That Age-Old Dilemma: How to Look Hip
Dear Fashion Police: I’ve always heard the saying that if you wore it the first time around, you’re too old to wear it the second time around. That presents a problem for me. I’m a 47-year-old woman in the entertainment world, where people are all trendoids. I’m 5 feet 4, 113 pounds, and people say I look like I’m in my early 30s. I need to retain my credibility as a creative force in an industry dominated by young hipsters. I don’t want to dress in a stuffy, conservative way, but neither do I want to look foolish, as in, “Can someone tell that old broad she can’t wear tie-dyed miniskirts?” What are your suggestions on looking fashionably hip but not teeny-bopper trendy?
--DON’T CALL ME MA’AM
Dear Don’t: Yours is a dilemma shared by countless women. You want to look stylish, but you can’t quite see yourself in a tube top, low-rise jeans and stiletto heels. In your case the stakes are even higher, since your clothes need to reflect your familiarity with pop culture, which these days is practically synonymous with youth culture. And, as you said, you still need to maintain the dignity and respect for which you spent all those years scratching and clawing your way to the top.
But you don’t want to look like Britney Spears on the fast track through the time machine. What we caution against is choosing an outfit that looks like you bought it off a 16-year-old. Stay away from anything too short, too plunging, too see-through and too tight.
Instead, incorporate a few pieces that reflect current trends that don’t look silly and still allow your personal style to come through. Luckily a few companies are producing hip clothes suitable for older women that don’t scream “Desperately Trying to Recapture Lost Youth.”
Remember that jackets convey a sense of authority, but you don’t have to go for the traditional stodgy one-button blazer. Choose a cropped style with embroidery, a mid-thigh-length unstructured one in stretch microfiber or one of the new patchwork looks.
You can also freshen your clothing repertoire with the new look in shoes--feminine mini-heels with pointed toes, in slingbacks and pumps. They work well with pants and skirts. Handbags for spring are colorful and shaped into interesting geometric forms.
If you’re a packrat who’s stashed away some of those peasant blouses and patchwork suede jackets from the ‘60s and ‘70s, haul them out. But update them with current pieces, like bias-cut skirts or wide-leg pants.
Searching for pieces for your work wardrobe, we saw many great looks at Anthropologie, a retail clothing chain with a catalog and Web site. A ruffle-edge button-front blouse trimmed in black has a soft, feminine, sophisticated look; it would look great with wide-leg or slim, flat-front black pants. An embroidered cardigan in mint and berry has those popular three-quarter sleeves and could top a long berry chiffon skirt. The “Kiku” skirt features a bold Asian design on a past-the-knee lined cotton voile circle skirt and could be topped with a short mandarin collar jacket. Anthropologie is online at www.anthro pologie.com, or call (800) 309-2500.
Garnet Hill’s current catalog includes drawstring striped linen pants and ones with an embroidered hem that could be worn with a linen blouse or jacket. And Nordstrom has a plush washable suede wrap shirt that would work with jeans or dressier pants or skirts. They’re at www.garnethill .com, (800) 622-6216, and www .nordstrom.com, (800) 285-5800.
*
Dear Fashion Police: You recently stated in one of your columns that pantyhose/nylons were “out.” That’s fine, but what are we older readers with less-than-perfect legs supposed to do? My legs have some unsightly age spots and sun-related bumps. I’ve tried to use self-tanners, but they only accentuate what I’m trying to hide. Is there any leg makeup that you are aware of that can be used to make my legs look better when wearing skirts or dresses? It would have to be something nonstaining that wouldn’t get on my clothes. Any suggestions?
--UNDER COVER
*
Dear Under: Au contraire, we never issued a universal ban on pantyhose! We realize that there are outfits and situations where pantyhose are necessary. Skirts and dresses with pantyhose are fine. We don’t, however, approve of them with sandals or shorts.
If you do want to use a leg cover-up, Dermablend makes a Leg and Body Cover Creme that covers spots, scars and varicose veins. We’ve never road tested it ourselves, but several readers have praised the performance of this company’s products. You can order online on the Web site, www.dermablend.com, or call (877) 900-6700.
*
Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.
