The Style Has No Age or Size Panel was my favorite panels of the entire TCFStyleExpo. This panel was all about encouraging women to clap back to the “dress your age and size” sentiment. You know the feeling that once you reach a certain age or have a certain body shape certain fashion styles are off limits? The ladies below laid it all out on the panel floor and these were some of the take home points.
(left to right)
Alison Gary – Wardrobe Oxygen Sandra – La Pecosa Preciosa
ShaKera – The Real Sample Size Jeniese H – Je Ne Sais Quoi
Georgette – Grown and Curvy Woman
9 Clapback Points Against “Dress Your Age and Size” Nonsense
You don’t have to lose your style personality in the corporate world.
This one really resonated with me as a 9to5er by day. The ladies all agreed that you don’t have to wearing boring clothing and boring colors in the workplace. You can share your style through statement pieces that are still work approriate. Incorporating bold colors, pieces with stylish details (i.e. ruffles), and fun prints are all great ways to maintain your style personalitt in the workplace.
There is no need to dim your light as you get older.
There’s this stigma that because you are a certain age that you have to stop wearing things that are youngin territory. That’s far from the truth. Bright colors, cut outs, and sexy are here to stay.
Fashion rules are not fun.
The ladies encouraged us all to push the fashion envelope and break fashion rules if we must. What matters more is our happiness with ourselves and what we are wearing. If we listened to the “dress your age” sentiment, we would all probably be wearing momo dresses in boring colors. No bueno.
You can’t please everyone.
One of the ladies said that people are always going to have a problem with something. *praise hands* Whether it’s your size, your body shape, your facial features, age etc. Someone is always going to have a problem. Guess who the problem isn’t for? You. Keep it moving. Bloop.
Your tribe will assemble.
Piggy backing off the previous clapback, people that care / identify with what you have to say will show up. That’s your community aka tribe. That is who will support to and that is who you should speak to. The haters, trolls, discourages (one in the same) shouldn’t matter.
When you look good you feel good.
All the ladies agreed that dressing up the way they wanted was a form of self care. Once you are dressed in the clothing you love versus what society says you should wear it’s a real pick me up.
Representation in the plus size fashion industry matters.
One of the main reasons why society has the idea that women of a certain age or size should dress a certain way is due to the lack of proper representation. Women of all shapes sizes and ages are clearly out here slaying in well established brands. Yet when we go to these same websites, we only see younger women with hourglass and pear body shapes. Now that has become the pinnacle for what all plus size bodies should look like. Nah. This is why a lot of the ladies on the panel and in the audience (*raises hand*) do what we do. We’ve become the change we want to see.
Do fashion on your terms.
With that being said there’s no pressure at all to wear styles that are not you. You are most confident when you are dressed in something that you are comfortable in. If denim and tees are your style rock that. Brunching boho chic is your aesthetic? That’s cool too. Wearwhat you want because it’s what you want.
Activate mode IDGAF!
At the end of the day you have to wear what you want and not care what outside opinions are. You have to choose who’s happiness and piece of mind matters most.
I am very grateful to have been among the audience for such an important discussion. I hope that the plus size industry joins in and squashes the “dress your age” stigma that’s being pressed on us fashionistas.
Which talking point resonated with you the most? Sound off in the comments!
