Fashion: Be realistic about clothing styles

Lisa Lyford answers our readers' questions on personal styling.

When are you too old to wear certain styles?

You're only as old as you feel - if you feel comfortable wearing younger-style clothes and can pull it off, then go for it.

I'm 45 and I still look to younger-style clothing simply because I enjoy it and it's more reflective of my personality. I certainly don't feel my age.

But you need to be realistic. As we age, our body shape can change. Certain areas of the body may thicken up, we lose the elasticity in our skin and our muscles - things start heading south, our skin starts displaying age spots ...

This may preclude you from wearing certain styles. For example, I no longer wear boob tube-style tops because of a thickening under and around my upper arms. It looks flabby!

I no longer wear miniskirts or dresses, unless on holiday.

And the opposite also applies; don't dress older before your time. A friend of mine used to follow the styling of her mother, simply because she didn't have the know-how or confidence to create her own style. Her mother was stylish, but there's still a generation gap.

Create your own style and be happy with it.

Lisa Lyford is founder of Gorgeous Me, free DIY personal styling and makeover advice. www.gorgeousme.co.nz. Send your questions for Lisa to regionalfeatures@apn.co.nz