“You should really start dressing your age”—How many over-40s have heard this and start doubting their style?
Well, if anyone dared say that to 59-year-old Mia Maugé, there’s just one thing she’d respond: “My fashion is a part of who I am.” Maugé says she knows what it’s like to start losing your sense of self after hitting 40, and she felt the expectation from society to change who she was as she got older.
But after years of self-discovery and learning to see age as a good thing, the Generation X-er (people born between 1965-1980) told Newsweek she came to realize that her “worth wasn’t tied up in [her] youth.” She highlighted the positive side of aging, including the life experiences she’s gained, the confidence it can bring, and gaining a better understanding of oneself.
Maugé, of London in the U.K., refuses to bow down to societal pressure. Regardless of whether someone thinks her outfit is “age appropriate,” she’s going to wear it—and of course, absolutely own it. She hopes to empower others to see their fashion as an extension of who they are, and something they can be creative with, rather than a restrictive uniform to adhere to.
Mia Maugé, 59, wearing her signature street attire. Fashion has always been a way for Maugé to be creative and display how she’s feeling each day.
@miamauge / Instagram
“I always say, just wear what you what. Find what makes you feel good and what’s comfortable in terms of who you are. For me, when I wear street wear, it’s saying that I come from this generation who created the look, and it’s expressing who I am,” Maugé said. “The way I dress could be deemed cross-generational because I take inspiration from all ages. But people who struggle when it comes to being middle-aged are the ones who are most influenced by society, and they tend to lose their way.”
After she grew tired of the lack of visibility for her generation, Maugé started documenting the pride she feels in her age on social media (@miamauge on Instagram). Her posts really resonate with her followers, and a video posted in September revealing what she says to haters who tell her to “dress your age” went viral with over 951,000 views and more than 89,500 likes.
The clip shows a compilation of Maugé’s vibrant style, making it clear that she isn’t afraid to wear whatever she wants. From comfy sweats, dresses with sneakers, or animal print boots—she doesn’t limit herself and refuses to let age be a restriction.
It wasn’t always like this, however, as Maugé explained that she once felt so nervous about what other people thought and she hated being dubbed an older woman. This confidence has taken time to formulate.
Mia Maugé on a train in London, showcasing her sense of style. She refuses to be limited because of her age, and that includes fashion too.
@miamauge / Instagram
“I really struggled with my 40s because I believed everything I’d been told about aging, and I felt irrelevant. I really felt like I was falling apart, I saw nothing positive about it, and then something just switched when I hit 50,” she told Newsweek.
“In 2016 I started challenging why I felt like that. I decided to stop worrying and hiding my age by dyeing my hair. I thought it was getting me attention for the wrong reasons, as it was like a beacon that said: ‘this woman here is old.’ But once I tapped into it, I realized I am the best version I could ever be, and I value the experiences I bring to the table.”
How Can Fashion Brands Be Part of the Change?
While Maugé has gained quite a following on social media, she can’t fight her battle alone. She’s calling on fashion brands to start valuing the Gen X demographic more highly and making them more visible in marketing campaigns.
She said: “There’s a real division between what brands think should be for younger people, and what is targeted for an older demographic. You can go down any high street and see brands targeting my generation with very frilly and corporate styles. But you will never see a middle-aged person in a campaign for a sports brand, unless they’re famous.
“It irks me because Gen X and boomers popularized those brands by creating street wear when we were young, but they completely ignore us now. Does that mean that we should stop wearing it as we age?”
Maugé notes that the beauty industry has come a long way and is already far more inclusive when it comes to different skin tones and ages. But she says fashion has a long way to go, so she implores companies to listen to Gen X-ers and to stop dismissing them.
“Ideally, they can do this by having decision-makers that look like me in the boardroom and valuing their perception of the world,” she added. “We don’t want to be ignored or made to feel invisible. We are disruptors and game changers, and we always have been.”
Mia Maugé in her street wear while commuting in London. Maugé hopes to show others that aging isn’t a bad thing, and they don’t have to be restricted to only wearing certain clothes once they hit 40.
@miamauge / Instagram
What Does Social Media Think?
Maugé has long been using social media to champion her generation, and to encourage others to speak out against outdated stereotypes.
It isn’t just Gen X who are paying attention though. When she started posting in 2020, she expected to connect with people her age, but what she’s been most surprised by is the number of millennials (born between 1981-1996) and Generation Zers (born between 1997-2012) who feel inspired by her.
“I started my page because I felt ignored as a consumer, and I wanted to galvanize others and create a community. I thought we could be present and vocal, and my bio read: let’s create a silver space for the next generation,” Maugé said.
“I never imagined that I would appeal to young women, but I regularly get comments from them saying how wonderful it is to see what they might look like in 20-30 years. For me, that’s the biggest motivation because it means the next generation can inherit something.”
Being a shining light for the next generations keeps Maugé motivated, as hopefully she can prevent them from feeling the same level of angst about aging.
With over 2,200 comments on her viral Instagram video, social media users of all ages have hailed Maugé’s positive outlook, and of course, praised her iconic style.
One Instagram user wrote: “They are all beautiful! We came up with them, we can wear them as long as we want! Wear what you feel good in, regardless of your age.”
Another person responded: “You’re absolutely ‘dressing your age’ and looking fabulous. (I believe “dressing your age” is wearing what makes you feel good).”
While another comment reads: “Seriously, street wear belongs to Gen X!”
If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on Newsweek’s “What Should I Do? section.
