It’s never too late to pursue your dreams, even the dream of modeling, which three senior women have picked up in their retirement. Evelyn Pope, a 74-year-old resident of Presbyterian Village North (PVN), invested her working years in being a teacher, but deep down always wanted to model. Now, in her retirement, Pope had an opportunity to pursue her dream, and she participated as a model for the first time at a fashion show at Canal Clothing. Two other Presbyterian Village North residents, Kris Rose and Judy Morris, accompanied Pope. The fashion show was at Canal Clothing (6465 E. Mockingbird Ln. Dallas, TX 75214) on Tuesday, August 29 at 11:00 a.m.
“Many of our residents like to live outside of the box. Retirement is the perfect time to try new things and embark on new adventures; both big and small,” said Lisa Englander, life enrichment manager of Presbyterian Village North. “We have a lot of fun coming up with creative opportunities for residents to explore new things they have never done before. We were excited to have this fashion show at such a hip boutique store in Lake Highlands.”
“While I attended a previous fashion show, I did not model in it,” said Pope. “I really enjoyed the last show, which prompted me to participate in this most recent show. At the last one, there were women of all different ages and sizes, and they modeled a variety of outfits while the rest of us enjoyed finger foods and beverages. Afterward, we got to try on pieces we were interested in and purchase items at a discount. When Lisa approached me about participating in this show, I agreed to do it because I thought it would be fun to pick out clothes and accessories to model in front of attendees, some of which are my good friends. This was a totally new experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it and would be delighted to participate in another show again.”
Pope has been living at PVN for a little over a year now, and she looks forward to the unique and wonderful opportunities for self-discovery and exploration in retirement. She never dreamed she would be modeling, yet she has her first fashion show under her belt and she couldn’t be more ecstatic. Pope turned 74 on August 23 and says she doesn’t feel like she’s grown up at all. She still feels current, loves fashion and puts effort into her outfit selection and hair, as well as cute accessories.
“I was surprised at how many younger seniors live at PVN, and I’m encouraged by some of the residents who have been living here longer,” said Pope. “Even though they are in their 80s and 90s they are so involved. This has expanded my outlook on aging and what it is going to be like. I have to say, it has been better and more fun than I thought. A couple of good friends did the show with me, and of course we found some things we cannot live without. The boutique is an eclectic store offering traditional pieces with a unique spin. It reminds me of a boho-chic store fused with traditional women’s clothing. We had so much fun, we all plan to do it again when the opportunity presents itself.”