You may be attracted to wearing leggings because they look so casual, comfy and perfect for the 40+ lifestyle. But how do you wear them in a way that doesn’t make you look 1) fat or 2) like a desperate older woman? Check out these stylish examples of how to tastefully wear leggings or skinny pants after 40.
| Tip #1 – Try a Jacket
When you wear leggings or skinny pants you want to create that flattering silhouette that is wide at the top and narrows all the way down to your ankles. This is slimming.
A jacket is a no brainer way to achieve this look. You see, as we age our shoulders start to slump and round and our whole body gets softer and curvier. A jacket with a good shoulder and some nip-in at the waist gives you great shape, the same way a clothes hanger gives a flimsy t-shirt structure.You can wear any color or style of jacket you like. This one just happens to be sparkly. |
 A jacket plus leggings gives Twiggy a sophisticated look. |
A longer jacket like this one, as opposed to one that ends at your waist, is the most flattering if you are a gal who has any weight around your midsection that you want to conceal. No matter what jacket you choose a jacket worn with leggings or skinny pants adds an air of maturity and sophistication.
| Tip #2 – Soft Top
When you have something tight and skinny down below it’s complementary to have something loose and drapey up top to soften things up. This is a great example of a look that is very popular right now. Save the tight on the top + tight on the bottom pants for the “youngins” and go for this more sophisticated, classy way of wearing leggings or skinny pants. Two big notes here you must read! Jeri is very slim so she can get away with this top being shorter, but if you have a tummy or bigger hips or thighs then by all means wear a longer top that covers your bum! |
 Jeri Ryan’s draped top softens her skinny leather pants |
Also, If you are going to wear a shorter top like this with leggings, make sure the leggings are really thick, almost like pants. Nothing worse than a woman who looks like she is wearing a short top with leggings that look more like leotards with the feet cut out. Everythings shows! Too much information and that’s emabarrassing. You know what I mean!
| Tip #3 – Sexy Heels
By day, for running around in, ballet flats are fab with skinny jeans and leggings, but if you want to sexy things up later on a killer pair of heels will really make you look hot. Choose pointy toed pumps or strappy high heel sandals like these in the same color as your skinny pants to lengthen you leg, or you could also pick a nude shoe. I think these cutout black heels are a perfect choice for this outfit. So chic.Not skinny minnie like Angie? Just wear a longer, slighty looser top and you can still look like a star. |
 Angie Harmon pairs leggings + sexy sandals |
| Tip #4 – Long Top
Here we go….. This is what I’ve been talking about. Here is a longer, looser top worn with thick leggings. Now you could go with an even longer top if you wanted. If you are self- conscious about your thighs then a couple of inchesabove the knee would look fine too. |
 Rosanna Arquette’s long top is a good cover |
| Tip #5 – Boots
When flats make you feel short and high heels feel like hell, a tried and true recipe for what to wear with leggings is a great boot. Tall boots with flat heels, wedge heels chunky or slim heels look fab with leggings and skinny pants. They just go, and they make you feel really sexy and hip when you are wearing them. |
 Reba MacIntyre proves boots are a natural with leggings. |
| Tip #6 – Cardigan
Sometimes you don’t want to wear something as formal or structured as a jacket so a cardigan is a good option. This cropped cardigan is a cute item to pair with skinny pants and a top to look lady-like. Notice that all the detail at the shoulders and collar give this cardigan visual width the way a jacket would. You get the same slimming effect as a jacket.
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 Paula Abdul pairs a cardigan with leggings for a feminine look |
| Tip #7 – Monochromatic
If you really want to look slim wearing skinny pants or jeans then dress in all one color from head to toe. One streak of color or monochromatic tone-on-tone dressing tricks the eye creating a long thin line that makes you look taller and slimmer. This long scarf hanging down in front also creates a vertical line that doubles the effect of this way of dressing. Ah, they know all the tricks! |
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How do you wear your leggings or skinny pants. We want to see. Send me an email with your photo and I’ll post it. Just email to myphoto@fabulousafter40.com
Style Expert Deborah Boland specializes in helping mature women to Tweak their Chic®!