Maybe you haven’t considered wearing anything “cargo” style. I know both my mom and Lesley were not overjoyed (that’s an understatement) about this prompt when styling outfits.
Yet there are advantages that I wanted to talk about as well as give you 3 options of how to style the cargo trend for older women.

Quote of the day: “The changes we dread most may contain our salvation.” Barbara Kingsolver

Changes that we dread? Gosh, doesn’t that bring up a whole set of interesting thoughts? If you read many of the articles found online, then getting older is one of those dreaded changes.
And not having the perfect body is another crazy thing we obsess over.

Yet in all reality, our lives are not measured by our looks. I’ve never seen a cemetery headstone that says, “Here lies ____, she always looked so tall and thin”. There is so much more to being happy and enjoying life.

With that in mind, I want all of us to stop looking at outfits and rating them based on looking at any of those “er” adjectives (“er” adjectives include skinnier, taller, etc..).
I think the most successful way of evaluating our outfits is that they make you happy and don’t cause you Stress. They work for the occasion, they fit your body so you can breathe and move, AND they show off your wonderful personality.

I have discussed some of the changing silhouettes that are happening in previous articles, and I hope you’ll check them out.

• How to wear wide leg pants
• Are tunics still in style
• Best jeans for 50-year-old women

Can Older Women Wear the Cargo Trend?

So let’s talk about why the cargo trend for older women can be useful and what is the cargo trend in the first place.

When you talk about the cargo trend for any person, you are describing a casual, street-style trend that is loose and baggy with maximum pocket space.
As discussed in the fall trends for 2022, the silhouette is changing. What used to be a look that was tight on the bottom half and loose on the top half (think skinny jeans and tunic top), has now turned 180 degrees.

This new silhouette may look strange to your eye because you are used to the old shape. But as we know, styles change constantly and if you don’t evolve, you become stagnant.

As for this cargo trend for older women, I think it’s useful for a couple of important details:
1-It looks modern. While you may consider looking modern as unimportant, the reality is that humans are visual animals.
2-Who doesn’t like pockets? Now don’t get caught up in the fact that pockets will add volume. Let’s stop thinking that volume on any part of our body is bad.
Besides, the truth is not all pockets are created equal. I’ve seen the cargo trend for some items with sleeker pockets.

Insider tip: If you can’t imagine why you need all of these pockets, then think about the disadvantages of carrying a purse.
As an aside, as a new dog owner, having pockets is nice for all of the training treats.

How to Look Good in the Cargo Trend for Older Women

There are no rules for fashion in this modern age, but there are some guidelines to feel comfortable styling this cargo trend for older women.

1. If the bottom half is baggy, keep the top half more fitted (notice I didn’t say tight).
2. Another option with a looser bottom half is wearing something cropped or shorter on top.
3. Create a dichotomy with the look. Since the cargo trend is casual, add a fancier element.
4. Color! Color is always the answer in my book. Most cargo items are neutral, so pair them with something colorful.
5. Advanced option-wear something oversized. This will make the cargo item seem less bulky.

Charlotte: Baby Steps with the Cargo Trend (#1)

Yes, I twisted my mom’s arm to purchase these cargo pants one of the times we were shopping at Goodwill. She calls them hideous yet they remind me of the pair I had her wear to make her mumsey floral top look more modern many years ago.

Charlotte is very used to seeing herself in matchy clothes that are similar to what is already in her closet.
Most of us are the same. We like what we like because it’s familiar to us.

Yet, I see this outfit and think my mom looks hip and much more chic than in her retirement community outfit.
Unfortunately, we have a hard time seeing ourselves from a different perspective. This is why it can be helpful to either ask younger folks for their opinions or get inspiration from them.

A case in point is our college fashion style article.

Charlotte took baby steps to style the cargo trend for older women by keeping the items all in the same color scheme (her top is lime green in real life).
Then she added her favorite (or should I say obsessive) collection with her accessories…owls!

Details

One way to make you feel more comfortable when you are trying out something new with your style is to incorporate an item or detail that makes you feel good.
For Charlotte, that would be owls. She has amassed a collection like you wouldn’t believe.

So she wore this owl necklace and carried her new owl purse she recently scored off Temu.

Insider tip: Temu is the newest fast fashion site that is out to compete with Amazon. They promote incredibly cheap items and my mom has bought multiple scarves and accessories from them.
I couldn’t find this exact owl purse, but just type in the search bar “owl purse” and you’ll be in luck.

