when should you leave behind your style and buy suits and dress shoes? im 23 by the way

 When you finish school, so around twenty-three to twenty-five. This is part-time, of course - your style should still apply to social outings in the evening. It isn't until around your mid-thirties where your style should be left behind. At this point, it's likely outdated anyway - and dressing like a teenager in your thirties is pretty strange.

That's what I've observed.

My opinion, though, is that your style should never be left behind. Stay true to yourself and have fun.

I would focus on dressing appropriate for the situation rather than age. 'Suits and dress shoes' are situational attire. Figure is also a factor. Madonna may be 'too old' according to convention to wear what she wears but she looks good in it, so who cares?

Ugg, what profession are you in that you are stuck with wearing suits and dress shoes endlessly? Editors are expected to be rather more casual most of the time, thankfully.

I don't think style is something you "leave behind." It's more something you adapt as you need to. I don't wear the same thing to an interview that I do to a party. But I still manage to be me either way. Similarly, as you age, you alter your style somewhat so that it remains flattering, but it doesn't have to disappear.

I dunno, it doesn't really bother me. I'm 28, and I manage to be age-appropriate - and yet distinctively hipster/andro/queer. Maybe it helps that my preferred style is a bit dressed up? Andro fashion tends towards that anyway. On the other hand I do keep sticking bits of metal into my body so... *shrug*.

To quote my favouritest website: "you do you."

When should you stop? Never! Why should you? Of course there are certain times such as a formal party or work related situation where one would have to dress appropriately, but thats more about occasion than age.

Quote from: Elsa.G on July 26, 2012, 12:49:32 AM
when should you leave behind your style and buy suits and dress shoes? im 23 by the way

I'm twice your age and I don't wear suits and dress shoes unless I was going for an interview.

Quote from: Forum Admin on July 26, 2012, 12:59:20 AM
I would focus on dressing appropriate for the situation rather than age. 'Suits and dress shoes' are situational attire. Figure is also a factor. Madonna may be 'too old' according to convention to wear what she wears but she looks good in it, so who cares?

Absolutely! and Madonna is not that much older than I am. Thank you for your analogy.

I think you dress for the situation. As long as you are comfortable and feel good and 'fit in' in the broadest sense of the term, well that is fine.

Wearing a clown costume to a funeral may not be appropriate, but then I went to a funeral were it was stipulated that people shroud wear bizarre and strange and funny clothes.

Modern fashion doesn't really dictate anything.

I conduct a lot of job interviews or I am on panels involved in them. Appropriate dress is noted, but to be honest cleanliness and good grooming is far higher on the observation and nasal scale than clothing, as long as it is neat and clean.

If you are female and running male dominated committees it is a little important to wear good modern clothing without looking too sexy. Guys get distracted very easily, but you can use that to your advantage as long as you are professional and totally none bimbo.

Sorry if this is sexist but dominant professional well dressed females do have an advantage in negotiations with guys who haven't learned the ropes 

But clothes are fun, so wear what you want.

I will never surrender

My wife is 63 and I get to choose all her clothes. She would choose something very dowdy, if I let her "because of my age, mutton, lamb etc" but I choose stuff for her that she looks good in and... she looks great. 

My daughter is 33 and frequently laments that she wants my wife's clothes but it's more likely that I'll steal them as we're the same size.

Having said that if you're into teenage grunge you should give that up as soon as possible

As soon as you finish school, unless you're lucky, there's a fairly high chance that a division will appear between your favourite / normal clothes and your work clothes.

However, outside of that, remember that there's an age-appropriate version of pretty much every style and (almost) every age, or so I think.

All I can say is **** that noise, when I'm dead and burned.

I think this topic is a bit ageist. Older people can have style, its not just something for the young.

That's not really the point. Older people can have style, too, but something more sober is expected of them. Older adults who dress like teenagers will be seen as immature. For example, punk people might ditch the mohawk, wood glue made, coloured spikes for more subtle colourful highlights. Skater-like people might add an open button shirt over their favourite t-shirt, etc.

