If you're interested in looking timeless, start by considering clothing choices that have already been proven as timeless. While many trends in fashion come and go, some basic outfits stay more or less the same over time. Below are just a few outfit ideas for men and women that have been popular for at least a quarter-century and likely will be for the near future:



Women: Skirts with blouses, jeans with tee shirts, black tights, simply-patterned dresses, flats, heels.

Men: Shirt-and-tie combos, suit jackets/blazers, fitted dress pants, medium-to-dark jeans, polo shirts, medium-length tee shirts, sneakers, dress shoes.;
, Having a timeless look is often as much about what you don't wear as it is about what you do wear. A timeless look is one that doesn't "try too hard" to catch others' attention. Instead, it lets the wearer's natural good looks speak for themselves. Try to wear mostly simple, unpretentious pieces of clothing, rather than flashy, overly-showy pieces. Whites, blacks, one-color items, and simple prints are good ideas — neon colors and overcomplicated patterns are not.


Not only will this give you a timeless look, but it will also save you money in the long run as you shop for clothes. Simple pieces of clothing (especially items that are either white or black) can be used in a huge range of outfits and still look good, while flashy pieces usually give you much more limited options and require you to buy more clothing to compensate.
For a great example of timeless fashion from the world of TV, consider the cult classic 90s show Twin Peaks. In show that's filled with sometimes-garish late 80s/early 90s fashion choices, the show's main character, detective Dale Cooper, looks about as good today as he did back then. By wearing mostly simple, elegant suit-and-tie combinations, he avoids looking like a stereotypical member of Generation X and instead achieves timeless appeal.
 Almost every outfit will look best on you if your clothing fits well. While it may occasionally be fashionable to wear clothes that don't fit properly in a conventional sense, these sorts of fashion choices are unlikely to beat the long-term appeal of clothing that fits you well. If you're shopping for formal clothes, don't be afraid to spend a little extra money at a tailor's to get your outfits looking just right. For casual clothes, you can be a little more forgiving about getting your fit exactly right, but it's still in your best interest to pick clothes that fit your figure comfortably without being too loose.


As a very general rule, clothing that's especially tight or especially loose is often part of a temporary trend or fad. For example, think of the tight pants worn by men in the disco scene in the 1970s — they were popular at one point, but today, it would be almost unthinkable for a man to seriously wear skin-hugging white polyester slacks. Keep this in mind if, for example, you're considering shopping for skinny jeans to give yourself a modern hipster look!

, One or two great accessories can be the "cherries on top" of a timeless outfit — on the other hand, wearing a dozen flashy accessories can be a great way to date yourself. Below are just a few great accessory ideas for men and women — try to pick one or two at maximum and tend towards simple, elegant accessories rather than large, attention-seeking ones.



Women: Jewelry/earrings, purse/backpack, sunglasses, light makeup/lipstick, bracelets, painted nails, scarves

Men: Dignified watches, ties, simple cufflinks, backpack/messenger bag/briefcase, sunglasses, jewelry or medallion (preferably worn around the neck and under the clothes)
For a textbook example of how to use accessories, look up photos of Audrey Hepburn in her prime. The most famous photo of the actress shows her in-character for the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's with plenty of jewelry and a long, skinny cigarette holder that would look fairly out-of-fashion today. However, the photos of Hepburn out-of-character are another story — she usually wears simple, one-colored tops accompanied with elegant earrings and light makeup for a look that's as striking today as it was decades ago.
 Some hairstyles belong to a certain time and place, while others virtually never go out of style. For example, it's difficult to think of a "beehive" hairdo without thinking of out-of-date style that housewives wore in the 1960s. On the other hand, a woman who wears an ordinary bob or simply lets her hair grow out won't necessarily scream, "2010s!" in a few years. Below are just a few ideas for hairstyles that aren't likely to go out of style any time soon:



Women: Bobs, "fringe" cuts, long natural hair, layered cuts, ordinary ponytails, braids, bangs (optionally)

Men: Crew cuts, buzz cuts, short parted hairdos, shaved heads. Light application of gel or pomade is OK.
As a very general rule, hairstyles that require lots of maintenance or upkeep are less likely to be timeless than others. For example, a spiky liberty mohawk, which requires daily application of hair products to keep it standing up, will almost always call to mind the punk scene of the 70s and 80s. There are, however, some exceptions — dreadlocks, for instance, can require some work to maintain, but can be a perfectly timeless look for someone with naturally kinky hair.
 When it comes to being timeless, modifying your body permanently is something you'll want to be very careful about. You can always throw out or donate tasteless clothes, but piercings and (especially) tattoos can be much harder (and more expensive) to get rid of. Never get a tattoo or piercing on a whim — instead, talk to your friends, your family, and your tattoo artist/piercer to discuss whether it would be a smart long-term choice. When in doubt, err on the side of safety and don't get the tattoo or piercing. It's never embarrassing not to have any tattoos or piercings.


Keep in mind that, unfortunately, potential employers may make judgements about you based on your tattoos or piercings. It's not fair, but it's true — many employers report that tattoos (especially those on the hands or face) can make an otherwise-qualified applicant seem unsavory.Women have a little more freedom with piercings than men do. For example, it's not at all unusual for a woman to have earrings, but it's still sometimes considered unconventional for men to wear them, especially in formal settings. Many women can even pull off wearing a simple nose stud in a formal context, while this would be very unusual for a man to do.
As a general rule, if you're getting a tattoo, it's wisest to get it somewhere on your body that isn't ordinarily exposed (like your chest, ribs, back, and so on.) This way, even if your tattoo ends up being a source of embarrassment in a few years, you won't have to show it to anyone you meet.
 If there's one major rule to take away from this section, it's this: avoid fashion trends that are popular today but weren't popular in the past, because these are almost certain to become unpopular again sooner or later. Fashion trends are constantly changing — a piece of clothing or a haircut that's "in" today may be majorly embarrassing in just a few years' time. However, by sticking to the classic, timeless suggestions above (which have changed only a little over the last few decades) you'll stay looking great for years to come.
Choose clothing with "classic" appeal.
Prioritize simple, minimalist outfits over complicated ones.
Wear clothing that fits you naturally.
Don't go overboard with accessories.
Keep a natural, clean-cut hairstyle.
Be conservative with tattoos and piercings.
Beware of styles that became popular only recently.
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