The Stylish Women Over 50 You Need to Start Following On Instagram

Move aside, millennials and Gen Z. Open up your Instagram app and you’ll notice that baby boomers and Gen X-ers are a growing demographic among influencers today. In fact, these stylish individuals are shattering any misguided notions that women of a certain age are no longer relevant to fashion.

Mature women over 50, such as Lyn Slater (@iconaccidental), Linda Rodin (@lindaandwinks), and Sophie Fontanel (@sophiefontanel), have amassed followers in the hundreds of thousands, with many fans less than half their age. Some stylish older women, including Helen Ruth Elam (@baddiewinkle), Grece Ghanem (@greceghanem), and Iris Apfel (@iris.apfel) have garnered millions. Considering the fashion industry’s long-standing obsession with youth, it’s unexpected to see senior women take the spotlight — especially on a platform dominated by young people — but a quick scroll through their feeds and it’s obvious why these fashionable women over 50 have made their mark on the ‘gram.

This stylish group of women exude confidence with every post, while unapologetically showcasing the unique personal style they’ve spent years refining. They have an air of insouciance and authenticity about them that's so appealing. And no, many didn’t set out to become Instagram icons — it happened naturally, and they're comfortable in their own skin.

That being said, give your Instagram feed a healthy dose of inspiring fashion and wisdom, courtesy of the stylish golden-agers to follow now. Below, 21 stylish influencers prove that impeccable style doesn’t stop at 50 (or ever!), and aging should be embraced with grace, confidence, and an amazing outfit.

Fiona Milne, @shopwithfifi

About her: Fiona, or FiFi, is a former fashion editor of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and InStyle. She now runs The Fifi Report blog and is a personal shopper and stylist.

Follow for: Sophisticated and chic neutrals. Refined, simple, and effortlessly fashionable, FiFi is an absolute pro at styling and layering outfits, and her account gives daily tips on how to style minimalist seasonal looks. A big fan of trench coats and structured trousers, she often wears pieces from Acne Studios, Uniqlo, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Vince.

Elaine Davis, @squarepearls

About her: Elaine has resided in New York for decades now, which you can probably tell just by looking at her chic fashion taste. The blogger shares her life in the Big Apple on her website Square Pearls. The meaning behind her personal blog’s name? “It's what I call women of a certain age, who are classic and timeless like pearls, yet unapologetically edgy,” she writes on the site.

Follow for: The perfect balance of classic and trendy ensembles. One day she’ll be walking around the city in body-hugging black dress and snakeskin boots (shown above). On another day, Elaine will show her edgy side in a fun graphic tee, midi skirt, and Nike high-top sneakers. No matter what she decides to throw on, the New Yorker always looks incredibly stylish.

Cindy Crawford, @cindycrawford

About her: Ever heard of the name Cindy Crawford? Odds are you’re already very familiar with the legendary model. She walked just about every catwalk back in the day, including heavy hitters like Chanel and Dior. Therefore, it’s no surprise her off-duty style is oh-so chic.

Follow for: Cindy is known for her simple, California-cool fashion. Since she doesn’t necessarily need heavy jackets or boots, the model tends to gravitate towards light cardigans and straight-leg denim. Not to mention, her hat game is unmatched.

Mette Sorrig, @msorrig

About her: Located in Copenhagen, Mette is a mother of two who shares her love for spontaneous dressing and vintage clothing on her Instagram.

Follow for: Ideas on how to get more adventurous with your style. Between her genius pattern mixing and her cool vintage finds, Mette’s feed is a go-to destination for playful fashion inspiration. If that’s not enough to convince you to check out her page, the dreamy Copenhagen locations she shoots in might be.

Jenna Lyons, @jennalyonsnyc

About her: As the former creative director of J.Crew, you might know a bit about Jenna. After departing from the brand, the fashion icon made her foray into beauty by launching her label LoveSeen and recently starred in The Real Housewives of New York City’s reboot.

Follow for: Playful looks that’ll make you smile. Jenna pioneered a whole era of quirky looks — full of sequins, stripes, and tulle. Of course, her personal style has an element of preppiness to it (she was at J.Crew for 27 years, after all). But she’ll also rock a pair of sneakers and tailored menswear trousers together. All in all, you never quite know what she’ll wear next.

Park Makrye, @korea_grandma

About her: A popular YouTube star in South Korea, Makrye is in her mid-70s and known for both her cool style and hilariously fresh takes that poke fun at age and gender constructs in Korean society.

