Today lets talk about leggings! One of the questions I get asked most is “Am I too old to wear leggings?” I love my leggings, especially this time of year because they are so easy to throw on and they look great with sweaters, boots and all kinds of winter attire. But women are asking “What’s the cut off for leggings or is there a way I should be wearing them differently once I’m past 40″ and as a blogger over 40, I feel like this is a fair question to ask. It seem like some of us have this alarm that sounds in our heads when we turn 40 and we say all of a sudden, should I be wearing this? Is this appropriate for me anymore? And it’s a perfectly reasonable question. For more details on this topic check out my Coffee Chat below.
Is something age-appropriate is a topic that’s I’ve talked about in the past and it refers to many clothing items, not just leggings. It’s ripped or distressed jeans. It’s skirts above the knee. It’s over the knee boots. It’s figure-hugging dresses. There are all of these things that women bring to me and say, “Is this something that I can continue to wear?” And if I’m being totally honest, I don’t have the definitive answer to this question. I’m really not an expert on this subject, but I do have a formula. It’s kind of a litmus test of sorts that I personally use when I’m trying to make decisions on what I wear.
1. Does this piece make me feel more confident and stylish?
So the first question I want you to ask yourself is, does this piece make me feel more confident and stylish when I wear it? Because really, this is the most important question that you’re going to ask. If something makes you feel good, then wear it. It’s that simple. If you’re comfortable in it and when you look in the mirror, you can say this just feels like me and you’re comfortable walking out the door, then that is absolutely something that you should be wearing.
2. Does this piece fit and flatter my body?
Question number two is, does this piece fit and flatter my body? If a piece that may feel younger fits and flatters you better than another item, then, by all means, wear it. Why not? Right? We don’t have to completely cover ourselves up to be age-appropriate. As a matter of fact, it’s best, in my opinion, to pick your favorite body part and highlight that one. Show it off!
3. What are my motivations behind wearing this?
The third question is what I call the “gut check” question. If you feel at all uncomfortable in what you’re wearing then you should ask yourself, “what are my motivations behind wearing this?” This is not for me or anyone else to judge but for you to ask yourself. This is your own gut check that you’re going to do when you put the item on. We all know ourselves. We know what motivates us and why we make decisions. So if for any reason, it makes you feel, for lack of a better word, icky, when you do that gut check, then maybe that’s a piece that you need to re-examine.
At the end of the day, it really comes down to two things. What makes you feel good and what do you want to tell others about you with your clothes? Because we send messages out into the world with everything that we put on. So leggings are absolutely no exception to these rules. When you put them on, if they make you feel great, then absolutely wear them. There is no age cutoff limit. There is nothing out there that says if you’re over 40, you cannot wear leggings anymore. I just want you to know that if you take away one thing from this is that if something makes you feel comfortable, if it fits and flatters you and you feel great in it, then it is perfectly fine to wear. So wear your leggings ladies!
FREE 21 Days of Leggings Guide
And with that said I’m so excited about the newest Outfit Formulas® freebie, 21 Days of Leggings! Three weeks worth of leggings looks absolutely free! You’ll get the shopping list and links, in case you need to fill in any gaps, and a 21 day outfit calendar. But ladies, don’t forget to shop your closets first because I promise, you probably have some of these pieces already in there. This is a free downloadable guide, detailing exactly how to style them – perfect for any woman, size, age, and budget!
Keep the conversation going? What does age-appropriate dressing mean to you? Tell me in the comments.*
*This is a judgment-free zone, so please be respectful of each other and me. But seriously, I want to know what this means to you and how it affects your decisions.
