I didn’t realize I’m such a rebel. I’ve been breaking the fashion rules for nine years now and didn’t even realize it.
I recently read that woman over 40 are supposed to stop wearing leather, animal prints, peplums, Peter Pan collars, chubby fake fur jackets, “jazzy” hosiery, culottes, capes, clogs, fishnets and strapless dresses.
Since clothing is a reflection of who we are why don’t we also stop being funny, interesting, creative, unique, exciting and eclectic?
Why don’t we all wear the exact same thing?
Once one passes forty it is important to make the correct clothing choices, quietly blending in, as to not offend the younger generations or those with traditional tastes and delicate sensibilities.
Let the younger ones be bold, vivacious and wild.
At our age we must limit our excitement. Elegance and maturity is where we’re heading. Older women dressing ostentatiously or in an unrefined manner is terribly unbecoming. “Age appropriate dressing” is de rigueur if you want to be taken seriously.
HOLD UP!
I’ve got some news for you.
I’m a grown woman and as such have earned the right to wear whatever I like.
The only person I need to please when I look in the mirror is myself. If I want to wear leather pants with an animal print blouse and a fake fur jacket …well guess what? I’m going to! I’m not looking for anyone else’s approval. I don’t need it.
I’m not finished experimenting with clothing. My style journey didn’t end because I turned forty some nine years ago.
I’m not relegated to soothing colours and soft draped silhouettes.
I’m going to keep on being me.
I plan on squeezing in as much fun and joy into my life as possible, dressing however I please, I don’t care how old I am.
If I offend you, simply turn your head and look the other way.
I’m just an old person having the time of my life.
Proof: the classy video Melanie took of Sue and myself on a recent thrift shopping spree.
How do you feel about this newest set of rules for women over 40?
Just to be clear, I’m not suggesting that in order to be funny, interesting, creative, unique, exciting and eclectic one needs to dress wildly, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
As Melanie says, “Nobody ever crossed the street to meet a personality.”
Linking up with Throw Back Thursday, What I Wore, My Girlish Whims
Brava and so well said. Those rules are total rubbish, and I hope to be wearing leather trousers in the nursing home. My only rules, and for myself only, are “not too short, tight, or low-cut” – but those were my rules in my 30’s too; i don’t like to show a lot of skin. I will cross the street to meet you any day, you look fab, xox
Patti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com
Fashion rules are the silliest things ever! I am a firm believer in wearing what makes you feel good. With that said, there are some things I don’t wear because I feel it’s too juvenile for me (i.e., overalls) but I never thought they were flattering either. I surely won’t stop wearing peplum, animal print because someone told me not to.
I always love your great style!
Alice
http://www.happinessatmidlife.com
Hope to see you Thursday for TBT Fashion link up.
I know…they’ll be ripping my animal print out of my cold dead hands! LOL
Wow! I read the article you linked and I literally had my mouth open in disgust. I feel like I am finally getting my style groove on at 40. Not for a need to try to look younger, but rather I now have the confidence to wear what I really want, what reflects my true personality!
Bravo for such a fantastic post and a gorgeous fashion round up that is a feast for the eyes. #fashiongoals.
Janeane
http://www.designingfrommycloset.wordpress.com
Thanks for visiting Janeane.
Wearing what suits our personalities rather than our age is all that the “rules” should say.
Your personality does not suddenly change at a certain point in time, why should your style? Real style, like personality, evolves over time, but its core remains the same. You don’t wear animal prints or leather the same way now as you did in your 20s, but you still wear them. Because they’re the key elements of your style. And you will wear them in your 80s, too, for the same reason.
Anyway, I’ve seen these 2 women in the media for as long as I can remember, and they’re both in their 80s now. They may be a lot of things, but invisible they’re not. And I want to be like them when I’m their age.
http://www.airasamulin.fi/index.htm
http://www.airisto.fi/eng/eng_lenita.html
Those are some fun ladies! As soon as I see them I think they would be interesting to talk to.
