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Why is it such a challenge to find great clothes when you're over 50? I still want to look stylish, with a sophisticated flair. I still want to wear jeans, the "real" kind, not the ones with elastic waistbands. I want to have jeans that cover my rear when I sit down, and don't allow my sagging tummy to flop out when I zip up a little 3" rise.
I don't want to look "mature" or "frumpy" like the sites I was pointed to when I googled "fashion for women over 50," online stores like the Fashion Specialists, Bedford Fair or the Tog Shop that have denim or knit pantsuits and plaid jumpers. So what if my body now has a few more curves than it did when I was 30? Why not celebrate them, not cover them up with a baggy top and elastic-waisted pants?
I tried searching "clothing for women over 50" and found a listing for articles on becomegorgeous.com. Sounded like a great website, but my list included tips from Nicole Richie, Victoria Beckham and Katy Perry. They are NOT over 50, and even when they are, they will not look normal.
So far, the only "expert" I can find for fashion tips is Stacy London of What Not to Wear fame, in an interview she did on the Today Show a couple of years ago. Her tips included buying the nicest quality clothing you can afford, wearing "soft neutrals" for day and saving black and white for evening, steering clear of primary colors and opting for jewel tones instead, wearing skirts just below knee-length, keeping jewelry to a minimum, and choosing conservative suits. I think she was talking to my mother, not me. Her piece was actually called Age Appropriate: Fashion tips for baby boomers. TLC's Stacy London shares smart styles for mature, successful women.
While I am a Baby Boomer, why do I not want to be included in the "mature women" category? I do not want to wear soft neutrals in the daytime, and I love wearing black and white all day long. I love color--that primary color blue is my best--and I am a jewelry-aholic.
I am not 75! I am 53, and I still want to look elegant, modern, sometimes sexy, and always put-together. So I guess I'll just have to stick to my own style, and hope that some retailers come along who can identify our unique style and sell us clothing and accessories that fit our mindset, not our age.
Recently, Oprah had Cookie Johnson, wife of NBA star Magic Johnson, on her show. Cookie experienced the same frustration finding a decent pair of jeans, so she did what we all wish we could do—she designed her own. Now, she has an entire line of jeans, with various designs to fit the curvy bodies of the over-50 crowd with style and comfort. Though a bit pricey for most, they are a giant step toward celebrating the beauty of the woman who is aging, and who still wants to look and feel her best. You can find CJ Jeans at Nordstrom, and see them here, as presented on Oprah. CJ Jeans on Oprah
