“Old is the new Young” The Times reported in their ‘grey best-dressed list 2012’ published last week. The list includes Vivienne Westwood (71), Bill Nighy (62), Helen Mirren (67) and Sir Stuart Rose (63), among many others.
From the few mentioned above, we can see that these stylish ‘grey-listers’ are different style personalities because they express it in their clothes. Looking good in your sixties and beyond doesn’t mean having to dress conservatively, you can still be creative or be on trend without looking as though you’ve borrowed your daughter’s (or son’s) clothes!
It is important to recognise that what suited you ten years ago may not work for you now. Like all of us, you will have been through several style phases in your lifetime and every phase requires some rethinking. We have to reassess who we are and how others perceive us. As we age, we seek new ways of dressing to look our best. The trick is to embrace each new phase instead of seeing it as a hurdle. Work with the changes in your body, your skin tone, your hair. You may be curvier or slimmer, you may have changed your hair colour or decided to stop bleaching and be proud of your grey. If you recognise the changes, you will learn how to dress for your new phase. You will probably need to shop differently for a new phase too. Most people shop from a variety of retailers to find their style and this still applies at any age, but you might need to research some new retailers or let go of some old favourites whose styles no longer compliment your look.
As we mature we become more confident, we get more comfortable in our own skin, accepting that we need to dress the body we have and not the body we want! So, you may find that you are less afraid to experiment with your style as you get older. Having fun with clothes is not only for the young. You just need to know what fundamentally works for you at each stage of your life.
If you are a creative dresser, you’ll still want to express that, but you will need to find out where you can be creative and where you can’t. Colourful, patterned tights may now look unflattering rather than quirky and fun. Keep it a bit more under control. If you have always been a classic dresser then you may need to learn to loosen up a little. Too stiff and starchy will be ageing; soften the tailoring and try mixing in some pieces that are a little more casual and on trend. And if you haven’t changed your hair in years, now is the time!
Style should not only be enjoyed but truly celebrated, at every stage of your life.