Here are some general style suggestions from Sylvia Stutz:

Style sense: Finding your clothing style is not unlike deciding which interior décor you prefer. Buy spring-summer and fall-winter fashion magazines and tear out pages of outfits you like. Keep them in a file; collectively those pages show you what you prefer.

Makeup: “You can get away with lots of makeup and false eyelashes if you’re young.” Older women should consider tinted primer, not foundation, use neutral eyeshadows, softer eyeliner (brown, not black) and define their lips with a lip pencil.

Wobbly bits: Women who say they can’t stand the feel of shapewear such as Spanx are wearing a size that’s too small for them.

Fit: Be prepared to have new clothing altered if it’s not a perfect fit. If you wear casual clothes to work, be sure they fit you properly. Shop around until you find pants or jeans that fit you well. Don’t let capri pants stop at the heaviest part of your calf.

Skirt length: Above-knee skirts and short shorts with bare legs belong to the young. Older women who want to wear short skirts should consider leggings or opaque pantyhose in the same colour. Women with hems below their knee look matronly. Run your finger from the crease at the back of your knee around to the front and you’ll find it’s just below the kneecap, which is the right skirt length for you.

Pant length: If you wear shoes with a high heel, the bottom of the pants should end halfway down the heel. With flat shoes, the hem should stop where it meets the shoe.

Sleeve length: Sleeves should end at the bone at the top of the thumb.

Thinning hair: Joan Rivers’ Great Hair Day product is a Shopping Channel bestseller. Its tinted powder is dabbed on the scalp with a brush after each shampoo, creating a lasting impression of a fuller head of hair.

Footwear: Running shoes belong in the gym or on a walk with the dog.

Bottom line: Get yourself a full-length mirror and remember: better-groomed people get better service.