- Best National Day attire for women over 40
- How to dress for national day
- Avoid meant to be “funny clothes” with the flag all over
- How to avoid looking costumed in patriotic colors
- How to get patriotic dressing right
- Patriotic outfit ideas for women over 40
- Wrapping up
Disclosure: This post has affiliate links. you don’t pay more when you buy thru these links, but you help me to sustain this blog.
Best National Day attire for women over 40
In many nations it is the custom to dress in patriotic attire, on the National Day. Since Independence Day is just around the corner, I devoted this post of the Ageless Style Series to patriotic outfits. Even though my outfit inspirations are in red-white-and-blue, i.e. it is a post for all my readers. You, for sure, have enough fantasy to replace those colors with the colors of your nation.
How to dress for national day
You can use the colors of the flag or colors that are close enough to show the intent to dress with the theme. The photo below, for instance, substituted red with pink. It’s close enough.

The next photo is an example where the original blue is exchanges for a light blue.

There is also not need to just wear the National Colors. In the example below, for instance, the leopard shoes add brown, tan and black. The trick about adding another color reduces the risk to look costumed.

Try outfits that also would work on a normal weekend, but just have the colors. Here are some visual patriotic outfit inspirations that include the colors, but could also worn on a weekend.



Avoid meant to be “funny clothes” with the flag all over
Ever since the week of Father’s Day ads are popping up about sales for Independence Day Attire. Even when one buys something not so extreme as the young lady in the photo below these items are never stylish at any age. Do I have to mention that they are cheap for a reason and that you will not get a lot of wear from them? Thus, the cost-per-wear ratio is not in your favor in addition that you don’t look chic.

How to avoid looking costumed in patriotic colors
A bikini or shorts in the colors of your flag are a guaranteed ticket to end up on the worst dressed list. Who wants to be there to begin with? Here are some tips to avoid looking ridiculous when wearing patriotic attire.
- Ruffles are an element of costumes. Thus, avoid them like the plague.
- Stay away from bikini, shorts, socks, T-shirts, dresses, shoes, sunglasses, hats, shirts, etc. with flag prints.
- Don’t cut an old flag and make it into an apron.
How to get patriotic dressing right
The following points provide stylist’s tricks to dress patriotically, respectfully and stylishly.
- Riot your closet for items in your national colors. If you plan to go to a parade or BBQ, create a casual outfit with these items like you would wear at a normal weekend.
- An alternative is to just go with the spirit and use colors that are in the same hue. Again create a casual look in your style. You may even add another color to your national colors or swap just one color with a color in the same family but a different hue. But let the spirit still be obvious. For example, when your nation has just one color like orange for the Netherlands, salmon pink or peach are great options. You even may add another color in small doses and still get a patriotic look. If you go monochromatic in just your nation’s color add interest by different texture or shine.
- Leave one color out.
- Create an outfit that includes the colors.

Patriotic outfit ideas for women over 40
The following photos illustrate the above discussed concepts applied in red-white and blue outfits. They provide examples of national-inspired looks for women over 40.
Substituting red with pink. Striped Notation T-shirt with Ralph Lauren polka dot pleat skirt, Kieselstein Cord belt, Hermes collier de chien bangle, and Chanel bag (all own)
Patriotic outfit with Oliveo maxi leather skirt, Dr. Scholl wedge sandals, Festina sport watch (all own), striped T-shirt c/o Marine Layer, and wooden watch c/o Jord. Here white is substituted by winter white


When you liked the outfit recipes of this post, and want recipes for all kind of dressing situation in midlife, buy my book How to Dress for Success in Midlife.




Wrapping up
Patriotic outfits can be stylish. All national day parades or parties require to dress up in the national colors. Thus, you must not be an American to get something out of this post. No matter what your nationality is, when it comes to dressing in the national colors, one may end up looking costumed. To avoid looking ridiculous in patriotic attire.
- Stay away from anything ruffled. Ruffles are an element of costumes.
- Stay away from shorts, socks, T-shirts, dresses, shoes, sunglasses, hats etc. that have flag prints.
- Pick items in the national colors from your closet and create a casual tasteful outfit that you could imagine to wear at a normal weekend.
- Add another color to your national colors or leave one color out.
- Substitute one color with a color that is close to your national colors like demonstrated in today’s OOTD (in this case winter white instead of white).
What do you do on your National Day? Do you have a family tradition? What are your plans for Independence Day? Will you wear a patriotic outfit?
Happy 4th of July to my American readers.
Are you registered for my email notification to let you know when a post goes live? I’d highly appreciate it if you take the time to sign up and ask your friends to sign up too!!
Photos: G. Kramm
© 2013-2020 Nicole Mölders | All rights reserved