To be honest with you, I had other ideas in my head such as a blog post on just why I decorated for Christmas upon our return from a Halloween weekend in Cincinnati,
We had a ton of fun in Cincinnati over Halloween weekend. We babysat for the boys while Oona and Sam went to a party dressed up as Costco samplers. The funniest thing was my husband thought they were doing a fundraiser at Costco and they were working. I guess Halloween was different when he was growing up in Paris!
Yes. Both trees are up and lit like someone who overindulged in Martha Stewart Egg Nog.
It’s time management for me. Between work and hosting an early Thanksgiving and traveling–it’s now or never!
How crazy am I to take Oona’s ornament from either Kindergarten or first grade that has deteriorated and update it with new pretzels. I ate the remaining giant-sized bag of pretzels.
Then I started packing for our upcoming trip to Paris (who knows how long delays will be with this effing government shutdown—we had a three-hour delay leaving from Philly to Cincinnati. We were lucky because our flight was merely delayed and not cancelled— I am getting triggered. I need to stop).
Luckily, the flight from Cincy to Philly was on time and landed early!
Anyway, I started packing for our upcoming trip to Paris and curating my choice of outfits and it slapped me just like a baby exiting the womb. I can write about how the way I dress has changed as I’ve aged!
I believe most people are organized when they pack. Not me! Everything is in a pile, then I go through it, try-ons, then it goes in the suitcase. Note the suitcase. The exterior is filthy. I’m not buying a new one. This has been with me for many years and does the job.
I mean, twenty, thirty, even ten years ago, there was always a little thought in my gray matter muttering “But what will others think of this outfit”? When my husband and I travelled, especially to Paris, those thoughts will surface. And the funny thing is I used to live in NYC! For decades! I mostly wore black so I didn’t give my clothing much pondering. Why, then, was I so concerned when heading to Paris?
I wouldn’t go as far as dressing as a can-can dancer but…
I’ve been shamelessly known to sport a beret!
Could it be because of all the “influenzas” and their smoke and mirrors, or those internet sites showcasing what people in Paris, Milan and other European cities are traipsing around in. Lest we forget, those videos are painstakingly edited and the street cinematographer is most likely spending hours upon hours on a street corner to get that impressive outfit.
Oui! Is this French enough for my wardrobe?
Although I can speak only of major cities as NY and Paris, most people dress normally. I’ll give the Parisiens kudos for their incredible ability to style and I give New Yorkers for the ability to not give a f*ck and stick to black. But I have to say, this time around, I am packing for me and only for me.
As I’ve aged, the middle portion of my body has spread. —like melted cheese spilling over a dish, my middle has spread over my panties and pants. And instead of whining about it, that spread needs to be dealt with. By hiding it.
My midsection is thicker these days but this old skirt still fits–INTO THE SUITCASE!
These old J. Crew Pixie pants are the closest things to leggings and delightfully, have stretched along with my body! This old sweater, I believe I purchased it about six years ago from Nordstrom, hides what needs to be hidden!
I love a good long sweater and now, with the weather heading into winter, those longer sweaters are more than welcome. Here’s the thing. All but one of the sweaters I am packing is old. Old like me. With our faltering economy (there I go again), it’s more pragmatic to rely on what we already own—especially for our demographic that is on a fixed income (for now). I’m not saying I haven’t bought anything new because I have—but most of my clothing is old.
Again, the tired and true Pixie pants. With a long sweater. The sweater is new. From Amazon and is so soft and comfortable. I’ll be able to walk the Parisian streets all day–especially should I wear loafers instead of booties!
Comfort is key as I’ve aged. Forget the jeans that dig into my gut every time I sit down. My preference is for something looser or thrifting up to a larger size.
These jeans by Lucky Brand were thrifted for next to nothing. The waist is comfortable due to stretch and with jeans–you can always change up the look with shoes or a different sweater.
Plaid ankle pants with a tunic sweater. The sweater is about ten years old from J. Crew. Everything pictured is in the suitcase!
