Just because you're paying less at the movie theater these days doesn't mean your style has to suffer. Today, more than ever, women are interested in maintaining their youth, and sometimes it's as easy as updating your wardrobe to achieve this.
It's one thing to have a closet full of loose Eileen Fisher garb because you've always had a thing for her line. It's another if you're shopping there because you think you're supposed to. As long as you're not trying to look like a 15-year-old in short shorts and a cropped top, you're not limited to a handful stores that choose to cater to the mature woman. The world isn't what it used to be, and ladies in their 60s needn't be afraid to let contemporary style influence theirs.
It just so happens that I have a wealth of snazzy 50-somethings at my fingertips. My aunt Diane, for one, can be more up-to-snuff on her fashion than I am. At 65, she's shopping for trendy pieces and putting together age-appropriate yet youthful outfits. She almost always wears skinny jeans because she has slender legs, so she's learned after many years to flaunt what she's got. She always looks put-together, and though you might assume she would be intimidated to shop amongst 20-somethings, guess again! She happily gives me her hand-me-downs.
Another "I can't believe you're 60!" year-old that I know has the body of a teenager, so dressing the part of a mature woman is more difficult for her than it would be for say, Hillary Clinton. Body type aside, Jenny shops at American Eagle, wears Converse and loves color. She also doesn't look 60, and if you ask me, that's partly because she doesn't dress like she is.
Then there's my "your parents must have lied to you about the year you were born" friend Marilyn who is 70 and is one of those ladies that oozes style. I'm not talking fur-collared Anna Wintour style, but more of a foreign flare -- her worldly and sophisticated wardrobe makes sense because she's a travel agent. From funky finds across the globe to her Italian-imported ankle booties, she mixes and matches colors, patterns and styles and always ends up looking like she helms a fashion magazine.
My aunt's friend Kathy is in her mid-60s and is proof that even ladies from the midwest are no exception to the rule. Kathy wears J Brand pants and Vince blazers -- two brands that might scare off a more mature woman off the bat, but upon close inspection actually prove to be conservative and well-fitting wares that can make you come across looking younger.
So next time you're at the mall, take a risk -- try something on that's out of your comfort zone and you might just come out looking younger.
