The second dictionary definition of STYLE is: "a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed."

What about someone who is considered to have style?

They choose clothes, hairstyles, make-up (or not) and accessories that communicate to the world who they are and how they feel. And this communication doesn't end with how they adorn themselves; it often extends to an attitude that informs their entire lifestyle. 

For some women this sense of their own style take decades to evolve for others they find their niche and stick with it. Think Diane Keaton's, male-inspired clothing choices including high collars, ties, and big hats. Or Coco Chanel's clothing and design ranging from sailor inspired stripes and bell bottom pants to tailored suits with layers of pearls. 

Now, thanks to  Instagram, we have a chance to be inspired by women, not necessarily famous (or not yet,) who have refined their style to a noteworthy height. 

In her New York Times article, The Glamorous Grandmas of Instagram  Ruth Furla  introduces us to Lyn Slater 64, the Accidental Icon, who we blogged about last year, Dorrie Jacobson 83, Jenny Kee 71, Emiko Mori 94, Sarah-Jane Adams 63, and Jan Correll 60. 

"Married or single, working or not, and most often grandmothers, they are asserting their presence on Instagram, intent, in the process, on subverting shopworn notions of what “old” looks and feels like. They are, to hear some tell it, “100 percent slaying.”

Ms. Furla quotes Ari Seth Cohen, creator of the blog Advanced Style, as saying “The idea of what these older women look like has changed. “If they were stylish in their youth, they will still be stylish now. They continue to be who they were.”

And that too isn't changing, many older women are working well into their 60s and 70s, others reinventing themselves to embrace new forms of entrepreneurship proving demonstrable earning capacity. Ms. Slater has modeled for Mango and CVS pharmacy. Ms. Kee is working with Romance Was Born, a label including a team of young designers. They will present a collection during the couture shows in Paris in July.

Being recognized for your design sense and personal style, helping to change the way people view woman as they age; that's great, but as Lyn Slater says:

“It’s colonizing to be put out there exclusively with women your age. Every woman should be able to open a magazine and see herself there as part of a mix.”

Audacious!