Heels? Oh boy. If you recall my blog post about Jake’s wedding and the heel conundrum, you’ll probably catch the fact that I can no longer wear high heels. This hurts—and it hurts way more than my feet—it hurts my soul; and my soles! I envisioned me to be that 90-year-old woman wearing five-inch stilettos while using a walker. Ain’t gonna happen. If I can even stand up for ten minutes in heels, these days it’s a miracle.
The heels I wore to my son’s wedding. I ended up offering them to the Blessed Mother in exchange that I never wear heels like this again. Rest in Peace high heels.
I’m packing one pair of heels. An old pair of J. Crew, discontinued Duli heels that took years to break in. Oh. And I packed a pair of kitten-heeled booties—of which I need to take out of the suitcase and run around the house for at least two hours to break them in and then add innersoles.
The J. Crew Dulci pumps from a 2017 blog post. Eight years old and they are finally comfortable. BTW, I can no longer get those pants over my thigh. I don’t even know why I am still holding on to them.
From now on—it’s flats for me. Comfort is so important. Especially now that I try to outrun my grandsons when I’m with them. Gam Gam can be very stubborn and proud—even if it means the possibility of a sprain or broken foot from running into a door.
And I have a penchant for pointy-toed flats! These aren’t getting packed because it’s cold out and I won’t wear slingbacks in cold weather.
Top pic is before polish. Bottom after! Bass Weejuns and Navy Repettos are packed! In they go!
Okay, not to hijack the topic but.…..the loafers and ballet flats. I have a story for you. When my siblings and I were kids in Catholic school, my dad, who was obsessive with polished shoes, would have us line up our shoes after dinner and he would polish them. He was extremely serious about this. Rubbing the polish in carefully, then buffing with a towel, then going over with a brush for shine.
Anyway, I took a good look at my shoes and realized that I neglect my footwear because I don’t polish them my husband is a shoe–polisher. So, I made Vincent take me to DSW to buy Cordovan shoe polish and navy shoe polish. DSW did not have shoe polish. The store did, however, have a shoe sponge with built-in black polish that shines the shoes–it was ten bucks and he purchased it. It worked alright on my black loafers but I was not impressed.
Instead, I ordered shoe paste on Amazon in Cordovan and Navy. Both worked beautifully!
This shoe paste is incredible. No more scuffs!
I didn’t give up on my skirts. They aren’t worn for work anymore because corporate clothing and business casual have been traded for more comfortable attire in the State Hospital—however we do have a dress code to adhere to—no flip flops or high heels for obvious reasons. Women are discouraged to wear clothing that might drive the forensic patients’ libidos. I get that. Besides, my office is so cold that I need to wear double-sweatshirts, sweat pants or jeans or heavy leggings. I stick to flats but draw the line on socks. I still despise them.
Along with the leopard print skirt, I’ll bring the houndstooth skirt and plaid one. They are already packed. The short sleeved sweater is from two years ago. Temu. Eight bucks each and I gotta say, these sweaters held up a lot better than expensive ones! While I realize it’s fast fashion, if it lasts for years it’s slow fashion. I love tights and these are packed along with the Dulci pumps!
Another Temu favorite. This trench coat. Around $25, it’s going on two years. Why am I packing it? I can’t stand traipsing around in a heavy coat all day. I may be old but I still get hot easily and hot flashes. The cut of this coat–especially in the sleeves, is generous enough that a heavy sweater can be worn underneath, giving warmth. I just need a scarf, gloves, and a knit cap to keep me toasty when walking out and about.
And during this season, Mariah Carey might croon about all she wats for Christmas is you, but all I want is to come home from work and put on my Old Navy pajamas.
No longer do I feel the need to dress up at home. Sure—if we have guests, I will get dressed into nicer clothing. But in all honesty, I look forward to Christmas when we are at my daughter’s house and we all have matching pajamas and don’t leave the house. It’ll be more fun to play with the boy’s toys from Santa, eat food all day and just be with my family.
