Happy Monday, gang! Last week, I welcomed my third granddaughter into the world. Mom, baby, Dad, and her proud older sister are all doing well. As for BeBe? I’m over the moon. It’s been a full stretch around here: a new baby, a manuscript out with agents, and, yes, dating over 60 with a very full calendar.
Key Takeaways
- Granddaughter number three arrived last week, and time with the girls is the reason for the Atlanta apartment, which is complete (until I move a lamp).
- Hidden in the Frame is with literary agents, and I’m leaning toward bringing in a developmental editor for fresh eyes.
- After a summer off, I’m back on Match, and a first date I thoroughly enjoyed has turned into date two on the calendar.
Dating Over 60: What I Wear on a Date
I want to feel polished when I walk through the door and comfortable enough to forget what I’m wearing once the conversation gets going. For a dressier dinner, that means a silk dress with a belt at the waist. For a more casual evening, it’s velveteen pants with a soft cashmere cardigan or a tailored jacket. Either way, I want to show up looking and feeling like myself.
Life as BeBe
My granddaughters have arrived one by one over the past two years, and they’ve changed my life in all the best ways. I keep their names and photos within the family, but I can tell you I’ll rearrange my schedule to make time with them in a heartbeat.
Yesterday, my son and one of my granddaughters came over to the Atlanta apartment, and we made a Target run. You can guess where we ended up: the toy department. Watching her take it all in was a treat. So was being the grandmother who gets to say, “Oh, let’s have a look at that!” Bluey and Bingo came home with us as a bath toy, along with a tent for the playroom. The toy aisle may need a warning sign for BeBe.
The girls are a big reason I have the apartment. I wanted to be closer to them, and now I have a place where family can come over, stay a while, and make themselves at home.
The apartment is complete, though anyone who knows me understands that “complete” is subject to change. There’s a master bedroom and bath, a guest room, a kitchen, a study, a living room, and a dining room. This week, Jess is photographing two rooms I can’t wait to show you. The first is the living room, which is finally finished. You may remember the sofa that took its sweet time to arrive. Well, it’s here, and the whole room has come together around it. The second is the guest bathroom, which turned out to be the apartment’s fun room, thanks to a wall of vintage sports photographs. I’ll share both with you next Monday. By then, I may have moved a lamp. I love adding, editing, and fussing with a room until it feels just right. And then doing it again six months later.
Editing the Manuscript
Apparently, I’m in an editing mood elsewhere in my life, too.
Hidden in the Frame is with two literary agents, and I haven’t heard back yet. I know silence doesn’t tell me what they think, but it does leave plenty of room for me to think! Lately, I’ve wondered whether to hire a developmental editor who works in the industry. Fresh eyes might help me see where the manuscript needs a light edit or where I could go deeper. I’m leaning toward yes. You only get one chance to put your book out into the world, and I want to give this one every chance I can. If I do, I know what comes next: roll up my sleeves, open the document, and get to work.
Back on Match After a Summer Off
Then there’s dating. You knew we’d get there.
I haven’t dated as much since the granddaughters started arriving. Last spring, I went on a string of dates and saw the same man consistently for a while before deciding it wasn’t the right fit. I took the summer off. Then I hopped back on Match. Why? Good question. Apparently, I was ready to see who was out there.
Thank you for all the support after I shared my latest dating plot twist. I read your comments and laughed right along with you. Dating can be ridiculous. I have no interest in being someone’s backup plan.
But I’ve had plenty of fun along the way: dinners, boat rides, long walks, cocktails, concerts, and brunch. One man drove to Tybee to see me. We sat on the beach with a glass of wine and watched a spectacular sunset. I still remember that evening. I bet he does, too. Another, after we’d been dating a while, got me to join him for an Orangetheory workout. Romance comes in many forms, apparently! I’ve met some great guys and had experiences I’m glad I said yes to.
Getting Dressed Is Half the Fun
You didn’t think I’d write about dating without talking about the outfits, did you? Two brands I come back to for date night are J.McLaughlin and Boden. I want to feel polished when I walk through the door and comfortable enough to forget what I’m wearing once the conversation gets going.