Everyone can have a style, but denying the influence of age on it isn't very wise, if you ask me. And no matter what reason says, sometimes a very bold look can look "daring but cool" on a young woman, but give the very same outfit to that person's mother, and it easily becomes silly-looking.

Not to mention that having grown up at different times, many older people's sense of a cool, youthful look is quite off. I'm not saying I'm any better, but a surprisingly high proportion of adults have their 80's or 90's or whatever look in mind and still think it looked okay. Well, I say that, but in 2020, my notion of "stylish" might become awful too.

I think that I feel somewhere between this:

Quote from: Cindy James on July 26, 2012, 04:13:11 AM
I think you dress for the situation

and this:

Quote from: Assoluta on July 26, 2012, 02:29:14 AM
Never!

I'd say it mostly leans to the latter though

Quote from: A on July 26, 2012, 09:12:53 AM
That's not really the point. Older people can have style, too, but something more sober is expected of them. Older adults who dress like teenagers will be seen as immature. For example, punk people might ditch the mohawk, wood glue made, coloured spikes for more subtle colourful highlights. Skater-like people might add an open button shirt over their favourite t-shirt, etc.

Everyone can have a style, but denying the influence of age on it isn't very wise, if you ask me.

Everyone should adhere to age appropriate, even the teenagers. But the title of the topic suggests that that your style and age appropriate are two distinctly different things. Someone in their early twenties should have already stopped dressing like a teenager to be honest but it doesn't mean your style has to be sacrificed in favor of dowdiness.

the clothes I wear don't really have an age thing to them., someone who is a third my age could get away with wearing it just as someone older than me can get away with it so long as they have some sort of decent figure. I see more variation in style due to weight than age to be honest.

Quote from: A on July 26, 2012, 09:12:53 AM
That's not really the point. Older people can have style, too, but something more sober is expected of them. Older adults who dress like teenagers will be seen as immature. For example, punk people might ditch the mohawk, wood glue made, coloured spikes for more subtle colourful highlights. Skater-like people might add an open button shirt over their favourite t-shirt, etc.

Everyone can have a style, but denying the influence of age on it isn't very wise, if you ask me. And no matter what reason says, sometimes a very bold look can look "daring but cool" on a young woman, but give the very same outfit to that person's mother, and it easily becomes silly-looking.

Not to mention that having grown up at different times, many older people's sense of a cool, youthful look is quite off. I'm not saying I'm any better, but a surprisingly high proportion of adults have their 80's or 90's or whatever look in mind and still think it looked okay. Well, I say that, but in 2020, my notion of "stylish" might become awful too.

i dont see  whats wrong with having mohawk and or coloured hair when your 60 , i know a lot of older  goths/punks

people are way to obssesed with conforming to whats " normal" instead of just doing what they want

Because the themes behind a mohawk evoke all but seriousness, maturity and reliability, and whilst rebel-ish things are okay and frequent in younger people, someone who's 60 and still doesn't look serious is going to fall lower in people's esteems.

Quote from: Jennifer.L on July 26, 2012, 06:27:56 AM
All I can say is **** that noise, when I'm dead and burned.

I love you, Jennifer!  You are the bee's knees!


I'm 47 years old, and I love my waist length pink/blue/purple/jet black/turquoise/burgundy hair!  My navel is pierced.  My nose is pierced.  I have a brand new tattoo over my heart.  I intend to get another tattoo on my back later this month.  I love beautiful high heel shoes, short skirts, low tops, bright nails sometimes in unusual colors, bright contact lenses in different colors, glamorous makeup, bright lips, excessively long bangs, each ear is pierced 4 times, I wear a lot of rings on my fingers, and I don't give a hoot what other 47 year olds are wearing.


