Dressing isn’t what it used to be. You won’t find me in a muumuu yet, although I do have one caftan. I’m still putting these legs out there until they’re so puckered and lined that they ruin family picnics. But things are definitely changing in my closed.

In this week’s podcast episode, I mention how I’ve been feeling old for the first time. It’s funny how you can be well aware of your age but not “feel” it. In a year and a half I’ll be eligible for OAS – Old Age Security. There’s no getting around the world “old” then! Right now, we call ourselves Junior Seniors.

The feeling comes and goes but it seems a lot like when middle age finally settled in. It circled my consciousness for a while and then BOOM, there it was, every day. Acceptance, I suppose. Truly, it’s a privilege to get older but something else has been occuring as well.

Fashion Smashin’

Let’s be honest. I’ve never been Jeanne Bekker when it comes to fashion. I never really knew what to wear and used to struggle to decide. But these days, I no longer give a hoot about how I look.

No, that’s not quite right. I no longer care what anyone else thinks about how I look. I used to stuff myself into jeans because everyone wears jeans. I still sometimes wear jeans but my shape isn’t designed for them. I’m more straight up and down and jeans expect you to have a waist. I’m less and less interested in having a corset-like cinch in my middle or a baggy butt because those are my choices. Give me leggings or give me…more leggings!

When I was in radio, I took pride in dressing up a little more than was necessary. Sometimes we’d have surprise guests drop by. Like the day Ted Danson came over to 680 News after being on the CHFI morning show. Ted Danson couldn’t have cared less what we were wearing but at least I didn’t feel embarrassed about posing with him.

Empathy For The Comfort Queens

Now, I’m starting to understand the woman who showed up to my second wedding wearing a pink sweatsuit. In her sneakers and leisurewear, she was definitely a head-turner among all of the pretty dresses and suits. I wonder whether she had hurt her back or had arthritis. Maybe she had put on or lost weight and didn’t have anything else that fit. I didn’t ask and she didn’t say. She came for the occasion, and that’s what mattered.

My high heels are nicely tucked away in shoe boxes and they might never come out again. Even my beloved Fluevogs are packed up. How happy was I to discover the wonderful world of beautiful, comfortable flats. My feet are grateful, too. Fashion writers can go on about which shoe goes with which length of dress. In my world, they all go with flats.

On my recent trip to Europe, I packed several combinations of the same outfit. I don’t mean the same shade or style. I mean the same. I bought several pairs of “travel pants” and packed T-shirts, shells, and light jackets. These were rotated through the trip. They never let me down. I always felt ready for photographs. And I certainly didn’t care that I wasn’t “in the moment” while traipsing over cobblestones streets. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Fashion Experts Might Object

I love the combination of black and dark blue clothing paired into an outfit. Many people don’t. Some might even wonder whether I realize I’m not wearing all black or all navy. I do not give a single shit! I’m wearing it if I want to and lately, I want to. I’m seeing pink and red worn together this season and although it made me wince at first, I now think, go for it. Life is short! Wear the damn tutu with ripped tights if you want. People might care for a half-second and then they move on. As long as you feel great, it’s all good.

I admire women my age who colour their hair a vibrant shade. I’ve put in temporary blue or lavender streaks but that’s about it. However, I talked to my hairstylist last week about some chunky blocks of black and we’re going for it next time. I need a change to shake things up. But it doesn’t mean trying to look younger or be something I’m not. Do what makes your heart sing.

Although I’ve always worn purple, this shift into intermittent older ladyhood prompted me to look up the famous poem, Warning, by Jenny Joseph. The English poet wrote it in 1961 when she was 28 and it was published the following year. It inspired the Red Hat Society, a social connection group for women 50+. And while I personally don’t need to “make up” for the sobriety of my youth, and I’m not going to get fat on sausages, it’s still a fun read. It’s a reminder to let your freak flag fly!

Warning

by Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandles, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.