Advanced Style (2014, UK)
Fun little documentary on the style of elderly women living in NYC. It’s also a sad look into how the elderly are treated, particularly elderly women, and how fashion has served as a creative outlet for them over the years. It’s fascinating and bittersweet to hear many of them go on about how they’ve learned to appreciate their aging bodies and express their emotions (and often treat themselves, if they’re retired or widows) through sartorial means.
Just a personal aside, but I generally believe that old women have the best sense of style of any particular demographic group. My own maternal grandmother has a literal rainbow of jackets / pantsuits and floral prints with jewelry to match. Lots of elderly women I’ve known--regardless of how they dress--use their clothing, whatever it may be, as a big middle finger to the world of ageism and misogyny they’ve had to combat in their advanced years. I really admire that and it’s part of why I enjoy interacting with older people so much.
Burt's Buzz (2013, US)
Speaking of eccentric elderly people...
I actually watch a good number of Netflix documentaries in my spare time, or just in the background when I’m cleaning house, etc. (In fact, I tend to default to documentaries when I can’t think of anything else to watch. Most of them are strangely relaxing and don’t necessarily require your constant unwavering attention, though they’re easy to get sucked into nonetheless. I love radio shows and radio docs for the same reason.)
The guy behind Burt’s Bees--Burt Shavitz--is certainly an interesting character. I’ve used Burt’s Bees products my entire life; they’re mad popular in North Carolina, where I grew up and where his first business took off in Chapel Hill. So it was cool to see just how the man behind it has been coping with all the stress of being not only famous but also instantly recognizable as a consumer figure. It’s impressive how he’s managed to continue living a pretty reclusive, simple life in the countryside while the people who are in charge of marketing his products are pushing and pulling him here and there for promotional events.
Fun little documentary on the style of elderly women living in NYC. It’s also a sad look into how the elderly are treated, particularly elderly women, and how fashion has served as a creative outlet for them over the years. It’s fascinating and bittersweet to hear many of them go on about how they’ve learned to appreciate their aging bodies and express their emotions (and often treat themselves, if they’re retired or widows) through sartorial means.
Just a personal aside, but I generally believe that old women have the best sense of style of any particular demographic group. My own maternal grandmother has a literal rainbow of jackets / pantsuits and floral prints with jewelry to match. Lots of elderly women I’ve known--regardless of how they dress--use their clothing, whatever it may be, as a big middle finger to the world of ageism and misogyny they’ve had to combat in their advanced years. I really admire that and it’s part of why I enjoy interacting with older people so much.
Burt's Buzz (2013, US)
Speaking of eccentric elderly people...
I actually watch a good number of Netflix documentaries in my spare time, or just in the background when I’m cleaning house, etc. (In fact, I tend to default to documentaries when I can’t think of anything else to watch. Most of them are strangely relaxing and don’t necessarily require your constant unwavering attention, though they’re easy to get sucked into nonetheless. I love radio shows and radio docs for the same reason.)
The guy behind Burt’s Bees--Burt Shavitz--is certainly an interesting character. I’ve used Burt’s Bees products my entire life; they’re mad popular in North Carolina, where I grew up and where his first business took off in Chapel Hill. So it was cool to see just how the man behind it has been coping with all the stress of being not only famous but also instantly recognizable as a consumer figure. It’s impressive how he’s managed to continue living a pretty reclusive, simple life in the countryside while the people who are in charge of marketing his products are pushing and pulling him here and there for promotional events.
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