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The Knee-High Boot Ban Is New to Me

December 12, 2012 by WendyB

Gorgeous blogger Patti from Not Dead Yet Style is rolling her eyes over the latest “women should wear this, not that” story. This one is titled “59 is the Age Women Should Stop Wearing Red Lipstick, Heavy Makeup, Study Finds.” According to Nuture Skincare‘s survey of 2,000 women age 45 and up, once you hit 59, it’s time to give up “high heels, red lipstick, tight clothes and false nails.” But you don’t have to wait till 59 to be dowdy! Did you know that knee-high boots and “even conservative tight tops” should be retired by age 45? I thought boots were a basic! And I guarantee that 99% of women, no matter what their age or size, look better in fitted (not tourniquet-tight) clothes than in shapeless tents. I’ll grant Nuture the heavy makeup thing, but only because that doesn’t look good at any age unless you’re at a photo shoot/going on TV/performing on stage.

I was enjoying Patti’s sassy reaction to the survey even before I saw she included my own photo as an example of unapproved mini-wearing after the age of 40. The new version of WordPress isn’t allowing me to share that or any other photos here at the moment, so you can see which skirt should get me ticketed by the fashion police by popping over to Patti’s blog. Don’t forget to tell her what you think about Nurture’s survey, which I’m sure was totally scientific. As for me, I am sticking to “Wear What You Want” as my personal style philosophy.

UPDATED TO ADD: This is the right attitude.

UPDATED AGAIN TO ADD: I had dinner with a rule-breaking woman.

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Filed Under: age, blogs and bloggers, wear what you want

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. stacy says

    December 12, 2012 at 7:07 pm

    I had trouble leaving a comment on her blog for some reason — I mean an actual technical problem because I would have no trouble whatsoever commenting about what hogwash I thought the “rules” were. Yes, that’s right, I said “hogwash” because it’s a ridiculous and outdated word… just like those damn rules!

    Bottom line, like I always say — If it looks good, wear it. It’s actually very simple. I don’t know why people try to make it so difficult by applying BS rules and what not. Oh yes… because they have nothing better to do.

    • WendyB says

      December 12, 2012 at 7:10 pm

      You’re like that character on Family Guy who is always saying, “Yeah, I said [whatever], wanna fight about it?”

  2. K-Line says

    December 12, 2012 at 7:23 pm

    I saw this headline and I thought it was hilarious. BTW, I just spent a fortune for on-sale knee boots. My age-addled brain was probably to blame.

    • WendyB says

      December 12, 2012 at 7:31 pm

      Didn’t they card you at the store?

  3. Valorie Hart - The Visual Vamp says

    December 12, 2012 at 7:25 pm

    hahahahahahahahahaha

    PS I love you, butDitch the Spam word thingee, this is my third try. xo xo

    • WendyB says

      December 12, 2012 at 7:30 pm

      I get too much spam! Spammers target the word “jewelry.” Sorry it didn’t work though ๐Ÿ™ WordPress just did an upgrade which has screwed things up for my post, so it might be affecting that functionality too.

  4. Pam@over50feeling40 says

    December 12, 2012 at 7:40 pm

    Just like I told Patti…I am sitting here in my knee high boots loving them and the weather we have so I can wear them….who in their right mind came up with that?? I am about to be 60 and I fully intend on wearing them for years to come! As you should wear that miniskirt for years and years to come! Silliness!

    • WendyB says

      December 12, 2012 at 8:22 pm

      I’m in favor of long-term boot-wearing!

  5. Patti @ NotDeadYet Style says

    December 12, 2012 at 8:50 pm

    Thanks for the love, Wendy. I am sitting around the *house* in my snug tee, red lips and boots. Heh.

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 1:39 am

      Take that, survey peeps!

  6. Lee says

    December 12, 2012 at 9:24 pm

    I so agree! Wear what you want, and if knee high boots are out at a certain age, I am in deep you know what…but I’m safe, because I have my knee high boots on!

  7. Lynne DeVenny (@ExpertParalegal) says

    December 12, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    Hmmm, having passed 45 quite a while back, I’m wonderin’ what’s left for us to wear? Feed sacks? Orthopedic shoes? Cat hair? Oh, wait, I wear that now.

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 1:38 am

      The cat hair thing made me laugh out loud. I’m wearing that too.

