Women reach their “style crossroads” at 40, while men start to find clothes shopping trickier at 37, according to research.
A poll found respondents identify these ages as the stage in their lives when they feel they had to “dress their age” and ditch garments they would have previously worn.
The findings showed that the average 35-to-44-year-old spends £321 on clothing a year – more than any other age group.
But around one fifth of items bought stay in the wardrobe, never to be worn.
The findings suggest this is because of uncertainty about how “old” clothing looks.
More than 40 percent of respondents said it was “hard” to keep up with clothing trends the older they got.
Anita Naik, lifestyle editor at VoucherCodes, which commissioned the poll, said: “For many of us, what we wear is very much part of our identity and how we want to be perceived by others.
“You’d assume that by the time you reach your late 30s you’ve got your style down to a tee, but how we want to be perceived can change as we get older.
“The results suggest we become a little more subtle with our style as we get older – making us less likely to commit fashion faux pas.”
South West News Service
