I wanted to focus on building a fall capsule wardrobe for women over 40 this week. There seems to be an outdated mindset that once women reach a certain age they should dress a specific way. Or better yet, stop dressing a specific way.
Why though?
As someone who is turning 45 next week, I find it very disheartening to see other women over 40 talking about what women their age should and should not be wearing.
And labelling you as unclassy or not age appropriate if you do wear anything outside of their pre-conceived ideals on how women of a certain age must dress.
It comes across as elitist, ageist, and quite honestly, obnoxious.
We need to do better.
So this week I wanted to talk to you about wearing what you want, not denying yourself things you like because you have been told you are too old to wear it.
That’s ridiculous.
I watched a video about what women over 40 shouldn’t be wearing and I was so disappointed in the comments of those agreeing and throwing around words like trashy and classless.
It just feels like another excuse to talk bad about women who you think are less than because they don’t dress in your approved manner.
Just because you don’t like it, or you wouldn’t wear it does not make it wrong if others do.
Your personal style is personal.
Shocking right? It is fine-tuned to your preferences with things you like, don’t like, and what makes you feel your best.
It should not be influenced by what someone else told you that you should or shouldn’t wear because that is their opinion about that particular item based on their tastes and style.
It has nothing to do with age.
I am sure a lot of you won’t like my choices for this wardrobe or my wardrobe in general, and that is okay.
You need to tweak it so it works for you because that is how developing personal style works.
When I started not to care about what others thought, my style developed more strongly.
So I am granting you permission to let go of the need for others’ approval. It is not worth it.
Be your individualistic badass self.
A 12 Piece Fall Capsule Wardrobe for Women Over 40
Floral Shirt | Jeans | Burgundy Boots | Clutch | Vintage Fringe Jacket | White Flats | Turtleneck | Loafers | Green Bag | Brown Trousers | Navy Blue Sweater | Belt | Leather Skirt | Oversized Sweater | Denim Shirt | Pendant Necklace | Black Blouse | Cardigan | Sneakers | Sunglasses | Earrings | Black Boots | Burgundy Tote | Grey Trousers
What are the best fall and winter trends?
What I want to do is break it down for you into pieces that I feel make a well-rounded capsule wardrobe, but I also want to talk about using trends to integrate into it.
I believe that you don’t have to follow trends to have style, but if you do want to maintain an up-to-date wardrobe that includes trends then you need to pay attention to which ones you are drawn to.
Chasing all the trends is expensive, but also if you are busy focusing and worrying about being on trend all the time then you end up losing focus on what your personal style really is at its core.
So what I am doing is I am going to list out a handful of some of the fall and winter 2024 fashion trends that I think are the easiest to implement, but also have longevity.
Cuffed Denim
A great pair of jeans is something that I recommend. One pair that will be a wardrobe workhorse for you. Traditionally fall fashion veers towards dark denim but I feel a lighter wash both stands out in this season and work all year.
Cuffed denim is really in right now and this pair can be double cuffed, single cuffed, or left uncuffed making them really versatile. One pair of jeans with three looks.
Green and Burgundy
While we are seeing a lean towards olive green this season, we saw a huge variation across the shows at fashion week. So there is a green for everyone in warm or cool tones.
Also, I absolutely love this green handbag. It has such a Y2K sporty feel and I wanted to buy it, but I just got a green one and unfortunately don’t need another.
I just bought this slip dress today thoughwhich is a darker moss green. It also has a sheer lace insert which is about as much as I will do with the sheer skirt trend.
Pick and choose your trends my friends, or alter them more to your tastes.
Red is still going strong but fall is veering towards darker merlot colours. I love burgundy. My favourite colour of Docs is the oxblood colour and was my first pair in 1991.
The actual trend is a burgundy handbag, but we are seeing burgundy trickle down into every facet of fashion.
It has such depth and is a decadent colour. To me, because it is so dark versus a vibrant red, I almost feel like you can use it like a neutral.
Leather
We are seeing an influx of both real and faux leather pieces that aren’t just focused on jackets and bags. I am talking head-to-toe leather pieces in reds, blues, browns, and greens.
While the tried and true black leather is never out, coloured leather is very in.
Chloe
Yes the brand.
It had what was probably the most impactful show of the last season and because of this we can say boho is back.
