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Clothes for ladies of a certain age

(82 Posts)
Sallywally1 Sat 02-Mar-24 13:00:50

I was looking at pictures of my mum at my age 67 and I must admit I wouldn’t be seen dead with what she was wearing, but then she would disapprove of my attire. Today I am wearing velvet jeans, stripy t shirt with a cardigan. When out I wear ankle boots and carry a velvet bag. I rarely wear dresses, but recently I bought a really nice denim one, which would have shocked her!

What do others wear, compared to women 30/40 years ago?

M0nica Sun 03-Mar-24 06:35:26

There are photos around showing me (80), DDiL (55) and DGD (16), all wearing almost exactly the same clothes, leggings, sweaters, the difference being that they are wearing DMs and I am merely wearing clumpy shoes.

Curtaintwitcher Sun 03-Mar-24 06:50:29

My mother's clothes didn't really vary much, whereas I wear a real mixture of styles.

BlueBelle Sun 03-Mar-24 07:37:37

Actually my mum kept up with fashion and always looked good she wore trousers that were fashionable or dresses, painted her beautiful nails, and changed hair colours regularly
My mums mum was also quite within fashion for her period however my dads mum was a slippers and overall lady and I never saw her dressed up always in kitchen clothes mind you I never saw her go out either

Visgir1 Sun 03-Mar-24 08:36:11

Both my parents loved clothes. Dad didn't stand a chance with a all femail household he always wore what he was given, he never went shopping. Mum always looked great, unlike my darling old Nan who wore a pinny over a pinny.

I always remember my mother coming down the stairs to go to a special event with Dad dress in a sleek black velvet classic dress with her blonde hair up, looking stunning she looked like a more shapely Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's she looked beautiful.
As she got older she never gave up her style.
Please to say my sister and I have inherited that gene.

AlwaysSmiling Sun 03-Mar-24 08:43:29

Sounds very much like me, bless her. We were teenagers of the late 50's and 60's and I bet she wore those flared dresses with net underskirts and 4 ins heels. I wish I had saved all my clothing from that era. I bet she could jive as well.

AlwaysSmiling Sun 03-Mar-24 08:46:10

When I was young and going to the Mecca Locarno on a Saturday night, we always wore lovely dresses, mine also was black velvet, boat neck and very form fitting, I also wore Lurex and chiffon. Those were the days when we got dressed up to go out with our boyfriends who always wore suits, not like the scruffy lads of today. The girls still get all dolled up but never the boys.

fancythat Sun 03-Mar-24 08:48:19

My mum is still around.
She has never liked women in trousers!
At least one of her sisters succumbed, but she never has.

NotSpaghetti Sun 03-Mar-24 08:54:06

I remember the beautiful Opera coats - and evening gloves with tiny buttons, AlwaysSmiling...

😍

MissAdventure Sun 03-Mar-24 10:06:56

I'd be more than happy to look as my mum did (before she got too disabled)

Always pretty skirts and t shirts or blouses, she looked tanned, and healthy, and feminine, and strong. smile

Casdon Sun 03-Mar-24 10:29:12

fancythat

My mum is still around.
She has never liked women in trousers!
At least one of her sisters succumbed, but she never has.

It’s funny isn’t it, my Mum is 95, and I think the last time she wore a dress or skirt was when my brother got married, over 25 years ago. She wears tailored trousers, a blouse and a waistcoat or a cardigan these days. She’s got osteoporosis quite badly, so the jumpers she used to wear are too difficult for her to get on now. She doesn’t wear what I’d wear, but neither does she wear what her own mum did, which was definitely in the twinsets and pearls category, with a tweedy skirt, and dresses in the summer.

henetha Sun 03-Mar-24 11:30:39

I don't think it matters any more. Fashion is much less rigid these days. I wear what I feel comfortable in.
But I must admit I don't go out in mini skirts or hot pants grin

MissAdventure Sun 03-Mar-24 11:31:09

grin

Purplepixie Sun 03-Mar-24 11:38:00

My mam was 42 when she had me and the fashion difference was immense. Sadly she died aged nearly 100 back in 2009. I never saw her in trousers or jeans but skirts and dresses. Today I am wearing green trousers (only because I cannot get in jeans after operation), I love San Francisco t shirt and a long black cardigan. Need to lose weight as I would love to try and wear a dress again. Also love my denim and leather jackets.