Gotta agree with you on that. I pay no attention whatsoever to any of this ‘rule’ crap as it pertains to age. I wear what I want. And yet . . . I wish some people would follow some rules. Like the rules of good taste and comportment. I realize it’s a very fine line to determine what good taste and comportment is exactly in today’s society. But, when I see these women showing up on red carpets in see through dresses that leave nothing to the imagination, or young women behaving like Ms. Miley Cyrus, I have to wonder . . . where does this all stop? Where’s the self-respect? How can we as women expect to be valued, and treated as something other than sex objects when woman continue to behave this way? Should anything be permissible? Aren’t some looks, some behavior, well, just . . . wrong? Ah, sorry, sounding soap boxy there.
It is so subjective. What I consider okay other people might consider lewd. I think we need to assume as grown women we’ve earned the right to wear whatever we like.
I love your idea to stop being funny, smart, and interesting as we age. And the suggestion that we all wear the same thing. It sounds like the ingredients for a Dr. Seuss book.
I just read the article you’re referring to and it cracks me up how this kind of article trumpets how personal style is the most important thing, timeless!, and then follows with a bunch of fashion rules which are age-based.
You have some serious style, Suzanne. Thank goodness!! And when you walk by people must say, Who is she?, in a tone of respect and admiration I must add.
Write your version of a Dr. Seuss book on fashion Melanie! It’d be a sell-out hit! Imagine all the great illustrations!
I love this quote, “I’d rather be looked over than overlooked any day.”
My new leather pants just arrived in the mail…just before my social security check! Enjoy yourself and your style!
Awesome!
great style, sexy look
I’m so glad we’re moving away from these rules and absolutes for women of ANY age. You know what works for you, what you like, and you always look fabulous!
I agree about the absolutes for women at ANY age. Truly, do men have all these rules? No.
And this is why I love you and your blog. So well said! Although I do tend to dress more on the boring side, but that’s just my personality :)! I said it on IG, but it bears repeating here – you look like a movie star!
I dress like the movie star I am in my head ; P Ha!
Thank you for being our spokes-woman!!! Now can we please get this printed in every fashion magazine around? I’m sending my readers over to this article. I’ll do my little part today and post a big fat wearing animal print.
How much do I LOVE your outfit? Your style and taste always inspire me.
Great Post and Photos – you look wonderful in all of them. Perhaps one needs to be over 40 to wear animal prints so well !!!
I actually think that animal prints do look better on older women. : )
Well said Suzanne! The great thing about age is that we’ve all made our style mistakes as youngsters, and we older we get the better we understand what works for our own figure and personality. I’m totally non-conformist, so won’t even bother reading what I ought not to wear, I just know I’ll be doing my own thing in my own way.
You look blooin’ amazing in all these shots. Rock on girl!
Anna
Annas Island Style
I think that being a creative person automatically makes one non-conformist to a certain extent. We choose to do what is right for us. After all fashion is the art you live in.
Yeh, what a load of rubbish! Honestly, I hate being told what to wear! It’s really demeaning to suggest one can’t make choices! I’m wearing long socks in my current blog post and I suspect that I shouldn’t be at 34, but sod it, I’m doing it anyway!
YOU, my dear, are fabulous!!!!x
I agree it is demeaning.
I thought you rocked your socks : )
Every time I read one of those “rules” I think “Oh No! I’m breaking the rules. I’ll get into trouble.” Then I remember that I’m not in third grade any more and I can do what I want – as long as nobody gets hurt.
I wish I had had it figured out when I was a youngster like you!! I love that shot of you on the sofa. Gorgeous!
Ha! It’s been a LONG time since I was called a youngster ; ) Perspective is everything.
