10 Ways To Dress 10 Years Younger
Photos galore.
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by The Candidly Team
There’s a strong desire to equivocate here - to explain that we’re not trying to deny our age or cling to youth or feed into the incredibly stupid way our world can treat getting older.
However…
we still don’t want to dress older.
And we think that’s okay.
We feel our best when we dress in ways that still have a little oomph. Ways that feel casually cool and effortlessly chic. Basically ways that feel like us.
But there are certain style traps we can fall into that do just the opposite. They make us look older, and what’s worse is they’re pretty easy to avoid. As long as we know we’re falling into them.
And so, in the spirit, we’ve compiled 10 style tips/ rules/ hacks - whatever you want to call them - that shave off a quick 10 years. They will also just generally make you look your personal best. So it’s a win win. And it’s pretty easy to follow to boot.
1. Go back to baggy jeans.
WHY: A high-waisted, wide-leg or barrel jean makes waists look smaller and smooths over curves without us looking frumpy, which can sometimes happen with a straight or tapered leg (hence the term “mom” jean). We’ve compiled a couple of our favorites.
They’re the closest we’ve come to the sisterhood of the traveling pants in that they look incredible on every shape.
Price: $148
Madewell The Darted Barrel-Leg Jean
The soft pink with a white tee or tank is so bright and youthful but still classic. And even if you’re a blue jean gal (and these definitely do come in all shades of blue), these jeans will fit you in a very easy and flattering way. With a ribbed tank and a belt, it’s a zero-effort chic, street-style look.
Price: $148
2. Buy shorter tees and tuckable tops.
WHY: If you take nothing else from this, please just take that the fear around the word cropped is entirely unnecessary. At this point, cropped just means “not as long.” And long, loose tops can be very aging. Simply by taking off an inch or two, youe get better proportions, your waist looks narrower, and your legs look longer.
3. Wear seamless underthings with lots of lift and zero wires.
WHY: Panty lines and bad, bulgy bras age us. However, we will not do pain in the name of getting impeccable boob shape anymore. Instead, we went on a years-long quest to find unbelievably comfy, breathable bras that give us unbelievable round, bouncy (but stays put) shape.
4. Invest in gorgeous shoes that don't kill your feet.
WHY: Ugly orthopedic shoes make us look like our own great-grandmothers. That said, we will never ever ever again be okay with foot pain. There are actually stunning shoes being made that don’t skimp on the orthopedic part. And when we find them, we’re willing to spend a little more because we know they’re the only shoes we’ll want to wear.
Beek Pelican Leather Platform Sandal
These are the epitome of quiet luxury in terms of looks but keep in mind they have a secret “memory foam molded footbed” that makes us want to live in them. It’s an investment up front but our cost per wear is down to 38 cents at this point.
You can also use the code CANDIDLY10 to get 10% off
Price: $280
Ancient Greek Sandals Kansiz
We die for the minimalism, and we never get more questions about our shoes than when we wear these. They make outfits look 5X cooler. And yet, no one believes us when we tell them they are more cushioned and soft and supportive than any flip flop or sandal we’ve tried.
Price: $220
5. Embrace the sexy(ish) staple that is a perfect-fitting tank.
WHY: Tanks, when cut correctly, are like instant youth, the high pony tail of tops. And yet, they're still classic, and they frame your upper body better than any other type of top.
AYR The Sexy Flexy
The skinny strap and scoop neck combo make shoulders and chests look their best. That, along with the ribbing that holds you in, makes it our #1 tank choice, which is why we were willing to spend a little more and just wear this instead of buying cheap ones at Target we replace twice a year.
Price: $78
6. Mix high and low.
WHY: Mixing splurges with more affordable pieces isn’t just a wise economic decision, it also makes outfits look interesting and never too pinned up and stuffy or too bargain bin.
7. Mix a casj element in with a formal look.
WHY: Adding a white tee to a leather or jean jacket over a dress, keeps things edgy and gives everything a very natural cool factor.
* Gifted product
8. Choose wide leg or flared over tapered cropped pants.
WHY: Anything resembling capri pants makes us look 102. That’s all.
The Colette Magic Fabric Crop Wide-Leg Pants by Maeve
We’re almost at a loss for words when describing these pants, mostly because we’ve written about them 247 times. They flatter like no pants before them with this smoothing, “magic” fabric that makes butts look hoisted and tums look flattened. And they do all this without feeling restrictive. The shape is also ultra cute and swoopy and French.
Price: $120
* Gifted product
9. Wear more fitted dresses with ruching.
WHY: We love the idea of a slinky, elegant dress, but we often end up with our arms glued across our bellies or hiding under a tent-like pashmina, because it just feels too exposing. Ruching is the answer, my friends. It’s so forgiving, and conceals all lumps in bumps in a very graceful way.
10. Choose playful, yet classic accessories.
WHY: A loud accessory can be fun, but it can also be a wee bit aging. There’s a fun balance to finding pieces that make your look unique, modern, and elevated but still understated. Here’s what’s topping our personal leaderboard.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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