Whatever I Want
9 years ago by
Ok, so it’s great to be forty, to shout it from the rooftops and to live a life somewhere between eternal adolescence (I’m not proud of it, but I’m having fun!!!) and career woman (I’m proud of it AND I’m having fun!) but personally, I feel absolutely no different from when I was thirty (except I’m much less stressed out now)(and my life is cooler)(and I have a better haircut, haha) so I’m a little lost when it comes to knowing what to wear and what not to wear after 30, 40, 50, etc…
Do you know what I mean? Those weird, but dangerously captivating, sections in magazines that separate us into strict categories by decade (Can we talk about “60 and up” for a second? Like — you turn 60 and after that, hey, you shouldn’t even get dressed up anymore, because obviously, well, uh… You’re about to die, right? Ugggghhh that annoys me so much!!! My mother is 60 and she’s gorgeous! And Jane Fonda is almost 80!!!) that make us think there are rules we have to follow, you know?
Aaaaaah, dear age 20. The age when you can do absolutely anything your heart desires and have the most fun ever, but instead you spend your time stressing about the future, I can’t say I miss you much.
My basic theory is this: as long as it’s pretty, there are no rules.
No, seriously.
I think that way because I think women have a mission right now to make our society rethink what it means to get older. Things have changed so much, we can’t be asking ourselves the same questions as before, putting labels, or restricting our way of being when there’s no reason for it. I look at the women who inspire me who are 50, 60, or older, and what I like about them is the power they have to redefine what it is to be a woman at their age. Without having to hide their age.
They make it beautiful, attractive, and exciting.
So, you just have to be clear with yourself about what works and what doesn’t. And have two or three honest friends (“Nope, Garance, that just doesn’t look good.”) to keep you grounded. After that, stop over thinking it.
I tell you this because I surprised myself the other day asking myself this question when I was on my way to get my ear pierced.
I’ve always had (well, ever since I was 20) three piercings in my left ear, and one in my right ear. At one point, I even had a piercing at the top of my ear, but I never really liked it very much. However, the three piercings in my left ear — I’ve always loved them and used them.
But I must have taken too long of a break because the other day, when I was trying to put on a third earring that was super pretty, it just wouldn’t go in. So it was time to go back and get it pierced again…
Or…
Not?
Is getting your ear pierced really something you can do when you’re 40? Seriously?
I was deep in reflection about piercings (instead of working) when Bella, my friend who’s doing an internship with us right now, stopped by. Bella is 20 and she has lots of ear piercings. Three lobe piercings plus one on the inside of her ear and one on the side, and all of her earrings are super simple and refined. Frankly, it’s BEAUTIFUL. I thought for a second I could do the exact same thing…
And it also made me realize I should stop intellectualizing my life and should go get my third piercing (it’s a really classic piercing, anyway, it’s not like I’m going to get my ears gauged). So I booked an appointment at New York Adorned. THE place to go for piercings in New York, and three days later, I was joking with the piercer who was tattooed from head to toe that it was time to redo my piercing AND redo the 90s – and we cracked up remembering “the good old days” of our rave parties.
Yeah, because being at the piercing parlor reminded me of the time I got my belly button pierced. It was a great time, I had it done in Barcelona completely slightly tipsy after spending all night out. The piercing, however – not the best idea of my life. It’s probably what made me swear off tattoos for life…
On the other hand, right now I kind of want to say fuck it, maybe I’ll get a tattoo after all, just because I can (and also because I follow Dr Woo on Instagram, the best tattoo artist in the world, in my opinion, and if I’m ever near his shop in California, I can’t be responsible for my actions), but then I said to myself: No, Garance, that looks a lot like a midlife crisis. What would you get, anyway, a palm tree like all the girls these days? (Yes, that is what I want, actually)(I know, I know, the older we get, the dumber we are).
Anyway. Enough with the side notes, italics, and writing in small font. You are all going to give me a hard time in the comments again (it’s unreadable!!!) so let’s get straight to the point.
MY THEORY, as a new member of the 40’s club, is this: Do whatever you want, as long as you’re having a great time, and your best friends think it’s a good idea.
Ok now, palm tree tat. Let’s go. ;)
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Bonjour Garance, tu as raison : fais ce que bon te semble ! J’ai 56 ans et tatouee a28 ans (petit tatouage c’est vrai) pour mes 50 ans me suis offert un tatouage dans le dos : arbre de vie de 10 cm ! Et franchement je ne regrette pas ! Les amis, la famille, ont esquisse des mous interrogatrices voire “compassionnelles”. Mais je m’en fiche ! je fais ce que je veux ! Donc si tu le sens, fais le!!!!!!! C’est l’avantage de vieillir: ne pas, ne plus se preoccuper de ce que les gens pensent
i will be 40 next year and i’m freaking out. i understand the logical arguments but i still regret not being to be young ever again… :)
http://littleaesthete.com
Hi Garance, I’m a 1975 child also, and you know, as I get older of course I change what I wear, but it’s not because certain things are “inappropriate” but more that I just know what suits me. What is important is to wear what makes YOU feel confident, put together, badass, whatever you need that day. And of course, to dress for your lifestyle.
The only thing you need to compare yourself to is your own self- to see how far you have come. It does annoy me to always read people’s ages in articles. It pushes unnecessary competition and comparison.
Tattoos are not for me….because when I see pictures of me from only a few years ago, I think, whoa, I thought those shoes were a good idea! pfff.
So a permanent thing on me would certainly be a regret. Anything really meaningful to me is not something I will forget, so no need to affix it to my skin.
Garance, piercings I have nothing against, ( well stop at ears) however, tattoos I would not be advertising. Lots of companies do not employ people with tattoos.
Love this Garance!! Exactly, why should a magazine tell us what we can and cannot wear at certain ages?
As a fellow member of the 40’s club, I could’t agree with you more.
Colleen
http://www.blushandbeyond.com/makeup/how-to-fake-fuller-and-younger-looking-eyebrows/
Merci Garance ;)
Je viens d’avoir 30 ans… avec un petit garçon de 3 ans, une séparation difficile et un nouvel amour, je me sens aujourd’hui plus jeune, plus dynamique, plus belle, plus audacieuse que jamais!
Je suis une maman, une amoureuse, je m’assume plus, je fais ce que je veux et je m’autorise beaucoup plus tout en étant (un peu) plus sure de mes choix…et on remarque, avec mes copines de 30 ans, que nos vies ne ressemblent pas du tout à ce que l’on planifiait à 20 ans, que nos conversations sont très différentes…mais que c’est plutôt chouette de réaliser que tout est encore possible et grand ouvert!
