ORLANDO, Fla. — Miniskirts are back in vogue. So are halter tops, skinny jeans and patterned tights.

On a 20-year-old, those items are cute and trendy. On her mother, they likely look more trashy than trendy. On her grandmother, they're simply ridiculous.

It's unfair and frustrating, but it's a fact: Outfits that look adorable, or at least forgivable, on the young, simply don't cut it on older women.

The reasons are obvious. Young women have firm bodies, smooth skin and glossy hair. Draped in burlap, they'd still look appealing.

It's also natural for the young to jump on new trends and experiment with different looks while finding their own style. If they make mistakes, inexperience is more to blame than bad taste.

But as time goes by, the body goes south. Hair turns gray. Skin wrinkles and fades. As a result, older women look more attractive in outfits that provide lift, coverage and color.

That doesn't mean their fashion choices are limited to high necklines, long skirts and pasty pastels. Or to frumpy shoes and dowdy accessories. It simply means fashions that offer sharp tailoring, strong colors and just a hint of skin are more alluring.

Or, in a (hyphenated) word: more age-appropriate.

Style guru Christopher Hopkins prefers the term "age-embracing."

"It means showing off your good points," said Hopkins, author of Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival for Women Over 45.

"When do I think an outfit is inappropriate? When it's too tight or too revealing," he said.

"When do you know if an outfit's inappropriate? When you look in the mirror and you don't feel great. When in doubt, leave it out," he said.

Short, tight or revealing clothing on older women "is automatically aging," said Tara Stewart, fashion market editor at More magazine.

"But a classic dress in a modern print, or a chic shirt in the latest color, makes it obvious you're in the know, you appreciate fashion," she said

"You've been around the block. You know what works for you. You don't need a plunging neckline to get attention. And you don't need to compete with teenagers," said Stewart.

Older women don't necessarily want to look young. They want to look youthful, which means dynamic and expressive, said style consultant Sherrie Mathieson in her book, "Forever Cool: How to Achieve Ageless, Youthful and Modern Personal Style."

Her advice: Be current but not a slave to fashion. Mix classic dressing with contemporary styling and an element of the unexpected. Buy fewer clothes but better quality. Be covered but let the fit of your outfit reveal your figure.

In other words, as you leave your 20s and 30s behind, dress to showcase your taste and experience. Choose fashions that are sophisticated, interesting and uniquely you.

Tride and true tips

Fashion fads are fine for teens and 20-somethings. Beyond that, not every trend is age-appropriate.

Here's a list of fashion do's for women of "a certain age":

• Accentuate the positive

• Think classics with a twist.

• Choose quality over quantity.

• Emphasize shape, not skin.

• Go strapless under a jacket.

• Pop your collar, push up your sleeves.

• Wear fitted items under loose jackets.

• Choose flat-front pants.

• Wear bold, unusual accessories.

• Carry a "statement" handbag.

• Find comfy but stylish shoes.

• Get good underwear.

• Switch to strong colors.

• Learn to drape a big scarf.

• Buckle on a belt.

• Update eyewear, hair, makeup.

• Use a full-length mirror.

"Age-appropriate dressing" calls for outfits that are neither too girly nor too matronly. To avoid that dreaded mutton-dressed-as-lamb look, skip anything too short, tight or bare. Also steer clear of the following:• Baby-doll dresses.• Pants with butt logos.• Ripped or faded jeans.• Leggings as pants.• Cutesy frills.• Puff sleeves.•Visible underwear.

To avoid that old-before-your-time look, don't hide behind long, shapeless, oversized clothing. Also give the following a miss:• Elastic-waist jeans, overalls.• Crocs as fashion footwear.• Backpacks, fanny packs.• Holiday sweaters.• Hosiery with sandals.