11 Reasons Why Seniors Should Dress Up

By Nicole M?lders of High Latitude Style

My late grand-grandma always was criticized by her son, her daughter-in-law and neighbors about what she wore. Back in the late 50s, women over 55 were supposed to wear dark clothes (brown, navy, dark gray), but not a bold color floral print. A large cleavage was when you showed your collar bone. She always ignored all rules that made no sense to her. For instance, she refused to marry the aristocrat, and eloped with a painter.
It?s important to live the life you want and to wear what you like. Don?t let society dictate what you should wear. Here are 11 reasons why you should wear what you want, and dress up.

1. Be yourself, everybody else is already taken.
2. You are unique, and not a copy-cat.
3. You are too special to be invisible. Whether you are retired or still in the work force, it doesn?t matter. If you had wanted to wear a uniform (the typical senior colors of greige, olive, khaki, dirty light green, grayish baby blue or rose) you would have joined the military.
4. You feel more confident in your own skin when you wear what you like.
5. Live is short, thus enjoy to play dress-up at any age. It?s not just for little girls.
6. Dressing up involves wardrobe planning and editing, being a curator of your clothes, following trends, budgeting, browsing stores and sales. All these activities keep your brain young and keep you fit. You burn some calories when browsing the stores. Do I have to say it?s fun?
7. People take you more seriously when you are well-dressed. In other words, being well-dressed makes your life easier than looking frumpy. Remember that!
8. Why would you want to waste money on frumpy or ugly clothes that you don?t like just because some outdated fashion rules say you should not wear XYZ over 40, ABC not over 30, etc.. You worked way too hard for your money to spend it on something that doesn?t make you feel awesome.
9. Diamonds look great with everything, not just with a gown at the opera. Wear them with jeans, to brunch, even at the tennis court. The likelihood you lose your tennis bracelet is less than the likelihood to win the lottery. And you don?t play the lottery because of it?s low likelihood to have all six right. Right? So, what?
10. You enjoyed dressing when you were in your teens and twenties. So why stop now? Just because you had to wear the uniform of mommy jeans and T-shirts for two decades? Your kids are raised and your nest is empty. And what is a better excuse not to have to change the diapers of your grandkids than wearing an awesome dress?
11. Last, enjoy your money before your heirs do.

Nicole M?lders is a professor of atmospheric sciences, the author of the style book How to Dress for Success in Midlife, and the CEO and blogger at High Latitude Style. On her blog she shares how to turn fashion into style to look your best in midlife.