Yes, no way would we wish to offend the delicates. I also think rules are just silly. I think it is such fun to experiment with style and we should take pleasure in how we dress. I adore all these looks you look fabulous in the leather dresses and that jazzy zebra jumpsuit . When it comes to style, I think rules are for the unenlightened
Xx, Elle
http://www.theellediaries.com/blog
“When it comes to style, I think rules are for the unenlightened”
Brilliant! Couldn’t have said it better myself : )
Hi Suzanne,
Found your inspiring blog post through Not Dead Yet Style’s Facebook page. You are a girl after my own heart! Your outfits are outstanding. Love how you put them together and the fact that you incorporate vintage, which is right up my alley. So glad I found your blog. We need more over 40 ladies to stand up and be noticed 🙂
It’s always refreshing to see women of a certain age being creative with their wardrobes. Not long ago I did a post on over 40 women wearing vintage and featured some fabulous gals and their vintage outfits.
http://www.bluevelvetvintage.com/vintage_style_files/2015/09/27/how-to-wear-vintage-clothing-if-youre-over-40/
Anyway, great post. I’ll be back to see more!
So wonderful you stopped by Theresa!
I am a HUGE vintage fan! You seem to be quite the expert. I’ve started following you now.
I didn’t know a few of the other bloggers you mentioned. It was a great article and I will be adding it to my Vintage Guide.
Thanks!
I have participated in Catherine’s I Wear What I Like (blog Not dressed as lamb). That was to prove a journalist wrong who had similar rules and more for women over THIRTY… can you believe it. So I totally agree with you. But I have never given much thought to what others think anyway. If I had I would not be who I am now.
I enjoyed all the pictures of you being gorgeous and thank you for using the word ostentatious. I so love this word.
Greetje
I’m sure you know this word already, gregarious, but it describes you perfectly : )
Rules for women over 30? Ridiculous!
Remember when you were 20? Did you even care what “older” women wore? I’d like to know when it was decided we needed a bunch of rules to help us get dressed.
Great post, and I also enjoyed reading the comments.
I love your style! To me you are the master of incorporating vintage clothing into your wardrobe, and you always look fabulous and your outfits are very “you!”
These arbitrary rules are really silly! Let’s all wear what makes us feel good!
Agreed : )
HAHA … LOVE this post, Suzanne! The perfect combination of a good point and a good laugh! I’d love it if you linked it up to Fun Fashion Friday, Dear!
YOU ROCK!
OXOX
Dawn Lucy
http://fashionshouldbefun.blogspot.com
Glad I was able to put a smile on your face : )
I’m always so late for link-ups. Next week maybe?
I couldn’t agree more, dear! Good that you stay your colorful, movie-star-ish, diversified self!
You always look smart, interesting and stylish, and I can’t imagine that will change as you move into your 50’s and 60’s. I’ve stopped looking at any of those articles that tell you what you should and shouldn’t wear at a certain age as they have nothing to do with me. There have got to be some perks to getting older, and one of them has to be that you give waaaaay fewer f**ks about what other people think of your outfits.
Agreed : )
Who makes these rules? I won’t be reading the linked article since it is rubbish but really someone should send them a link back here. You look fantastic in every single one of those outfits. This post is the best rebuttal there could be to such nonsense.
Thanks Melisa. I’ve long since past the age where I’d even consider such rules. Sometimes I wonder if I thought such rubbish when I was in my 20’s.
And this is why you can’t believe everything you read! jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
LOVED this post and you already know that I LOVE your style! I would definitely cross the street to meet you! 🙂
Darlene
I think people of any age could be wearing those mentioned items and look fabulous (as you do!), and people of any age could be wearing any of those things and look silly (to me). But, so long as they are enjoying how they look (and are following all laws), they don’t need to please me or anyone else. One doesn’t stop having an aesthetic at 40.
Although I’m now really curious as to what the original rule-writer thought constituted as “jazzy” hosiery… lol. What? I’m picturing clothing with wires to make it play music as you walk…
Ha ha! I wondered about the jazzy hosiery myself : P
I like the idea of my clothing playing music as I walk. I’ll have my own soundtrack.