Interested in style at a certain age? Check out Lyn Slater. She became an accidental Gemini style icon after her 2nd Saturn Return. She thinks that ‘dress your age” fashion dictates are a control mechanism.
The first time Lyn Slater felt control over her body was at the age of 40, when she got her first tattoo. Twenty-three years later and she’s never felt better. The oldest of six siblings, Lyn has spent her entire life surrounded by young people. Working as a professor at Fordham University, she became frustrated with the split between her academic life and her creative sensibilities.
Taking the decision to actively challenge the ageing process she started to experiment with fashion as a means of self-expression — taking sartorial risks as a reminder that she was still very much alive and present.
Saturn in Capricorn is going to turbo-charge the trend of anti-ageism in fashion/culture. Of course, there are already front runners like Maye Musk but anticipate more.
Style At A Certain Age Is A Control Mechanism
Lyn Slater created the Accidental Icon blog after she was mistaken for a fashion industry maven at a cafe near New York Fashion Week. Swarmed by paparazzi, this Gemini just past her 2nd Saturn Return (aka in her chronological sixties) decided to reinvent.
Of course, being Gemini and thus calculating (this is a compliment), she could well have schemed the whole thing. But whatever, her voice is fresh. She is decidedly against dictates for women ( to ‘dress their age.’ She says the entire concept of adopting a specific style a certain age is a control mechanism.
From W Magazine:
Currently, Slater divides her time between teaching at Fordham University and posting on her fashion blog, but she sees everything that she does as connected. “Trauma is very much held in women’s bodies,” she said. “And because of that, I always understood the importance of clothing, even to women who society thinks don’t care about clothes.” For example, she’ll advise women on dressing for court appearances beyond the simple suit that their lawyers ask them to put on.
She Combines The Cultural Fluidity Of Gemini With The Future-Channeling Of Her North Node
It was a dissatisfaction with academia, though, as well as mainstream magazines and “middle America” fashion websites targeting women her age, that lead Slater to start a blog of her own. A researcher by trade, she surveyed what was out there, and decided she could succeed by doing the opposite. Within six months, she had a cover and editorial in Grey magazine.
How do i know she is a Gemini? I don’t. But it appears as a hashtag on her Instagram @iconaccidental, and she has a classic mercurial flair with words, knowledge and – yes – clothes. Born June 20, 1953, she has a natal Saturn Neptune conjunction in Libra and the North Node in Aquarius. Saturn-Neptune people blend vision and style with pragmatism. They channel the Future. And the North Node in Aquarius strikes out for lands as yet undiscovered. This accidental icon has Gemini cultural fluidity and an innate tendency to defy the norm. She’s not just bucking the style at a certain age convention. She’s refusing the typical role that society casts women in after their second Saturn Return.
Thoughts?
Gem sun, aqua rising…
I’m now on the tarmac for take off at 60. I relish the power and play of clothes.
Fashion is fleeting but style is eternal.
A fave post–my parody jeaously would have say sort of epiphenomal realism meets ordinary non-profit privilege and style excuse me its okay–we are getting inspirational but wont overly pontificate just curate sensitively
LOVE THIS POST! From one Gemini to another
I am like DYING for fashion icons way the hell older than me. These women give me something to look forward to.
This really reminds me of this post, which was also like a lady-gasm of older women being like f&%# the patriarchy!!!
https://warningcurvesahead.com/2016/06/04/24-things-women-over-30-should-wear/
Thanks for sharing! The chick who wrote the orig article this one counters is not even 30 y.o. yet and used to work for Michaels an arts and crafts store. Lol!
Will turn 58 this year. I’ve had a few ‘huh’ times where ive felt invisible lately, which is especially hard on a big haired Leo. But then today I left the house to walk with pup and then meet up later with friend and just didnt bother with makeup (this is a semi-big deal for me) So maybe those things can cancel each other out. I am feeling very “Oh F*ck it who cares” lately and it’s very freeing.
I almost took a picture today to highlight my gray hair and the eyeglasses with snazzy holder strap I knitted for them. I was going to post this picture with the comment: Fuck your ageist signifiers.
So yeah, I’m on this vibe, HARD. Will turn 50 this year.
The time is now and it’s perfect.
Instagram and the blogs have wrestled the story out of my he hands of magazine editors and their big name brands and begun to hand the power back to the people and self expression
Lyn is such an icon! Trauma held in the body is so true, and I absolutely love her court date appearance wisdom. Having worn a uniform for so long some times I need a nudge to remember clothes can be a celebration.
