Iris (Apfel): Film Review

Released 28 April 2015.

Director Albert Maysles aims his camera at that rare bird of fashion, Iris Apfel and the result is the documentary Iris (2015).

Born in 1921, Iris received an education in art history and then went on to work in interior decorating with her husband Carl Apfel. They traveled the world to design fabrics and to purchase unique items for their clientele.

Over the decades and often while traveling, Iris purchased many unique clothing items and pieces of costume jewelry.

Because she had well-healed clients and attended socialized with the rich and famous, word got out to museums about her sense of style. Her outfits were featured in museums, and she has been a model for MAC cosmetics.

She's in high demand these days, which is a bit tricky for a nonagenarian.

Thankfully, we have access to Iris through this documentary, which runs 1 hour and 23 minute.  We get a close look at her clothes, jewelry, home furnishings, work, marriage, and travels.

While it would be impractical for most women to imitate Iris--given people's limitations of money and space--I found her inspiring. She encourages me to embrace color, to accessorize, and to exhibit confidence.

Related:

Advanced Style: Film Review

Advanced Style: Film Review

Released May 3, 2014.

I've been reading Ari Seth Cohen's blog Advanced Style for the last three years.  I was delighted when friends gave me his coffee table book last year for my birthday.

Now his documentary is available on DVD for those who missed it in theaters. The film offers 72 minutes of pure delight.

Advanced Style: Book Review

Published May 22, 2012.

I've been long coveting the coffee table book Advanced Style (powerHouse books), based on the blog by the same name.

Yesterday, friends of mine kindly gave me a copy for my upcoming birthday.

The book was wrapped.  As I tore open a corner and saw the black hat and large-framed black glasses, I squealed, "It's Advanced Style!"

Ari Seth Cohen launched Advanced Style in August 2008 as a place to celebrate the style of mature women--an the occasional silver-haired gentleman.  He photographs people primarily on the streets of NYC and interviews them about their style.

Some argue that older women become invisible to society's gaze. Ari Seth Cohen's blog proves otherwise.

Solar Shield®: Practical and Stylish Eyewear

I received a free pair of Dioptics Solar Shield sunglasses
via Vibrant Nation's Vibrant Influencer Network.

Spring has finally arrived.

The storm clouds have abated, and the brilliant sun is back in full force.

Thankfully, I have a new pair of Dioptics Solar Shield® sunglasses. 

They reduce glare and help protect my eyes from harmful UV rays.

Before I got these sunglasses, I was switching between my newer bifocals and my old prescription sunglasses. Not good.

Or I just went without sunglasses and squinted. But the harsh Kansas sun was getting the better of me.

Aging Disgracefully

Photo by Generationbass.

Now that I have crossed over into the territory labeled “mature woman,” what is my strategy for facing the challenges of aging?  Am I aging gracefully by being composed and stately?  

Hell no.

I’m mad, and I’m not going down without a fight. My strategy? I plan on fighting dirty, hiding the body, and dressing for excess.

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This post is part of a Generation Fabulous Blog Hop on Aging Gracefully
which is featured in HuffPost 50. I'm there as slide #23.

Here are a few of the many awe-inspiring posts from my fellow bloggers.

Big Little Wolf's Daily Plate of Crazy. "Why Aging Gracefully Doesn't Suit Me"
Middle Aged Diva's "Aging Gracefully: New Definition"

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Street Fighter against Father Time.  Older women have a harder time keeping the weight off than younger women.  Even men have less trouble with weight gain as they age.  I read the 2010 article from the Journal of the American Medical Association reporting on a 13 year study on middle aged women. Researchers found that older women must exercise vigorously for an hour a day to merely maintain their weight. Reading that, I was livid.  I wanted to punch someone in the face.

I am responding by taking out my aggression at the gym.  With every step I take on the treadmill, I imaging trampling Father Time.  He may get me eventually, but I am not going gently into that good night. He’ll have to take me, kicking and screaming (a good cardio workout) the whole way. 

Ugly Duckling Becoming Silver Swan via the Gym

Photo by seriykotik1970. 

Forty years after the fact, I am glad my peers called me ugly.  In junior high, I was nominated as homecoming queen by the other students in my French class as they laughed openly at me and made mention of my pimples, glasses and flat chest. I left school early and cried all the way home.  But the outcome ended up being positive. That day, I decided to diversify my personality portfolio.

Now, I don't mean to say that appearance doesn't matter. I do recognize the social significance of beauty. I'm not blind.  However, beauty is primarily the purview of the young.  Because I was repeatedly told as a youth that I was unattractive, I decided forty years ago to decrease time and money spent on my beauty regime. Or as the French say, "Pour un de perdu, deux de retrouvés."* That roadblock has served me well as I age. Over the years, I have worked on being smart, hardworking, reliable, and strong instead.  

