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Women's legs & showing too much flesh

(138 Posts)
grannyrebel7 Sat 12-Sep-20 22:19:26

Older women's legs seem to get all wobbly, veiny, cellulitely and just plain horrible compared to men's legs that seem to stay the same. Having said that on holiday recently, I noticed a preponderance of older women wearing short, skimpy shorts. I wear shorts myself, but only ones that are just above the knee. I saw a woman wearing teeny tiny shorts and a strappy top that left little to the imagination in a cafe we were in. She was probably late 50s, overweight with huge boobs and her legs were covered in big patches of veins. I pointed her out to DH and he said that she put him off his breakfast! She obviously thought she looked fine, but she was literally wearing next to nothing. I think it's ok when you're young and lovely, but do we really want to see old women letting it all hang out? I certainly don't!

Bodach Sat 12-Sep-20 23:42:37

Well, well... With the (dis)honourable exception of grannyrebel7 and vickymeldrew, what a positively saintly bunch you are. All piling in, virtue-signalling your assertions that thoughts of "mutton dressed as lamb" and the like never ever flit through your spotless minds, as you survey your fellow beings in their ill-considered holiday garb. I'm afraid that - as vicky would no doubt put it - "I don't belieeeeve you".

Starblaze Sat 12-Sep-20 23:56:15

Bodach you do understand that your thoughts can stay inside your head where noone else has to put up with them right?

HolyHannah Sun 13-Sep-20 00:10:31

Starblaze -- Women can and should wear whatever they feel comfortable in.

You and your husband should be ashamed of yourselves and I hope she didn't see or hear anything negative that would have ruined an otherwise happy day.

Don't be a person that ruins someone else's day. -- All of what you said. Good gracious, the judgments toward a complete stranger minding her own business, based on her clothing choices? Yikes!

I am sure many would accuse me of dressing age inappropriately but I look a good 10 years younger then I am sooo... I'm gonna rock being a hot-mama. I'll chalk it up to jealousy or the insecurities of others' to dress how they would feel comfortable and don't like my IDGAF attitude.

Wear what you want ladies and rock your beautiful You, regardless of what other people say!

HolyHannah Sun 13-Sep-20 00:17:00

Bodach -- Some of Us who have never received a 'positive judgement' in our lives loath people who behave in 'those ways'. If someone has no issue with judging someone by their clothing, what else is such a person likely to judge others on? Too many tattoos? Hair color? Gender? Shall I continue?

Not everyone is a judgmental arse... Especially the people not acting that way.

geekesse Sun 13-Sep-20 00:37:20

Bodach, why should it matter to you what other people look like? Sneer and call that ‘virtue signalling’ if you wish, but I actually don’t understand what business it is of anybody’s how people dress, do their hair or carry their weight or lack of it. Most bodies deteriorate over time. I have better things to do with my time and energy than contemplate and comment upon other people’s bodies. It seems to me a very superficial and rather unpleasant judgementalism.

Hithere Sun 13-Sep-20 01:02:08

This is THE perfect example of another post about ageism and women are worse off - committed by a woman who is not so young herself.

If people only minded their own business.
Stop looking if it bothers you so much.

Hithere Sun 13-Sep-20 01:02:46

Women being worse off, not "are worse off'

Hithere Sun 13-Sep-20 01:05:46

www.gransnet.com/forums/everyday_ageism/1280761-How-sexism-and-ageism-combine-against-women

Oldwoman70 Sun 13-Sep-20 07:10:07

As an overweight old woman I tend to only wear shorts when sitting by the pool on holiday because that is when I feel comfortable wearing them.

If someone (male or female) feels comfortable wearing shorts in a cafe then good for them. I admit to sometimes looking at other women and thinking "I couldn't wear that" but perhaps that is just my being jealous that I don't have the confidence needed to do so!

MellowYellow Sun 13-Sep-20 07:16:25

A very unpleasant post.....

Whitewavemark2 Sun 13-Sep-20 07:21:40

grannyrebel7

Older women's legs seem to get all wobbly, veiny, cellulitely and just plain horrible compared to men's legs that seem to stay the same. Having said that on holiday recently, I noticed a preponderance of older women wearing short, skimpy shorts. I wear shorts myself, but only ones that are just above the knee. I saw a woman wearing teeny tiny shorts and a strappy top that left little to the imagination in a cafe we were in. She was probably late 50s, overweight with huge boobs and her legs were covered in big patches of veins. I pointed her out to DH and he said that she put him off his breakfast! She obviously thought she looked fine, but she was literally wearing next to nothing. I think it's ok when you're young and lovely, but do we really want to see old women letting it all hang out? I certainly don't!

