Meet Lee.
I helped her with her shopping cart recently, and she allowed me to take her photo. She bought her snazzy car as a present to herself on her 90th birthday.
She’s 93! Not only was she dressed up in her active-ready color-savvy personal style, but she also had her hair and makeup routine just right for her life.
Looking at her photo, would you even guess Lee was in her 90s?
A vibrant personal style is ageless. Anyone can have it when they beautifully match their inner wellspring of energy to their outer presence.
And that’s the message for us: no giving up and no looking back. Young 20-somethings are not our only source of style and branding, but we don’t have enough focus on other age groups!
In our youth-obsessed, reality-star-filled culture, it’s often difficult to find photos and stories of people who are older. Especially stories that give us a sense that what is to come is more amazing than what happened yesterday.
The reality is so many people are living that way, but it’s not what makes it into our media. Our icons should be those gray-haired men and women who are so full of wisdom and insight about life. People who have continued to create exciting chapters, at all ages and stages of life.
Sadly, the youth-crazed culture of marketing, advertising, and celebrity do not take advantage of this vibrant and multidimensional world because people are not “young enough.”
You don’t have to buy into the “eternally 20” pressures, and you also don’t have to be Iris Apfel — the stylish 96-year-old icon — to be trendy, up to date or serious about your wardrobe.
But do take a cue from people like Lee, who know that life is still happening, and maybe it’s time to get dressed for it.
