Comfortable Clothing – Cheerful is the New Chic!

Can we still be fashionable as we age?

With a bit of creativity and limited dollars to spend for clothing we can still be fashionable even when fighting it out with “gravity.” Aging is a mystery until it happens to you! My demographic (the 60ish and over group) are at both ends of the fashion scale. I see ladies dressed like they are attending a movie opening, and I also see ladies dressed in housecoats and muumuus. Let’s face it as we age it is a natural tendency to become more relaxed and not so concerned with our fashion choices. In advertisements, the designers are all about the “younger women” dictating what to wear and what not to wear. As a “mature” lady I definitely gravitate toward flannel, fleece and comfort clothing. But when I go outside my home I’m all about the “foo-foo” stuff. I love scarves, necklaces and other accessories. Not having a large amount of money to spend on the actual pieces of clothing I shop at Wal-mart, Target and upon occasion, Kohl’s and other department stores. This makes the social security and retirement dollars go a little farther. Be sure to watch for special sales and bargains. There are also some very upscale resale shops around town. Check them out, as well.

Recently, I attended a widows’ brunch and there was an informative presentation by a fashion stylist. Included were easy tips on how to “dress up” your wardrobe economically and by making a few small changes ladies could improve their wardrobes without depleting their purses.

Because most of us are out of the workforce and are now retired and our wardrobes most likely reflect that lifestyle. In my closet there are many remnants of my former “work life.” I just hang onto them because they still have a few miles to go!

What would keep a lady from dressing up?

For several years I resided in a local senior community and it was not uncommon to see ladies down in the dining room and recreational areas dressed in their housecoats and muumuus. Putting myself in their shoes I analyzed the situation to see how this came to be. There are many that are disabled and getting dressed to come down to socialize is a major accomplishment. Some are amputees. They wear a badge of courage and honor as they struggle through their days. Each one of them has a story to tell of how they arrived at their current place in life. Dressing up is for some easy and for others just buttoning a blouse or zipping a zipper can be a painful experience.
Our outside will reflect our inside!

As we make trips to the grocery store or just take a few steps out the front door to walk our dogs, we make a statement about who we are and how we feel about our lives in general. When we do a LITTLE extra with our outside, it somehow makes our inside feel better, too. (1Peter 3: 3,4) Peter talks about the outward adornment versus the inward attitude which reflects the hidden heart. The Glory of God shines through us and that is TRUE beauty. The Word of God isn’t saying it’s wrong to adorn the outward side just that we should be more concerned with who we are in God on the inside. Moderation and balance are important. We are stewards of everything and that includes our wardrobes, reflecting God’s joy and peace inwardly and outwardly because we are “Daughters of the Most High King.”

Conclusion: Go ahead, tie that scarf, put that necklace on, wear that flowered headband! You are beautiful! March down life’s runway with a smile on your face and God in your heart!