Dressing well in your 30s

How to Change Your Wardrobe When You Hit Thirty

You have been playing around with your personal style for a few years by the time you hit thirty, but you may not know everything yet. Fashion experiments that go wrong cannot be as readily forgiven when you are old enough to know better. Here are some tips on how to sort out your wardrobe to dress well for your age when you are in your thirties.

Jeans that fit

By your third decade, you should have your weekend look sorted. You should not be wearing baggy tracksuit pants in your downtime; you want to look relaxed but still respectable. Jeans are an easy solution. Crucially, your jeans need to fit well and provide a flattering shape. Go to a proper jeans store (as opposed to a clothing store that just happens to have a few pairs of jeans), and find a cut that suits you well. Make a note of the style so you can just buy a new pair, identical to the original, every time they wear out and need to be replaced.

Get into polo shirts

When dressing casually, you may be used to pulling on a tee shirt to sort out your top half. A far more classic look is to go for a polo shirt instead. Polo shirts are casual and comfortable, but the addition of a collar makes for a smarter look.

Get a man-bag

You have thirty years of baggage. You need something to carry it all around in. If you need to carry around documents or other bulky items, invest in a quality leather man-bag. You are far too old to be using a backpack. While we are talking leather, you should also have a decent sized leather wallet.

Transition from work to play

You will have a good collection of work-wear if you have an office job that requires fairly smart dressing. To get the most out of your wardrobe, you will want transitional pieces that can take you from the office to the bar or a dinner date. Think blazers, skinny ties, and subtly textured shirts.

Ditch your college sweatshirts

You have accumulated a lifetime of tee shirts and hooded sweatshirts for events you?ve attended and groups you have been part of. Your hoodies may be insanely comfortable, but it shows that you are past your prime when you are wearing a tattered jacket emblazoned with ?band camp 2005?. Cull as much as you can, and box up any treasured items you cannot bear to part with. You do not need to wear your memories.

Don?t dress poor

You may have thought you would be a millionaire by thirty, but life did not quite turn out that way. Nobody else has to know; you can still dress like a millionaire by paying attention to the minutiae of your outfit. Turf out anything that is starting to look faded or threadbare. White clothes that have stains, particularly of the yellow variety, need to be banished. Iron your clothes, polish your shoes, tuck in anything that is meant to be tucked, and groom yourself neatly. This will help you attain a respectable look, which is what you are angling for as an adult.