How to Style a Kimono After 60

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Easy, comfortable boho outfit ideas that add color, movement, and personality without trying too hard.

There are certain pieces of clothing that can completely change your outfit without requiring you to completely change your wardrobe.

A kimono is one of those pieces.

You can start with jeans and a tank top — nothing fancy — throw a beautiful kimono over it, add some jewelry, and suddenly you didn’t just get dressed.

You’ve got a whole vibe going on.

And that’s one of the reasons kimonos work so beautifully after 60.

You’re not trying to dress younger. You’re trying to dress like you — comfortable, colorful, maybe a little boho, and definitely not boring.

So if you’ve been looking at those beautiful flowing kimonos and wondering how to wear one without feeling like you’re wearing a costume, here’s the good news:

You absolutely can wear one.

And you probably already own most of what you need to style it.

Why Kimonos Work So Well After 60

The older you get, the less patience you may have for uncomfortable clothes.

If something pinches, pulls, rides up, needs constant adjusting, or makes you spend the entire day thinking about what you’re wearing, how often are you really going to reach for it?

A kimono gives you another option.

It’s easy.

It’s flowy.

It gives you movement without clinging to your body.

And depending on the print, fabric and length, it can completely change the personality of an outfit.

A floral kimono can make your jeans feel boho.

A crochet kimono can make your simple summer dress feel special.

A long, dramatic kimono can take an otherwise basic outfit and turn it into something that gets noticed.

And baby, being over 60 does not mean you need to stop getting noticed.

Lightweight Boho Kimonos

Shopping tip: Look for lightweight fabrics with plenty of movement. If you’re new to kimonos, this is a great place to start because you can throw one over clothes you already own.

1. Start With the Easiest Combination: Kimono + Tank + Jeans

If you’ve never styled a kimono before, start here.

Take your favorite pair of jeans, add a simple tank or T-shirt, and put the kimono over it.

That’s it.

The secret is letting the kimono be the interesting part.

If you’re wearing a colorful floral kimono, you don’t necessarily need a complicated shirt underneath it. A black, white, cream or earthy-toned tank gives your kimono room to shine.

Then you can add:

• A long necklace
• A few bracelets
• Comfortable sandals or ankle boots
• A crossbody or slouchy boho bag

This is especially good if you’re just beginning to experiment with boho style.

You don’t have to walk out of the house looking like you bought an entirely new personality.

You’re still wearing your jeans.

You just gave them some attitude.

Kimonos to Wear With Jeans

2. Put Your Kimono Over a Simple Maxi Dress

This might become one of your easiest outfit combinations.

Start with a simple maxi dress and add a kimono.

Now you’ve got layers, movement and visual interest without adding anything tight or uncomfortable.

If your dress is solid, you can have more fun with your kimono.

Try florals, paisley, embroidery or a colorful print.

If your dress already has a bold pattern, go in the opposite direction and try a more neutral kimono.

You want the two pieces to work together — not fight for custody of the outfit.

Maxi Dresses + Kimonos

3. Try a Crochet Kimono for a Softer Boho Look

Maybe you like the idea of a kimono, but those big colorful prints feel like too much.

Try crochet.

Crochet gives you that bohemian feeling without adding another pattern to your outfit.

Cream, ivory, tan and other natural colors are especially easy because you can wear them with almost anything.

Try:

Crochet kimono + tank + jeans + sandals

or

Crochet kimono + maxi dress + layered jewelry

You’re adding texture instead of adding another print.

And texture is one of those little things that can make a very simple outfit look much more intentional.

Crochet Kimonos

4. Don’t Be Afraid of a Long Kimono

You might look at a long kimono and immediately think:

That’s a lot of fabric.

It can be.

But it can also be fabulous.

A longer kimono creates movement when you walk, and that’s part of what makes the look so beautiful.

The trick is keeping what’s underneath relatively simple.

Try:

Long floral kimono + black tank + dark jeans

Long kimono + simple column maxi dress

Long kimono + fitted top + wide-leg pants

You don’t need ten things happening at once.

Let that gorgeous kimono do its job.

