Growing old gracefully or disgracefully

"I don't want to be 70...." Surely being 70 is better than the alternative? (I wish that my dear friend A could have reached 70 & beyond. Sadly she died at 62.) I'm simply glad to be here! One thing I find about being older is that I spend time with people who's company I like. No more putting up with "toxic" characters.

I suppose my behaviour would be considered as disgraceful by some. I'm 71. I wear what I like, full makeup when I go out, false, luxurious hair due to alopecia. I go out to our local pub with DH a couple of times a week. My life has been quite difficult so I'm making the most of what I've got left. No cocoa and slippers yet!

Disgracefully... I have become the hippy that was always in my soul. I bought a narrow boat to live on three years ago when I was 66. My clothes are rather bohemian. I live very simply and eat very simply.

If "growing old gracefully" involves cocoa and slippers, no thanks!
I am 72 do exactly what i want, walk barefoor, wear the colours and clothes I feel like. I have to add that I have always been pretty eccentric and do very odd things. My DC say "Way to go, Mum" and encourage me...
My opinion is that the "gracefully" mentioned is to be in a state of grace - so I do try to be nice, polite, kind, volunteer, help those less able etc.
Again, if the "disgracefully" includes spitting and eating 3lb of sausages, etc., you can keep it.

That’s not disgraceful, Theoddbird, it’s admirable.

I'm all in favour of Terry Pratchett's Granny Weatherwax, who just put a sign on her chest saying "I aten't dead yet". I don't know how I ever found time to go to work - music, readug, study, craft, gentle exercise groups, creative writing, etc.

I am 70 and still ride a large motorcycle and I do get some very strange looks when I get ready to get on the bike but I shall keep going as long as I can and I have had great comments from people all over Europe.

A lot of lovely comments here, we're just all individuals, doing our own thing.
As somebody, who has never conformed to anything conceived as normal or fitting, I'm not going to change now. Like I would never have taken any job that required any kind of dress code or came with 'well groomed' label.
Went to school in Germany, so never wore uniform. I really was shocked, when coming to England, about 1970, seeing girls at a bus stop, heading for a night out, all wearing the same hot pants and platform shoes. Uniform mentality?
Spangler. I love the idea of a Harley Davidson, sadly never able to afford one.

I have a really nice purple jacket that I bought in Gap many years ago. I used to have a red hat but my dog ate it. I do wear a terrible shirt! I found it during a sort out. It's definitely man sized but neither of my sons recognised it. I call it my ugly shirt and wear it round the house if it turns chilly. The photo makes it look a lot better than it really is. It's not that blue. I've never had people to dinner! I've never been one for 'must do'.

My children say I am growing old disgracefully, no I haven't done anything bad. I left UK in my 60's and moved to egypt, married a toyboy, it didn't last but after 13 years there I returned to UK. I dye my hair various colours, it's pink right now, I have tattoos, 7 of them and I have ears and nose piercings. but I am not hurting anyone, I'm now 78, I have been on the TV programme Tattoo disasters where they re did a tatt for me.

I travel the globe, am very active, love fashion, can still stand on my head upon request at family parties ? .... so I suppose disgraceful behaviour is open to interpretation ! I don’t want people to look at me and say what a sweet (middle aged) lady, I want them to say, oh dear what is she doing now !
Of course there’s lots of things that I wouldn’t do now, however, and like most of us, I’ve learned from my mistakes along the way and just live life to the full ??‍♀️??‍♀️✈️?

My mother always said, "Huh! Red hat, no draws!" (I'd never heard 'fur coat, no knickers' before I came to the North East.)

I don’t mind being mutton dressed up as lamb after all the alternative is mutton dressed up as mutton - yikes!

I'll be like my Mum. When we all celebrated her 100th birthday and she asked whose birthday it was,, she told us all that she couldn't possibly be that age. When asked what age she thought she was we were tod definitely no more than 55. I'm almost 80 but I'll just continue to be whatever age I like in my own head.

I must be growing old gracefully - can't bear the idea of getting drunk or stoned, love a good night's sleep, let my hair go grey, don't wear heels any more, but happy to do zooming with the kids and grandkids, hate chickflics, and no wish to return to 21, and eat very sensibly and gave up the fags 20 years ago. But I do love heavy metal.

I'm impressed by some of the things you are all doing!

Just turned 70 & have no I tention of anything changing. I will continue to wear very high heels. shorts every day in summer, jeans in winter & never ever be seen in public without full makeup. My DH is 12 years younger than I am & dresses like an old man. Drives me mad.

Well, guess which version I'm going with?!

Me, taking my motorcycle round Thruxton race track last year,

Hi to Oopsadaisy, a sister on wheels. ?

Come on Spangler, show us the Harley photo!

I don’t intend to be any different than I am now, I’m not suddenly going to do outlandish things because I’m getting older, I will not be having grey hair though, but that’s because it’s just not me, but I do like grey hair on others just not moi, I love loud music blasting out so that won’t be changing, I will just be an older version of me, doing what I want when I want

Great pic of you on your bike, growingold love it , good on yeh!

I didn't want to be 60 and I definitely didn't want to be 70 but there you are! I too am pleased when I'm told I don't look my age because I definitely don't feel it! My DGC tell me I don't dress like a granny, I take it as a compliment, same with my hair if I want it purple I will have it purple! Then like others at times I do say:" I am 70 don't forget!"

My growing old disgracefully moment was in a very snooty kitchen shop. On offer were kitchen timers of all colours, in a very nice basket. I set them all to go off at different times and carefully replaced them!

Notsoold that is priceless!

Thank you Trendy Annie.

I’m 80, so I really am quite old. I’m the same person I always was - always been comfortable in my own skin and I feel no need to conform to any particular conventions of age. No need to do stupid things to prove I’m not old, either. I am old, and I’m not ashamed of it or particularly afraid of it.

I just wish age hadn’t affected my mobility. That’s my only real grumble.