Growing Older, Fabulously
Embracing the Iris Apfel spirit
Happy Sunday! This post is going to be a little bit different than I planned. I’ve been wanting to write on the topic of how interesting is better than perfect. I started a draft, but I’m going to save it. So that’ll be coming in a future post!
I was thinking that Iris Apfel was a great example of someone who exemplifies why being interesting is better than being perfect. But after her passing, and I learned more of her story, I thought that Iris needed her own post.
Earlier this month, we lost a legend — designer and businesswoman, Iris Apfel. She wore fabulous glasses, bright colors, and lots of feathers. The articles that flooded the internet after her death described her as “outspoken,” “flamboyant,” and “dynamic.”
These are not words typically used to paint a picture of an elderly woman. Most older women are generally ignored.
Since turning 40, I’ve stressed over gray hairs and wrinkles. I’ve worried that as my appearance starts to change, I’ll no longer be valued. I’ve grown increasingly annoyed by the fact that I’ve both let this consume me and that I’ve been complicit in viewing “beauty” and “youth” synonymously.
But when I look at Iris I think…aging looks like a lot of fun.
In this and every post you’ll also find:
✍️ Three creative exercises
🌞 Five good things that happened this week
💬 A prompt to set your intentions for the new week