I think it is horrible to even say that at this age you should/should not wear this…it is about your personality/style/and whether you feel CONFIDENT in what you are wearing. Confidence is the most important–if you feel good in what you wear and it is flattering, forget age! Just stick with what “works!”

I also realize that much of what she said in the article was geared toward workplace clothing…no matter WHAT age you are, things like flip flops, club tops, etc. are horribly unprofessional! I think a better use for that article would be to change the focus to “what not to wear to work” and scrap the age garbage altogether!!

Any pattern, floral or not, dates more quickly than a plain garment, so if you want to get more wear from your clothes, buy plain fabrics as they will have a longer lifespan in your wardrobe.

I have never been a big floral person, but I do have a few 2-color graphic floral skirts I like to wear with solid knit tops and that formula works nicely for me. I don’t think I’ll ever wear a long floral dress again, but I know I should never say never!

and Jennifer - that goes for you too … except the part about being 20. lol

Which really is not true at all - I understand that once you get older, you shouldn’t dress like a little girl. And we women, sadly, criticize each other’s outfits all the time, no matter the age. But from the tone of the post… throw out this, throw out that, don’t be caught wearing this… I really had this impending sense of doom!

In any case, I was also surprised to see some of the things she listed for that list, particularly by the long dress, since I wear this kind of dress to church quite often. Nowhere else though! And always with some sort of cardigan/blazer/button-down on top. I think Sheri is right - you wouldn’t wear that dress to the office, but you could to church or other places as appropriate.

But it’s also true that this model just made the dress work it for her. I honestly shouldn’t wear that style, because I’m short. and it’s crucial that the dress fits well (it is so easy for long dresses to look frumpy).

The lingerie tip threw me off too - I thought that buying good lingerie is an investment and practical advice at any age.

All in all, the post made me really sad, because if I were 30 I really would have to throw out half my wardrobe. Not good for the environment/my wallet either.

I think there’s a place in an authoritative businesswoman’s wardrobe for a longish, more floaty dress, though in my world that place is often called “Sunday brunch.” Whether little calico prints look good depends A LOT on the wearer — I can only wear black-background prints that are fairly bold, so you won’t mistake me for Laura Ingalls.

But my longer flowered dress is (thanks to its structured cut) considerably more businesslike than the above-the-knee, shoulder-baring “effortless frocks” that are all the rage these days. And if I wanted to wear a sheath, as the ladies suggest, I’d have to go for nylons or more structured undergarments, which in Phoenix’s 110-degree summers removes the point of wearing a dress at all.

Do I sound crankier and more emphatic than usual? I think I’m with Vildy on being off-put by the tone of the Ladies Who Dictate Age-Appropriate Attire. Maybe I’ve been corrupted by living in a city where shorts, a black t-shirt, and a tattoo are ALWAYS appropriate. (I don’t have the tattoo!)