Wearing a bold print gets harder as you get older. It's safer to

“Wearing a bold print gets harder as you get older. It's safer to stick to subtle prints or block colours. I have always found prints quite tricky. My daughter Carly, who is on the design team at Stella McCartney, is obsessed with them.” So spoke Twiggy, the eternal icon of youth and reinvention, whose very name once symbolized the spirit of the sixties—the daring, the fresh, the new. Yet in this reflection lies not a lament for fading youth, but a quiet acceptance of transformation. The words carry the wisdom of one who has walked long through the garden of life, who has seen the blossoms of confidence and the withering of old illusions, and who now understands that style, like the soul, must evolve with time.

When Twiggy speaks of bold prints and subtle colours, she is not merely speaking of garments, but of life itself. For fashion, in truth, is the mirror of the inner self. To wear something bright and daring in youth is an act of discovery—it is the proclamation of one’s existence to the world. But as the years gather upon us, a subtler strength begins to emerge: the power of simplicity, the beauty of quiet confidence, the grace that no longer needs to shout. The transition from bold to subtle is not retreat—it is refinement. It is the art of learning to speak softly, yet be heard more clearly.

The ancients, too, knew this rhythm of transformation. They taught that in the early spring of life, the colors of the soul burn bright and fierce, but in the autumn, they deepen into richness. Just as the warrior lays aside his sword for the staff of wisdom, so too does the artist exchange spectacle for serenity. Twiggy, once the face of rebellion, now speaks with the voice of reflection. Her understanding of style mirrors the understanding of life: that beauty is not bound to youth, but to authenticity—to knowing who you are and dressing your spirit accordingly.

Consider the tale of Coco Chanel, who once declared that “simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” In her youth, she defied the glittering conventions of her time, dressing women in comfort and freedom. Yet as she grew older, her designs became quieter, her lines purer. She found that true sophistication did not need adornment—it flowed from within. Like Twiggy, Chanel discovered that style matures as the soul matures, shedding the unnecessary to reveal the essential. Both women remind us that elegance is not the privilege of the young, but the reward of the wise.

And yet, even as Twiggy turns toward subtler tones, she honors the brightness that lives on in her daughter Carly, whose love of prints and patterns continues the dance of daring. In this passing of taste from mother to daughter, there is a lesson of balance: that each generation must express its own rhythm. The mother’s restraint does not silence the daughter’s exuberance; rather, it blesses it. In this way, fashion becomes more than fabric—it becomes a language between generations, a dialogue of the heart expressed through color and form.

There is no shame in finding prints tricky, just as there is no weakness in acknowledging change. For to know one’s own style is to know one’s own self, and to choose what reflects one’s truth is the highest form of artistry. The young may conquer attention with color, but the wise command it with presence. A quiet garment, worn with conviction, can be more radiant than the loudest pattern. As the great sculptor Michelangelo once said, perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

Thus, the lesson of Twiggy’s reflection is not about fashion, but about growth. Embrace change, and let your outer world mirror your inner evolution. When youth burns bright, wear your bold prints with joy; when wisdom settles upon you, let your palette soften like dusk upon the hills. Do not chase what you once were—honor what you are becoming. For beauty, like the seasons, finds new ways to bloom.

So, walk with grace into every age of your life. Adorn yourself not merely with fabrics, but with self-awareness. Whether you wear bold prints or block colours, let them serve your spirit, not your fear. And remember the quiet truth that Twiggy whispers through time: that style, when guided by wisdom, is eternal—and that the most beautiful garment of all is the peace that comes from knowing yourself.