This is EXACTLY how you should be wearing bling if you're over 50 - sparkles, ... trends now
Here’s something that you don’t often see when the daffodils are out: sparkly clothes.
I mean proper ‘it could be Christmas’ levels of shimmer and shine: dustings of crystals on sweaters and jackets; tweedy fabrics threaded with lurex and sequins; metallic satin tailoring … and all before you get on to eveningwear.
These are clothes meant for every-day wear — the office, lunch with friends, a weekend trip. You can wear them in the evening, of course, but they’re not to be put away for that special event and this is no fringe trend intended for the clubbing twenty-somethings.
To prove the point, last week in Zara I counted no fewer than seven sparkly jackets, from a round-collared cardigan style in textured sequin fabric (£79.99, zara.com) to a cropped silver jacket appliqued with clusters of sequins (£109) and a shimmery gunmetal blazer (£69.99).
In store, these jackets were hanging on the rail with loose leg jeans, lest you should be in any doubt that this is not a party look.
Summer sparkle: Michael Kors sent models down the runway in shiny gold miniskirts and matching handbags
The message: the shortcut to smart casual this spring/summer is a dash of sparkle.
But is it really for us? Absolutely. Because we’re in the middle of an everyday classics moment, and there are only so many of those you can take before you start craving an injection of something less subtle.
Shiny separates work because they’re different, yet they won’t alter the DNA of a smart minimal look in the way, say, a bright print would. And they introduce another texture into the mix. Always good.
More importantly, a dash of bling is a midlife woman’s best friend.
Instead of wearing a white shirt under a jacket try a fine knit foil Zara sweater (£22.99) or a cropped jacket with light-reflecting threads to wear with your jeans, and you instantly look brighter.
Simply mix some shine in with the clothes you always wear. Swap one plain, everyday item — a jacket, perhaps, or a knitted top — for its sparkly or slightly