Follow for: Relaxed and playfully chic looks. You’ll find Makrye dressed in traditional Korean grandma garb and alongside trendy fashion influencers while wearing cool street style. Oh, and she loves a pearl necklace. Since she owns a restaurant in addition to running her YouTube channel (which has over a million subscribers), her Insta also features many of the delicious Korean dishes she cooks.

Susi Rejano, @susirejano

About her: Susi is a Barcelona-based designer and founder of Brilliant, a fashion accessories brand that sells chic jewelry, handbags, belts, scarves, hats, and more.

Follow for: Chic Spanish style. Susi is a pro at elevated simplicity, playing with feminine silhouettes and elements of menswear. Her style mixes casual with sophisticated: wearing baseball caps with blazers and Celine tees with pleated trousers, all with a cool and classic eye for elegance. You’ll also obviously see her showing off her brand’s luxury accessories, most notably Brilliant’s stunning collection of handbags.

Isabella Thorp, @confessionsofasuperager

About her: Born and raised in the Philippines, Isabella is a fashion and lifestyle blogger at Confessions of a Super Ager. Based in the D.C. Metro area, she’s a mother of two grown-up kids, stepmother to two more, and a grandmother.

Follow for: Embracing middle age in style. She is the definition of aging gracefully. From skin care secrets and nutrition advice to curated outfit tips and mirror selfies with a handbag in one and a cocktail in the other, Isabella makes her mid-50s look joyful and chic. Her style is fun, colorful, and flowy — and she never shies away from a breezy floral dress or a sun hat.

Violet Trikilis, @violeta.zuvela

About her: A mother of five, Violet is a fashion influencer and model living in Melbourne, Australia.

Follow for: A chance to discover cool Australian labels — her ensembles include pieces from under-the-radar brands like Tirelli, KAMARE, and Andiamo. Violet has also mastered the art of blending together classic and trendy pieces. The influencer often wears polished items such as trench coats and striped long-sleeve tees, but she isn’t afraid to test out risk-taking styles like leather shorts and snakeskin blouses.

Iris Apfel, @iris.apfel

About her: Iris is perhaps the most famous over-50 fashion influencer on Instagram — actually, make that over-100 (yes, she is 102 years old). With 2.9 million followers on Instagram, she has had features and spreads in Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, The New York Times, and many more. She even has a documentary made about her, called Iris, and once had a whole exhibition about her at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2005.

Follow for: Extravagance and art. From her iconic large round glasses to bold glittery outfits filled with ruffles and layered jewelry, Iris is a fashion maximalist. Having a long, storied career in textiles (she was contracted by the White House for nine presidencies), she is an expert at pairing bold fabrics and strong silhouettes. And she’s a pro at displaying how to bring fun and joy to personal style.

JoAni Johnson, @joanijohnson6000

About her: Johnson was discovered as a model in 2016 and has since worked with fashion brands like Ugg and J.Crew.

Follow for: A look into Johnson’s life, but especially her modeling work. She often updates her feed with her latest fashion editorials — both dramatic and elegant. You can also expect to find shots of the model with stylish celebrities including Rihanna and Zendaya.

Melissa Meyers, @melissameyers

About her: Residing in Los Angeles, Melissa is a fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content creator.

Follow for: Southern California-inspired fashion. You can usually catch her in Malibu wearing oversized graphic sweatshirts and loose denim or a slip dress and heels. Melissa’s style is best described as casual meets minimalist with a beachy twist. She doesn’t stray too far from neutrals, but she has a way of making her simple ensembles intriguing. You can also find her looks on WhoWhatWear, where she’s a contributor.

Helen Ruth Elam, @baddiewinkle

About her: Known as Baddie Winkle, Helen is 95 years old and has been “Stealing yo man Since 1928,” as her Instagram tagline states. The Kentucky native blew up on social media in 2015 when she was discovered by Rihanna and Miley Cyrus. She now has over three million followers.

Follow for: Unapologetically fierce and fun fashion. Helen has a lesson or two (or a hundred) to impart on everyone — one of which is that you can definitely wear latex dresses in your 90s. You’ll find her in neon colors, shiny catsuits, sequined two-pieces, feather boas on top of fun mini dresses, and carrying a bejeweled sparkly pink cane. Her life is a party we all should aspire to emulate.

Renia Jazdzyk, @venswifestyle

About her: The Poland native resides in the United Kingdom, where she documents her penchant for trends and fashion-forward dressing.

