Own the Room at Any Age: Confident Plus-Size Style for Women Over 60
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There’s a difference between walking into a room hoping nobody notices you and walking into a room knowing exactly who the hell you are.
I’ve done both.
At 68, plus-size, with short white hair and absolutely no intention of disappearing quietly into the background, I know which woman I’d rather be.
I want to own the damn room.
And here’s the thing.
That doesn’t mean I need to be the loudest woman in it.
It doesn’t mean I need everybody looking at me.
And it sure as hell doesn’t mean I have to lose 30 pounds before I’m allowed to feel good in my clothes.
Owning the room is an energy.
It’s walking through the door without apologizing for the space you take up.
And sometimes, the right outfit helps you remember you already belong there.
Somewhere Along the Way, Women Are Told to Tone It Down
You know the rules.
After a certain age, don’t wear anything too short.
Don’t show your arms.
Don’t wear too much color.
Don’t wear big prints if you’re plus-size.
Don’t wear wide-leg pants because they’ll make you look wider.
Don’t wear bold jewelry because it’s “too much.”
Don’t wear your hair that way.
Don’t wear this.
Don’t wear that.
Good Lord.
By the time we’re finished following everybody else’s rules, we’re all supposed to be standing in the corner wearing a beige tunic hoping nobody notices us.
No thank you.
I’m not saying every woman needs to dress like I do.
That’s not the point.
If beige makes your heart sing, baby, wear the beige.
But don’t wear it because somebody convinced you that getting older means you’re supposed to become less visible.
Confidence Doesn’t Come in a Size
This one took me a while.
Like a lot of women, I’ve had conversations with my body over the years.
Some nicer than others.
I’ve been smaller.
I’ve been bigger.
I’ve had injuries.
I’ve gotten older.
Things have moved around.
Some things have decided gravity is their new best friend.
But I’m still here.
And I’m tired of the idea that we’re supposed to put our lives on hold until our bodies become something else.
I’ll wear that when I lose weight.
I’ll take the picture when I look better.
I’ll buy something cute when I’m smaller.
How many years are we supposed to give away doing that?
Buy the damn pants.
Wear the dress.
Take the picture.
Go to dinner.
And when you walk into that room, don’t spend the whole night wondering whether somebody thinks your stomach looks big.
They probably aren’t thinking about your stomach at all.
They’re thinking about their own.
The Outfit Isn’t the Confidence — But It Can Help You Find It
Clothes aren’t magic.
A kimono isn’t going to fix your life.
Although I have met a few pretty fabulous kimonos in my day.
But clothes can change the way we carry ourselves.
You know that feeling when you put something on and immediately stand differently?
Shoulders back.
Chin up.
Maybe you give yourself one last look in the mirror and think:
Oh yeah. There she is.
That’s what I’m looking for when I get dressed.
Not younger.
Not thinner.
Me.
SHOP THE LOOK: THE CONFIDENCE LAYER
Look for a colorful kimono, lightweight cardigan, embroidered jacket or flowy third piece that instantly makes a simple outfit feel intentional.
Gigi’s rule: If the base outfit feels boring, don’t start over. Add one great layer.
SHOP CONFIDENCE-BUILDING BOHO LAYERS
Start With One Thing That Makes You Feel Good
You don’t need an entire new wardrobe.
Start with one piece.
Maybe it’s wide-leg pants that move when you walk.
Maybe it’s a bright blouse.
Maybe it’s a flowy dress.
Maybe it’s a pair of jeans that actually fits the body you have today.
Then build around that.
One thing in the outfit should make you think:
Damn, I like this.
That’s your starting point.
SHOP THE LOOK: WIDE-LEG PANTS
Wide-leg pants have become one of my favorite ways to create an easy boho outfit. Pair them with a simple top and let the pants do some of the talking.
👉🏼SHOP MY FAVORITE WIDE-LEG PANTS
Stop Dressing to Look Smaller
This could probably be an entire blog by itself.
We’ve been taught so many tricks for making ourselves look smaller.
Wear black.
Avoid prints.
Hide your stomach.
Cover your arms.
Don’t draw attention to your hips.
Create this illusion.
Hide that area.
Camouflage something else.
What if the goal wasn’t to look smaller?
What if the goal was to look fantastic?
Those aren’t necessarily the same thing.