Old Navy PJ’s are the bomb. After daylight savings on the last day of October, I LIVE in these when at home. At least I’m not wearing a Mumu!
Aging, while something people fret about, isn’t bad. It’s that point in your life where you can be comfortable in your own skin. Where you can look in a mirror and see your present reflection that can make you think of your younger self—but allows you the confidence and empowerment to realize that is a memory, a fond one, and you don’t need fillers or filters to make you look younger.
My aging 70-year old face sans makeup and wig. It’s not my 20 or 30 or 40 face but it’s mine and I love it–nothing a bit of makeup won’t enhance..
I would rather see a cartoon of me than an over-filled or over-filtered me. Actually, I would rather just see real me.
Perhaps I don’t dress age appropriately to some but for the most part, I just want to dress nicely–no matter what my age.
So, get comfortable. Throw the heels out. Slip into flats. Eat a steak with fries and have that cake. Wear those elasticized waisted skirts and pants and sweats. And be thankful that you have the privilege to experience the aging process!
Hey! Have you changed the way you dress or anything since you’ve aged? Are you comfortable with yourself? Write a comment and let us discuss!
I really enjoyed this post. The realities and the privilege of aging. Honestly, when I am at home, the bigger and looser the clothing, the better. The one thing I need to figure out this winter are flats; have not yet found ones that are comfortable and that I am comfortable with. The search continues!
Thank you Maryellen! Searches are daunting. My search for the perfect shade of brown sweater has been closed because I cannot find the right shade and I will be damned if I am going to spend hundreds of dollars. Nope.
Although the store doesn’t have shoe polish (whoda thunk!), I did see some nice flats at DSW. Have you looked there?
I take skirts and sweaters to Paris too! (In the fall, anyway). And tights. Can’t wear ballet flats on those stony streets, but I do wear Sam Edelman loafers all over. And Bõrn ankle boots. I take sneakers cause everyone there wears them, usually a pair of Vince low cut sneakers. All these are things I’ve owned for years, nothing new. Gloves, hats, plus scarves- those I buy there. I have switched to straight leg jeans although I still have my skinnies. I think they look better on me. And I do wear textured knee high hose (not socks) with them. Thinking of taking my vintage Burberry trench but I’m gonna need a shorter less cumbersome jacket too. Yikes! Two coats! Oh well I’ll wear on one the plane. It’s fun to plan and shop the closet!
HI Susan, I am taking two coats. One is going to be neatly packed in my husband’s oversized suitcase. I didn’t take pics because it’s at the dry cleaners for now. But–on the gray milder days I’ll wear the trench and when it is bitter cold, I’ll wear the heavier coat. Speaking of straight jeans. I have a pair from J. Crew Factory I purchased last year. The hem is a raw hem and they look slightly nerdy–but in a good way. Those are already packed. But the skirts and tights–it’s such a great combination and I don’t get the opportunity to dress anymore so I figure we’ll be dining out 6 nights so there’s the three skirts. I’m looking forward to just landing and cabbing it to Paris Centre!
Yes, I do want more comfortable clothing as I age…but….I also still love to dress up. I retired last year and miss dressing up for work…lets be honest…usually over dressed for work haha. The college students I worked with lalways encouraged me which was fun and very kind. I started Reform Pilates 2 years ago and it is honestly the only form of exercise I truly enjoy. On the 3-4 weekdays I go to a class,I usually am in workout clothes. The other day and on weekends I get dressed up for myself. I wear makeup every day…some days less than others but always the basics…again for me to feel like myself. Shoes are an entire other story…after years of cheap high heels 24/7 I had a very severe case of plantar fasciitis. Eventually had plantar release surgery and it was successful in that much less pain. However I still cannot wear high heels (along with feel of tripping & falling) or flats as I need arch support. Shoes are a struggle for sure. I have custom orthotics from the surgeon who did the release surgery but finding stylish shoes with removable insoles is a constant struggle. Vionics do not fit me for some reason, I refuse to wear Dansko clogs and surprisingly most of their shoes do not have removable insoles, Munro has shut down their business, Mephisto is over my budget…open to any and all suggestions that meet this criteria in the shoe department. OK, have gone on way too long…glad you are again posting Catherine.
