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LOL Tricia Cusden

(54 Posts)
GrandmaCornwall Thu 06-Jun-19 16:38:12

Tricia Cusden has written a book about staying stylish as you grow older, has anyone read it ? It sounds interesting and Tricia is a very stylish woman, I am not sure how much time and energy she puts into looking good but maybe she has some good ideas. Is there anyone one else who has any ideas on how to rev up some energy, spark the old enthusiasm and find the lost motivation?
P.S the LOL stands ‘for little old lady’ in this case and how to avoid being called a LOL.

M0nica Thu 06-Jun-19 17:46:42

After a bit of browsing I have come to the conclusion that Tricia Cusden is stylish, conventional, age appropriately dressed LOL. Not my style at all.

By the time we reach 60 we are all so varied, some do not look a day over 45, some look over 70. We have developed a style over the years that goes from utterly eccentric to staidly suitable for our age and everything in between.

It is impossible for anyone to recommend styles of clothes, make-up etc to older women we are too varied in every way. No-one would do a fashion and style article aimed at women in the 15 - 50 age group, why expect older people in such a varying age group to share the same style.

I think the best thing to do is forget any preconceived ideas of what is suitable for your age and take your self out to a large shopping centre and wander the shops seeing what is available. Make sure you look in all the shops aimed at younger women. I like H&M, Monsoon, Fat Face and Next. None of them seen as aiming at older women. look for clothes you fancy and flatter you and to h*ll with age.

kittylester Thu 06-Jun-19 18:05:41

I am today's Daily Mail there is an article about things to avoid. These include face powder, frumpy glasses and other things which I thought made sense.

farview Thu 06-Jun-19 18:10:52

Well I am "me" my style is "me" I wouldn't want anyone else to tell me what to wear etc...one of my dear friends always needs someone with her when clothes shopping..for their opinion...the only opinion I need is mine ?

KatyK Thu 06-Jun-19 18:20:56

I wear what I want to. I don't ask for advice. It's no good asking DH. He always says 'yes you look great'. I've always loved clothes and have always felt happy in what I wore. As I've got older I have lost the plot a bit but buy what I like and hope for the best. It's fine until I see a photo and then I think 'Nooooo. What were you thinking?' Maybe I should ask for that advice after all!

Callistemon Thu 06-Jun-19 18:32:38

Apparently my 'frumpy shoes' are anything but as I've had several younger women admiring them!
Ditto my specs
My hair just is - no good aiming for a stylish bob.

Callistemon Thu 06-Jun-19 18:33:33

Ps I've never heard of her - who is she?

blondenana Thu 06-Jun-19 18:54:49

Monica well said i agree with you, i do not intend to look like a little old lady if i can help it, [although i am little, and old, and slim] BUT i dress to please me, younger looking than my age,[according to others] and do what i can to look good i prefer casual clothes and at the moment wearing jeans, a black summer polo neck, top and silvery blue casual shoes, but comfortable,
I remember my mother at my age, and i am nothing like her dress wise, or in attitude
I wear make up every day, but very subtle, mainly i think i have got used to it, because where i worked when i left school, in a very posh hairdressers , we had to wear it, don;t always wear foundation in summer though
I don;t want to sit knitting and join the WI its not my style
I think too that i have more often than not,been around younger people most of my life, and used to my sons and daughters friends often being around

M0nica Thu 06-Jun-19 18:59:50

But kitty didn't you think that the DM article was about a style of LOL about a generation out? I haven't seen a LOL like the one referred to disaparagingly in the article for about 20 years, while the author of the article, was a classic example of a modern LOL, from her long tailored grey jacket, white shirt and black trousers to her, oh so discrete, grey track shoes. As for her age beating tips, several older women hadn't done for years, while others most older women do anyway.

Her style certainly wasn't my style. The clothes I am wearing at the moment come from Fat Face and Monsoon and are emphatically not discrete shades of white, grey and black. I never wear black, it doesn't suit me and never has.

NanKate Thu 06-Jun-19 20:03:07

The most modern thing about me are my Ronit Furst glasses, all sorts of colours. Prue Leith wears them too, but hers are a bit more full on than mine.

My feet, shoes and ankle socks let me down ?

kittylester Thu 06-Jun-19 20:11:15

It's not my style either, Monica, bit, as I said,some off what she said rang true. My glasses are purple, I dont wear powder, never have, but do wear blusher and lippy.

Currently, I'm wearing a Sainbury's stripy top and scruffy joggers because we've been gardening but I am never to be found looking so groomed as the author! And, never black, rarely, white and sometimes grey!

janeainsworth Thu 06-Jun-19 20:33:23

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7108787/amp/Little-Old-Lady-label-older-woman-dreads.html

Here’s the article. Frankly I’d feel (and look) ridiculous in her clothes.

GabriellaG54 Thu 06-Jun-19 21:26:40

I never ask anyone how I look as if they don't like...too bad.
I'm really 'happy' (not the right word but it'll do) with the way I look and don't aim for perfection.
Hate jewellery, scarves and make-up and especially loose tops and elasticated waist trousers/jeans meant to hide lumps n bumps.
If you're carrying a bit of extra fatweight it means you can save on heating your home.
There is always a plus for every minus. winkgrin
Today I went for my yearly NHS full medical courtesy of my lovely doctor.
I wore charcoal skinny jeans, blue/white pin stripe shirt tucked in and cinnamon coloured suede ankle boots.
Forget lippy, ageing foundation and powder. Just Riemann P20 sunscreen and off I go.
If the cake is tasty you don't need icing.

