(I've decided Spinny Gillespie is my crime-fighting superhero name. Superheroes suffering from Lupus are strangely underrepresented in the crime fighting superhero scene, and it's a shame. Also, I'm at home dizzy as fuck again. Ugh.)
I ordered the Rumba nightie from Aerie because 1. I loved the color and 2. I loved the ruffle on the bottom and 3. I loved the color and the ruffle on the bottom. But when it arrived last week, I was absolutely alarmed, readers, downright shocked because I had no idea Aerie was making lingerie for 10-year olds. SHAME ON THEM, SHAME SHAME.
Oh. Oh wait. It's not for a 10-year old. It's just short.
Which wouldn't be a problem if I wanted to wear it as it was meant to be worn, but I wanted to wear it as a dress. Out in public.
Uh oh.
So this little nightie dress represents a problem, a conundrum if you will, a challenge that most of us face as we get older-
How (the fuck) does one
Because let's face it, readers- getting old really isn't that much fun. Not only do you spend a good 63.4 minutes every day wondering why your back hurts all the freaking time because gosh, it never used to hurt all the freaking time, oh gee that's so odd but it'll totally go away soon (except it won't, ever)- there's also these little devious things known as wrinkles that seem to just pop up overnight.
So on top of everything (bills! having to buy toilet paper with your hard earned money!), there's also that challenge of, let's all take a deep breath, "dressing your age".
Magazines and makeover TV shows shout all the rules at us- don't show too much skin! Don't cover yourself completely up! No mini skirts or short shorts! Look like this and not that! Look like that and not this! I always chuckle, guffaw even- when magazines like InStyle, Marie Claire, and Elle do their themed sets of outfits broken down by decades. This is how you dress like a pirate when you're 20! This is how you dress like a pirate when you're 30! This is how you dress like a pirate when you're 40! This is how...well, I think you get the idea, my mateys.
And, quite frankly, those articles always baffle me because I constantly pick the wrong thing. Either I like the outfit for the 20-year old, or I really like the outfit for the 40 year old, and one thing always remains consistent- I'm not digging the 30-year old's gear, oh no. Nope. Don't want any part of it, ick.
I'm quickly approaching 30, and it seems like the entire decade is a mishmash of whatever. You're too old for the young stuff and too young for the old stuff. You're in a transition period in your 30's, it appears, just barely hanging on until you can clad yourself in some Alfred Dunner and call it a day.
So what do you do? What should one do? Really, it's one of the reasons I started my little blog here. Sure, I also started it because I have this little tiny thing called Lupus that really pisses me off (I'm spinny and dizzy again today, oh great- and I thought feeling drunk 24/7 would be amazing, but really it's not), but the other reason for this blog is to tackle this big , confusing question- what does one wear as they get older? How does one dress appropriately and still feel good about themselves?
The fashion blog world is overrun with 21 year olds, but as you get to my age we seem to kind of...die out. We're a rare breed, those of us in our late 20's and early 30's in the fashionsphere, and I have absolutely no idea why. It's as if the 28-year olds in the fashion world seem to think there's more important things to do in life than to take pictures of themselves and talk about fashion to near strangers on a blog- like work and raise a family. I know, it's weird to me too.
So this Rumba nightie/dress is a dreaded symbol of my age and of no longer being able to pull off the risque things I used to with a certain amount of confidence or chutzpah. The problem is, I still have a lot of young things in my closet. I have tons of short skirts and mini dresses and flirty, ruffly tops. Should I keep them, or should I throw them out? What if I (gasp!) still like wearing them?
The answer? My answer?
Wear them! That's the answer! Just because society (and your mother) doesn't want you to leave the house in THAT doesn't mean you shouldn't still wear it.
But, of course, there's an important catch to all of this: you're no longer 21 years old, you fool, so you must find new ways to wear it. That's the very important part to this, readers. Don't skip over that part. Please. Don't go out cavorting in minis that show off your sugar cookie when you bend over and claim that I told you it was okay. I did not say that.
You have to simply find new ways to wear it and make it "age-appropriate", and it's actually easy-peasy to do once you get the hang of it. If I can do this, anyone can do this. Jazz hands!
I feel the outfit below is a fairly good example of making a super short dress easier to wear. The nightie is waaaay too short to wear by itself, but I still really like it, so how can I still wear it without scaring the general public?
The solution: pair it with a skirt underneath, add some tights, and top with a blazer. Voila.
You've seen the lace Forever 21 skirt on me a lot lately. I love it because it is so versatile. Not only can I wear it on its own, but it also fits neatly under most dresses, giving the dress an added poof of shape and also giving the dress a few extra inches that it desperately needs if I want to leave the house and not have the cops (or fashion police) called on me.
Another rule? If one body part is exposed, the rest really should be covered up. It's about balance. If you're going short with the skirt and showing a lot of leg, please cover up the rest with a cute blazer or cardigan.
Also, never underestimate the power of tights. Especially ones WITH FLOWERS!
And last, but certainly not least- I do realize that short skirts and dresses aren't everyone's cup of tea. I personally like them and feel comfortable in them 'cuz I like my legs. If you don't feel comfortable in it, don't wear it! That should really be rule #1. Confidence is always a must when trying to pull something off, even if it's a raggedy pair of sweatpants and a tee. Got it? GOOD.
I snapped this outfit a few days ago, enjoy:
Jacket: Arden B Poplin Puff Shoulder Jacket (click here)
Dress: Aerie Rumba Nightie (click here)
Skirt: Forever 21 (similar here) (and here)
Tights: Charlotte Russe (similar here)
Booties: Dior Serpent Booties (click here) (similar here) (and here)
Bag: Marc Jacobs Kristina Crossbody (click here) (similar style here)
Ring: Ann Taylor Faceted Dome Ring in grapefruit (click here)
Chloe, Colorful Colorado. 5'8" (only) when teetering in her highest 6 inch Miu Miu platform heels. Likes fashion, broccoli, ice cream, clarifying that she does not eat ice cream with her broccoli as to not cause worldwide panic, hoarding beauty products & pretty shoes, tickle fights with her husband (he would like to clarify that he does not like them back, OKAY?), anything covered in sprinkles, any alcoholic beverage made with Tang, live music, clicking the camera, sarcasm fonts, vases stuffed full of pretty flowers, and laughing hard until her belly hurts. Wants an adventurous life, lots of puppies, to never obtusely wander around with her fly down, and to be an iconic Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress with a bright, festive print when she grows up. This is where she bravely documents it all. (