Would Clark’s shoes work? Some of mine have had insoles I could remove. I’d never wear clogs, my orthopedic doc frowns on all clogs. Not stable enough. I also wear Ryka brand, Aetrex, and Sofft. Maybe worth a try. Good luck!
Hi Nancy. One would think with all the shoe designers and companies that a pratically designed shoe for people with feet issues would be created and be stylish as well. I consider myself lucky because I can wear pointy-toed flats and need an insole only because today’s shoes are, for the most part, are wider than my narrow feet and shoe companies don’t make a variety of widths anymore. It’s crazy!
HI
I’m here now! The weather has been lovely, but cool. I see lots of leather jackets on men and women. There is no longer one way to dress in Paris. It’s changed so much since the 90’s. Whatever you wear will fit in just fine. Especially, since you will mostly be seen in your coat! We are staying in the 3rd, and there is an abundance of resale shops. I had no idea they’d become so popular. Not really my thing though.
Yes, as I’ve aged, I’ve concerned myself less with dressing to fit in and more with dressing to suit myself. There are many perks to aging if one pays attention.
Hi Bonnie. Very well stated! I even notice that 20, 15 years ago people were more concerned about “dressing for Paris” now it is very much do your own thing. And yeah. There are many perks to aging–we just need to pay attention!
Love this post and honestly – the only thing I think people notice is the state of our clothing rather than the ACTUAL clothing… by that I mean the polished shoes, the de-fuzzed sweater, the cleanliness or the attire etc. That and clean nails and clean spectacles – no one will notice otherwise, it is all about a little self care and respect for where our hard earnt money went (and no it doesn’t matter a fig if it was Temu or Burberry) and ourselves, if it is clean and tidy then I am pretty sure people will not know any difference. Now that’s where the smart thinking is for sure
Exactly Juliet. When my nails aren’t polished I feel dirty and it is the process of taking care of clothing that counts. It’s important to take care of clothing and think about what you like, the quality and what works. I’m astounded by all those videos of “hauls”. Do these influenzas return the clothing as soon as they make a video? Do they take care of the clothes in the haul….so many questions!
I have wondered too what these people do with their ‘hauls’. Like seriously how much clothing does one need? And where do they wear all these things? I’ve pared down my wardrobe and I do use shoe polish on shoes and boots! I try to buy only quality clothing and shoes. As far as what I’ve changed – my shoes, sadly, have changed. They’ve had to change. I have severe arthritis to thank for that. I always thing you look fantastic though. Your style is perfect.
Loved your blog. There are ‘come to Jesus’ moments about getting older and clothes. I’m going back to the US on Tuesday, my hub and I are here in London (where I was born) for 2 months. Wanna know how many clothing items I purchased ‘nada’ Also because we live in Florida and the stores here are all full of winter stock, but last year we were here all summer and I bought exactly ‘one’ Zara blouse, that was it. I have loads of clothes here and just shop from the closet (or wardrobe here 🙂 Years ago, I’d be returning with so much new stuff – we change as we grow, and it’s comforting really. Have a great time In Paris 🩷
I always look forward to your posts no matter the subject, Catherine! These days, I’m a docent at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (if you’re ever in Cincinnati and need a break…just a couple of hours away) so I get to dress up. I’ve already gotten the reputation as the one who dresses a little wild. I’m sure there are those who say I don’t dress my age, but who cares what they think! I love the way I dress which is an expression of me. And, the me who’s in her current era is colorful, dramatic, and over the top! If I had legs like yours, I’d be sporting the narrower cut pants, but this girl has piano legs so it’s wide leg pants or long flowy dresses to cover the leggings. And, that’s OK because a) I’m comfortable and b) I get to choose! The funny thing is 20 or even just 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have dressed like I do now. One of the gifts of aging is the not giving a single crap about what anyone else says or thinks. I think confidence is the second best thing we can wear. The other is a smile (snarky at times). My dad always said, “Keep smiling. It’ll make ’em wonder what you’re up to.” And, I love that! Thanks for another fabulous post and have a wonderful time in Paris!
