Expiration dates for women (including long hair. :) )

[TravelingGal]

My friends and I were discussing this subject over the weekend, so it was timely to see an actual "study."


http://today.newsvine.com/_news/2011/05/13/6636106-stop-wearing-bikinis-after-47-survey-finds-age-a-factor-in-fashion

I am 38, so according to this, I'm past the age of miniskirts. And honestly, I'd agree. Last week, I really saw my knees for the first time in a long time...and I thought, whoa! What happened to THEM?

 

[ForteKitty]

i like comment 2, "my body looks better @ 46 than those muffin tops in their teens and twenties."

 

[Circe]

Y'all will be prying my tight vests (exp. age 44). tall boots (exp. age 47), stilettos (exp. age 51) and long hair (exp. date 53) out of my cold, dead, wrinkled, withered, and yet still steel-gripped hands. The rest of it, I could give a rat's patootie about, because I've never really been the type for leggings or see-through blouses.

I think the whole question is less one of age and more one of personal style. At ANY age - 15, 20, 30 - I would look hella silly in leggings, because I am a stocky, curvy lady with shapely but not particularly long legs, and I would look weirdly more naked than a woman with long, lithe limbs. However, I have incredibly strong features, and long hair will suit me till the day I die: if I cropped it now, I'd look like my dad when he was young, and if I wait to crop it till I'm in my 50s....

Look, picture Woody Allen. Now picture him in crimson lipstick and a little eyeliner. Any questions? That image makes me so glad that these days, we all pretty much make our own rules.

At the end of the day, I don't think the generalized etiquette rules do anybody any favors. In another thread, I quoted a style guide from the 60s called Elegance: what I didn't quote was a section in which the author talks about figure flaws and goes on AT LENGTH about how awful big busts are and how if she had to choose between a nose job and a breast reduction it would be a breast reduction HANDS DOWN. Today, as a 32E, with pretty much every fashion style between now and the Victorian period readily available to me, I giggle: back in the day, with a monolothic set of rules, I might have been a little more chagrined. Viva la kaleidoscopic modernity?

 

[Circe]

Actually, further thoughts, separate post, as this wouldn't make much sense integrated into the first one unless I made it into, like, a weird tl:dr essay.

The whole concept of an expiration date for women basically screams "OMG stop being sexy, the cognitive dissonance is creeping me ooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut." Contemporary culture is deeply uncomfortable with anybody who falls outside of our comfort zone for attractiveness acting like they might be, and maybe tempting a guy from the straight and narrow: so, while models whose scapulae are showing are lauded as the height of attraction, plump women who show a little skin are ew, gross, nasty, yuck (see, for example, Glenn Beck's recent comments about Megan McCain's bare-shouldered PSA against skin cancer, in which, at the sight of McCain Beck proceeded to make vomiting noises for half an hour). Same goes for age: we privilege youth in our culture, and we can take that to ridiculous extremes - remember that Love's Baby Soft ad that tells you "Innocence is sexier than you think?" Yeah, that features an eight year old. But that's seen as being, while vaguely creepy, somehow okay: at least, it made it through focus groups. Can you think of anything out there that praises the benefits of experiences and features a hot 60-year old?

... I'll wait.

I think - I hope, at any rate! - that we're moving into a Brave New World where we can acknowledge that women who don't fit into the narrow category of "Ladies the Lowest Common Denominator Guy Would Like to Bone" (which is what it boils down to, really), can be acknowledged as attractive, sexual, valid human beings. With 64.7% of Today show viewers voting "Rock it if you've got it," regardless of age, at least one can hope ....

 

[ForteKitty]

ugh that ad is disturbing!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Some of that stuff I agree with...I really don't want to be seeing a bunch of little old ladies in miniskirts, lol. But some people look WAY younger than they are and can totally rock leggings and knee-high boots. So why not?

 

[slg47]

Actually, further thoughts, separate post, as this wouldn't make much sense integrated into the first one unless I made it into, like, a weird tl:dr essay.

The whole concept of an expiration date for women basically screams "OMG stop being sexy, the cognitive dissonance is creeping me ooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut." Contemporary culture is deeply uncomfortable with anybody who falls outside of our comfort zone for attractiveness acting like they might be, and maybe tempting a guy from the straight and narrow: so, while models whose scapulae are showing are lauded as the height of attraction, plump women who show a little skin are ew, gross, nasty, yuck (see, for example, Glenn Beck's recent comments about Megan McCain's bare-shouldered PSA against skin cancer, in which, at the sight of McCain Beck proceeded to make vomiting noises for half an hour). Same goes for age: we privilege youth in our culture, and we can take that to ridiculous extremes - remember that Love's Baby Soft ad that tells you "Innocence is sexier than you think?" Yeah, that features an eight year old. But that's seen as being, while vaguely creepy, somehow okay: at least, it made it through focus groups. Can you think of anything out there that praises the benefits of experiences and features a hot 60-year old?