Oh dear your username is obviously a misnomer.

If we are lucky every single individual gets old with the resultant ageing body.

Think yourself lucky. So many never get to our age.

Wear your age with pride and gratitude.

Hating the sight of old age is so weird.

Beauregard Sun 13-Sep-20 07:32:52

Well.... After reading this thread maybe I need to rethink my whole holiday wardrobe (whenever I get to go in future) and start packing those strappy tops and short shorts that I gave up wearing a long, long time ago, and stop being the self conscious person I am.

Calendargirl Sun 13-Sep-20 07:35:20

Years ago, people just hid their bodies as they got older. Didn’t notice many older women swimming in the pool when I was young. Now, all ages, shapes, sizes do.
At our aquacise class, one lady comes on her mobility scooter. She has huge misshapen legs, thighs, very overweight, but I think good on her, she isn’t bothered what she looks like, and is doing something to try and keep as fit as she can.
Don’t think that would have happened years ago.

Riverwalk Sun 13-Sep-20 07:42:51

She obviously thought she looked fine, but she was literally wearing next to nothing.

This is the bit that I would inwardly frown upon - people can't help old veiny legs and big boobs.

Unless the café was on the beach I think people should be decently dressed, and that includes shirtless men.

Jaxjacky Sun 13-Sep-20 07:43:00

I’m wondering if OP’s other half felt obligated to make a derogatory comment as a) hadn’t noticed or b) didn’t notice/care.

JuneRose Sun 13-Sep-20 08:01:13

I kind of see both sides of this one... Yes sometimes I do think to myself 'what on earth does she think she looks like!' But I usually also think 'each to their own' and of course I'm no super model myself so other people might be thinking the same about what I'm wearing.

PinkCakes Sun 13-Sep-20 08:04:21

grannyrebel7 What a judgmental misery you sound.

I wouldn't wear those type of clothes either, but that lady probably saved up to have her holiday, and she wanted to enjoy it.

BlueBelle Sun 13-Sep-20 08:11:45

Don’t think much of your husband or you if all you can do is criticise others for their appearance, we all think things but to put a post up on her is, really saying something about you
And just for your future thoughts not everyone has ugly knobbly legs mine are still fine probably the best bit of my body ?
Think it if you wish whisper to your husband if you wish but a public post is crass

Furret Sun 13-Sep-20 08:17:35

I’m going to be another minority opinion and suggest that it’s not a pleasant sight - those few people who insist on showing too much unsightly flesh, and I include men who strut around topless with their beer bellies hanging over their belts.

Urmstongran Sun 13-Sep-20 08:21:33

Or have breakfast at home? I love your pithy comments Maw they do make me giggle!
?

honeyrose Sun 13-Sep-20 08:24:00

I can definitely see both sides of this too. I wouldn’t wear that sort of thing, now that i’m in my later years, as I’ve always been a very self-conscious person and my body is showing signs of age. I wouldn’t feel comfortable in that sort of clothing. If someone wishes to dress like that lady, hardly wearing anything at all, that’s up to her, so long as she looks reasonably covered. I think that elegance probably has gone out of the window for a lot of people, but that’s modern times for you.

Galaxy Sun 13-Sep-20 08:26:00

I would say if olden times involve people with the ops views then thank goodness for modern times.

rafichagran Sun 13-Sep-20 08:47:23

What a spiteful post. The people I know, and have seen dressed like that do not care what people think of them, and if they heard you and your unpleasant husband say things like that you would have been given a right ear bashing.

Try minding your own business, this woman does not affect your lives. As for putting him off his breakfast, I bet he ate everything on his plate.

Esspee Sun 13-Sep-20 08:48:11

I am guessing the woman who offended you was very happy in her own skin and would not have cared two hoots about your opinion.

BlueSky Sun 13-Sep-20 08:54:46

My personal opinion is that shorts and short skirts look great on teenagers with long slim legs, and I struggle to show my legs because I never liked them. But each to their own, if you feel comfortable in shorts wear them! Unfortunately women are other women's worst enemy.