Jennie garth is embracing the ‘i choose me’ mantra | members only

On the hit ’90s show _Beverly Hills, 90210_, Jennie Garth’s character, Kelly Taylor, was torn between which guy she should date: Dylan (Luke Perry) or Brandon (Jason Priestley). She shocked

fans at the time by instead proclaiming: “I choose me.” Garth, 52, says that “ ‘I choose me’ stayed with me forever. It just kept coming back up. Then, I was at this place in my life — I

turned 50 — and I was like, _What am I doing? What’s next? What’s my purpose?_ I couldn’t quite figure it out. I had been stuck in that sort of limbo place for a few years.” She found that

purpose by starting her _I Choose Me_ podcast as well as a new clothing line, Me by Jennie Garth, which debuts on QVC July 29. Garth shares with AARP what she’s learning now by watching

herself on _90210_, how she’s keeping fit in her 50s and what losing friend Luke Perry has taught her. _This interview has been edited for length and clarity._ WERE YOU ALWAYS INTERESTED IN

FASHION DESIGN? I’ve been dressed by people my whole life — designers and costumers — and I must have worn a million outfits. I feel like I have some expertise in the area, but I’ve

definitely never had any formal training. Until 50 years old, I never had any desire to explore it, but then all of a sudden, [it was] like a switch turned on, and it became something I’m

passionate about. The clothing line spawned out of just having those conversations, and my friends at QVC [she and _90210_ costar Tori Spelling have a home decor line at QVC] were very

excited about it and totally jumped on board and supported it. So we’re working together. There are clothes for every, every, every generation. Garth models a dress from her new fashion

line, Me by Jennie Garth, which debuts July 29 on QVC. Garrett Lobaugh IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DON’T WEAR NOW THAT YOU DID IN YOUR YOUNGER DAYS? Well, I used to wear heels and I don’t now. I

don’t wear heels unless I’m getting paid. That’s my rule. I used to stay in black a lot. It was my favorite — it’s still kind of my favorite — but I try to explore other colors now, just

because it makes me a little happier. DID YOU STILL HAVE ANYTHING FROM KELLY TAYLOR’S WARDROBE? I have one pair of Kelly’s cowboy boots. They’re brown, and she used to wear them with long

floral dresses. DO YOU STILL WEAR THEM? Yeah, I do. I literally just wore them to a wedding last weekend.