Do you have a senior wardrobe?

My husband was forced to wear suits to work throughout his career. When he protested, his boss said to him he needed to wear a suit and tie if he was meeting customers.

Then his boss added, “It shouldn’t matter, but it does.”

Many years ago, I took a job in retail where I learned about fashion design, brand labels and style from a woman named Sigrid. She came to work every day immaculately dressed and told me she always wore dresses or suits when she went to the doctor.

"Why?" I asked her. Her response stayed with me: “I want them to see me as a professional. And they do take me more seriously.”

Recently when traveling on an airplane, I noted the various styles of dress among other passengers. The young people looked more comfortable in sweats, T-shirts and jeans than the senior passengers dressed in what I would call work clothes.

But what we might think is a simple T-shirt undoubtedly could be a designer one!

My niece rents designer clothes so she can look fashionable. “It’s cheaper than buying them,” she said. Social media has placed a huge burden on our society to look like fashion models. Botox has gained a following with many young women.

When I was a teenager, all I wanted to wear was jeans. I dared to wear them to school in 1969, and I was sent to the principal’s office for this dire offense. They called my mother, and when they told her what I did wrong, she refused to come pick me up.

Lately, I’ve listened to women who say they are at the age where they will no longer wear shorts because their legs are unbecoming. “Who wants to see varicose veins?” one friend quipped.

My girlfriend Cindy refuses to buy sleeveless shirts because she hates the way her upper arms look. The other day when I donned a short-sleeve T-shirt and looked in the mirror, I saw the extra flesh on my upper arms. I changed to another shirt with longer sleeves. Oh well; I felt better.

As we age, our bodies change, and so does the way we feel about them. You’d think we would finally be in a place where what we wear isn’t that important anymore.

Yet maybe that’s the dilemma. Our self-esteem is tied to the way we look. That’s why we style or color our hair, shave and wear makeup. People do judge one another on their appearance, whether that’s fair or not.

It’s everyone’s own choice to wear what makes them feel attractive or comfortable. Often we like it when people, especially those close to us, pay attention to their appearance.

As seniors, we don’t have to follow the trends or the rules anymore.

Dolly Parton had a line in the movie “Steel Magnolias” which said, “Time marches on, and pretty soon it marches right down my face.” We can’t fight Mother Nature. I’m glad I’m still here.