Age Appropriate Attire

[Guest ChloëC]

Reading all the wonderful responses to my thread on What's in your Wardrobe, got me thinking whether our wardrobe should be geared to our actual ages or does that matter at all.

Not that I would wear something a 21 year old woman might wear to go clubbing (we called it bar hopping), but at the same time, I also know what my grandmothers wore past age 50 because it was expected and black dresses buttoned to the throat with white trim and little pink flowers just doesn't appeal to me very much.

Now as some have probably surmised I belong to the Baby Boom Generation and the thinking back in the 60's was that this was the group that would change the USA (and world!) forever. This was the hippie/flower child/Woodstock generation, and all the old ways of doing things, as well as what to wear, would be tossed by the wayside.

Well, the 1/10 of 1% that attended Woodstock and the 1% that wished they did leaves 98% of the rest of us that still seem to want to conform to expectations much more then to express individuality. Baby boomers, remember, include Bill and Hilary Clinton, George and Laura Bush, Barack and Michelle Obama, Rush Limbaugh and lots of others, and hohboy, are they locked into traditional clothing role models (ie 1950's style with very minor updating, shirt collars and hemlines for dressy times, baggy sweats and/or slacks/jeans for casual - woohoo!)

I understand that body size plays a big part, but should that force anyone into a limited set of attire, and should age be used in any way as a limiting factor? Should there be any reason to feel, oh, embarrassed, let's say, for wearing something that others might think, oh, she's much too OLD for that?

This should be interesting!

Chloë

[Guest julia_d]

They are locked in.. not teen and not granny.. and after excluding those just about anything goes.. I'm the same generation.. http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h226/jan...e-official2.png and that does nicely.

[Guest Michele H]

It depends. If you want to blend in, then wearing age and situation appropriatre clothing is what you want. If don't care and just want to express your mood etc than go for it. What is appropriate in Florida is going to be different than NYC which will be different than San Fran - which can change from district to district. Where a swim suit and when you shopping at a mall - you will get noticed - If you wear an evening gown to the beach you will get noticed

[Guest Emily H]

Well, im goign to put it like this. I always HATED the way I looked and felt in my mom's 'borrowed' clothes. But when I bought my own clothes for girls 20 and less, I LOVED the way I looked and felt so comfortable in them.

~Andrea

[Guest MissAmy]

We should do it like GG should do it. A woman in her 50's dressing like one in her 20's just looks silly. Especially when young women tend to dress more slutty as the years go on.

[Guest Emeraude]

The way I see it, I feel comfortable wearing women's clothing, and it makes me happy, so I do it. After that, how big a stretch can it be if I feel more comfortable wearing what a 20 year old woman would more likely wear than a 50 year old woman?

I mean, really, if I was that worried about wearing what was "appropriate", I wouldn't even be here, would I?

--Emeraude

[Guest Penelope]

I have no right to tell you excellent ladies how to dress or present yourselves but I do have a few rules for myself. My ideal would be able to walk the street in clear daylight and present credibly as a female. This does not require immaculate make up, nails, clothes and shoes. Most women don’t do this; they are too busy getting on with all the other activities of life. I would aim to be natural and unremarkable.

Firstly, aged 56 I could only reasonably present myself as middle aged. This is actually quite flexible as women in my age range vary immensely.

I have accept that my face is not pristine and unlined even though it has excellent skin for a man. So a credible hairstyle is not going to be the long flowing tresses or short spiky stuff of youth. It will not be raven, chestnut or peroxide. It still allows for something of middle length (probably ash blonde) which could be cut and styled in a sophisticated way. It would definitely not be a granny perm.

Make up would be pretty minimal; liner and lipstick with, possibly, a smidgeon of foundation and powder but done in a sophisticated way. Any eye shadow would be for going out at night, be discreet and tone with currently worn clothing.

Clothing would not be youth fashions. I am lucky enough to have the figure to get away with leggings and a smart smock; or a tight skirt just above the knee and a smart blouse. I can get away with bare arms as mine are not hairy, wrinkled or over muscled. I don’t have a pelt on my back, shoulders or chest so I can get away with exposing them too. I like plain dresses of various lengths so long as they don’t emphasise my broad shoulders. I am not a floral pattern girl but could be persuaded into strong patterns and abstracts. I would rather not dress at all than ever look frumpy.

Shoes: oh shoes! The infinite variety! Having feet within the normal female range, I’m just beginning to indulge in an expensive hobby. They must be credible with the outfit. No rhinestones, silver or gold for me. I love heels and can now manage them up to 4 inches but would wear more sensible ones for pounding the street. I rather fancy boots; long for really cold weather, ankle length for jeans or leggings.

Underneath is my business. It is cotton based and comfortable but not voluminous. I like all the girly bows and frills but I don’t want to be scratched by cheap lace. I don’t like thongs. I like bras that fit firmly but comfortably and given the size of my upper body no larger than a B cup.

I am keen on all kinds of tights (panty hose) and hold ups These must be normal and not figure control. Currently I’m into plain tints but could enthuse about some of the lacy patterned ones. No tartans or funny patterns please!

In private it could be another story. I encourage you to indulge your fantasies without injuring yourself or others.

I remain the same girl that the public would see.

Penelope xx

[Guest Roberta1]

Each of us* seem to have a favorite look\era\ style that we like to present. Me, being 64, and dressing ala 60's like a 20-30 year old, I

certainly would not go out into public that way and try to pass. However, dressing like that for myself, I feel great, serene, soothed.

Call me crazy, but not "late for dinner" lol.

Sometimes you gotta just be yourself, for yourself. That is the great part of the game.

Sincerely, Robert(a)1

[Carolyn Marie]

I've always had an image in my mind of how I wanted to present as a woman. As I've grown older that image has changed a bit, but

not dramatically. I am at heart a conservative person, and even when crossdressing in my 20's and 30's I didn't go in for exotic

clothing. Now that I'm middle aged, I'm still not interested in exotica.

On the other hand, I'm not ready for granny-wear either. I like the Chadwick's and similar catalogs, and enjoy shopping at Macy's, as

their stuff is very stylish. I want to be a stylish and sophisticated mature woman when I venture out.

I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. Demille!

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Donna Jean]

Well, I have a built in waring system for the times that I try to wear something that is not "Age appropriate"

I'll hear those words from somewhere that says....

"You're not wearing THAT, are you?"

"Do you have a bra on?"

"Those heels are too tall for you!"

"That skirt with THAT top? I don't think so!"

"Wear the OTHER top!"

And all I can do is say....

"Yes Dear......"

LOL

Donna Jean

[Guest Jean Davis]

I like a little out of most age groups.

It takes quite an eye to put an outfit together though.

My biggest concerns are weather I like it and the outside tenperature.

I'm not freezing my but off for any type of fashion.

LUV

Jean

[Guest Melanie N]

I'm in my 30's so I guess I wear what most women my age wear. I like jeans, skirts, simple tops that have a sleek cut, nothing to baggy or loose. I guess thats how I dress as a guy, so I dress similarily as a woman. The younger 20's fashions dont look right on me and ive always found that classic simple lines tend to flatter be better.