Alors oui, aux 10 prochaines années t à celles d’après, parce que si c’est ça “prendre de l’age”, alors c’est le bonheur!
Ca faisait longtemps que je ne t’avais plu lue Garance, et j’aime toujours autant tes articles. Tu es sublime à 40 ans et j’espère que dans 20 ans (oui oui j’suis la petite jeunette de 20ans dont tu parles dans ton texte) je serai aussi incroyable que tu l’es
Bises
L.
http://www.Lauralexo.com
at this point, being non-tattooed is way bigger of a statement of identity than being covered in them. your call of course. i just think they’re a bit cliche at this point. ironic given they’re a way to express yourself.
Do we really do what we want ? how much are we influenced by the culture around us ??? at the end we even think it’s our idea……???
For me the only rules is that there is no rules…but i always believed in harmony and balance my mantra is be happy …you live one time….
xoxo
Yael Guetta
http://www.ftwwl.com
I totally agree with Yael on this! In you 20´s you have no money (well, most of us didn’t have any..wer’e not all a Hilton child) and you are dependent on employers wanting to hire you. As you are now old enough to have some money, you have your own career that you with a seniority that in itself is your competitive advantage and – as a self-employed – you are not dependent on a boss that may or may not like tattoos or other styles or principles, you can do whatever you want to! NOW is the time to do it! Not when you were 20 and insecure. Now, when you are cool, are comfortable in your own identity. Do whatever your heart desires!
c’est très juste ce que tu nous partages là…. pour avoir 40 ans, pour m’être fait percer les oreilles à 39, pour adorer les tatouages mais n’osant pas, pour tenter d’assumer parfois un look limite fashion faux pas que ma fille n’hésite pas à démonter en deux oeillades réprobatrices….Merci !
Tout à fait d’accord avec le “tant que c’est joli it’s ok”. Parce que quand j’entends par exemple Cristina Cordula s’écrier ” mais ma chéwiiie à 50 ans on ne se découvre plus les bras!” ça m’horripile! Tout dépend de la façon dont on porte les fringues, tatoos, piercings etc… et soyons honnêtes du corps que l’on a… ou pas! pour moi c’est plus une question de style, de ce que l’on dégage qu’une question d’âge.
Ah l’âge ! J’ai 29 ans et il t a des jours où je me dis que je ne devrais pas porter mon short plutôt court pour aller déposer mes enfants le matin… C’est bon hein mais en fait plus que d’avoir peur de faire vieille, j’ai peur d’avoir l’air pathétique. Genre “elle ne sait pas quel âge a celle là ou quoi ?”
Mais un tour sur Instagram me convainc que le short même mini est une bonne idée. Tant que c’est joli comme tu dis. Continue d’explorer les frontières de l’âge j’adore !
Un palmier ? Malheureuse, ils sont plein de charençons en ce moment, on es obligé de les étêter à Nice, c’est très laid, les pauvres ne gardent que leur tronc, et ensuite, très très lentement, les palmes repoussent en petit plumeau.
Bon je déconne. Un palmier, mais californien alors, c’est-à-dire très mince et très haut et pas bouffé par les charençons. Why not.
Totally loved this post. Especially: “My basic theory is this: as long as it’s pretty, there are no rules.
No, seriously.
I think that way because I think women have a mission right now to make our society rethink what it means to get older.”
exactement comme toi ….a qques années pres !!! je me sens à…60 ans …ben oui….beaucoup mieux qu’à 50 …cap un peu pénible ….nettement mieux qu’40 ou à 30 …j’avais 3 enfants …no comment ..pas une seconde à moi …..et moi aussi j’ai une bien plus belle coupe de cheveux!!!!!c’est vrai que ça change la vie ……à la jean Seberg …j’ai rajeuni du coup….
et je viens de me rendre compte que je m’habille à 60….comme à 50 et….comme à 40 ou à 30 et tu as tout à fait raison ..du moment que c’est joli et Fabienne a raison …enfin on ne se préoccupe plus de ce que disent les gens
Tats piercing …..the further is droopy….My take is if u wore it when the look was new and u want to revisit..have a flavor and so high end….vintage is for the very young and it doesn’t have to be perfect….
I wish you’d do a series on older stylish women and the options in fashion for them. There are a lot of stylish older women in New York who always look real, chic, and beautiful. Like Fabienne Duforg who always looks great.
Or me, who is 57 and still considering getting a second piercing in my ear (or just continue wearing a small earring I bought this summer in Paris that looks like three tiny star earrings…) I say wear what you love, what you feel comfortable in and what looks great on you. Yes, I will still occasionally wear a tee-shirt with writing on it (just got two more – “Amour et Pastis” and “Egalite, Fraternite, Rose!” — it was a very boozy month in Paris…) and skater sneakers and crazy glasses, but I’m much less likely to jump on a trendy bandwagon. I find older Parisiennes much more interesting as they thumb their noses at “age-appropriate” dressing and go right on wearing sleeveless dresses and showing off their freckled décolletage. And while they don’t look 35, they do look confident, terrific and sexy. That’s what I’m going for!
GARANCE – you post SO often about tattoos — just DO IT ALREADY! :) Don’t wait for us to convince you… ;)
I was just thinking the other day about what is age appropriate, I am not quite 40 but close and have two childern. And I was thinking I’m too old for denim cut off shorts. Just then a friend my age walked by in them and looked fabulous. I was going to run out and grab a pair but again thought they look great on her but maybe not me and when was the last time I wore cut offs anyway? I feel the same about destroyed denim, I love it but feel I might be past it.
So I agree if it looks good you can wear it. My Mom is 68 and looks amazing in overalls which I could never do.
I think age appropriate means more about what works for you, what makes sense for your life. And as you said what you look good in.
Fun post Garance, Thanks!
This is very reassuring Garance, as a member of the club. Age is just a number and I ‘m not trading in my miniskirts just yet. Plus tattoos at 40 look fresh not ages like the ones we got at 20 do. Oh my goodness, my 20s were the worst. I had no idea about myself. No clue. So happy to be where I am right now.
Analog House
http://theanaloghouse.blogspot.com/
J’ai un eu piercing près de la lèvre à… 34 ans ! C’était tard. Mais bien. L’ai-je rendu chic ? Peut-être même.