  8. Silvergirl says

    December 12, 2012 at 11:34 pm

    yea, the knee high boot ban thing is riduculous as were many of the other “rules”
    i read about the knee high boot thing days after getting a pair
    i was crushed for about a 24 hr period, then thought what the heck….
    brett

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 1:38 am

      Glad you’re not crushed anymore!You shouldn’t be! Fuck ’em.

  9. Sheila says

    December 13, 2012 at 12:20 am

    I know! Such a silly thing – I have over-the-knee boots, I’m 45, and screw anyone who says I don’t look awesome in them.

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 1:38 am

      I never even heard/read of anyone mentioning boots before. How odd!

  10. Faux Fuchsia says

    December 13, 2012 at 1:40 am

    I LOATHE these rules. I’ll wear red lipstick until they pry it out of my cold dead paws.

    Meanwhile NO ONE would ever dream of telling a MAN he was too old for certain outfits or accessories.

    I’ll wear what I want, when I want. Because that’s just how I roll.

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 1:41 am

      I luff you.

  11. Kate Battrick says

    December 13, 2012 at 3:20 am

    As ever spot on who makes up this nonsense!

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 11:22 am

      I definitely won’t be buying that skincare line!

  12. Vix says

    December 13, 2012 at 4:25 am

    Who gives a toss about rules anyway? Definitely none of my fab blog friends who go their own way and look fabulous.
    I’m off out in false eyelashes, glitter eyeliner and a leather trench coat this morning , call the fashion police! xxx

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 11:21 am

      You’re always an inspiration!

  13. The Style Crone says

    December 13, 2012 at 10:55 am

    I’m sure that ‘malice’ nail polish is totally out of the picture for a 69 year old female. Which is why it’s my color of choice for the holidays. Rules be damned!

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 11:20 am

      Malice plus a hashtag ring = total anarchy.

  14. HelOnWheels says

    December 13, 2012 at 1:53 pm

    Pppbbbbbttthhhhh! Bull s**t! My most glamorous girlfriend and I have agreed that we’ll be walking around in perfectly fitting outfits, stiletto heels, bright red lipstick, together, all the way through our decrepitude and senility. I intend to wear WHATEVER THE HECK I WANT and have a cigarette hanging out of my rouged lips, while I shuffle around with my walker in sky-high heels. Screw those stupid rules! The wisdom and self-confidence of the โ€œmatureโ€ age is what will allow us to Wear What We Want!

    • WendyB says

      December 13, 2012 at 1:59 pm

      ” have a cigarette hanging out of my rouged lips, while I shuffle around with my walker in sky-high heels” — love it.

  15. margaret says

    December 13, 2012 at 3:08 pm

    What do those 2000 women have against tall boots anyhow?

  16. Tamera Beardsley says

    December 13, 2012 at 11:29 pm

    My dear I always enjoy your fresh and honest fashion perspectives!

  17. Marti says

    December 14, 2012 at 3:28 pm

    I didn’t finish reading the article because it pissed me off. At 45 I’m going to wear whatever I want including boots to the knee or not, fitted sweaters and jeans as well with a baseball hat.
    For all we know the women interviewed were unhappy with themselves which then reflected in their opinions. Not sure I’m just happy we fall into the category over 40 who like wearing whatever we want.
    Marti

    • WendyB says

      December 14, 2012 at 3:53 pm

      I’m guessing all the questions were phrased like “At what age should women stop wearing XYZ,” so that the respondents were forced to give ages and that “red lipstick is always okay” wasn’t an option.

  18. jesse.anne.o says

    December 14, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    I can’t believe anyone would take these seriously.

    I commented over on Patti’s blog but I’m pretty sure I’ll have tattoos until I die and I’m prepared to have cool old people faded tattoos – and always have been. By their calculations I only have 16 years left.

    • WendyB says

      December 14, 2012 at 11:16 pm

      LOL…enjoy it while you can! ๐Ÿ˜€

  19. Elizabeth says

    December 24, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    Well, I’ve been violating that rule for more than a year now. In fact, I have two pairs of knee-high boots: one flat and one heeled. And I plan to wear them until further notice.

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MEET WENDY BRANDES

Award-winning designer of fine jewelry inspired by women's history and pop culture. A former journalist who writes about jewelry, fashion, medieval history, news, feminism, dogs, cats and whatever else is on her mind. Blogging since 2007.
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