As a blogger, you can keep track of how many people are reading your blog, which posts they’ve read and even what country they are reading from, which is quite fascinating really. You can also see how people have found your blog, for example, they might visit you from another blog or google you.
When someone googles certain words they might happen to stumble upon your blog, we see those words in a section called “Search Terms” which is a constant source of amusement for me, especially the pervy ones like “fat chick in knee high boots” and “sexy chubby thighs” – anyway you get the idea. So you can imagine, today when I see someone found my blog by searching “elderly fashion brand” I was tad dismayed. Elderly? Really? But I’m 34 surely not ready for the knackers yard yet!
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| This is the fresh-ish face of a 34 year old woman… |
Of course the only reason someone happened upon my little corner of the web was because at some point I have mentioned “elderly” and I repeatedly use the phrase “fashion brand” so of course the weirdness of google pointed them in my direction. But it did get me thinking about age and the fickle world of fashion and if I still have a valid place in it.
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| Fashion for all? |
Never more in the past year of fashion trends have I become acutely aware of my age, with the 90s trend in full force I can’t help but quietly weep at the reoccurrence of clumpy shoes, cami dresses and dungarees. It’s only when the trends you experienced first hand come back around do you truly get a sense of your mortality.
Don’t get me wrong, I have to say part of me is feeling quite warm and fuzzy being back in my comfort zone. We all know I love a good jumpsuit and during the late 80s/early 90s it was my go to piece, so to be able to re-live that portion of my youth again is, in a way, quite invigorating. I love all the swooshy cami tops and ripped jeans, I can once again pretend I’m a brosette (minus the DM’s and Grolsh bottle tops), the hazy summers dancing to Push in my back garden. The boxy crop tops and culottes remind me of miming to Roxette, It Must Have Been Love in my bedroom, with all the gusto and heartbreak such a track deserves. I can only thank my lucky stars though, that the proposed bumbag revival never really took off, and only the hardened fashionista is wearing flezzy cycling shorts and scrunchies again.
I think fashion, for those of us a little bit older, it’s about minesweeping the trends and finding pieces that suit our lifestyle, we don’t get up and get dressed just for appearances sake anymore. We get up and dressed for a purpose most days, whether that be the school run, the busy commute, a days hard graft or running errands. It’s not just about form, it’s about function.
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| Neon? No worries! Small touches lift an outfit. |
So what if I’m gradually slipping off the younger brands radar like a granny’s wrinkly support stocking? So what if I can’t run with the young ‘uns any more? You know what? I’d only fall off those ugly clumpy heels that I wore the first time around any way!
My style is just that, style. Trends will come and go, but style is forever. I love keeping abreast of the latest trends and indulging in some fast fashion but as I grow older I find myself investing in timeless, quality pieces, mixing vintage and high street and enjoying the discovery of my personal style. I don’t always get it right, but I have fun trying.
I thought I’d have a go at some top tips for enjoying trends at any age:
– Have fun and experiment, but don’t be disheartened if something doesn’t work for you.
– Start small with jewellery or a bag, dip your toe in the trend so-to-speak.
– Build a good basics wardrobe with quality items and add fast fashion items to it.
– If something works for you, don’t be ashamed to stick to it (see me with my jumpsuits/kimono’s/ripped jeans and jackets!)
– Dress for you, not for your friends, or partners, or anyone else but you. Feeling great in yourself is the first step to looking great.
Okay, so I hope that wasn’t too clichéd or patronising, I just thought it would be nice to share my knowledge, you know, now I’m advancing in years… Ha!!
Posted in Becky Barnes Blog, Plus Size Fashion
Nearly time for your bus pass my lovely! LOL! xx
I had the DMs and the Grolsch tops. My dad swapped beers for me to satisfy my demand! Bloody hell they were uncomfortable though. I was so sad I used to hang out in Maida Vale where Bros were supposed to live hoping to see them. Dem were the days, lashings of Sun In which turned my hair into white candy floss, Smash Hits magazine and hanging out in my dungarees. 🙂
If you're past it love I'm over the hill and gone! 😉 I think a lot of brands do concentrate on the young uns, but they're prats if they do that exclusively as it's the older ladies who have all the moolah. x x
I'm turning 35 in September. I've been playing with fashion more in the last few years than I ever did before. I guess we'll all grow old together, visiting you blog to get inspired!
😉
Carolina
http://www.facebook.com/biggirlslovefashiontoo
I'm a 52 year old fatty and I love clothes and fashion. In my mind I'm still in my twenties…. But I think I'll give crop tops a miss this season……
I still have to poke myself to remember I'm 45! In my head I'm still 30 something. Personally I don't care if something is too 'young' but I have noticed that people expect you to wear certain things and dress 'sensibly'. Just makes me more determined really to do the exact opposite! Btw – you always look great!!
I'm 38 so you're still a youngster really 🙂 I don't worry about my age when it comes to fashion, I just worry about what I like. I've always had an interest in fashion, there's certainly things I wouldn't wear these days, but that's all about my taste and not my age. Age is definitely just a number. x
I'm 35 but most definately don't feel it! I dip in and out of the current trends depending on whether I like them or not and whether they go with my own style. Although I do unashamedly overdress for everything 🙂
I'm 47 and some part of it from a clothes point of view are awesome and others less so. I've always been plus sized and remember here in Australia trying to get clothes when I was in my late teens was traumatic. People now whinge about our choices here but really – they have no idea what riches there are! I find it's all happened quite organically. I used to love City Chic's clothes (citychic.com.au) but now I feel like they don't suit me or my lifestyle. By the same token I used to find TS14plus too "eccentric 50 year old" for my taste but now I buy a few things from them. Heck, I was in the UK last year and I bought heaps of fab t-shirts from Bon Marche – I suspect I'm at least 10 if not 20 years below their demographic! I guess this is a long-winded way of saying that I agree with what everyone has said about finding what works for you and like not being fixated on the number on the label, try not to be fixated on the number on your age box! Having said that tho, I do remember the 80s revival and being a bit shocked that it had all come around again. No doubt our mothers thought that too when we were digging out their old 50s/60s/70s gear.
Great post! I'm virtually dead then at 40…. Hubs did refer to me as mutton the other day…. Do I care, do I heck as like!!! You carry on doing what you do, I love your look xxx