I'm a big believer that, when it comes to fashion, age is just a number - and I love seeing people continue to dress vibrantly with a strong identity, well into their golden years.
My 85-year-old nan is very affectionatly nicknamed a 'glam-ma', having earned a reputation for always being immaculately dressed, which is why I always enjoy chatting to women of a certain age when I'm in the city scouting people for Steal Their Style.
The weekly fashion feature, which runs each Saturday online on the Manchester Evening News, has been celebrating fashion diversity among generations of shoppers since July. And as the year draws to a close, I wanted to take a look back at some of our slightly older participants, who regularly shared tips and fashion advice for younger shoppers.
READ MORE: Manchester shoppers spotted in Christmas jumpers and knits from Tesco and H&M
This special edition of Steal Their Style features my top 10 outfits worn by women over the age of 55, and I have to say, they've given the younger lot a run for their money.
I asked each of these women to talk me through their outfits, and if they had any advice for other fashion fans and the responses varied from refusing to 'dress your age' to accessorising with something exciting.
Here are our top 10 best dressed ladies over 55 spotted in Manchester in 2022 - and their nuggets of fashion wisdom to help inspire your own wardrobe.
Melanie Merrills
Yorkshire lass Melanie Merrills was in Manchester celebrating her 30th wedding anniversary with her husband, with a reservation booked for 20 Stories in Spinningfields.
The 58-year-old looked like a film star walking arm in arm with her partner, oversized sunnies on and a spring in her step.
Melanie said: “I do a lot of Instagram and get some style inspiration from there. I like long floaty dresses and I try not to dress my age, but then again you don't want to look too young either.”
Wearing a skirt from Mango and top from Jigsaw , she added: “I like to mix my brands with my high street items. My shoes and bag are from Russell and Bromley, and the jacket is Marc Cain. My necklace I got on holiday in Greece and the sunglasses I got in Athens last year.”
Victoria Mullings
Australian Victoria Mullings was enjoying a tea and brownie at Just Between Friends on Tib Street. The 68-year-old is embarking on a six-week travel adventure, with a quick three day pitstop in the city.
She said: “I have six and a half weeks out of Australia so I’m going to do a bit of backpacking across Southern Europe. I’ve been in London for five days and I’m in Manchester for three because I want to go to a place on the Yorkshire border where my dad comes from where I’ve never been.”
So far, she’s found Manchester to be stylish, even rivalling her home city of Melbourne. She added: “Manchester is so cool, it’s surprised me. Melbourne has a reputation for being quite cool but Manchester is cooler, it’s more stylish, the buildings are better. It’s just a really impressive place and the canals, buildings and people are just beautiful.”
Victoria wore a neon green dress from Zara that’s ‘a few years old’, paired with some orange sandals she brought down under for $25 in the sale. She added :”I’m quite a bargain hunter and I think I'm quite good at it, but my wardrobe is a mix of bargains, high street and a select few good pieces. I like to shop at All Saints and Selfridges. I get a bit of inspiration from the days of the punks and the hippies so sometimes I’ll give that a nod but not too much.”
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Cathryn Walker
In Manchester for belated birthday celebrations with her daughter, Cathryn Walker had opted for a sassy Marks and Spencer midi for her lunch at The Ivy, in Spinningfields, followed by The Osmonds musical. Cathryn, from Preston, said: “The dress from Marks and Spencer, I think it was about £25.”
She had paired the dress with a pair of £90 FitFlop trainers, adding: “I never thought I’d be wearing white trainers with everything, but here I am at 65.”
The 65-year-old said she likes ‘unfussy’ fashion, adding: “When you start wearing fussy things you start looking older. I’ve always known what suits me and always dressed smart as a saleswoman in the 80s and 90s. I love an 80s vibe - I nearly put clip-on earrings on this morning and stopped myself!”
Countess Anne Ladds
The Ivy was clearly a popular brunch spot with Countess Anne Ladds having also dressed up for the occasion. The 63-year-old writer likes to take herself for a glass of fizz and smoked salmon, every now and then.
Anne, from Lancashire, said: “After losing my mum I decided I’d spend some time on myself, so I took myself for breakfast at The Ivy on the roof terrace because I love their Champers. Now I’m off to Selfridges and have a shop.”
Anne loves her designer brands, quoting Dior and Chanel as some of her favourites, and was even sporting her ‘trusty Dior bag’ with a Jigsaw dress.
She added: “The bag is about 10-12 years old and I adore it because it’s the perfect size so it’s not overly full. My dress is from two seasons ago at Jigsaw. I bought it in the sale because I like to be savvy.”
Ideal for walking long distances across the city, Anne opted for a pair of flat shoes from John Lewis, and said: “You just can't walk around Manchester in heels or it starts to show on your face.”
And when it comes to style inspiration, Anne admires French politician and President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, adding: “I think she’s a very classy lady and always looks beautiful without trying. I think having a capsule wardrobe is very important because you always have something to wear. You can then opt for more expensive outerwear and shoes. You've always got to look as if you haven't tried too hard and are comfortable.”
Christine Marsden
“I don’t dress my age and I never will,” said Christine Marsden, who was waiting for a bus in Manchester city centre.
