Things aren't so straightforward anymore. The decreasing price and increasing availability of facials, yoga and even botox, has meant it's become almost prerequisite that we can all look years younger. There's a subtler game afoot that's not about trying to look younger than you are – it's about looking great for your age.

Looking good for your age isn't only about diet, exercise, grooming and surgery. These are important factors, but just as much is achieved (or given away) simply by the way you dress. When it comes to fashion there are two main ways people go wrong: dress too old and you'll look like your mother, dress too young and it has the reverse effect, adding decades.

It's a tricky balance and the middle ground between these two points can be hard to find. It's also dependent on the individual. Lifestyle and personality need to be considered, but thankfully the basic guidelines are the same for everyone.

Flesh versus Fit

Flesh:
The clothes still fit? But does your face? From behind guys think you are 20 but do you sense that moment of disappointment when you turn around! If you can fit into your teenage daughter's clothes it doesn't mean you can wear them. Teenagers wear the type of clothes they do to experiment and establish their identity – it's a part of growing up – but do you still not know who you are?

If you've still got great thighs or a washboard stomach, don't be tempted to show them. We can forgive 20-year-olds for crop tops, they don't know any better. But even on them it still looks cheap. Covering up does not have to be conservative and frumpy. It does not mean you relinquish your sex appeal, it's just about expressing it in a different way. Teenage clothes don't make you look sexy - they just make you look old.

Fit:
When was the last time you tried an alternative size? You may not be the size you always were, and anyway, shops change their fit over the years. It may be time to take stock and look at what really fits. (Note that this may be a different size from shop to shop.)

Clothes that are too big will do nothing for your shape now. Equally too tight clothes don't make you look curvaceous; they merely highlight every fold of fat. Don't be swayed by size labels, in some shops you may be a 10 and in others a 14, but try not to let this bother you. Clothes which flatter and fit will do more for your image and self esteem than any hidden label that says size 10.

Invest

Now is the time to get rid of the tat and make way for investment buys.

If you find designer shops intimidating then try the designer floors in big stores like Selfridges and Harvey Nichols where the staff are more approachable. Ignore price initially, just try things on and get a feel for what you like. This will give guidance and inspiration and you'll be astonished by quality tailoring that can shave pounds from your figure.

We can't all afford top to toe designer, and anyway this isn't a good look on anyone (think Ivana Trump or Nancy D'elalio as cautionary tales). But start showing you respect your image with a designer handbag and wow, but classic, shoes. This shows that you have an innate sense of style and an eye for beautiful things, and are not someone who is always running to keep up with the latest faddy trends.

In a Colour Rut

Take time to work out what colours suit you now. Classic colour combinations like camel, white and black worked in your 20s because they made you feel grown up. But is that the effect you still want to achieve? Bolder and more sophisticated shades are usually the way forward now. And you don't have to spend money on expensive 'colour consultancy' services. You can see the colours that lift by simply holding clothes up to your face in shop mirrors, this gives an instant indication.

For extra guidance on combining adventurous colour, look to the Italian designers who know how to mix a palette with confidence and style. Good examples are Missoni, Alberta Ferretti and Prada (you can view their collections at www.style.com). Notice how they mix camel with purple and turquoise instead of with black or white. Raspberry with brown is much more grown up than pastel pink, which looks cheap in comparison.

Looking good for your age is not just about buying the right handbag, it's also about confidence and showing that you have no desire to turn back the clock by respecting and enjoying the person that you are now. But that doesn't mean that every now and then you can't forget about those adult responsibilities, turn up the radio and dance around the living room to Wham…. Just remember to close the curtains first.

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