GROWN-UP MELBOURNE STYLE
On a recent trip to Melbourne, I hit the streets looking for inspiring stylish women to complement our previous reports on grown-up Sydney fashionistas. They weren’t hard to find.
And although each of them has a unique philosophy of what they find appealing and how they want to look, one thing unites all these gorgeous women – when it comes to fashion choices, age is not a factor. Amen to that.
Melissa, 54
If there’s attitude Melissa would like to banish, it’s the thinking that a woman has to change the way she dresses when she hits a certain age.
As owner and curator of the Albert & Victoria boutique in Albert Park, she is constantly encountering women who come in to her shop and sigh, “I wish I were still young enough to wear this.”
And they are usually years younger than Melissa, whose shop is filled with beautiful limited-edition vintage and modern pieces sourced from abroad that she would want to wear herself. The irony is not lost on her.
“It’s as if hitting 50 is the beginning of the end of their youthfulness and individual style, and that is not the case,” she asserts.
“It’s a matter of dressing for your shape and personality. You’ve got to be able to say, ‘That’s gorgeous, it would suit me, but I just won’t wear it the way the kids are wearing it.’”
Melissa, who reminds me of former Paris Vogue editor, Carine Roitfeld, is rocking a cotton men’s T-shirt, Indian scarf and delicate gold-and-lapis bracelet all featured in her shop along with Sportsgirl jeans and fabulous Italian gold woven-leather boots she found in an op shop.
She gleefully bucks the trend of covering her grey roots by lightening the ends instead. “I own my grey hair and wrinkles,” she pronounces. “I am what I am. I’m quite happy to be my age.”
Jennifer, 56
Jennifer emerged from a dark Elwood organic grocery store as fresh as a summer breeze.
In Melbourne on one of her twice-yearly visits from Queensland to see her daughter, Jo – who described her mother’s look as “regal” – Jennifer was effortlessly casual-chic in a crisp cotton tunic top she bought from Zara in Edinburgh, a floaty cotton scarf from an outlet store in Bridge Road and Target jeans.
She is a discerning shopper. “I’m quite fussy,” she admits, her blue eyes twinkling. “And I don’t want to have to mortgage the house for a dress I’m going to wear just once.”
It was Jennifer’s bright open smile and stylish silvery bob that really caught my eye. “I’ve had my hair grey for about a year,” Jennifer tells me.
“I was hesitant to do it, but it’s just so expensive to have it coloured all the time and it grows so fast, so I always had dark roots.
Now people stop me in the street and say, ‘I love your grey hair!’”
| Page 1 of 2 | next >> |
9 Responses to this article
-
Susan Michael October 26, 2012
Gotta love Melbourne woman – always stylish – we Sydney gals need to get with the program and embrace fashion with a twist to suit our age – unfortunately the Sydney market doesn’t offer a great selection to over 50s like Melbourne stores.
-
DJ October 26, 2012
All beautiful, sexy women! It really shows that beauty is not about looking the same as you did at 20, 30, or even 40, but simply feeling comfortable and confident in your own skin. Gives off a radiance that is irresistibly attractive.
-
Linda Robinson October 26, 2012
Wish I could look like this! Alas I can only go to op-shops,and have trouble finding things for short people. I tend to dress in t-shirts and jeans or trackkie daks as all other times i’m in my uniform.
-
ellenni October 26, 2012
linda honey of course you can look like them it just takes a little planning.
opshops have heaps of good stuff. its all about how you wear them.
short girls should think like tall girls. never let someone say you are too short for something you like. its all about attitude.
when you get older you realise some people have too much too say about you.
take a good look at these ladies you admire and you will see its mostly very simple dressing. its all about the accessories.
one of my friends is very wealthy but she usually goes into target at the beginning of the season and buys her whole wardrobe, she says that the clothes are in fashion for one season so wear them all that season then toss them out. she also says dont buy too much. wear them to death. however she carries a very good bag but her shoes are not but who cares she looks great.
so get the best haircut you can afford and then go to the opshop and take a picture with you of the look you want. you dont have to spend too much money to look good. a couple of scarves and a couple of necklaces.
i feel long hair after a certain age can make you look dowdy and make the outfit look like its decorated with a hair collar.
so thats it have a good look at yourself and then at those you admire and modify it for yourself. wear whatever you like with confidence. should someone make a comment just say i didnt ask for your comment and if you cant say something nice dont say anything. sending you love and confidence.
-
-
Linda Robinson October 26, 2012
should add I live outside a small country town without access to markets etc. OR the income to buy at brand name shops!
-
Belinda October 26, 2012
They look fantastic! Inspirational.
-
sue bell October 30, 2012
Long hair can make you look dowdy after a certain age? what crap. I know there are probably only three women over 60 with long hair in Melbourne but I am one of them and love it.
Hot day, put your hair in a single plait or two plaits. Two plaits really look great under a hat and you can thread beads through the plaits.
Going out somewhere important? up in a loose bun or tumbled mess.
Most days, wet, straight out of the shower, race down to coffee, very long and slowly turning silver.
Hate the Brighton/Toorak bob looks so so so boring and non descript. -
Pono December 17, 2012
Just now catching up on my blog rnediag– congratulations!! Now that we’ve met IRL
I love knowing these additional tidbits about you. Thanks for meeting up with me Friday– I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to doing it again. xoxo -
kim January 12, 2013
The only reason Melbourne women look good ,Is because we all look better in winter clothing.It’s easier to cover up .