Lesley-Stepping Outside Her Comfort Zone (#3)

Lesley was just as excited as my mom to style the cargo trend for older women. In fact, in her words, “My mantra was ‘silk purse from a sow’s ear’ for this look. In fact, I should get extra credit because these shorts are totally not my style besides the fact that they are green. (Lesley is not a fan of green)

“I think of cargo as masculine, rough, tumble, and ugly. So I wanted to add in as much girly as possible. This would be great for a morning at the farmer’s market or craft show.”

Even though Lesley didn’t jump for joy when I suggested styling the cargo trend for older women, I have to give her a standing ovation for incorporating dichotomy in the look and creating such a fabulous outfit.

I mean, check out those photos. Doesn’t she look like a young woman who stepped out of a magazine promoting street style?

Details

Two of the things that catch my eye with this fabulous look are the silky blouse to dress up the cargo shorts. AND the scarf as her belt.

Not only should you wear a scarf as a belt for style but they are cooler than a leather belt in the hot weather. So it’s functional and fashionable.

Lesley added a neutral sun hat which is essential in the summer and neutral sandals.

Jodie: Cargo Trend for Older Women with Color (#4)

As a color loving girl, I paired my brown cargo shorts with a bright, floral backless top. In a way, I’m using Lesley’s trick since the print and style of the top are more feminine.
Even though cargo shorts have a baggy aspect to them, my top has a peplum hemline which actually makes the shorts seem slimmer.

And with a cut out in the back like this top has, I’m wearing my strapless/backless bra that should be in everyone’s closet.

Related post: Body tape and other alternatives

But I also added 2 other trendy elements.
1-The white sneakers. These are my Cariuma sneakers which are made sustainably and have been seen on the feet of stars like Helen Mirren. With that kind of exposure, you would think they would be expensive. But they aren’t. In fact, they are less than many other sneakers I have. And they have comfort too with a cork insole that has arch support.
If you’ve never checked out their site, give it a look-see because they also have fabulous colors and prints for their footwear.
2-The bucket hat. More about that is below.

Details

Another type of summer hat that is trending is the bucket hat. Mine is from Love Your Melon and I’m working with them to help your dollars go to a wonderful cause. If you’ve never heard of the company, their mission is truly heartwarming as they are on a mission to improve the lives of children battling Cancer since 2012. Love Your Melon began with the simple idea of putting a hat on every child battling cancer in America.

50% of NET profits from the sales are given to non-profit organizations that lead the fight against pediatric cancer. And your dollars can help. They have all kinds of hats available and use code Jodie15 for a discount.

You should definitely sign up for the emails below. Besides the free eBook, my email family gets personal tidbits of what’s going on in my life along with other happenings, sales, information, giveaways, extra photos, and interesting articles.

So there it is. The 3 of us showing how the cargo trend for older women can be something you should try.

Insider tip: Want to try out a new style but you aren’t sure you’ll like it? Then find the style at thrift stores where you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg.
Don’t forget to check the men’s section too.

Facts: Jodie’s Touch of Style is supported by my readers. I partner with affiliate platforms where commission may be earned based on your purchases. If you decide to buy anything I’ve promoted, I appreciate you using my link. These links help bloggers like me to fund the content that we provide, plus it tells companies that blogging marketing works. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Photo credit: Rob Filogomo

Thank you

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Welcome to Jodie’s Touch of Style. I’m here to prove that it’s never too late to look great. Clothing and style are meant to showcase your inner personality. So let’s have fun and try new things.

It’s not just about me on this blog, but also my mother and friend. We get to showcase not only different decades of life but also different body shapes and unique personal styles.

The post Why The Cargo Trend For Older Women Is Useful appeared first on Jodie’s Touch of Style.

Jodie Filogomo Fashion Stylist

Jodie's Touch of Style showcases how it's never too late to look great including other older women and myself talking about fashion, beauty, and lifestyle issues.

As a retired dentist, Jodie takes her love of clothing and shopping and has come to find her superpowers in styling the same item in many ways. She is also a huge advocate for embracing our age and bodies. Getting old is a wonderful thing and learning to love ourselves while it happens is very freeing.

Looking great can happen no matter what age, shape or budget, as we show on Jodie's Touch of Style.