It’s About The Sleeves This Summer

It’s hot in Australia right now and for older women clothing choices becomes a challenge, particularly when we fancy a social outing and need to make an effort to look chic. Dress choices can be limiting as many designs are made for young snappy asparagus stalks, none of which the majority of us are in the real world, let alone in the era of the aging!  

We prefer a little cover up on particular areas of our bodies as this can make a huge difference to how we feel and look on sweltering days and nights. Our bodies are on the decline no matter how much physical and mental discipline we apply to maintain some resemblance to youth-fullness.  

Still, most women want to wear clothes that are stylish yet comfortable when it’s hot. Seriously though, for we oldies it is an ‘uh oh’ situation as it also means certain parts of our bodies are on display more than we would like. Oh yes, those aging bits of flesh are up for scrutinising.

Once into your sixties that smooth firm supple skin is a yearned for memory and it has well and truly begun to ripple and droop. Hold up your arms and check yourself in the mirror! What happened? Oh, hang on, it’s called ‘getting old’. Where has the time gone gals, it flashes by like The Flash himself.

Perhaps we are our own worst enemy. Still it does console me somewhat when I speak with a handful of younger women who express their preference for a little discretion when it comes to dressing up. They share a similar quandary with their desire for less exposure and more cover up. They talk about their balancing act in an attempt to keep cool in summer and the compromise in dress as they suffer in silence.  We can’t stay inside all day lying around with the air con on watching the Australian Open. There is more than tennis that requires our attention.

Yet, this summer I am reassured as I think the designers have got it right. Maybe they read our minds. But who cares as they have provided a high range of outfits suitable for all budgets that appears to have resolved our long-standing dilemma.

They have introduced new designs in dresses and tops that cater for a wider audience. The highlight being a completely new variety of alternative sleeves. The latest options offer a change in both width and length and propose a stylish sophistication that is comfortable and femininely discrete to wear.

Observe the different sleeve lingo used! It’s not determined by where you shop either. It’s everywhere and the one thing in common is an edgy alternative to a basic short sleeve length suitable for aging women, fat arms, flabby arms or arms you purely wish to cover:

• Wide short sleeves
• Short ruffled sleeves
• Short flutter sleeves
• Flowy short sleeves
• Off the shoulder with loose sleeves/drapes
• Adjustable spaghetti straps with cold shoulder detail
• Tiered sleeves
• Kimono-style short sleeves
• Extended sleeves extended from a gathered waistline
• Lace or netted sleeves
• Roll up sleeves
• Wide ¾ length sleeves

Added to all this we have a wonderful variety of dress lengths, maxi, midi, on the knee, above the knee and easy shift dresses and pullover styles. The fabrics are soft and flowy and suitable for hot humid days. There are numerous dress and top designs available that don’t hug an already sticky skin.

Regardless of all these options, it is the sleeves that does it for me with our summer range.

Given this information She society is fortunate to soon hear directly from Paris, France on what bespoke designs will be paraded down the catwalks from the Grand Dames of all fashion shows as the Parisienne Haute Couture Fashion Week runs from 21-25 January 2019.  

I wait in anticipation to see what our own Michelle Beesley discovers when she attends eleven incredible days of fashion shows that will feature the latest collections of Spring/Summer designs for 2019-20.

Will the stylish diverse sleeve options continue? We shall soon find out as Michelle reports directly from Paris.

In the mean-while back in scorching Australia for this summer, “the sleeves maketh the woman”.