Aging Gracefully Starts with Getting Real
When I look back on these 7 life lessons I wish I’d known before turning 60, one thing stands out: how much both life and style have changed — and not just in my closet. Fashion and style have always been the foundation of Style at a Certain Age, but there’s so much more to aging with grace, strength, and beauty than what we wear.
Although what we wear is important — it makes a statement, keeps us grounded, and reminds us to keep showing up for life. Style isn’t superficial; it’s how we tell the world we’re still in the game.
Over the past decade, the digital landscape has done a complete 180. When I first started on Instagram, it was a cozy corner to share daily outfits and connect with like-minded women. Then came algorithms, Reels, and the rise of TikTok — where trends last 48 hours and authenticity sometimes gets lost in the scroll. Suddenly, creating content became a full-time sprint: the constant newness, the endless scroll, and that creeping feeling that if you’re not producing, you’re disappearing.
But here’s the truth — I didn’t start this journey to compete. I started it to connect.
To prove that style doesn’t have an expiration date.
To show that reinvention can happen at any age.
To remind women that confidence is timeless.
That’s why I’m so grateful for this blog and YouTube Channel— a slower, more intentional space where we can go deeper than captions and those damn filters so many women think they need. Here, I can share real stories and reflections that don’t fit neatly into a 30-second Reel. It’s why I created my Life Beyond Style Series — to explore the moments between the outfits: resilience, reinvention, and rediscovery.
Today, I’m sharing the 7 life lessons I wish I’d known before turning 60 — reflections that go beyond fashion, exploring what it truly means to age with grace, strength, and confidence in a world that’s always changing.
1. Your Body Isn’t Betraying You — It’s Redefining Strength
At 40, I thought I’d “get back in shape.” At 50, I thought I’d “maintain.” At 60, I realized my body wasn’t the enemy — it’s my most loyal companion. These hips have danced, these knees have climbed countless stairs, and this skin tells the story of a life well-lived.
Now, I move because it feels good. I lift weights because I can. And I walk Oscar because he reminds me that strong doesn’t mean fast — it means consistent.
Beth Style Tip: Dress the body you have, not the one you miss. Confidence is the best tailoring.
2. Health Is the New Wealth
If I could whisper one truth to my younger self, it would be this: take your health as seriously as your skincare. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Wellness after 60 isn’t about shrinking your body — it’s about expanding your energy. That means movement, real rest, and proactive care for what’s changing inside and out.
And let’s be honest: one of those changes is thinning hair. Hormones, stress, and time all play a role. Nutrafol Women’s Balance, a supplement that supports stronger, thicker hair from within. It’s not a quick fix — it’s a long game of nourishment and consistency, just like everything else worth doing in your sixties.
Healthy hair after 50 and after menopause starts with what you put inside your body.
- Supplements: Nutrafol has conducted clinical studies demonstrating reduced shedding and improved hair thickness after consistent use. Nutrafol has a physician-formulated Hair Growth Neutraceutical, and they also created Balance Hair Growth, specifically designed for women over 50. Additionally, you can save $50 off your first order of Nutrafol. I’ve been a big fan of this brand since I partnered with them on YouTube years ago. I also learned a great deal about hair and hair loss from their consultants. I’m also a big believer in collagen for promoting healthy hair and nails. One of my favorites is Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Powder Advanced with Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin C. Yep, that’s a mouthful.
- Real food: Protein, healthy fats, iron, and vitamins D and B are essential. I take a 4:1 supplement Calcium + D3 + K2 + B12.
- Stress and sleep: Stress can literally push follicles into resting mode. Exercise, meditation, or even a daily walk with the dog helps. And yes, I’ll share my little secret: I take Early Bird CBD gummies an hour before I turn out the lights. They help me relax, quiet the mental chatter, and ease into sleep. And I spoke with a healthcare professional to discuss whether CBD was right for my needs.
Beth Style Tip: Think of Nutrafol as skincare for your scalp. Healthy hair starts from within — and confidence starts with showing up for yourself.
