The Stitch Fix Guide To Dressing In Your 30s


The day after you turn 30, you wake up feeling accomplished, older, wiser and perhaps with a bit of a headache from the night before. You. have. arrived. When you have a free minute or two, take a look inside your wardrobe: Does it tell a story of the fashion mistakes, wins and impulse buys you made in your 20s? If you’re starting to question the vintage dress collection or the stiff, boring, office garb, say no more. Your 30s is your closet’s coming of age, so use it to shape your next story.

The 5 Rules of Dressing in Your 30s

1. Clean Out Your Closet

This might be of the moment right now but cleaning out your closet is a good habit to start and to continue for the rest of your life. Your 20s can be a time of constant change, moving from city to city, job to job and that probably means you’ve accumulated a lot of excess. Take a minute to reset, refresh and get rid of all that stuff. Plus, you can probably shed the cobwebs of your past while you’re at it.

2. Make Thoughtful Purchases

Take inventory of what you have (after you’ve done a clean out!) and think about what kind of wardrobe you want to build before you buy. And, also think about how it’s going to pay off in the long run and if you can see yourself wearing it in another year. We love trends, but try not to inundate yourself with them—you’ll end up right where you were at 28.

3. Dress For The Job You Want

Maybe you’ve been at a job for too long, or maybe you’ve just started a new one. Either way, take this opportunity to revamp your workwear. Don’t overdo it—invest in key pieces that you can pair with items you already have or with accessories and blouses that stay true to your personality. Just be sure to: add silhouettes that play up your best features, make a statement with your shoes and wear blazers that say, “I’m the boss or I will be someday.”

4. What’s Your Sign?

This might sound totally “out there” but what’s your sign? Are you a Scorpio? A Leo? Do you know? We’re not saying that you need to believe or buy into anything Zodiac-related, but if you’re looking to mix up your style and don’t know where to start, just look to the stars. It’s a fun, fresh way to let go of what you think you should wear and follow some unconventional advice.

5. Makeup, Optional

After fashion, we’re skincare junkies. But, we think they can go hand-in-hand. After all, they’re both a way to show and express who you are. But we also believe that you should be wearing makeup to highlight not hide. Or, to even abandon it all together in favor of a fresh face, no makeup look. Use your 30s as a time to concentrate on what makes you feel confident and fresh—maybe it’s a new skincare regime or a berry lip. Whatever it is, invest in some self-care and “me” time to find out.

Items You Should Invest In For Your 30s

[slideshow_deploy id=’46060′]

Wear Grown-Up Denim

Spend some money on denim in your 30s. We know you wear them every day, so put your money where you spend your most time—in your jeans. And, invest in a few pairs: high-waisted, wide leg, boyfriend and something on-trend that you can shake your head at in a few years. It’s okay—have some fun.

Treat Yourself To A Leather Jacket

If you’ve been eyeing a leather jacket for a year or more, it’s time to just bite the bullet and buy it. You’ve tried it on a million times, you know it fits, you love the way it feels—you won’t regret it. And, if you consider the cost per wear, it practically pays for itself. You’ll be wearing it a lot. Trust us.

Splurge On Classic Black Heels

Closed toe, open-toe, it doesn’t matter. Every woman needs a classic black heel, and there’s no time like the present to invest. The only rule of thumb? Take care of them! If you wear them every day to work, make best friends with a local cobbler. If you only wear them once in a while, you should take them in after every wear for a good shine.

Invest In Tailored Pieces

When people hear tailored, they think one of two things: workwear or alterations. We mean neither. To own your style in your 30s you need to start investing in pieces that fit you—from trousers, to denim, to blouses, to blazers. Try a pencil skirt or midi-dress for once. Structured clothing can really make a difference.

Buy An Enviable Event Dress

If you think events in your 30s will slow down, you’re wrong. You’ll still have plenty of weddings to attend, showers to show up to, and dinners out with friends. It’s a great idea to finally buy a dress that you can wear to them all. Invest in something either avant-garde or classic, just keep the color solid so you can give it versatility with your accessories and makeup.

Donate These Items Before Your 40s

We know they’re hard to get rid of, but even sometimes your most sentimental pieces don’t belong in your closet. If you really can’t part ways, make sure that you take them out of your closet and store them elsewhere … for safekeeping.

  • Your college sweatshirt: Oh, we know this is so controversial which is why it’s at the end of this post! But seriously, nobody cares, and if you can’t part ways, wear it indoors only.  
  • Too-short LBD: We’re all about the LBD. Even the mini-LBD. This is in reference to the Vegas clubs of yesteryear. If you must wear one again for old times sake, rent one or borrow one from your (younger) friend.
  • Anything fringe: Fringe was very trendy several years ago, but it screams *went to Coachella once.*

Now that you’re up to date on what works in your 30s, take your style quiz and order a Fix. Ask your stylist for sleek denim, timeless pumps or a new event dress that will boost your closet cred. Then, sit back and relax as you wait for your five items to arrive. You can try on everything at home, keep what you like and send back the rest. You’re never required to schedule more than one Fix at a time and shipping and returns are always free. 

A New Way To Shop

Stitch Fix connects you with personal Stylists to send you looks you’ll love.

Get Your Fix

Need expert fashion advice?

Get a personal stylist

Want more tips, trends & insider news? Follow @stitchfix on Instagram