As a 30-something working in fashion, dressing up doesn’t quite feel the same as it was when I was in my 20s. Back then, it felt unbridled, at times, unhinged and free of expectations (whether self-inflicted or not). At that age when you’re granted the luxury of time, fashion felt invincible to conquer as long as you had the right moodboard in mind.
I remembered having every micro-trend of ‘the-now’—from suede mini skirts, printed bodycon dresses to platform booties—stuffed in my wardrobe. But I remember once I passed the big three, there was an inner voice that shied away from frilly minis, colourful sandals and low-waisted jeans, in fear that those clothes were too young for me. As a result, I kept to a blueprint that felt safe and minimal enough (to pass off as stylish) where colours were muted and silhouettes were basic and uniformed. This ethos maintained during the TikTok boom, as I endlessly swiped past countless of young, trending creators documenting their outfits. All of which further cemented my personal purview of ‘dressing within your age range’.
However, sometime last year, my algorithm fed me more style content featuring mature women, most of whom were above 40. There before me were beautiful—not to mention undeniably cool—middle-aged women getting undressed then slipping into piece by piece, only to complete an outfit that felt entirely novel and theirs in the cyclical world of fashion.
@marissalepps rewearing some of my fav pieces to start the work week on the right foot 🙂↕️ #fashiontiktok #outfitinspo #outfitideas #fitcheck #workootd #ootd ♬ Hurting – SG Lewis
Marissa Lepps, a Findian who’s based in Australia, happens to be one of my favourite creators. As reiterated in her videos, she works a corporate job but loves fashion—hence a cornucopia of looks that take her from the office to date night. Despite the unspoken dress code for work, the outfits she puts together go beyond the safe LBDs or white shirt/pant combinations, thanks to Lepps’s natural instinct for layering. Think an oversized draped shirt, a pair of culottes, wine red stockings and a beige trench—just one of her many work fits that Lepps wears with the utmost confidence. She takes everyday separates, switches them out and rewears them in various concoctions, whilst embracing colour, skin and the possibility of any aesthetic, which differs based on where she’s going or which city she’s heading to.
@venswifestyle GRWM: skirt pants from Bottega Veneta runway ss25 #grwm #grwmroutine #grwmoutfit #bottegaveneta #bottegavenetabag #suede #suedejacket #runway #highfashion #highfashiontiktok #fashion #fashiontiktok #fashioninspo #springfashion #skirt #pants #over50 #over50women #trend ♬ Busy Woman – Sabrina Carpenter
Lepps isn’t the only one thriving on the platform. At 59, Renia Jaz has established a foothold on both TikTok and Instagram. A simple scroll through her feed, and it’s clear that the content creator knows how to pick out clothes that mould to her body: sharp oversized blazers, waist-cinching bottoms and flattering fabrics that complement her curves. Then there’s designer and influencer Lisa Corbo, on the cusp of 64, who yields 455k followers. Her Toks range from daily outfits, styling ‘how-tos’ and age-positive messages that denounce any nagging voice whispering ‘dress your age’. One day, she exudes elegance and on the other, she’s flirty and fun.
@lisa_corbo just wait until you see how I dress in Paris #fashionweek #fashionover50 #outfitideas #vintage ♬ original sound – Lisa
As I type this story out in a baby tee that reads ‘FERAL’ in red, I relish the prospect of older, mature women holding space on a platform that was initially dominated by Gen Z and setting the scene of what the future could look like for the younger set. After all, the future me in 10 or 20 years, could be in a better place, financially, could be more assured in my own skin, or simply free of what the rest of the world thinks.
It sets the premise that growing older—against the grain of emerging internet trends or the changes in our bodies—shouldn’t be a caveat to having fun with fashion but rather an exciting promise that it can actually get better.