... I'll wait.

I think - I hope, at any rate! - that we're moving into a Brave New World where we can acknowledge that women who don't fit into the narrow category of "Ladies the Lowest Common Denominator Guy Would Like to Bone" (which is what it boils down to, really), can be acknowledged as attractive, sexual, valid human beings. With 64.7% of Today show viewers voting "Rock it if you've got it," regardless of age, at least one can hope ....

err...I don't see that ad as OK?

 

[Circe]

Actually, further thoughts, separate post, as this wouldn't make much sense integrated into the first one unless I made it into, like, a weird tl:dr essay.

The whole concept of an expiration date for women basically screams "OMG stop being sexy, the cognitive dissonance is creeping me ooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut." Contemporary culture is deeply uncomfortable with anybody who falls outside of our comfort zone for attractiveness acting like they might be, and maybe tempting a guy from the straight and narrow: so, while models whose scapulae are showing are lauded as the height of attraction, plump women who show a little skin are ew, gross, nasty, yuck (see, for example, Glenn Beck's recent comments about Megan McCain's bare-shouldered PSA against skin cancer, in which, at the sight of McCain Beck proceeded to make vomiting noises for half an hour). Same goes for age: we privilege youth in our culture, and we can take that to ridiculous extremes - remember that Love's Baby Soft ad that tells you "Innocence is sexier than you think?" Yeah, that features an eight year old. But that's seen as being, while vaguely creepy, somehow okay: at least, it made it through focus groups. Can you think of anything out there that praises the benefits of experiences and features a hot 60-year old?

... I'll wait.

I think - I hope, at any rate! - that we're moving into a Brave New World where we can acknowledge that women who don't fit into the narrow category of "Ladies the Lowest Common Denominator Guy Would Like to Bone" (which is what it boils down to, really), can be acknowledged as attractive, sexual, valid human beings. With 64.7% of Today show viewers voting "Rock it if you've got it," regardless of age, at least one can hope ....

err...I don't see that ad as OK?

Oh, dude, neither do I. But it made it past its ad agency, focus groups, magazine ad depts. ... and I don't think it was even particularly controversial back when it was published. I take the fact that it squicks us out these days as a good sign, frankly ... but also as a sign that we're swinging away from the extreme of youth=good!

 

[Autumnovember]

I don't agree with the list at all.

I think a lot of what women wear at certain ages depends on how they are wearing it, how short, their make-up, their tops, hair, everything.

I've seen older women wearing skirts much better than a 20 year old could.

I've seen women be so obvious about wanting to look younger by wearing certain clothes that it just looks funny on them.


My high heels and hair are mine to keep...forever.

Which reminds me, when we were taking our engagement pics...we were walking down a cobble stone hill and a woman in her late 70's was walking up it....pushing along with her walker, IN HIGH HEELS. BAM.

 

[Jennifer W]

Wear what you feel good in. Life is too short!

ETA I just looked at the list again. What do you do with your long hair between the ages of 51 and 53? Is there an age where you have to start wearing a see through blouse?? With the exception of knee boots and the long hair, I haven't worn much from that list at any age.

 

[TravelingGal]

Well, speaking only for myself, the list as it stands right now applies to me...so it will be interesting to see how I feel as I get into my 40's.

A mini skirt (which is not to be confused with a SHORTER skirt) to me is one of the first signals of a mutton in lambswear. If you are going to wear a miniskirt, you'd BETTER be rockin' it, otherwise it looks awful. That goes for any age, actually.

But let's face it...as a woman gets older, the confidence only gets better, BUT sadly whether or not we want to admit it, a rock it body becomes harder to maintain. My kneeskin apparently now don't like my kneecaps and appear to be considering making a break for it. There's nothing I can do about that!

I'm sure what matters is how wearing X makes a woman feel. Who cares what people think, right? I do think there are plenty of women though, who refuse to see however that while they are rocking it, it actually just doesn't look good.

 

[Jennifer W]

I'm sorry to hear about your knee skin. That's an image that will stay with me...

