How to Dress Stylishly after 60: Lessons from Suzie Richetti

How to Dress Stylishly After 60

Have you ever stumbled across someone on Instagram and immediately thought this woman gets it? That’s exactly what happened when I discovered Suzie Richetti. Suzie is 64, lives in Australia, and has the kind of effortlessly collected style that I adore. What struck me first, beyond how beautifully she pulls herself together, was that she loves two of my absolute favorite Australian brands, Alemais and Sally Phillips. We have never met, we live on opposite sides of the world, and yet I felt an instant kinship with her through the way she dresses, the way she carries herself, and the things she chooses to invest in. Style really is its own language. Suzie is a proud pro-age woman who believes that your 60’s (or 70’s in my case) are not a time to fade into the background. I am so thrilled to introduce her to you today for the latest in our Ageless Style series. Let’s dive into How to Dress Stylishly after 60: Lessons from Suzie Richetti.

First off, tell us a little bit about yourself, your story, and what you are passionate about.

My name is Suzie; I’m turning 65 this year and I have a passion for fashion. Growing up in a small town in the Netherlands, I never had the funds or access to fancy stores, but I was always drawing clothes, designing ballgowns and boho princess looks. My mother and aunties were keen seamstresses and very good at knitting and crochet both as a hobby and out of necessity and that had an impact on me growing up. My mother, like most European women, would always leave the house dressed nicely and as young girls my sister and I would be wearing matching outfits that my mother made for us. Presenting well was always a priority, and I was happy to oblige. One of my prized possessions as a teenager was an embroidered Afghan coat (remember the ’70’s?) and hippy style maxi dresses bought via mail order. My first paycheck was spent on a pair of over the knee white boots that I wore to work and by the time I got home they were ruined as it had snowed all day. I would love to say to that I make considered decisions when purchasing clothes but alas, the white boots episode taught me nothing.

I started my (almost) daily Instagram posts about 2014 and haven’t stopped since! I’ve always loved fashion and styling clothes and found Instagram to be the perfect way to show it.

You were born in the Netherlands but live in Melbourne. Share with us what it’s like to live in both places.

Moving to Melbourne, Australia in 1982 from the Netherlands was super exciting and a real adventure as a 20-year-old. I visited Australia the year prior and following a holiday romance, returned to marry The Sicilian and have been here ever since. I was terribly homesick initially but after a visit back home I was happy to be here. I love the Australian summers now, but they took a few years to get used to and the mild winters are a bonus! Having recently spent some time in the Netherlands during winter, I don’t miss it! I had already learned basic English at school, but the quirky Australian language takes English to another level! What I love most about Australia is that everyone, like me, has a story to tell of how they arrived at these shores. It’s a multicultural melting pot; you can find restaurants serving food from every corner of the world. We do enjoy going back to the Netherlands and Italy (my husband’s country of birth) and love the beautiful architecture, cobbled streets and general European way of life but Australia offers space, beautiful nature and a great lifestyle with Asia and the Pacific on our doorstep.

Your motto is age is just a number and attitude is everything. Have you always lived this way, or have you adapted this way of thinking with age?

Age has never been an issue for me, I had fabulous 50th and 60th birthday celebrations and never hide my age. Confidence is very important especially as you get older. Women very much come into their own as they age but society’s unrealistic and misogynist expectations on ageing can be demoralizing which is why it’s important to have a circle of strong and supportive women around you.

You recently celebrated your 44th wedding anniversary. Tell us how you continue to keep your marriage strong and exciting through the years.

We recently celebrated 44 years of bliss and bluster but we’re the best of friends and spend just about every waking moment together, especially now that we are retired. We share the same social values and are grateful for the opportunities we’ve had in our lives in that we have always been employed, in good health and have raised 3 wonderful children. We’re now the proud Oma and Nonno of 5 grandchildren and they are the light of our lives; they bring us lots of joy and happiness.

