As I Grow Older, Here's How My Fashion Choices Are Changing — Big Time

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My cousin Faye Geller, 76, an artist and quilter, lives in a small town in Rhode Island and when I saw her a few weeks ago she had turquoise hair. “Not turquoise, Tantalizing Teal,” she corrected me, "It cost $16.95 at CVS.”

I didn’t ask how much her nail polish cost, but it was a matching tantalizing color too. I haven’t done anything more adventurous to my hair than adding blonde streaks, but I understand her desire to stand out. After all, at 60, I decided to get a tattoo. The impetus was my daughter: She was 18, and asked if we could get “Mommy-Daughter tattoos.” The deciding factor was my mother: She was dying and I realized that life is short and that you have to grab opportunities.

Not that I didn’t have second thoughts — I knew that tattoo artists don’t use numbing cream and I was afraid of the pain. Still, I went ahead and got that tattoo — a heart on my right shoulder. It’s high enough on my back that it peeks out when I’m wearing a sundress or a scooped-neck sweater — people always ask me about it. It’s a great conversation starter — and I love it.

I’ve come to realize that my cousin Faye and I are hardly alone in our cheeky choices.

Once upon a time, women over 60 were expected to wear clothes I would call “frumpy," bland colors that made us blend into the background, and not stand out.

As we live longer, older women are becoming bolder — embracing life with a renewed sense of freedom and individuality. The new 60 and beyond means we are dying our hair vibrant colors, sporting abstract art nail designs and adding extra ear (and everywhere) piercings.

Along with our cousins and friends stepping out of invisibility into the spirit of “look at me," older celebrities have been proudly leading the pack. Cher has sported bright orange locks; Helen Mirren, on different occasions, has gone pink and blue with coifs; and 80-year-old fashion designer Zandra Rhodes is well known for her hot pink tresses.

There’s a gorgeous rebelliousness among senior women, as we focus less on pleasing others, and more on pleasing ourselves.

Claire Conners, 66, a New York City celebrity wrangler who finds models and locations for magazine shoots, says she’s “Determined not to be invisible.” Hence, her bright blue hair. In addition to the constant stream of compliments she receives, Conners’ bold fashion choice has provided a way to connect with others.

“During the pandemic, mail stopped being delivered to our building,” she says. “I went to the post office and the first postal worker I approached dismissed me. But then I spotted another worker who had blue hair — and she was happy to help get our mail service restored. We were on the same team of blue-haired women,” Conners adds with a laugh.

Then there are the seniors who are “nailing it” with whimsical designs. Older women are increasingly opting for vivid bright hues such as Shamrock green and purple, moving away from neutrals or classic reds.

This surge in nail art includes geometric patterns, metallic finishes, jewels and even playful, themed designs that reflect personal interests.

Former 60-something CNN correspondent Jill Brooke started flowerpowerdaily.com, a site that examines how flowers intersect in culture, fashion, art, decor, food and wellness. The goal is to make her audience “feel upbeat and happy,” says Brooke, who connects “to what I do every day with my special floral manicure and pedicure. I’ve had more comments on my nails and toes than any fashion choice I've ever made.”

Lida Corredor, 62, posts pictures of her fanciful nails online. “I get all of these compliments on Instagram, on vacation people give me compliments,” she says, flaunting fingertips that shine in canary yellow, electric orange and ones intricately painted with clusters of balloons. What’s more surprising about Corredor’s nails is that she works as a housekeeper, a field that is hard on hands.

“People ask how I can do it?” she says. “I tell them I take care of my hands — I wear gloves. It’s worth the effort because my hands make me happy.”

But how far will our generation go with their fashion choices to feel happy? AT 70, Terry Rubin, already a licensed practical nurse, made the courageous decision to go back to school to become a registered nurse. And she’s no less daring in her fashion choices.

“I have 10 ear piercings, three in one ear, seven in the other,” says Rubin, of her collection that features studs, hoops, a lotus symbol and some dangles. “At this age, I’m more comfortable and less affected by what people think.”

What do people think? People are always stopping Rubin to tell her how much they love her ears. “People of all ages, from store clerks to random strangers, stop me and say they admire my bling.” And then there’s Rubin’s husband. “He’s conservative, never in his life would he do anything like this,” she adds. “But he appreciates that I’m creative, this is my style, my temperament. I guess I’m a little bit of an old hippie.”

This old hippie also has six tattoos, a palette of five leaves, a starfish and a pink ribbon that marks beating breast cancer two times.

I found during a Pinterest search dozens and dozens of pictures of older women who had multiple ear piercings, nose and naval piercings and even a few with lip studs. Ouch! 

Debra Umberson, professor of sociology and director of the Center on Aging and Population Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, thinks she knows why.

“Boomers have always made bold choices,” Umberson says. “Vietnam protests, the sexual revolution, feminism, rock and roll. They were the first age cohort to embrace self-actualization. It should be no surprise that aging looks bold and fun for boomers.”

Creativity with hair and nail color? I’m down. I might even coordinate some crazy nail design with my cousin Faye at our next family reunion. But lip or piercings on the soft cartilage of my ear? I think I’m more likely to get a second tattoo.


Have you made any bold fashion or style choices? What are they? Let us know in the comments below.