If you feel good in it, and you think you're rocking it, then objectively, it looks fantastic to the only person in the equation who has a vote. I have red hair though, if I thought too deeply about how others view my appearance I'd become a hermit.

 

[Autumnovember]

Well, speaking only for myself, the list as it stands right now applies to me...so it will be interesting to see how I feel as I get into my 40's.

A mini skirt (which is not to be confused with a SHORTER skirt) to me is one of the first signals of a mutton in lambswear. If you are going to wear a miniskirt, you'd BETTER be rockin' it, otherwise it looks awful. That goes for any age, actually.

But let's face it...as a woman gets older, the confidence only gets better, BUT sadly whether or not we want to admit it, a rock it body becomes harder to maintain. My kneeskin apparently now don't like my kneecaps and appear to be considering making a break for it. There's nothing I can do about that!

I'm sure what matters is how wearing X makes a woman feel. Who cares what people think, right? I do think there are plenty of women though, who refuse to see however that while they are rocking it, it actually just doesn't look good.

Very true. I would hope that my friends would say something to me.

I see less of that in Philly...but A LOT of it in North Jersey. It just screams, "I wanna be 25 again!!!!!!"

 

[TravelingGal]

I'm sorry to hear about your knee skin. That's an image that will stay with me...

If you feel good in it, and you think you're rocking it, then objectively, it looks fantastic to the only person in the equation who has a vote. I have red hair though, if I thought too deeply about how others view my appearance I'd become a hermit.

Jennifer, the irony is that I noticed them while I was working out in the garage. Here I am working out 4 times a week to try and look and better, and my kneeskin is having none of it. Maybe it's pissed at me for doing one two many squats.

And yes, I agree about the only person in the equation - which is the bottom line. Still, sometimes, I'd like to think people can be socially aware and spare other's eyes (this goes for muffin tops on 20 somethings!)

 

[Jennifer W]

I wonder, is there a knee lift procedure? Because you just inspired me to go and look at my own knees. I won't blame it on any aspect of my exercise regime (can snoozing affect knee skin?) but they don't look like they used to.

Re being socially aware - I've long since stopped trying to fathom why people choose their outfits. Any garment wider than it is long is unlikely to flatter at any age, yet still they are a) produced and b) purchased.

ETA there is a huge irony here, I have no right to express any opinion on the topic of style. I'm not qualified. I'm wearing:
odd socks, maternity yoga pants, a t-shirt with paint on it, a sweater that DH put in the garbage but I thought would do just fine, a scarf with pictures of ponies knitted into it, a cardigan I knitted myself and a hairband my 2 year old discarded as being unsuitable for public view.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I wonder, is there a knee lift procedure? /quote]

I read Demi Moore had knee lift surgery! lol I don't know if it's true but I think at this point drs. are able to lift just about everything back up.

This is scary -> I was at a soccer game and one of the moms there had her hair up in a pony tail and she's only about 2 years older than me and I could see her face lift scars!

 

[Circe]

I wonder, is there a knee lift procedure? /quote]

I read Demi Moore had knee lift surgery! lol I don't know if it's true but I think at this point drs. are able to lift just about everything back up.

This is scary -> I was at a soccer game and one of the moms there had her hair up in a pony tail and she's only about 2 years older than me and I could see her face lift scars!

Gah, that explains why the poll vetos ponytails after a certain age ... while I have nothing against cosmetic procedures, I sorta think if you're bothering to fake youth, fake it well!

(Seriously, not bagging on face-lifts, nobody get offended - it seems like one of those Mercury-in-Retrograde weeks somehow.)

 

[dragonfly411]

For the record, I love when older women wear their hair long. The grandma/aunty in Twister? Loved it. I plan to do that if my hair doesn't fall out (which I think it won't since all the women in my family have had thick hair till death... even if they did cut it short).

 

[wakingdreams53]

I don't particularly understand how ponytails could be vetoed... How else do you get your hair back?!
Long hair? Depends on the shape of the face. My mom's 44 and she has a little shorter than shoulder-blade length hair. It suits her. Can she rock my mid-low back length hair? Prolly not haha. Also, sure, things sag and whatnot, but I can't imagine NOT wearing a bikini after a certain age, esp. if the body is well maintained.
Miniskirts? I'm 20 and stopped wearing them when my hips started growing, so it really just depends on the persons figure. I know a 44 year old (not my mom) who can rock a miniskirt better than my friends in their 20s.

