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Does one ever get “too old” to wear certain things?
It depends on who you ask, who that “one” is, and what “one” is wearing. And before you get your panties in a bunch and assume this is a race essay because I used Jennifer Lopez and Toni Braxton, pull out the wedgie — I’m just talking about age and style preferences. And with that being said, I’ll be brief, friends.
But back to the matter at hand. Just this past weekend, Jennifer Lopez celebrated her 47th birthday with a slew of celebrity friends. To mark the occasion, she stepped out in a sheer mesh panel Balmain jumpsuit. And according to FashionBombDaily readers who used words like “amazing,” “slayed” and “killed” to describe her style choice, she wore it better than women half her age:
This look was actually an increase in clothing for a Lopez birthday celebration. She also went the sheer, mesh route for her 46th birthday, wearing this risque number that everyone loved in Las Vegas last year:
Image Source: WENN
But on the flip side, the reaction wasn’t as warm when Toni Braxton stepped out for the Neighborhood Awards this past weekend. Folks online used phrases like “She needs to start wearing clothes,” “When will Toni put some damn clothes on??” and “So over her naked-style dressing” to describe the 48-year-old’s look:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIQwX4LhD_w/
And such was the case when she went for another high-cut slit and sheer-paneled ensemble at the BET Awards last month. Not a lot of love (including from MN readers):
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But as someone pointed out, risque has been Braxton’s thing since…well, forever.
Hey, at least she’s consistent. And like Lopez, her body at nearly 50 is pretty amazing. So why does she fail to receive the same kind of love?
And when is it okay to dress a little more revealing when ageists continuously say you need to cover “your old behind” up?
It’s a free country, so I would say anytime you want. It’s all a matter of what you put on. While both women have great bodies and every right to show them off, if I’m being honest, some of the styles Braxton has worn have been less than flattering over the last few years. Whether it’s the slits that reveal butt cheek, the mesh that stands out more than materials meant to shine, the odd placement of lace and sometimes the quality of the fabrics on her gowns, going for things that aren’t very well made and favorable to one’s frame can leave someone as gorgeous as Braxton sticking out like a sore thumb on every red carpet. And whether you’re 48, 47, or 28 and 27, it’s rarely going to look good on anybody. While Lopez has also shown off quite a bit of cheek and curve, very few of us would say that her ensembles look anywhere near tawdry.
But according to others, such looks, regardless of who made them, what they’re made of and how they’re made are not appropriate for women of a certain age. Let folks tell it, at a certain point you need to forgo the ensembles of your youth for more tasteful, modest looks. However, as the saying goes, you’re as young as you feel, and both of these women, in the best shape of their storied lives, clearly feel fantastic. They’re going to do what they want, and that includes styling on us while everything is still right and tight.
Still, for the sake of a good debate, what say you? Is their an expiration date for risque looks as you get older? And why do you think Braxton gets a bad wrap while Lopez’s style is often applauded?
