Dressed to the 9s

My guess is that you were in a posh area, and the food was well made home cooked?

Probably true .

I agree with fancythat - I am always casually dressed, unless it’s a special occasion, parties etc. I wear the same clothes to the grocery store, as I wear at home 😂

Why not go for it? Opportunities to get dressed up are few and far between these days. If I'm popping out on my own, I can often look like a rag bag at a garden centre but make an effort if I'm meeting friends. It also depends on the friends, some are more glamorous than others and would never be leave the house without looking perfect. I think looking good lifts the spirits and can make any event a little more special.

kircubbin, I met my sister at the garden centre midway between iur houses. We decided to enjiy a coffe catch up before plant shopping. The table next to us had 8 older women, as you describe, dressed to the 9’s, full makeup and styled hair. Yes a good garden centre with cafe food cooked well in the premises, a good butcher, baker and veg section plus quality ready meals.
We realised this kind of outing is loved by older people like ourselves. I’m not about to dress up though - jeans for me

Why should this matter? How do you know they were designer labels? They may have bought them from a charity shop like my friend does. They maybe dress like that all the time, even to go to the shops like my friend. It doesn't make me feel pressured to dress like her though.
Dress in what you like. I do.

Our GC sometimes has groups of well-dressed people in the cafe. Generally, it’s either people on a coach trip outing or those who’ve attended a funeral at a fairly near-by crematorium, black ties and all.

Our town has different ‘clientele’ on different days of the week. Mondays seem to be the day for the less fortunate in society to meet up, maybe after the pharmacies have been closed over the weekend, I’m not sure, and Wednesdays is the day for traditional twin-set-and-pearls ladies and gents in tweeds and jackets, basically, the county folk.

Other days have harassed-looking grandparents like us, toting babies and toddlers around!

There is a large garden centre near to where my daughter lives in North Yorkshire.
Every time we drive past the car park is at near to full capacity which is lovely to see.
It has an Edinburgh Woollen Mill concession plus other small outlets and a large cafe, making an enjoyable outing.

How the customers inside are dressed, I have no idea

Dressing up put me in mind of my dear mum. She didn’t go as far as best jewels (except wearing her engagement ring and better watch), but on her weekly trips into town to go shopping, she always wore her smarter clothes - dress, coat, shoes etc, rather than the usual clothes she wore for her daily trips to the local shops, or for everyday in the house. 😁

Presumably people are allowed to wear what they like?

If I'm going out shopping for the day, I certainly would make an effort, make up on etc definitely not my "house clothes", that includes a Garden centre.
I might pop into a local shop in them, but that's all.

I live in a London suburb and if one looked smartly dressed I would put money on that she would be mugged. This is the area where there is a famous private school so it is not downmarket.

I always went out dressed up, make up, nice clothes (I buy Wallis clothes) jewellery and perfume. I lost count of the time that store assistants said I looked lovely or very smart but I noticed that other shoppers were all in hoodies, fleece jackets, jeggings and boots, there is nothing wrong at all with that but I thought that nowadays people are going for the comfortable style of clothing rather than the smart.

I decided to give it a go. I dressed in comfortable stretch jeans, flat boots, a nice top and a lightweight zip front jacket, I still wore makeup, earrings and a necklace and do you know, I felt much younger and more 'with it'.

Garden Centres ar now 'destinations' for older people, just like bouncy castles attract small children.

They usually have excellent restaurants, lots of totally unrelated vaguely house related trivia plus plants, flowers and garden stuff. They are usually vey warm. What not to like?

I confess we do not go to one often and, while we may have lunch, we are usually there to buy plants. To be honest I never really notice what other people ae wearing.

When I dress up I imagine most people would call it casual. Unless is a wedding or other big affair I don’t really do dressing up, and then I generally have to buy an outfit I know I will hardly ever wear again.
I love being outdoors, rambling, in old jeans, a well worn pair of walking boots, and a Regatta waterproof if needed, kept rolled up in my back pack if not.
I reckon I must look a sight when returning from my wind blown walks, but who cares?

We were out for Sunday lunch at a local hotel. It's quite an upmarket one. We were dressed respectably but comfortably. I was enjoying looking at the other diners as they arrived and all were dressed similarly to us. Then a lady arrived in a really nice, dressy outfit with hair immaculate and neat little shoes. She looked great! So nice to see someone who'd made an effort.

Babs03

When I dress up I imagine most people would call it casual. Unless is a wedding or other big affair I don’t really do dressing up, and then I generally have to buy an outfit I know I will hardly ever wear again.
I love being outdoors, rambling, in old jeans, a well worn pair of walking boots, and a Regatta waterproof if needed, kept rolled up in my back pack if not.
I reckon I must look a sight when returning from my wind blown walks, but who cares?

I'm exactly the same, but I do sometimes look at people who look effortlessly well dressed and elegant and wonder how they do it. I'm not knocking it - good on them, but I've never been that kind of 'put together' person.

I was only there to get compost but they have so much stuff in the shop. All lovely things that no one needs. I hope they sell it and do well as our other center has closed down.

Wat greyisnotmycolour said. So few opportunities to dress up which I like doing so even if going for a hike I have make up, hair done and wearing perfume.

Better than looking scruffy?

I have wardrobes full of clothes, love clothes, footwear, bags and fragrances enjoy wearing them, so that is what I am doing nowadays.

MissAdventure

Presumably people are allowed to wear what they like?

Unless it's Angela?

Well, of course Angela is the exception.

They probably think we may as well wear our "best" clothes , life will pass you buy otherwise and if you wait for the right day to wear them it is gone in a moment, life has a way of passing us by faster than we are able to keep up.