Not the boho of floral dresses and Birkenstocks, but the romantic, and indulgent boho of the 70s. Think in terms of Stevie Nicks with the flowing dresses, diaphanous blouses, and fringe.
Fringe is also a trend on its own so it’s sort of two birds with one stone with this particular trend. I found my fringe suede jacket on Etsy last year, and it is a vintage 70s in chocolate brown.
If the 70s is one of your style adjectives then Chloe will inspire you.
Try billowing dresses that are soft and romantic, chunky accessories, lace details, oversized knitwear, and tailored coats.
Like this dress at H&M.
I adopted this vibe with my oversized knit choice which is technically a mini sweater dress, and the full leather skirt, brown, green, and burgundy hues, oversized sunglasses.
Or you could do a Chloe bag.
Double Denim
Or triple denim, or head-to-toe denim. This season is all about building a denim look. I went with more of a matchy denim in the top and bottom.
This look is both classic yet modern and works well when you build it with layers and colour, like a roll neck underneath, or colourful shoes and accessories.
Animal Print
This isn’t animal print in the Mob Wide aesthetic of last season, it is just a more of an embrace of animal print in all aspects of your look.
You can do as much or as little as you like, and it isn’t just big cat prints we are favouring, it is all animal prints like snake and zebra as well.
I have two vintage animal print coats, one is sleeker and better suited for fall, while the other is heavier faux fur and works well in the colder months.
Shop vintage first because they have fantastic jackets if you are in the market for one.
With this, I went with a hybrid animal print clutch. You could also do shoes if you are looking for a smaller way to try it out.
So those are a handful of some trends I believe are good choices this season.
A few smaller ones that I wanted to mention are barrel-leg denim which is still kicking, cardigans of different shapes and sizes, colourful sneakers, and pointy-toe shoes in both flats and boots.
Another small one worth mentioning is the Khaite Benny Belt is having a moment and if you’re like me and don’t spend $600 on something like a belt, then both Massimo Dutti and Madewell have a version that looks a lot like it.
This is an area where I highly encourage you to save the money. Most of us are not in an income bracket for a $600 belt.
I have some fall outfit ideas below that are also built from this capsule.
And please remember, style is a form of self-expression that shouldn’t be limited by age.
Easy Fall Outfits For Women Over 40
Floral Shirt | Jeans | Burgundy Boots | Clutch | Vintage Fringe Jacket | White Flats | Turtleneck | Loafers | Green Bag | Brown Trousers | Navy Blue Sweater | Belt | Leather Skirt | Oversized Sweater | Denim Shirt | Pendant Necklace | Black Blouse | Cardigan | Sneakers | Sunglasses | Earrings | Black Boots | Burgundy Tote | Grey Trousers
You might also like:
A 12 Piece Minimalist Fall Capsule Wardrobe
A 12 Piece 90s Minimalist Fall Capsule Wardrobe 2024
A 12 Piece Transitional Capsule Wardrobe
A 12 Piece Minimalist Summer Capsule Wardrobe
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As a soon-to-be 44-year-old, I approve of this capsule, this message, and these “trends” because, honey, I’ve been dressing this way in some iteration or another for the past 20 years! My style has always been a little vintage (lace, Western fringe, Gunne Sax dresses), a nod to punk/alternative (give me the animal print & leather, the Vivienne Westwood & Alexander McQueen), and during the summer I love looking like I’m on a tropical vacation (embroidery, linen, muumuus, & sundresses). I almost always buy clothing in natural fabrics (for comfort and elevation of the look). This is my aesthetic and that’s not gonna change no matter how old I get. As long as I can pull it off, I think this style recipe will only get better with age (and I don’t care what the kids or the old-heads say; if I love it, I’m gonna rock it). Thanks for sharing this message with the world, Sara, and keep up the good work!
Thank you Parisah! Your style sounds fabulous and kudos to knowing it so well. It makes things so much easier once you get to that point. – Sara
Yay Sara for speaking up – I’m also in the age 45 club and your voice is so inspiring! Dressing unapologetically, no matter what age you are is that empowering message I want to hear and I’m glad to be able to recognize and celebrate myself here in your space. Thank you for you!
PS loving the color combo of those sneakers 😉
Thank you Rebecca, I really appreciate it. And yes, the colour of the sneakers is so good. I love adding colour through fun footwear. – Sara