Dinner Out
For a dressier dinner, I’d start with the Hannah Silk Chiffon Dress in Windsor Vine. It makes a statement all on its own. The Amelia Suede Belt is an option when I want to define the waist and bring out the warmer tones in the print.
A More Casual Evening
When I’m in the mood for pants, I reach for Velveteen Pants. I own them in several colors and love them. They give me that little bit of texture that makes an outfit feel special without making dinner feel like a formal event. I could wear them with the Kendall Cashmere Cardigan or add the Glen Plaid Jacket for a different take. The Grace Silk Scarf belongs with this look, too. It’s the finishing touch that pulls the softer pieces together.
- Outfit formula: printed silk dress + suede belt at the waist
- Outfit formula: velveteen pants + cashmere cardigan or glen plaid jacket + silk scarf
The Date Night Look Already in My Closet
And then there’s the outfit you see at the top of this post, which is already hanging in my closet: the Pink Bow Jacket from Boden with Ann Mashburn’s Flare Cropped Pants, finished with Ann Mashburn’s Leopard Buckle Shoe. I’d add the Solara Earrings and call it done. The outfit has personality, which is rather the point. I want to show up looking and feeling like myself.
And if your date-night budget is more Target run than silk chiffon, I’ve got you! These Walmart fall outfits offer polished ideas at a friendlier price point. A good outfit should make you feel like yourself, whatever the label says.
Getting ready is half the fun, too. I start with Armani foundation, then add Urban Decay eyeshadow, Laura Mercier eyeliner, and NARS mascara in black or brown, depending on the look. A little Nudestix blush brings color back to my cheeks. I finish with Laura Mercier lipliner and lipstick. Polished, with a little extra effort for the occasion, but still me.
- Outfit formula: pink bow jacket + navy cropped pants + leopard buckle shoe + statement earrings
Is There Room for Someone New?
What I’m still figuring out is where a relationship would fit. My life is full, and I like it that way. I make time for my granddaughters, my work, my friends, book club, mahjong and travel. I split my time between Athens and Atlanta, and there’s a manuscript waiting for me whenever I’m ready to dive back in. Life is a balancing act, and some weeks I wonder whether dating is one thing too many.
But I also know we make time for the people and things that matter to us. I don’t need to clear a permanent space on my calendar for someone I haven’t met yet. I can enjoy a dinner, get to know a person, and see whether we both want to make room for more. That feels like a good place to begin.
Closing Thoughts
For now, I’m going to enjoy what’s happening. I’ll look forward to seeing him again, consider what my manuscript needs, and keep the apartment ready for family visits, even if I change my mind about where the lamp goes.
Yesterday, the best part of my day was an unhurried trip through Target with my son and granddaughter. I’m glad I had time for it. And I’m glad I said yes to dinner on Friday, too.
Style has no expiration date — and neither do you.
Not in my experience. I’m 68, back on Match after a summer off, and I’ve met some great men, enjoyed good dinners, and had genuinely good conversations over the years. A strange ending now and then comes with the territory, but it doesn’t cancel out the good parts.
Wear something that makes you feel polished when you walk in and comfortable enough to forget about once the conversation starts. For a dressier dinner, I like a printed silk dress with a belt; for something more relaxed, velveteen pants with a cashmere cardigan or a tailored jacket.
Yes. Velveteen adds just enough texture to make an outfit feel special without turning dinner into a formal event. I own them in several colors and pair them with a soft cardigan or a glen plaid jacket, plus a silk scarf to finish.
I’m on Match. I took the summer off from dating and hopped back on this fall, and it led to a first date I thoroughly enjoyed and a second one on the calendar.
Between family, the blog, my book, friends, and two homes, my life is full. But I’ve always made room for the important people in my life, and I can make room for another date. Whether someone new becomes one of those people is a bigger question, and I don’t need to answer it before date two.
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What I’m Wearing
Dinner Out
A More Casual Evening
Before You Go
Have you ever wondered how something new might fit into a life you already love? Tell me in the comments.
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