A few days ago, I met with some of my younger friends. One teenage girl wore a purple cloth coat, and another one sported a maroon puffer.

Grabbing my burgundy puffer and joining Carla's coffee group...

If someone wants to consider me frumpy for wearing a colour that looks good on me and works with my wardrobe, well, frankly, I question their intelligence.

You guys are lovely! How fun to see this thread spark debate. We were warned that Charly Gloss can be blunt about fashion advice, but this maroon parka issue took me by surprise. More so my own reaction: I didn't even have any clue! What does that say about me then? Lol!

As for the coat (or other un-trendy garments) I will of course continue wearing whatever I like. And I trust you guys to do the same. I do on the other hand appreciate fashion and style advice because this is one of my favourite hobbies. And I love how it's a skill to be learned, not just something you should instinctively "get" or not.

For the middle-age topic: all my favourite style gurus are middle aged! (Trinny <3) I wouldn't trust someone who hasn't been in the game for a while to know what they are talking about.

Also, wasn't no less than Lady Obama (First Lady, lawyer, known to the world) wearing purple, including coat, at President Biden's inagueration?

Suntiger, yes! But she somehow trendified it by wearing purple monochrome and it was a floor length wool coat. Charly speaks about those coats as the quintessential trend coats right now later in the IG highlights. Actually very informative (to my style-less self, hah).

Synne I personally find that it was when I had a lot less self-esteem and less self-confidence that I listened to this kind of “advice”. I started reading fashion magazines a lot in my later 40s when I was having a difficult time, and was desperately looking for something to shore up how I felt. Whereas in my 20s I had been much more confident and happy in my choices, and in my 30s preoccupied with parenting.
Now I prefer the gentle approach of Angie rather than the unkind approach of magazines and the advice you have written this thread about. It will totally be my own decision whether I like or wear something, or not. But it has taken a while to get to that place.

I'm not a fan of maroon or purple these days, for myself. But I think with color, so much of it depends on the shade and the fabrication. It's so interesting how colors change with the times...think avocado green appliances :)...and new hues of the same old thing come back around again. The examples she showed look dated to me, but not just because of the color, to my eye...it's also the shape. I don't mind when people give their opinion, it's just part of the conversation of "design crimes"...AND let's wear whatever we want that makes us feel good!

I am with kkards here. It is an offering by a person who makes a living doing this and I can move on or it can reinforce my own feelings. I have a midi burgundy parka from Land’s End purchased in 2015 or so. I will wear it as needed. BUT, as I don’t wear black, chose it as the least bad color! The fabrics used for the shells seem to all have dark or muddy colors. Is that a function of the fabric or is it what sells? Anyway, my response to her post was: yeah, but I need that coat.

Jenni, agreed, we all are here because we adore Angie and her always kind, diplomatic and wise approach to personal style.

I do like discussing fashion though, and deciphering why something is FORBIDDEN (aka not trendy).

All I have to say is that I'm still mourning the perfect purple cloth coat I left somewhere 8 years ago and never found again...

Oh *cryin’ and laughin’*. Might, just might, have a Barney purple parka AND a maroon puffer to be taken out for a spin…

Yes that’s fair to enjoy it. I don’t enjoy that sort of thing myself because I feel contempt behind it. There may not be any, she may be somewhat joking as you suggest, but it reminds me too much of the meanness I have felt from some fashion dictates in the past. And there is definitely unkind ageism in there. I don’t choose to expose myself to that deliberately.

Synne, yes, that is interesting to me too ... like, is it the colour, or the wearing of a puffer in a non-trendy colour, or the styles that burgundy puffers typically come in ...? Or is it just to association that this is a popular look among women of a certain age and therefore not to be emulated by women not wanting to look of a certain age ...? Inquiring minds want to know!

If the former options, then this is useful fashion information (not that I will necessarily follow it but I like being aware of these things) and if the latter then I know the opinion is irrelevant to me since I am the age I am and there's not much to be done about that. Either way, it's intriguing (and thus the work of her social media team is done!)

