Older women bend the rules and dress for fun
February 14, 2015 by admin
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“It still looks very modern and very young,� Pawlivsky said. “It’s forward-thinking.�
“We’re not all slobs in Edmonton,� Adamson said. “It makes you feel better.�
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Gloria Barrigan isn’t afraid to show off her legs in mini-skirts, even though some fuddy duddies insist seniors should lower their hems.
She wears sleeveless dresses in spite of her inevitably aging upper arms. (Some people call those flabby bits bat wings. Barrigan? “Wiggle room.�)
And as for her wee belly in slender dresses?
“That’s not a tummy. That’s delicious,� says the petite five-foot-three 70-year-old mother, wife, gadabout and business owner of Night Owl Designer Lingerie in downtown Manulife Place.
Fashion rules for the 65-plus group are meant to be bent.
Think about the beauty of Helen Mirren, a “dame� at 69, Meryl Streep at 65, 71-year-old Catherine Deneuve modelling for Louis Vuitton in 2013, or Jacky O’Shaughnessy, a greying model of 62 and a new old face for American Apparel.
“Sometimes, you have to go out of bounds,� Barrigan says of older women embracing fashion. “I’ll keep within the boundaries, but make that little step out.�
Such as covering up with a well-cut sweater with a flirty peplum bottom and ruffled neckline, but flashing soft décolletage under a black camisole.
Or how about a simple black A-line skirt, short enough to show off tights with lace running up the thighs?
Sequins, rhinestones, platform stilettos and sheer fabrics: Bring it.
“If you think you can pull it off, then do it,� Barrigan advises. “To me, 70 is the new 45, not the 50s or the 60s. I’m very energized all the time. I don’t feel 70.�
She goes out for dinner every night with her husband and spends much of the winter in Hawaii, says longtime friend and sales associate at Night Owl, Saxon Wolf, Barrigan’s junior by one decade. Barrigan largely shops downtown to support local businesses such as Holt Renfrew, Kissara and Blu’s.
She never leaves home without lipstick and mascara. Purple-painted toenails peek out from strappy high heels.
“She likes fun fashion,� Wolf says. “If anyone can wear hot pink, it’s her.�
And Barrigan, like women who regularly shop at Night Owl lingerie — including those in their 90s, Wolf adds — likes to dress from the inside out, carefully choosing lovely undergarments and lace camisoles upon which to work their wardrobe.
But jeans? They’re not Barrigan’s thing. Denim is simply too restricting and uncomfortable, she says. Instead, she frequently opts for black leggings that might be finished with girlie bows.
Even her fitted, sequin-covered black-and-white dress is stretchy.
“I like glamour, but I like it to be comfortable,� she says.
jsinnema@edmontonjournal.com
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5 cliché-free movies to watch this Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2015 by admin
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5 Valentine’s Day Movies
Posted: Friday, February 13, 2015 12:00 am
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Updated: 1:04 am, Fri Feb 13, 2015.
TownNews.com
Valentine’s Day is one of the worst holidays of the year. It’s filled with chocolates, flowers, lace lingerie, horrible greeting cards, high expectations and a lack of available restaurant reservations. The whole thing is overrated and the pressure makes it difficult to have an enjoyable time.
It usually gets even worse when it comes to choosing a movie to watch on a romantic night. If you’re looking for a break from the usual cheesy romantic comedies, I’ve got some solid cliché-free films for you. Here are the five best movies for you to watch this Valentine’s Day.
“Blue Valentine” (2010)
“Blue Valentine” is a romantic drama depicting a married couple, Dean Pereira (Ryan Gosling) and Cynthia Heller (Michelle Williams), flashing back and forth in time between dating and their failing marriage years later. Featuring a wall-to-wall score from Grizzly Bear, it’s one of the most brutally realistic love stories to ever be put on film.
“Lost in Translation” (2003)
Lost in Translation is a film about two people at different ends of their life who are equally lost. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) meet by chance while staying at a hotel in Tokyo and discover a heartfelt connection. The two end up sharing a night out on the town where just about everything happens. It’s a beautiful film, especially if you’re in a place in your life where you’re lost and trying to figure things out.
Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013)
Blue is the Warmest Colour explores the emotional and sexual relationship between a french teenager (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and the blue-haired art student (Lèa Seydoux) she meets in a lesbian bar. The film does a great job of portraying intimacy; everything about the relationship feels real and relatable. The director allows scenarios to play out longer than you see in most movies, making the characters seem more like real people. It’s an excellent coming-of-age drama.
“Annie Hall” (1977)
“Annie Hall” helped to define the romantic comedy genre and is arguably Woody Allen’s best movie. In the film, we meet Alvy Singer (Allen) who is trying to figure out why his relationship with Annie Hall (Diane Keaton) ended a year prior. “Annie Hall” does an excellent job of showing the harsh truth of relationships and how people inevitably grow apart while also capturing the American metropolis in all its 1970s glory.
“Her” (2013)
Set in Los Angeles in the near future, “Her” follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), who makes a living writing personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes interested with a new advanced operating system that promises to be an intuitive entity. After activating the system, Theodore meets Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), a bright female voice who is complex and humorous. Theodore and Samantha develop a friendship during the movie that eventually deepens to love. You become sincerely connected to the story despite the unconventional relationship. “Her” is a truly beautiful movie.
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Friday, February 13, 2015 12:00 am.
Updated: 1:04 am.