Deciphering the Meaning Behind "Age Appropriate"
Okay ladies, we’ve got question for you. What does it mean to you when someone says, “she needs to dress appropriately for her age?” Does it you make you cringe? Does it make you think? Do you agree? Really think about it for a minute. Whether we like it or not, this is a pretty baited question.
Women today, especially young women, have so much luxury when it comes to deciding what to wear. It wasn’t that long ago that it was totally taboo for women to wear pants! Nowadays we have the freedom to dress however we want…if society deems it age appropriate. There’s no shortage of people reminding us of this fact from the media to our own family. Specifically let’s focus on one part of our bodies: the midriff. Young women everywhere flaunt this on a regular basis… but what about the over 40s? Can we do it?
Some might say it’s ok. Some might say it’s not ok. Some might say it’s ok as long as you don’t show your belly button. We say, if you’ve got the body, flaunt that midriff like there’s no tomorrow. What does it mean to “have the body?” It means confidence. It means owning your ensemble. It means taking pride in your great figure and not questioning what other people say about your clothing choices.
Think about it: if we all got up in the morning and worried about what everyone else was going to say, we’d never get dressed. We’d stand in a constant state of nothing while trying on clothes and throwing them on the floor of our closet over and over again. Ask yourself: do I feel confident in this? Does this showcase my body in a way that makes me feel comfortable?
So, after reading our thoughts, what do you think? What does age appropriate mean to you? Has someone in your life ever told you to dress more, “age appropriate?” How did it make you feel?
At the end of the day it’s a personal choice. If you don’t want to bare your midriff, great. If you’ve got the curves and the desire, great. But the next time a young thing reminds you to dress your age, remind her that you, a 40 year old woman, grew up a time when women were beginning to find a real place in society outside of the home so you can wear whatever you want. Even if you’re breaking the “age appropriate” rules in their eyes…so be it.
