<p>Need help from the CC fashion police. Going to a Saturday evening reception (for a Bat Mitzvah) and I have a black dress to wear. However, in trying it on again, I realized it is short, as in “above my knee” and am wondering if that is appropriate to wear at my advanced age. (I am an older CC parent, as in “approaching senior citizen status.”) I am very physically fit and have good legs. I will try it on for DH later, but frankly, he won’t have a clue what to think. We are a good fashion match. Not a clue between us.</p>
<p>BTW, it’s not some tight skirt sort of thing. It flairs out from the waist.</p>
<p>I probably don’t belong to CC’s fashion police…but…</p>
<p>In my opinion, I would say yes to this dress. I see nothing wrong with above the knee for a middle age woman and it really is the style today. I doubt you will be the only one wearing a dress above the knee. It doesn’t sound like a mini dress and so go for it. You even sound like you have the figure. I see no reason to dress “old.”</p>
<p>I have worn a dress in the past year that is above the knee, a bit gutsy at our age, but it was given the okay by my kids and friends. Your other determining factor would be the local fashion rules.</p>
<p>Really? Why is that even a concern of yours? If you’re in good shape and in your 60s what’s the problem? I much prefer that over women who wear very low cut dresses showing off wrinkled cleavage!</p>
<p>ek4-I think that’s a good test and I will do that when I try it on for DH tonight!</p>
<p>amtc-It is only a “concern” because I am 60 years old and I don’t want to wear something the majority of people would deem inappropriate for someone my age. Since I have no fashion sense at all, I thought I’d ask this group. I have one son who has great fashion sense and whose opinion I trust. Unfortunately, he is away at college!</p>
<p>The event is in a major East Coast city, somemom, so I hope that would be in my favor.</p>
<p>I am the last person who should weigh in here, as I have never been a fashion expert, even in my younger years when I had a great figure. I attribute this to having spent grades 1-12 wearing uniforms at Catholic schools.</p>
<p>Having said that, I would vote for wearing the dress. I see women of all ages wearing skirts above the knee, and many of them look great. If you are fit with good legs, then I don’t see a problem.</p>
<p>You might want to try on the dress with both flesh-colored hosiery and off-black hosiery and see which looks better (unless you are African-American, in which case this is a stupid suggestion).</p>
<p>Possibly, you might feel less conspicuous with the darker hosiery.</p>
<p>I was speaking at a public event the other day. I wore a fitted (but not tight) above the knee dress with a bold geometric black design with white background. Two of the other women speakers also wore above-the-knee dresses. I’m in my 50s & the others were older than me. No one blinked an eye and I was told repeatedly that I looked great (no I wasn’t fishing for compliments but it was an event that I had organized)!</p>
<p>I actually learned recently (when much was made of the fact that Princess Kate wears flesh-colored hose) that they are completely out of style. I had no idea, and I’ve been wearing them all along whenever I wear a dress or skirt, except when I wear black tights.</p>
<p>Will you be wearing black opaque tights or sheer black hose, momof3sons? Just for my education.</p>
<p>I remember in the very old days I used to wear (when dressed up) sheer black pantyhose with designs going up the back. (I was voted the “best legs” in my sorority.)</p>
<p>Wow, I feel so fortunate that in HI, I have rarely EVER felt the need to wear stockings except if I am in the wedding party. I do see rare glimpses of stockinged legs, but fortunately VERY rare. It’s really uncomfortable with our humidity and I could never keep them from running and moving all over the place.</p>
<p>I have noticed that it is getting harder and harder to find dresses that AREN’T above the knee. I’m still stuck in the ‘no above the knee dresses when you are past 30’, but that doesn’t seem to apply any longer.</p>
<p>I think I look better in dresses that hit the knee or just below, as I have always hated my knees, but I think just above the knee can look very nice.</p>
<p>NY - no problem with above the knee, 60 is not considered old here. Also, you are dating yourself if you wear flesh-colored hose. I generally try not - I’ll even wear a gray tint if black doesn’t work. Totally out of style nowadays, especially in NYC. I am old and could not consider not wearing pantyhose. </p>
<p>Funny story - I had the good fortune to be meeting with the President with a few other people this past July. We were all “older” and the biggest stress for all of us seemed to be whether we wear pantyhose or not! I didn’t know most of the other guests but that was the stresser for all of us, how weird! I think someone mentioned that Michelle Obama said she would never go without stockings even though that is the style and we all decided that we were too old to worry about up to the minute young fashion.</p>
<p>Michelle Obama wears pantyhose? I thought that an advantage of being black is not having to wear them. The main reason I wear (nude) pantyhose is that my legs look smoother and less pale in them. Did she wear them before she became first lady?</p>
<p>I have not stopped wearing nude pantyhose and didn’t even know they had gone out of style until recently. I don’t mind dating myself. I think my age, by definition, dates me! I had a conversation with my hairdresser last week, in which she tried to persuade me to have zillions of layers cut into my hair. I know that if I did that, each layer would go in its own direction and look awful. She said that you had to use a product to keep them in place (she was advocating her own hairstyle). I’m still wearing the style I’ve worn since I was 16; basically blunt cut with the style ranging from just below chin length to mid-back length (this length has not been worn since I graduated from college). I fully intend to keep the same style forever. It works for my thick, slightly wavy hair and I can pull it back if it doesn’t look good.</p>
<p>Lucky you, amtc, getting to meet the Obamas. I am jealous of my Republican sister, who met Obama and has a photo of herself with him, with his arm around her. And I donated money and worked for him.</p>
<p>I agree with the comment about gauging based on how conservative/orthodox the wedding will be. That being said, I would wear the dress proudly - you have a good figure, legs still in great shape…go for it!!! </p>
<p>I personally do this (I’m 50) in hope that people will look at my legs and not at the wrinkles creeping onto my face.</p>
<p>ellebud-it’s close family. We’re all of the Conservative persuasion, ;), the dress is only an inch or two above the knee and comes with a little jacket I’m planning to wear. I’m may switch out of my heels into flats for the hora! BTW, I have a tasteful, conservative suit for morning services. :)</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and comments!</p>
Going to a Saturday evening reception (for a Bat Mitzvah) and I have a black dress to wear. However, in trying it on again, I realized it is short, as in “above my knee” and am wondering if that is appropriate to wear at my advanced age. (I am an older CC parent, as in “approaching senior citizen status.”) I am very physically fit and have good legs. 
We are a good fashion match. Not a clue between us.</p>
Since I have no fashion sense at all, I thought I’d ask this group. I have one son who has great fashion sense and whose opinion I trust. Unfortunately, he is away at college!</p>