Alyson Walsh, fashion journalist and author of the blog That’s Not My Age, tells us more about ‘ageless style’ and how to achieve it.

“Hello M&S fans, pleased to meet you! In case you’re wondering who I am… my name is Alyson Walsh and I’m a freelance fashion journalist. My background is in women’s glossy magazines, though these days you’ll find the majority of my work online. My blog, That’s Not My Age aims to provide expert style advice and inspiration for women everywhere and has evolved from my long-standing observation that you don’t have to have youth to have style.

Photo above left by Dvora.

The lovely people at Your M&S magazine have asked me to write a guide on Ageless Style for their latest issue – in a nutshell this means looking good and feeling confident, whatever decade you’re in. To give you an idea of what’s in store (sorry, couldn’t resist!), here are my top five tips on achieving style at any age:

1. It’s all about attitude
I have three tips for boosting your wardrobe’s energy levels: know what suits, wear what you love and don’t be afraid to challenge convention. Take Iris Apfel, the 91-year-old New Yorker with singular style, bags of attitude and a cult following in the fashion world. Or Yasmina Rossi, the 56-year-old photographer and model in the new M&S campaign, who says her grey hair is her best asset and doesn’t care what other people think. These women are taking a positive approach to ageing – and doing it in style. We salute them.

2. Quality matters
There’s a direct correlation between age and quality. Young whippersnappers look good in any old tat but the older we get, the more we depend on superior basics – like a lovely three-quarter camel coat or gorgeous cashmere sweater. And it goes without saying that, in these straitened times, you can always rely on M&S for decent quality at affordable prices.

- Shop coats, shop cashmere, shop jumpers and cardigans

3. Embrace style at any age
This is all about developing a signature style and running with it. The key is to keep an eye on the bigger fashion picture – think brocade fabrics and military details, this season – introduce regular wardrobe updates and not get stuck in a style rut. Take a leaf out of Michelle Obama’s style book and experiment with new colours, shapes and silhouettes. I’m sure Mobama would agree that this doesn’t always work – but, people, it’s worth a go! And 99% of the time you’ll look First Lady fabulous.

4. Choose timeless tailoring
Like a decent cup of coffee, sharp tailoring provides a satisfying boost in the morning – and becomes increasingly important when you’re over 30. The trouser suit is this season’s VIP (Very Important Piece), so take inspiration from the Prada catwalk and choose a jewel-toned, brocade fabric. If that sounds a bit scary, opt for a classic neutral shade a la screen siren Lauren Hutton. Either way, you’ll look elegant, pulled-together and chic.

-Shop suits and tailoring

5. The art of Zen
In fashion terms this means feeling comfortable in your own skin. Having a sense of confidence and inner calm about the way you look comes from simplifying your life with clothes that suit your body shape and make the most of your assets. So, it really is worth spending the time to track down these figure-flattering pieces. And we say Om to that.”

-Shop all womenswear

-See the A-Z of Ageless Style online

So, what does ageless style mean to you? What makes a woman ‘stylish’? Join the discussion and leave us a comment below.