I don’t know about you, but I get so tired of articles telling me what is “age-appropriate” for women over 50. “Cut your hair. Grow your hair. Wear longer skirts. Don’t wear shorts. Sensible shoes only. Dress for comfort.” Yada, yada, yada. I don’t believe ANY of that!!
As Jennie Mai, one of the wonderful women featured in the November 2020 issue of O Magazine shared, it’s about dressing “age aspirational,” not “appropriate.” I totally agree. Aspire to be as fashionable as you want to be for as long as you want to be!
The article in O Magazine is titled, “Fashion Comes of Age” showcases women from ages 44 to 72 looking GLAMFABULOUS! It is another indication of the impact of the Baby Boomer market.
We are not going gently into the night. NOT...AT...ALL. U.S. Census and Smart Assets.com research states that Boomers annually spend $548 billion per year, and Gen-Xers follow at $357 billion with women as large spenders on apparel and personal care items. We can rock and roll with our money, so why not keep rocking and rolling with our style?
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As a former executive in retail working with top fashion designers, I saw how in years past, clothing designs were geared toward younger women of small sizes.
Now, however, designers have noticed that women come in all sizes and ages, and we are not satisfied with wearing moo-moos as our uniform of choice as we age. For real!
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Give me some leggings, a fab top and some great shoes or boots and I’m out the door! Or, in the summer, I have a ball in my Sizzling After 60 t-shirt, cap and shorts, and often get stopped on the street with kudos for wearing them.
Now, keeping your flair and wearing certain items may require those workouts we’ve been talking so much about. But while you are at it, look over your closet, jewelry box, belts, bags and shoes.
What items are your favorites and make you feel GOOD when you wear them? Bring out those things you wore “back in the day,” when you sashayed about your business. I used to have a fashion consulting business called “Appointments” for working women. I’d go into their closets and pull out accessories they already had to put flair back into the outfits they already had. You can do the same.
Pick up some fashion magazines and study the looks you like. Then, look at your wardrobe and see if you can put together a similar “look.”
Don’t rush out and spend a lot of money. You’ll be surprised at what trends you can duplicate with what you already have! Use what you see in catalogs, too! I tear out pages and keep a file called “Fashion Looks I Like.” They keep me current, and “Age Aspirational.”
I do the same with hairstyles. Look, I always say it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind—and her hairdo! I’ve had short, long and in-between.
Brown, black, blonde. Relaxed, natural, braids—you name it. Some women like and work a signature hairdo. If that works for you, great! But, don’t be afraid to change things up to Turn Up Your Flair.
Go to a good wig store and try on some wigs for fun. Different lengths, colors, and see what you might like to try. There are so many options out there and it is SOOO much fun! And okay, some of the options don’t work as well as others, LOL. But hey, give it a shot.
Women today are taking better care of themselves as we age. Our bodies, minds and spirits. We are feeling better on the inside and we can translate that to looking better on the outside also.
Importantly, if you have daughters or younger women in your life and circle, these are critical life lessons to impart to them. My mom wore high heels until she was 93 years old.
Always wore earrings whenever she went out—even to the grocery store—and lipstick too! Loved snazzy hats, a good haircut and regular mani/pedis...even when she had dementia.
What this taught me was that her inner beauty and spirit was so strong that it was able to come through the shackles of dementia to let the world know who she was.
So, even through COVID-19, stay safe, and let the world know who you are through your STYLE! It has NO AGE. NEVER LOSE YOUR FLAIR, ladies. It will keep you SIZZLING.
Hugs,
Amy
