Answer

[clevermanka]

Questions to the universe, or LJ readers, whomever cares to answer:

Are skinny jeans tucked into high boots appropriate on the over-30 crowd? What if the over-30 person in question has a good ass?

Are skinny jeans unacceptable under any circumstances, so much the more if tucked into high boots?

Red wool skirt or black wool skirt on the cutting board?

Am I interested in forcing myself to do something creative? Or do I just lie down until winter goes away?

Why have I been so very bad about returning phone calls to my parents lately?

When will I have time and money to go shopping for more sweaters? Should I resolve myself to cycling through the same five sweaters, and just wear each on a weekly basis?

Has my face changed as much as I think it has in the past year? Or is it just The Birthday talking?

Comments

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Actually, I recently gave up knitting. It took too much time. I could make myself a whole wardrobe of skirts, dresses, and blouses in the time it would take me to knit a sweater.

The lines on the face shows wisdom

It's weird--I don't have more lines at all. The whole structure of my face looks different. I'm starting to feel like I don't look like myself.

And I'm leaning towards the red skirt, too.

[rougewench.livejournal.com]

One thing I've noticed as I'm aging: as I've gained and lost weight periodically, as I've aged my face has seemed different as I've taken weight off...apparently, the percentage of subcutaneous fat in the face lessens over time, so that older people look more gaunt if they are thinner. I know that your dietary weirdness has brought on weight changes...could that be part of it?


D.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

The weight loss is probably a major factor, yes. It's just crazy to me that my face didn't change much from 190 lbs to 155 lbs. But 155 lbs to 140 lbs is different like whoa.

[royal-spice.livejournal.com]

I feel like I had the same phenomenon...the last 25% of the weight I've lost made such a difference in my face, particularly the sharpness of the jawline. It really made folks notice, even to the point of asking me to re-take organizational photos as people don't recognize me (WTF?).

[geekmom.livejournal.com]

Skinny jeans and high boots are just fine if your ass can get away with them. They don't have an age limit.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I think my ass can get away with a lot. Perhaps I'll look for skinny jeans during the much-imagined sweater shopping trip.

[rougewench.livejournal.com]

I have found that socialized age limits, when it comes particularly to women are mostly complete bullshit.

If it looks good on your body, fucking wear it.


D.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Oh, hell yes!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Oh, hell yes!

Says the woman whose body looks good in everything, including nothing. =D

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Well shucks!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Dude. SRSLY.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I have found that socialized age limits, when it comes particularly to women are mostly complete bullshit.

The key word here being mostly. I think skinny jeans are one of those items that must be approached on a case-by-case basis.

[rougewench.livejournal.com]

I can appreciate that, but I think that the sorts of things that have socialized age limits attached which might not be bullshit are, in fact, things that people should question whether they should wear them anyway...

Skinny jeans on your body...simply fabulous. You are someone who very much sets your own tone with regards to fashion sensibility, and will continue to do so as you age. You will not be someone who would follow standard dictates, so in this instance, I think it's the creeping in of the birthday thing.

Considering 80s fashion is beginning to finally kick out the really crappy resurgence of 70's fashion that's been happening over the last several years, you'll be more than safe if you wear them tucked in to high boots...but you'd be just fine in any event.


D.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

You are someone who very much sets your own tone with regards to fashion sensibility, and will continue to do so as you age. You will not be someone who would follow standard dictates...Considering 80s fashion is beginning to finally kick out the really crappy resurgence of 70's fashion that's been happening over the last several years, you'll be more than safe

Of course, I also was loving the gaucho pants with high-heeled boots a couple years ago. And in all honesty, I really don't know how I feel about that. I mean...gauchos? REALLY???

[nottygypsy.livejournal.com]

I agree, and personally I don't like embroidered or sparkely bedazzled type jeans on older women, come to think of it, I don't like those on anybody!
Also, I vote YOU can pull off the skinny jean.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Good ass & thighs = skinny jeans at any age.

Red wool= less fuzz shows up, wear with black tops

Innui has set in.. it's hard to fight. (that's two questions in one)

Layer the sweaters. Or find someone to exchange with for a couple of weeks.

Yer face is fine. Step away from the mirror, especially the magnifying one.

*snap, snap* my work here is done.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yer face is fine. Step away from the mirror, especially the magnifying one.