3. Grief Never Leaves — But It Softens
Six years ago, I thought I’d never smile again. Now I laugh without guilt and cry without shame. Grief doesn’t disappear; it becomes a quieter companion — one that teaches you to live fully, not fearfully.
It’s part of the fabric now — softer, frayed at the edges, but deeply woven in gratitude. I’ve written several posts about grief, including Reclaiming Life after Loss.
4. Style Evolves When You Stop Dressing for Other People
I’ve never dressed for approval. I’ve always loved fashion for what it is — a form of self-expression. But over time, I’ve learned that style isn’t about chasing trends or trying to look younger. It’s about refinement, confidence, and knowing what works for your body and your life.
That doesn’t mean shopping loses its sparkle. Retail therapy still has its place. There’s nothing like a fun shopping expedition with your mom, daughter, or daughter-in-law. I look forward to my annual shopping spree at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale with my daughters-in-law every summer. It’s not about buying everything in sight; it’s about sharing laughter, stories, and finding those pieces that make you light up.
Style after 60 becomes less about more and more about meaning. You stop buying for fantasy and start buying for real life — pieces that move with you, fit beautifully, and reflect who you’ve become.
Let’s Talk Athleisure
If you’d told me ten years ago I’d be wearing joggers on the blog, I would’ve laughed. Now? They’re a staple. Athleisure has become modern-day chic: soft fabrics, clean lines, and effortless layering that moves with real life.
Beth Style Tip: Athleisure isn’t lazy; it’s intentional ease. Pair neutral tones, structured fits, and a bright lip for instant polish.
5. Your Definition of Success Changes — Radically
In my thirties and forties, success meant checking the boxes. The dream house, the happy family, the SUV parked in the driveway. Life was a blur of carpools, homework, and family dinners, making sure everyone got where they needed to be on time. I didn’t have a nine-to-five job. I was a stay-at-home mom, and at the time, that came with its own kind of judgment.
The world told women like me we weren’t “working” if we didn’t have a paycheck. But the right job for me was raising my boys and traipsing around the world with Mr. Style’s career. I was the steady hand behind the scenes — the glue holding the schedules, the suitcases, and the sanity together.
Back then, success meant keeping it all afloat. It was measured in clean laundry, homemade meals, and the ability to keep the family running smoothly no matter where we landed.
Now, success looks very different. I still work hard, but the definition has shifted. Today, I run a thriving business — this blog — and I love showing up here and on social media to connect with my Grit and Glam Club. Sharing fashion, beauty, and real conversations about aging gracefully feels deeply meaningful because it’s on my terms.
Success after 60 isn’t about collecting more. It’s about savoring what you already have and showing up with purpose. It’s no longer striving to be impressive; it’s choosing to be content.
Because the truth is, the real markers of success — joy, peace, connection, and purpose — were never in the dream house or the social expectations. They were always in the small, steady moments of living well.
6. Love After Loss Is Complicated — and Worth It
No one tells you that dating again after decades feels a little like learning to walk in heels. You wobble, you doubt, and sometimes you fall flat. But when it’s good, it’s hopeful. And hope, at any age, is still the most stylish thing you can wear.
I’ve gone on dates, and I’ve also turned them down. I’ve learned that saying no can be just as powerful as saying yes. Life is full — family, friends, travel, work, and the everyday routines that keep me grounded. But I also know it can be fuller.
Fuller with new conversations, shared meals, unexpected laughter, and the simple joy of being seen again. Fuller in the sense of possibility — not because something is missing, but because there’s always room for more connection, more fun, more living.
Dating after 60 isn’t about finding someone to complete you. It’s about sharing what you’ve already built — your wisdom, your strength, your humor — with someone who appreciates all of it.
Love, at this stage, looks different. It’s less about fireworks and more about warmth. Less about perfection and more about presence. And that kind of love, whether romantic or simply the love of life itself, makes everything feel a little fuller.
Beth Style Tip: Whether you’re dating, flirting, or simply embracing your independence, confidence never goes out of style.
7. The Best Is Absolutely Not Behind You
The world loves to tell women that youth is the prize. I call nonsense. Your sixties can be the most vibrant and creative decade yet if you let it.
