Midlife Crisis...Fashion forward.....What is it?!

I am a mere 3 weeks away from my two year surgiversary...really I should call it my rebirth.  It was the day that I gave my body a second chance to survive. I went from 280 to my current 152-155.

This year is also going to be interesting as I will be turning 40 in June....DAMN 40...I remember being my daughters age 18.5 and thinking that 30's and 40's were OLD.......Let me tell you this...

I AM NOT MEMAW NOR DO I WANT TO ACT OR DRESS LIKE ONE....LOL!!!

Which brings me to this question....Am I going through a midlife crisis?!   OR  is it that I am now small enough that I can wear clothes more hip and fashionable BUT am I wearing items too young for me?  What the hell does act your age really mean? Do you go crazy after losing massive amounts of weight?

Look I have a job...which I love going to....I know what my responsibilities are and take care of them first.  Meaning shelter, food and transportation are always taken care of first...thanks Dave Ramsey (I'm trying to find Financial Peace at the moment).  I make sure that my college daughter has everything that she needs to better herself later...hence the college education. 

I want to go out and see it all.....I'm not saying that my daughter is grown and no longer needs me...we all know that 18 to the early 20's is not really grown HOWEVER we as parents must let our kids make their mistakes and learn from them as we all did.

I like going to clubs...do I want to go every night ...NO....the last time I was at a club was March a year ago.   I want to learn how to Salsa, I love going hiking, I LOVE MUSIC...all but classical...just can't get into that......LOL!!!!  I love sporting events...I have been to a few AL football games, AL Basketball games and already have plans to attend a few AL Hockey games...YES.... we have hockey in the south......I am looking at buying me a car in about a year...It will be a 2 door sports car...no need to have a 4 door.  I have a few in mind that I want.

So here I am back to my question......

Am I going through a midlife crisis?!   OR  is it that I am now small enough that I can wear clothes more hip and fashionable BUT am I wearing items too young for me?  What the hell does act your age really mean? Do you go crazy after losing massive amounts of weight?

Here are a few pictures of me...what I wear to work and "Out and about like a scout on a route"....





This is me and my baby girl on the way to the ATL last summer......

A good rule of thumb is to never dress 10 years younger than you actually are!!



  As a gay man who just turned 40, I will not go into American Eagle, Abercrombie, or Armani Exchange. Those stores are not targeted to people my age they are more for people in their 20's and when you are someone in your 40s wearing something that is targeted for someone who is in their 20s it makes you look even older.  I like Perry Ellis, Calvin Klein, and J. Crew for age appropriate men's wear.

I like everything you have picked out above with the exception of the Yankee's cap.

What...no hating on my Yanks....I don't discriminate....I'll wear any hat as long as I look good in it...LMAO!!!!! 

Seriously though I wear things from the stores you mentioned as a no no ...however nothing with the trade mark or logo on them.  I try and stay away from those type shirts.....

One of my favorite store to wer is Banana Republic...thier trousers fit my body type great...However 80% of the clothes I posted are all from the thrift store...Yes...I can get some very good in shape brand names from there....

I'm kidding with the Yankees thing ;)

I think my biggest peeve are women in their 40s or 50s who would wear Juicy sweats with Juicy written on the butt.  That, to me, is gross imagery even on someone in their teens and twenties much less a more mature woman who should know better wearing it past her 30's.  

Shopping for clothes is much less challenging as a man because we have fewer options. My partner dresses much differently than me because he's very restrained in his color choices and doesn't get as loud as I can get.  When I am at work I like to look sharp and polished in my clothes but when I go out I like things that draw a little more attention visually.  I'm turning that down considerably with age though.  I've actually bought a few shirts that someone said reminded them of Cam from Modern Family.... at that point I took the hint.



Sometimes I like to be a little loud... usually I am more like this

 And what you consider less challenging I consider utterly boring, I can honestly not understand how anyone can stand being a man other then a drag queen.  Just the fact there are no heels or sexy dresses or skimpy bustiers and garters with fishnet stockings would drive me insane.  the selection for men is nearly as limited as that of MO womyn. I really never notice mens clothes ever in any situation even the Oscars, I flip through the pics of men to get to the womyn and their beautiful dresses.  Why don't you guys rebel against all the rigid rules for mens dressing?  I mean seriously whats considered risque, a tight shirt and jeans?  OMG the horror.

And as for judging age appropriateness of clothes, really? seriously?  As long as I don't end up on the people of wal mart site I think all is well.  And seriously there is enough hatred in the world no one needs to hate anyone or judge them for what is written across their ass.  If someone has the balls to wear juicy across there ass go for it.  I hate to hear people are mocked, its one of the biggest issues in society, judging each other cruelly

I don't see anything wrong with your wardrobe, personally. If you're comfortable in it, I say go for it! 
After I lost a lot of weight, I wore nothing but high heels. I never wore flat shoes unless I was working out. And I bought leather pants (they're sitting in my closet since I can't fit into them anymore!)  For about a year, I wore all the things I "never could." And then I started regaining (I had the lapband and it nearly killed me, hysterectomy, quit smoking, took prednisone for hysterectomy complications, yada yada.) 

I still dress nicely, but probably more modestly. (But I'm 43 and chubby!)    However, all the photos you've shared look very nice and don't look at all like you're dressing "too young."  You look very nice in every outfit you've shown us! 

I'm going to be 5-0 this year (yikes) and I'd wear any one of your outfits!  

I do believe in the adage just because you can, doesn't mean you should as in I don't think you or I should be wearing clothes intended for teens/twenties but other than that, I don't see a problem ...

You look great -- stylish but very age appropriate.  Those are two words  that are somewhat under-appreciated:

"Age Appropriate"

That does not mean, "Frumpy" or "Dowdy" or "Matronly."  It  does mean, chic, sophisticated, tasteful. 

I love fashion.  I just stay out of the Juniors  and the stores that advertise with half-naked, barely pubescent models.   I tend to stick with fairly classic, tailored sillouettes  with a modern twist that show my shape without being painted on or showing a lot of skin.  My work wardrobe tends to be pretty cooker cutter because I work in a manufacturing plant that's fairly a) dangerous, and b) dirty.  I just use everything else I do as an excuse to dress well, lol.
 

I'm older than you and I'd wear most everything you have on.  I like all of it, some just wouldn't work for me so I wouldn't wear them.  I love the dresses and boots (my weakness).

OMG.. Dana...boots and dresses are my weakness too!!  I LOVE my boots!!!! 

I feel like my theme song should be these boots are made for walking and that just what I'll do.....HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!