As your body, face and lifestyle change over the decades, your fashion choices also need to keep up. The dresses you wore when you were twenty and thirty, simply don’t work now that you’re forty-plus. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While tight and short dresses are definitely out of question, there are still ways you can look as fabulous and sexy as you always did. The only thing you need to do is pick age-appropriate dresses and wear them in a way that flatters your body. If you don’t know where to start, here are some great tips on choosing casual dresses for middle aged woman like yourself.

Choose Styles that Aren’t too Clingy

A good tip for mature women is to avoid everything that’s too tight and constricting. Not only is it distasteful and inappropriate, but it can look unflattering on your body. And let’s face it, we no longer have the will power to run around all day long in tight dresses. With that being said, now is the perfect time to look for casual dresses for middle aged woman with looser shapes and draping elements. In fact, casual dresses that drape create vertical lines which can make you seem taller and give you a very flattering silhouette. However, if you’re on the petite side, be careful to avoid overly baggy and shapeless clothes as they can age you.

Add a Youthful Vibe with Asymmetric Designs

Since asymmetric dresses differ a lot from “normal” clothes, they are perfect if you want to stand out in an unusual but stylish way. Through an asymmetric dress, you can bring a more youthful vibe to your outfits without looking like you’re trying too much. If you’re brave and like to experiment, I even suggest creating a layered look by wearing an asymmetric dress as a top over skinny jeans. And just like draped dresses, asymmetric dresses also create vertical lines along your body which help make you look slimmer and taller.

Embrace Prints

Whether it’s your neck, legs or arms, like any woman, I’m sure there’s some part of your body that you feel self-conscious about. And as a result, you’re more likely to stick to particular types of dresses, like for instance dresses with long sleeves, turtle-necks, or floor-length styles. However, there’s a trick that can allow you to wear any kind of dress without worrying that it reveals a problematic area. Prints! Whether you opt for floral or animal prints, printed dresses can be very effective in drawing attention to themselves and away from the other parts of your body. What’s more, dark prints can have a magical belly-hiding ability. While a printed dress works great on its own, when combined with a monochromatic blazer or a cardigan, your tummy will be 100% invisible.