<3 bobby
Keep us posted! I already love her!!!
I’ve gotten two tattoos in the last year as Pluto goes through my Ascendent/first house, and there is something really amazing about the process. It really is empowering to decide what you want, have it be brought to life by an artist, and then have that beauty inked into the deep layers of your skin. I always knew I wanted tattoos but it wasn’t until now that I felt strongly enough to make it happen, I’m glad I waited but I’m more glad I did it.
One of my non-negotiable life goals is to continue dressing in a fashionable way into my wise elder years. As an Aqua rising, Saturn in Libra trine Venus in Gemini, I think my sense of style will only get better with time. I don’t spend a lot of time dreaming up creative outfits, and I am super lazy in the morning so I tend to dress quickly (a bit of the Aqua-rising norm core there? but polished norm core. Loved that style your Ascendant series, MM.) I also expect that in my later years I will have more resources for purchasing the best quality designs I can get my hands on. I also knit my own sweaters and am planning on dusting off the sewing machine and getting back into sewing myself some chic basics. When I was younger I didn’t understand my sense of style, but within the past 5 years it has really become more clear to me, and I’ve thus been able to make more daring choices knowing that they work with my overall wardrobe. Also I realized that minimalist principles guiding the color and print choices of one’s wardrobe means you can do more with less and buy crazy creative items that will work as long as they are in the same scheme. Super inspiring post!
My fave fashionista is Jean Woods. She’s on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanwoods7/?hl=en
LOVE her! I follow her instagram. Very inspiring, and I look to her as a role model, more in ideology than the fashion, itself. But fashion is such a brilliant medium to get the message across! I love her style, but my own style is pretty understated, though youthful/modern.
I also refuse the ‘dress for your age’ thing, or to have an ‘age appropriate’ hairstyle, or whatever…..all of that is LAME! Apparently you’re not supposed to have long hair if you’re middle aged. Never had even heard of that until I read it online a couple years ago. I was like, what the hell?! Why? I have long blonde California surfer girl hair, and none of it is even gray yet! So I give a big ‘fuq you’ hand signal to whoever made that societal standard up….ugh! I agree with Slater, it’s all about control. And trying to break women’s spirit.
“Saturn in Capricorn is going to turbo-charge the trend of anti-ageism in fashion/culture.”
Thanks for alerting us to this, MM! Good news!
I’m turning 50 in a few weeks and part of me, the acculturated-in-modern-western-society part, meaning the subconsciously programmed part, is freaking out, of course, because all my life, just like in all your lives, if you’re a woman, you’re told in every possible way, from the subliminal to the overt, that you’re going to be irrelevant, invisible, useless, no longer beautiful, etc., etc., once you reach a certain age.
The other part of me, the part that can see through all of that as bullshit, is not worried at all.
Women like Slater being visible and outspoken in media and doing their thing will help everyone overcome societal ageism and also our own internalized ageism. Yes!
Hugs and fist bumps to this process of getting to 50. It’s glorious and not that at all. I have the same thoughts. I am not worried but there are programs that need deactivated.
Have you had your Chiron return yet? What was that like for you, if you did. I just looked to see that mine will be exact while I’m on vacation with extended family. Shit.
Thanks so much for the good vibes! 🙂
I’m having my Chiron return now. Chiron got to my natal degree, 26 Pisces, and then retro-ed and will go over my natal one more time. It’s darn close now at 24 degrees. Chiron is in my 10th house and I’ve been dealing with career change and not completely letting go of, but loosening up on my current career of 20 years. It feels really liberating, actually, and the right thing to do, though I’m now marginally unemployed and sometimes completely unemployed. Scary, financially, but it will work out one way or the other, eventually….
Sticking with the post theme, though, I’m having some insecurity about ageism and work, and worried that I might be discriminated against for being older if I’m seeking work somewhere. I’m used to being self-employed..
