Looking Fabulous at Any Age – Iris Ruth Pastor

I went to see a very well-respected plastic surgeon over the winter because I, like the late Nora Ephron, “felt bad about my neck.”

He told me that for $13,000 not only could he make my neck look like I was ten to fifteen years younger, but my whole face – from the skin under my eyes downward. (He said my eyes and forehead were in good shape).

The problem was I didn’t want to look ten to fifteen 10 years younger. I just wanted a firmer chin line. I just wanted to look good for my age.

So I passed on the proposal.

This is what I know:

I’m seventy years old and I still wear bright red nail polish. And I still wear the same number of rings on all my fingers as I did fifty years ago:

I was boho chic in my thirties and I intend to be boho chic in my 70’s – only with slightly lower heels and a little less cleavage showing.

It’s okay to retain our youthful style as we age.

Many say that baby boomers are the entitled generation – challenging boundaries, pushing the envelope, living according to how we feel rather than society’s rigid dictates and they have a point – we are unharnessing our constraints. We are forging new paths and pushing the boundaries. Status quo is not part of our mindset nor our vocabulary.

I’ve noticed that I have become more confident, more assertive, more resilient and more outspoken. I’m not content to sit on the couch and knit – except late at night – because I’m finding out there is so much more to learn, to explore and experience. And I look for the unusual and eclectic.

Like a teenager, though, I’m still impacted by my peers. I’m impressed by my friend who craved a red leather chair for her living room and bought it. I’m inspired by a friend who walked the El Camino Trail two summers in a row. I’m energized by a friend who goes to art camp three times a year. I’m in awe of a friend who starts a program in one school to empower inner city, disadvantaged youths and now it has spread to seventeen city schools thanks to his co-creators and the financial support of local businesses.

What my peers wear influences me too. I’m hyped up by my friends whose style is ageless. Who don’t throw out clothes because they are too youthful, but adapt them to conform to their maturing bodies. Their refusal to give in to matronly, dumpy wardrobes buoys me up – encourages me to stick to my singular style of lots of layers, funky jewelry, and boldly patterned scarves.

As someone a lot brighter than I once said about the boomers, “Age no longer dictates the way we live. Physical capacity, financial circumstances and mindset arguably have far greater influence. And there’s no fixed pattern for how any of us grows older.”

So for many of us, we may not be getting second looks or even first ones from strangers on the streets, but we still want to display our unique sense of style and buck the stereotypical image of a woman of a certain age, who only wears muted colors, lots of beige and conforms to society’s portrayal of us as no longer chic, stylish or daring.

Personally, I found I can still present a funky image at age seventy – I just adapt it to fit my body. For instance, I bought an interesting one piece denim article of clothing but wore it over a black one piece body suit that covered up my jiggly knee caps and slimmed down my hips. At age twenty, I’d have gone without the body suit and probably a bra too. Now, with just a slight alteration of articles of clothing, I wear this piece with confidence that I can be fashionable and the clothing I choose can be flattering. And I feel good about myself because I wear clothes that are comfortable and fit my body.

I like what Alex Rotas, the photographer says: “LIFE BEGINS AT ANY AGE YOU DECIDE LIFE BEGINS.”

And It’s okay to strive to look our best.

I whiten my teeth; I get facial sun spots removed.

I do yoga to remain flexible.

I exercise regularly to feel energized.

I take some supplements to replace what is being depleted.

I strive to look, feel, and perform at peak levels for my age.

And I’m appreciating that I’m still healthy enough to build on the confidence I’ve acquired, the self-esteem I’ve earned and the love and support of a husband and five children that I have diligently loved, guided, and looked after.

Keep Preserving Your Bloom,
Iris

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