Follow for: Outfits that rival any you'd find on the streets at Fashion Week. Renia’s style is always polished but never lacking in originality. Her feed is a wellspring of inspiration for how to incorporate designer trends into your everyday look, without looking like a replica of what was shown on the runways. Whether she's playing with mixed prints, proving just how wearable neon can be, or showing the elegant side of some slouchy trousers, Renia’s creativity and love of fashion are apparent in every outfit.

Lyn Slater, @iconaccidental

About her: Lyn, a former professor at Fordham University's Graduate School of Social Service, started her now-famous blog, Accidental Icon, in 2014 after struggling to find an existing one that spoke to women who lead, as she describes it, “interesting but ordinary lives.”

Follow for: Impeccably edited modern style and a New York City swagger. Lyn's smart aesthetic combines an urban sensibility with a thoughtful boldness and avant-garde edge, by way of designers like Dior, Prabal Gurung, and Diane von Furstenberg. Her feed is a mixture of effortless mirror selfies and street style photos.

Linda Rodin, @lindaandwinks

About her: Linda is a former stylist and beauty entrepreneur based in New York.

Follow for: Particularly interesting ways to wear denim that feel classic and preppy (think Breton stripes, crisp collared shirts, ballet flats), but updated with a fashion girl twist (cool coats, double denim, wide-leg, and flared silhouettes). Plus, expect plenty of appearances by her adorable pup, Romy.

Sophie Fontanel, @sophiefontanel

About her: Sophie is a 61-year-old fashion journalist and style critic for the Parisian publication L'Obs.

Follow for: A lesson in mirror selfies. Sophie's style embodies that distinctly French way of looking absolutely effortless and impossibly fashionable all at once. Her wardrobe is largely made up of vintage gems (but she does rock contemporary brands like Zara, too), which adds to the playfulness and whimsy of her personal style. She combines colors in unexpected ways, layers oversized silhouettes and juxtaposed proportions, wears sneakers with dramatic outerwear, and makes all-over leopard look casual.

Yasmin Furmie, @yasminfurmie

About her: A social worker-turned-designer, South African style influencer Yasmin Furmie co-founded a collection of distinctive shirting called SiSi. Her personal Instagram bio aptly reads: “Disrupt the norm.”

Follow for: An eclectic mix of prints and proportions. Yasmin's roster of outfits is full of unique silhouettes, artful textiles, and chunky footwear. You could describe Yasmin's style as a bit offbeat and quirky — she layers with irreverence and combines pieces in ways that you'd never expect. For example, she'll pair a voluminous number with platform heels; a strapless dress over her jeans; or denim Bermuda shorts with ankle boots.

Grece Ghanem, @greceghanem

About her: Grece is a fashion influencer in Montréal who first got into style blogging as a shared hobby with her daughter. Her Instagram is now 1.2 million followers strong and has made her a sought-after influencer partner for such major brands as Pandora, Farfetch, and YSL Beauty.

Follow for: A mix of high and low, trendy and timeless, and contemporary and vintage. Grece has a knack for incorporating the hottest of-the-moment trends and designer It-pieces in a way that isn't obvious or overplayed. Her innate fashion sense will have you daring to try looks you'd never have considered. Whether it's a red suit with a graphic top, a bright puffer coat and chunky boots, or the clashing combo of a maroon jacket with lilac shorts — she makes everything look so effortless.

Melanie Kobayashi, @bagandaberet

About her: Melanie is a Vancouver-based artist and the provocateur behind the Instagram @bagandaberet. She doesn't simply get dressed so much as play dress-up, using the contents of her closet to convey a particular mood, attitude, or identity.

Follow for: Eclectic styling of modern and vintage pieces, not to mention some excellent examples of how to pose for an OOTD pic. A true chameleon, she can pull off everything from rocker chic leather-on-leather to retro intellectual plaid, unlikely print pairings, and Diane Keaton-esque menswear. If not for the fashion, follow for the captions. Mel's humorous anecdotes and explanations are so fun and full of character, you'll fall in love with her personality right along with her style.

Colleen Heidemann, @colleen_heidemann

About her: A former flight attendant, Colleen lives by the mantra, "if not now, when?" Her striking style was first captured by Advanced Style blogger and photographer Ari Seth Cohen after he met Colleen at her California consignment store in 2011. She's since become a fashion muse in her own right and signed with Next Models.

Follow for: Daring and fearless fashion. Far from cookie-cutter, Colleen eschews minimalism in favor of exuberant glamour and vibrant flair. With her shock of white hair, signature smokey eye, and a red lip, she is, in a word, fabulous. You're equally likely to see her in sequins and colorful furs as you are sharply tailored suiting and sophisticated gowns.