Over-50 Style – skirt length

How high should you go?

by Lynda E. Jean

Pencil skirt at the knee: the most flattering

The beauty of getting older is that we have matured, lived life, and can usually laugh at the things that used to embarrass us. The down side is that our bodies are forever changing. Menopause, bearing children and hormonal changes can – and do – wreak havoc.

Even though we may eat less and exercise, somehow we look different from our 21-year old selves. Fear not, because the trick to dressing strategically and looking like you still have the youthful shape you once had can easily be achieved.

Our body shapes and proportions are genetic, meaning we have no control over our height, bone structure and predisposition to gain or lose weight. The better we know and understand our body, the more empowered we feel, and the more able to work with it strategically. Getting your skirt length right is simple if you follow these pointers.

6 ways to choose skirt length

1. The best skirt/dress lengths should end either at the top of the knee or the bottom of the knee.
2. Never break up the knee.
3. If you are petite  (5’4” or less), you will appear taller with the shorter length.
4. If you have short legs in proportion to the rest of your body, then the shorter length will also give the illusion of longer legs because you are showing more leg.
5. Another tactic for appearing taller and slimmer is to keep your skirts more narrow than wide.
6. Skirts above the knees should only be worn for sports or very casual attire.

Shifting the emphasis

(The photos are from Oprah.com, styled by Oprah’s stylist, Kelly.) The picture on the far left emphasizes how a break in our body draws the eye to it. This particular woman hated her ankles, and was attempting to hide them by wearing dark socks and shoes. What she created was the exact opposite. After her make over, she is exposing her legs by wearing neutral hose that cover her knees. Her legs are barely noticeable, because her upper body is dressed in colours and styles that enhance her natural look. The brown and gold colour choices work with her warm complexion and the animal print compliments her personality. Not only does she look attractive and taller, but also sexy! She is strategically dressed so that our eyes focus on her face and upper body. This is an excellent example of how we can optimize our best features by using the best colours for our complexion and the best styles for our body shape, proportion, and personality.

(Next time, hiding an expanding midriff)

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