Dress for Senior Success

According to a recent article in the Wall St. Journal, “a once-in-fashion generation of men has a problem: looking younger and ‘with it,’ but not dumb, as they start using their discounts for people greater”. Entitled “The Baby Boomer Fashion Crisis,” the article discussed the fit of clothing, appropriate fabrics, best eyeglasses, trendy shoes, clothing colors, and tips on styling. Despite all that, the article got me thinking about how we present ourselves to the world. What does the image we project say about us?

For example, I love my jeans and my sweatshirt. I can justify that this draws just about anywhere. But, it occurs to me, that under some circumstances others may find it ‘inappropriate’ if not offensive.

I recently visited the Catholic Church where I was an elementary school altar boy. I remembered those Sunday mornings: a packed church, men in suits and ties, and women in dresses. Your best dresses. My mom always wore a hat.

On this particular Sunday morning, the church was only about 30% full. Most of the male attendees wore sweatshirts with their favorite soccer player’s name printed on the back. Was that a sacrilege? Were they less devout or strong in their faith than my parents? Were they disrespectful to your religion? I doubt it. I think the standards have changed.

Lest this sound like a justification for sloppy dress, more permissiveness, or an ‘anything goes’ attitude, let me make the point. As I get older, I try to dress appropriately for my surroundings and be groomed. But to tell you the truth, I don’t think in terms of “modern”, “fashionable” or “elegant”. (Note to my children: no comment). Most of the time, I don’t care what anyone else, anyone else, thinks is fancy anymore. (See note above.) I lean heavily toward what feels good, maybe creates pleasant memories, and is clean.

Have my standards changed? Or is it that, like so many older people, I have come to value other things much more than meets the eye?