I’m inspired……while I have never wanted my age to define the way I think …look …or act….tonight I was reassured that fashion has no age limit.
My advice to 50something (or 60,70,80 or whatever something) friends everywhere is…do yourselves a favor and take a peek at the Advanced Style women …. I promise you will love them too.
Here’s looking at you
Staying on theme ….today I went bra-shopping.
Honestly, I would normally rather have my top lip waxed than go through the torture of finding a well fitting bra…. BUT that said it was a lot better today than the time I tore my calf muscle while being fitted. (Yep 
…true story you can read all about that exciting event right here … it makes me laugh every time I think back…despite the agony at the time). …
But back to today… it was great to see that the racks are now chockablock full of gelato colours and gorgeous styles to suit all shapes and sizes. There were minimisers, maximisers, push-up, half cups, underwire,no wire,chicken fillets, soft cups, t shirt bras .. bla bla bla …. it’s endless and mindboggling. They all fit differently ….and given that you can only take 3 at a time into the fitting room… it’s a slow and tedious exercise. BUT I eventually won !!
My next challenge is figuring how to keep the new strapless dress up, and in place …. but that’s a story for another day.
I’m 50Something …but not dead yet !
For those of you who follow my daily mumblings … I have an update on last weeks formal dress shopping fiasco… Hey Sister Where is the love ?
Having ditched the idea of ever gracing that store again with my wallet, I stumbled across a strange little unassuming shop in my speedy lunch-break today, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of gorgeous garments on sale.
I was even more amazed to discover that I loved four of them and after a Superman style change-room effort, I could have purchased any one of three. With the help and attention of the gorgeous young store assistant (as opposed to the frumpy, middle aged cow last week), and two other customers who couldn’t help but get involved in all the fun of formal fashion fitting…. I finally settled on one dress … 20minutes total!
Having found a perfect frock, and feeling like I had already ‘won’ … I was blown away to discover that it was on a ‘super discount’ list….leaving my plenty of room to accessorise, accessorise, accessorise !!
So… to last week’s “50something frumpy, wanna-be-fashionista” I say thank you … I won !!
I wandered into a formal wear store today, just for a quick lap to see what was on offer at a reasonable price. We’re headed to a charity ball in a couple of weeks, and while I’m leaving it til the last minute before I commit to my outfit (some serious backfat melting to do before then)… I’m looking for ideas and inspiration.
So… I saw a rack of half price gowns and zero’d in to one that really caught my eye… it was stunning, but I couldn’t see a price OR size tag. While I was admiring it I heard the 50Something shop assistant (who to this point had not said a word) say from the other side of the store… ‘forget it.. there is no way it will fit you’ . 
Unable to speak across the store with my dodgy vocal cords, I walked to her and asked the size and why did it not have a tag. She responded with a face that looked like she’d been sucking lemons… saying that it was a size 10 Then as she eyed me head to toe, she added… we wont have anything to for YOU, on the discount rack (says she, who was both vertically AND horizontally challenged).
Now at this point I need to clarify that despite my obsession with backfat, and being generously proportioned I am not an especially supersized sister… but rather a tall average at size 14-16. I could not get over her atrocious attitude and her overpriced gowns… clearly she was having a really bad day (well at least I hope so) …. If not she really needs to find another job.
Tell me … where is the love ?
As I dresses for work, I stopped to reflect on my ‘look’ for the day…and I chuckled.
There I was feeling great, in my army style khaki boots with my string of pseudo-pearls draped around my neck, and I had a sudden flash of “Aunty Jack”.
Gone are the days that 50Something means twin-sets and pearls (with pleated shirts and sensible heels) – today’s modern mid-lifer can do whatever she wants …and she will !!
I’m 50Something but not dead yet !
How good is it, when one you score that perfect piece of clothing …. and you’re not even looking ? Not like that endless search for the ‘dream dress’, when you know exactly what you want and can’t find it ……I mean those opportunistic moments when you just ‘see it and have to try it on ‘ … and then you do, AND it actually fits like a glove!!!
The dilemma begins …….Do I or Don’t I ? – The voice in your head saying ‘no you don’t NEED another jacket’ ... and the other voice shouts ‘but it’s perfect’.
So, off I go for a long lunch and a bit more shopping to quell the voices, but I’m compelled to return right on closing time and try it once more. Then it happened.
You all know it ….it’s a familiar scene…the echoes of the shop assistant and other women in the change room all oozing compliments, and ‘you just HAVE to buy it’ ... bla bla bla.
The dilemma remained, and THEN I saw the tag …. it was XS ….. me ? extra small? that’s ridiculous.
But that’s when I realise it’s a ‘curvy girls’ store so I guess that makes sense …. and bang my decision is made I NEED to buy it, clearly that label matters.
Oh what complex creatures we are . .. (well dressed …but complex)
Wonder Years 