C’est incroyable comme à notre génération, les représentations qu’on avait de l’âge depuis des milliards d’année ont changé.
A 40 ans, tu as encore 50 ans à vivre. T’imagines si tu te dis maintenant que t’es vieille alors que t’es même pas à la moitié de ta vie ?
Et les 30 ans entre 60 et 90 ans, c’est des années invisibles ? Ca va pas être possible de les considérer comme du rien. Il y aura encore plein de choses à réussir.
40 ans ne représentent pas la moitié de la vie pour ceux qui connaîtront l’horreur d’atteindre 90 ans (nul besoin de developper) mais soyons lucides, bien plus de la moitié en état de forme. Pas de solution pour échapper à l’horrible fugacite des choses.
I agree with you- do whatever you want , as long as you’re having a great time . It’s the best feeling to be ” bien dans sa peau” and I’m finding that as I get older it’s easier to know what’s right for me and not worry about what others will think. At 50 I got a beautiful tattoo of a lotus flower on my arm, it’s kind of like permanent jewelry and with long sleeves doesn’t show. Then to cover up an old scar on my hand I got a pretty rose and butterfly that make me smile. You could have a discreet palm tree in a place that’s not always visible. Nice that you did the re piercing . I think if one has good taste, doesn’t overdo and is happy with oneself it’s great to have fun with these things at any age. And it’s so freeing to let go of overthinking, labeling, restrictions and enjoy our uniqueness.
It was a pleasure meeting you at your pop up cafe- had a lovely time ! Thank you!
Tattoos are definitely permanent accessories! I just had a really obnoxious conversation with a @#$%wad today who rudely asked why I have tattoos. What I really wanted to reply was “Why not?”, but the MIL was there so I was polite. The burden of being Canadian with a loopy MIL…
Well, I’m 72, yup, and my motto is “do what you want” as long as it doesn’t effect another…..dress each day how you are inspired to, make up, where it or not, just put on some red lipstick…….I must change my hair or have a new idea about how I want it to be about every 3 months…….thinking of getting a tattoo…or not………..life is short and very fragile, do what makes YOU happy now; just love your way through; Garance, love the new man in your life……..rock on………
Whether or not there is an “age appropriate” is a huge topic of discussion on lots of blogs for older, 50+, women. One blogger says “don’t look a twit.” I agree. The other says, “#IwillwearwhatIwant”. Don’t so much agree. You see the discussion in magazines, on TV, and elsewhere also. I don’t like the term “appropriate”. I do, however, think there are taste and style. I refuse to cover my, once beautiful, upper arms in this heat, but then I know not to wear a sloppy, tight t-shirt. If I wear a ‘shorter’ skirt, I know not to have it ridiculously short and to perhaps wear some opaque tights with it. We need to know what looks good on us, and what’s tasteful, but that takes being realistic and bothering to take the time to look at ourselves with a critical eye. Love the post.
http://www.lookforthewoman.com
I’m ambivalent about your post Anita. It’s like a part of me agrees wholeheartedly with you that the key is to be tasteful and to do your best to look great (work with your body to make it look the best). But then I question how we determine what is “tasteful”, are we letting society norms/ judgement determine what that is and thus restrain us? Taste is very subjective and like love is in the eye of the beholden.
We cannot agree with you more, Garance. You are gorgeous and happy 40th!
Fais tout ce que tu as envie côté look… Tant que tu as des amies franches! C’est très très vrai! Après, c’est là aussi que le bas blesse. Les amies franches sont rares.
J’approche les 60 et, Dieu merci, je ne m’habille plus comme à 20 ou à 30 ans. J’étais un vrai éteignoir dans mes jeunes années: des couleurs ternes, pas de maquillage, une indéfrisable parce que c’est pratique, des chaussures masculines parce que j’ai des grands pieds, des robes et des jupes sans structure, longueur midi. Bref, je faisais tout pour qu’on ne me voie pas.
Et puis petit à petit j’ai changé. En fait surtout depuis l’âge de 45 – 50 ans environ. Maintenant, plus rien ne me fait peur: ni les jupes un peu courtes, ni les paillettes, ni le doré, ni l’argenté, ni les talons, ni rien du tout en fait, tant que ça me plaît. J’ai appris à me maquiller, que ce soit la totale pour un soir (contouring, smokey, etc…) ou un coup d’éclat pour une simple journée.
Par contre, pas tentée par le tatouage définitif. Mais j’aime bien les décalcomanies-bijoux pour une occasion ou une autre.
Nous autres les femmes devons être fières: fières de nos vies, de notre travail, de nos carrières, de ce que nous sommes devenues, de ce que nous pouvons encore faire, du rôle que nous jouons. Nous devons être fières et marcher fièrement dans le monde, quelle que soit la manière dont nous sommes vêtues.
Bel après-midi
Hi Garance,
Sounds like J. Colby Smith did your piercing, he is the go-to-guy at NY Adorned, super nice, calm and talented. In fact, he re-pierced my ear and added another piercing earlier this week. I now have 12 elegant, modern piercings between my two ears, and I’m going to be 55 ion two months ; )
I’d done the 90’s multi-piercing thing and then last year right after my birthday I thought about how much I loved the delicate-multi earring look on other women. I admit, I thought about whether it was age-appropriate. Then I realized I didn’t have to keep the piercings forever if they weren’t working. And I have a youthful face and attitude, so why not go for it! I love my earrings. I never wear all 12 at once, mainly the 5 that need to stay in for now. They’re delicate, a little edgy and elegant. I can switch my look around, and since my hair is mid-length (I’m growing it out!) I can hide my piercings if I’m meeting a conservative client.
All this is to say that wholeheartedly agree with your theory – and it works at any age. Confidence, a youthful (not young) attitude and sense of adventure are free and available to all women.
Enjoy!
Piercing are fine- tattoos cost our British health care a fortune every year with people Having them removed. Tom was forever love in 2012 and in 2013 he was a scumbag!
Moi j’ai 22 ans et oui je passe mon temps à me préoccuper de l’avenir et j’ai envie d’avoir 40 ans car je me dis que ça doit être plus simple. Je suis en pleine rupture amoureuse très douloureuse et là je me dis que 22 ans c’est bien mais mes parents ont l’air bien plus zen et posés. Tout ce dont je rêve! Et quand je te vois Garance qui es tombée amoureuse à 40 ans, ça me fait un bien fou. Ma vie n’est pas finie !
