Am I too old for this length shorts?

[Anonymous]

Self-esteem is a good thing, but people typically do show their age. A 40+ woman may be a nice-looking 40+ woman, but I do think that "fresh and lovely" (especially "fresh") needs to be reserved for the young. The fact that age takes a visible toll is routinely denied because it has become popular for women try to stretch the bounds of their carefree young adulthood and fertility, with some success, of course, but it is not reasonable to say that nothing relevant to attractiveness has been lost by middle age. Some middle-aged women may be more fit than they themselves had been in their youth, but that still leaves them a little dried up. So... their wardrobes may appropriately reveal their still-pretty figures, but it remains my opinion that they should be judicious about revealing their skin. It may indeed be well-preserved and generally inoffensive, but it can't be actually pretty to the extent that biologically-determined attractiveness advertises youth and fertility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"There's a season for everything. Have the grace to accept when yours passes. "
Of course, this is entirely dependent on the person. Your sweeping generalizations that someone is merely well-preserved as opposed to fresh and lovely just b/c the person is some arbitrary age is ignorant and a little offensive. The notion that someone at 40 is not -or is incapable of being- fresh and lovely simply b/c of her age is really awful.

I agree.

I feel very sorry for this dried up prune of a woman. If madam is married I feel even worse for her husband. Sounds like she prefers to keep the lights out at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are nice shorts for the appropriate situation. The outfit with the button down shirt is good for someone in their thirties who is fit. Perhaps a rule of thumb should be if you can wear an 8 or less with room to eat then it's OK. Any larger and you should wear longer shorts. No wife beater or cammie unless you are at/on a beach and then wear the shirt open over it.

Why not a wife beater/cammie? It gets so hot in DC in the summer....

It does indeed get hot over the summer here, but middle-aged lady skin isn't anything to look at, no matter how fit the lady may be. I guess I'd suggest covering up after, say, 40.

Tis a pity for some that their 40s are really their 80s.

My FIL, who is normally not worth quoting, like to say that "de Nile" is not just a river in Egypt.

I guess if I had flabby, cellulitey, stretch-marked, untoned thighs, I would hide them, too. I'm in my mid 40s in great shape with bronze good-looking thighs that I still show off.

Somehow I don't believe you look as good as you seem to think you do!

[Anonymous]

Plus, bronze tans aren't really very sophisticated these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Self-esteem is a good thing, but people typically do show their age. A 40+ woman may be a nice-looking 40+ woman, but I do think that "fresh and lovely" (especially "fresh") needs to be reserved for the young. The fact that age takes a visible toll is routinely denied because it has become popular for women try to stretch the bounds of their carefree young adulthood and fertility, with some success, of course, but it is not reasonable to say that nothing relevant to attractiveness has been lost by middle age. Some middle-aged women may be more fit than they themselves had been in their youth, but that still leaves them a little dried up. So... their wardrobes may appropriately reveal their still-pretty figures, but it remains my opinion that they should be judicious about revealing their skin. It may indeed be well-preserved and generally inoffensive, but it can't be actually pretty to the extent that biologically-determined attractiveness advertises youth and fertility.

I have to admit that this PP has it right. I'm 38, still fit, size 6, 5'10 and 140 lbs, and legs are best asset. In my 20's I would have worn the 3-inch J Crew shorts. And now in my late 30's, despite being toned, no cellulite or varicose veins, the shorts would still fit, but they just don't look quite right on me anymore. Add a few inches to the length, and it's a much better picture.

[zumbamama]

I don't care if an 80 yr old woman is wearing mid thigh shorts. If it's 90 degrees outside, I'd want to be comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Plus, bronze tans aren't really very sophisticated these days.

And narrow minded too, who said anything about a tan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"There's a season for everything. Have the grace to accept when yours passes. "
Of course, this is entirely dependent on the person. Your sweeping generalizations that someone is merely well-preserved as opposed to fresh and lovely just b/c the person is some arbitrary age is ignorant and a little offensive. The notion that someone at 40 is not -or is incapable of being- fresh and lovely simply b/c of her age is really awful.

I agree.

I feel very sorry for this dried up prune of a woman. If madam is married I feel even worse for her husband. Sounds like she prefers to keep the lights out at night.

Not there yet, thanks. I do hope the women of my generation will be less susceptible to the old Boomer pep talk of "age is just a state of mind" and more realistic in judging when they'll benefit from softer light and a little more fabric.

[Anonymous]

I stopped wearing shorts of any length a few years ago. I'm 36 now, but I'm bigger -size 14 - so clearly nobody would want to see me in shorts. But aside from my size, I don't actually have very many occasions where shorts seem appropriate anymore, especially now that capris are available. Or, maybe I'm just deluding myself because I can't wear shorts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I stopped wearing shorts of any length a few years ago. I'm 36 now, but I'm bigger -size 14 - so clearly nobody would want to see me in shorts. But aside from my size, I don't actually have very many occasions where shorts seem appropriate anymore, especially now that capris are available. Or, maybe I'm just deluding myself because I can't wear shorts.

You're not deluding yourself- shorts are for backyard BBQs, tourists snapping photos of escalators, and little else. I agree that for adult women, capris are a better option for anything that involves urban public places.

[Anonymous]

As a 40 year old woman I find this conversation very relevant. I definitely give more thought to whether a certain something is "age appropriate", but I also don't think that women after 40 have to sartorially step aside so to speak. As someone who gets a lot of pleasure from following fashion and dressing up, I would definitely not be happy if I was relegated only to Chicos or Talbots Needless to say, 40+ year old women can be beautiful, glamorous, and fashionable. Just look at the actresses in that age group (e.g. Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Salma Hayek, Hallie Berry...) I wear shorts and sleaveless and certainly don't think I am dressing too young. I dislike wearing things that are too tight because I have lot more bulges than I used to even though I am in pretty good shape. I think you need to be somewhat prudent about what works for your body, but there are no hard and fast rules. The things I would never wear (exposed midriffs and exposed bra straps, and super short skirts or shorts) probably go for a lot of people no matter what there age.

By the way, OP the shorts look great, if you have the legs go for it!

[Anonymous]

PP - well said! Agree 100%.

[Anonymous]

I wear what I want. I could care less what others think. With that said, I'm not 100% comforatble with my bulges being exposed, but I do wear shorts, tanks and a few things from the juniors department that I like. When I see an 80 year old woman wearing shorts, I don't cringe...I think it is great that she feels comfortable in her skin...even if it is a little dried up. Now...a man wearing a wife beater or going shirtless with a huge belly...now that is just WRONG!!!

OP- the shorts aren't that short, they don't scream teen, and if you like them, think you look fine in the, then buy them. Life is way too short to worry about what other people think about what you should or shouldn't wear.

[Anonymous]

Fuck it. Wear 'em.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped wearing shorts of any length a few years ago. I'm 36 now, but I'm bigger -size 14 - so clearly nobody would want to see me in shorts. But aside from my size, I don't actually have very many occasions where shorts seem appropriate anymore, especially now that capris are available. Or, maybe I'm just deluding myself because I can't wear shorts.

You're not deluding yourself- shorts are for backyard BBQs, tourists snapping photos of escalators, and little else. I agree that for adult women, capris are a better option for anything that involves urban public places.

\


Are you kidding? You sound very conservative and prudish. I agree that it's not so fashionable to wander around the city in shorts, but there are a lot of informal occasions where shorts would be perfectly acceptable. I'm sure they look better than the ankle length skirts it sounds like you might prefer.