Katherine Wheelock wrote an article for Details Magazine’s “Rules of Style” column entitled, “Are You Too Old for Your Outfit?” in which offered examples of the youthful poor choices of which she disapproves.
“…micro-lapel jackets on top of floral-print shirts on top of ruler-thin camo-print ties on top of Turk’s-head-knot cuffs on top of a tangle of bracelets on top of purple plastic Wayfarers. And yet, under all this, a man can still look very obviously middle-aged (like our friend . . . here). This type of trend cluster has the same effect as a plastic-surgery pile-up: It makes him look not just old but afraid of being old.” Read more and see photos here.
It’s not surprising that Simon Doonan, author, fashion commentator, and creative ambassador for Barneys New York, strongly disagrees:
“I remain unconvinced by these ‘experts,’ for one very important reason: The problem—if there is one—is the exact opposite of the one identified by Mrs. Wheelock and her fun-exterminating acolytes. They contend that seniors need reining in, while I feel passionately that the opposite is true.” Read more here.
And one of our favorite bloggers, Ari Seth Cohen, creator of Advanced Style, a blog “dedicated to the sartorial savvy of the silver-haired set,” agrees with Doonan:
“Dressing up and taking pride in our appearance is a sign of vitality. Rather than masking our age, personal style allows us to be visible in a world that often overlooks anyone over 50. It shows that we still care about the way we look and the way we feel.” Read more here.
Even Katherine Wheelock admits that she is willing to throw out the rule book eventually:
“Once you turn 80, you can dress however the hell you want.”
What do you think?
