Fashion Through Our Ages | by JennyP

“What is that woman wearing?”  “Who does she think she is?”  “Oh my gosh, look at the woman right behind you!”  “Did she raid her daughter’s closet?”  “Is she a nun in her off-time?”  “I had those jeans in 1988”

We’ve all said this stuff.  We’ve all pointed and giggled.  We’ve all been mean girls, just admit it.  So having said that, and doing a group forgiveness hug, let’s talk about the issue of how exactly one should dress to avoid these comments.  (But if you’re wearing jeans from 1988 I cannot help you, you need a professional.  Head to a department store, find a cute sales girl, and point at your jeans.  She’ll take it from there.  It’s gonna be OK.  Britney came back from being bald, you can do this!)

One issue I see, and hear about, a lot is that women get stuck dressing in an age range, when in actuality they’re about 10 years off in one direction.  My mom takes major issue with Jennifer Aniston on this point.  She is always complaining that she needs to, “Stop thinking she’s 25!”  Now, I hear what my mom is saying, but….she looks 25!  Her body is hot, her clothes fit, why does she have to avoid any styles??  Live and let dress, right?

Well, most of us can’t get away with much of anything the lovely Ms. Aniston does, so if even she is getting this criticism, then frankly I’m worried and I bet you are too.  Alas, friends, you’re not alone.  I’m here to help!  Let’s just set some easy ground rules to follow to avoid being “that woman”.  Here are some little things to ask yourself when purchasing something new, or stepping out of your closet in the morning.

1.  Am I comfortable in this? First and foremost, do you feel comfortable in it?  Recently my adorable 21-year-old sister bought a cutie little pink sundress, and I was going to borrow it.  I put it on, and though it fit well, I just felt….stupid.  It was so pinky and little girly and I felt like an idiot in it.  If you’re pulling at it, feeling nervous, unsure if you can pull it off—DO NOT WEAR/BUY IT.  Don’t ever buy any clothes you’re uncomfortable in!  If you don’t feel like Hottie Mchotterton in it, then put it back, it’s not for you, other fabrics await you.

2.  Would a friend my age have this on? I recently witnessed a 30-40ish woman putting her 3 kids in her car outside the mall and could not stop staring at her t-shirt.  It said, “2 Cute 2 Boot” with a pair of red cowboy boots printed on it underneath, paired with her extreme low-rise jeans flashing her entire undergarment choice to the world as she lifted her son into the car.  I mean….come on, lady.  What are you doing?  You’re wearing a shirt with numbers in the place of words!  Check out women your age, are they wearing similar styles?  Are they looking at you and pointing?  Take note of your fellow sisters, we’re all in the same boat.  Take cues from others in your age group.

3.  Does anyone in this store look like me? I’m a small-sized person.  I can wear clothes from pretty much any teeny-bopper shop out there.  Does this mean I should?  I remember when I realized this:  2005, I’m 25, in Charlotte Russe, and see a 12-year-old holding the same dress as me.  It was hard, people.  I had to face the fact that I needed to get out of there and go play with people my own age.  Look around, are you fitting in?  Are you a decade older/younger than the lady next to you?  My mom doesn’t shop in Hollister.  I’m grateful.

4.  Is this the image I want to give off? This sort of goes with the theme of dressing the way you want people to see you.  If you’re wearing a shrunken t-shirt and miniscule jean skirt at your child’s dance recital, is that really the woman you want to be?  The one who “probably raided her daughter’s closet”?  Similarly, if you’re at a college bar after class having a bite to eat with friends, do you want to be the chick everyone is wondering why she’s wearing her mom’s jeans?  If you don’t care, then more power to you, own it, rock the Mom-jeans outta the park my friend.  But like most of us, you don’t want to wake up one day and realize all of your clothes are just kind of…inappropriate.

Having said this, I’m all about individual style.  I have a friend who dresses a little provocative, all the time, and owns it.  She knows people assume things, she knows she gets comments, and she doesn’t care.  I’m all about that kind of confidence!

But I do think there’s a time in every woman’s life when she needs to look her age—because they’re all such fabulous looks!  The cutie 20-something coming from school loving her cellulite-free legs in a teeny-tiny-mini; the sexy 30-something woman in a great black cocktail dress at a party owning the body she’s come to love; the sophisticated 40-something lady at the coffee shop wearing the most perfect jeans and accessories; the regal 50-something with the blown out bob and magically wrinkle-free slacks; the lovely 60-something woman in the long flowy skirt and grandkids all over her; and the beloved 70-plus-somethings that can wear anything they darn well please including purple hats!  We get to be ALL of these things eventually!  Don’t knock your age, it’s always worth dressing up for.

My Favorite “Dress My Age” Celebs

Selena Gomez- Teen            Megan Fox-20’s            Kate Winslet-30’s               Salma Hayek-40’s            Rita Wilson-50’s            Helen Mirren-60’s