Designers on how to reinvent your style after 50
As fashion increasingly embraces the life experiences and perspectives of older women, here’s how you can reinvigorate your wardrobe.
There’s every chance that at some point in your life, you’ve felt that much of fashion skews younger. Throughout history, the fashion industry has had a reputation for reserving its more intrepid ideas and wares for younger customers – with the influence of established women, and their unique approaches to fashion, rarely platformed.
But in 2024, there’s change in the air.
Firstly, there’s been a resounding trend of age representation on the runway in 2024, as fashion brands become more attuned to the idea of a full lifespan of clothes-wearing – likely because older women hold the majority of spending power over their Gen-Z and millennial counterparts. Phoebe Philo, the former Celine designer who famously cast an 80-year-old Joan Didion in a campaign a decade ago, chose the Anatomy of a Fall star Sandra Hüller to front her most recent collection release. Miu Miu’s widely discussed autumn/winter ’24/’25 fashion show saw everyone from retired doctors to Oscar-nominated actresses (Kristin Scott Thomas) walking the catwalk among 20-year-old runway stars. Supermodels Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell – 55 and 54, respectively – walked at Ralph Lauren’s spring/summer ’25 show.
It’s even visible on home soil; Australian brand Camilla & Marc cast the revered architect Penelope Seidler AM in a campaign earlier this year. “Penelope is the ultimate icon and role model,” says founder Camilla Freeman-Topper. “She proves that we can be 86 [and] leading businesses, staying connected, being purposeful and having a relentless dedication to what is truly beautiful in life.”
It’s an undeniable truth that life experience can lead to more interesting fashion; just look at the late Iris Apfel, whose irreverent style captivated millions even as a centenarian. But switching up a wardrobe, and finding a fresh look, is easier said than done. Fortunately, there are easy ways of refreshing your wardrobe, and reinvigorating your aesthetic, that don’t involve a complete overhaul.
Embrace boldness through silhouette
You might’ve heard of the term ‘quiet luxury’, which describes the understated (or ‘quiet’) style famously favoured by the super-rich; think the cast of Succession. The term became a buzzword last year, and its trickle-down effect had an impact on fashion at large, as major designers eschewed bold silhouettes in favour of simplicity, creating clothes devoid of statement-making qualities.
While there’s always room for this kind of elegance, the easiest way to make a statement is through a dramatic silhouette change. Even if your outfit is relatively simple, consider a sharp-shouldered blazer, pointed-toe kitten heel or statement blouse as a way of reinterpreting a classic wardrobe staple in a memorable or unique way.
Jewellery changes everything
There’s no discounting the power of jewellery in a wardrobe update, which can work magic in modernising an outfit without changing the clothes you already own.
When jewellery shopping, it may be tempting to opt for bolder, intrepid styles, but consider spending a little more on pieces you truly love and are unfussy enough to be worn day-to-day. Look to Penelope Seidler, who swears by a pair of Georg Jensen earrings she purchased in 1956. The Danish designer’s sleek and futuristic pieces ended up being the ultimate lifelong investment.
“I’ve got lovely diamond rings, but I never wear them, they are in the safe,” Seidler says. “I don’t think you need diamonds so much… I think plain moulded jewellery is the answer,” she says of her clip-in earrings, now a lifelong mainstay.
Key jewellery shapes to look for are sculptural and modern. Aside from Georg Jensen, Australia’s own Dinosaur Designs is also a hero in this department, with silver and resin jewellery that’s apt for stacking and works as an easy accompaniment for any outfit.
Try a ‘uniform’ or corresponding set
The word ‘uniform’ may recall something mercifully left in our school days, but fashion today proves it needn’t be as prescriptive.
Recent runway shows from agenda-setting fashion brands like Prada, Burberry and Miu Miu have implored the importance of clothes designed to be worn on high rotation, instead of taken out once in a blue moon. That means investing in sharp, classic tailoring that you wear often, taking the stress out of dressing up for everyday.
For an easy wardrobe win, Adrian Norris, designer and co-founder of Australian brand Aje, notes that two-piece silk sets are some of its bestsellers, popular for their eye-catching designs as they are for their comfortability. “Sets are something we are incorporating more and more into our collections as they provide our customers a level of ease and sophistication when getting dressed,” he says.
Think about your wardrobe as a jigsaw
It’s one thing to buy clothes because you like them but thinking forward to purchase clothes that work like a jigsaw with what you already own will make everything else click into place.
“Build your wardrobe slowly, invest in timeless pieces that are interchangeable and will work hard for you, and then back [them] with existing pieces in your wardrobe,” says Camilla Freeman-Topper.
Don’t be afraid to get things wrong
Finding the right look comes through trial and error – as well as knowing what you like, dislike and will never wear again.
“I think that if it feels right to you, it can never truly be wrong but you can always look for inspiration from the [outside] world,” Norris says. “From fashion, to art and architecture, find styles and elements that you admire and see how they can be adapted to your personal style.”
While some may be inclined to push the envelope with bold colours and silhouettes, Penelope Seidler notes that there’s unique power in clothes that deliver a simple style message. “By observation, when I look at women who look good, their clothing is usually fairly simple,” says Seidler, who favours suits in soft pastel colours. “I think that’s the answer … and then of course, you’ve got your jewellery, and you can [make it exciting].”
The most perennial style lesson is cliché but true: if you follow your instincts with fashion, and gravitate towards pieces that call your name, it’s rare you’ll get it wrong.
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