When I started 40plusstyle and began connecting with women in the 40+ community, one of the first to catch my eye was Judith, also known as The Style Crone. I was mesmerized by her unique sense of style and poetic writing. Judith was going through a tough period then, as she had just lost her husband Nelson to cancer. With his encouragement, she started her blog, Style Crone, to cope with the loss and celebrate the parts of life she could still enjoy, particularly her distinctive style.
Judith is known for her creativity with hats. She always includes a hat in her outfits and has an incredible collection. Inspired by her, I’ve tried wearing hats myself, although I often stick to my trusty fedora. She loves mixing old clothes with new ones, creating looks that are both vintage and contemporary. Judith isn’t afraid of sparkle, color, or animal print, yet she also shines in black and white, as she did when we finally met.
Our meet-up had been in the works for a few years. I hoped to visit her during a previous trip to the USA, but plans changed, and I didn’t make it to Denver. This time, Denver was on the schedule, and we spent the whole day together. We visited an estate sale where Judith found a fantastic round table for her amazing hat room. She then took me to her favorite vintage shops and a few retail stores in Denver.
I also got to see her beautiful home, including the famous scarf room and the incredible hat room, where I enjoyed trying on hats with Judith as my stylist. We picked a hat for our evening out.
We ended the day at Nocturne Jazz, enjoying dinner and great music. While I didn’t change my outfit, Judith transformed her look for the evening with a new top, jacket, and stylish heels. The outside of the Nocturne club made a perfect photo spot!
Meeting Judith was like catching up with an old friend. From the moment we met, we couldn’t stop talking. She is as wonderful and energetic in person as I had imagined. Her approach to life and dealing with hardships is inspiring. She constantly seeks new challenges and exciting experiences. Despite being 72, she embraces life fully, travels to places she’s always wanted to visit, and has even found new love.
Judith and the other women I’ve met on this trip have shown me that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Each day should be celebrated! I look forward to following Judith’s adventures for years to come and hope we meet again someday.
Thank you, Judith, for welcoming me and making our day in Denver so special!