Women should ditch belly-bearing crop-tops by the age of 34, and avoid showing off midriffs in bikinis as soon as they reach 40 - according to other women, a study has revealed. Researchers found even if you sport a toned tum and slim body, two thirds of women believe certain clothes should come with a 'wear by' age - with most items deemed unsuitable by the big 4-0.
Mini-skirts, hot pants and belly button piercings should also be avoided after your mid-thirties.
And it's not just crop tops and bikinis that the over 30s need to avoid, with the mini skirt being labelled as 'too old' for those aged 37 or above, while hot pants should be ditched at 35.
Ruth Gresty, spokeswoman for the All-Bran Five Day Challenge which commissioned the research, said:
''People may say 'if you've got it, flaunt it' - but it seems that this isn't always the case for some of our wardrobe staples.
''It's alarming that the crop top or bikini is causing such widespread 'midriff mayhem', and women actually believe it should come with some kind of a wear by date.
''Ultimately, it should come down to how confident you feel about your stomach and body - if you have worked hard to maintain a flat tum, you should be able to show it off.
"But for some women, a flat, less bloated tummy can prove elusive no matter how many stomach crunches they do and mean they aren't comfortable in revealing clothes as they get older.
''However the secret can be as simple as making a few small dietary changes like eating a fibre rich breakfast cereal every day, which is proven to ease bloating and that swollen tum look.''
The study of 2,000 women also found leggings should also hit the bin by 37 and stilettos are a no-no if you are in the 41 plus age group.
Belly button piercings should be removed by the time you turn 35, while long hair should be given the chop at 42 to a shorter more 'mature' look.
And 27% believed ladies should stop shopping in 'younger' clothes stores like Topshop and Miss Selfridge once they reach their early forties.
Over a fifth of those polled said they would put age aside and show off their body if they had a flatter or less bloated looking tummy like celebs, but admitted they found it incredibly hard to achieve.
Another 16% believe in the mantra 'if you've got it, flaunt it'.
It also emerged that it's not just women who should put limits on their wardrobe, as the results also showed that men should give their beloved football shirts the boot at the age of 25.
Researchers also found that women are taking the lead from celebrities, with 67% of those surveyed saying famous females are making it more acceptable for women to wear belly-bearing clothes after a certain age.
And Gwen Stefani came out as the biggest 'flat tum' inspiration after being crowned the most inspirational celebrity midriff.
The 43-year-old No Doubt singer beat off stiff twenty-something competition from the likes of Corrie heartthrob Michelle Keegan and Rihanna to prove she is no top of the flops in the tummy department.
Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry and Kate Hudson, who are also in their forties, were listed amongst the top 10.
Ruth Gresty, spokeswoman for the All-Bran Five Day Challenge added:
''Thankfully it seems like the celebs have got it sussed when it comes to understanding the relationship between feeling good on the inside and looking great and are not afraid to show off their midriffs- whatever their age.''
TOP 10 INSPIRATION CELEB MID-RIFFS
1. Gwen Stefani
2. Cheryl Cole
3. Michelle Keegan
4. Rhianna
5. Jennifer Aniston
6. Halle Berry
7. Kelly Brook
8. Megan Fox
9. Keira Knightley
10. Kate Hudson
