V A is a long standing and recognised digital creative; her voice resonates with many. In the last ten years, the site has developed into an online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice. Her sense of style, editorial flair and practical counsel offers an inspired and graceful approach to living.

V A is a long standing and recognised digital creative; her voice resonates with many. In the last ten years, the site has developed into an online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice. Her sense of style, editorial flair and practical counsel offers an inspired and graceful approach to living.

Edit by: Vicki
Apr 11, 2018

“Dress Your Age”?

"Dress Your Age" on vickiarcher.com

“Dress your age” – What does that even mean?
This is an expression that I really cannot hear.

“Dress your age”, was it something more widely used in my mother’s lifetime? I don’t know but every now and then I hear or read it and it makes me very uncomfortable.


Dress “appropriately” is bad enough but when “age” is defined by dressing I must interject.

Personal style, signature style or the many ways we can describe the way we present ourselves is defined by so much more than what is age appropriate. It is not our age that makes our fashion work or not; it is our mindset and our physical shape.


Adapting fashion to suit us, not our age is what is important.


Yes, women can look ridiculous if they wear clothing that doesn’t flatter or enhance their personalities but those women probably didn’t figure it out from day one. I can’t imagine they have dressed any differently in their 40’s, 50’s or 60’s to how they dressed in their 20’s. They probably don’t have a strong relationship with their own style and that is why they falter.


How we dress is not about being “age” appropriate; dressing is about being “me” appropriate.

One of my “markers” of a great boutique, department store or online shopping site is whether I can be excited by pieces for multi-generations. Will I find something to suit my daughters and myself? This is a fantastic test and never fails me. We, three Archers, have very different styles and if I can find something we will all wear and feel fabulous in then I know the buyers are on to something. We can style one piece three entirely different ways and age has nothing to do with it.


I do go on and repeat myself but fashion is about adapting NOT age. There are no rules or regulations and the “fashion police” should be quiet self-correctors in our own heads.


We must ask ourselves several questions when experimenting with new looks.

Does this piece make us feel good? Has our self-confidence taken a hike up? Does it suit? Is it comfortable? Can I wear it where I want to go? These are the thoughts to flash through my mind, not whether I am dressing “my” age.


“Better, Not Younger” takes the emphasis away from what age we are and I do not think I am kidding myself when I say the number is irrelevant. What is irrelevant is being driven to dress and live “age appropriately”. Forget that.


Vitality, mental flexibility, physical strength and fitness plus our individual spirituality are the ways to be better, not younger.

Dress my age? Forget it.


I will forever dress exactly as I see fit and in ways to make me feel better, not younger. xv




Ageless Emerald

lace bell sleeve top   ||  twist satin sleeve   ||  striped silk shirt  ||  romeo silk blouse  ||  jaquard party jacket  ||  deck chair stripe silk blouse




image, lucinda chambers by jonathan daniel price

Edit by: Vicki
In This Post: Fashion , Shopping Stories