One of the accusations frequently laid at fashion’s sometimes gaudy door is that it’s frivolous. It’s like criticising cats for sleeping during the day, or curries for smelling of spices. Frivolity, inter many alia, is what fashion does. And what if it does? Frivolity gets a bad rap. What about being overly serious and boring everyone around you to death? An element of frivolity keeps a soul from atrophying.

I was reminded of this the other day when a friend, well into her sixties, turned up in an immaculate white shirt she’d bought in Dover Street Market, a pair of high-waisted Margaret Howell wide trousers and a tangle of neon-ended diamanté necklaces from Topshop.

Without the necklaces, the outfit was chic enough – too many sixtysomethings succumb to the elasticated waistband, the shapeless top and the given-up-all-hope underwear.

But the neon added an unexpected dash of verve. Make that nerve. Not dressing like a sixtysomething takes confidence and courage.

The forty and fiftysomethings have it easy. We’ve grown accustomed to seeing 45-year-olds in great shape and wearing Elle Macpherson-inspired wardrobes; we’ve accepted that Madonna, aged 50¾, is not giving up on summer’s short lease any time soon (satin horns and AstroTurf miniskirt, anyone?). But sixtysomethings? No one’s making clothes for them. No one wants their money. That’s the perception. No wonder many sixtysomethings loathe shopping and have nothing to wear.

There is stuff out there. But it takes stamina and confidence to track it down – and you must think outside familiar territory. Banish the long and baggy and only buy skirts that end on, or just below, the knee, and have shape and proper waistbands. Look for tailored tops. Invest in underwear with dynamic engineering and state-of-the-art sculpting. Marks & Spencer is good for Magic knickers. For bras, you should invest your last few pennies (or pounds, more likely), either at a department store with fitters who know what they’re doing, or bite the bullet and visit Rigby & Peller – you’re worth it. Buy some fold-up flatties (jewelled, preferably) that can slip into a bag so that you have no excuse not to wear a pair of heels now and again. Wear sequins and bright colours, tailoring, denim (especially dark) and fashion-forward accessories. If you have the budget, investigate designers such as Roland Mouret, Nicole Farhi, Ann Demeulemeester, Lanvin, Phillip Lim, Fendi, Moschino (above), Alexander McQueen, Prada, Marni, DvF, Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs and Dries Van Noten. If not, Topshop (yes, really), Zara (sizes are on the small side, though), M&S (tailored separates, swimwear), Karen Millen, Ted Baker, Banana Republic and Gap. And keep an eye on Alexon and Precis – they’ve modernised for autumn.

Sixtysomethings are still not visible enough in fashion shoots, but if stylists have any grasp of shifting demographics, that surely has to change. The only rules: more shape, less naked flesh – and a healthy injection of frivolity.

人们常常摘指时尚的轻佻是它通向艳俗之门，事实上，这就像批评猫在白天睡觉或者是某种咖喱香料的味道。轻浮，就不该是时尚,如果它是，就会受到指责。但要是你周围的人都一直板着脸你又会感觉如何呢？实质上轻浮又是防止我们灵魂萎缩的一个元素。

我想起一天我一个花甲之年的老朋友穿着丹佛街-川久保玲（Dover Street Market）完美无瑕的白衬衫华人玛格丽特·霍威尔（Margaret Howell）的宽松高腰裤，戴着一条光艳照人的Topshop出品diamanté项链的样子。实质上,除了那条项链，那一身打扮还真的很有气质呢！因为太多的花甲老人都用松紧带，戴俗气的帽子,穿没有任何生气的内衣。然而珠光宝气的项链破坏了原有搭配的活力，搞得有点神经质，全然没有了自信。

对于四十和五十岁的人来说就简单多了，我们习惯了看见45岁的老人保持完美的身形，身着艾尔.麦克珀森创意衣柜的衣服；我们也早已接受麦当娜50¾岁时（译者：汗……）还没有在夏季短期租凭上放弃血拼（缎角和阿斯特洛夫涤纶超短裙，有人要吗？）。但对于六十岁的老家伙们怎么样呢？没有人为他们设计服装，没有人想赚他们的钱，这显而易见，无疑很多六十岁的老伙计们讨厌购物因为实在没有好穿的衣服。

现在有花甲老人们注意了，有办法了，但需要有毅力和信心来找它，你必须要跳出你的思维框框。不要买长而宽松的裙子了，要买就买短裙，及膝或者略低于膝盖，再买一条有型合适的腰带。寻找合适的上衣。在内衣上要肯投资，最好去买动力工程学最先进的塑形内衣，买Marks & Spencer 的魔术内裤。胸衣最好多投入几美分（额~英镑？差不多了。），除非你怕商店里有钳工，要么咬咬牙去逛逛Rigby & Peller——你值得一做。买几双能放进包里的折叠平底鞋（最好是宝石的），这样你就没有理由天天穿着一双高跟鞋了。要穿有磨损亮片和明亮色彩缝制的牛仔（尤其是深色）和时尚配件。如果你还有预算再参考下面这些时装设计师的作品：罗兰·莫瑞特（Roland Mouret），尼科尔·法伊（Nicole Farhi）, 安·迪穆拉米斯特（Ann Demeulemeester）, 朗雯（Lanvin）,林菲力（Phillip Lim）, 芬迪（Fendi）,莫斯奇诺（ Moschino ）,亚历山大麦克奎恩（ Alexander McQueen) ,普拉达（ Prada）, （奈特利）Marni, DvF, 唐娜卡兰（Donna Karan）, 马克雅各布斯和德莱斯•范诺顿（Marc Jacobs and Dries Van Noten）。要是没有预算也可以选择 Topshop (对，别以为它的东西都不好), 扎拉（Zara ）(注意，尺寸偏小), M&S (适合分开，泳装), 卡伦·米伦 （Karen Millen）, 泰德贝克（ Ted Baker）, 香蕉共和国（Banana Republic）和Gap。并且要留意关注Alexon 和Precis，它们的秋装很适合老年人。

六十岁显然不可能很时尚，但如果能把握流行风向，就可以改变。只有唯一的原则：更多造型，不要裸露，拒绝轻浮。