I wear prints.
I wear color.
I wear flowy pants.
I wear statement necklaces.
I wear turquoise.
Sometimes I wear several of those things at the same damn time.
Do they make me look 20 pounds thinner?
I have no idea.
That’s not the assignment.
The assignment is to walk out the door feeling like myself.
Wear the Damn Color
Color is one of the easiest ways to give an outfit energy.
Turquoise.
Rust.
Mustard.
Deep teal.
Coral.
Purple.
Olive.
Whatever makes you happy.
If you’ve spent years hiding behind black because somebody told you it was “slimming,” try introducing color near your face.
Start small if you want.
A scarf.
Earrings.
A necklace.
A colorful top underneath a neutral layer.
You don’t have to go from head-to-toe beige to looking like you fell into a box of crayons overnight.
Although I’m not completely opposed to that either. 😂
SHOP THE LOOK: COLORFUL BOHO TOPS
Flowy doesn’t have to mean shapeless. Look for tops with movement, interesting sleeves, embroidery, texture or a great neckline.
Let Your Jewelry Do Some Talking
This is probably the least surprising advice I’ve ever given.
You know I’m going to add the jewelry.
A plain T-shirt and jeans can become an outfit with the right necklace, bracelets and earrings.
And one of the things I love about jewelry is that it always fits.
Your weight changes?
Still fits.
Your jeans are giving you attitude today?
Jewelry doesn’t care.
And if you want to experiment with a bolder style but you’re nervous about going all-in, accessories are a fantastic place to start.
SHOP THE LOOK: BOHO ACCESSORIES
Think turquoise, layered bracelets, statement necklaces, textured earrings and pieces that look collected rather than perfectly matched.
👉🏼SHOP GIGI’S BOHO ACCESSORIES
Comfortable Shoes Are Not Surrender
At this stage of life, I am not interested in suffering for an outfit.
I’ve done enough of that.
If my feet hurt, I’m not owning anything except the chair I’m desperately trying to sit in.
There are too many good sandals, boots, sneakers, clogs and flats available now to believe comfortable has to mean frumpy.
The goal is to find shoes that work with your life and your style.
Because confidence is a whole lot easier when your feet aren’t screaming at you.
And Please — Take the Picture
This matters more than clothes.
How many times have you avoided getting into a picture because you didn’t like the way you looked?
I’ve done it.
But here’s what I’ve learned after losing people I love:
Get in the damn picture.
Your kids aren’t going to look at that photo someday and think your arm looked big.
Your grandkids aren’t going to care whether you were wearing the most flattering pants.
They’re going to see you.
The woman who was there.
The woman they loved.
The woman laughing.
The woman living her life.
Don’t erase yourself from your own memories because you didn’t like your body that day.
The Most Important Thing You Wear Is Permission
Permission to take up space.
Permission to be colorful.
Permission to change your style.
Permission to show your arms.
Permission to wear the wide-leg pants.
Permission to decide something you’ve worn for 20 years doesn’t feel like you anymore.
And permission to become more visible instead of less.
That’s the part of fashion after 60 that interests me most.
It’s not really about clothes.
It’s about identity.
Who are you now?
What do you want to look like?
How do you want to feel when you walk through the door?
Maybe you’ve spent decades dressing for work.
Or your husband.
Or your body type.
Or what was “appropriate.”
Or whatever damn fashion rule somebody wrote in a magazine in 1987.
You don’t have to do that anymore.
Own the Damn Room
I’m 68.
I’m plus-size.
I’ve got wrinkles.
I’ve got scars.
I’ve got parts that jiggle.
I’ve got short white hair.
I’ve got turquoise jewelry.
I’ve got colorful clothes.
I’ve got a closet full of things that probably violate at least a few “fashion rules for older women.”
Good.
Because I’m not interested in dressing like the woman somebody thinks I should be.
I’m interested in dressing like the woman I’ve become.
And when she walks into the room?
I want her standing tall.
I want her laughing.
I want her taking the picture.
I want her wearing the color.
I want her taking up every damn inch of space she deserves.
Not because her outfit gave her permission.
Because somewhere along the way she finally realized:
She never needed permission in the first place.
So put on the outfit that makes you feel like yourself.
Add the jewelry.
Wear the color.
Walk through the door.
And baby—
own the damn room.