This year, I reached a milestone I once thought belonged to “someday.” I finished my debut novel, (In)Sincere Motives, and sent it off to beta readers to help strengthen and tighten the manuscript. Now it’s round two for a final read. Please send me an email (beth@styleatacertainage.com) if you’re interested in a sneak peek and would like to answer my beta reader checklist. The novel is a romantic suspense set in the glamorous art world, full of mystery, wit, and second chances.
The story opens ten minutes earlier than the original draft, so readers could meet Reggie before everything begins to unravel. Let’s just say the calm before the storm never looked so good. Here’s a sneak peek.
Mondays were a lie. They promised structure, but Reggie Cavanaugh knew better. Mondays always unraveled, always tripped over themselves before the day had begun. Fridays had an acronym and a cocktail. Mondays started with a hopeful to-do list, only to collapse into chaos before the first box was checked.
But from the moment her alarm clock rang this morning, she knew something was different. The air itself hummed with anticipation. This was the Monday that refused to play by her rules.
If it had been Tuesday—calm, collected Tuesday—things might have played out differently.
Through the observation window of the pediatric wing, she caught Claire’s signal: two fingers tapping her watch, then pointing toward the exit. Wrap it up.
Twenty faces stared at her with wide eyes full of anticipation—some propped on pillows, some tangled in blankets, some holding hands with a friend beside them. A little girl in the back held a stuffed rabbit tight to her chest, hospital bracelet slipping down her wrist, eyes fixed on Reggie as if nothing else existed.
Goodnight Moon rested in Reggie’s hands, a signed first edition slated for auction Wednesday night. Her father’s favorite. The book had been in his family since Charles was a boy, the one he had read to her a thousand times.
“One more?” a small voice asked.
Through the window, Claire pointed at her watch and mouthed no.
Reggie grinned, lifting a finger in mock victory.
Claire threw her hands up, mouthing Cavanaugh, but she was smiling.
“One more,” Reggie said to the children. She opened the book, her thumb tracing the spine, and began.
“In the great green room, there was a telephone…” Her voice carried steady and warm, filling the quiet. By the final page, the room had softened, as if every child had followed her into that green room and refused to leave. She slowed, then looked up at the children.
“Let’s say this part together,” she said. “Ready?”
Twenty voices, thin and strong, eager and shy, rose to meet hers.
“Goodnight stars. Goodnight air. Goodnight noises everywhere.”
The girl with the rabbit mouthed every word, her hands folded as if in prayer.
For a moment, Reggie was a girl again, snuggled under her quilt, tucked tightly beneath her chin, her father closing the book, his voice soft: “Time to turn out the light, Fish.” Back when fathers were invincible and bedtime stories kept the world safe.
Reggie closed the book softly, the stillness in the room achingly familiar—that cathedral quiet after the last page, before sleep, when everything felt manageable. Before it all fell apart.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small stack of needlepoint bookmarks, each one stitched during late nights on set or in hotel rooms when her hands needed to be busy. Foxes and bears. Sunflowers and stars. A rocket ship. A sailboat. She’d made one for each child.
“Before you go,” she said, holding them up. “I made these for you. One for everyone.”
The children’s eyes went wide.
The girl with the rabbit reached out first, fingers trembling as she chose the fox. “You made this?”
“I did.”
“For me?”
“For you.”
The girl clutched it to her chest like it was made of gold.
One by one, the children came forward. A boy chose the rocket ship. Another picked the bear. A girl claimed the sunflowers. Each one careful, reverent, as if the bookmark might disappear.
This. This was why she’d started the foundation. Not the press. Not the galas. This moment, when a sick child held something made just for them and forgot, for one second, that the world could be cruel.
Her father had taught her that stories could be refuge. These bookmarks were proof he’d been right about that, at least.
A little boy in the front row shot his hand into the air. “Miss Cavanaugh?”
“Yes?”
“Do you really run from bad guys like in the movies?”
Reggie laughed. “I do! But in this movie, they make me do it in heels.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Terrible idea. Don’t try it.”
