There was a time when creases in one’s forehead or the odd grey hair were the tell-tale signs of encroaching middle age.
But now, believe it or not, one of the biggest giveaways you’re past it is your socks.
Not content with coming for our skinny jeans (RIP), youthful style arbiters now insist that ankle socks are chronically uncool – and don’t even think of reaching for your invisi-sock trainer liners, those tiny ones that can’t be seen at all. Shudder.
Now the only way to wear socks without looking totally passé is pulled up to mid-calf.
For extra style points, ribbed white sports styles should be worn over the top of leggings, á la young fashion icons Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner. Or team long socks with shorts and sandals.
As a 36-year-old fashion writer with a drawer full of ankle socks, I feel somewhat alarmed by this news. Your first instinct, like mine, might be to write this all off as the province of hip 20-somethings. Fashion is constantly evolving and no doubt short socks will be back sooner or later.
But there are advantages to looking up-to-date – not least, the fact that it really can take ten years off you with next to no effort. Rather a new pair of knee socks than a round of Botox.
And it’s not just socks. Everything from high-waisted jeans to half-tucking your T-shirt is now seen as mortifyingly outdated, with a proliferation of TikTok videos pronouncing them instant giveaways of their wearer’s age.
With that in mind, here are nine effortless ways to update your look… should you wish.
1. White trainers
Bright trainers have taken over from white trainers like these worn by Amanda Holden in 2020
Once the ultimate casual shoe that looked effortless with jeans and gave dresses the cool factor, white trainers are officially over. Instead, bright trainers in bold colours are the shoes to be seen in. Gen Z, those in their mid-teens to mid-20s, are going for super-chunky styles from Salomon and Hoka, but streamlined silhouettes from New Balance and Veja are easier to pull off.
As per Bottega Veneta’s cult Orbit trainer, green is particularly of-the-moment and will give a zesty lift to your summer denim and sundresses.
Ditch the old trend? Yes. White trainers always showed the dirt terribly, anyway.
2. Gold jewellery
Gold is so old, say the Gen Z stylists who have opted for all things silver
Despite the youthful glow that a pair of gold earrings helps bestow on one’s complexion, wearing your trusty 9ct hoops could now see you being offered a seat on the bus. Avoid rose gold too, it’s positively pensioner in tone.
Silver is the new metal of choice, especially if it’s adorned with little charms. Stars, hearts and birthstones are good. Zodiac signs too – Gen Z loves astrology. Look at Astrid & Miyu’s welded charm bracelets (£120, astridandmiyu.com) as worn by Gen Z style muse Mia Regan (Romeo Beckham’s ex-girlfriend).
Ditch the old trend? Hmm. It depends on your colouring – and how much you want to spend on new jewellery.
3. High-rise jeans
Bella Hadid leads the way in hip-hugger jeans, which might be a bit more tricky to carry off if you are not a supermodel
While the death knell for skinnies was rung a few years ago, the younger generation is now sending high-rise Mum jeans into fashion exile, too.
Low-slung jeans with a baggy cut are de rigueur, the poster-girl being 27-year-old supermodel Bella Hadid who is regularly seen in hip-hugging styles.
I adored this look in my teens but with a decidedly less taut midriff now thanks to two children, I will be giving it a wide berth. More doable is a mid-rise, wide-leg cut which looks modern but still keeps muffin tops at bay. Try M&S and Hush.
Ditch the old trend? No thank you. I’ll stick to mid rise at least.
4. A nice top and jeans
What you wear with your jeans is also up for discussion. The ‘nice top and jeans’ formula most women have relied on for decades has been switched for ‘a top and fun trousers’ – revolutionary, I know.
The look was perfected on the J.W. Anderson catwalk where feather-trimmed cargo pants (a Gen Z style staple) came styled with simple vest tops. Get the look by teaming Mint Velvet’s satin cargos (£55, mintvelvet.com) with a black camisole.
Ditch the old trend? Yes, this one’s an easy update.
5. Cross-body bags
Former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo is the height of fashion with her cross-body bag in 2019, but the fashion trendsetters now say no thank you
They’re hands-free and you can fit everything in them, no wonder cross-body bags are a favourite for women on the go (my nursery run is full of them). However, the practical bag is now a surefire way to signal you’re long in the tooth.
It’s far more youthful to tote a shoulder bag, preferably something small and 90s-inspired such as a Coach Ergo, Prada Tessuto or anything Carrie and her Sex And The City friends wore.
In the likely event you need to carry more than a phone and tube of lipgloss, consider a larger, slouchy shoulder bag which taps into the current boho revival. Cos and & Other Stories have chic styles.
Ditch the old trend? I’m keeping my cross-body for the school run.
6. Oversized sunglasses
Giant sunglasses, like Victoria Beckham’s in 2018, have been outlawed in stylish circles
If you’re over 30, there’s a good chance your sunglasses resemble a pair of dinner plates. But Gen Z are taking inspiration from the new roster of It girls, such as Sofia Richie, and opting for slim, rectangular frames.
While you might need the bone structure of a 20-something to carry off this angular look, Le Specs Oh Damn frames (£65, lespecs.com) have rounded corners, making them a more wearable style.
Just don’t go wearing them over your eyes. The new position for sunglasses is halfway down the bridge of your nose so you can peer insouciantly over the top. Cool? Apparently. Ridiculous? Absolutely.
Ditch the old trend? This is definitely one to try before you buy – and take a friend with you for an honest opinion…
7. The French Tuck
Olivia Wilde out and about in LA in 2018, shows off the French tuck T-shirt now outmoded
Simple but effective, the French Tuck (tucking the front portion of your T-shirt into your waistband) not only gives your outfit an air of Gallic ease, it’s also very flattering as it creates a waistline while covering your bum. No wonder it’s been widely touted as the styling tip to know.
Until now.
Gen Z consider the French Tuck laughably outmoded and insist on either tucking a T-shirt in entirely or not at all. As for which T-shirts to wear? Boxy trumps fitted. Try Arket for relaxed styles that aren’t too baggy.
Ditch the old trend? Sadly, it’s time to untuck the French tuck.
8. Nail polish
Don’t just choose bright colours for your nails, try some nail art from your local salon or using stickers
With the boom in High-Street nail bars during the Noughties, lunch break manicures became the go-to beauty treatment for millennials and Gen X (born 1965-1980) alike. OPI’s Big Apple Red and blush-toned Ballet Slipper struck the balance between chic and office-appropriate.
But while Gen Z still indulge in a regular mani, solid colours are old-hat and bold nail art is the new way to adorn one’s fingertips.
Fancy giving it a go? Glaize DIY nail art stickers (£12, glaize.co) come in playful designs and are quick to apply.
Ditch the old trend? I’ll save nail art for the weekend, thanks.
9. Midi dresses
The trusty old midi dress, worn by Kelly Brook in 2020, has given way to the maxi
If there’s one item of clothing guaranteed to be in the wardrobe of every woman over 30 it’s a midi dress. I have several, as does my mum, who’s 70.
Wear them at your peril though, as Gen Z has decreed that maxi skirts are in. Boho hipster skirts are the style to know, accessorised with a studded coin belt.
If that sounds familiar, it is. We already did this look in the early Noughties. Perhaps I’m not so past it after all. Well, they do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Ditch the old trend? I’m keeping both midis and maxis in my wardrobe.
