ShareThisBy JUDIE SCHWARTZ and EVELINDA URMAN
Scripps Howard News Service
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Evelinda: Last winter, while skiing in Vail (I wasn't actually skiing, my family was. I was shopping.) I happened upon an interesting couple. From the back they looked exactly the same -- long, perfectly highlighted blond hair, matching Juicy Couture sweats and expensive winter-white shearling coats and boots.
When they turned toward me, I was surprised. They were obviously mother and daughter. What shocked me was that the mother was of "a certain age," yet was dressed exactly like her teenage daughter.
Judie: Remember, we are living in a different era. Fifty is the new 40. We're all feeling and acting younger than our parents did at our age. However, you do bring up an issue that's been nagging us for awhile. Are today's women (read 40-plus) dressing their age?
When does a new style look ridiculous and when does it look right? How can you tell? Are there any guidelines? Even celebrities like Sharon Stone struggle with this issue: " How you look and how you age are different for everyone. Magazines that say 'You wear this in your twenties' and 'You wear this in your thirties' ... are asinine, " the actress told More magazine in a recent edition.
Evelinda: We spoke with several experts to get their views on age appropriate dress.
New York-based stylist Leah Levin, who's been dressing women for 15 years, says: "Wear clothes that match your lifestyle and define your style. If you wear something that makes you feel good about being 40, you won't want to be 20. For example, if your style is feminine/girly girl, adapt a classic suit to your style by wearing a lacy camisole and a shoe with a ruffled edge and a floral handbag. If your style is classic, update a suit with tights and a low-heeled, knee-high boot or consider wearing a skirt with a blouse and vest. For women who like to jump on the trends, for example-today's leggings, don't wear them under a mini-skirt; instead have them peak out from under a wrap dress."
New Jersey-based boutique owner Daphna Pariser agrees and adds: Most women are no longer the June Cleaver or Donna Reed types ,wearing skirts, aprons and heels to clean and cook at home.
Today's 40 is yesterday's 30, but the challenge is to know what trend is for younger women, even though we feel younger and hip as well. We can take the trend and make it ours if we follow a few simple rules such as: no tummy showing, and only a hint of cleavage. If your boobs show movement, the top is too low."
Carolina Amato, a New York-based glove designer, gets right to the heart of the matter. "Dressing your age means dressing like the worst dressed, boring woman you can think of. But dressing well means wearing clothing and accessories that suit your size and coloring and give a dash to your appearance. I like the notion of dressing well and taking risks... but small ones."
Next week, tips on how to dress your age.
(Judie Schwartz and Evelinda Urman write on corporate office wear and the art of personal style. E-mail them at stylematters(at)comcast.net.)