Garance- stick with your piercings and put your drawings on paper not skin.
listen as long as you aren’t wearing bootie shorts at 60 I think you can wear whatever you want and that magazines are ridiculous with those “age issues”
http://hashtagliz.com
I work at a tattoo removal clinic. dont do it , Garance.! Why do you feel the need to showcase a flower or whatever on your body? You are just lovely the way you are. having worked at this clinic for years I can tell you it’s an addiction which at some point they address and end up in our clinic. Take David Beckham ,such a handsome young man that has destroyed his body with those wall to wall tattoos.
Si juste !
Je viens de me faire percer pour la 1ère fois le haut de l’oreille. J’ai presque 30 ans et accompagnée ma sœur qui en a 20.. :|
Sur le coup ça paraît ridicule, de type “nan-j’ai-toujours-20-ans”
et puis en fait, AMUSONS-NOUS !
If not now, then when? I actually got another ear piercing after my 40th birthday as well. It was a way to be a bit “daring” after going through a year of cancer treatments without ’embarrassing’ my then two school-aged children who had already endured a constantly nauseated mother with no hair.
As for tattoos, I don’t have any. Not yet. I’ve taken a page from my now adult sons, which is that the tattoo has to symbolize something truly meaningful to the wearer. One son got the symbol of the Berber people tattooed on the inside of his right forearm upon returning from his two amazing years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco.
As I know I’ve mentioned before, I am now part of the “60 and over” crowd, so I especially appreciated your comments on that! And, because of you, I went and put an earring into that extra hole pierced 20 years ago. Still works!
I turn 40 in December and am strongly considering getting my first tattoo to mark the occasion. I just said to my 13 year old daughter: I think I might be old enough, now, to get a tattoo. :)
I say follow your gut; try it, take a moment to ground yourself and think how you feel with that outfit/piercing or whatever, if you feel comfortable and it feels right then that’s the way to go. Second opinions are nice to get a new perspective, but nothing beats for me that sense of rightness that I get when something works for me. I have found though that my comfort level or maybe it’s just that I’ve change as I grown older. There are some clothes that I would have worn 10 years ago that I just don’t think are right for me now, even though other people my age might wear it. It could be that it’s too girly, or too short (too short an outfit on me without the cuteness aspect of youth turns trashy really fast in my eyes). I have changed so my clothes should change with that. and in those aspects that I haven’t change, well I’m ok wearing the same stuff I would have wormed 10 years ago. I think there should be congruence with the person’s personality, life stage needs and the style, not so much age and style. Btw- I don’t believe life stage is so correlated with age; a 25 year old married with kids has more in common with a 45 year old whose also married with kids than another 25 year old who is single and childless (discounting difference in cultural references and such). There’s also to take into account that young people wear clothes that are/could be “too mature” for their age, so in the end is it that the 30-40 something are dressing too young or that the late teens-20 something are dressing too old, and you meet in the middle.
As for the old age and over the heel concept, I agree with you. I think the coolest people are those with substance and their style is an authentic expression of their lifestyle and beliefs; it’s like objects/actions have a purpose, a reason for being even if it’s an emotional reason. These people have the confidence to be themselves, there’s a sense of not needing to “try” or proof anything, they just are. There are some young people that have at least the seed of that, but the people I have really seen embodied this are well into their 60s.
When I was in my early teens, I was under a lot of pressure to get my ears pierced from friends etc (and even a family member), which I didn’t because I didn’t want to draw attention to my ears because I wore large hearing aids. When you wear these things, the last thing you want is for anyone to look at them, especially at that age. So, no piercings for me — and, I don’t mind at all. It works with my overall personality and preference for necklaces and rings.
As for tattoos, I’d never consider it. I find some henna mehndi designs I’ve seen very beautiful, and wouldn’t mind trying out that at some point. The bonus would be that they fade away gracefully.
Encore un très bon article qui fait réfléchir sur le passage du temps sur les personnes. Chacun vit son âge différemment, certains sont d’éternels ado, d’autres sont nés vieux !
Du haut de mes dix-neuf ans, je me suis fait tatouer et percer il y a peu et, face aux réflexions du type “mais ton tatouage sera tout vilain quand tu auras la peau du bras qui pendouille !”, je réponds que la grand-mère toute fripée que je suis inévitablement amenée à devenir se remémorera avec joie et nostalgie de sa jeunesse un peu folle :)
Et puis, un piercing, ça coûte moins cher qu’un lifting !
Preach Garance! I’m still in my 20s, but look up to some of my coworkers who are in their 40s. One woman on the design team has the most incredible/beautiful tattoos. One day the talk switched to when she got the tattoos. Turns out she got her first one in her early 40s! How incredible?! She said if she had done it in her 20s, it would have been something totally silly that wouldn’t have lasted, but now she knows/is confident in what she wants and the result is AMAZING!
Yeah 40!!
Tu résumes tout cela de façon tellement fraiche.
Je m’approche aussi de la quarantaine et je me suis aperçue que mon style n’a pas tellement changé depuis mes 25ans… (sic).
Est-ce parce que j’ai toujours été faussement classique ou parce que je continue à m’habiller un peu jeune pour mon âge!? C’est la première fois que je me pose cette question en regardant les collections de cet hiver. Mais bon, je me suis dit que comme personne ne m’a jamais fait de réflexion et que mon style me plait bien je n’allais pas me prendre la tête. Quand on me regardera bizarrement dans le métro, si jamais cela arrive, j’aviserai.
Sinon j’ai offert il y a quelque années le piercing de ses oreilles à ma mère qui avait alors 50 ans! Très amusant de l’emmener dans la boutique de piercing que je connaissais, mais elle en a été super heureuse. Comme quoi, on se met les barrières que l’on veut bien s’imposer…
XOXO
Bonjour !
Je sais pas trop pourquoi je commente mais vue qu’on parle de tatouage et de piercing. Je voulais juste que vous sachiez que je vais me faire tatouer une de vos illustration ! Merci je le verrais tous les jours de ma vie ! :D C’est dingue je sais mais je les trouve raffinées donc en les mixant avec deux, trois éléments, ça fait un très jolie tattoo ^^
Et je trouve que 20, 30, 40… peut importe l’âge, le truc c’est de savoir conserver sa jeunesse malgré le temps qui passe. Et ne pas se faire influencer par ce qui est soit disant bien ou non à cette âge ci et là. Rien ne parait fou si c’est ce vous voulez. D’une “jeunette” de 20 ans ! Peace ^^
Haha! Welcome to your 40’s Garance! I constantly wonder if I’m too old for something, and then go the other way and say fuck it, I’m doing it! Por que no? My favorite saying. Remember it! ;)
Garance,
You are such a role model.
