I'm 62, covered in tattoos, and refuse to dress my age. Getting older doesn't mean getting boring.

Lonni Pike refuses to dress her age. Courtesy of Lonni Pike Lonni Pike got sober at 51 after years of addiction and felt ready for a fresh start. She rejected expectations that older women should dress conservatively or fade into the background. Now 62, she's a fashion influencer, Twitch gamer, and advocate for aging on her own terms. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lonni Pike . It has been edited for length and clarity. Eleven years ago, when I was 51, I got sober after years of struggling with addiction . I felt vibrant again and ready for my life to start. What I was met with was messaging on TV, social media , and even in day-to-day life that I had missed the train. I was too old, too boring, and I would just need to move along.