I’m not going to be Iris Apfel
17 Sep 2012
Iris Apfel, 90, and still looking amazing
I bought new sunglasses today and in the process I had a shocking revelation.
At no time soon, am I going to come close to being Iris Apfel.
That is to say, I tried on some frames approximately 50% of the scale of those pictured above and rejected them immediately they made contact with my face. ‘But they are so ‘IN’ said the optometrist. ‘I have a pair like that’. I re-shelved them as fast as I had picked them up. Essentially I am a chicken. I have my moments of ‘look at me’ but this was not one of them. I came away with modest, tortoiseshell, ordinary sized frames. Before you give up on my completely, I painted my nails blue this afternoon. OPI. Hardcore bright blue. That will last for two days, till I catch myself and it will be gone. (I know, it’s just blue. And it is absolutely nothing to do with the Cutex Blue Opal we used to wear at school.)
Fashion daring, I do not possess. Fantastic at 90? It is debatable whether I will ever get there. I mean, I freak out if I am wearing too much print. By too much, I mean, any, at all.
I will however, have my own hair. I can, at least, whether through sheer laziness, or aversion to the endless wasted time at the hairdresser, claim to have my natural hair colour. All the grey achieve through hard work and ageing. Just pray that when I get my eyes tested on Wednesday that I don’t need reading glasses, or else I shall have to choose ghastly boring reading glasses and disappoint myself all over again.
Are you courageous and fashion daring? Tell me your tricks.
Sep 20, 2012 @ 12:33:41
Well, you know you are my going grey guru. *humbly bows to you*
Some days I am more daring than others. I think I am getting more daring as I age. I spent too much of my youth (clearly I am getting on if I say youth) worrying about what people might say or think. I know what clothes I like, I know what styles suit me and I just go with it.
If it makes me feel good then I’m a happy camper. Now, I need to go look for that exact nail polish.
Sep 23, 2012 @ 14:07:08
Thank you *blushes*
I too, wasted a lot of time caring what people thought. I try not to waste that time any more.
This week I wore blue nail polish – I know, blue! And it was great.
I hope to embrace print and colour before too long. Perhaps when I turn 40.
Sep 18, 2012 @ 07:15:47
Well no. Clearly not! But I think having your own hair is courageous and daring and all that. So when I get up my courage I will come to you for advice and a push.
Those huge frames are hideous. I am pretty sure I will like the ones you chose a whole lot more.
Michelle
Sep 19, 2012 @ 11:03:28
I am definitely not. Every time I have bought something daring I have ended up not wearing it! So now I don’t try anymore and accept that daring is just not me. Add to that concerns about not being ‘mutton dressed up as lamb’ and you can see why i go for safe options now.
I do admire your natural hair. Have toyed with the idea but not got quite there yet – everytime the grey shows I scuccumb to colouring again. Just cannot see myself as grey yet. Maybe that means that I am seeing myself younger than I am or just that I think grey does not go with my skin. Not sure. Have you ever colored or did you just go grey gracefully from the start?
Sep 23, 2012 @ 14:04:51
Renate, you always look lovely and well put together, something about being European I think :)
I used to colour my hair all the time, from about 16. Eventually, in 2008 I got really sick of the two-toned hair, when I just wasn’t prepared to invest the time in the up keep. I used to colour it everything from bright henna red through to chocolate brown.
I saw a photo of me on a beach in Tasmania in 2008. Great photo (thanks Robert) and the sea air was making my hair wild, but it was distinctly two colours. That was it for me. I just stopped. I got it cut quite short and then just grew it out.
Courage. You will find the right solution for you. You need a hairdresser who understands you. That helps.
Sep 23, 2012 @ 13:59:55
My own hair is actually pretty easy. I was over the time in the salon, the expense, the demands colouring makes.
I am lucky that it is curly, makes it simpler :)
I ended up with the perfect sunglasses for me, that was all that matters in the end. x