3 Inspirational Fashion Influencers Over 50

Meet the women who are showing the world that fashion influencers can be over 50 and fabulous.

“What’s wrong with being 72, or 82, or 92? If God is good enough to give you those years, flaunt them. It’s ridiculous this idea that once you reach a certain age you are ready for the junk, that being old is somehow dirty and disgusting. The alternative to old is not very pleasant.”

These are the words of the renowned fashion icon, Iris Apfel. For many years the businesswoman and interior designer has been testing the boundaries of her own fashion and has certainly injected colour into the lives of many. At the age of 97, Iris is still very much actively helping to break down the status quo that is so often associated with older women.

The fashion industry can be praised for becoming more inclusive and for encouraging people to be unique, but there is still a niggling assumption within society, that after a certain age, the pleated skirts, slippers, stockings and knitted polo necks should take residence in women’s wardrobes.

But whoever said that you can’t look great after 50?

Iris is a great example of how fashion has no age limits and through her bold choice of colour, patterns, styles and of course, her statement spectacles, she is teaching older women everywhere to embrace their age and just have fun with it.

Her influence has captured the attention and hearts of women around the globe and turned her into one of the best-known fashion influencers over 50. And she is not alone. Today there are many older women who are taking to social media to show the world that you have style and sophistication at any age.

We’ve picked just three of these fashionistas defying the industry one post at a time. And, we have purposely left out their ages, because, well, as they are trying to tell us all – age is just a number.

Grece Ghanem – @greceghanem (58K followers)

Residing in Montréal, Canada, after emigrating from Lebanon, Grece Ghanem is a personal trainer with a flair for fashion – something which has been a big passion since her early years.

After receiving a little encouragement from her daughter, Grece took to Instagram and started sharing the ways in which she styles herself. Since sharing her first post, she has gone on to inspire the masses. Her Instagram feed is now adored by 56.8k followers, and with many of her posts and outfits inspired by art, and her time travelling the world, you could easily whittle away hours scrolling through her page.

Sarah Jane Adams – @saramaijewels (180K followers)

Sarah Jane Adam somewhat fell into the world of social media when she took to Instagram to promote her jewellery business.

Seemingly overnight she became an online sensation and soon started using her feed as a place to also showcase her quirky and vibrant sense of fashion. Her fan-base has since grown significantly and has now reached 177k followers.

Sarah’s fashion changes from day-to-day and it’s this unpredictability which is one of the most alluring things about her feed. One day Sarah could be sporting a beautiful floor length dress, the next she could be head-to-toe in an Adidas tracksuit and trainers. And, one thing for sure is she is not boring when it comes to colour!

Her attitude towards ageing is what has really captured the attention of her followers. Her passion for going out and enjoying the world has created an Instagram feed full of inspiration and wholesomeness.

In an interview with Medium she said:

“I have decided I don’t want to be one of those people who sit in one place all their life and leaves a lot of junk behind. I’d better roam the Earth, meeting new friends, hunting for all things vintage.”

Jenny Kee – @jennykeeoz (36.3K followers)

Everyone needs some colour in their lives, and one woman who brings it to the world in the bucket load is Jenny Kee.

A positive, free-spirited and of course, extremely fashionable feed to scroll through, Australia-born Jenny commands smiles through her sense of style.

When featured in the New York Times’ article, The Glamorous Grandmas of Instagram, she and stated:

“We are not going to be little old ladies sitting in a nursing home with blue-rinsed hair […] Or if we are going to be in a nursing home, we’ll be there with our marijuana, our health foods and our great sense of style.”

She’s a fashion designer and artist by trade so unsurprisingly has a keen eye when it comes to her own dress sense. Her love of statement colours and fearlessness when it comes to prints is reflected in her collections and is just one of the reasons why her 34.4k followers love her.

Representing just a small number of the amazing women who are showing the world that you can continue to have great style and influence into your older years, these ladies are representing a new wave of fashion influencers. With such style and inspiration, there’s no wonder why they are seen as some of the most inspiring Instagram fashion influencers and a top choice for designer brands.

So here’s to being over 50 and utterly fabulous!