Oh here we go again ;). I get it ! What she is saying is a little - ah what word do I want ? - broader than just burgundy puffers are for old women . Burgundy is a safe colour at retail because it sells well . It’s relatively conservative , and people understand it . Therefore it’s in every store at every price point every year on and on and on . My mother wore one . Add the faux fur trim to it and it’s a home run at mid-market retail . What Carly is suggesting is that if you WANT to look fashion forward and “ hip” ( ?) , maybe look for a puffer in another colour . And with no faux fur . It’s the commonality of it at market that she’s warning against . But again , if you don’t care , then don’t get worked up or offended by her comments ! This is her job , and how she’s built a successful brand . If you look at which stores are featuring which colours , it becomes pretty clear. But again , she’s not dictating to women who aren’t her target client . She doesn’t care what you wear . If you’re interested in her opinion , she delivers it . And for god’s sake , the woman is going through her 3rd bout with cancer and chemo . If she can still do this with humour intact , I bow down to her .

Hmmm. Since I am well past middle age, will a burgundy puffer make me look younger? Those first two plus anything in gold or camel tend to make me ill, though. That third car coat is one of my best colors, however.

I’m just thinking that certain colors wax and wane in terms of availability, and if one wears certain colors it probably means it was purchased X number of seasons ago. Who cares? I would rather wear colors that flatter me than trend of the moment ones that make me look dead or on my way.

I don't wear purple or maroon, but if I did, I would wear one today. I agree with the others that have said this is ageism. Why not look your age?

LJP, yes, this is all so interesting. She mentioned that "personal style" is declared dead. That now it's more about what "vibe" you want to project (eg. Chill). Which you can achieve through a myriad of different looks, or "styles". I am soaking this up! Maybe she has some answers for some of my MANY style struggles and questions thanks for bringing her (and Amy) to attention!

Style Fan, as I tried to clumsily articulate in my main post, I believe she means frumpy or flat out unfashionable when she says "middle aged". Agree it is condescending and snarky, but then again that's how she speaks about anything fashion related. She even brazenly calls garments "slutty", but in a (in my ears) witty and tongue-in-cheek way. I find it sorta refreshing actually. But horses for courses!

Lisa, thank you! That's the bit I was missing ... I got the 'what' but not the 'why' (because the story was gone by the time I looked or else I would have listened to it) ... but your explanation makes perfect sense.

Interesting about the convergence of garment design and colour. I’ll submit that how a person styles a garment (thrifted, older from their closet, high end, or budget) factors in. I was tickled to see a blogger I follow feature ‘my’ LE coat (I have it in burgundy from 2020) in a very recent style thread: https://foreveramber.co.uk/dre.....lands-end/

Good grief! I just bought my plum coloured puffer last fall and now I'm a middle-aged fashion cliché according to the younger generation. And here I thought I was being bold with a nice hit of colour instead of the usual black or beige.
Its not easy trying to be a middle aged fashionista, the pace is just too fast for me, btw whats considered middle age these days? Oh well, I think I'm past it anyways.
.

OK, so I just read the whole post in Insta and I see what she is getting at. Her examples are definitely more elegant than her burgundy examples. However, I think those styles would be pretty elegant in a berry color too. To my eye it is the style more than the color. And as a middle-past middle aged woman who has always been interested in fashion, I do feel a little bit insulted. She may be being humorous but at our expense and that doesn't feel good.

Also, I remember back in the 90's we wore sneakers to walk to work and changed into pumps at the office and all the fashion people were appalled - and look where sneakers are now. Gotta laugh.

I'm okay with strong opinions and people on their own social media account can choose how to put their views across and we can all choose to follow, or not, agree or not.

I think your approach is right Synne - take it all with a laugh if you don't agree.

I don't have a burgundy puffer but I don't think my current one is particularly cutting edge either.

Now I am pondering how very hard I am having to work to even parse the content of the points these women are trying to make. Part of it is that, yes, video shorts are the absolute worst way to convey information to my weird brain. But partly I'm also thinking: you know, I am just not the target audience here. OK.

Come on, y’all, it’s just falafel.

Janet,

Ok can someone help me find this post lol ... I thought it was a story that I missed ... But Robin did you just read it??

Perhaps there's nothing more middle aged than the fact I can't find the post lol!!!

Helena, just put on your reading glasses, they're right there on the top of your head, hon.