Fashionable Grandmas - Wear What You Like and Ignore the Rest
It's hard to dress fashionably when you're a grandma.
Women's fashions are either too young, too flashy, or too impractical.
I am always out of step when it comes to women's fashions.
While I am aware of fashion trends, most of them don't apply to me.
What are the latest trends? According to Jessica Harp, a "North Texas Daily" writer, "high-waisted, wide-leg trousers are at the forefront of fashion.
"Other trends include minimalist styles, boot-look shoes, big jewelry, jewel tones, brown, gray, and animal prints.
However, Harp says animal prints should not be overdone.
The Fashion Era Web site tells a similar story.
Grays and browns are popular, the site says, as are baby doll styles, short dresses, and layering.
The military look is back and and large-scale plaids are popular.
And the clutch purse -- one of the most impractical accessories a woman can have -- is also back.
Laura Schara, a Macy's fashion correspondent, thinks sweater dresses are a new trend, along with bold metal jewelry and "shooties," a combination high heel and boot.
Macy's says other fashion trends include statement coats, jackets made of suede, knit, leather, and corduroy, halter tops, retro shoes, and long cable sweaters.
Full skirts are still popular and you see lots of them in magazines and fashion shows.
I don't know about you, but I don't look good in a full skirt.
Besides, I'm a small-boned person and don't like to "carry" that much fabric.
Wearing a full skirt makes me feel bulky and uncomfortable.
Since I don't buy many clothes, I decided to make a list of fashion trends to see which ones applies to me.
There were few.
The only trends I would follow are wider slacks, jackets, long sweaters, and layering.
Why do I ignore fashion trends? I live in Minnesota, a state with extreme temperature swings.
Summer temperatures can spike to 100 degrees or more.
In the winter the temperature can drop to 25 below or lower.
This number does not include the wind chill, which can reach 70 degrees below zero.
When the wind chill is this bad radio and television stations tell parents to cover their children's faces to prevent frost bite.
Adults cover their faces with scarves and hoods.
Halter tops are fine for Southern climates and, while Minnesotans wear them in the summer, the nights can suddenly turn chilly.
We have ice storms in the winter and it is hard to stand on ice, let alone walk.
Yet the holiday flyers will probably contain photos of women wearing halters and high heeled sandals or slides.
Go figure.
Few designers think of grandmas when they are designing next season's clothes.
This leaves us with two options, to dress like we are looking for our lost youth, or dress like we are ancient and feeble.
At this stage of life we don't have to impress anyone.
We can enjoy fashion magazines, go to fashion shows, watch the television coverage, and wear what we want.
Hooray! Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson
Women's fashions are either too young, too flashy, or too impractical.
I am always out of step when it comes to women's fashions.
While I am aware of fashion trends, most of them don't apply to me.
What are the latest trends? According to Jessica Harp, a "North Texas Daily" writer, "high-waisted, wide-leg trousers are at the forefront of fashion.
"Other trends include minimalist styles, boot-look shoes, big jewelry, jewel tones, brown, gray, and animal prints.
However, Harp says animal prints should not be overdone.
The Fashion Era Web site tells a similar story.
Grays and browns are popular, the site says, as are baby doll styles, short dresses, and layering.
The military look is back and and large-scale plaids are popular.
And the clutch purse -- one of the most impractical accessories a woman can have -- is also back.
Laura Schara, a Macy's fashion correspondent, thinks sweater dresses are a new trend, along with bold metal jewelry and "shooties," a combination high heel and boot.
Macy's says other fashion trends include statement coats, jackets made of suede, knit, leather, and corduroy, halter tops, retro shoes, and long cable sweaters.
Full skirts are still popular and you see lots of them in magazines and fashion shows.
I don't know about you, but I don't look good in a full skirt.
Besides, I'm a small-boned person and don't like to "carry" that much fabric.
Wearing a full skirt makes me feel bulky and uncomfortable.
Since I don't buy many clothes, I decided to make a list of fashion trends to see which ones applies to me.
There were few.
The only trends I would follow are wider slacks, jackets, long sweaters, and layering.
Why do I ignore fashion trends? I live in Minnesota, a state with extreme temperature swings.
Summer temperatures can spike to 100 degrees or more.
In the winter the temperature can drop to 25 below or lower.
This number does not include the wind chill, which can reach 70 degrees below zero.
When the wind chill is this bad radio and television stations tell parents to cover their children's faces to prevent frost bite.
Adults cover their faces with scarves and hoods.
Halter tops are fine for Southern climates and, while Minnesotans wear them in the summer, the nights can suddenly turn chilly.
We have ice storms in the winter and it is hard to stand on ice, let alone walk.
Yet the holiday flyers will probably contain photos of women wearing halters and high heeled sandals or slides.
Go figure.
Few designers think of grandmas when they are designing next season's clothes.
This leaves us with two options, to dress like we are looking for our lost youth, or dress like we are ancient and feeble.
At this stage of life we don't have to impress anyone.
We can enjoy fashion magazines, go to fashion shows, watch the television coverage, and wear what we want.
Hooray! Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson
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