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Petite Dressing

Dress for your Body Type and Height

Last Updated on January 27, 2023 By Valery

What to Wear to Make You Look Younger

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Let’s face it, most of us are constantly striving to look younger. Whether it’s with skin care, makeup, or even the way we dress. Looking younger than we actually are is a common goal for women all over the world. Fortunately, there are some ways you can look younger with clothes.

Keep reading to learn some of the best tips on what to wear to make you look younger.

What to Wear to Make You Look Younger

Table of Contents

  • Fitted Garments
  • Avoid bold prints
  • Neutral colors
  • Wide leg pants
  • Avoid pleated pants
  • Classic Pieces instead of Trends
  • Minimally Accessorize
  • Add Colors to your Wardrobe
  • Purge Any Pieces that are Worn Out
  • Show Off Your Asset(s)
  • Avoid Oversized Silhouettes
  • Avoid Outdated Shoes
  • Avoid Hanging On to Outdated Clothing

Fitted Garments

Clothing that fits and shows the natural shape of the body is always the most flattering option and by default provides a more youthful appearance.

While oversized, losing fitting silhouettes are all the rage this year, they are best left alone when the goal is to appear younger.

The problem with these looser fitting styles is they have a tendency of making the overall look of the body appear bigger, and sometimes more frumpy than it is.

This is why well fitting options are a better route.

table of contents 123

Avoid bold prints

Big, bold prints are easy to overwhelm the individual wearing them and can easily date an outfit and make you look older.

That’s the reason prints should be worn sparingly when the style goal is looking younger.

Not to mention, bold print trends tend to come and go rather quickly in the rotation and can lead to them being difficult to look updated.

Avoid bold prints-1

Neutral colors

Solid colors or prints that are a bit more muted or subtle are much better options primarily because they offer a more streamlined look.

Less is more in this case.

If prints are something you really enjoy wearing, try sticking with small pops of prints in accessories to get the best of both worlds.

Wide leg pants

what makes you look younger

The reason that wide leg pants can make you look younger is because it offers a streamlined silhouette.

When you pair wide leg pants with a fitted top, it instantly make a fashion statement.

If you have midsection concerns, black wide leg pants are a great option as it disguise your midriff and make you look longer and leaner.

Avoid pleated pants

Pants with things like bulky pockets, pleating, or even just excess bunching around the hip and waist area are best to be avoided.

Avoid pleated pants-1

All of these details tend to lead to making an outfit look outdated and older.

Instead, stick with pants that are very minimal in silhouette and detailing.

Skip the pleats and stick to pants that offer a sleek look.

To really hone in on this tip you can even try seeking out pants options that are zipper-free for a truly sleek look.

Similar to the way well-fitting clothing shows your shape, pants that are sleek and don’t have a lot of those ‘extras’ will help tremendously in appearing younger.

Classic Pieces instead of Trends

Classic Pieces instead of Trends

Trends have always been known as short-lived styles that tend to cater to the super-young crowd.

Of course, this isn’t to say that you can’t ever wear trendy pieces, but it is to say that trends should be worn minimally when the goal is to look younger.

This may seem counterintuitive but the truth is wearing pieces that are geared toward younger age groups will make you look older than you are.

Instead of focusing heavily on trends, keep the majority of your wardrobe classic and sophisticated. Add in trend pieces here and there that really speak to your own personal style and personality for the perfect touch.

Minimally Accessorize

how to look younger

Building off of the concept mentioned with bold prints, accessories are another area of the wardrobe to keep on the minimal size to look younger.

While bold costume jewelry and accessories can be fun, anytime there are pieces that are very loud and bold you run the risk of them overwhelming the wearer and looking older.

If you’re an accessory lover this certainly doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with them, just air on the side of caution and try favoring minimalist designs.

Add Colors to your Wardrobe

Add Colors to your Wardrobe

Neutrals and darker hues are often favored by women everywhere because of how easy they make the dressing. While they’re something to keep in your wardrobe, don’t be afraid to embrace colors.

In fact, adding some color is a really great way to brighten your wardrobe AND brighten your appearance – helping you look younger wearing said colors.

If adding a lot of colorful garments to your wardrobe feels like a bit too much, try embracing color with things like accessories to get that little extra brightness to the look.

Purge Any Pieces that are Worn Out

It probably goes without saying that wearing clothes that look worn out have an affect on your own appearance, particularly in regards to age.

Make it a point to go through your closet every so often to purge any pieces that look worn, dated and are just overall past their prime.

Many style experts suggest doing a thorough closet clean out 1-2 times per year to keep your wardrobe fresh and tidy.

Make sure to pay close attention to colors as well. It’s no uncommon for colors to loose their vibrancy and for dark colors to look dingy.

Show Off Your Asset(s)

table of contents-Show Off Your Asset(s)

Revive your style and look years younger by embracing your assets.

This can be a tricky one for women but we all have an area(s) that we can bring more focus towards. Whether you have great legs, arms, etc.

Find ways to begin dressing in a way that really shows these areas of the body off in a tasteful manner. Contrary to what many women believe, covering up your entire body isn’t necessary as we get older.

Show off those assets!

Of course, you can do so in a way that is still age-appropriate because showing too much can have a negative effect.

For example: if you want to show off your lean legs wear slim-fit pants or a dress that rests just above the knee. These are both options that will show your legs that don’t include an ultra mini-length skirt.

Avoid Oversized Silhouettes

Avoid Oversized Silhouettes-1

While there’s a lot of ’90s influence in fashion right now with oversized silhouettes being just about everywhere, they aren’t the most age-friendly options.

Any clothing that’s oversized in its silhouette runs the risk of aging the wearer.

To put it simply, these styles look frumpy rather than trendy as we get older. Instead of these trendy silhouettes, it’s best to stick to garments that are more classic in their silhouette.

In general, it’s always more flattering to the body and age-wise to opt for clothing that fits closer to the body showing more shape.

Avoid Outdated Shoes

Avoid Outdated Shoes-1

Another major area that can age you? Shoes!

While a lot of people feel like shoes don’t play a big role in style because they don’t take up as much space on the body, they can make or break an entire look.

Outdated shoe styles, in particular, can instantly age you.

This isn’t to say that trendy shoe styles are necessary, in fact that isn’t really the best route to go either. Rather, sticking with more classic shoe styles is always going to be the best bet that ensures they aren’t aging you.

While on the topic of shoes, try steering clear of any shoes that are very bulky. These shoe styles weigh down the body and can also play a role in appearing frumpy. Keep shoes simple and classic.

Avoid Hanging On to Outdated Clothing

Avoid Hanging On to Outdated Clothing-1

It’s not always easy getting rid of clothes you love and may have had for a long time.

However, this is a tried and true way to look older.

In fact, many style experts suggest it’s a mistake many women make – holding onto clothing that’s past its prime and outdated.

Dressing extremely trendy isn’t necessary, it’s really just about keeping your wardrobe updated and avoiding holding onto anything that’s worn out or looks like it was ultra trendy in the past.

Hello there! My name is Chi Li, 5'2", author of "The Petite Style Bible" . Petite Dressing is an online petite clothing store and fashion blog for to help all women to understand their body shape and dress accordingly to look confident and chic. Start here if you are new. Click here to watch me on Youtube.

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Comments

  1. Rachel says

    January 22, 2022 at 12:52 pm

    I’m 69, and I want to find petite clothing that is my age appropriate.

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