Judy54 Sun 03-Mar-24 13:51:38

I got my love of fashion and make up from my Mum. She was always extremely elegant and well attired. She would definitely still fit in today. I just hope that I do her justice as She was a hard act to follow.

Farzanah Sun 03-Mar-24 14:07:01

The flamboyant fashion designer Iris Apfel who has just died aged 102, famously said it’s better to be happy than well dressed.
She certainly had her own style 😵‍💫

Norah Sun 03-Mar-24 14:23:08

Farzanah

The flamboyant fashion designer Iris Apfel who has just died aged 102, famously said it’s better to be happy than well dressed.
She certainly had her own style 😵‍💫

She was magnificent! When ladies ask to silver hair, hers is perfect!

foxie48 Sun 03-Mar-24 16:42:49

Mother died when she was 61 so I have outlived her by 14 years so far. She got rather dowdy once she stopped working but she dressed really well when she was younger. We met out daughter and partner for lunch today, I wore very dark brown leather straight trousers, heeled boots and a new cashmere jumper in a soft yellow with a scarf that pulled it all together. I wear what suits me rather than what's fashionable and DD's first words were "you look great today, love the top!" Made my day.

HeavenLeigh Mon 04-Mar-24 11:35:46

Same here kim19

BettyBoop49 Mon 04-Mar-24 11:50:25

Is it a sin to ‘let yourself go’ ? I try very hard to look presentable - modernish etc but honestly I would really prefer to wear a selection of plain black dresses and give up all this hassle of looking good. I’m 75 and spent my life working and dressing to impress. Anyone else feel like me and just want to ‘disappear ‘ and chill out!

petra Mon 04-Mar-24 11:54:17

Foxie48
Love the styling 👌
My mother was very stylish. She was the first one to dye my hair and pluck my eyebrows

Nannashirlz Mon 04-Mar-24 12:08:21

I’m in bootleg trousers and top markies and my coat is white stuff. I’m 59 my dil sister though I was late 40s so I said I’d take that lol I’m same age as her mum but when I first saw her mum I thought she was a lot older as she dresses old. I never wear dresses but I’m planning to for my youngest wedding in July so that’s going to shock them as they don’t know lol

Lizzie44 Mon 04-Mar-24 12:47:02

I rarely wear a dress or skirt. My mother who died in her 80s in 1998) never wore trousers. It was almost always a dress (or frock to use her vocabulary) and occasionally a skirt and blouse. In the mornings she wore a wraparound pinafore and then washed and changed for lunch (dinnertime in her vocabulary). She always looked neat and tidy. One of my sad memories is of her towards the end of her life crying because she couldn't dress herself properly and saying "I feel such a mess".

Juicylucy Mon 04-Mar-24 12:54:31

My dear mum was very stylish and loved fashion she never dressed frumpy right up until she died at 82. I’ve followed her so have one of my DDs and my granddaughters stand out from the crowd.

Amalegra Mon 04-Mar-24 12:55:28

I am wearing black cord jeggings, a cream/black cropped cricket jumper and black ankle boots with lots of buckles! My mum would have thought my outfit was ok if a little dull! She was a bit of a bohemian when younger and always favoured colourful longish floaty, embroidered skirts and dresses. Trousers occasionally. With an interesting top! I loved her look, it so matched her personality. My sister would not like the way I’m dressed as she would say pointedly that she thinks leggings, jeggings and the like only look good on the very slim. I am a size 8 so I don’t know how slim she thinks you have to be to wear them, and I don’t think she’s right anyway! I wear what I like and if other people don’t like it, tough!

greenlady102 Mon 04-Mar-24 13:00:20

I am wearing the same as I wore 40 years ago and my late mum wore the same. comfortable trousers and shirts or sweatshirts.