The 74-year-old, who lives in Hyde, donned an all-black gothic look with chunky silver rings and high Dr Martens.
She said: “I'm usually in black. I've had different styles throughout the years but I've always dressed a bit out there and spent 40 years living in Italy. My favourite designer is Giorgio Momoto.”
Christine’s skirt and cardigan are from Hervia Bazaar, while her bag is from Selfridges and glasses from Francis Klein.
She added: “My hat just has a Vivienne Westwood pin in it. I like my chunky rings and boots. I think all of the celebrities look the same and I want to stand out. I want to look cool.” And cool Christine looks, indeed.
Penelope Hampson
Celebrating her husband’s birthday in the city centre in St Ann’s Square, Penelope paired a Monki oversized dress with a quarter zip with some stylish Italian trainers in a similar colourway.
The 69-year-old said she’d have loved the dress, but probably wouldn’t have bought it for herself - however is ‘so glad’ her daughter gifted it to her.
Penelope, who lives in Hebden Bridge, said: “She’s very stylish, my daughter. People tell me they like this dress often. If I’d seen it on the hanger I would have definitely liked it but I may not have bought it for myself, but I’m really glad my daughter got it for me.”
Penelope said you can’t go wrong with a fun print, like the abstract design on this dress. She also likes to look to some of the older actresses like Helen Mirren for inspiration, adding: “She always looks pretty cool.”
Diana Barlow
Dining out with her equally glam friend, Diana dressed in a pink co-ord ready to enjoy a drink and some dinner with pal Lesley.
Diana, aged 80, from Stockport, told me her outfit was from Marks and Spencer, including a pink trouser and blazer set, paired with a white blouse and some white heeled boots, from Jones.
She said: “I love this colour so I thought I’d just go for it. I do like neutral colours like chocolate brown and khaki, but you can’t beat a bit of colour. I picked this outfit today because I’m going for lunch at Gino’s restaurant with my friend Lesley and she’s always glammed up, so I knew I’d have to glam up too.”
When it comes to shopping, Diana has a bit of an ‘Ariana Grande attitude’, she said: “If i see it, I like it, I want it and I’ll buy it. I’m quite happy then!”
The 80-year-old shops mostly at M&S and John Lewis, but said “you can’t beat places like Tesco - they do some lovely clothes too.”
Having enjoyed eight decades as a fashionista, I asked Diana if she had any advice for the younger generation, to which she replied: “If it suits you, wear it. Don’t follow the trends, if you like it, you buy it and you’ll be happy.”
Tessa Morton
Remember Barney from this Steal Their Style feature Well, believe it or not, this is his lovely mum! Barney previously told me his look is inspired by rock icons like Mick Jagger, but really, he got it from his momma.
Tessa, aged 60, says her signature style tip is always having one thing that makes an outfit more exciting, whether that’s some funky boots or a leather jacket.
Describing her fashion sense as ‘comfy, casual mum with a bit of style’, Tessa loves simple, clean, functional outfits that suit her shape.
She said: “Because I have a short waist I wear low waisted things, I don’t like things that are fussy or cluttered. I like things that enhance my strange shape. I'd love to have a waist, but when you get to my age you know your body and what suits you.”
Tessa wore a H&M skirt and top with Topshop boots and a jacket from Gap. She added: “The jacket is quite old, but was really expensive at the time, probably about £140 which is a lot for me but everything else was more affordable, high street prices.
“I like to take things from summer into winter and make sure to use my wardrobe year round.”
Andrea Burke
Andrea Burke tells me she keeps all of her clothes even if they’re 20 to 30 years old. The 60-year-old fashionista offered up some fashion advice, before telling me where everything was from.
She said: “Go with what you feel best in, a lot of people follow fashion and I think you should find your own style identity. You can always add something to an outfit to make it your own.
“I know what goes together and I have a lot of clothes and shoes I like to mix and match. I have some that are 20 and 30 years old and it all comes back into fashion.”
Andrea wore a scarf from Pure Cashmere and a woollen hat to brave the chill. She also styled a polo neck top with a skirt from M&S which had a leopard print self-coloured pattern to it, adding texture to the look. She said: “I’ve had this skirt for at least ten years. M&S quality is amazing! My leather jacket was handmade in Greece in a little shop by an older lady who measures you up and makes them by hand, I also have a red one.
“I love this weather and wrapping up a bit. It’s nice to get your boots out - these ones are Joules, my daughter bought me these. I like all seasons and that’s what’s great about this country - we get it all!”
Anne Hurleston
Leopard print loving Anne, 60, was celebrating her husband’s birthday with a trip to Manchester from Cheadle Hulme.
She looked fantastic in a dress from independent boutique Stella Forest, which featured a midi length, red braided belt and little red cuffs.
Anne added: “I don't tend to wear a lot of prints, but as I've got older I buy less and go for more quality pieces. Zara and whistles are my favourite places to shop.
“My coat is from Zara, bag is from Longchamp, and my boots are from Marks and Spencer.”
Fashion lovers will be thrilled to know that the boots are new season, and they come in a variety of colours.
Anne added: “I’m on Instagram and like looking at the independent shops. I think I get my style from my mum, she was quite stylish, too.”
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