Long & Dramatic Kimonos

This is where you can have some fun with statement pieces — florals, embroidery, rich colors and dramatic boho prints.

5. If You’re Plus Size, Don’t Hide Under the Fabric

This is an important one.

When you’re plus size, you’ve probably heard some version of the idea that the solution is to simply cover your body with more fabric.

More fabric isn’t necessarily the answer.

Movement is.

There’s a difference.

You want your kimono to skim and flow around your body, not swallow you.

If you’re wearing a loose, oversized kimono, try adding a little more structure underneath it.

That might mean straight-leg jeans and a tank or a simple maxi dress that gives your outfit one clean line.

And pay attention to length.

The “perfect” kimono length isn’t going to be the same for every woman.

Your height matters.

Your proportions matter.

The outfit underneath matters.

So try different lengths.

Turn around in the mirror.

Walk.

Sit down.

Raise your arms.

Because you’re not dressing a mannequin.

You’re dressing a body that actually has places to go.

Plus-Size Kimonos

Include a mix of shorter, mid-length and longer styles so you can compare different silhouettes.

6. Use Your Kimono to Bring Color Back Into Your Closet

Has your closet slowly become black, beige, gray and denim?

No judgment.

Those colors are easy.

But a kimono is one of the simplest ways to bring color back into your wardrobe without committing to an entire colorful outfit.

Start with your neutrals.

Then add:

Rust.

Turquoise.

Olive.

Mustard.

Terracotta.

Deep pink.

Purple.

Or a beautiful floral print.

When you’re scrolling and something makes you stop and think:

Ohhhh, I like THAT.

Pay attention.

That’s probably the one you should at least try.

Because you’re not supposed to disappear just because you’re getting older.

Colorful Boho Kimonos

7. Add the Jewelry

Now you get to have some fun.

A kimono already leans boho, so your jewelry can take the look the rest of the way.

Try:

• Layered necklaces
• Turquoise-inspired jewelry
• Long pendants
• Artisan-style earrings
• Stacked bracelets
• Natural stones
• Leather or wooden details

You don’t need all of it at once.

Pick one or two pieces.

Unless you’re feeling extra that day.

Then stack those bracelets, baby.

Boho Jewelry to Finish Your Look

8. Let Your Shoes Change the Outfit

You can take the same kimono outfit in completely different directions simply by changing your shoes.

Wear sandals and you’ve got a relaxed summer look.

Add ankle boots and suddenly you’re leaning into that modern hippie vibe.

Choose comfortable flats and you’ve got an easy outfit for lunch, shopping or running around town.

But here’s one rule you don’t need to break:

Your shoes need to be comfortable.

You’ve spent enough years suffering for cute shoes.

If you can’t comfortably walk around in them, they don’t deserve to come with you.

Comfortable Boho Shoes

You Don’t Need a Whole New Wardrobe

This might be the best thing about learning how to style a kimono after 60.

You don’t have to start over.

You don’t need ten new outfits.

You may already have the jeans.

You probably already have a tank.

There’s a good chance you have a simple maxi dress hanging somewhere in your closet.

Add one great kimono, and suddenly you can create several outfits that feel completely different.

That’s what style after 60 can look like.

You’re not buying things just because somebody says they’re trending.

And you’re certainly not dressing according to somebody else’s idea of what a woman over 60 is supposed to look like.

You’re figuring out what feels like you right now.

Give yourself something comfortable.

Give yourself some color.

Give yourself some movement.

Add a little boho jewelry.

And let that kimono fly.

One Last Thing Before You Go

If you’ve been looking at a kimono and thinking you’re too old, too short, too curvy or somehow not “boho enough” to wear it, you’ve created rules that don’t need to exist.

Try it on.

Style it with something you already love.

Look in the mirror.

And ask yourself one question:

Do you like the woman looking back at you?

Because style after 60 isn’t about following more rules.

You’ve followed enough of those already.

Now it’s about figuring out what makes you feel comfortable, confident and unmistakably you — and giving yourself permission to wear it.

You ain’t got time to wait, baby.