Actress Anita Dobson was criticised for wearing a short dress to last month's British Soap Awards. The critics claimed she was too old to be showing off her legs at the age of 73. Anita's response was that if you feel happy and comfortable, that's it. She happens to be a year younger than me, and I totally agree with her. Of course there are limits, but it's our choice, not the choice of the critics, that really matters.
It's very much an individual decision, however I do find it sad that some women feel they need to change once they are over a certain age, for fear of being branded as "mutton dressed as lamb". Most of us aren't likely to wear revealing tops or short skirts but we don't have to go to the other extreme and dress frumpily. One of my favourite colours is red as seen in the outfit below. Does it say "look at me"? Is it too bright for a women who is now over 70? Maybe, but I'm still going to wear it even when I'm in my 80s as, for me, it's my happy colour.
One of my role models is the actress Helen Mirren, who is a couple of years older than me, but definitely doesn't look it. She doesn't try to hide her age, but she always looks amazing, whether she has dyed her hair pink or she's wearing a stunning red dress. The fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, with many famous clients over the years, is another ageless celebrity, renowned for her pink hair and bright clothes, . I'm tempted to have my own hair dyed pink, but I'm not sure whether it will go well with my red dress. Perhaps bright blue would be a better choice for me?
What all these women have in common is a recognisable style and the confidence to stand out in a dull world of classic clothes. Of course they are all celebrities in the public eye, but there's no reason why we can't enjoy our own style too, even if it's slightly more subdued!
I'll be 75 in September, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to start wearing neutral colours and fading into the background. I do have plenty of neutrals in my wardrobe, but I also have that bright blue jacket, my favourite short red trench-coat and plenty of other colours hanging up in my wardrobe.
So what about you? Do you plan to grow old disgracefully, just like me? Or is growing old gracefully more your style?
