2022 Fashion And Beauty Trends (For Women Over 40)

The 2022 fashion and beauty trends have been trickling in, and it looks like it’s going to be a colorful and creative year! In this post, I’ll highlight the trends that I think will appeal to midlife women. Now, I always hesitate to categorize fashion according to age, because I believe that you should wear what suits your body, personality, and lifestyle. But I also know that those of us who are in our forties and fifties have a few needs in common:

1. Our bodies are changing shape, so our clothing needs to change too.
2. We value quality.
3. After taking care of our familes, friends, jobs and homes, we don’t have time for uncomfortable or high-maintenance clothing.
4. We don’t want to accidentally dress like our kids or our friends’ kids. (Intentionally twinning is fun, though.)
5. We think about whether something is tasteful and appropriate for the occasion.

If some of these preferences resonate with you, take a look at these 2022 fashion and beauty trends…,

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Bright Colors

If you’ve been wearing neutrals (I get it, it’s easy) it’s time to add some color to your outfits! Every year, Pantone chooses one or two colors to set the mood for the year. For 2022, they have selected “Veri Peri: A New Pantone Color Whose Courageous Presence Encourages Personal Inventiveness And Creativity.“ Veri Peri is a vibrant, blue-purple, that we’ll soon see in fashion, beauty, accessories, and home goods.

Want to add this gorgeous color to your closet right now? Sustainable sneaker brand Cariuma has collaborated with Pantone to offer a Pantone Veri Peri/Off-White Canvas sneaker. If you haven’t heard of Cariuma, it’s a celebrity- favorite brand. Dame Helen Mirren wore Cariuma sneakers when she arrived in France for the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. You can see her color choice in this Instyle post.

This High Collar Knit Cardigan from & Other Stories, is named Lilac but is similar to Very Peri. Wear it this winter, buttoned up under a coat. Wear it in the spring over a tank top.

Pantone’s Spring/Summer 2022 color suggestions include bright colors like hot pink (Innuendo), deep blue (Skydiver), a warm yellow (Daffodil), and teal (Harbor Blue). Wear them together if you are feeling bold. Add them to neutrals if you prefer just a pop of color.

I bought this hot pink Classic Lady Day Coat from J.Crew a couple of years ago. It brightens up a cold and gloomy winter or spring day. This color is no longer available, but J.Crew has offered this style for a few years now, so there may be some brighter colors coming soon. For a hot pink coat that you can buy now, take a look at Banana Republic’s Italian Melton Cocoon Coat.

If you’re looking for a more casual look, I’m loving my Bernardo Hooded Quilted Jacket. Take a look at my most recent Instagram Reel to see how versatile it is. I also love that it has that Apres Ski feel that is so on-trend right now (and I didn’t even have hit the slopes).

Textured Sweaters And Knits

In the cooler months of the year, we’ll see a lot of sweaters and knits with fun details like textures, patterns, statement sleeves, and oversized collars.

Cable-knit sweaters look good with jeans, pants, or leggings for a casual look. I’m also seeing them worn over silk slip dresses for a fun mix-up of casual and dressy. This Lorainne Pompom Wool Blend Sweater would look good with almost anything!

Prefer a dark color? Banana Republic’s Fisherman Cable Knit Sweater is currently marked down (final sale). If you like matching sets, you can buy the scarf and hat too!

Hint: wear a fitted t-shirt under your sweaters so that you don’t have to wash them as often. I’ve also been hand washing most of my sweaters (even when the label says dry clean) after reading this post from The Laundress.

On warmer days try a lighter texture like Boden’s Pointelle Fluffy Sweater. (This one is machine washable.)

Sweaters with collars are trending right now. The Collared Alpaca Cardigan from & Other Stories would look good buttoned up as a sweater, or open as a cardigan over a t-shirt or tank. If you like oversized collars, take a look at the Hailey Organic Cotton & Wool Polo Sweater by SAMSØE SAMSØE.

Sweater vests have been popular for a few years, but have you ever seen one with dolphin buttons?

Matching Sets

Matching sets continue to be a strong trend for activewear and loungewear. If you don’t already have your share of matching sets, take a look at the stitched details on Athleta’s Venice Moto Jogger and hoodie. The Cottage Blue is such a fresh, optimistic color!