I've said this before: I am a 47 year old long-time transitioned trans woman; if I cared what other people think about me, then I'd probably still be that miserable man that I use to pretend to be.  I'm not havin' it!  My spouse thinks I look great, and she LOVES my style.  As a competitive pool player, I am frequently on display, bent over a pool table, with lots of people watching me clear the table with my hot pink pool cue. 


I've got it... I'm flaunting it.


Looky here, I work in a conservative office environment... I work for the Catholic Church.  I'm good at what I do, and I'm super happy and smiling nearly all the time.  I'm comfortable in my own skin and people pick up on my confidence.  The nuns and priests that I work with get use to my style; they enjoy my energy and my colorful pizazz roaming the halls.  In my office I sit on a big inflated purple ball at my desk.  Sister Judith often says when she introduces me to visitors, "This is Miharu; she is our office flair."  The nuns see me and they can't help but smile.  Many of them have to come up and pet my beautiful pink hair everytime they see me.


I'll give up the pink hair when I'm darn good and ready... when I'm darn good and ready is when it's appropriate for me to change my style... and not a minute before!


Hugs!
Miharu

Quote from: A on August 04, 2012, 09:18:00 PM
Because the themes behind a mohawk evoke all but seriousness, maturity and reliability, and whilst rebel-ish things are okay and frequent in younger people, someone who's 60 and still doesn't look serious is going to fall lower in some people's esteems.

I usually don't do this, but I added a word in bold to make this a more accurate comment.

Quote from: Miharu Barbie on August 04, 2012, 09:22:02 PM
I love you, Jennifer!  You are the bee's knees!


I'm 47 years old, and I love my waist length pink/blue/purple/jet black/turquoise/burgundy hair!  My navel is pierced.  My nose is pierced.  I have a brand new tattoo over my heart.  I intend to get another tattoo on my back later this month.  I love beautiful high heel shoes, short skirts, low tops, bright nails sometimes in unusual colors, bright contact lenses in different colors, glamorous makeup, bright lips, excessively long bangs, each ear is pierced 4 times, I wear a lot of rings on my fingers, and I don't give a hoot what other 47 year olds are wearing.


I've said this before: I am a 47 year old long-time transitioned trans woman; if I cared what other people think about me, then I'd probably still be that miserable man that I use to pretend to be.  I'm not havin' it!  My spouse thinks I look great, and she LOVES my style.  As a competitive pool player, I am frequently on display, bent over a pool table, with lots of people watching me clear the table with my hot pink pool cue. 


I've got it... I'm flaunting it.


Looky here, I work in a conservative office environment... I work for the Catholic Church.  I'm good at what I do, and I'm super happy and smiling nearly all the time.  I'm comfortable in my own skin and people pick up on my confidence.  The nuns and priests that I work with get use to my style; they enjoy my energy and my colorful pizazz roaming the halls.  In my office I sit on a big inflated purple ball at my desk.  Sister Judith often says when she introduces me to visitors, "This is Miharu; she is our office flair."  The nuns see me and they can't help but smile.  Many of them have to come up and pet my beautiful pink hair everytime they see me.


I'll give up the pink hair when I'm darn good and ready... when I'm darn good and ready is when it's appropriate for me to change my style... and not a minute before!


Hugs!
Miharu

I love the attitude expressed here. It's much like mine, even if I am younger and a little more conservative in my appearance. I work in the finance sector, which is also a fairly conservative environment, but I don't entirely let it shape how I dress for work. And as far as out of work? I wear whatever I feel like wearing at the time.

Quote from: A on August 04, 2012, 09:18:00 PM
Because the themes behind a mohawk evoke all but seriousness, maturity and reliability, and whilst rebel-ish things are okay and frequent in younger people, someone who's 60 and still doesn't look serious is going to fall lower in people's esteems.

but do we shape our lives and how we live them to suit other peoples opinions ? if everyone did that why would anyone ever transition , im sure some people take trans people less seriously ?  people should dress how they want to make themselves happy

shes in her 50s now and still rocking the look she did in her 20s

well maybe not as extreme as this but she still could and look amazing