How old is too old ?

[Paisley]

Tony: maybe you should join us in the "Don't Eat Anything for Three Hours Before Bedtime" group. (D.E.A.T.H. Before Bedtime???)

lol

After 50 there's a higher and higher penalty for not taking care of yourself.

Don't you mean 30? :eusa_doh:

 

[dhermann1]

lol
Don't you mean 30? :eusa_doh:

Well, I suppose you could say that, too. But I've found my metabolism has slowed down noticeably since my mid 50's. I'm really feeling the lack of exercise. If I got away from my desk and moved more I'd be so much better off!

 

[$ally]

$ally, I like the new avatar. You looked really pissed off in the old one!

lol

 

[Diamondback]

Ditto what the fellow from Brooklyn said, Ms. $.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I always assumed that vintage was one of the only styles that truly looked good the older you got. I'm 37 and I can dress more 1940s now than I possibly could have at 23.

This is more true for men then for women. Men's stuff is less -large details- variable then womens. Yes, you all argue the details, but a suit is a suit.

In women's clothes, a pink ruffle dress, is -younger- then a black dress, in ways that a pin stripe suit is not -younger or older- then a solid material suit.

The only 'older' men's suits to me are the 'I am a professor' elbow patch jackets.....etc.

 

[Dr Doran]

This is more true for men then for women. Men's stuff is less -large details- variable then womens. Yes, you all argue the details, but a suit is a suit.

In women's clothes, a pink ruffle dress, is -younger- then a black dress, in ways that a pin stripe suit is not -younger or older- then a solid material suit.

The only 'older' men's suits to me are the 'I am a professor' elbow patch jackets.....etc.

Good point. I didn't think of that.

 

[Dr Doran]

I can see where folks are going with this, and yeah there are some things that don't look so good on older folks (mind you, typically i don't think they look so great on younger folks either). I do wonder, though... how do we decide things are or are not "age appropriate"? OK, I can see the obvious - baring acres of flesh (though as I say, give me a lady in a well cout blouse and a pair of fifties cut jeans, or a nice vintage dress over a bikini any day), and whatever, but..... Well, jeans have changed over time - I see a lot of older folks wearing them now (albeit not in the same cuts as what is fashionable among the kids these days). Time was when you'd never have seen that. I don't see that as a bad development. But who decided that? Who decides that something is "age inappropriate" - is it just a case of social norms? If we all decide that - say - a light grey Fedora is a young person's hat, or a short sleeve safari shirt can only be worn by the under 25s, andso we stop wearing them when we get older than that, does it not become a self-fulfilling prophesy type thing? Hmmn......
..... Short trousers are something I very much look on as a child's garment, not something to be worn by a man over the age of 16. Have I just absorbed some societal norm that looks at it that way, or is there a better reason for it than that (and noe that's not my own self-loathing body issues)? Hmmn.

Well, I suppose we ourselves decide what is age-appropriate after hearing opinions from people whose aesthetic sense we respect and after pondering the history of fashion and old photographs.

I think one needs to decide where "self-loathing body issues" (which in my opinion have received more press since 1985 than they have deserved) stop and where good sense starts.

As for people older than 16 wearing short trousers (we just call them "shorts" here) -- I agree with you. To see people who don't agree with us, either watch the film Idiocracy or alternately just come to California. Long pants are RARE here. It is part of the trend of one's teen years extending into one's twenties and thirties (think Shaun of the Dead) and even, in California, into one's forties.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I think shorts on an older gentleman are appropriate only when accompanied by black ankle socks.

 

[olive bleu]

I think shorts on an older gentleman are appropriate only when accompanied by black ankle socks.

and sandleslol

 

[dashiell]

Hi, was just wondering what you thought about growing old gracefully in vintage, there are so many vintage fanatics, well what happens when we all get old ? Do we suddenly, when we hit 50 or 60 , stop dressing in our favourite era ?
I admire Vivienne Westwood for her style and at 66 she looks amazing ! Just thought would be interesting to hear what you all have to say !

I expect it's not a question of getting old but a question of not wanting to dress in vintage fashions. There were people of all ages alive in the Golden Era, and some of those people were remarkably well-dressed. There's no reason the people who start dressing in vintage in their comparative youth should stop unless they want to stop. Except, of course, for how difficult it may be to find vintage, but this issue, I'm sure, is pervasive.

 

[dhermann1]

and sandleslol

And VERY pale legs, and varicose veins. lol

 

[olive bleu]

And VERY pale legs, and varicose veins. lol

Oh my...this vision will keep me awake at nightlol lol

 

[Viola]

Hey now, I've seen khaki shorts look fine on older men w/ a hawaiian shirt and a panama hat.

 

[Diamondback]

Oh my...this vision will keep me awake at nightlol lol

Hey, be nice, you two--I work very hard to maintain my pale complexion!

 

[$ally]

And VERY pale legs

Not this again

 

[Diamondback]

Why do I feel like I'm being discriminated against for having all the color of a dead fish?:cry:



...



lol

 

[carter]

Originally posted by Edward
Short trousers are something I very much look on as a child's garment, not something to be worn by a man over the age of 16. Have I just absorbed some societal norm that looks at it that way, or is there a better reason for it than that (and noe that's not my own self-loathing body issues)? Hmmn.

I must respectfully disagree. I don't feel or look particularly old but I am much nearer 60 than 50. I have neither pale skin nor varicose veins. I know a lot of men near my age (north of 50) who wear shorts regularly. Heck, I'd even wear them to my office with knee socks (not support hose) on casual Friday occasionally. (I'm a brave man.) I've even been known to wear a blazer and tie with shorts.
How far does this particular/peculiar bias extend? Does it include shorts worn in Bermuda by a large portion of the male population? How about Scot's kilts? (If I had a kilt, I'd wear it.)
Maybe I'll be an adult someday.

 

[olive bleu]

I believe, in the spirit of good-natured fun, we may have gone too far,here.There is certainly nothing wrong with shorts,especially nice khaki shorts, with a smart shirt.We are really just saying that we have observed SOME men of a certain age that have difficulty carrying the look off with any style.Present company would certainly not fall into this category.

BAD SHORTS

GOOD SHORTS

 

[olive bleu]

Actually....there are some of ANY age that cannot carry shorts off with style

 

[Spitfire]

Hey now, I've seen khaki shorts look fine on older men w/ a hawaiian shirt and a panama hat.

Thanks Viola - where did you see me?