Ha! I'm not complaining about the changes. They're just weird to see (or perceive--it might be all my imagination). I don't think I look particularly older, just different. It's odd, after my face not changing for so many years.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Is it in pictures mainly, or the mirror? I've noticed that people do look slightly different via digital photography, dunno how to put my finger on it, but they do.

It does make sense that we change slightly, after all, cartilage continues growing throughout our lifetime (eek!), so I imagine our bone structure changes slightly from the way we use our facial muscles, or from deposits of bone calcium. Weird to think about.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I see it in both, but I first noticed it in photos. My jaw has always been fairly prominent, but these days it looks positively square. And my head overall looks bigger. Hey, maybe it's just the hair growing out!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

:stuffs fist in mouth to avoid making big-head comment: ;)

srsly, tho, I've noticed that your cheekbones are more "prominent" too.
It's pretty.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

I'm with Red on the "fuck 'em" pov. You have a fabulous ass; wear the tight jeans if you wanna. I frankly don't think baggy looks good on much of anybody but I'm very likely overly old fashioned there.

You can and should set your own fashion dictates; anything else is crazy-making, IMO.

As far as the skirt goes; I'd go for black since that does with anything.

And your face is fabulous; yes, the birthday may be talking but ignore it.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the fabulous votes of confidence!

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

You're most welcome, dear. What are friends for if not to be a more accurate mirror?

I frankly wish I had your ass but I'm too lazy to work that hard. Hell, even if I worked that hard, my ass wouldn't be that good!

Ah well, I am not going to complain; as healthy, vital and active as I am at 54, I'm not going to complain at all. But I am going to start Callanetics again...

[grnvixen.livejournal.com]

I'll take skinny jeans on you anytime, anywhere :).

Seriously, it's not the age, it's the attitude.

Wear them with confidence you glorious assed babe you!!!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Wear them with confidence

Life Affirmation number seven hundred and forty-four: I wear things with confidence or I don't wear them at all!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'll be sure to let you know if I find a pair! In fact, if you wanna go shopping together, I hear The Big Ass Mall Of Olathe (as my friend nottygypsy calls it) is having some massive sales right before management changes hands. I think you'd be a fantastic shopping partner. And we could snicker at all the under-30s.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Try on the Old Navy "Sweetheart" jeans, if they're still making them. They have a longest rise of the skinny jeans they make.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Oooo. Thanks for the tip!

[nottygypsy.livejournal.com]

Check out the Vanity Fair and Burlington there too. Hell there are lots of places on the cheap there!

[nottygypsy.livejournal.com]

Oh and it's supposed to be warm Saturday and I'm up for shopping. (Also I can advance you your dance money if you wish)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I should try to make a shopping excursion this weekend. I have got to get my costume finished!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Let's make plans for next weekend, maybe. I'll email you!

[professormass.livejournal.com]

In order:

Yes. And in your case, definitely yes.

Absolutely not. They're like leather pants. The few that can pull them off, pull them off well. And that's a total double entendre, you know. Just sayin'.

Black wool.

Be creative, I advise. It seems like a lot of work, but I always end up finding it more rewarding than expected.

Dunno.

Dunno. And no, I'd make new sweaters. And have.

I'll need comparative pictures, but the most recent I've seen demonstrate your loveliness quite well.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Aw. Thanks!

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Plenty of tight jeans, and knee-high boots at work.

Red wool -- Valentine's day is coming.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think the red wool vote is winning.

[royal-spice.livejournal.com]

Sweater recommendation: the Peruvian Connection, downtown Kansas City.

I used to shop at the mother ship in Santa Fe; the store they opened here is rather like an outlet--everything is on fantastic sale all the time. o.O

I bought a baby alpaca blanket-coat (way more stylish than that sounds), retail price $450, for $111 there for example. Sweaters anywhere from $40 to $175, depending on fancy embroidery, etc. www.peruvianconnection.com

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the sweater tip!

[amjhawk.livejournal.com]

I'm fashionably challenged, so I'll skip most of these.

However, as someone who sees you only once every few months, I feel I'm uniquely qualified to comment on facial changes. Yes, I think it has changed - subtle changes likely a result of weight loss. What hasn't changed is that you continue to look good. ;)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Aw. Thanks!