And any woman in her 50's who still feels comfortable in stilettos I will never judge!!

 

[janinegirly]

I think the past due dates aer pretty fair sounding! I agree that my miniskirt days are over - I still have them in my closet and did try on a few and they don't fit over the hips anymore anyway! I hope that's due to child bearing and not just middle age...

I still have a few years for the bikinis and long hair so happy with that! Stilletoes are long gone for me as it is.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Did mini-skirts ever suit anyone besides Twiggy, random girls <10 years of age and the cast of The Gossip Girls?

cheers--Sharon

 

[kenny]

I really try to be open minded, but admit I cringe when I see someone trying pull off a look that's typical of a person 30 years younger.

I wonder if there is an evolutionary component to why we do not want older women (and men) to look sexy.
Since the odds of birth defects increase as the parents age, discouraging sex between older folks may be healthier for a species overall.

 

[canuk-gal]

I really try to be open minded, but admit I cringe when I see someone trying pull off a look that's typical of a person 30 years younger.

I wonder if there is an evolutionary component to why we do not want older women (and men) to look sexy.
Since the odds of birth defects increase as the parents age, discouraging sex between older folks may be healthier for a species overall.

You mean procreation? As research shows that folks are happier/healthier when they have sexual relations throughout their lifespan ....

 

[jaysonsmom]

I don't think there should be expiration dates for things that don't expose the body...as long as you can rock a tall boot, or stilletos, or leggings, then go for it. The ones I have do see as having expiration dates are: bikinis, leggings, and see through shirts. I also think a shorter skirt (as opposed to a mini) looks good at all ages as long as it's not too tight or no too short. My 62 year old mom wears cargo skirts like the one pictured below, and she totally rocks it!

 

[junebug17]

I pretty much agree with the list for the most part. There are always exceptions to the rule, though. My daughter dated a guy in high school who's mom was absolutely gorgeous. All his friends would tell him how hot his mom was. (I know, eww but that's teen-age boys for you, and it tells you just how stunning this woman was). She dressed youthfully, and could totally pull it off because she just looked younger than she was.

 

[kenny]

I really try to be open minded, but admit I cringe when I see someone trying pull off a look that's typical of a person 30 years younger.

I wonder if there is an evolutionary component to why we do not want older women (and men) to look sexy.
Since the odds of birth defects increase as the parents age, discouraging sex between older folks may be healthier for a species overall.

You mean procreation? As research shows that folks are happier/healthier when they have sexual relations throughout their lifespan ....

Oh I'm certainly not suggesting we discourage people over age X from having happy healthy sex lives.
Not at all.

I'm just wondering how a zillion years of evolution has wired stuff into our DNA and unconscious.
Incest is another thing that may be so unsettling to us because of the effects on the offspring.

Biology is what it is and social mores are what they are, but often social mores can have their roots in biology even if we no longer make the connection in our PC equality-based modern society.

To repeat myself I'm wonder if our discomfort with older folks dressing like 20-somethings has it roots in discouraging birth defects (or whatever the latest PC term is).

 

[kelpie]

In my mind there's only one rule: velour jump-suits should not be worn from the ages 30-69. In between and it either screams "I give up on life" or "I stole my 14 year old's Juicy Couture".

 

[slg47]

In my mind there's only one rule: velour jump-suits should not be worn from the ages 30-69. In between and it either screams "I give up on life" or "I stole my 14 year old's Juicy Couture".

actually I don't think there is an acceptable age for the velour pants with "JUICY" on the rear.

just my opinion!

 

[dragonfly411]

I really try to be open minded, but admit I cringe when I see someone trying pull off a look that's typical of a person 30 years younger.

I wonder if there is an evolutionary component to why we do not want older women (and men) to look sexy.
Since the odds of birth defects increase as the parents age, discouraging sex between older folks may be healthier for a species overall.

I don't know if sexy is the right word here. or if look sexy is the right term? Perhaps it should be more of a " not want older women to dress in a more risque manner"? Although that doesn't seem quite right either.

- Lindsay Duncan was quite sexy in Under the Tuscan Sun without being risque or ... um... tacky?

Also quite sexy without being well... I still can't think of the word.

 

[kelpie]

In my mind there's only one rule: velour jump-suits should not be worn from the ages 30-69. In between and it either screams "I give up on life" or "I stole my 14 year old's Juicy Couture".

actually I don't think there is an acceptable age for the velour pants with "JUICY" on the rear.

just my opinion!

What if you're a **** star looking to stay warm between takes?