Can you wear Vintage after 40 for fall?

Wearing vintage after 40 can be tough because you run the risk of looking like you’re out of date or an old lady. It is fine to wear vintage when you are young, because it is obvious that you are hip, however when you look like you haven’t thrown out your clothes for the last 20 years, it can be tricky!

Here is a great example of a lovely gray vintage dress that we found on Atlantis Home. This 80′s silk, jersey dress is super flattering with the way it ties at the hip.  The way it drapes would hide the tummy area nicely and is a style that one can wear at any age.

Vintage pieces also tend to have pretty details, like these covered buttons on the sleeve.

Now can you tell the difference between this new outfit that she just bought?

This fabulous bright leather skirt and coordinating sweater from the latest 2010 fall  Lyn Devon collection is classic and could be from any era. She has updated it with some super hip, thigh high boots. (This look might be over the top for some, but we think she can certainly pull it off!)

So the moral of this is… if you are going to try to pull off vintage, make sure you are going to update it with current shoes and accessories and that you can’t tell that it is vintage.

Have you stepped out of your comfort box recently?

Did you see the Oprah Show the other day, the one where she took 3 women who were all feeling down and out and made them do things that were WAY out of their comfort zone?

Seems the Glam Gals are not the only ones out there trying to get you over 40 gals to try something new!  (check out our past posts on  leather jackets or  thigh high boots!)

If you need a little push out of the “plane” Jane   syndrome, just go and take a peak  this weeks Blogging Boomers Carnvial #138! The Boomer Chronicles are hosting and have lots of inspiration from some of the top Boomer Bloggers out there!

New trend: Thigh High Boots

Hello Glam Gals,

Do you think the new thigh high boots for Fall 2009 are age appropriate for women over 40?

Thank you for your help.

~Jenifer G.

Hi Jennifer!

Great question, since we are seeing that thigh high boots are a big trend for fall. This is tricky because there are a lot of variables here. The thigh high boot is a very young and sexy look, so it is hard to pull it off after 40. However, we have seen women of all ages pulling off this trend, but it is a delicate and tricky one for sure.

If you are excited to try this new trend, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. You should  be on the thin side have slim legs and thighs to wear this look.
2. You need to be careful on how to pair your boots with the right outfit. Tight jeans or longer skirts are your best bet to get the right effect.
3. You will need to be picky about the style of boot your choose, otherwise it will look like you’re trying too hard. (More like you are wearing a costume than a trend.)
4. The fit and style of your outfit is key – anything too tight and revealing could look smutty.

We imagine that the women over 40 that could pull this off, are on the creative and festive sort!  However, if you really do want to partake in this trend, we recommend you

• Choose a  simple style that does not have a lot of laces or hardware.

• Stay away from patent or shiny thigh high boots, or you’ll look like a hooker.

• Be sure to  wear dark opaque hose so there’s no leg between the hem of your dress and the boot. Here’s a good example of  flat heeled boot from zappos.com:

Bottom line: Are you wanting to try out a new trend, pick up a younger guy or just channeling your inner biker chic?

You weill need some confidence and good dose of style to pull this look off now that your over 40, or you will end up looking silly instead of chic.

Are you thinking of trying this look out this fall?  If so, we want to hear your comments below!