Please post more outfit pictures of yourself. I came to your blog because of you and I see so much content about other people. There used to be street style photos of you in the past but I cant find any, anymore !
Cheers to 40s !
Do it!
Ja!!! What a funny thing this is because I said to my sister few days ago that I wanted to get a tatoo for my 40´s birthday, like a kind of celebration for reaching healthy and kicking my midlife. Even my husband knows about my “naughty” plan for january 2017 and he thinks it is a great idea. For me tatoos always had to have a meaning, a real meaning and even if I had lovely 20s and 30s experiences, I was not convinced of marking my body at the beginning of those decades. Now that Im thankful for all the things life has given to me, I think it should be nice to leave a mark to remind me of what Ive got.
It’s an interesting subject, and one that I have such conflicting feelings about, especially now that I am past 30. I don’t want to be told that I *should* only wear pencil skirts, modest shifts and more subdued outfits just because someone (probably a man) decided it for me. At the same time, I have judged other women for wearing something I felt was not “flattering” on them (because of their age, body shape, what-have-you). But where does that judgment come from? The fashion industry, centuries of religious conservatism, the patriarchy– they’ve all instilled in us a certain ideal to conform to. We all like to talk about style, staying true to oneself, etc. on this blog, but if a 50 year old woman says “If I want to wear booty shorts and a crop top, I will, screw everyone else!” (and she has every right to), what would we say then?
Garance- you are a role model and if you want to do your tattoo go for it. However, keep it private as we don’t want our teenagers doing anything they will regret later.
People tell me I’m pretty atypical for my age. I’m 25 and I’m not dreading the following years at all. While some of my friends would love to delete their birthdays from my calendar, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me. You might say I’m happy to get old, because the passing of time is for me a great opportunity to learn, see, feel and love more. If it were for me, I’d spent my life experimenting with food, dance, places and customs. And also, I know I’ll be some sort of Iris Apfel when I get old – nope, I won’t take it down a notch at all (not even fashion-wise) :D
http://fashiongrinch.com/
Why a tattoo? Do those henna mehndi designs.
The sidenotes are ok to read on the phone like this. I like them more than those for which you have to scroll down :)
Ah ah t’as tellement raison ! Je me pose souvent, vaguement ces questions parce que moi j’ai 46 ans (WTF) :-). Je ne me prends pas trop la tête là dessus parce que tant que j’assume, je m’en fous. Je ne cherche pas à paraitre plus jeune juste à être moi. “Mieux vaut que l’on parle de toi, même en mal, que l’on n’en parle pas du tout !” (je ne sais plus qui disais ça mais ça me va ! Mais bon je n’ai pas envie de faire pitié non plus. ah ah)
http://www.mode9.fr
haha ouiiii ! Je viens de fêter 41 ans et c’est la première période de ma vie depuis que j’ai mes 12 ans où je reporte des jupes ou robes et systématiquement de longueur mi-cuisses, alors que je cachais mes jambes depuis des décennies (elles sont pas vraiment minces et plutôt musclées). C’est un coaching entre filles qui s’appelle le grain de folie qui m’a réveillée, et notamment le test d’essyage de fringues que vraiment tu ne porterais jamais qui m’a fait tilt, et leurs commentaires aussi. Incroyable. Et tu sais quoi, les gens sourient tous quand ils me voient entrer en mini jupe, que je les connaisse ou non. C’est dingue non ?
Mais sérieux, je ne me sens pas vieille, ya que les principes qui peuvent décréter qui est vieux selon un âge non ?
Et tu crois qu’Iris elle se sent ultra méga vieille ? elle a 55 ans de plus que moi, ca donne l’espoir et ouvre tous les horizons… :D
I think you are free to do whatever you want. You really don’t have to answer to anyone. I too am 41 but have children and I don’t care what anyone says we have to grow up and be a good role model. I might go wild if I didn’t have all these responsibilities.
Oh! a tattoo at 40, hanging on to youth then?
Bravo, Garance, you GO girl of 40s !!!! I started wearing mini skirts a lot after I turned 40 because I did not realize I look great in them until then, jajaja, so much for age appropriate !!! In fact, women know themselves and what look good on them better after 40 after all the errors and trials in their younger years. I say DON’T dress for your age, dress for your taste, for your style, for your personality !!! As long as you look and feel great in them, who cares what others think ???
I think we all have moments in our life when we consider tattos and piercings very cool and other times, when we see them…just too common and maybe out of style. Obviously, I got both my tattoo and my piercing at a moment, when I thought it is sooo cool. But they can easily be hidden, for moments, when I do not consider them that cool.
By the way, this sentence: “Aaaaaah, dear age 20. The age when you can do absolutely anything your heart desires and have the most fun ever, but instead you spend your time stressing about the future, I can’t say I miss you much.”…it so cool, it just made my day!
I don’t care for tattoos…on certain people they look great but as a general rule, I’m not a fan. And, I’m not a fan of multiple piercings…again, they look great on some people but others look like they’re trying too hard. That being said, if you like them, GO FOR IT! One thing about being older – I’m in my 50s – is that you know that a new piercing, tattoo, haircut, outfit won’t change your life so you don’t have unrealistic expectations on what acquiring those might mean for you personally.
Bonjour Garance, cette semaine j’étais assise dans la classe de mon petit garçon qui est en 4e année du primaire pour la rencontre parents, je regardais autours de moi eh oui; je vieillis c’est vraiment à ce moment que je le réalise. J’ai 37 ans et je n’ai plus la même peau qu’avant je dirais que ça fait un peu peur en même temps…Pour ma part j’ai 1 seul tatouage et je me l’ai fait faire quand j’avais vingt ans à cause de l’influence d’un gars…Il n’est pas super (je parle du tattoo) c’est en fait un genre de tribale qui ne veut rien dire mais en réalité ça ressemble au bonhomme Pringle sur la boîte de croustille donc pas du tout fabuleux!!! Alors à mon avis plus on vieillit peut-être qu’on est plus con mais au moins on a le temps d’y penser…
Great blog post! As a woman over 50 who never follows the traditions nor the expected- defining myself by who I am and want to be- not by my age- I think you nailed it here!!!