Yay to the Old Navy jammies! When I am home I do not dress up. In fact there are days when I don’t dress at all! Pyjama days! I’m 70, I’m retired I can do whatever the heck I want! On days when I want to dress I have a selection of fleece lined pull ons from Lands End ( old but faithful) and cashmere hoodies so I’m not too bad. I wear slippers in the house and need support so Keene are my favourites. When I go out which isn’t all that often, mostly groceries and ( sorry Oona) thehellthatiscostco. I wear my black pixies, black Remonte high tops a cashmere sweater from my collection and my LE down coat. When the need comes to elevate I might jazz the same look with jewelry and black suede booties and change the purse. Maybe more makeup. I have a uniform lol!
I do not get these women who arise everyday and ‘dress up’ even if they’re just answering the door for Amazon deliveries! My neighbours probably know by now that I own many housecoats well the UPS guy certainly does. I have no shame and at least I don’t have a drink in my hand!! Haha Once the snow flies I don’t go out unless it’s urgent or I really need to…it’s probably not a healthy way of life but I do try to meet friends for lunch once a month and get out for coffee and I have my three maniacs once a week for a sleepover so I am not exactly rooted in front of the TV. I admire your discipline in getting your holiday decor up so early. I have set a few goals for myself ie some deep cleaning over the next week and then the Christmas chaos can start…calm before the storm of December! Get your flu shot! It’s gearing up to be a bad one this year and you’re travelling. Have a great trip…so jelly over here<3
I was in France several weeks back and I did notice that leather was being worn a lot, including a couple of ladies in full length leather coats which looked so stylish.
And yes your right, shoe cleaning is definitely on the boy list of jobs.
A wonderful and thought provoking post. Your trip to Paris sounds like a blast! I’d like to do a “city” trip again, most of my travels lately have involved hiking in remote places.
In recent years, I’ve gravitated to making a lot of my clothing. I grew to dislike leggings, skinny jeans, or anything at all tight during the pandemic. I got rid of all that in a recent closet purge. I mostly wear separates, an occasional jumpsuit or overalls, and very rarely a dress or skirt. In summer, linen/rayon/silk. In winter wool/cashmere. I avoid synthetic fibers.
I don’t go to a gym or any fitness classes, my exercise is walking and so I don’t have workout clothes other than a random sweatshirt.
I love shoes and have quite the collection~! Too many if the truth be told. I’ve never really worn heels much, other than maybe 2″ ones, and luckily I don’t have any foot issues. I really like my shoes from Sevilla Smith, colorful and fun. Also other brands that have embellishments. But for doing a lot of walking around a city, I would take my rhinestone sneakers, or bunny ear sneakers from Minna. I like pointed toe flats, like you – and a pair of those would be in my suitcase for sure.
Have a wonderful time! Enjoy!
What a wonderful and relatable blog, Cathe. Yes, I’m 70 but I still love to dress stylishly and comfortably. It just makes me feel better. I kept one pair of heels after I retired 15 years ago and I don’t think I’ve worn them one time but they still sit in my closet just in case. It’s a shocker at times to look in the mirror and see my older face but I will take it. I put makeup on every day whether I am going out or not because #1 I enjoy it and #2 I look better. lol. Enjoy your trip to Paris.
Enjoyed this article!
I’m with you. I don’t know where my middle went. But I only wear pants that are comfortable around the waist. Nothing tight. I even now wear briefs that cover up my middle. My question is how do you wear those shoes without arch support??? Absolutely I put on PJs to lounge around.
You’re right! I want to look put together but comfortable!
I love fashion and love classic good quality pieces. I am going to 70
In 2 weeks! We all wish we didn’t have that middle bulge and
Have to learn how to disguise it. Thanks foe being honest!