Despite dressing ourselves for decades, many of us still struggle to come up with some coherent sense of our “style.” That is, what, if anything, are we trying to convey with our clothing choices? Do we want the world to think of us as relaxed and unfussy? As organized and disciplined? As trendy and sophisticated? Do you only care about comfort and are willing to forgo “style?” Should your style change as you move through life transitions, such as marriage, parenthood, professional life, retirement, loss, or illness? And if you struggle with these sorts of questions, are there style guides or stylish individuals who can help you make sense of this?

Recently, Marie Claire magazine interviewed 6 stylish women on how they have arrived at their own personal style. These “fashionistas” ranged in age from pre-teen to nearly 100. Each spoke of the effort they put into selecting their clothing and what message they wanted to send with their choices. As 28-year-old Tavi Gevinson stated, “You form different associations, attachments, and memories to different symbols, colors, or whatever, and then you’re refashioning your relationships to all those things over time.” So what works for you at one point in your life may be reassessed and even transformed to fit another time in life. Two of the women in this article, 70-year-old Dr. Qin Huilan and 96-year-old Helen Van Winkle (known on Instagram as “Baddie Winkle”) both emphasized that older age is not a reason to stop experimenting with style or expressing yourself in whatever way makes you feel good. As Miss Van Winkle made clear, “It’s never too late to transform your style.”

You might think that there are computer programs or AI algorithms that could help you refine and define your style. However, according to a recent article in The Telegraph, ChatGPT is not too reliable as a source of fashion advice, so we are likely left to human inspiration and role models to help guide and influence us. Fortunately, there are plenty of older women of all shapes and sizes who can send some fashion advice our way. For instance, a recent article in Forbes describes a new era in fashion influencers, this time showcasing mature women with “plus size” bodies who are happy to demonstrate how older women who are not model thin can have fun and be stylish with their fashion choices. For one example of these new fashion-forward older women, check out the Instagram of Manny (Manuela) Martins-Karman (known online as mannyfashionstylist) who has over 100,000 followers watching her design mix-and-match outfits to create her own unique style at an older age. Or, if your “style” is more refined and sophisticated, you may want to read about the fashion choices of 70-year-old influencer Carole Middleton (mother of the future queen of England) or 60-year-old Sophie, Countess of Wessex/Duchess of Edinburgh, a current member of the British Royal Family. 

Finally, when we think of a unique personal style for an older woman, it’s impossible not to remember Iris Apfel, the iconic and flamboyant American interior, accessories, and clothing designer who died in 2024. If you’re hoping to emulate her style and panache, you may be interested to know that Christie’s auction house is currently auctioning some 200 of her possessions, including clothing, until February 13th. So grab your auction paddle and find out more by clicking here.