6 Worst Fashion Blunders For Women Over 40

You're either trying too hard or not at all.

Are you wearing your daughter's jeans and applying make-up the way you did when you when you were in your 20s? Or have you gone to the other extreme-walking around in frumpy clothes and giving off that vibe that says, "I just don't care anymore."

Going one extreme or the other are some of the problems that plague woman over 40, image consultants say. If you want to look fabulous for you age, avoid these mistakes.

1. The wrong mindset-This may be the biggest mistake, says Ana Murillo, a 42-year-old image consultant in Phoenix. "It's attitude, really," she says. "When we feel good about ourselves, when we know who we are, we don't have to work too hard."

2. Wearing the wrong bra-Are you pouching out of your cups or are you just hanging low? Either way, the image consultants stress the importance of wearing the right size. Your clothes will look better and you'll look taller and slimmer.

Showing off bulges, dimples and other unflattering signs of an aging body-Be mindful of undergarments. They camouflage a multitude of sin and age and make your body look fantastic in clothes.

3. The natural look-You may have been able to pull this off when you were younger, but when you're over 40, you have to wear at least some make-up, Jobity says. "In terms of projecting a polished image, your face has to be done."

4. Going heavy on the face paint-Make-up needs to be subtle; otherwise, you run the risk of looking older than you actually are. "I didn't want to change my make-up," says Veronica Lane, a 42-year-old Los-Angeles-based make-up artist. "I had to change my make-up."

Lane says women make the mistake of wearing foundation that is too heavy-something that can add years on a face. Dark, heavy eyeliner is also out of the question. It's just too aging, she says. Browns, grays and plums are better than black. She says women over 40 need to update their make-up.

5. Losing all interest-"My clients are the ones who have gone the other extreme, where they've given up," says Ginger Burr, a Massachusetts-based image consultant and author of the book Fashion Secrets Mother Never Taught You.

She says many women over 40 are frustrated because it's hard for them to find great clothes. Don't give up, she says. It may be frustrating, but there are plenty of great clothes for women whose bodies have changed. You may just have to look a little harder.

And if you have given up, try going to an image consultant or a make-up artist.

6. Dressing like your daughter-Many of you are revealing way too much cleavage and showing off body parts that are best left covered. At a certain age, it just doesn't look good, says Natalie Jobity, owner of Elan Image Management, an image consulting business in the Washington, D.C. area.

"There comes a time when it looks like you're trying too hard," Jobity says. Short skirts and tight pants, even on the best of bodies, are too much, she says.