Dear Glam Gals,
Living in Texas can get super duper hot in the summer. It’s just not practical to wear jeans. Can you help with some ideas on how to wear shorts when you are over 40 that still look o.k. and not silly?
Thanks!
Gretta H.
Hi Gretta,
Yes you can wear shorts at any age, you just have to think about a few things. Here are some tips to make sure you’re looking fabulous after 40 on these hot summer days!
- Be aware that your shorts are not too short. This means no higher than 2 inches above your knees. Anything higher and you will be competing with the 18 year olds! Yikes!
- If you wear jean shorts, a darker wash will make you look thinner. Just makes sense, since the darker the color of the shorts the more flattering they will be. Also, dark wash is richer looking, too.
- Try a solid pretty color. Do you have a pair of shorts that is a solid pretty color? If not, they make a great addition to anyone’s wardrobe. If you keep the look monochromatic it will be more slimming. However, a solid top in a contrasting hue can be stunning, too. Have fun with color combinations and try something other than white or black.
- Playful stripes or patterns. Why not get out of the safe zone and find a pair with some personality. Now is the time to find them on sale. Pair them with a simple white t-shirt or blouse and you have a new look that is festive and fresh.
- Keep accessories simple. You really don’t need a necklace when you wear shorts. Once again, you want to keep the look casual, so any jewelry you choose needs to have a rustic vibe to it.
- Keep your purse casual too. Another disconnect we see out there are women who carry stiff or designer bags with their shorts. You handbag will look like a fish out of water if you carry a fancy or stiff one with your outfit.
- A straw tote or soft leather bag will look best. Before heading out the door with your everyday good bag make sure to take the time to change out your bag to one that is more casual.
- Try a low wedge sandal. To dress up your shorts you can try a little wedge. This will lengthen the leg! However, make sure the shoe is a casual style to match the theme of the outfit. Go with pretty sandals instead of a tennis shoe. Tennis shoes are too clunky and weigh down your look.
Bottom line is shorts for women over 40 can be a fresh and updated look when you put a little effort and thought into it!
Style Expert Deborah Boland specializes in helping mature women to Tweak their Chic®!
I don’t wear shorts anymore after discovering ‘skorts’ or ‘scooters’. I love them and have several in various styles, lengths and materials, and live in them all summer. Most look just like a skirt and can be dressed up with fancier wedge sandles or nice flats, or you can wear thongs or more casual flats to wear around the house or even gardening. I think these are a very nice and feminine alternative to shorts for women of any age and they provide a little more ‘bottom’ coverage than most shorts. Also modest for women who still have small children, as they have the built-in shorts underneath to cover things up when you have to bend down. Even my 14yo daughter loves to wear them instead of shorts!
Hi Tania, Great idea! They are feminine and like you mention still give you coverage.
I too live in a very warm climate. Shorts that are the same length as a skirt you would wear is a good tip. So that’s about on the knee for a straight skirt. As a pear shape, I have also found a straight pair of shorts to be more flattering than tapered shorts and have sometimes resorted to buying pants and shortening them. Capris tend to shorten my legs so I avoid them too.
I just bought dark wash jean shorts like the ones above. I am slim, have long legs too – but those shorts look god awful on me. I didnt realize it until my husband told me i looked like i should be in a bike race.
Those long snug shorts are not very flattering to anyone i think. I changed into a snug cropped pant and looked so much more in style. Im done with shorts!
Hi, I am in my early 50′s, have a small, athletic frame, am only 5’4″, and still have a better body than a lot of 20 y/o’s that I see out and about. I have 2 pairs of the long close-fitting jean shorts (as shown above in article) that I wear, but I wouldn’t be caught dead in Bermuda shorts. They look absolutely ridiculous on me. I look downright frumpy. I don’t wear short shorts, but I have found a length that has a medium inseam of 5-1/2 inches. This works perfect for my 5’4″, 31 inseam legs, AND I still look age appropriate! Victoria’s Secret carry some of their shorts in 3 to 4 different inseam lengths. They have some classy looking shorts in their higher end clothes, and I am sure other clothiers do too. Otherwise, I look better in capri leggings and a tunic. I am writing this because I know there are other women of my size and proportions who also look like freaks in those long shorts with wide legs. What do YOU think? AND, a big thanks for all your wonderful, life-saving, confidence-building advice, FOF girls! You rock!
I am 60, and ‘probably older than most of the “over 40s” who respond here. I’m proud of my age, still proud of my body but it’s not young or even young-ish. All my life I’ve worked hard to keep myself fit and healthy, exercise, healthy eating etc etc. But there’s no chance that I will wear shorts of any length on the street now. I believe that a good alternative is a sport skirt – As Sophia Loren apparently once said, the calves are the last to go……whether true or not, a sporty skirt with some pocket/yoke/waist detail feels more appropriate to me than shorts. Not “jean blue” but a neutral solid-colour cotton/denim skirt can be very attractive and versatile. I enjoy the Fab 40 site – even though I’m 20 years over that. Thanks for the good ideas!
Showing four photos of women who are thin as sticks are not giving me any pointers.
At 55, I feel like my legs still look pretty good, but I would still never be caught wearing short shorts. When I see a ‘ mature’ woman wearing too short shorts I think it looks very age inappropriate! I don’t think some women see themselves as being mature, but others do..I am always on the lookout for classy looking Bermuda shorts and wish I could find more of them!
I almost always agree with the glam gals when it comes to their fashion recommendations for over 40 women, but I take a very strong exceiption to the 2 inch above the knee suggestion. This basically means a a bermuda short which is unattractive on women of any age. If women over forty have the legs then they should feel comfortable wearing a 4″ and above inseam – just nothing too short. Bermuda shorts should be banned forever!
Hi Ellen, There are some women in there 40′s and 50′s are still looking good in above the knee shorts or dresses. We really don’t like to make hard “rules” and say “never”. All our tips need to be taken as just that… suggested, tips. We hope that everyone that reads our blog take a good look in the mirror and try to be honest with themselves. That does not mean being too hard on yourself but being honest. However, your point is well taken. If you have thick legs or knees, longer shorts are reccomended. There are ladies out there than can do above the knee but should do so,tastefully (definitely not too short).
This is very helpful. I have a question – I like the photo in the top center of the red shorts – but are they too short? They look more than 2″ above the knee. This is usually the length of short that I wear, so I am curious! Thanks!
Hi Jane, Yes, the red pair is really almost on the short side. You don’t want your shorts too short, that’s for sure. Just make sure you like the way your skin on your legs and especially your knees look in your shorts. Our skin on the knees tend to start sagging after a certain age and it’s such a slow a process that we might not even realize it. However, the 2″ suggestion is a good one to follow if you are unsure.
We wear shorts just about year round here in Florida and this year I had better luck at finding some I liked. Several brands came out with ‘bermuda shorts’ this year. They are a bit longer and slimmer. I am so happy to not be in baggy shorts this year! I love these and bought tan, navy and white…oh and a bright shade of blue. I call them my ‘dress shorts’! lol
Hi Diane! Thanks for sending in your photo! We have posted it on our Facebook page! You look so classy in your outfit yet totally perfect for a day on the beach! Thanks for sharing!
Glad to see that Fabulous After 40 recognizes that we don’t need to stop wearing shorts after 40. I like mine just above the knee with colorful tops and low wedge sandals or espadrilles.