Age Appropriate

Growing up in the middle class "new south", I was always taught about dressing a certain way for certain occasions. Coat/tie or suit for church, slacks and
a polo shirt for school and jeans and a t-shirt for the weekend while hanging out with friends was the norm. While in college my style evolved into a funky/preppy collage. Now I enjoy a mix of retro/designer relaxed island life look. While my
personal style fits my lifestyle now, many people here in the DR don't subscribe to the age appropriate mantra.

I will describe age appropriateness as my mother would--"people wearing clothes they shouldn't ie-too loose, too tight, too short, and sometimes,just too much." Here on the island paradise age is only a number. You will see 60 year old women in
halter tops, tight jeans and heels. You will also see men in their 70s with flat billed baseball hats and basketball jerseys. While 10 and 11 year old girls have on more make up than Max factor could produce. They also wear skits so short you
can see their heartbeat.

The woman who does my manicure and peticure is walking perfection. Her skin is flawless, her hair emasculate, and her breasts are perfectly round and a straight boy's dream. For the life of me I can't tell how old she is. She could be 25 or 50. I can't tell.

The women don't own the market on beauty. The men also have some
wonder potion. I have met some men in their 40s and I swear I can smell the
Gerber's on their breath. Some 15 and 16 year old boys have the bodies of full grown
men. I recently saw pictures of my Richard when he was 14 and he has the same muscular build he has now.

Some people say this place is all about looks. In
some aspects it is but, I can blend into a crowd with age not being a factor. I
applaud the Dominican ideal of not accepting age appropriateness. You can dress like a star no mater your age. If you are 60, you can dress like Jennifer Lopez, if you are a man and in your 80s, put on the doo rag and Tupac T-shirt. I draw
the line at make up, if you are still playing with dolls and watching cartoons, you should not be wearing make up--unless you have Jon Bebet Syndrome.

In living here I have learned to celebrate diversity and excise my subversive conservative upbringing. OK, so I enjoyed my conservative, subversive upbringing. Somethings are hard to overcome, but the site of a very plump 40
something in a halter top, tight jeans and 6 inch spiked heels is even to much for me to bear. Too tight, too small, too short, you to can be a star in the "age of appropriateness", here in the DR.