We all know that everyone has an opinion, but sometimes it’s best to keep it to ourselves. Unfortunately, a 76-year-old style influencer recently experienced just how harsh online comments can be, after she shared a photo of herself modeling a sleeveless midi dress. While the post received a flood of comments, they weren’t all positive.

“It’s not the first time this has happened, but this one surprised me,” shared Candace Cima. “People have such outdated notions about age-appropriate fashion, and that needs to change.”

Candace, a proud grandmother of 11 grandchildren, confidently showed off a brown knit sleeveless dress paired with a sweater. The comments section, however, became a battleground of criticism.

“Some comments were hurtful, like ‘From the side and back, this dress does nothing for you. Form fitting below the waist is not your friend. Celebrate everything else about your body!’” one person wrote on Facebook. Another commented, “The sweater on, not a fan of the dress.”

But Candace wasn’t discouraged. “It’s perfectly appropriate to have wrinkled skin at 76, and I’m not ashamed of it,” she declared. “Sometimes I want to respond, ‘Should I cover my face too, because I have wrinkles there?’”

Candace started her fashion blog in 2019, after realizing that there was a need for more representation of older women in the fashion world. “I saw an opportunity to talk about how to dress as you get older. Women have been conditioned to think they need to cover up because that’s what their mothers and grandmothers did,” she explained.

“We need to shift the way we think about age. We don’t need to adhere to these old ideas in a modern world.”

Despite the countless rude remarks, Candace paid them little attention and instead offered advice to her newest and younger followers. “Aging is great. Everything you have learned in your entire life is now there for you. You are now the wisest that you are ever going to be. Embrace it and be proud.”

Age should never define how we should dress or what we should feel confident in. Candace’s story is a reminder that fashion has no age limit and confidence knows no bounds. Let’s celebrate the beauty and wisdom that comes with getting older, and support each other in breaking free from outdated stereotypes.