There are lots of cardigan-and-cropped-tank options if you’re comfortable showing off your belly. I like Reformation’s Elke Organic Cotton Tank And Cardigan Set but would keep it buttoned up.

Who What Wear has created an entire collection of knit dresses with matching socks!

For spring and summer, try a midi skirt with a matching top.

Modest Cut-Outs

As it gets warmer in 2022, we’ll see more clothing with cut-outs at the waist, neckline, shoulders, and back. Most of the styles I’ve seen are a bit too revealing for me, but I’ve found a few that are quite modest.

Mine is an LNA sweatshirt from a few years ago. Their Kael Cut Out Sweatshirt is currently available. It has small cutouts at the shoulders and on the sleeves.

This Asymmetrical Cut-Out Top from & Other Stories has an interesting ring detail.

Anthropologie’s Dolan Left Coast Leopard Cut-Out Pullover has a small cut-out in that back.

Volumunious Blouses And Dresses

We’ve seen high-volume (statement) sleeves for a few years now, but in 2022 we’ll see this trend in skirts, dresses, and tops.

Boden already has vacation and warm-weather styles on their site including their Ava Tiered Maxi Dress in a bright cotton print.

Anthropologie’s Somerset Maxi Dress is one of their best sellers. It has a wide sleeve opening (flattering to less-than-toned arms) and a long, tiered skirt. If you’re worried about the length, it also comes in Petite sizes.

Hint: All-over volume can make you look bigger than you are, so balance the volume with something fitted i.e. a belt to show off your waist or slim pants to balance an oversized top.

I’ve been wearing this Mixed Media Cowl Neck Organic Cotton Blend Sweatshirt almost every week! It’s super soft and looks good with leggings, skinny jeans, and slim pants.

Mini Skirts

Yes, you can still wear mini skirts in mid-life! Any skirt up to 20″ in length is considered a mini, but if 22″ is the shortest length that you would wear, call that your mini.

Hint: If you’re buying online, look in the description for the length. If the description doesn’t include a length, it might tell you the height of the model so that you can estimate whether the skirt would look longer or shorter on you.

I love wearing a mini skirt and opaque tights in the winter to break up the monotony of pants and leggings! This Toad&Co Knit A-Line skirt is an all-season, versatile piece and is 20″ long in the size small. I didn’t end up keeping it as it was too similar to something I already own, but if you are looking for a longer mini with room for curves, this might be the skirt for you!

If you live somewhere warm or are shopping for spring, LOFT’s tie waist pocket skirt is a fun casual option.

Hint: some brands have a tall size which will give you a few extra inches.

Boden’s Paperbag Tie Skirt has a regular and long option.

Retro Jeans

We’re seeing retro jean styles this year (from the 70s, 80s, and 90s), but don’t ditch your skinny jeans! I see claims all the time about how skinny jeans are outdated, but if you wear boots (as I do for about five months out of the year) they come in handy. They’re a nice way to balance an oversized top like a sweatshirt or tunic top. They can also be very slimming, as they’re often designed with compression in all the right places.

Before we talk about the trends, you might want to take a look at How To Buy The Perfect Jeans especially if you’re not familiar with style details like the rise, leg openings, etc.

Done? Okay, here’s the bad news first: low-rise jeans are coming back. Those of us who have extra weight around our waistline will want to avoid these as they may cause that muffin-top look. Higher rise jeans keep your belly snug, and give you the illusion of longer legs.

Here are some jeans that might work better for you:

Wide-leg, Flare And Bootcut Jeans

Wide-leg jeans are loose from the hips down to the hem (think of an almost-triangle shape). Flare jeans are usually fitted from the hips to the knees, and then widen dramatically at the hem (think 70s bell -bottoms). While I think that dramatic wide-leg jeans and flares are fun casual styles, I see them a lot at fast fashion (i.e. cheap) stores or worn by teenagers, so I have to admit, they’re not for me.

I prefer more conservative flares and bootcut jeans (which are just wide enough to skim over your boots). Brands often use these terms loosely so you’ll need to use your eye to decide what to call them. Some of my current favorites:

J.Crew’s Point Sur Palisades Flare Jeans. These have an 11.75″ rise (so quite high) so they may not work if you are petite. (I’m just under 5’4″ and anything higher than 10″ tends to make me look like my jeans swallowed me!)

