Dress to impress for festive celebrations whatever your age

As the lines blur around what is considered to be ‘age appropriate’, older women with the party season in their sights are combing classic styles with on-trend accessories, says Margaret Jennings            

WITH four weeks left to Christmas Day and even fewer to get ready for the actual party season, the older woman can remain cool, calm and collected — unlike the younger version of herself who in times past was probably in a tizzy by this stage.

While fashion experts all agree that the lines have become blurred about what “age appropriate” means any more, most mature women do know that trying to zip themselves into a tight golden sequinned micro mini might send Santa Claus fleeing back up the chimney with a scary look on his face, rather than charming him into a mistletoe kiss.