10 Tips for Looking Fabulous Over 40

Middle age isn't what it used to be. Women in their 40's and 50's these days are as healthy and attractive as their mothers were at 30 - and many women aren't afraid to show it off. The good news is that some of the biggest fashion trends of this next year are reported to be perfectly suitable for older women. Although there will be plenty to choose from, style experts caution women to pursue a look that's stylish and even sexy, as long as they know where to draw the line.

"For a woman over 40, that is such a jewel of a time to express the different parts of herself," says Brenda Kinsel, 53, a fashion expert and author of 40 Things Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Know About Getting Dressed. "Women over 40 can look nothing short of fantastic every day."

Here are 10 tips she offers for looking fabulous:

1. Stick to the "half and half" rule.
"If you're doing something fuller, bigger and less form-fitting, do it only on half of your body and have the other half be trim," she says. Billowy fabrics from head to toe fool no one and make you look bigger than you actually are. A look Kinsel recommends is a strong, tailored, straight-legged pair of pants with a looser, flowing jacket. Add a tangle of long necklaces and a sexy shoe, and you have a flattering look that is anything but dowdy.

2. Go for small doses of generous cuts.
Kinsel likes Chico's and Eileen Fisher for easy-fitting pieces, but she recommends wearing both "in small doses." Head-to-toe looks from either line can look "matronly," Kinsel warns. "I like taking one piece and putting it with other clothes. I don't like a head-to-toe Chico's look," she says. "Women have to be smart shoppers. They have to wade through the fashion for that age zone. "There are some vendors who are more generous with cuts and shapes and not trying to fit a 12-year-old body. But you have to be careful not to get too carried away with that, because you can lose your shape and definition with that look.

3. Get out of your rut.
Kinsel also tells her clients not to limit themselves to their regular haunts when shopping for clothes. "When I shop with clients in a department store, I am shopping at least three different departments to put her in an outfit, because I want a mix. I want the things that flatter her body and her shape, but I also want her to have a little verve."

4. Remember the L word.
If your body is less than perfect — and whose isn't? — Lycra is your friend. "When you add Lycra to a fabric, that is your saving grace," she says.

5. Shop designers, then cheat.
Kinsel likes Elie Tahari, Theory, Anne Klein, Max Mara and Ellen Tracy. Even if you can't afford designer clothes, Kinsel recommends becoming familiar with the cuts and fabrics of high-quality clothing so you can spot the best knockoffs in less-expensive stores. One of her all-time favorite purchases is a store-brand jacket that's a dead ringer for Prada. "There's more value for your money when you shop that way," she says.

6. Show off your best asset.
Kinsel says women need to "stop focusing on what they feel doesn't work" about their bodies and start thinking about what they like. "If you have great legs and broad shoulders, stop worrying about the darn shoulders and focus on those legs," she says. "Put the most money on the thing that is going to flatter the most." Women waste time and money hiding what they don't like about their bodies instead of investing in clothes that will highlight their best features. "Somebody can be totally fretting about their waistline, and someone is looking at them across the room thinking, 'I would do anything to have legs like that.' Let's stop with the negative and focus on the positive."

7. Don't pay attention to sizes.
Focus on fit. "Good-fitting clothes make you look like a million bucks," she says. "I have seen designer suits that look terrible on a woman because the sleeves are too long; it's not fitting her body properly." Kinsel says a recent client showed off an Armani suit, and "it looked like something she got at a discount store because it was so ill-fitting." And don't buy a size smaller and say you'll diet down into it. "You can't put fashion on hold. You have to jump into the water in whatever bathing suit you're in," she says. And if something needs to be altered, do it right away.

8. Pay attention to your shoes.
Good shoes and quality handbags make your whole outfit look better. And make sure you have the right accessories for each outfit. If you find a great shoe, Kinsel says, "look for a bag right away that blends with it. It doesn't have to match, but find a bag that blends, so every time you wear those shoes you have a complete look. "Nothing looks worse than the cute spring shoe with a winter handbag."

9. Study fashion magazines.
Learning about what's in and the latest trends will train your eye and help you update your own look without losing your sense of style.

10. Add color.
"Introducing a new color into your life is like taking on a lover," Kinsel says. "If a woman has been doing the same old thing year after year and suddenly she discovers orange or hot pink, it can make her look five years younger."