, not heels; and bootcut jeans are high waisted, in even washes and comfy stretch denim.
The solution: Love the vintage, but get choosy about which items are worth a wear. Select one piece to give a contemporary outfit a dash of personality. Those that are most successful now: trendy-again bag shapes like 90s baguettes, fanny packs (wear them as crossbody slings this time around) and chain-strap shoulder bags (wear them as a crossbody too); statement cuffs, pendants and large earrings; kitten-heel shoes and colorful traditional cardigans to spark ho-hum outfits (try wearing them as tee substitutes), faux fur in jackets and coats, and of course, anything in an animal print. Leopard never ages.

3. The mistake: Trying to mix colors and prints like a YouTube influencer.
Pushing the boundaries of what you wear can be fun, but misguided mixes are everywhere. Wearing two unexpected colors and combining prints really does take a little restraint and know-how. There are two foolproof ways to avoid a faux pas. One is to combine prints with a common color theme; the other trick is to combine solid colors within the same cool or warm category.
The solution: Arrange your closet by color to make both strategies a snap. Most women have more same-color pieces than they think. Make sure you include prints and textures from every season, day and night. You might pair a striped sweater in black, brown and gray with a floral skirt in the same colors like the Charter Club Women’s Striped 100% Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater in Pearl Taupe Heather Combo ($83, macys.com) and Nation LTD Belinda Print Button Midi Skirt in Night Floral ($180, nordstrom.com), or wear a leopard blouse with a brown and tan plaid blazer. Combining two solid colors in a pleasing way is even easier. Just choose two warm tones — like hot pink with red, as in the Boden Women Catriona Cotton Crew Sweater in Carmine Rose Pink ($60, bodenusa.com) shown with red pants. Leave more extreme mixes of complementary colors — like purple and yellow, blue and orange — to the runways.
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