I’m seventy years old. I went at the beach recently and saw a woman my age in a really skimpy swimwear. I was intrigued and thought I would go up to her and tell her that maybe it would be better to dress more subtly given our ages.
This woman, who was most likely 70 years old, strolled along the beach with extraordinary assurance, unconcerned by the looks she received. She embraced her body without reluctance and appeared to be enjoying the experience to the fullest. This feeling of liberty caused me to think. Was I the only one who overvalued what is deemed suitable for our generation?
Although I must admit that I was charmed by her confidence, I couldn’t help but wonder if we shouldn’t get more humble as we get older.
I don’t doubt the value of self-assurance. I also take care of myself, enjoy life, and feel young at heart.
However, this woman got me thinking: does growing older also mean that we should wear more modestly?
So I went to her and told her what I was thinking. I subtly mentioned that, given our ages, a more elegant option may be a swimsuit that covers more.
But her reaction was utterly surprising.
She just smiled and continued to walk as though she had not even listened to my advise. This got me to thinking: what really counts at our age, and why do I feel the need to offer such advice?
Maybe I was raised in a different setting with different views on how we “should” look once we turn 70. The idea of “appropriateness” is changing, and traditional standards like modesty and elegance might not be as applicable now.
I learned that there are numerous ways to express oneself from this beach encounter, her self-assurance, and her capacity for self-acceptance. And maybe I was mistaken to believe that elegance is necessarily synonymous with modesty.
Everybody bases their lifestyle and clothing choices on their feelings. Perhaps this story’s true message is that everyone has the right to make their own decisions, regardless of age, rather than that one outfit is better than another.
Our lives, our bodies, and our fashion sense are all unique choices; what matters most is that we are at ease and secure with who we are.
