It’s that time of year when you’re prowling your closet for warmer clothes as the temperature drops, and perhaps identifying some obvious holes in your upcoming winter wardrobe. However, before you click “purchase” or swipe your card if you’re back to in-store shopping, you’d be wise to crawl to the back of your closet where there may be finds and styles from years gone by. Because this Fall, it appears that the trends are looking backward to the times of your life when loafers were in style and ponchos kept you warm. According to a recent post at AARP, for women over 50, you’ll be stylish in updated versions of the sorts of sweater vests, loose-fitting jeans, and chambray shirts that might have populated your wardrobe several decades ago. 

That’s also the message that Alyson Walsh, of That’s Not My Age, recently endorsed when she suggested mixing a standout vintage item (preferably from your own closet) with some of your more modern, classic pieces. With her new-found passion for less shopping and more retrofitting, Walsh has become a strong advocate for creating new outfits from the clothes you already own. To find out more, pull out your old tweed blazer and click here. And speaking of using what you already have, Walsh has a recent column on mending rather than spending, and suggests a website to help you find out how to refresh and refurbish your old items.

If you really dig deep into your wardrobe, you may pull up a mini skirt or two. And that will be just the right item to throw on while watching the new documentary about legendary fashion designer Mary Quant, the original designer of the mini skirt and the person who created and perhaps best-reflected fashion of the 60s. Watch the trailer for this upcoming documentary here and read more about Quant and the making of this film here. As the embodiment of the 60s vibe, Quant declared that clothing should make you stand out, look sexy, and feel good.

Finally, along the lines of feeling good in the clothes you wear, take a look at this recent blog post from The Bias Cut, an online purveyor of fashion for women over 40 that champions diversity and inclusion among its models, and combats ageism with marketing and promotional campaigns. Always trying to ensure that its customers feel as good as they look in their clothing, the site recently posted a piece discussing wardrobe readjustments to meet the needs of your changing body shape. Recognizing that certain fashion cuts might not fit your now “pear-shaped” body, this post looks to suggest styles that will fit well if your shape changes, your skin tone becomes different, your breast size enlarges or you experience other body alterations. As Founder Jacynth Bassett states, “When you’re already going through a potentially difficult period of life, the last thing you need is to feel you can’t wear clothes that make you feel good… You deserve to wear mood-boosting, confidence-inducing clothes so you can feel like the best version of yourself today.” To find out more about clothes that will fit and flatter, read here.