Old is the New “New”: How I rock my vintage sunglasses

Listen, I am not saying that I was jumping through hoops when I was gearing for my 40th birthday last year, but I wasn’t dreading it as much as my girlfriends are these days. After the turbulent moods and erratic decisions of my 20s, and the rushed, child bearing years of my 30s, I got the feeling that my 40s would be much saner, much clearer and a time of renewal.
In my 20s I spent most of my time trying to emulate the fashion trends of the moment. In my 30s my time was spent trying to look decent in loose jumpers by ten in the morning as I juggled toddlers, deadlines and the household. This is precisely why I wanted to go into my 40s with a renewed sense of self. I wanted to show a new side of me by establishing a sense of style that was modern but spoke of my tastes and lifestyle.

I have always been a sunglasses kind of girl because even if I walk into a room with insecure eyes and my tongue tied, wearing bold sunglasses has always helped me in faking my confidence to get the job done. And so it was the perfect pair of sunglasses that I went looking for first.
A quick search for women’s sunglasses in Australia provided me with millions of results but somehow, the rainbow colored and horn rimmed frames I kept coming across were not speaking to me – that is when I turned to my old drawer and found my vintage pair of sunglasses.

This pair has seen me do some wild things in my twenties and as soon as I put them on, I felt as confident and as young as I had been back then. It made sense really ­– vintage sunglasses are being celebrated so much these days in fashion magazines and fashion blogs. And as a 40-year-old who wanted to look classic but on trend, I knew this old pair would, ironically, bring me right to the fashion present.
So how have I been wearing my vintage sunglasses? While rocking the vintage pair is perfect to stay on trend, keeping the rest of your style clean and modern by going for sleek designs and structured pieces is a great way to balance it out. I love a good midi dress that is elegant and tight enough to accentuate my curves while peg trousers and blouses look so bold when I add my sunglasses and great morning clutch for a lunch date with my girls.
Never in my life have I felt more confident than when I stepped into my 40s. Embracing it to the fullest, I have been enjoying blending the old with the new and having fun with fashion like I have never had before. Old really is the new new and so, the only thing that is left for us 40 year olds to do now is to wear our vintage pieces and show 20-year-olds how lasting and coveted our fashion pieces were and still are.
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