Alexandra Shulman has set out her style rules for the over 50s.

The 55-year-old British Vogue editor says she has become ''more accepting'' of how she looks in her 50s, and learned to change her wardrobe to better cope with how her body shape has changed.

Her first tip is to know your shape, saying: ''Women who are renowned for their style - like Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Charlotte Rampling, Kate Moss - have all nailed down a look that works and stuck with it throughout their lives.''

Alexandra goes on to advise older women not to be scared of colour, saying they should shy away from grey, and advising Navy blue as a good colour, and alternative to black, particularly as it can be ''beautifully paired with off-kilter colours, such as teal, mustard or rhubarb''.

Her third tip is to dress up for the office, pointing out: ''Nowadays, if I'm going to splash out on something pricey, it makes more sense to do so on something I will wear every day, rather than on a party dress that will make a couple of appearances pre-Christmas and then not survive the cut next year.''

Party dresses also come under fire in Alexandra's next tip, not to overdo the sparkle.

She added: ''I've learnt that a wonderful pair of shoes, some jewellery or a beautiful shawl stay in my wardrobe long after pretty party dresses are sent to the charity shop.''

Alexandra also advised that clothes should always be comfortable, and that most important of all is people should always be kind to themselves.

Writing in the Daily Mail newspaper, she said: ''Minutely dissecting the creep of age will ensure you never feel happy in what you wear. Instead, buying clothes that give you real pleasure, feeling comfortable in them, and giving the whole look a cursory glance before you run out the door is a more reliable route to style happiness.''