Style over 50 doesn’t have to be boring and frumpy—but certain accessories can immediately age you and make you look out of touch. Style mentor Ada Deferrari has some great advice for women (and men!) who want to look smart, polished, and chic at any age. “Today I want to talk about some of the common accessories that I’m finding in many women’s closets and I think it’s time to retire them because they age you and they’re just out,” she says in a YouTube video. Here’s what Deferrari says you should stop wearing over 50.
RELATED: 30 Best Tips For Dressing Well in Your 50s.
Quilted Paisley Handbags
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Quilted paisley handbags should for the most part be avoided, Deferrari says. “Even if you’re in your fifties and you’re wearing a super modern contemporary outfit, and then you have this paisley quilted handbag, you could also pull it off nicely. But for the most part, generally speaking, this is a style of handbag that just doesn’t trend very well.”
Utility Handbags
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Bags with tons of zippers such as fanny packs should be avoided, Deferrari says. “It’s practical, yes, but there are other handbags out there that are also functional and practical but will elevate your style and will help you look more modern and contemporary. You could go with a tote and they have these dividers where you can put inside your handbag if you want to have everything nicely organized.
Beaded Necklaces
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Deferrari advises against heavy beaded necklaces. “I know this is kind of general, maybe it was like 10/15/20 years ago, there were like this matchy-matchy sets of the earrings and the necklace,” she says. “And they’re pretty! But right now the trend is more about layering necklaces, more delicate pieces. There’s a trend also with a chunky necklace. However, kind of like this beaded look and the matching sets it’s just out and so, if you’re wearing it, it also dates you a little bit.”
Clunky Comfort Shoes
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Comfortable shoes don’t have to be dowdy and frumpy, Deferrari says. “Comfort shoes come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and there are many beautiful and comfortable shoes out there that could fit your style,” she says. “Even when I lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, people walk everywhere. I mean, at one point, I was taking pictures of people’s shoes because they were so beautiful. But again, you can absolutely have stylish shoes and comfortable shoes at the same time.”
The Wrong Scarf/Tie
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Wearing colors like brown can make your scarf look dated. “I know scarves for ladies in their fifties or sixties are like a go-to accessory, but sometimes if it’s the wrong color that doesn’t really suit your coloring, it’s not gonna add value to your outfit,” Deferrari says. “Certain colors, in general, do date you. Brown is a trustworthy color, the color of a tree trunk, it represents age but it doesn’t represent modern and cool, crisp, and contemporary. So maybe stay away from browns in clothing or in accessories, such as a scarf. Also, I feel like a lot of ladies do this tie kind of like they hang it around their neck and then just tie a knot and kind of let it down. There’re a lot of really cool ways to tie a scarf that could also make it more modern… You can tie a scarf around your handbag, you can tie it up higher on your neck, you can tie a scarf in your hair… There’re so many ways to tie scarves, so just be kind of conscientious of it.”