Three Tips to Avoid Looking Older and Outdated.

Contributed by The Hive Overland Park

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Looking stylish and feeling confident at any age is all about finding the right balance of comfort, fit, and personal style. We might be heading toward our golden years but we don't want to look like the Golden Girls! Many of us lean towards comfort and often sacrifice fit and style, making us look older and, lets be honest - frumpy! Part of middle-stage being fun is feeling and looking good in what we wear. There are no hard and fast rules but there are some dos and dont's. Here are three tips to avoid looking older and outdated:

Avoid disguising yourself with baggy clothes - Many of us tend to cover our figures in baggy clothes to hide those parts we don't want to stand out. Those well-meaning but shapeless garments just aren't flattering - they make us look frumpy. Instead, If there are areas you would like to deemphasize, then choose pieces that skim over the top of those areas. Try to bring in some definition to the shape of your clothes to highlight your best assets. If you want to wear something oversized, choose the top or the bottoms in a baggy style, but not both. This will help balance out your outfit in a more flattering way. For example, wear a baggy sweater with tight fitting pants, jeans or leggings. Or, wear wide-leg pants with a tighter fitting top and a blazer. A V-neck or scoop-neck top also helps compliment your outfit, making us look thinner and more youthful.

Mix it up! - mixing pattern, color and style can really bring an updated vibe to any wardrobe and make us look youthful - or at least a little more fun!
- Play with patterns - Try mixing and matching different patterns, like floral, polka dots, or stripes, to add a a little interest to your fit.
- Add bright colors - Small amounts of bright colors can add fun to an outfit and ward off the frumpy feel. For example, you can wear a colorful top, belt or scarf to brighten up your look.
- Mix styles - Wear pieces you already own in different ways. For example, you could pair a classic blazer with a graphic tee, a feminine dress with sneakers or a wide-leg trouser with a fitted sweatshirt for a contrast between mature and youthful elements.

Mind the accessories - Accessories can really make or break the outfit. Those chunky, plastic necklaces from the 80s, that we all have, are a no-go and make us look outdated. Instead, choose trendier, daintier jewelry such as layered gold necklaces, a simple chain with a small pendant or a modern pearl necklace. A cute handbag in a contrasting or complimentary color will also boost any outfit (see above).