Althouse: "Sometime around age 50, women start to let go of certain ideas about themselves and fashion."

June 25, 2009

"Sometime around age 50, women start to let go of certain ideas about themselves and fashion."

"Up till then you can wear lots of silly or brash things, and if you are reasonably fit and attractive or consistently daring, it doesn’t really matter. You’re still with the tide. You are home free with your esoteric Pradas, your porkpie hats and coy Lolita socks, and no little voice is going, 'Heh-heh-heh, you’re too old for that.'"

No! Dammit! You will not take away my coy Lolita socks!

(Consistently daring? I wannabe consistently darling.)

14 comments:

Jason (the commenter) said...: If you want darling you should be dressing in Baby, the Stars Shine Bright; 6/25/09, 7:51 AM
rhhardin said...: White tube socks are cheap and can go in the laundry with everything else.

Laundry schedule.

1. Put everything piled under laundry chute opening into washing machine. Add detergent. Start.

2. Move everything to dryer. Start.

3. Pile everything in laundry basket. Carry upstairs and put basket on dresser.

4. Repeat in 18 days.; 6/25/09, 7:54 AM
traditionalguy said...: Cute and wearing a stylish, taylored look is wonderful on women over 50. The bridge too far for them is acting crazy and flaunting sexuality as the center of their look. Your body language, out going personality, and smile keeps you darling at all ages. Older women are so valuable because they are trustworthy companions and highly skilled at everything. When they try to continue the image of a sexy young girl and fish around for attention from men 20 years their junior, they seem more sad than life affirming.; 6/25/09, 7:55 AM
Meade said...: rh,
Thanks. I will refer to your sage advise on daily living if my darling future wife should ever suggest I'm doing my laundry wrong.; 6/25/09, 8:29 AM
KLDAVIS said...: So...I usually don't show up at Althouse and expect to find innuendo unexposed, but...

"Sometime around age 50...Up till then...You're still with the tide."; 6/25/09, 8:31 AM
Meade said...: tradguy,

Same is true of oldr men fishing around for young girls, right?; 6/25/09, 8:32 AM
traditionalguy said...: Meade...The older guys can do fine if they have money to go around. But more than a 7 year spread makes it hard on both partners as the time goes by. I did not mean to say that a fine woman like your betrothed Professor will not naturally attract men 20 years younger than herself just by her sweetness and her mind. But she has already raised her boys once.; 6/25/09, 8:56 AM
former law student said...: From the pictures in the linked article, Anna Piaggi looks like a clown, whereas Madonna is still hot.

rhhardin: The prime advantage of tube socks is that by giving them a quarter turn every time you put them on, you can get four times the life of ordinary socks.; 6/25/09, 9:26 AM
rhhardin said...: The prime advantage of tube socks is that by giving them a quarter turn every time you put them on, you can get four times the life of ordinary socks.

You can't quarter turn them without squnching up your toes with the seam. Half turns is the way to go. Indeed hard to avoid, their being no markings.; 6/25/09, 10:02 AM
Ann Althouse said...: tradguy...

I just want to wear socks! And Meade is my age. Almost!; 6/25/09, 10:08 AM
traditionalguy said...: Dear Professor... Sorry for sounding judgemental. You are a beautiful woman in a public performance role in your Law School life. By all means dress as youthful as possible the better to keep the students interested in what you have to say. Your childlike charm will always come thru no matter how you dress.; 6/25/09, 10:24 AM
former law student said...: I just want to wear socks! And Meade is my age. Almost!

Personally I don't see the lolitaness intrinsic to "lolita socks." "Socks is socks."

Meade and the professor do seem like a couple, so that's enough.

I like the old British phrase for the article's phenomenon: "Mutton dressed as lamb." But older women can dress youthfully without looking clownish.; 6/25/09, 10:25 AM
Balfegor said...: Frankly, I think you can wear porkpie hats no matter how old you are. Doesn't Miss Marple wear a porkpie? Perhaps she doesn't have the traditional telescoping crown? Anyhow, it seems like a hat that would work perfectly with the batty old lady look.; 6/25/09, 10:54 AM
Synova said...: Not too long after age 50 and it's time for the Red Hat ladies... when I'm old I will wear purple...

Me? I'm looking forward to being genuinely eccentric.; 6/25/09, 2:23 PM