More on women and their bodies

My first post today has sparked some excellent comments, and I saw something else today that enlarges on the subject.

"We are a society that bases everything on age: our rights, our behaviors, our health habits, our family priorities, our looks: all of these things are centered around the number of years we've been alive.

There's a shot in the opening credits of What Not To Wear that declares "No Mini Skirts After 35," a sign that plays into the notion that women should cover up once
they hit that number, as if a 34-year-old can rock a miniskirt like nobody's business, only to turn into a hideous freak the day she turns 35.

On the other hand, we have celebrities like Gwen Stefani, 39, who wear whatever the hell they want, because they can, and why shouldn't they? When it comes to "age appropriate" clothing, perhaps it's not so much about numbers as it is about one's own confidence and ability to pull off trends and styles without looking like they are trying to be anything but themselves.

Shane Watson of the Times of London takes on the shady ground of "age appropriate" clothing, noting that magazines praise women over 40 who make the attempt to be trendy and shrug off old "rules," such as Michelle Obama and Helen Mirren, who wear gorgeous, skin-baring ensembles instead of, oh, I don't know, Quacker Factory sweaters or whatever the hell it is that people think women over 35 should wear.

However, Watson notes, the old "rules" are still stuck in the minds of many women, who feel that they can't do certain things, like show their arms, because it's not considered appropriate after a certain age. "We still fall back on the same old mantras: fortysomethings shouldn't wear short skirts; bikinis are undignified past 35," Watson writes, "Every time we open a magazine, we see confirmation that what counts is not age but body shape and confidence. But still those rules that applied to the pre-Pilates-and-sushi generation keep sucking us back to what is and isn't age-appropriate."

I have seen my mother struggle with these rules when she puts outfits together for special occasions. "I can't wear that," she'll sigh, looking at a beautiful gown, "I'm too old." Bullshit, Mom. You can wear it and you should. Unfortunately, my mother, like many other women, has internalized these old rules, and instead of buying clothing that makes her feel beautiful (and that looks great, too) she plays it safe, for fear of offending anyone."

from Gawker.com

Eliz again: I know all about these rules but I've been hit by double rules by moving to a different culture. What's preferred in Mississippi is fuddy-duddy in London, and what's fine in London is seen as too tight or revealing in Mississippi. I get caught in the middle.

On the other hand, my mother bought very conservative clothes for me so I looked middle-aged at 20. So I figured maybe I could dress like I should have then now, even though I'm 100 years older. I feel like it's owed to me.