Can you imagine a woman in her forties and fifties dressed in a spaghetti strap blouse, hotpants and killer heels? Or worse, dressed in a revealing halter neck dress by accessorizing it with some chunky jewellery and hair extensions on a night out with her husband/boyfriend or some girlfriends at someone’s wedding anniversary or birthday party? Or take another far worse case where she dresses in a mini skirt, over-the-knee long socks/fishnet stockings and platform shoes which fails to make her look chic on the streets. If any of you say you have seen or heard something like this in your life and/or the media or perhaps know a woman in her forties and fifties dressed like this, I can bet that you must be either shaking your heads in disapproval or feel like you want to faint (at the sight of her).
If you heard the famous saying “Mutton dressed as lamb”, this saying definitely matches a woman who goes too far trying to look fab only to look more drab (or ridiculous, take your pick). Or maybe Carrie Bradshaw and Sex and the City comes to mind for some of you. Today I would like to take the opportunity to talk about the issue of how some women in their forties and fifties who go too far when it comes to clothes. Time and again, there will be at least a few women in their forties and fifties making terrible fashion mistakes in an attempt to look hot and fabulous. Therefore, it makes me wonder why some of these women are driven to dress too young inappropriately for their age. Is it because of the desire to look younger and maybe compete with their younger counterparts in the eighteen to thirty-five age range? Or is it perhaps they must have seen Carrie Bradshaw as their muse just to define fabulous? Or is it because they are in denial with aging? Or perhaps their husbands and boyfriends with their rose-tinted glasses make stupid judgments on their wives’ and girlfriends’ clothing? Who knows. Honestly, these women are not making themselves look like catwalk fashionistas but actually more like fashion victims in need of proper and sensible fashion advice.
I may get shot for saying this but anyway, just because someone in her forties or fifties thinks she can get away with a pair of hipster jeans and almost-barely-there crop top does not mean she can look as fabulous as her younger daughter and/or niece when her choice of clothes for the day only makes her look more like the butt of the jokes when she walks down the street or makes her entrance at some local cafe. The truth does hurt and I am sorry to say these three words: Dress your age! Is it difficult at all to accept that dressing up for comfort rather than style matters the most at this age? Honestly, it is better to dress appropriately with elegance than to try dressing too young which does not flatter your body, shows your insecurity and make you look worse for wear. And last but not least, don’t try dressing too young if you know better that you are only going to embarrass yourself and/or your loved ones.
And what is wrong with being in your forties and fifties? Just because you hit the forties and fifties, it does not mean it is the end of the world for you. There are some women who take entering the forties and fifties with stride and honour rather than become insecure and upset over it. Take a look at Emma Thompson and Meryl Streep as examples. Do they need to be mutton dressed as lamb just to define themselves or try to be up to par with the younger counterparts in the celebrity world? Absolutely NOT. Forget about looking up to Carrie Bradshaw as a fashion icon (even though she is fictional) and Janice Dickinson (she is a real life person) as fashion inspirations and take a hard look at yourselves. Are your really doing yourselves a favour by being a mutton dressed as a lamb? Call me a spoil sport all you want, but the truth is being a mutton dressed as a lamb is never worth it.Not when you hit your sixties or seventies looking back with regret and asking yourself this question, “What was I thinking?”
As a blogger in my twenties, I am determined to dress my age in many years to come and accept aging as part of life. Carrie Bradshaw-like fashion style is a total non-no and I aim to dress appropriately with elegance. Lastly, I totally agree with what I read on this forum which talked about Carrie Bradshaw’s distasteful and classless fashion sense. Anyway, what says you about the issue of women dressing up disgracefully by dressing too young? Your opinions are welcomed.
sm women in 40s or 50s looked really good for their age & can get away wif it but if you don’t look yr age, then better dress accordingly. one also shld dressed appropriately according to place n time. think of the word “classy”, not “trashy”… tht’s jus an opinion. what’s yours?
^^Good one, PepperMint. Yes, there are some women who can definitely get away with it and yes again, not all women can get away with it either. It is very true that one needs to dress appropriately and accordingly with class rather than being trashy and embarrassing.
I think people should dress age appropriately too. But some people young much younger than their biological age and if they can pull it off I guess why not. I love Meryl Streep as a fashion icon. I love a sophisticated look as opposed to trashy.
Thank you for your input. Yes, a sophisticated look is always good (and most of the times very sensible) and highly recommended to those who choose to tread carefully when it comes to Clothing 101 outside the home.
I think there are two separate issues here. One is taste. The other is sexuality. Bad taste is bad taste, and trashy is trashy -no matter the age. But, sexy and sensual can be done well at any age also. (A good rule is: If you’re going to show off some cleavage, then don’t wear a mini, if you’re going to do a plunging bare back then have a higher neckline in front…)
Women in their 40s and 50s are sexual beings just as much as younger women, maybe even more so if we consider the confidence and experience gained with age and believe the idea that women’s sexual peak happens much later than for guys. Why then are so many uncomfortable with older women being comfortable expressing their sexuality and sensuality? Why do we (like Hollywood is often accused of doing) want to retire women to a matronly role after 40? I think it’s similar to how many of us feel when we think about people in their 70s still having sex. Kind of cringe-worthy. 40s and 50s isn’t that bad, but some people don’t want to see the confident sexuality of those women either. Like youthfulness and fertility and smooth skin are required in order to wear your sexuality.
Just this afternoon I was thinking about getting rid of my black knee high leather boots with the 5 inch heels. I haven’t actually worn them in years. And I generally avoid miniskirts, too. I’m in my mid30s. I think miniskirts look a little silly on me now. Is that because I frankly don’t have the figure I had 10 years ago? Maybe. Is it because I’ve been off the market for years so I no longer have the desire to put my vibe out there? That’s certainly part of it, too. Is it just that my tastes have changed and I prefer to do sexy in a more sophisticated way? Very likely. But that’s me.
Just realized I wrote a whole lot, didn’t mean to write so much, sorry!