Sometimes the best wardrobe advice is to avoid fashion trends you see in magazines and stores, says Kim Johnson Gross.
“They say 50 is the new 30, but some things are just inappropriate,” says the style expert, 53, who shares suggestions in a series of videos on About.com, such women’s magazines as More and the Chic Simple series of books.
“I don’t believing in buying into the trends when they are for your daughter and not you,” says Johnson Gross, “but that doesn’t mean you can’t refresh your look each season.”
She’s long been a proponent of the classics. “I believe in clothes that are cut well and have simple lines,” she says. “They are the things in your wardrobe that are timeless. And they can be worn with other items that are more trendy. It’s all a matter of having a sense of your life and your needs and then finding it.”
Classics can be recycled, too. This season, she pulled a 3-year-old velvet jacket out of her closet. “All of a sudden I can wear it with anything,” she says.
To keep your wardrobe fresh, go through your closet twice a year to “de-junk, assess and renew,” she says. “That should be your reality check. Last year you might have needed suits, but this year, your needs might be different.”
Weed out what you don’t like anymore and what doesn’t fit. “We tend to wear 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time, so if you haven’t reached for something in a year, it might be time to let it go,” she says.
If you’re in a rut, make an appointment with a personal shopper at a store that offers the service, or in a specialty boutique that will do the legwork for you. “I did this when I was looking for a pair of white jeans,” Johnson Gross says. “I literally tried on 19 pairs, and I’m an expert shopper. Most women would never do that on their own. A personal shopper can also have you try on things you wouldn’t have gone for. It’s good to be open to new ideas and styles.”
And don’t be afraid to ignore the trends coming from Seventh Avenue. “I think it’s really great when women get older and don’t care about the rules,” she says. “They develop their own look, whether it’s wearing art jewelry or bold colors.”