Interesting. Our charts are flipped it seems. My Chiron return will be at 2 Aries, but my 4th house is Pisces/ 10th house is Virgo. I feel like my career for the past 20 years has been healing and dealing with my family. From whom I’m mostly estranged at this point. And about which I feel mostly good about. My biggest aha has been “I’m ok. They’re ok. They don’t think I’m ok.” The follow through on that being, I have to be ok with them thinking I’m not ok. Which I think relates to the aging thing. I am mostly surrounded by and active socially with people 20+ years younger than me. My sweet Capricorn friend treats me like a regular human. His partner treats me like a human. I have several friends who treat me like a regular person rather than an aging thing. The 21 year olds are still in that “don’t trust anyone over 30” stage and I am over here way on the other side of 30 thinking–what a ride is in store for you my dears. But the main point being, I got a surprise mini-career in dance that didn’t start until I was 43. I remind myself constantly that “I’m not dead yet” and I can do this. If I want to. Whatever it is that comes up. There are obstacles and joys. Some people are gorgeous in how they treat you and others are still learning…a lot.
I will get into the details but void Scorpio moon and my unwillingness to allow any negative vibes near my secret stash of happiness. But yeah.
I’m so happy I found this blog pre zap zone.
When I think back to my first consults with MM and seeing the changes in my life…. obviously I take credit for the work but without the encouragement and support of you lot?
Again
Thank you
Ooooh can i ask what kind of consult it is no personal deets required but am thinking of getting one and have to save up for it but what’s involved? Is it specific issue or general life for this yr sort of thing? Sorry but I need some example to know what to expect
Yay Invicta! Been seeing you evolve on here and is really something to behold.
I’m not going into detail about anything right now but if anyone out there is even CONSIDERING getting the Mercury Key Ring & Wealth Wallet, stop hesitating and GET THEM!
My whole life is in flux and yeah… no deets but it’s all happening… that is some POWERFUL MAGIC MOJO – thanks again so much to Starbaaie( yeah I still can’t spell your name:) aka a person I’ve never met who bought me a gift. You.
And MM.
well you know… you know.
X
So much love and thank you
I’m so getting her vibe!
inspirational. and god know,s, i need it lol
Check out the work on http://www.Advanced.Style
I love that blog!!
That line that trauma is held in women’s bodies ! I for one will vouch for that
yes
In yoga I always hear ‘our issues are in our tissues’. There’s a book by that name now, too. It’s for real. And it’s true for women and men, and probably animals, too!
Agree. I’ve been struggling to read The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, at times it can be very emotionally draining and re-traumatising. I’ve set myself the task of finishing this book then moving onto Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga.
I like that as a 40 year old she come into her body, clearly understanding her traumatic truth and the process forward.
Definitely get the Gemini wordsmith and youthful personality and some Aqua/Sagittarius self expression. Some months back i coming across an article and photograph of Lyn Slater and thought what an intriguing and beautiful women.
i wanna read that book soon. i’ll brace myself beforehand then…
Ooh, those sound like books I need to read. Thanks for mentioning them!
Absolutely, every single cell of your body retains the emotional memory and wounds that were inflicted and yoga sweats it out and breathing helps clear that to allow fresh new positive energy in you. 20 plus yrs in yoga and it’s been proved over and over again.
I’m a huge yoga fan. It hits the spot for me totally.
I hope this is more than a trend and the beginning of how things just are.
Omg! Yeah f@$k ageism! Thanks for posting this! I was looking for more inspiring peeps in the fashion arena. Also check out this older couple who wear matching fashions:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/07/japanese-couple-married-37-years-wear-matching-outfits-every/
there is a thing koreans do – couple wear, boyfriends and girlfriends dress the same to I guess show people they’re a couple?
Hahah! As a Libra this is couples goals plus growing older goals all wrapped in one. Plus they did it rather tastefully. In the U.S. The matching shirts or snarky ‘if u can read this the bitch fell off” tacky couples outfits give me hives.
So went and browsed her blog – she’s so interesting! Hope she gets back to you.
A number of websites have her birthday as June 20, 1953
It certainly fits. Gemini with a Libra moon, Saturn and Neptune conj in Libra and north node in Aquarius…
My son is a gemini with a libra moon, he has a distinct style already, he is constantly in character (5th house jupiter at work I think). He goes through phases where he wants to wear only red, or only blue, and he wants the accessories to match. He has been drawing on his own watches with marker and painting spare keys and hanging them as pendants. He’ll paint himself like a cat, and then be over it 5 minutes later and do something else (he’s got sun and mercury all in gem conjunct his south node). He’s 6 and so fun, he’s got his north node in Sag in the first house, I just stay out of the way and give him props!
Ooh yes. Moon–Jupiter–N.Node making a grand air trine too. Lots of air energy!
they do? Thank you! I could not find…x
I would have thought for certain that she was a virgo. 😉
YES. It’s happening.
See also Baddie Winkle, octagenarian internet fashion sensation