The Fun Way to Check if You Dress Your Age

I admit it - I had a hunch. But it was only when I reached the office that I knew for a fact: my outfit that day was a complete wardrobe catastrophe. I looked like the crazy lady, the one who seems to have no friends or family to tell her better. The school girl outfit I was wearing did not complement my shape, looked cheap somehow and most of all, it was not age appropriate.

This popular of late term is both annoying and completely justified in the era of Wisteria Lane moms. So as I was staring at myself in the outfit which made me look like a deranged, over-aged Gossip Girl fan or Amy Poehler as Regina's mom in Mean Girls, I wondered what was it that made it not age appropriate.

It wasn't the shorts, because I've worn them in a classy way before. It wasn't the school girl reference, because you can make it work in a chic way. What was it then?

In search of an answer I browsed through numerous articles attempting to explain the do's and don'ts of age appropriate, when I came up with a fun, fast solution: A quick self test to discover if what you're wearing is becoming of you, your mom, your grandma or someone's teenage daughter. I call it the Sense of Fashion Head Swap (being that the idea has already transformed into a new feature being developed as I write) and this is how it works:

The easy method
You take a photo of yourself in the outfit in question, and using the likes of Paint or Photoshop, you paste on your body the heads of the following characters:

1. Serena Van Der Woodsen - as the hot teenager
2. Cindy Walsh - as the classic mom
3. Kitty Forman - as the young granny
4. Kate Moss - as, well, a way to make you feel good

I have put myself on the operating table for your convenience, with two looks: the horror outfit (shorts and necktie)

and a fairly conservative retro dress.

Reading the results
It's easy: Whichever head of the first three characters goes best with your body - that's the age of your outfit. If you yourself are considerably younger or older than that age, you shouldn't wear that outfit, and should try on something more age appropriate.

As you can see, with me, the first outfit looked the best on Serena. Being that the character is, well, somewhat younger than me, it is not age appropriate.

The blue dress looked the best on Cindy Walsh, which as a character was slightly older than me. That doesn't mean it's not age appropriate, but that it might make me look older. I could easily go for a younger look.

And as for the Kate Moss photos, well, they only prove that a gorgeous woman can get away with anything, and that it's always fun to see your body attached to the head of a super model. But that's just a perk.

Comments

[HacunaMatata101]

I think fashion needs more neckline, more strap, and more length options. Every woman could wear a" look", but in a "flattering for their shape" way. The swimsuit industry caught on to this idea, but I don't think other garment industry folk have.

Speaking as a petite and voluptuous female, I am not about to wear leggings, or spaghetti straps, or "circulation cutting" skinny jeans. I think I will invest in a sewing machine! Maybe start my own line for disgruntled fashionistas who don't resemble the Amazon-types on the runway.

[AudreyH]

I totally agree with the clothing for different ages thing. I have seen too many women in the junior's dept with no business being there. There are countless examples of women like Karen Walker of Will and Grace and Charlotte of Sex and the CIty, who, most of the time, dress in a classic ageless way. To me, that style, which can go on almost any age 25 and up is the safest and best way to never look dated or cheap. (I'm 26 by the way).

One thing that bugs me though, and I have VERY strong opinions about is hair. Why do women over 35 or 40 chop their hair off above chin length? it is so unfeminine and unbecoming. And, no, long hair does not always drag an older face down if it is done correctly with hot rollers or placed in an updo (a stylist here). I think the most flattering length for all women is something that just hits the collar bone...not too long and not too short. When it comes to "dressing for age" ladies, do not always apply this to your hair!

[etreader]

Many of us who are over 35 are of the equally strong opinion that short hair is not only more flattering but much easier. (You may well change your opinion after another 10+ years of dealing with longer hair.) I personally cannot see the point of growing out my hair only to wear it in an "updo" all the time. If an updo (or ponytail, for that matter) looks good, short hair is the easy way to achieve basically the same look without all the work. There are plenty of very short hairstyles that are trendy and feminine, but even many of the classic ones are not aging or universally hideous. The key is to get a GREAT very short haircut, not just chop it off. I always get a LOT more compliments when my hair is very short than I've ever gotten when I've tried growing it out.

[feyangel]

Also--this conversation reminds me of the poem or essay written by an "old" woman who said if she had to live her life over, she'd wear more PURPLE. I wear clothes I enjoy-- that make me feel good about myself and make me happy. Sometimes I do look at other people's outfits and wonder-- "What were they thinking?" Then I remind myself that maybe they too were dressing to make themselves happy that day-- so who am I to comment on it?

I have been bugged lately with all the emphasis we still put on how this or that woman in the public eye dresses-- like Ms. Obama or Hillary or Pelosi or Snowe or other women in certain positions. I am not sure any of them got where they are in life by focusing on their wardrobe. Maybe we should note that. I kinda thought not having to strive to meet everyone else's standards of how we should look was an essential part of the feminist movement. . .

