‘How I manage to be fashion-forward and frugal at the same time’

I can eat dream and breathe fashion. I love looking at clothes, sadly my forays into the world of haute couture are limited to wild afternoons at Vinnies, looking for bargains under $5. Yet I do find them and have fun.

One of the things that really gets me riled though is the ridiculous fashion photos in some publications, especially weekend magazines! I swear they just got a pile of rags and threw it at the model. They also give the prices of things not shown in the photographs, for example: “shoes by Fred Snerge $3,000” but those expensive shoes are not show. It happens with bags and earrings too.

Then there is the fashion equivalent of the ’emperor’s new clothes’. It happens when women are convinced that something is fashionable and they ‘must’ have it and then they look amazingly stupid all while their hard-earned cash has been grabbed. One outfit I saw some years ago looked like an over-inflated black tyre. I can imagine me wearing something like that in my town. I’ve no doubt someone would take to my attire with a sharp stick as soon as I appeared.

It can be quite funny — and I admit I have been a fashion tragic. Remember pantaloons? What about midis and maxis? I sure gave the miniskirt a workout in my youth. I also remember wearing a see-through dress in the ’60s, and wish I had the photo to prove it. Another of my many dresses was held together in the middle with a gold ring. You probably wouldn’t believe it, but I went to a party once wearing a dress made entirely out of throw away dish cloths. I admit, it was a ‘paper’ themed party, but I looked a dam sight better than the girl who came as a parcel… And I was more comfortable!

These days my fashion has to be simple, and my less-than-pretty bits must be covered. I stick to basics like black for trousers and camisoles etc., and then zing things with bright blouses, scarves, and jackets, or jewellery I pick up at Vinnies. I can easily put together an outfit for about $10 sometimes, a useful skill when that is all you have!

Lately I am leaning towards sensible with an occasional plunge into the madness of old age, I admire those wild women from the fashion world who are in their 80s but still rocking it. I want to be like them and go out in a blaze of glory, so the purple hair, cerise scarf and multi-coloured skirts will be there waiting when I take the plunge. Watch this space.

How do you feel about fashion for the over-60s of today? What was your favourite fashion piece from your youth?

Want to go in the draw to win some great prizes? It’s as easy as putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and sharing your thoughts with other 60-pluses. Sign up as a contributor and submit your stories to Starts at 60 here, and join the Starts at 60 Bloggers Club on Facebook here to talk to other writers in the Starts at 60 community and learn more about how to write for Starts at 60.