We’ve had busy working lives in that we ran our own IT business for over 20 years while I worked part-time and took on the daily responsibility of running the household and school runs. We always worked well as a team and are now enjoying retirement and travelling as much as we can. We often go out to live music venues as The Sicilian is as crazy about music as I am about fashion, and we try to live a healthy lifestyle so we can enjoy our retirement years for as long as we can.

Your IG profile says you are a collector of wearables and sparkly things. Tell us about some of your favorites in both categories.

I love a sequin and applaud the fact that sequins are now acceptable daywear as I just don’t have enough occasions in my social calendar to wear my ‘good clothes’. In fact, my husband has stopped asking where I’m off to all dressed up. Better to be overdressed than underdressed is another one of my mottos.

As an avid fan of op shopping, I love finding timeless pieces that will stay in my wardrobe forever. One of my favourite items is a skirt by French design duo Marithé + François Girbaud which I’ll still be wearing when I’m 85.

Outside of fashion inspiration, what are some other things you like to do and what’s something you have never done that is on your bucket list?

I love a good book! I’m not a fan of stories turned into movies as I prefer the version I have in my head. I love fabric stores and sewing (back to the fashion again) and nothing makes me happier than seeing my friends wear my creations. Another hobby of mine is drawing; it’s something I would love to be better at so I can do illustrations. Of course, travel is something we love to do, and the Northern Lights is something I would love to see!

Speaking of Instagram, you post tons of outfit inspiration and showcase a wide variety of looks – from neutrals to patterns, casual to dressed up. What’s your favorite type of outfit to show?

My ‘uniform’ consists of a pair of jeans, a tee, and a blazer. Breezy layered linens are another love of mine, and I love a fabulous dress!

Describe your sense of style in five words:

I’m not a minimalist, more of a chameleon! I love classic with an edge, effortless styles that are a little bit messy, I adore boho looks and would swan around in kaftans and bare feet all day if I could.

What pieces in your wardrobe do you return to year after year despite current trends?

Denim and blazers are my go-to every time. It’s a polished look that can take you anywhere. Perfect for daytime with a Tee or white shirt and equally beautiful with a sequined or silk Cami for going out.

I love Alemais and Sally Phillips. There are so many great Australian clothing brands. What are some of your faves that our readers might enjoy?

I love Alemais for their quirky dresses, Camilla for her beautiful resort wear and Zimmermann for exceptional beautiful things. Every birthday I buy myself a beautiful dress from any one of these labels as a gift to myself.

Speaking of brands, can you recommend any haircare or skincare products that you can’t live without? 

My hair is greying which I don’t mind at all but the texture is changing so a claw clip is my best friend as I mostly wear my hair up.

I try to follow a skincare routine and am a sucker for the next magic potion, but sunscreen is the one product I never leave out. I do however have the most extensive collection of lipsticks (Mac) and eye pencils (Victoria Beckham) so I do love me some face paint.

If you could give your younger self any words of advice, what would they be?

Be confident and trust your instincts. I’ve always been intuitive but was always worried about other’s opinions.

Share your words to live by:

Be humble and grateful.

You only have one life, live it your way.

Get Suzie’s Style

Suzie, thank you so much for sitting down with us. What I love most about this conversation is what I hope you take away from it too: that style at 64 is not about following rules, it is about having the confidence to know which ones to ignore. Suzie embodies that completely, and I think you can feel it in everything she wears and everything she said. If you are not already following her, head over to Instagram and look her up. I promise you will not regret it. And if this conversation inspired you the way it inspired me, I would love to hear about it in the comments below.

I hope you enjoyed How to Dress Stylishly after 60: Lessons from Suzie Richetti. I sure did! Tell me is there a woman in your life, or someone you follow from afar, whose style you can’t get enough of? I would love to hear about it. That is exactly the kind of community this space was built for.

You can follow Suzie on Instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/suzie.richetti/

If you enjoyed this and would like to read more of my Ageless Style interviews you can do so here