Now that I've reached mid-century, I am thankful for those mean girls and popular boys for shooing me away from beauty as a vehicle for achieving personal power.  I have spent very little time in front of the mirror and very little money on brand-name clothing, cosmetics, jewelry or--later in life--plastic surgery.  I have spent more time studying or working at the office and more money on tuition, books and computer equipment. Success is the purview of the old. 

Raven Lunatic: My Worst Fashion Mistake

Image by chaoticartworks. 

Once or twice a month, I hop over to the local thrift store and pick through the offerings.  I scavenge for eye-catching items: name brands, quality fabrics,  colors that suit my skin, unique items.

While I examine each piece of clothing, I imagine the previous owners as women who have acquired a new attitude, gained weight, or thrown a "flat dry" item in the dryer by mistake.  Her tragedy is my treasure.

Going to the mall seems too easy, like shooting fish in a barrel. I like the challenge of sorting through racks and racks of undesirable clothing until I find a hidden gem.

I tell myself that my fashion sense evokes the artsy-intellectual archetype. However, sometimes another person will post a picture of me on a social media site, startling me into the realization that my risk-taking shopping method has led me to commit a fashion faux pas.

Exhibit A:  I attended a walk-a-thon fundraiser during the Summer of 2012 and wore cotton pants that I bought at a thrift store, believing that I would look youthful, fun, energetic and creative.

Exhibit A: Fashion Disaster

Um. No.

Instead, I look frumpy and underdressed. I appear to be wearing my pajamas. Since I bought them at a thrift shop, they could very well be pajama pants or scrubs.  My willing them to be lightweight summer capris will not actually change their nature.

I have misunderstood the real nature of an item of clothing before.

 A few years ago, I found a pair of grey leggings at a thrift store. I wore them for three winters, paired with over sized sweaters until I visited family who live out of state. My sister Julie asked me, "Why are you wearing thermal underwear without pants over them?"  Oops.  I suppose the tag indicating Eddie Bauer Ebtek might have tipped me off.  Well, they were very warm.

Lesson learned? When striving for the bohemian look, I walk a fine line between that and circus clown. 

Women Help All to Get Old

Sharon Couto, Maye Musk and Sally Beatty Photo from Get Old

I have long suspected that women are primarily in charge of people's bodies. Whether they are gestating bodies, feeding bodies, healing bodies, cleaning up fluids flung loose from bodies, or assisting aging bodies--women are most often in positions of key management over such matters.  I know that in my house, I am the person most focused on effective body management.

Other family members, consumed with personal achievement or leisure activities, often put the health and function of their bodies on the back burner. So I ask them, "When was the last time you ate?" "Why are you coughing?"  "Are you getting tired?"  "Are those shoes too small for you now?"  "How did you get that bruise?" "Why don't we eat some leafy greens?"  

Yes, sometimes little girls, men and boys help with these body-focused duties as they occur in the domestic sphere. I love a man who will change a diaper or a teen who will clean up vomit or a child who will choose carrot sticks over cookies. I applaud them.

However, my trip to the Get Old* blogger summit this October confirmed my suspicions. No matter what our current age or social role, we women are clearly major stakeholders in the management of bodies.  And most every body wants to get old in a healthy way. 

The blogger summit also confirmed another notion: Everybody ages.

In attendance were 10 vibrant bloggers who address issues across the lifespan.  Although my list forces these bloggers into concern based on the "age" of their blogging topics, all demonstrated interest in connecting the generations through family life, education, storytelling (with words and images) and advocacy.

Aging Involves Increased Time on Self-Care

Photo by Helga Weber

I have a tween girl who spends a lot of time preening in front of the mirror. I start to roll my eyes while formulating a comment about how she's plowing too much time into self-care.

But then I stop short. At 50, I am also spending a lot more time taking care of my body. This is annoying, bordering on enraging.

I can't believe all the time I spend striving for the energy and appearance I took for granted in my 20s and 30s.  I'm spending more time each day preparing healthy meals, exercising, and primping in front of the mirror.

Argh! I didn't expect to spend this much time on self-care until I hit my 70s or 80s.  If this is how I prepare for my day, how much time do I have left over for "achievement"?  

Buy Jewelry that Will Age Well

Photo by Stacie Stacie Stacie

For two years, I have been volunteering at Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) that is home for almost 200 seniors.  This gives me an opportunity to socialize and support people with a wide range of challenges and opportunities.

One of my observations includes the change required in selecting jewelry.  As we age, many people find it difficult to manipulate the small clasps.  Vision changes and fine motor skill changes make it difficult if not impossible to open and close most kinds of clasps on necklaces, bracelets and brooches.

Photo of lobster clasp by Mauro Cateb

Photo by Revere.Academy

There are several types of clasps available.

Most are too hard for aging hands and eyes to manage.


The magnetic clasp is fairly simple to manipulate, and you can retro-fit magnetic clasps on favorite pieces of jewelry.  These are available online.