three women whose style i admire: judy alridge, carine roitfeld, nina garcia
a few weeks ago, i was pleasantly surprised to be included in an ifb round-up of bloggers over 40 to follow. while my age isn’t a subject that is front and center here, i did receive some comments that i didn’t look my age. obviously that boosted my ego a bit, but it also got me thinking about style and age. most fashion magazines are targeting a woman in her twenties, while those like O or more are geared more to the over 30 and over 40 age groups. some, like vogue, have the “age issue,” a strange term if there ever was one, and harper’s bazaar makes a point to call out age in every issue with their “fabulous at every age” section. the problem with that is, suppose i see something in the 60s section that i really like? is it off-limits? what about the 20’s section? what i have found though is that as another year ticks off on the calendar, i find myself gravitating towards…basically whatever. miniskirts? sure! leather pants? why not!
i seem to be doing the exact opposite the direction some women go with their style as they get older: they find a uniform. in a recent article in bazaar (which, funny enough was about how the rules of looking appropriate are not what they were), the author said this about dressing past 35: another important aspect of dressing your age is that once you hit your late 30s you want to refine and rely on a go-to look.” designer jenni kayne was asked what she could wear today that she couldn’t wear when she was younger (mind you, she’s 30): “a uniform. it takes maturity and confidence to define your style.” hmm…i remember having a uniform when i was younger—it involved jeans, oversized shirts, vintage men’s blazers, stretchy miniskirts, and either loafers or ballet flats. it also was pretty much devoid of color. as i’ve gotten older, i’ve become more confident—and more adventurous—to try things like boyfriend jeans one day and mixing prints the next, and more heels that not. the uniform idea may work for some (kate lanphear, grace coddington, and even anna wintour come to mind), but not for me…but hey, never say never. i’m just having too much fun right now exploring all there is in fashion.
what say you about age and style? do you believe in the tenets of appropriate dressing once you hit certain milestones or are you more about freedom of expression?