Callistemon Thu 06-Jun-19 21:49:18

Be yourself
Not a clone

The only people I've seen looking like the LOL in the picture of 'how not to look' in the last few years are Les Dawson and Roy Barraclough as Cissie and Ada!

MiniMoon Thu 06-Jun-19 22:15:41

I was out shopping with my DD yesterday evening. We were in a shop looking for storage boxes. I caught sight of myself in a full length mirror. I looked like a little old woman in my grey trousers and red jacket. I really must rethink my style.

trisher Thu 06-Jun-19 22:47:58

Well I think she is a self obsessed woman. Surely if age gives us anything it should be the right to dress as we wish and simply get on with our life without spending hours doing our make up.. And I agree about her style she doesn't even seem to be up to date with the latest trends (round glasses are so 'in'). She shouldn't be a role model for anyone and she is nothing exceptional. In fact she's the epitome of the image I had to have when I was working and the joy of not working is that I can wear anything I like and really express myself.

M0nica Fri 07-Jun-19 09:31:34

I think that is a little unfair Trisher, (the bit about self-obsessed). There are lots of beauty and style bloggers/vloggers out there for younger women so why not for older women? Trish Cusden, is not unique there are others.

I think if I was going to offer advice about how to dress as an older women - indeed at any age, I would say dress in clothes you feel comfortable in and which give you self-confidence.

If I were to dress, either like the author of the DM article or the lady mentioned in the OP, I would not look discretely, age appropriately elegant, I would look a mess, and very LOL, possibly even slightly demented, for the simple reason that I would feel uncomfortable in those clothes and not at all 'me'. If I were to bounce into a room in my usual colour rich casual clothes, which are my style, I would appear much more confident and lively, because that is how I would feel.

lmm6 Fri 07-Jun-19 10:10:20

The most important thing to remember is what NOT to wear (this is according to my DD who advises me accordingly). Do not wear old-fashioned crimplene tapered trousers. Do not wear anything with an elasticated waist. Do not wear trousers with socks and shoes (boots are a must). Do not wear everything beige or pale green. No loosely fitting anorak-type jackets. Use colour a lot. Try to wear clothes that shape you rather than baggy stuff. You can disguise your waist by wearing a t-shirt top and an open-shirt over the top. Having said all this, I spend half my life looking scruffy because I'm too lazy to be bothered. Hardly anyone dresses up these days do they.

trisher Fri 07-Jun-19 10:13:25

M0nica I would say exactly the same thing about younger women who spend their whole life wondering about how they appear to others. In fact one of the things I would have hoped we would have (and I think many women have) is the ability to dress and present ourselves as we are and not spend all our time and cash trying to change things. It is a product of the consumer society I very much deplore.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Fri 07-Jun-19 10:21:40

Is this the lady who was in yesterday's Daily Mail? She looks damn good for her age, I must say. I wouldn't wear glittery trainers or 'snake' fabric but if I look as good as that in ten years I'll be happy.
However, her old Aunt Hilda looks 'cosy' doesn't she? If I wanted to talk about a problem the LOL looks more approachable, perhaps.

Patticake123 Fri 07-Jun-19 10:35:49

I think the key is a trendy hair style but in your natural colour - White/ grey in my case. Look stylish but not mutton dressed as lamb.

Jacqui1956 Fri 07-Jun-19 10:36:29

I would love to be stylish. I was quite trendy when I was younger, I now live an hours drive from a shop! We are surrounded by sheep and heather moors so I wear what’s suitable for the ‘terrain’, which is wellies or hiking boots and waterproofs mainly. I do struggle when I’m invited anywhere where the dress code isn’t wellies and waterproofs! In fact when my daughter got married and we went onto the discussion about what I was going to wear, the first thing she said was “mum you can’t wear your hiking boots or wellies you do know that” ?? I didn’t I wore kitten heels and a dress but changed into trousers and a stylish pair of flats in the evening! ?

Nanny41 Fri 07-Jun-19 10:38:33

I try to dress as I want to, neither trendy or frumpy, hardly ever wear skirts or dresses, enjoy wearing trousers all different types, lengths, and I have wonderful stylish Skecher shoes to match, sandals in the summer. Not much make up, only mascara and lipstick, always particular about my hair. I am a LOL but I hope I dont look like one!

FamilyFirst Fri 07-Jun-19 10:40:48

I love clothes, love fashion. I dress appropriately but definately keep up with current trends. I never take my age into account when it comes to what i choose to wear and i do consider myself stylish for an older lady but definately not mutton dressed as lamb lol. I have 4 adult daughters who always compliment me and on occasions have asked me for certain items of my clothing and footwear.
However i have friends the same age as me who choose to dress, i dont like to say older so i will say safer (in my opinion) and thats entirely their decision and what they are comfortable wearing, i respect that and they too look fabulous.
How boring would it be if we were all the same.

GabriellaG54 Fri 07-Jun-19 10:43:47

Jacqui1956
It sounds as if you live in a beautiful place. I love walking country and have spent many very happy hours surrounded by heavenly scenery and meeting wonderful people, especially in Wales and N Yorkshire on my own as I don't like being herded according to a group leader's timetable.