There’s no doubt that we’re living longer in the UK, with the average age of a UK resident having risen by two years to 40. This is probably why they say that 40 is really the new 30 when it comes to our age, even though reaching this age can seem daunting to some!
While your outlook on fashion will undoubtedly change as you enter your 40s, it’s still important that you take pride in your appearance and strive to look as good as possible every single day.
The question that remains, of course, is what practical steps can you take to look stylish in your 40s? Let’s take a look:
1. Learn your Lessons and Focus on Style Rather than Fashion
If you’re anything like me, you probably made more than a few fashion faux-pas in your 20s and 30s.
These should be considered as part of a stylistic learning curve, however, and one that informs your choice of clothing in your 40s.
Growing older should also encourage you to amend your outlook, as you move away from fashion and questionable trends and instead focus solely on style.
This helps you to finesse the lessons that you’ve learned and create your own unique sense of style going forward, while ensuring that you avoid completely unsuitable clothing.
2. Don’t Retire Too Early
While you may not want to wear the same clothes that you did 20 years ago, this does not mean that turning 40 should force you to retire from the world of fashion and style.
In fact, 40-somethings with an air of confidence should be able to pull off most looks in the modern age, while you’d also expect them to have a clear understanding of the unique fits and styles that suit their body type.
This means that iconic fashion staples such as a leather jacket or bespoke suit can still take pride of place in your wardrobe post-40, so long as you wear your clothes with conviction and maintain a clear stylistic direction.
There are many clothes that you can still wear in your 40s and pull it off with ease. You may avoid the super skinny jeans for example but slim fit jeans with a nice pair of boots can match any man in their 40s.
3. Pay Close Attention to Fit
Unless you have the time to hit the gym regularly every single day, the chances are that your body shape will change (and not necessarily for the better) with age.
This means that you may need to relax your preferred fits slightly when you enter your 40s, as you move away from drainpipe and slim-fit shapes that accentuate your body’s natural form.
This is a delicate balancing act, however, as it’s extremely counter-intuitive to suddenly invest in larger and shapeless clothes that obscure your figure. This means avoid the baggy clothes and stick to the pieces of clothing that give you shape.
Instead, relax your existing fits gradually while experimenting with different fits to find an appropriate look.
4. Stay Simple
Style is sometimes at its finest when it stays simple and minimalistic. This is ever present when you get older, as a white t-shirt and plain sweaters are a banker, as the colourful items of your youth will probably not suit you like they used to.
You should keep the same rhetoric for your shoes and accessories too. If you try and over-complicate it and try and be too stylish it can go against you. However, that being said if you like an item that is a bit colourful or funky you should go for it no matter what age you are.
