Dressing for your age. The fashion rules.

A few years ago ('few' is used very loosely here), I was sitting under the dryer at a salon waiting for my golden brown highlights to process. To pass the time, I mindlessly flipped through a magazine half-heartily absorbing information on the latest make-up trends, celebrity news and a suggestions for traveling through Europe on a budget. Towards the end of the small-town-telephone-book-sized publication, there is a story about dressing for your age:

Outfits specifically designed for women in their 20s ooze youth and vitality. Outfits designed for women in their 30s are practical with hints of color. Outfits for women in their 40s feature monochromatic pieces that emphasize quality over trends. Outfits for women in their 50s...well, I guess women that age resign to recycling decades worth of fashion mishaps because there are no suggestions for this demographic.

My 20-something mind giggled at the thought of women actually using age as a factor when choosing clothes. "Who does that?" I thought. Fashion rules seemed so...suffocating. I continued to think that way until very recently. It wasn't a conscious transformation but at some point over the last few years, I've become someone who really should pay attention to what is age appropriate clothing. In your 20s, you can pretty much pull off fashion for any age. It's just a matter of personal preference. But, I've discovered that your 30s are a time of transition....like it or not. Those cheesy magazine articles suddenly become valuable tools. "OK...so I should NOT wear leggings as pants? Got it." Finding a body part to emphasize through clothing has become both crucial and more difficult. Perhaps it's because it's so easy to pick myself apart, or attempt comparisons with the 20-something version of myself. Big mistake!

There are rare moments when I actually have the occasion to present myself socially to people other than my kids (this used to be known as "going out"). In these rare occasions, I've often peaked in my full-length mirror and said, "Ok, I can pull this off." Then, a little voice in the back of my 30-something head says, "If you need to 'pull it off,' you probably shouldn't be wearing it.'" Duly noted, little voice.

So, the fashion rules officially apply to me. Resistance is futile. Even if I was the absolute most perfect physical version of myself, I am still 30-something and need to acknowledge the responsibility that comes with this third decade, both personally and fashionably. I'm not throwing in the towel, but I am recognizing that some things work and some things don't. And with that, I officially retire my mini-skirts and corset tops (just kidding....or am I?).