I read the following article this morning and was struck by its truth. Even one generation ago women would never have dressed the way many do now. I mostly wear dresses although pants are a must, in my opinion, in the garden. And I'm not advocating, like the author, that all older women should cast off their sweat pants etc. for a dress. Though one may not agree with everything, it still has some food for thought. And really, aren't you captivated by a well-groomed elderly women not trying to appear 20 years younger or hip?!(Picture features my mom as a little girl c.1923 with her aunt.)
From http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/
Reader FavoritesFeminine Appearance for Older Women
By Mrs. Stanley Sherman
What has happened to the concept of "growing old gracefully?" You've probably read a lot of "what-is-this-world-coming-to" articles about the unfeminine and immodest appearance of young women, but have you taken a good look at the older women lately? From a distance, most of them cannot be distinguished from old men. The typical "older woman" uniform seems to consist either of combat pants and boots, tee shirts, shaved hair styles, and expensive manicures or jogging suits and/or spandex. Trousers are the least-flattering garment for an older or elderly woman's figure. To make matters worse, most elderly women no longer wear supportive foundations, and their clothing bags and sags, making them look like a jumble of jello. We realize everyone wants to be comfortable, but must it be at the expense of femininity and beauty? And must it be such an eyesore to the public? If women want to be held in high regard in society, the older women must set the example by dressing with dignity. The appearance of our elderly women in modern America is simply awful!Older women have a place in society as wise counselors and examples to the young. They should be showing, by their example and appearance, that life is beautiful and good. Without saying a word, they influence the young, either in a positive or a negative way. One of the reasons women of our century do not look forward to getting older is the bad example of the elderly women they see before them.Older women need to have the kind of appearance and attitude that inspires the younger women to say, "When I get old, I want to be just like her!" If their clothing, hair, and skin are repulsive in appearance, the young women will not be drawn to them. It is true that we are supposed to appreciate the inner beauty of others, but it is also a fact that we live in a physical world with a physical body that must be groomed and taken care of. It is our "equipment for life." If older women have a message to the young, they must first remove the barriers of a slovenly and unflattering appearance.Take, for example, the antiques that we admire. Are they valued and appreciated as much if they are just allowed to sit, uncared for, deteriorating from day to day, without being cleaned or shined? "Shabby Chic" aside, antiques bring us more enjoyment when they are repaired, cared for, restored, painted, and polished. Even a small table with chipped paint looks better when it is graced by a vase of fresh flowers.
As we grow older, our faces may develop wrinkles. One thing older women should know is that shaved, spiked, short, frizzy hair only emphasizes these wrinkles more. Compare such hair styles to the graceful, soft waves of a truly feminine hairstyle. Bangs, or "fringes," make older women look younger, and they hide a multitude of worry lines. Hair dyes that are too dark, such as jet black, are very unnatural looking and make the skin appear more worn out and unhealthy.Hairdressers and so-called fashion consultants are known to tell older women that short hair will give them a kind of face-lift. However, there are some older women who have dared to let their hair grow a little longer, gathering it into a French roll or knot, demonstrating that long hair, when it is upswept, can create an even better face lift. Some of these women say that when they let their hair grow longer, they felt much younger and more optimistic. To achieve a soft, youthful appearance, older women need to stay away from the radical styles of the youth. Knobbly knees and wrinkled thighs are not attractive and only "tell" your age. The best disguise for older women is a beautiful dress! Dresses come in all kinds of shapes and styles and can be used to create visual slenderness and hide figure flaws such as saddlebags, thick waists, and protruding tummies. Appropriate shoes are essential to complete this kind of dressing, and you won't have to worry about comfort. There are very comfortable shoes available that can be worn with dresses without looking like you are off to a sporting event. Older women, do you ever feel depressed about the era we are living in? Do you wonder when it is going to be fashionable and acceptable to wear pretty clothes and hats? In my opinion, older women have to lead the way in restoring true womanhood. We can't expect the young women to develop a sense of dignity and grace if the older women are walking around in sweat pants and windbreakers, looking gender neutral. I feel sorry for young women these days. They haven't got much to look up to in the way of example in dressing, so they mimic the film stars or buy what they see on the rack. There are millions of women over the age of 50 in our society. They don't know the power they could have to change the sorry state of the appearance of modern women. We don't have to have a peer group to give us courage. If only one woman decides to change, it may influence several other women to change. Not long ago, I complimented an older woman I saw in a grocery store. She was wearing a sage green dress with pin-tucks at the bodice. Her pure white hair was secured by a silver clip. I told her how nice she looked and thanked her for helping to make America beautiful. She replied that she used to wear jeans all the time, then one day she decided she wasn't going to do it anymore. Life is too short not to spend your later years dressed beautifully. There just isn't time to wait for it to become popular. Do it now, and leave some lovely photographs for your descendents. Your life isn't over yet; there is a future and a hope for you, too!Young women need to avoid getting into the habit of dressing badly in their youth. The way you dress now will become the way you end up looking as an elderly person. It may seem kind of "cool" to dress in dirty jeans now, but think what it will look like on you when you are old, gray, and wrinkled. It is not a pretty sight! Think carefully what you do as a young person, for that will be how you will end up as an older woman. Get acquainted with clothing and all its aspects now. Learn all you can about dressing appropriately, so that it will be automatic when you are older.
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