Having declared yesterday that retirees are, in general, a pretty stylish bunch, I feel the need to point out that there are some looks that I will never aspire to. I have my limits, and was reminded of them when I came across a newspaper item on the latest fashion trend: mixing prints and patterns. My mother did warn me. She considered mixing patterns an egregious fashion faux pas. Admittedly, she gave me a lot of other fashion advice which I now ignore. I wear brown with black, white after Labour Day, and none of my handbags match any of my shoes. But this combining thing .... I think she was spot on. At least for women of a certain age.
Imagine this flowered pants and stripey sweater outfit on a woman over 65. What comes to mind? Fashion maven or bag lady?
If an old guy mixes prints and patterns, we know he must be living by himself ; no woman has had the opportunity to say "Surely you are not wearing that out in public!" But similar garb on an older woman? What is her excuse? Perhaps she didn't listen to her mother.
Some super confident ladies might pull off this look. Barbara Amiel could pose at the corner of Bloor and Bay in her mixed pattern ensemble and not raise eyebrows. I, on the other hand, would not look "with it" in such an outfit. More like "out of it". Eccentric. Colour-blind. Dotty. I would be arrested for panhandling.
Fortunately, being retired means freedom to ignore foolish fashion trends. But style, thank goodness -- style is always in fashion.
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