Is there such a thing as dressing your age?

My daughter who is soon-to-be twelve, had been dreaming of a pair of Air Jordans for a while. After carefully researching the internet, every sports and shoe store to no avail, a friend of mine told me to check this "specialty" store downtown. As we stepped into the boutique, this "dope" Salesdude  greeted us with a "Yo" and got my daughter her dreamy Jordans while I, ended up getting sucked into this whole fashion-gotta-have-brouhaha and tried my very own pair. As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I started thinking why would the 45 year-old me not be like all the trendsetters in New York and Paris with their Jordans. I wondered though, am I not too old for this trend ? 

Then this week, I came across a video of Madonna dancing at the Boom Boom Room in NYC, blue wig, leather shorts, fishnet top showing her breast, botoxed to the bones and I thought she looked absolutely ridiculous. By no means am I a prude of any sort or am I against Botox, or Leather shorts for that matter, I just think that there's a moment where, when you are trying too hard, not only does it feel desperate but it isn't shocking or cool anymore, it just becomes sad. 

As I went on with my thoughts and reflections, I started looking  for older women in fashion, fashion editors, bloggers, regular pedestrians with some good fashion  looks and my conclusion is that it is not about age, it is about style, your very own sense of style. You can be a 62 year-old woman and look absolutely stunning and stylish, and you can also be a 20 year-old who tries too hard and looks like you are chasing trends.

Finding your own style is not always that simple, it takes confidence and assurance. For some it just comes naturally, for others it takes a bit more but like everything else in life , trying too hard is just that, it is not effortless and striking, it becomes overkill. And my gosh have I been that girl who tries so damn hard to look stylish (remember the MC Hammer poop pants?) but as you age, I think you start understanding what works for you and what does not.

So, in the end, I did not get the Jordans, that train has passed and my 12 year-old is the one on it, not me. 

KBW

 *None of those pictures are mine, simply borrowed.