Women always try to tame themselves as they get older, but the ones who look best are often a little wilder. Thinking about age all the time is the biggest prison women can make for themselves.- Miuccia Prada
I've procrastinated about writing on the subject of 'dressing for your age' for a while, because I think I'm the last person to offer any nuggets of wisdom. While I have a sense of my own personal style, there's been a nagging feeling lately that much of what I choose to wear is inappropriate for someone heading into middle age, that I should tone it down a bit.
But the dominant, irreverent voice in my head (the part that selects these 'inappropriate' garments!) gets cross and says 'But you love these clothes, they express who you are. Why should you compromise on that and who cares what anyone else thinks, Godammit!?'. I bet I'm not the only woman who has this conversation with herself.
Have you ever looked at those features in magazines in which you are advised how to dress in each decade of your adult life? As the years roll on you see a parade of women in beiges and neutrals. Now this is fine if beiges and neutrals suit you and you like them, but I'm sure that if I wore them, I would simply disappear. I genuinely question whether many of the clothes sold as appropriate for older women were actually designed with the intention of making sure they vanish altogether.
Think about it - women in their 40's, 50's and 60's were the first to wear mini skirts, tie-dyed hippy t-shirts, thigh-high boots, platform shoes, bondage trousers, pixie boots, boilersuits, mohican hair-do's, black nail varnish and dresses made from bin liners (it was the 1980's, what can I say?). Unlike our mothers or grandmothers we did not spend our youth in grown-up clothes - no smart chignons or tastefully applied maquillage for us. Yes we got older and dressing with abandon inevitably gave way to clothes that we can wear to work, but the styles of our youth are still a part of us. And then we're told to wear beige.
My research for this blog has made it abundantly clear to me that there are no easy answers to our dilemma. What's 'old' to one person will be absolutely appropriate for another so I won't even attempt to hand out trite top tips - as you'll know if you've read my previous blogs I tend to avoid Fashion 'rules', preferring to mix it up a bit and have some fun. The best advice I've seen comes from older women themselves:
- Never stop having fun
- Learn from what other women wear and how they wear it
- Don't say 'I can't wear that because of my age' - it's all about how you feel.
- Wear what you think makes you look good. The advantage of being older is having a good understanding of the colours and shapes that suit you.
There are so many fantastic blogs out there on this subject - here's a small selection that might provide inspiration.
Stunning 69 year old reveals her life and style secrets.
Writing for the Guardian, this blogger tells it like it is for the older woman who wants to look her best.
If it's advice and tips you're after this might be the site for you.
Blogger Ari Seth Cohen's mission is to seek out and photograph older women who still manage to look extraordinary.
This gal has fun mixing up clothes and accessories to pull together outfits that are unexpected and inspiring.
Unpretentious but very stylish 'English bird' entering her forties shares her look.
Writing and researching this blog has convinced me to listen more to my 'irreverent' voice. As I get older I hope I will 'not go gentle into that good night', and MAKE's going to help me in my mission!
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