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- October 27, 2008
Dress Your Age
If you are a middle-aged woman, this is a fashion no-no:
Don’t wear tight skinny jeans
Don’t wear graphic t-shirts
Don’t wear big plastic jewelry
Don’t dress like your mother
Don’t dress like your daughter
Unfortunately, baby boomer women have a tough task in finding age-appropriate clothing that doesn’t make them look like their parents–or their kids. According to a survey conducted by Mintel, a market intelligence firm, more than half of the baby boomer respondents said there is a major lack of retailers carrying appealing merchandise, and one-third said stores catering to their demographic have unstylish clothing.
Why is it so hard for baby boomer women to find a decent clothing line? Why isn’t someone catering to our needs? A recent article in The New York Times indicated Boomers spend $43 billion a year on apparel. So it would stand to reason that some retailer would jump all over the chance to be handsomely rewarded by the millions of baby boomer women who are eager to look good from head to toe. But so far, it’s not happening.
When was the last time you went shopping and found the cutest outfit—only to discover it wasn’t in your size? Or how about finding a nice suit in your size—but for some reason the skirt (or pants) doesn’t fit the way it ought to. These are some of the ongoing problems baby boomer women face when it comes to fashion.
No, we’re not trying to let it all hang out anymore but we’re also not ready to be sent into the convent. We have come into our own and the clothes we wear should reflect that. We’re classy, some of us are a little sassy and we’re sophisticated. If we’re in the boardroom, there’s a certain type of look we should have with clothing material that won’t have us sweating like pigs during a hot flash. If we’re going out for a night on the time, we want to look stylish and sexy.
I will admit I am one of those women who is still hanging onto too many clothes that I will probably never fit into again—but I just can’t force myself to give them away. Besides, with the choices that are currently on the market, vigorous exercise may be my best option.
9 Responses to “Dress Your Age”
I’m a style consultant who has written 2 books on this subject (and of course blogged about this article recently).My book”Forever Cool”(Clarkson-Potter/Random House 2007) is on shelves now-and “Steal This Style” has a pub-date of April 14,2009 also from Random House. Check out all this on http://www.sherriemathieson.com
Best,
Sherrie
By Sherrie Mathieson on Oct 28, 2008
Love your line about not being ready for the convent! So funny!
Yes, it’s a fine line, isn’t it? As image consutlants for women over 40 we find that dressing not too old, not too young, but just right is their biggest dilema.
Style is not an age. We find the way you dress in midlife is mostly about your body, your personality. There’s no one uniform after 40.
But midlife style is also about being a touch more subtle/refined than you might have been in your youth. That’s where we come in. We find most women don’t need a whole make-over..they just need to tweak their chic.
Cheers,
Deborah Boland and JoJami Tyler
http://www.fabulousafter40.com
By Deborah Boland and JoJami Tyler on Oct 30, 2008
Connie recently did a hilarious post on this subject of dressing age-appropriately – which is obviously in the air:
“I’m standing at the crossroads of Juicy Couture and Talbot’s,” she writes. “I’m pretty clear that at my age wearing the word “JUICY” on my ass is just false advertising, but I’m also not ready for the muumuus and leisure wear that I see in the next department…”
Check it out at http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2008/10/28/what-not-to-wear/
By Cathy on Oct 30, 2008
Very cool post…
The blog is very relevant too..hope to see updates, nice job!
By The Muse on Nov 6, 2008
This is frustrating for me, too. I can still wear a belt, and they don’t make too many outfits for us that use one. They all look like matronly tunics or make me look like I’m pregnant.
I would love to have a sexy and practicle wardrobe.
By Pam Archer on Nov 8, 2008
I am in my 50s and definately agree we should dress as stylish and modern as we can I have 2 daughters in their 20s and borrow their clothes, but am very carefull not to dress like ‘mutton’ dressed as lamb, but can still be modern.
By Angela Farr on Jan 11, 2009
The woman who said it’s about your body after 40 is right. There isn’t a uniform so stop looking for one. I have some guidelines that I follow: dark wash, low rise, boot cut jeans NO MOM JEANS EVER! NO TEENAGER JEANS EVER! Stay away from anything extreme in color or shape, if it’s too short, too tight it’s too much. Nothing that is ultra girly or juvenile. Feel completely free to follow the trends in accessories. My wardrobe is mainly tailored white shirt, shift dresses, pencil skirts, and modern slacks. On weekends tailored shirt works great with jeans, and plain, well fitted t-shirts can be both sophisticated and sexy. Other than those basics, I feel free to wear almost anything that doesn’t advertise my flaws.
By 45andcounting on Jan 24, 2009
Great post! I agree with everything you said. (I especially like your immediate five “don’ts”!) I think it all comes down to how you look when you’re trying to be something you’re clearly not. LifeScript ran a good article about this called Top 10 Items You’re Too Old to Wear(with quotes from Charla Krupp and some “solutions” for us all). Thanks for a great post! I hope you’ll discuss it again. (There are certainly a lot of “don’ts” to cover!)
By Laura on Jan 28, 2009
I belieive that eating natural food and getting exercise can greatly improve your health.
There’s too much processed food these days.
By Anti-Aging Tom on Dec 21, 2009