Comments on: Adventures at Midlife: You’re going out looking like that?

By: Cindy La Ferle

Cindy La Ferle — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:04:19 +0000

I’m so glad women our age are talking about this. At 54, I’m just starting to shake off my own confusion over what is “age appropriate.” As so many smart women have noted here, we need to pay attention to what looks right on US — and not be hemmed in by someone else’s idea of how a middle-aged woman SHOULD look. To do that means we must know ourselves, be comfortable in our own skin, and above all, ENJOY our clothing. As another blogger wisely pointed out, we Boomers have been so brainwashed by marketers and magazine editors, that it’s hard for us to actually trust our own sense of what works and what doesn’t. Thanks again for posting on this topic.

By: byjane

byjane — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:07:33 +0000

Bri,
You’re so right. I wonder, though, if the name of the store had something to do with the customer’s hesitance. When I see Forever 21, I immediately go in my mind to someone who isn’t accepting of not being 21. Okay, I go to that nightmare that haunts me: the woman I’ve actually seen (several of them) who when you walk behind them, you think they’re in their 20s and when you see their faces, it’s like Dorian Grey–they’re in their seventies! I don’t ever want to be that woman, but I love fashion. It’s a narrow trail to walk….

By: Bri

Bri — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:38:51 +0000

I’ve been working this summer at a clothing store called Forever 21. I recently had a customer come in, admire my outfit and ask me if I could find her the same thing. We had to tweak it a bit since I hadn’t bought all the items I was wearing from my store, but we were able to get pretty close. After we had her dressed and she was looking at herself in the mirror, she asked me to honestly tell her if it was ok for her to wear this outfit. I told her she looked wonderful, and I was being completely honest. The outfit was cute, comfortable, and fun without being flashy. She asked me if I was sure and whispered, “But I’m 58.” I told her to look in the mirror. “Do you think you look good? Are all the clothes comfortable to wear? Would you feel uncomfortable wearing this in front of your family?” “No.” “Then age has nothing to do with it. There’s nothing wrong with you dressing a little more fashionable.” She bought the outfit and came back for another the next weekend. Clothes, to me, are about feeling good and that’s universal at any age.

By: Verite

Verite — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:26:41 +0000

I’m no fashionista, but my daughter bought a striped shirt for me and the first words out of my mouth were not “Thank You.” The belief that larger women shouldn’t wear stripes is embedded in my brain from years past even though I think that it may be the size of the stripes and length of the shirt that matter.

I think as we know ourselves better we develop our own styles.

By: Candelaria

Candelaria — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:59:06 +0000

Dump the experts. Whenever anyone makes a general fashion statement – even someone who I generally like such as Tim Gunn – I groan. Women over 40 comes in all shapes and sizes and personalities.

I think people should wear what they please that suits their pocketbook, their location and profession, etc. If you feel you can wear something, wear it. If how you dress offends me, I can definitely make sure I don’t have to look at you (much).

Puh-leeze. Other more important things to think about – we have, don’t we?

By: byjane

byjane — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:47:35 +0000

That’s a good question, susan m. Why do we criticize other women’s fashion choices? They must make us uncomfortable in some way.

By: susan m

susan m — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:06:24 +0000

Why do women criticize other women’s fashion choices, anyway? If I go around wearing Crocs and capris, am I going to offend someone’s delicate sensibilities? Pollute the visual landscape beyond repair? Drag down the class and taste of everyone around me?

And if so, is Tim Gunn going to buy me some new clothes?

By: Becky Lane

Becky Lane — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:52:44 +0000

That’s the great thing about maturity. Not only will I never choose hip and young looking over painful, I no longer choose age-appropriate over convenient, so it works both ways. As a teen I hated my long curly hair, because straight was in. Now I love it. I step out of the shower, dab on some gel, and I’m off! I love wearing pony tails, french braids, twists… My Mom thinks I should cut it off. She’s afraid people will think I’m trying to look like a teenager. But unless I want a ‘fro, that would mean fighting with hair dryers and assorted appliances every day, so I say “Tough titties Mom!”(which doesn’t sound very mature, does it?)