Midlife, Lately – Ruffles, Boho And Other Style Ideas

I juggled a lot in my earlier days – small children, and caring for family members who were suffering from poor health, while working throughout. So, I am grateful that I can now work when I want to and manage my own time.

Like most of my generation, I am trying to live my life as fulfilled and happy as I can, while accepting (a little bit) that I am getting older.  There is a saying,  “…don’t let the old person in…”.  I do not intend to.

And, on that note, I have news! My youngest son has been living/working in Hong Kong since October 2023. I miss him so much. All of the WhatsApp/Skype calls in the world do not make up for seeing him and breathing the same air.

This is the longest time away from any of my two children! So off I trot in a few months to spend time with him and make up for the last year.

I will be travelling, alone, as my other half has work commitments. I have taken many solo trips in my various jobs (Human Resources/Training) – mostly to London and other UK cities. I’ve travelled, overseas, alone, a few times, but never a long haul, like this. I have booked my flights/accommodation. And, we are booking a hotel stay in Macau for several nights of fun away from the city. This is known as the “Las Vegas of the East”, so we are excited to experience it. I am going to keep a diary, not only of my trip but also to document how I organise my flights, accommodation, etc, as it may be useful to any of you who are thinking of travelling, solo.

So, on to today’s post…. It is a hotchpotch of what I have been wearing, lately. Hopefully, it will give you some style ideas.  There are some “occasion dresses” which I have amassed over the last ten to fifteen years. There are similar styles on the high street, especially the ruffled dress as boho is, once again, everywhere! This style has been past the start post so many times.   I bought this dress to celebrate my sixtieth birthday, which was at the end of the first lockdown in the UK. Like most around this time, I was eager to blow off the elasticated track suit bottoms – for a while. I had begun to fade, slightly, and gained a few pounds (I will blame the lemon drizzle cake). It was September 2020. We had been “let out” for the first time in months. However, restrictions were in place. My birthday evening finished at 10.00 pm due to the curfew.

As we made our way outside, we felt a little giddy, like kids being let out for the day. What strange times they were. Let us hope they never return. I remember, at first, feeling a little over the top in my ruffles but, blooming’ heck, sixty is an age to be celebrated. This is not a dress for the freezer aisle or to go to the chippy for a fish and chip supper.

Hence, it hasn’t been worn a lot. But, it makes me feel so good. It is a dress which moves, so, if there is a breeze, it shows all its ruffled splendour. And, I shall be wearing it in a few weeks “when I’m sixty-four”, as the song goes!  I cannot think of anything better to wear! Have you got favourites like this?

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Outfit Two

I have never worn tie-dye, it wasn’t my cup of tea.  In the sixties and seventies, this print was associated with Woodstock and the Grateful Dead, which was a little before my time. I would later love the music of  The Eagles, The Who and, of course, The Beatles, which is around this era.  The full-on hippy look has never appealed. Over the years, it has resurfaced many times in various guises, adopted by many fashion designers as their underlying theme.  It was this skirt which changed my mind about this print.

I spotted it last year on the sale rail (River Island)….it is very boho, in a relaxed, easy way – cool cotton, edged in a navy blue braid.  The bold print is vivid without being over the top. This is a feel-good item to wear.  Easy to pair with a tee or my favourite old Levi’s jacket, this will be perfect for holidays, too.  It has received quite a few comments when I’ve worn it.

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Outfits Three and Four

I tend to wear dresses more in the warmer months.  The two I am showing you, here, are both ten to fifteen years old (Warehouse).  They are like old friends which I catch up with every year.  They score high for many reasons. They are comfortable and stylish and have natural fabrics for cool appeal.  The black printed dress can be dressed up or down.

It’s so versatile and this is why they will be in my wardrobe for quite a while longer. Probably the biggest reason I hang onto them is, they fit with my style. The midi length is my favourite. Over the years, hemlines have shot up and down.  I noticed this length more following the initial collection from Victoria Beckham in 2008, which got me excited because I knew more affordable copies would appear on the high street.

Lastly

Thank you for visiting my blog, today. If you have any comments please let me know in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

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Alison x