The boy grinned, gap-toothed. The room rippled with giggles until the door swung open and Patricia, the pediatric nurse, rolled in a cart stacked with cups of vanilla and chocolate ice cream.
“Who wants dessert before lunch?” she asked.
The room erupted into squeals of delight.
Patricia pressed two cups into Reggie’s hand. “Hospital rules. Everyone gets ice cream after story time.”
Reggie studied the options, her brows lifting. “Chocolate or vanilla? That’s cruel, Patricia. How’s a girl supposed to choose?”
Patricia blinked, then smiled a little too quickly, her cheeks warming. “I-I’d go chocolate,” she admitted, as if it were a secret.
The kids erupted with their own shouts of “chocolate!” and “vanilla!” while Reggie grinned, letting the moment play like a scene meant just for them.
“Chocolate it is!” Reggie said, savoring a spoonful—cold, sweet, simple. Perfect in a way no Michelin star could match. Just chocolate ice cream in a paper cup, eaten with a wooden spoon.
Miles Kelley leaned in the doorway, arms crossed, waiting. He was good at that—knowing exactly when to enter a scene and when to hang back.
Reggie held up her cup. “Want some? Or does your protein regimen forbid sugar before noon?”
“I’ll make an exception.” He pushed off the doorframe, stopped. Close enough to be part of the conversation, far enough to let her keep the spotlight.
“Liar. You’re just here to spy.”
“Admiring. You’re good with them.”
“Easy now. That almost sounded sincere.”
“I am sincere. Just surprised you agreed to do this on a Monday morning when we’re already behind schedule.”
“Some things matter more than call times.”
His mouth curved. “Careful. That’s not very ice-queen of you.”
“You’re confusing me with the blonde from the vampire franchise.”
He laughed, low and quick. Then, rolling his shoulders, he asked, “Ready?”
“Are you offering to go first?”
“Moral support. And maybe a human shield.”
“How chivalrous.”
His phone buzzed. He glanced at it, and something shifted in his expression—brief, barely there. “I should go.”
“Press getting restless?”
“Something like that.” He was already moving toward the exit, phone still in hand.
She watched him disappear around the corner. Abrupt, even for Miles.
FAQs About Aging Gracefully After 60
Q: How do I maintain healthy hair as I age?
A: Prioritize scalp health, protein intake, and targeted supplements like Nutrafol Women’s Balance for hormone-related thinning.
Q: What are the best style tips for women over 60?
A: Focus on structure, proportion, and comfort. Invest in neutral basics — denim jackets, tailored joggers, crisp shirts — and accessorize intentionally.
Q: What’s your best advice for feeling confident in your 60s?
A: Confidence comes from doing things that align with who you are now, not who you were. Reinvention isn’t vanity — it’s vitality.
Q: How do you stay active and motivated?
A: I treat movement as self-respect, not punishment. Strength training, walking Oscar, and staying consistent are my essentials.
💬 Join the Grit & Glam Conversation
So, Grit and Glam Club — what’s one thing you wish you’d known before turning 60 (or 50, or 70)?
Share in the comments below. Let’s keep rewriting the narrative of aging with grit, glamour, and maybe a great pair of joggers.
If you enjoy these kinds of real conversations — the ones about life, confidence, and style beyond the surface — I’d love for you to stay connected.
✨ Sign up for my newsletter to get daily posts, a weekly shopping guide, or a weekly newsletter with a recap and Amazon favorites, book recommendations, and more!
🌸 Join the Grit & Glam Membership to be part of a growing community of women who are redefining what it means to age with strength, beauty, and purpose. Together we’ll share stories, swap ideas, and celebrate every season of life — stylishly, of course.
Subscribe to the Newsletter | Join the Grit & Glam Membership
And before you go, thank you for being here — for reading, sharing, and shopping through my affiliate links. Your support helps keep Style at a Certain Age running and allows me to continue creating the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content you love. I don’t take this community for granted. You’re the heartbeat of it all.
Here’s to aging with grit, grace, and just the right amount of glam.
About The Author
LEAVE A COMMENT