Dress Your Age!
Although fashion is supposed to be a form of self-expression, it is very often restricted by different factors. Traditionally, age has been incredibly influential in dictating what one can or cannot wear and yet it is hardly ever discussed. But if age is just a number, why did it ever gain such power over people’s relation with fashion? Why do we have to dress our age? And what does that even imply?
Photo by Celine van Heel. Part of the Spanish King project, August 2022. Available via IG @thespanishking_
For many people today, dressing ‘age appropriately’ has a personal meaning, but the idea in itself has been around since forever and it hasn’t always been a personal choice. To understand why this notion has become ingrained in the collective consciousness, we have to understand ageing not just as a physiological process of bodily deterioration, but as a cultural and social construct. In general, ageing is associated with becoming a wiser, more mature person, of a certain social standing, worthy of respect. In other words, there are certain expectations that come with old age and over time, there have been quite a number of norms that dictated what was appropriate or inappropriate for someone to be like or look like. These have been documented in manuscripts, portraits, and other illustrations. The way in which these norms and expectations have been translated into fashion differed according to culture and historical specificity, but in general, clothes considered appropriate for old age featured higher necklines, looser cuts, and darker, more sober colours—self-effacing styles of clothing. The result? An erasure of the body in its old age, a complete denial of its sexual dimension.
We could argue that nowadays, these norms are outdated, but these concerns have been carried into the 21st century. I couldn’t count how many times I’ve heard my mom and other women in my life talk about how a piece of clothing would not be appropriate for their age. And when even style icon Carrie Bradshaw worries about this, you know it’s serious. In season 5 of Sex and the City, she tells Samantha that “it is time for ladies her age to cover up”. There have also been studies conducted on the issue which show that women still have the tendency to show less skin, stay away from bright colours and certain textures or patterns as they age, claiming that their bodies look ‘awful’ or that they would simply look ‘silly’. The fact that these types of studies have been conducted on women is very telling in itself!
Still, it is undeniable that these norms are changing, in one way or another. Nowadays, it appears that the need to adapt the way one dresses according to age is less a strict societal rule and more so a personal choice. People feel like they should put away the clothes they associate with their youth and pick up something that reflects their current status instead. Yet I can't help but wonder, if these historically charged expectations didn’t exist in the first place, would people still lean towards modest clothing with age? We could also bring in the argument of comfort, that once you reach a certain age, you tend to choose function over fashion, but if that were the case why would dressing age appropriately entail the loss of colour, or, I would go so far as to say, even the loss of joy that comes with adorning your body with a beautiful piece of clothing? Comfortable clothes can still be trendy.
What it all comes down to is the fact that we live in a youth-obsessed culture. The fashion industry itself plays no small part in this, as it is heavily youth-oriented on multiple levels. Most designers target their creations towards young people and the reason behind this is quite simple: ageing is just not attractive for mainstream fashion. Through the eye of the industry, to be old means to fall within the category of the abject, the undesirable. And once again, the idea that the old body should be hidden and completely devoid of sexuality becomes apparent.
Sunnei, '10 Years Feel Like 100' SS25 show. Available via Hypebae.
But just because the fashion industry chooses to display its creations on young bodies, it does not mean that they cannot be worn on older ones. And it is this very idea that was put forward during one of the most thought-provoking shows at this year’s Milan Fashion Week: Sunnei’s 10th anniversary show - “10 Years Feel Like 100”. All the models cast for the show were over 50 years old and the collection featured bold colours and patterns. The youthful, playful clothes clashed with the societal expectations of what people this age should be wearing, but the result was refreshing and the show was a success. As the models confidently strutted down the runway, surrounded by an air of youth and creativity, it became clear that fashion should not be restricted by age groups. Style is ageless and ageing is truly beautiful. And it’s perhaps time we let that sink in.
