Who told Grandma What to Wear and When Did She Stop Listening?
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Oops that started out a bit bumpy. We aren't trying to look younger. We're refusing to let getting older be a bad thing and make us disappear. Sisters, Mags and Kath look back at how fashion expectations for older women have shifted, from restrictive, “age-appropriate” wardrobes to choosing clothes for personal style and comfort. Our message isn't that our mothers and grandmothers dressed badly. It's that we want every woman to use her own mind to dress exactly how she chooses. She isn't asking for your opinion because she doesn't need it to be herself. They share stories about body image, color, bras, shorts, and a disastrous perm, they make the case for dressing the body you have and letting go of rules that no longer serve you. Mags and Kath trace changing ideas about older women’s fashion, from sensible shoes, below-the-knee dresses, and set curls to today’s broader freedom of choice. They unpack how age-appropriateness, body dysmorphia, and the pressure to hide shape or size can narrow what people feel allowed to wear. A bra-shopping story shows how finding a comfortable, pretty fit helped Mags feel more at ease in her body and explore a style she enjoyed. The sisters describe their evolving personal styles: Mags favors structured, classic pieces with band tees and playful details, while Kath leans casual, edgy, and soft, with jeans and oversized jackets. They recall rejecting colors and clothes based on family opinions, then discovering that trying something on - including yellow - can change how it feels. Sleeveless tops, shorts, and showing their arms became small but meaningful steps toward dressing for comfort rather than anticipated judgment. They share fashion missteps, from painful long-pointed boots and low-rise jeans to a body perm that left them with massive afros and damaged hair. Their advice: dress for yourself, try the colors you love, and remember that confidence and feeling good matter more than size or age. action items for our listeners Try on a color or style you have ruled out; keep it only if it feels right to you or try something else. Choose clothes for your comfort and taste, rather than age-based expectations or pressure to hide your body. Local boutiques and creators we love Real Spirit Women's Boutique The Vision Parlor - vision wear The R.A.K. - A consignment Boutique RevivebyKat -creator and designer Ruth Bancroft - makeup artist and educator Lindsay Mills - creative, stylist( interiors, you and your business) artist, photographer
