Friday, September 20, 2013

WHO SAYS WE SHOULD DRESS OUR AGE?


Channel 4 recently premiered a documentary "Fabulous Fashionistas" that follows the lives of six very stylish women with an average age of 80. While many would find their sartorial taste outlandish for their age, few would deny their courage in breaking long-held code of dressing for older women.

Long grey hair on older women
can be beautiful. 
Conventional fashion rules say that if we are past our prime, we should dress modestly and conservatively. Good tastes dictate that we should not reveal too much of our wrinkled skin and sagging breasts. Loud bright colours draw unwanted attention, so our wardrobe should consist of shades of grey, brown and black.

As for hair, it is best to keep it short. Long hair if allowed to hang loose will only lend weight to the face, and add to the long list of body parts that are heading south. Long grey hair may also get you mistaken for a witch or an escapee from the nut house.

Well, these six style-blazers don't give a hoot to what others say or think about their fashion sense. They have made dressing up into an art form, and are enjoying every minute of it.
Meet these fashionistas. You can read more about them here. (All photos from Channel 4).

From left: Bridget, 75, Sue Kreitzman, 73 and Britain's oldest model Daphne, 85 
Above:Jean Woods was formerly Gap's oldest employee at 70. Now 75, she works at a boutique.
Below: Lady Trumpington, 91, and Gillian Lynne, 87.

If you are a fashionista wannabe, do check out this fashion blog for older women at Advanced Style. I stumbled upon it while googling 'Fashion styles for older women' after a trip to Germany in 2009. I was so taken by how trendy older European women were. They had such impeccable taste in clothes and shoes, well, at least those I saw in the city streets. Anyway, this blog was started by Ari Seth Cohen who writes in his profile that he "roams the streets of New York looking for the most stylish and creative older folks. Respect your elders and let these ladies and gents teach you a thing or two about living life to the fullest."



That's one of the best things about growing older. There is no need to impress anyone or please anyone. Today's active, independent women who are in their 70s and 80s enjoy a new self-confidence. They know what they want, they know what makes them happy, and they go for it!


We have our very own inspiring fashionista in Suzanne from Penang. Suzanne, 89, has an entire collection of batik cheongsams. With just a needle and thread, and some beads, she cleverly turns humdrum clothes into designer haute couture that she models for her blog at SuzanneTony. With her husband, Tony, 90, the couple gets my vote for The Best Dressed and Coolest Couple in Malaysia!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

What fabulous ladies...I love their adventurous sense of style. I love bright colours and wear them all the time...black, grey, navy, etc are for funeral directors.