Deck the halls with boughs of parties. I’m not sure what’s doing by you, but over here in the best city on Earth at the most beautiful time of the year, the holidays are in full fa la la, and so are the soirees.
I, for one, am grateful to be going out again. In this cuckoo world, a chance to connect and celebrate another day with your homies feels essential, as the alternative would be an endless loop of fake Housewives and hot tea while under the duvet.
And though my dance card is healthy, it’s not exhaustive. But from the look of my closet, you’d think I have an event every night. In honor of what I’ll call anticipatory party hopping, I’ve been stockpiling sequins. Because the older I get, the more I want to go over the top while channeling my mother’s mother, who truly knew how to dress up. She owned a clothing store and loved gin and Kent cigarettes. She also was a fan of a sparkly top, an animal print, and feathers. Lots and lots of feathers.
As I continue this journey of unapologetic living, I can’t help but think about what to wear, particularly at party time.
With my silo of sequins in tow, it occurred to me that as women get older, there are two common scenarios that both give the middle finger to traditional notions of beauty. The first is I am going natural. That could mean going grey, choosing to stop wearing eye makeup, or dressing in clothes that no longer feel right. The other is I am going full-tilt glam. As a younger woman, I remember wondering why older women liked looking so “jazzy.” What was up with all that eyeshadow and bugle beads and fur? I can clearly remember sitting in the back seat of my dad’s car with my grandmother, nuzzling into her fur coat and delighting in its luxe yumminess. Faux fur is more my zone now, but you get the picture. From that time on, I knew that glam is my aspirational jam. And though every scenario of how to dress and look like a woman over 50 is on the table, in my own experience, the above two feel closest to home.
I’ll be the first to admit there are things that no longer feel right to me. Too much boob is a no (but I love it on Joan and Jackie above). Too much skin of any kind? Also, a no. As for makeup, I still love it, but the way I apply it is a bit different. For instance, easing up on things like concealer and powder helps keep it all smooth, but I’m on board for emerald green sparkly shadow. But I would sooner plummet to my death than not take off my makeup at night. The days of sleeping in the night before’s look and rocking it the morning after? Not for me. But I digress.
Because as I thought about holiday dressing and festive fashion, my usual distaste for dressing up dissipated. Suddenly, I looked forward to bringing on the flair. Like piling on the jewelry and doing that sparkly eye or crimson lip. Or rocking a ton of lame, lurex, or a loud print that was anything but basic black, which I still love for every day, but lately, nighttime feels like the right time for something more exciting.
And that’s when it hit me. Being over 50 is a time of assessment. Of your life. Of your work. And of how you redefine your femininity if you identify as such. For me, the next phase of my femininity feels loud and proud. It has little to do with traditional notions of sexiness, and there’s not a single coquette vibe in sight. Right now, my femininity is about embracing my desire to be confident, strong, and totally glamorous when the occasion feels right. Call it dopamine dressing or peacocking, or anything you want. I’m feeling the need for sheen, so I’ve dipped into the repository of my referential fashion brain and decided that this holiday season, the category is Beebe meets Alexis meets wacky witch, aka what I remember glamour to be that stuck with me from my youth. I’ll explain.
I was catching up with a dear friend the other day, and Beebe or Bebe Gallini came up. Remember her? She was a one-episode character on The Brady Bunch. Female Villains Fandom wiki describes her as “a fussy client who is a cosmetic giant. She arrives at the office of Mike Brady (Robert Reed) to have him design her perfume factory. Beebe monopolizes his time disrupting the Brady family activities.”
They don’t mention her fabulous pink, marabou-trimmed wardrobe to match her demanding personality and disinterest in the above. Just look at her standing next to prototypically perky/perfect housewife Carol Brady. Even from a young age, I knew I was. More Beebe than Brady. Plus, pink. Pink is girly, for sure, but it is also punk. I find myself drawn to it more and more.
Next up, Joan Collins, who in her 50s played Alexis Carrington Colby in Dynasty. I loved this show as a child because it was a fashion fiesta from day one. It’s true that, as a teen in the 80s, my taste was more Siouxsie Sioux meets Esprit, but when I look back now, Alexis is the epitome of over-the-top dress, and I live for it. That look above is a world wonder.
Gorgeous, glam, and get going.
Fur hats and trims. Big shoulders. Color. Maximalism at its very best. And all that incredible louche loungewear. Amazing. I’ll have what she’s having.
All of the above.
Purple and chartreuse flow factor avec copper tresses? Yes, and yes.
Oh, and we can’t leave out Endora from Bewitched. Agnes Moorhead is the height of haute and a cathartic take on the fine art of over-the-top maturity. She is the end, from that red hair to the caftans to the eyeshadow to the acerbic one-liners.
And here’s what all three women have in common besides being wholly unapologetic.
They are all demanding, and they are all a bit alpha. And they are all just wholly fabulous and unabashedly feminine. And in terms of holiday happenings, they are just the life of any party. Let glamour live. Don’t be afraid of feathers. And most of all, go big. I am so here for it.
I’ll be in Palm Springs for the holidays and can’t wait to check out all the amazing vintage, and yes, there will be caftans. I love this lust for turning up the volume and partying like a TV star. And lest you think this whole piece is a nostalgia play, it’s not. It’s just that sometimes, it’s worth looking back to step forward in style.
All the love in the world, and happy holidays. Maybe more is the most. XO
Big Endora fan here.