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Dressing your age
There is a TV advert in the UK featuring the splendid Joan Collins. She's in tight clothes, full makeup and copious bling, surrounded by younger men. Miss Collins is well into her seventies, and looks pretty amazing. The advert has prompted much debate about the promotion of sexuality in a woman of her years. Her detractors would have us believe that she is the epitome of what we Brits call: "mutton dressed as lamb". They feel she ought to relax into grandmotherly dignity, dressing in grey cardigans and smelling gently of lavender.
It occurs to me, with increasing horror, that this is the year I turn 40. I am a respectable (stop laughing) middle class mother with a mortgage and a dog. Cue sensible outfits and reliable handbag to match. However a quick peek in my wardrobe reveals skirts that are really very short, knee high boots, four inch heels, and plenty of cleavage flashing tops. I don't wear all these items together, I hasten to add, but they are there, and at the right time (and in the right company) I like wearing them.
If critics of Miss Collins are to be believed, it's about now that I should banish these items for below the knee tailoring and low-heeled shoes. (I must also accept some middle aged spread, so can ditch this idea too.) It's agreed that as I approach 50 I will feel more or less invisible, as is right and proper, for sexy and matronly just don't go together. Once I hit 60, I can finally give in to that rectangular shape that so characterises old ladies, and acquire the aforementioned clothing and smell we now wish so violently on Miss Collins.
To summarise, that's 40 or more years of frumpy and invisible. Now I'm not sure how that makes you feel, but I'm firmly in the Joan Collins camp, with a good dose of: "You have to be bloody kidding me" on top. I refuse to give in and so should you. So here's my top five list of chicks over 40 who prove that looking good does not have to end with teenage acne:
1. Miss Joan Collins (78) *Stands and applauds for at least five minutes*
2. Dame Helen Mirren (66) It is a universally accepted truth that this woman is sex on a stick.
3. Susan Sarandon (65) Those eyes! Those cheekbones!
4. Kristin Scott-Thomas (51) Effortless, elegant, more French than the French.
5. Mary Portas (51) Rocks the quirky stylish looks, great haircut and legs that go for miles.
Take heart out there, and don't you dare disappear!
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Comments (29)
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Sun Apr 1, 2012 - 4:41 am
If you ever see me in a grey cardigan and smelling faintly of lavender, please take the gun from my purse, place the barrel right behind my ear, and put me out of my misery! What's the point of having cleavage if we aren't going to show it off? Unless of course, you are one of those women who baked herself under the sun for eight hours a day for the last fifty years and your upper chest looks like a drought-ridden African river basin. (My apologies to any 50 year olds here whose upper chest looks like a drought-ridden African river basin. Now, please... button up that cardigan.) I was going to say more, but my Helen Mirren fantasy is kicking into gear... I should probably go now. ;-)Reply -
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Sun Mar 4, 2012 - 10:16 pm
Screw that! Dressing my age! I have never felt sexier and I should be frumpier. Not happening! Besides, I can't fight this aging thing if I give into it. It would be out of character for me! Wear what makes you feel good, whether it be sexy or comfortable, or in the perfect scenario..both!Reply -
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Mon Feb 27, 2012 - 7:19 pm
There are some women out there that truly SHOULD NOT wear some of the clothes they do... they have been around forever and the latest fashions just are not for them. But there are some women who can totally rock the fashions! Over 40 and fabulous: Jennifer Anniston, Halle Berry, Cindy Crawford, Susan Sarandon, Elle McPherson, and Sharon Stone. They all still have it!!Reply -
1 reply, Last reply by Robin on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 8:33 pm
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Report Tue Feb 28, 2012 - 8:32 pmThere are women that should not wear the clothes they do in all the age groups. As a 43 year old I enjoy being able to grab a younger and older mans eye. Hell, I've just discovered corsets as outerwear and I love them. I have no intention of slinking away into he background. As much as I love to see the younger generations strut their stuff I also love to see an older woman holding her own. It's all about style.Reply
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Mon Feb 27, 2012 - 9:30 pm
It used to be that men had the monopoly of getting more handsome and distinguished with age, but now the mature ladies are looking amazing. I was blown away by Miranda Richardson (53) in Rubicon, I don't look that good now at 41! As for dressing your age, I wouldn't be without my Converse, but that's just for comfort and colour co-ordination! And a hoodie in these winter months, is just for praticality; still I do find myself leaning more towards the smart classics now. Smart is the new Sexy!!Reply -
1 reply, Last reply by Liz Dawes on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 11:52 pm
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Report Fri Feb 24, 2012 - 4:24 pmBrilliant article! It's why I set up my business to HELP WOMEN (not young girls) learn how to dress according to body shape and most importantly age .. what is the right thing to wear when you're mid 30s and all the way up to your 60s .. My mum is so stylish for her mid 60s - she wears clothes so well and not a twin set in sight! It's hard though as I have a friend who is mid 40s and dresses as if she were 20 - it's wrong, it looks wrong all wrong wrong wrong 40s is the new 30s though don't you know! Would love to see more 40 year olds post their daily clothes on the site - http://www.avenue57.comReply
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7 replies, Last reply by FionaB on Sun Feb 26, 2012 at 3:12 am
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Report Sat Feb 25, 2012 - 8:14 pmAbsolutely utterly brilliant! Love it Liz! Age is just a number!Reply
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1 reply, Last reply by Liz Dawes on Sat Feb 25, 2012 at 8:59 pm
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Report Sat Feb 25, 2012 - 8:17 pmI will be 50 this year and have not yet managed to look invisible much to the regret of my children - I'm lying actually, they always say nice things about me. I am so not ready to embrace lavender, beige and sensible shoes ...Reply
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1 reply, Last reply by Liz Dawes on Sat Feb 25, 2012 at 8:59 pm
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Fri Feb 24, 2012 - 9:17 pm
I'm a grandmother and I dress like anything but one!Reply -
1 reply, Last reply by Liz Dawes on Fri Feb 24, 2012 at 9:34 pm
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Report Fri Feb 24, 2012 - 8:42 pmits the 40+ girls that i want to look like in my mothers group that keep me on the straight and narrow with the ww. I think life is going to be heaps better at 40!Reply
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Report Fri Feb 24, 2012 - 6:39 pmLets hear it for the Brits! Ms Sarandon may be American but she's sooooo damn classy I reckon I'll claim her as one of ours :-) Great article as ever, Mizz D (soon to be Mrs F for Fireman and, usefully, for Fraser too) and I too fully advocate the 4-inch heel, dodgy knees or no!Reply
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1 reply, Last reply by Liz Dawes on Fri Feb 24, 2012 at 6:47 pm
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Fri Feb 24, 2012 - 6:17 pm
here here! It's time to re-write the rules from scratch anyway. This is part of it. The secret is not what you wear and but can you wear it well and do you look hot! If yes - then rock on!Reply -
1 reply, Last reply by Liz Dawes on Fri Feb 24, 2012 at 6:21 pm
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Report Fri Feb 24, 2012 - 6:12 pmWell I'm older, my shoes are 5 inch heels and I've noticed that my skirts are also shorter. Am I mutton? I hope not, but also hope friends and family would say if that was the case, but no complaints yet. Don't get it right all the time, but I'm definitely not disappearing from view in the near future.Reply
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1 reply, Last reply by Liz Dawes on Fri Feb 24, 2012 at 6:15 pm
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