Been There, Done That…on Clothes & Aging

By Marci Shatzman

I keep getting ads for clothes I can’t wear anymore. Strapless. Sleeveless. Miniskirts. Crop tops. High-heel shoes.

I’m 78 and I still look pretty good for my age. Except for my neck, my upper arms and legs. No wrinkles on my face…yet.

I can’t afford plastic surgery on my neck. I wish I could. Nobody I talked to with the same sags can either. None of us plan to wear turtlenecks or scarves in this weather. That would just attract more attention. I stopped wearing necklaces months ago. I just started wearing them again as a silent protest.

Bathing suits are obviously out, too, unless you wear a rashguard with sleeves and a midi coverup. I wrote about ‘skin is in’ in an earlier column. Now skin is really in. Wait until you see the bathingsuits the kids are wearing at the pool and the beach. I couldn’t even wear a bikini at their age, let alone an upper and lower thong. No criticism here. I was always an “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” feminist, a rare breed for a reporter who covered the women’s movement. Just warning you what’s in now to avoid the shock value.

If you think this is one big complaint about aging, you’re right. I haven’t made peace with 78 yet. I should be happy as a cancer survivor that I’m still here. I wore high heels even to cover marches and the New York commute. That’s the thing I miss most. High heels. As my leg doctor says: What were you thinking? And to add insult to injury, every pair of slacks needs hemming now. I used to be 5 foot 4. I’m shrinking.

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