I was outfit shamed for wearing a bodycon dress at 76 – I’m not ashamed of my wrinkled skin, it’s normal
A NAN who has carved a career for herself as a style influencer was body shamed for posing in a sleeveless bodycon dress – but she has since hit back at trolls.
Candace Cima might be 76-years-old, but she doesn’t think your age should define you or the way that you dress.
However, since becoming an age-positive fashion influencer in 2019, she has noticed not everyone has the same open mind.
After posing in the £40 dress from Amazon – which features ribbed knit material, thick straps and a figure-hugging fit – the nan was hit with a flurry of criticism.
Cruel trolls claimed the frock was “not suitable for the arms after a certain age” and “inappropriate for a woman of her age”.
“For the sake of men who have to see you in public, know what dresses compliment you and which ones don’t,” one grossly penned.
“Body-hugging, form-fitting dresses on a woman over 50 is not visually appealing in any form.”
“No, older women should not wear form-fitting dresses like that,” a second troll added.
“It shows off a sagging butt. Looser fitting would be much better.
“You’re very attractive but that dress is not for a sagging body or skin.”
Despite the vile tone of the comments, Candance has not let it put her off sharing her outfits on social media – and has since responded to the criticism.
“It’s not the first time this has happened, but this one surprised me,” she told Today.
“People have such outdated notions about age-appropriate fashion, and that needs to change.
“It’s perfectly appropriate to have wrinkled skin at 76, and I’m not ashamed of it.
“Sometimes I want to respond, ‘should I cover my face too, because I have wrinkles there?’”
The stylish nan launched her blog, Life in My 70s, in 2019 after noticing a need for age-positive influencers on social media.
She boasts a whopping 400,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, where she shares fashion hacks, styling tips and outfits.
“I saw an opportunity to talk about how to dress as you get older,” Candace said.
“Women have been conditioned to think they need to cover up because that’s what their mothers and grandmothers did.
“We need to shift the way we think about age.
“We don’t need to adhere to these old ideas in a modern world.”