Wear What You Want
Jezebel doesn’t want you to wear a maxi dress. And by you, I mean anyone.
If fashion bloggers are to be believed, the moment a woman turns 30, she undergoes a horrifying physical transformation that leaves her incapable of wearing most of what’s in her closet.
So imagine my surprise when the clock struck midnight on my 29th year and I did not, in fact, sprout a pair of horns. And I didn’t grow a rat-like, scale-covered tail that needed to be covered in sackcloth to hide from public view. Closer inspection of my 30-something friends revealed a similar lack of forked tongues or giant buboes. I concluded that a woman of 30 looks — go with me here — roughly like a woman of 29. But if you’re still thinking about changing up your closet to meet the new 30s fashion rules, here are five items you should think twice before discarding:
1. Graphic Tees: Rant Chic doesn’t want to see you in a graphic tee because “you’re an adult now.” I suspect that the folks at Rant Chic may just be hovering over the Goodwill donation box, waiting to snag your vintage Ramones tee. It’s true that plenty of tees are designed with men in mind and don’t always flatter a woman’s figure, so I won’t stand in your way if you want to recycle an old Hanes monstrosity with a too-tight neck. But when it comes to graphic tees with a purpose — the ones that display logos of organizations and charities you support, for example — I say keep rocking them. Nothing’s more grown-up than having a social conscience and wearing it proudly.
2. Leggings: WhoWhatWear thinks 30 is the age to chuck the leggings, the one fashion item everybody loves to hate but also loves to wear. I won’t deny that some leggings can be on the too-sheer side — most women appreciate a clear difference between leggings and a pair of control-top pantyhose, after all. But if you’re still worried about coverage even with a quality, opaque fabric, there’s no reason you have to leave your rear in the wind. Leggings look great paired with a short skirt, a sweater dress, or a long top, and can keep you comfortable and warm all winter long.
3. Oversized Sunglasses: Rant Chic isn’t through with you yet. They’re not going to let you go until you hand over the oversized sunglasses, too. Sorry Rant Chic, but oversized sunglasses are a timeless silhouette that flatter a variety of face shapes. And those big, shady lenses provide extra UV protection, and that’s good news not just for protecting your vision, but also for helping protect delicate skin around the eye area from sun damage and premature aging.
4. Mini Skirts: All of Great Britain, at least according to a poll reported by In Style, seems to think the miniskirt is a big “no” for the over-30s. That’s right, the nation that gave the world the Spice Girls doesn’t want to see the 30-something leg. (Luckily, “Posh Spice” Victoria Beckham doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo.) Plenty of women don’t love how they feel in a barely-present garment, but there’s quite a range of short skirts that fall under the very broad category of mini, from the sky-high hemline to a couple of inches above the knee. With a range like that, there’s plenty of room for women to experiment with what feels comfortable.
5. Maxi Dresses: If mini skirts are a no-go, maxi dresses should be welcome, right? Not according to Jezebel. Jezebel doesn’t want you to wear a maxi dress. And by you, I mean anyone. To the charge that maxi dresses look bad on everybody, I say that there are great reasons maxi dresses have been in style summer after summer. These typically affordable dresses give an incredible range of fit options, from body-conscious to loose and flowing, and provide a range of coverage options from fully covered to feisty. Their simplicity makes them perfect for layering up and down for changes in temperature, for dressing up with accessories or wearing solo for an easy day at the beach. They’re the ultimate warm-weather multi-tasker, and nothing says Smart, Grown Woman Here like ease, flexibility, affordability, and simplicity.
