Today I wore a mid calf skirt with a tee and long cardigan and loafers, and when I looked at myself in the mirror I thought that I looked like a canvassing Jehovah's Witness, possibly a decade older than I actually am. Then I thought about it for a second and decided that I was ok with that for the moment. I was warm and comfortable and had addressed my particular health and practical issues and the colors were reasonably flattering. But it wasn't body conscious and there was a vibe of frump about it. Where does frump = old come from, anyway?

There's this idea out there that you always need to look as young as humanly possible, barring actually dressing like a child. God forbid you look older than you are. I get the impulse to be youthful, in the general sense - quick minded, aware of trends, not stuck in a rut. But is it really necessary to try to always look like a twenty something?

All of you lovely ladies who are significantly older than I are probably laughing at me. But maybe it's the transition to middle age that's bearing down on me. It just occurs to me that being able to say "yes, it makes me look my age" and be ok with that sounds really nice.