J’ai 70 ans ! (grrrrr !) mais j’ai la chance d’avoir toujours le poids que j’avais à 20 ans en mangeant tout ce dont j’ai envie…mais le corps change de toute façon et même si les épaules et le haut des bras restent encore assez fermes c’est dans le creux du coude où cela commence à faire de tous petits plis…donc j’évite maintenant les vêtements sans manche – c’est cette partie de mon corps qui me gêne le plus ! parce que faisant du sport je ne suis pas complexée par mon corps.
Surtout PAS de tatouage ! vous le regretterez dans 30 ans ! je vois des femmes d’un certain âge avec des tatouages sur une peau qui est tâchée ou ridée…c’est vraiment moche ! ce tatouage attire le regard sur une peau qui n’est plus belle ! il y en a une qui m’a avoué dernièrement qu’elle regrettait beaucoup de s’être faite tatouer à 50 ans…et pour ma part je trouve cela assez commun…pardon !
Quant aux vêtements on peut faire preuve d’originalité mais surtout ne pas copier les minettes afin de ne pas tomber dans la vulgarité…et puis ensuite à 70 ans on devient sage extérieurement mais dans la tête on a toujours 20 ans !
Pour finir : chacun (e) est libre de faire ce qu’il veut !
Et puis Garance vous avez 30 ans de jeunesse encore devant vous car c’est à 70 ans que beaucoup de petites choses commencent à vraiment changer…Profitez !
Trop cool de te lire parce que a mes presque 42 ans je viens de faire 2 piercings a l’oreille après des années a en vouloir et a me dire que peut-.être c’était un peut trop tard :-/
Pour les tatouages j’en est 3 assez petits et discrets depuis plus de 15 ans ;-)
Vas-y!
Many in society need to change their attitude that as a woman to age is to fail. Some women appear to believe that themselves. They give up and become invisible by dressing in what they think are age appropriate clothes which are often bland and unflattering.
Women regardless of their age who dress to suit their individual taste, body shape and lifestyle look great because they are feeling confident and comfortable in themselves.
Nearly a year ago now, I wrote about what I’ve learned from Charlotte Rampling and being true to your own personal style as it evolves over the years. We’re lucky as women in their forties today that we don’t have the same societal expectations on us that our mothers did. It’s a better time than ever to age gracefully and in tune with your own ideas about dressing your age.
http://www.beastofstyle.com
Im ahead of you in the 50’s club and I can’t agree more ! I think you are being a good role model when you are your true authentic self!
Tattoos–enough already! Skin is beautiful! I saw a pretty young woman the other day wearing cutoff shorts. She had a “scissor” tattoo on each thigh. It made me wonder: Is she a seamstress? Oh yes, and the guy at the beach with the faces of the band Kiss tattooed on his back. My God, just hideous! Most of the time, they’re just plain ugly and everyone has them. Be an original (Garance! You are!): Don’t get one.
In my culture (Japan) people still tend to think being young is better and more attractive. Well, I am living in the U.S.A now so I am free from that myth. Since I was young I have always been thinking: “I would never hide my age even at 40’s, 50’s…” but my belief is falling apart.. I will turn 40 in December and have a bitter feeling a little bit… I enjoyed reading this article, and it encourages to turn 40. Yes, there are many beautiful women at 50,60 or over including my grandma who is 98 years old. She is chic and still care how she looks so I want to follow her. I should be exited to be 40 and do whatever I want to enjoy my life!
Lovely inspirational ramblings, Garance. It’s so nice to know you’re embracing this next chapter of your life! Inspiring me to do so as well. Thank you
A palm tree? Really?! Darling isnt’t a bit too common? ;)
Plus les années passent (43 ans) mieux je me sens… l’important n’est pas ce qu’on porte ou ce qu’on fait, mais comment on l’assume. Et l’âge permet d’avoir ce recul sur soi qui rend les choses plus simples, plus décomplexées et souvent donc beaucoup plus amusantes.
Have fun et bon weekd-end !
Read your post and as always you are your own person and rightly so. First I thought – Piercings and tattoos are not really a French thing. Of course like me ( American by birth) you too are only French by birth. Your Dad is Italian and your Mom- Algerian. Even your birth name is not French. Have fun and do whatever you feel like doing.
Absolutely loved reading this post! Age is just a number and all that matters is how you feel inside!
http://fashion-soup.com/
Ton poste est très drôle et libérateur :)
Par contre le palmier, je désapprouve !!
Vive la liberté de mettre et de faire ce que l’on veut quelque soit notre âge !
Christine
Hello from vacation in Poland! I am in my mid-thirties and I live in NYC, it’s funny though whenever I come to Poland I see two fashion tendencies on the street and in TV: women who desperately want to look crazy young and of course the opposite result is achieve and women who look young and are wearing relics from the closets of their ancestors. Luckily, on the streets of Warsaw, Cracow etc. there are so many inspiring fashion gurus! Thanks for your article as always!
I like the idea of not fitting yourself into “what goes for your age bracket”. the only thing that matters is what makes you happy, and i believe that once you understand your age you can never go overboard. I had a tattoo from when i was 18 years old, only years later i found out it was what you would call a “tramp stamp”. Would you want to have a “tramp stamp” on you when you are 30? Hmmm…So, this year, being 33 years old, i had it covered with something much more artistic and that truly means something to me. It’s on the back, so you can only see it at the beach, i am pretty sure it won’t hurt my chances of employment. And it makes me happy. So, a piercing in your ear sounds pretty mild to me :)
Some people asked me what will i tell my future kids about it? Well, I hope i will have kids that will understand balance. And after all, I think there are much worse things you can tell about a person than “he/she has a tattoo”
Justement Garance, pourquoi tu ne fais pas une rubrique spéciale, où on pourra voir des super look sur des femmes de 50, 60 ans et plus, avec des conseils maquillages etc…
Oh non pas de tatouages permanent Garance
Makes me think of the quote you posted yesterday, bout the fact that in our 20s we waste our time worrying about the future. Oh how i’d wish to be as relaxed as you are today and just go with the flow… Instead, I keep myself from getting a tattoo because I just see myself old, looking like a persimmon, with the ink melting… And that’s not the only horror story I tell myself everyday :(.
-maria
http://thestoryletters.com/
I am a little confused on this one. One one hand it’s good to stay young and fashionable, but there comes a time in all our lives where certain things just don’t work anymore. I have to say I love the lady that dresses and behaves classy. as for the piercing- fine in moderation. Tattoos- honestly I feel past a certain age they rather take from your appearance. Like a lot of us you are now middle aged and I would re- think that change. I used to work at a lager corporation and my boss never hired anyone with visible tattoos. Accept your age and be happy.
