Gransnet forums

AIBU

To think friend was disrespectful

(207 Posts)
Oldwoman70 Sun 23-Jan-22 13:21:12

A friend and I have been helping out an elderly man whilst his wife was in hospital for an operation (shopping, cooking etc.). His wife is now back home and fully recovered. As a thank you they offered to take us out for a meal (wouldn't take no for an answer).

When I called to collect my friend she had made no effort in her appearance (wearing same clothes as when I saw her earlier in the day). I had showered, changed and even put on make up (rare for me). I felt as this couple were being kind enough to take us for a meal, it was disrespectful not to make an effort with her appearance. What do other GNs think? I would add that whilst it wasn't an "up market" restaurant - it wasn't the local pub either

MayBeMaw Mon 24-Jan-22 09:36:06

TBH if anything has been “disrespectful” it has been to criticise and elicit criticism about a third party and then show them what other people have said about them.
It reminds me of the sort of playground ganging up where one girl tells another what everybody else is saying about them. hmm

Germanshepherdsmum Mon 24-Jan-22 09:36:11

I’m amazed that you would show the thread to your friend. If a friend did that to me she would no longer be a friend.

Germanshepherdsmum Mon 24-Jan-22 09:36:59

Spot on Maw.

Bibbity Mon 24-Jan-22 09:39:24

You sound worse with every post.

AmberSpyglass Mon 24-Jan-22 09:45:57

If a friend showed me a catty post they’d made on social media about my clothes, they’d stop being my friend PDQ.

Hithere Mon 24-Jan-22 09:57:32

So you scolded her and she thinks we are mean

Yes, you are meant to be friends.

janeainsworth Mon 24-Jan-22 10:01:50

Being honest and speaking your mind
I’d hope my friends would know when to give me their honest thoughts and when keeping their thoughts to themselves was the kinder thing to do!

Nannagarra Mon 24-Jan-22 10:57:32

Hear, hear Floriel.

red1 Mon 24-Jan-22 11:03:50

if it suits the wearer , then what's it got to do with the starer?!

Suzey Mon 24-Jan-22 11:11:42

You need something else to think about @

kjmpde Mon 24-Jan-22 11:14:58

if she was on time and clean - not dirty clothes- then what is the problem? maybe she has no other clothes to change into. i have no fancy clothes either.

sazz1 Mon 24-Jan-22 11:15:26

In this case I think YABU as its only a casual meal out.
Sometimes I think it's necessary to make an effort like at a wedding, Xmas party, Christening, etc.
Must admit I was quite shocked when we went to meet DDs new boyfriend at a nice restaurant and he turned up in a scruffy worn fawn jumper and jeans. I would have expected him to wear a shirt for the first meeting. Perhaps I'm old fashioned

Brownowl564 Mon 24-Jan-22 11:16:03

Of course they were not being disrespectful, and you are being very unreasonable , what business is it of yours how they dress, maybe they had been busy helping other people since they saw you that day and hadn’t time to change , their company is all that matters

Marjgran Mon 24-Jan-22 11:17:58

This is one of the most baffling posts and threads I have read on GN. Two friends do a real favour for another, who wants to treat them. One doesn’t dress as the others do for the treat. That could be seen as careless or accidental, we can only make assumptions, and assumptions are prone to bias. The OP is sufficiently stirred by this to post it on social media. Why? Puzzling. Even more puzzling she shows the original friend the thread. Maybe they both have thick skins in their long standing friendship and neither notice cues for dress codes or hurt. The ethic of care that was obvious in the helping of the couple is a bit skew-wiff in the post.

Awesomegranny Mon 24-Jan-22 11:20:26

Does she normally dress up ?

sundowngirl Mon 24-Jan-22 11:22:17

Floriel

I don’t think YABU Oldwoman70. I think it’s a sign of respect and good manners to make a bit of effort, especially when they wanted to take you out to eat on what was probably quite a special occasion for them.

I agree with you Floriel. It would have been more respectful to make a bit of an effort.

jenpax Mon 24-Jan-22 11:22:58

I do think you are being unreasonable and a tad judgemental! I dont know why your friend had not changed but I am sure she had her reasons! I expect the hosts will just be glad to see you both

Jess20 Mon 24-Jan-22 11:24:43

I only change clothes if I'm covered in mud and dog hairs. Lot's of people I know don't bother to dress up for an evening out. If it's the same clothes they were painting the hall in, yes they probably should change but otherwise, why? Too much of the world's resources go on unnecessary clothing which isn't produced ethically and ends up underworn and often in landfill. One hopes their motivation was around sustainability, and if so, then it's respecting the planet not disrespecting you. X

Daisend1 Mon 24-Jan-22 11:24:52

More important things in life than a 'change of clothes'

effalump Mon 24-Jan-22 11:26:51

Don't most people just dress casual for everything now. Although I agree that you are being unreasonable. Why should it even matter? Did the wife of your neighbough (the lady just out of hospital) seem offended? She was probably just happy for some normal human interaction. Let it go, think happy thoughts.

Riggie Mon 24-Jan-22 11:29:32

Oldwoman70

Some of you seem to have misunderstood - the couple had dressed up, they rarely go out and this was special for them. My friend hadn't bothered to so much as change her sweater, she hadn't had a busy day (we had spent most of the afternoon chatting over coffee). I am not normally a "judgmental" person, accepting people for who and what they are but on this occasion I just felt she could have made a little effort.

Well if she hadn't had a busy day then I assume her clothes were not dirty and smelly. Or maybe she had changed before you had coffee and didn't feel she needed to change again. Besides which the other couple would not have known that she was wearing the same thing she'd had in earlier!!

You are not the clothing police so chill out!!!

Yearoff Mon 24-Jan-22 11:30:02

What’s her normal style like? Do you go out socially with her normally? Is this normal for her? I also think it’s up the the couple to decide whether she’s being disrespectful by not smartening you for dinner. I don’t know why you were bothered about how she was dressed.

Dickens Mon 24-Jan-22 11:30:58

Germanshepherdsmum

Spot on Maw.

I second that.

I'm more and more baffled by the OP's motivation.

Posting on a forum about a friend's apparent lack of respect, then showing her the responses, and together condemning the "nasty" people for sticking-up for said friend... hmm.

Yearoff Mon 24-Jan-22 11:31:10

Grandmabatty

You are being ridiculous. I'm sorry if you don't like the answer but really. She'd been in hospital and presumably was still recuperating. They were kind enough to take you for a meal and you think she's being disrespectful? Please give your head a wobble.

I made this error too. It was OP’s friend who didn’t dress up. Not the wife of the gentleman they were helping.

Beckett Mon 24-Jan-22 11:32:49

Oh the irony - all those accusing the OP of being judgmental - being judgmental! confused