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Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
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Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith
04/16/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
The worst designer for older women is Trelise Cooper. God her shit is hideous!
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WaltzingMatilda
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
Sorry folks - all I want out of old age is a jumpsuit for any occasion and the ability to say whatever the fuck I want with impunity. You can keep your fancy clothes.
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midwestdesigner
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
I keep reading how brilliant companies were born during recessions, and we still rely on their products today. When is someone going to get the memo that beautiful clothes for "plus-size" and older women (or the double threat, old larger women) is a vast void, waiting for a real solution?
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Green Goth Brit Chick - AlternatEve
04/15/09

@midwestdesigner: I'm currently considering taking my clothes modding/accessory making beyond friends, family and contacts, and there WILL be plus sizes because I'm a US size 20/22...
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Green Goth Brit Chick - AlternatEve
04/15/09

@Green Goth Brit Chick - Bestarred (Thanks Hortense!) - Alte...: (Or whatever a UK 24/26 translates into these days)
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topsy
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
Black women don't give up on fashion at ANY age. Go to any black church and see the ladies in their '70s and '80s rocking the fiercest hats and outfits there.
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midwesternmom
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
I can't wait to wear Maude's knee-length vests and Blanche Deveroux's caftans. Hell, I didn't wait--I wear them now.
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mysterygirl
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
"A part of me wishes we could applaud them merely as 'fashion icons' rather than applying a special, 'aren't they cute/inspiring/amazing' old person lens." I totally agree, Sadie. Frankly, I don't know how a young person could ever be a "fashion icon," since icon status seems to imply longevity to me.

I imagine that I'll feel the same way about fashion even when it's no longer marketed to me, but instead of being considered youthful and quirky, I'll just be old and eccentric. And that's actually fine by me.
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grrl
04/15/09

@mysterygirl: "eccentric" hee. I'm a fan of that word. Because when you do something questionable in your 20s or 30s it's "oh dear" or "immature" or "what were you thinking". You do that in your 60s and your merely "eccentric".

Your "youthful and quirky" phrase reminded of the running joke among friends. We'd noticed that for many seniors their awareness of trends seems to abruptly halt somewhere around 30ish. From that point forward they set anchor at whatever style was popular then and never budge. Or they decide to revert to the clothes of their youth and refuse to give them up. Which is why you get 70 yo women dressing like it's still the 1960s, or still wearing blue eyeshadow and harshly pink or orange lipstick, or still wearing gloves and pillbox hats.

So back to the "youthful, quirky" part. We were trying to figure out what our generation's anchor point would be, where we'd grind to a halt and cease to acknowledge the passage of time. And ended up with a whole bunch of senior citizens wearing raver style or dressing in grunge. That image still kills me. A whole bunch of geriatric foxes with black eyeliner and ripped jeans, or pacifiers and bright colored wide-legged pants. Instead of tinting our hair blue, we'll dye it bright pink and green. ;)
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mysterygirl
04/15/09

@grrl: Ahahahaha-- wouldn't that be spectacular? Considering that yesterday I wore, under a miniskirt, black leggings that are supposed to look like snakeskin, I should look forward to a middle-age and old age in which I ruin the American Apparel image and confuse and appall those around me. If you see me on the street, please make sure that I'm visibly wearing a bra under my leotards, and that I have a skirt on over my leggings. Tights are not pants!! :)
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
My godmother still wears leather pants. She looks kind of like Cher in them.

If I told how old she was, she'd probably kill me, but she looks better in them than I do in my leather skirt.

(Which she knows. Which is a little annoying.)

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MarissaExplainsItAll
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
I think old ladies are incredibly well dressed. I go to college in an affluent area and I always see old ladies dressed to the nines walking the dog. One lady has even worn a classic chanel skirt suit and a YSL le smoking outfit. I think old ladies are rad!
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otherginger
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
A lot of LOLs in San Francisco have amazing shoes and much better haircuts than moi.
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alouette
04/15/09

@otherginger: LOLs? Lovely Old Ladies?
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GeorgeFayne
04/15/09

@alouette: Little Old Ladies. My mom taight me that one - apparently it's common medical slang.
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alouette
04/15/09

@GeorgeFayne: GOTCHA! That's a good one. I might have to employ it myself (mainly in grocery stores, based on my experiences)
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Tippi Hedren
04/15/09

@otherginger: Are those darling LOL twins still around? I used to just LOVE seeing them when I lived there.
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Liz11685
04/16/09

@GeorgeFayne: My dad uses this all the time! I didn't know it was medical slang, but it makes sense because my dad was a counselor and then worked in disabled services for many years- dealing with the same slang.
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pinkyBella
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
I had an English professor in college who was quite old, but dressed impeccably! She wore knee high boots and awesome scarves and always pulled off everything she wore with elegance. I hope I can be like that when I am her age.
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clevernamehere
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
Right after my mother turned 60 she was looking at one of those "Dress For Your Age" articles. She sees 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and then turns the page expecting to see 60s but there was nothing there. The least they could have done was put 50+.
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LaFemme
04/15/09

@clevernamehere: That's odd. I am always suprised by Elle's which does up to 80+.
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Ultraprison!
04/15/09

@clevernamehere: Apparently, after 59, you don't "dress," you just "cover" and "hide" and "drape."
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hfree
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
I dunno, my mother, aunt and cousin having been rocking Talbots for 25 years. They've grown older and it's stayed the same. . .
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
04/15/09

@hfree: No knocking Talbots. I wear their clothes. So does the First Lady.
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Easybreezy
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
I love that photo from Lorick. I hope to look jusst like that in fifty years.
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MeganGlass 就是一个古代的三明治
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
Clothes for underserved demographics like old people, tall women, and short men are just awesome. And I especially like cute old people who find ways to keep some style. This is a great blog I found for just that:

[advancedstyle.blogspot.com]
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pinkyBella
04/15/09

@MeganGlass: Sadie already linked that blog in the post.
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MeganGlass 就是一个古代的三明治
04/15/09

@pinkyBella: D'oh. I got excited and threw up the link before I got past the first paragraph. Silly me, putting my socks on over my shoes.
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Vivi21
04/15/09

In reply to Silver Threads: Making Clothes For Older Women
When I used to work in my father's restaurant, a lady named Grace used to come in every few days. Jezzies, this woman seriously dressed to kill--she was so freaking elegant, all the way to her perfect silver coif. She used to wear these beautifully tailored pants and chiffon scarves. I always used to tell my dad that when I got to be that age, I hoped I could be a knock-out like Grace. I don't know where she found her clothes, but I hope that by the time I get up there in years, there will be more to choose from for the sartorially minded.
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Ultraprison!
04/15/09

@Vivi21: My grandmother is the same way. The people at Bloomingdale's know her by name. She still visits the salon twice a week to get her hair done and I've never seen her in anything that wouldn't be appropriate in church or at a nice brunch.
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