Oh, earrings! After obsessing about them for years I finally (sorry, mom… sorry, complexes…) got my ears pierced for the first time at 46. And I love it!
I also noticed that you have been writing about tattoos sooooooo much lately. Go ahead. Do it. I’m sure it will look great!!!
Savoir s’habiller en harmonie avec soi-même est une forme d’art. C’est un peu comme l’élégance. Certaines femmes arrivent à être élégantes en jean et en tee-shirt ou même toute nues. L’âge est un accessoire à part entière et les femmes qui arrivent à bien le porter sont splendides! Je les admire! j’espère un jour apprendre aussi. Je pense que c’est très subtil, tout est dans les détails. Personnellement je trouve qu’à partir du moment où on commence à se poser des questions du genre “est-ce que je peux encore me permettre..” il est temps de changer, de passer à autre chose, on se sent infiniment mieux quand cette question ne se pose plus. Personnellement, j’ai changé mes mini-jupes fleuries pour des élégantes jupes crayons à 40 ans, même si j’ai gardé mes jambes de 18 ans.
C’est drôle ce post, j’ai eu 44 ans en juillet et figure toi que j’ai très très envie de me faire deux trous supplémentaires à l’oreille gauche, ben oui je trouve que mes oreilles ne sont pas assez rock and roll… J’hésite, il paraît que ça peut faire mal!
Garance, sleep on it for one month… you can get tattoo any time you want anyway, doesn’t have to be for your 40th birthday. Then you will know whether to tattoo or no to tattoo… :) have fun on your birthday. Stay beautiful!
Why in the World would you want to ruin your lovely skin with a stamp on it? perhaps you are having a midlife crisis. Just take your time with this one. It takes from your style.
Garance,
My boss saw one of my coworkers had a tattoo that she so proudly presented and no kidding she was overseen on every promotion . I am sure he did this because with a promotion she would have had more interaction with the clients. In lots of work places tattoos are frowned upon. I know you have nobody to answer to – no boss, husband, kids – be careful on this one. Take your time and be really sure you want it. Till death us do part on that one!!!
When talking to the veterinarians about whether Petey the noisy terrier could handle a fairly invasive surgery at his age of 12 1/2, their response was “Age is not a disease.” I told them I was going to adopt that as my personal mantra!
Wait for a little while before getting a tattoo, Garance, see how you feel about it in 6 months or a year. Everyone and his dog have tattoos and they are usually ugly and without much meaning and just scattered about. Bare skin is much more beautiful and seductive-looking. I wonder, does Chris have a tattoo?
Ah ah! Tu tombes à pic avec cet article. Je prends 40 ans demain et moi non plus, je ne veux pas être cantonnée dans une tranche d’âge. On fait ce qu’on veut! Alors pas de tatouage palmier pour moi mais j’ai plein d’autres idées en tête!
http://ladiesandcroissants.blogspot.fr/
Garance,
Love how honest your posts are. However, do disagree with some of your posts. Dressing age appropriately does not mean we dress in dull old fashioned clothes. I am 43 and I don’t wear shorts showing half my butt or too short skirts don’t do it for me anymore. Tattoos- am not a fan and especially on the older lady! Garance, when you wear a skirt sit before you leave the house and if it’s good at home you will be good in public. Visible undies are not a must at interviews!!!
I have been talking for a long time about getting a tattoo and dying my hair pink and everyone said I was crazy and I should have done that when I was “younger” (I’m barely 30 so….).
But I feel like it’s even better to do when you are older. I’m not making impulsive decisions now… I’ve thought a lot about who I want to be and who I don’t want to be. We work in the fashion industry where tattoos and pink hair aren’t an issue when hiring, so why not!? I dyed my hair pink, and got my first tattoo and haven’t regretted it for a second. In fact, all those people who said I was nuts are talking about tattoos now. And I’m thinking about what my next one will be… cause they are addicting.
Live how you want to live!
People do judge and somehow put you in a box if you have body art. Not right, but a fact of life. At my work place it’s not tolerated so have never even thought about. Garance, I am not sure it would suit you.
Um, I’m 46, and I’m a grown-up-girl and nothing wrong with that. Boring people love to put labels where they should not– I will do my own labeling, thank you very much! No husband (I am not a spinster), no babies (I am not pathetic), in fact, I am living the dream– my own! High-five to piercings and this post!
Perhaps I read this too quickly and didn’t see the sarcasm here… Don’t do something because your girlfriends think it’s what you should do! You may have lots of similarities, but you’re not the same person. Do it because it’s right for you. My girlfriends would never do what I’ve done, and they’ve missed out on living in a 100-year-old ranch house; landing on an aircraft carrier; “baby-sitting” the most famous female rockstar of the 70s/80s; running a public company…. In defense of my girlfriends, I will say they wouldn’t have been kidnapped by the Honduran Military Commandos. A dumb, stupid, what did I think was going to happen, blessed to still be here kind of thing….
Well, now you have to post a photo of Bella’s beautiful piercings! Want to see! Agreed, though. I am over 40 now, too, and I feel it’s all about having fun and doing what works best for your body type and spirit! Bisous!
Yay, I am turning 40 next year and will follow your advice from A to Z! Actually, I have a friend who is over 60 (yes, she’s still alive) and I want to be like her when I grow up. And, frankly speaking, if someone offered me a chance to be 20 again, I would start screaming and kicking and begging not to. My life really began after 30 – I gave up work that paid a lot, but was making me utterly unhappy and sick (yes, sick sick), I found so many fun things to do – yoga, running, hiking in the mountains. I look better than when I was 20. I like myself much more. I have a great family of my own. I travel a lot. And, deep in my heart, I have always suspected that I could wear whatever I liked. And, hey, if I ever want a tatoo, I will get it (or maybe not, ’cause am scared of needles – nobody’s perfect).
Suis je la seule que la phrase “En revanche, mes trois trous, je les ai toujours adorés et utilisés” à mise en joie ?!
L’esprit Garance c’est plutôt une classe singuliere néanmoins actuelle mais loin des tatouages, non?
Barbara
Hmmmm-Meh!