Wit And Wisdom’s Itty Bitty Bootcut Jeans are as subtle as it gets! I did buy these but ended up not keeping them as I wanted slighter wider bootcut jeans.

I may save up for Frame’s Le High Flare Jeans which have a slightly wider hem, and plenty of stretch!

Straight Leg Jeans And 90’s Jeans

90s jeans are loose high waist jeans, usually without stretch (so they may take some getting used to).

Everlane’s 90s Cheeky Jean comes in 6 colors with no distressing for a polished, but casual look. If you are curvy, Everlane has a Curvy 90s Cheeky Jean which has more room in the hips. Remember, there’s no stretch here so you’ll want to get just the right fit.

If you can’t give up the stretch, try J.Crew’s 9″ Vintage Slim Straight Jean. Just note that you’ll probably want to wear shoes rather than boots with these, as they’re too loose to tuck in and not loose enough to wear over them.

Denim Colors And Details

For colors, look for black, deep dark blues, powder blue, and white. There’s also talk of 90s pastel jeans and bright colors coming back. GAP has a couple of 90s Loose Jeans in Color and Everlane just released The Way-High Jean in colors.

Most of the denim I’ve seen has been clean (i.e. with minimal distressing or rips) which makes jeans more versatile.

Hair

Looking for a hairstyle update? Your stylist is probably your best source of advice, but if you’re looking for some ideas, here’s what’s trending:

1. Center parts or deep side-parts
2. Wispy bangs or face framing layers
3. Retro styles – the shag, the pixie, the Rachel, and the blunt 90s bob to name a few.

I recently switched to a center part and asked my stylist to add some face-framing layers, and it has already given me so many more options for styling my hair. (I wrote about it in my post about staying motivated this Winter.) Sometimes a small change makes a big difference.

First Skincare, Then Beauty

During our lockdown days, many of us started paying more attention to our skincare than our makeup routines. We switched to clean products, added CBD products, started face yoga, and tried micro-needling.

In 2022, you’ll hear more about cryotherapy; a facial massage using icy cold tools, or a cleanser that has cooling ingredients like Boscia’s Cryosea Icy Cold Cleanser. I’m not sure whether these actually change your skin, but I know that splashing my face with icy cold water or using my jade roller helps me wake up and relax my jaws.

We’ll also continue to see more eco-friendly options for skincare, beauty, and oral care including low-waste beauty bars, mouth wash tablets, and refillable containers. I’ve always been wary of teeth whitening, but I have been using these Lumineaux strips over the past year and they don’t hurt my sensitive teeth. Do they work? I see a difference and I’ve received compliments on my teeth lately, but I have to be honest, I didn’t take comparison photos.

In 2022, we’ll see nailscapes (yes tiny scenes on your nails), galaxy-inspired looks, jewels, multiple colors, American manicures (colorful versions of the French manicure, and many more creative looks.

If you like (or need to) keep your manicure practical and short, then these are the colors that will be popular: blues, purples, pinks, nudes, light greens, and whites.

Essie’s Butler Please nail polish is pretty close to Pantone’s Veri Peri. If you prefer a lighter blue, then try this shimmery galaxy-inspired, Angel Flight To Starry Nights color.

For makeup, there’s still an emphasis on the eyes especially since we’re still often wearing masks in public. You’ll continue to see winged eyeliner, bright colors, even jeweled looks. If you look up makeup tutorials, you’ll notice an increase in makeup that sculpts and lifts (contouring and blush).

The fate of lipstick remains up in the air, because of face masks, so brands are rolling out more multi-tasking makeup, like lip and cheek tints.

An interesting trend: the Pinterest Predicts trend report Bejeweled says that there’s an increase in searches for tooth gems. I can’t figure that one out!

Upcoming Trends Post

I was going to also write about jewelry and accessories, but I think I’ll save them for a future post. Right now, my shopping cart is calling for a clothing and beauty update!

Which of the 2022 fashion and beauty trends are you most excited about? Let me know in the comments below.

P.S. You may also enjoy these posts:

Why You Need A Little Black Skirt

5 Clean Skincare Brands That I Use Daily