The Lady In Pink Is Younger Than You Think
While I was at the grocery store today, I saw a white-haired woman doing her shopping. She was obviously a senior citizen, dressed in pink from head to toe, carrying a large, pink-sequined purse. I wanted so much to take her picture. She was genuinely pretty in pink, but what struck me about her was that she must feel a whole lot younger on the inside than she looked to be on the outside. She was dressed like a teenager and probably felt like one, too, even though she appeared to be older than my mother.
Not very many years ago I would have chuckled at this little old lady, thinking that she should act, and dress, her age. Now that I’m older, I finally “get it” about the young-on-the-inside-despite-the-aging-body feeling that it turns out many, perhaps most, baby boomers and senior citizens feel. I would have dismissed her as being slightly eccentric, refusing to grow up. Little would I have known that someday soon, that would be me.
Now, my own body is noticeably aging, my hair graying, skin sagging, joints aching, but my mind doesn’t feel any older than it used to. Now, I understand. I’m not senile, not eccentric (well, maybe just a little) and I will continue to wear my college girl hoodies and my colorful Crocs with polka-dot socks just because I like them. I expect that as time goes by some younger people will judge me, but I won’t hold that against them. Someday they’ll be where I am now, and they’ll understand, too.
I wish I would have had time to strike up a conversation with that lady this morning but, as usual, I was in a hurry. I really wanted to get a closer look at her groovy pink shoes.
Picture by geraintwn
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Susan, you’ve nailed it!
I wore a knee-length, denim pencil skirt a couple of times recently, not because it was especially flattering to my 55 year old hips and thighs, but because it made me feel the age of my daughters (23 and 28) — or maybe younger!
And this past summer, I bought some skorts in black, navy, denim, and khaki because I was tired of wearing long jeans or slacks. And I’ve been wearing longer skirts for 2 decades. And regular shorts seemed to make me look awful, so the skort was a compromise. It was a skirt that was shorter than I would normally wear,but it was casual like shorts. I wore them nearly every day and I loved them. Though I do admit I heard a woman from my church say, “There she is in that short skirt again!” and I didn’t stop wearing them!
I’m with you …. sometimes I just dress to match my insides and please myself, whether others think it appropriate or not.
Way to go, Judith! Isn’t the freedom to be yourself refreshing? I’m glad I’m old enough now to realize that. Thanks so much for the comment!
Some of my baby boomer friends say that it’s a hormone thing, that post-menopausal women gain a kind of courage and confidence ….
I don’t know if it’s hormonally based or not, but I am definitely much more my self, more comfortable in my own skin (imperfections and all) than I ever was before.
I find myself buying clothes that I really like (I’m a “winter” in terms of color season) and the jewel tones of royal blue, emerald, ruby, deep turquoise, are the things I buy now to go with my neutrals (lots of black; it’s good on me) I play more with style, though I do NOT attempt the current teenage trends, and I will not wear spaghetti straps or anything I can’t wear a decent bra with! LOL
It is harder to find clothes that really fit (that’s an important criteria now …. saggy jeans do NOT look good on me anymore!) but I’m more content with some basic pieces that do, and mixing and matching them.
I still wear jeans and my hoodie some days, especially when I’m dog walking or yard grooming or house cleaning. That was my high school and college “uniform”. But I’m starting to wear slacks more often and prefer blouses to t-shirts. They make me feel better about me…. so that’s what I wear.
The latest outfit that made my kids smile/wince? I have a long, ankle-length black raincoat that I love (it really keeps me warm and dry), and I paired it with my new rain boots: black, with pink/shite/red polka dots. Why should the little kids have all the fun?
Judith! I want those boots! LOL They just might go well with my current favorite hoodie, the one I described in this Timeless Bliss post.
I love my boots! I’d wished, when the girls were little, that they made colorful boots for grown ups — and now they do!
My inner child is 6 — and I let her out to play now and then!
I like your line: “Sometimes, seeing ourselves as we think others see us can be a good thing. As long as there’s not a mirror nearby.” I tell myself that my inner glow and confidence can make nearly anything look good!
What a great post! I was attracted to the title of course, because I am a Mary Kay Sales Director and actually knew the founder of our Company. She always said that “a woman who tells her age will tell you anything!” Age is not defined by your years on this earth, but how you feel inside, and what you have learned along the way! I’d love to meet that pink lady!
I think that it is a very interesting and amusing article. Practically all its main points are true.