I agree and disagree…the problem with not being sure about what to wear in your 40’s is that one is NEVER sure. I am 44 and still think I can wear anything and for the most part it’s true UNTIL I come across something I shouldn’t have put on that day and regret it for every minute that I have it on thinking I am too old for it. I love the don’t care attitude but it only works if the outfit suits, and if it suits then one will feel good whatever the age.
The bottom line is that if you are in an outfit and you feel that people are staring…not in a good way….don’t put it on again!
Happy 40’s!
I so agree that we need to “rethink” the portrayal of what it means to get older – the fashion world putting categories on older women and not value them – but my experience is that most older women don’t give a sh**. We know who we are. We dress dress for comfort and authenticity. We don’t care what others think about it. And we wouldn’t go back a day in age for all the bags in Barneys. It would help younger women, however, to know that the best is definitely yet to come.
Salut Garance,
Je ne pense pas qu’il y ai une âge pour porter ou non des vêtements. Du moment que tu es bien dans tes habits, qu’ils te mettent en avant. Pourquoi devrions nous nous habiller en mamie à 70 ans. Je suis CONTRE.
Tu es magnifique à 40 ans, et pour moi c’est le plus bel âge ! La femme s’affirme et sûre d’elle ! SUPERBE !
Bisous
http://www.atode.fr
Love this so much – I am 100% in agreement! Thank you XO
Garance I love this so much, thank you so so so much for having such an awesome, fresh, honest and positive contribution to the fashion and blogging world.
Since my 20’s i’ve always dreaded this aging bucket, and for some reason the media, social pressure and fashion has always made me feel like 40 makes you obsolete and practically dead :(
Despite our mortality being an absolute fact of life, I dread on it all the time and fear it.
But then I look at someone, as you mentioned, like Jane Fonda, Iris Apfel and etc, and suddenly 30’s 40’s seem like such a start in life, rather than close to an end.
Reading your blog always puts a smile on my face and I dream of the day I could meet you and your team just to have a cup of coffee, discuss tech, social things and just say hi. High five to you all. <3
jajajajaja first of all this is hilarious! I’m 36 going on 37 next December and last year when I was living in Miami, I also had a moment where I actually considered a tattoo and yes I also thought of a PALM TREE! I thought I was having an early midlife crisis.
Second, magazine articles also piss me off! Specially Harper’s Bazaar online with their ridiculous articles about all the things you can’t wear after 30 (sneakers with sun dresses, overalls, bright lipstick… hello!) and about all the things you should already master and be sure of by the time you hit 30 (you don’t know which flower is your signature flower? shame on you!).
So, I’m rebelling too!
xoxo
Maria Cristina Acquaroni
Bonjour Garance,
As tu déjà réfléchi à écrire un article sur les bons investissements mode? À chaque saison, nous les fashionistas fauchées et ne travaillant pas dans la mode, sommes frustrées par l’augmentation des prix de produits de luxe. C’est là qu’interviennent les marques grands publics tels que Zara et H&M qui proposent des copies des articles vus sur les podiums à des prix attractifs, des marques qui se veulent être la solution à mes besoins mode. Mais voila, lorsqu’on aime la mode, acheter une copie c’est comme manger une crêpe au faux Nutella ?!? Bref un sacrilège. D’autres marques (scandinaves) telles que & Other Stories ou COS, proposent des pièces plus originales de qualité plutôt bonne, mais ce n’est pas toujours facile d’y trouver la pièce rêvée et puis les scandinaves ont parfois un sens de la mode qui me dépasse…
il ne me reste plus qu’à travailler très dur pour pouvoir casser ma tire lire et m’offrir quelques pièces bien choisies, mais lesquelles ?
Depuis quelques années, j’ai le sentiment que les marques de luxe proposent 2 types de pièces:
– les iconiques: celles qui représentent la collection en question, celles qui sont l’étendard de la marque, généralement portées par toutes les blogueses modes et qui se démodent la saison d’après
– les intemporelles: en d’autres termes, les bons investissements, les pièces qui peuvent être remises saison après saison et dont la qualité saute aux yeux et en fait une belle pièce en toute circonstance.
Ce sont ces dernières que je recherche car elles représentent un investissement sage et peuvent même parfois se laisser solder (trop hâte). Mais à force d’acheter des classiques (marinières, robes noires, bottes Céline parfaites, cabas extrêmement bien coupé…) j’ai le sentiment que mon dressing devient un peu borring.
C’est alors que j’ai adopté une autre stratégie: fonctionner au coup de cœur, mais attention un coup de cœur raisonné! Je m’explique, l’idée c’est Bien entendu d’éviter les pièces iconiques (celles qui ne survivent pas à leur saison: les mocassins à fourrure de Gucci, les bottes militaires mi mollets Isabel Marrant…) j’évite aussi les grands classiques (car je les aies! Et qu au bout de la 50eme petite robe noire j’avoue que l’achat devient moins kiffant) et j’essaie de m’écouter un plus en allant vers les pièces qui m’évoquent quelque chose, celles qui suscitent un souvenir, une idée, une image ou un idéal. Cela parrait invraisemblable mais c’est possible car aujourd’hui, grâce aux médias, je me retrouve constamment entourée d’images qui stimulent mon imagination. C’est devenu très facile pour des non créatifs de trouver de l’inspiration et de se laisser bercer par la beauté de certaines images vues sur tumblr, Instagram, etc. ou sur des magazines.
Ma méthode n’est pas encore complètement rodée mais je sens que je touche un certain équilibre du doigt et je dirais que l’âge et l’expérience n’y sont pas pour rien.
Ce qui me mène à autre question: y a t il un âge pour trouver son style ? Ou on d’autres termes à quel moment pouvons-nous affirmer avoir trouver son style ?
J’aimerais bcp avoir ton avis sur la question !
Merci pour tes merveilleux articles
Leila
Welcome to the club…happy living!
I think as you get older (and I am getting older) that having dignity in style, behaviour, and dress in important. You have a role to play in setting a good example. And you should let young people be young. You had your turn and now it’s theirs. If all the older people start acting young (don’t get me started on grown men on skateboards) what are the young to do?
But having dignity is just being more chic as far as I am concerned. A lot of young fashion is not chic. It’s more mixed up and crazy. And that’s fine for a while.
Mind you, there are always exceptions to these rules. Anna della Russo is one. But she is unique and has a special role to play. Not everyone could pull that off.
Got my first tattoo at 40… Since I was very young I had wanted one (it was the Popeye thing) 17 years on I have 2 more and I love them!!!
Ps… I waited till I was older just in case I had a professional career .. I didn’t!!!!