When you see stylish women walk by, it can be hard to put your finger on exactly what gives them that certain je ne sais quoi.
After all, there’s no universal secret code that all stylish women live by. But, there are some daily habits that help them to select a stylish outfit every day!
1. They keep their closet organized
While you don’t have to have a closet akin to that of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, having an organized closet will help you to see exactly what you own and to easily put outfits together.
If your closet is messy, you won’t remember all of the pieces you have.
Having a good tidy up, and donating anything which doesn’t flatter or fit, can reduce your stress levels, save you time, and save you money, given that you’ll probably end up spending less on new items.
Whether you choose to organize your closet by item type or color, there’s more advice here from Yvonne on how to arrange your closet.
2. They know what suits their body shape
The world’s most style women know what suits them and how to wear it. While rules are, of course, always made to be broken, it helps if you work with your body type rather than against it.
Knowing what your bodyshape is and what will flatter it also helps you to narrow down your outfit options, whether you’re shopping your closet or treating yourself to some new pieces for your wardrobe.
If you’re not sure what your body shape is, then this guide to determining your bodyshape should help you to find out whether you’re an apple, pear, inverted triangle, rectangle or hourglass.
3. They plan their outfits ahead
We all know that feeling of being in a rush in the morning and simply snatching whatever doesn’t need ironing from the wardrobe! It means we tend to get stuck in a rut, wearing only a small percentage of what we own, and tending to put the same outfits together time and time again.
By planning ahead, you will give yourself time to experiment a little with your looks.
Set your outfit out the night before and you can use that extra time for an extra snooze, a cup of coffee or a few stretching exercises – all the while being smug in the knowledge that you will look even more stylish than ever.
You might even want to invest in a dressmakers dummy so you can hang your outfit up each evening.
If you really want to get a head start, you may like to plan your complete seasonal wardrobe. The 40+Style Club seasonal capsules are perfect for that!
4. They aren’t too matchy-matchy
There’s no need to dress head-to-toe in designer garb to look stylish. Or to worry about your shoes exactly matching your handbag.
Scientists recently conducted a study into what makes an outfit fashionable. They even came up with an equation to back up their research.
What it all boiled down to was that the most stylish women aren’t too matchy-matchy.
Nor are they too clashy-clashy (if that’s even a term!).
Instead, they manage to come up with a middle ground which means they look put together, but in a very effortless way.
5. They do more with less
According to statistics, we only wear 20 per cent of the clothes we own. Is that something you can relate to?
Stylish women build up a capsule wardrobe, or even several capsule wardrobes dependent on the seasons. They don’t worry about the quantity of what they own, but instead think about investing in a few stylish pieces and making them work with each other in different ways.
There are some really great tips from Sylvia here on how to do more with less. You may also want to take a look at how Sylvia styles this striped dress 4 ways.
6. They take inspiration from other stylish women
While it’s great to watch new trends as they come down the runways of the fashion shows in Paris, New York, Milan and London, I find there’s no better inspiration than other women.
Whether you follow social media accounts of women you admire, or you like to people watch, 40+ stylist Ruth Essex in her piece on 5 tips to instantly improve your style suggests keeping a notebook with you and jotting down ideas whenever you spot something you like.
You’ll also find lots of inspiration in our style interviews (picture below is Annette, read her style interview here) and in the What You Wore section of this site.
7. They realize style can be learned
If you’ve ever watched a stylish woman waft by at the airport or sitting at a coffee shop and think there’s no way you could emulate her.
Well, you’re probably right! But, what you can do is hone your OWN style, and become a more stylish version of you. Don’t let anyone tell you that style simply can’t be learned, because that just isn’t true.
With some training, tips and practice, you can definitely learn to be more stylish. Here, Sylvia sets out in no uncertain terms why style can be learned!
These before and after shots from the stylish women of the 40+ Club are proof, if any were needed, that your style can be improved in a sensational way.
What are your own tips for looking stylish? I’d love it if you shared them with us!
p.s. Want to join us in the style club? You can enroll here
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How do I join.. I follow a lot of the gals
and their post.
You can join the style club at https://40plusstyleclub.com/sale-page-general/
Thanks to Style Over 40 I now have most of the habits of style you feature in this post. I started following your posts about a year ago and have enjoyed the gradual process of becoming confident in my style choices and in knowing what suits me. In that period I have also lost about 9kg and have had to buy a lot of new clothes. The
interesting thing is that I now invest in good pieces that form part of a chosen capsule wardrobe which has never happened before. Previously I just bought individual pieces that often did not match and of course wasted a lot of money. Admittedly, I have spent a lot of money on clothes this past year, but this time they will last. I’m 70 years old and go for a mixture of classic and hip. Why not enjoy your body while you’ve got it?
Wonderful to read that my articles have helped you Emmy!
My biggest problem is how to incorporate florals, abstract and colorful fabrics for my size 18-20 apple figure? 99% of my closet is BLACK – yuck!
I. Ouldn’t agree more with you Liz. Although I am guity of very full closets. It all fits and is current. I am just a damned lucky woman with one hobby. I do give away a lot but minimizing my wardrobe is not a good idea as I get bored easily with clothes. This way I have a lot of choice. Fortunately I have a good memory (of what I got).
Liz, this is excellent. I think my next step is planning. Capsule challenges help but maybe I need my own weekly challenge capsule.
7 habitas i follow to be stylish for work church or weekend. My closet is walkin organize closet. I have my coats special occasion gown dresses. White church dress black church dresses than work dresses and summer dresses by color. I have my second closewith my pantsuits and jeans. 2. I know what looks on my my body. I know colors i look good in colors i get compliements. 3. I wear color for week by time finish i dont want see color for while. Example i like pink fom baby pink light pink hot pink and all in between. I wear that color from dress. To blazer shoes polish to scaft for a week.4. Iam matchy matchy i love it. 5. I wear pieces that i can down in lift and bend. 6. I get stuff when it is it out season or on sale i shop clerance rack or online. 7. I shop for things before event. For exsmple i see for.sl hown in my size style and it gits my slim body type. I buy it i put Away till i need o.j. t.
What about jeans and tee but get in differenrent colors white yellow green pink. Walmart usually have the basic tees for less tha five dollars.Get sneakers from payless BOGO clearence ailse you can cute comfortable sneakers for about fourteen dollars. You can get costume statement earrings and necklace set. You can wear a fun wide belt. Wear jeans and basic tee. Wear wide belt or wear scaft as belt.You probaly have a scaft in your closet wear it as belt instead of regular belt.
I spend 4 days a week riding in a truck with my husband. I still like looking nice but in warm weather mostly wear shorts and tees. The onlg time I really need to look a LITTLE dressier is fof church but even ghsg is very casual. So how can I look good and still be comfy? Also, how do I make a capsule wardrobe for my lifestyle?
Hi Mindy – thanks for your feedback! I think I’d concentrate on planning my outfits for one week. Shorts and tees sound perfect for warm weather in a truck! I’d concentrate on looking for tees that are a bit out of the ordinary – maybe with an interesting neckline, or drape effect, and some stylish sneakers. You could add scarves, lightweight duster jackets and statement necklaces to your wardrobe to create some impact without straying too far from your usual casual style. There’s plenty of inspiration here on creating a casual capsule for summer. I think you’ll like some of the ideas here in the casual capsule for spring too. Like the striped Breton top and jeans jacket!