Barbara Walsh is 75 years young and likes stylish clothes.
She isn't trying to impress the editors at Vogue, but she's tired of going shopping and finding the "same senior uniform -- pants and top."
Walsh is sick of leaving stores empty-handed and wants to know where she can find age-appropriate clothes that don't make her look -- and feel -- old and matronly.
"Age is a passage of time; it doesn't affect how I feel," says the New Port Richey resident, who enjoys traveling and going to the theater. "I don't want to dress old. I want to be elegant, but age-appropriate."
During our conversation, Walsh asked if I'd seen the 2005 movie "Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont," because its star, Joan Plowright, who is 79, has a style of dress Walsh finds appealing. Plowright, who plays Mrs. Palfrey, wears lots of skirts, suits, pearls and colorful scarves.
"She's very stylish, but she dresses her age," Walsh said. "Her clothes fit well, and they match her personality."
I took Walsh's fashion concerns to Sherrie Mathieson, a style consultant and author of "Steal this Style: Moms and Daughters Swap Wardrobe Secrets" (Clarkson Potter, $22.95).
As women age, it becomes trickier for them to choose outfits that are modern, stylish and age-appropriate, Mathieson says. But women can age gracefully and intelligently through their wardrobe selections.
The key is to bridge timeless and trendy by combining classic, enduring core pieces with a variety of styles and accessories that reflect what's in the pages of the latest magazines. "As you age, you must buy the best quality you can afford," says Mathieson, 63, a former costume designer. "Your skin ages, and it needs to be bolstered by better fabrics, such as good cottons or good cashmeres. Pay more attention to classic clothes, but do it with a twist so it doesn't look boring." Mathieson said woman shouldn't shop their age, they should shop by fashion, personality and body type. Stores like J. Jill, Chico's and Coldwater Creek may appeal to baby boomers, but women Walsh's age shouldn't be lumped into the same group. "What is appropriate for a boomer at 44 is different from a woman over 70," Mathieson says. She recommends stores like J. Crew, Talbots, Ralph Lauren, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, which carry a mix of youthful and classic pieces that work for any age. Mathieson says as women age, they should assess the clothes in their closet every year. "You age more quickly as you get older," she says. "You change every year. Colors are different against your complexion from year to year."
Black isn't a good color for older women, she says. As women age, their skin becomes more sallow, and black can be too harsh. Go for charcoal grays and brown instead. Colors like red, mauve, teal and burgundy can also age you. Orange is beautiful against mature skin; so are colors like beige, camel and chocolate brown, which look stylish teamed with white. Mature fashionistas should look to Audrey Hepburn for style inspiration. "Everything she did should be mimicked by women of any age," says Mathieson, who also believes actresses Tippi Hedren and Dame Judi Dench get it right most of the time. Hepburn "was totally ageless. She was classic and eternally modern." Mathieson loves the Gap's Audrey pant on mature women. (The slim leg pant that tapers in at the ankle is named for the style icon.) "That's a piece you can keep in your closet and you will always look well," she says. "Pair it with a kitten heel or ballerina flat, and it's a timeless look." If you wear a plain white blouse or polo shirt, kick up the collar. It frames the neck and diverts attention away from an area many older women see as a trouble spot -- the neck. Collect great accessories, too. Large pearls, tiered necklaces and scarves can "give life to the face." "The important thing to remember is you need to know what you're doing," Mathieson says. "You can buy bad clothes anywhere. You need to hone your eye to understand what you're looking for and what you're buying; it's a skill. And the more skillful you are, the less you are going to have error in your buying." Happily, it's never too late to learn. For more style tips from Mathieson, visit www.sherriemathieson.com.
