Exclusive | Stacy London on her style evolution since ‘What Not to Wear’ — and ‘cool girl’ closet staples for women over 50

These days, Stacy London’s not playing by any fashion rules.

The famed stylist’s closet looks a lot different than it did during her decade filming “What Not to Wear” — and not just because she’s traded “flirty and funny” pencil skirts and 5-inch heels for statement suiting.

“I think if you asked me or Clinton [Kelly], we would tell you the same thing: We don’t believe in [style] rules anymore,” she says of her longtime co-host, adding that she instead hopes to “help people unlock more about themselves” through clothing.

It’s the same approach she brought to her design debut: By Stacy London, a QVC-exclusive range of 16 pieces created specifically with women over 50 in mind.

“Where are the cool girl clothes for women who aren’t girls? We do want to wear beautiful things, and we do want to feel relevant — but that’s not the same as trendy,” she says of her inspiration for the line.

After all, while we can’t all score a makeover from London herself, shopping her elevated basics just might be the next best thing. Read on for six of her style tips for women over 50 — plus Page Six Style’s selections to shop each one.

Go all out with outerwear

The outspoken star knows a thing or two about finding the right outerwear — and her collection even includes one style that transforms from a coat to a dress.

“I love things that can do more than one thing, and I love them when it doesn’t cost you more,” says the star, who calls stylish trenches and raincoats staples for any woman’s wardrobe.

Shop the look:

By Stacy London Trench with Removable Jacket

Athleta Stellar Trench

Cuyana Convertible Puffer Jacket

Make a statement with suits

As for what suits London’s personal style best these days? “I feel most powerful and most like myself in suiting,” she tells us.

“We used to talk about statement dresses all the time, but as I’ve aged I wear fewer skirts,” says the star, who designed a brocade suit for her QVC collection that’s “totally machine washable and packs beautifully.”

In addition to patterned pieces, London also recommends investing in a solid-colored suit that’s “a pseudo-neutral, like teal or charcoal” for an instantly put-together outfit.

Shop the look:

By Stacy London Floral Printed Brocade Blazer

Reiss Jade Single Breasted Blazer

Mango Pinstripe Suit Blazer

Adding bright colors is a bright idea

Picking the perfect pieces isn’t always black and white — and in London’s book, your closet shouldn’t be either. The style pro recommends infusing your capsule wardrobe with colorful pieces, saying that “as we age, color really does play a vital part.”

“Frankly, black and white can be very aging,” she says. “Even though everybody thinks that black is sophisticated and slimming, any dark color is slimming, and too much contrast … can really bring out imperfections in the skin.”

Shop the look:

By Stacy London Core Ponte Knit Top

Tuckernuck Lemondrop Maxine Top

Spanx AirEssentials Maxi T-Shirt Dress

Go beyond basic blouses

While London’s streamlined her closet over the years — telling us she went from 500 pairs of shoes to 300 — there’s one thing you still won’t see her wearing on the regular: cotton T-shirts.

“You need blouses that are not T-shirts,” says the fashion expert, whose collection includes a button-up Shirt With Addable Collar & Cuffs ($39).

Shop the look:

By Stacy London Core Poplin Button-Front Top

Reformation Marisa Top

Trade trendy for timeless

While Gen Z continues to debate the merits of skinny jeans vs. wide-leg pants, London recommends opting for timeless silhouettes — like lantern pants — over fleeting fashion trends.

“[The lantern silhouette] counts to me as a wide leg and … as a skinny leg,” she says. “It’s not based in the trends, but it speaks to both.”

Shop the look:

By Stacy London Ponte Lantern Pant

Banana Republic High-Rise Tencel Lantern Pant

Add a personal touch

At the end of the day, it doesn’t come down to what to wear and what not to wear, as London believes “personal style is based on the individual” — regardless of age.

“Patriarchal lenses have taught us that aging is a sin; all of these things make me infuriated when I look at my life and my accomplishments,” she says.

“This is an age of possibility — and it’s an age not just of reinvention, but of invention.”

Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping

This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Page Six Style. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts Hollywood’s favorite labels to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.