[Daria Shualy - Huffpost Blogger]

I know the poem. It's called When I'm Old I'll Wear Purple and it was my late granny's favorite! Thank you for your comments

[jitterbug47]

The poem is Warning by Jenny Joseph.

[coyabean]

I'm with you on this one. Lately I have a penchant for funky tights and sweaters. I'm 33. I probably could start shopping at J. Jill but I don't wanna and you can't make me. Na Na Na Boo Boo.

Really people. Let other live.

[feeny1]

Oh no! I shop at J. Jill, and sometimes I wonder if it is too YOUNG for me. You've just made me feel very old, which at 49 I guess I am.

[feyangel]

Funny story -- one of my thirty-something daughters made a point of telling me that a certain "look" I noticed in a store was "too young" for me. So I avoided it at all costs. Then, last summer, I put together an outfit for an outdoor music festival that was exactly the look she had said would not work for me. My daughter dropped by to drop something off just as we were leaving for the festival-- she looked at my outfit and said-- "You look HOT!" I had to laugh cos I was wearing exactly the type of outfit she thought would look too young on me.

For the most part I think one should wear what one feels comfortable in and enjoys. The feedback one gets from others can kinda guide you.

[jade7243]

Unless you attend a elementary school AS A STUDENT or spend your evenings working the pole or a porn studio, NO schoolgirl outfits.

And are shorts really ever appropriate for office wear?

One last tool: a mirror.
Before you leave the house, give yourself the once over. If you're wearing an "outfit" (aka get-up, costume, disguise) go back and change your clothes.

[Dakotadem]

Daria, I have a simpler, much less time consuming tip for you: if you're old enough to be working in an office, an no one introduces you as "our intern from St. Mary's High School", you're too old to be wearing a girls' school outfit.

[Daria Shualy - Huffpost Blogger]

lol
Luckily for me, or unfortunately as this case might be, it's my own office with no one to say anything of the sort

[Lisala72]

This is fun, but it only works if you have the same sense of things as others. The two I thought were best weren't the ones you thought looked best. Still fun to do.

[Daria Shualy - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks :) The beauty of it is exactly so - that it is a self test

[blindhog]

It's my opinion that a woman of any age can wear what's fashionable given that she adjusts the fashion to her age.

If the first look had longer shorts and no tie and was appropriately sized, a woman of any age who was also "currently" coifed and had the correct footwear could wear it. If the second outfit had a shorter hem and the right jewelry and shoes, a very young person could wear it and be very age appropriate.

I think it is important for our self esteem to look with it. The trick is to adjust the fashion to our age.

[Poetic]

Tim Gunn once said that he wished young women would wear clothes less tight and older women would wear clothes more tight.

As a fit, good figured 52-year old I sometimes have to remind myself, say, when shopping in Old Navy, that just because it fits doesn't make it appropriate!

[Daria Shualy - Huffpost Blogger]

i couldn't agree more, and i'm so familiar with the temptation :)

[Callyson]

I feel very conflicted on the whole dressing for your age issue...
On one hand, I have no desire to wear bows in my hair, channel Miley Cyprus, or look like I am trying too hard to look young...
...but at the same time. I also want to have some fun with fashion (at least outside of work), and since I work out regularly, I feel comfortable in some outfits that others might think are too young for me. I have seen articles that say women over 30 should not go sleveless, which IMO is ridiculous, stuffy, & dated advice.
Rather than worry about dressing for my age, I try to emphasize dressing appropriately for the situation. That does not always mean the same thing as dressing for one's age: for example, an office is not a good place to rock a miniskirt, no matter how young you are or how good your legs are. And trying too hard to look sexy makes a woman of any age look desperate.
Bottom line: if you feel uncomfortable in a garment, don't wear it.

[cathybrooks - Huffpost Blogger]

This post gave me a laugh out loud chuckle. Watching shows like Desperate Housewives and now Cougar Town has given me some pause when I look in the closet. For the record, I don't watch either of those shows, but one would have to be living under a rock not to have some exposure to the pop culture from these programs splattered on magazines and the like.

When I was growing up I have a distinct memory of a woman in our neighborhood who insisted on dressing in a manner far younger than her years. I'm all for being able to rock an outfit that you've had in the closet for a good long while - in fact I have a few items myself - but let's face it folks ... if you're lucky you evolve over time ... and that inner growth does have an impact on what people see ... the hard part is when your mirror doesn't reflect it.

Love the exercise with this and may have to try it out!

[Nina Rimon Davis]

LOL! A somewhat time-consuming method, especially if you're not the CEO and have to clock in... but entertaining and makes a sound point.