Women may be the one group that grows more radical with age.
– Gloria Steinem, American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist

Matching jacket and shorts in cream and green lace work well with a shirred burnt orange blouse.

In the past year I’ve read articles about what women of a certain age should not be wearing. One in particular, which I did not save and therefore cannot link to the primary source, quoted an older woman well-respected in the fashion industry – I think she is an influential style maker – proclaimed that older women should not wear shorts. Period. End. of. Discussion. While there are always trends to either follow or break, I firmly believe that comfort comes first.

Imagine you are at a baseball tournament and it is 100-plus degrees in the shade. If you want to wear shorts, you should wear shorts. If you don’t feel comfortable in shorts, that’s fine, but you shouldn’t not wear them just because some fashion rule says you can’t do it after a certain age. In the wintertime, it’s easy to do. When you wear opaque tights and boots, you eliminate the fear of exposing flesh. How do you get around that in the summertime?

A statement necklace and ring are all you need with so much lace.

Bermuda shorts help solve the problem. Inseams three inches or greater are also less intimidating to wear. I don’t actively shop for shorts, but in the past I have come across a pair that is unique either in fabric, texture, or style. Sometimes the inseam is shorter than I’d like, but I overcome that by getting the next size up and letting it sit lower on my waist.

Texture, texture, and more texture: This J. Crew statement necklace reminds me of Miriam Haskell of the 1940s. Lava 9 statement ring (Berkeley, CA) and Sundance rings.

If you’re worried about dreaded exposure of veins, creams from beauty shops can blot out the offending purple and blue lines. Or you can go au natural and everyone else be damned. The point is that there are few small things that you can do to get rid of some of the issues and raise your comfort level for wearing shorts in the summertime.

My vintage 1992 Talbots equestrian-inspired crossbody bag is the perfect accessory for this shorts outfit.

For me, the bottom line is a combination of comfort and confidence. Make sure the shorts fit and you can walk and sit with ease. Go about your business and forget that you’re even wearing shorts – unless it’s super hot and you’re glad you wore shorts! Stand tall and walk confidently. Any woman can pull of shorts. After all, we are a radical group.

A retro outfit in bright fuchsia and yellow, with brass jewelry and nude strappy sandals.

Simple accessories are best when the patterns and colors of your outfit are loud: Abacus earrings (Portland, ME), Sundance cuff and rings, Anthropologie wide ring, and Laura Lombardi reclaimed brass necklace (Eskell, Chicago).