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

Avoid kemmerling, Green Bay, WI
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 ...
Proud Feminist, Atheist, LGBT friend, and Democratic Socialist
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.