Dressed to the 9s

I mourn the general loss of plant nurseries, most garden centres have a restaurant/cafe, sell a lot of unnecessary items and any plants are incidental, often badly cared for, pricey too.
Fortunately there are two places near us that just sell plants and the staff are very knowledgable.

Witzend

I can imagine that it was something of ‘an occasion’ for those women, to meet up for coffee or whatever, so they felt like dressing up a bit.

Like me they were on their way to London and we were all held up because all trains in both directions had been cancelled due to a fatality on the line
They were wearing what I would expect someone to wear to an exhibition or a gallery or as in my case, a Prom - and I’m not talking the teenage stretch-limo type! 🤣🤣

Milest0ne

I have clothes which have had several "lives" Best.- Work. -Casual - gardening/decorating - throw out.
Does anyone know if any charity shops collect "shoddy" which used to generate income. I presume space is an issue here.

Churches collect clothing, or ours does.

Milest0ne

I have clothes which have had several "lives" Best.- Work. -Casual - gardening/decorating - throw out.
Does anyone know if any charity shops collect "shoddy" which used to generate income. I presume space is an issue here.

We have several clothing bins near us which take all sorts of clothing - even 'shoddy' stuff. Our local Scout Group has one outside the Scout Hut, and they do benefit from it.

I am always well turned out at my great age of 83, it's pride in my appearance whatever I wear.

I have clothes which have had several "lives" Best.- Work. -Casual - gardening/decorating - throw out.
Does anyone know if any charity shops collect "shoddy" which used to generate income. I presume space is an issue here.

My wee granny would be horrified if she could see how little effort I put into my outfit most days. She used to wear a blouse and pinafore in the morning to do her housework and meal prep, but one this was completed, she would change into a dress, apply a little pressed powder and cologne ready for her daily visitors.

I've stopped going to occasions that require getting dressed up .
Don't look forward to weddings, but thankfully haven't been to one in 10 years , don't like parties , and have just said no to celebrate 10 years of my wi being open.

I’m with RosiesMaw in believing yiu can spot a British person abroad by the way they dress - usually very badly

Iam64
A few years ago MrA & I were walking down the street in a small town in Mississippi.
A woman came running out of her front garden, sorry, yard, after us to ask if we were British. She had assumed we were, because we were so stylishly dressed.😳
It was a bit sad really. She was British herself but had lived in Mississippi for more than 40 years. She usually went back to Britain every year but for the last 4 years hadn’t been able to go because of her husband’s illness. She just wanted to hear some English voices 😢

I love having a browse round a good garden centre, they sell all sorts of things! And there’s usually a convenient coffee bar - no idea if the food is always home-cooked, but if people go back for more, I assume it’s enjoyable!

Sadly, I think a lot of people in this country are poor and this is reflected in their demeanor, posture, access to a dental treatment and clothing.
The climate doesn't help.

I have a penchant for high end/designer jeans (they do not sag or go baggy and fit exceptionally well)

I team them with a shirt and my favourite Joukes blazer (unfortunately I got it long before it went on sale 😡, pixie boots or white trainers.

I can imagine that it was something of ‘an occasion’ for those women, to meet up for coffee or whatever, so they felt like dressing up a bit.

Marydoll

Beechnut

Hoodie and joggers. You’ve fair surprised me there Marydoll with your love of clothes 😀

😂

I still looked smart!

Yes, I expect you did.

I suppose people would think similar of me if I wore a pair of jeans. I’ve only got one pair which haven’t seen the light of day for years.

I can remember back to a time when people wore smart uniforms for work. Bus drivers and conductors, postmen, police, train guards, waiters and waitresses, even our milkman and many more.

We had photos of my mother in her nurses dress and she was decked out in white starched hat, collar, cuffs and apron.

One of my first holiday jobs was in the city in London and loads of men dressed like Thompson and Thompson in Tintin.

My aunt always looked amazing. Her favourite colour was blue and she went regularly to the hairdresser and had a purple rinse. She started her 'toilette' at 6 a.m. and even in the house she looked like Hyacinth Bucket. Even at the age of 97 she would go to town on the bus and you could see her coming from a distance. Always wore a brooch, necklaces, bracelets, beautiful coats, hand bags, suits, dresses and jackets in varying shades of blue with varying patterns in blue. What a tour de force!

Beechnut

Hoodie and joggers. You’ve fair surprised me there Marydoll with your love of clothes 😀

😂

I still looked smart!

M0nica

RosiesMaw2 You should go to France, I do not know where the French get their reputation for being 'chic' from. I think it is limited to one or two very expensive arrondissements in Paris, and one or two haute bourgeouise in every town.

Whenever I go round any of our local supermarkets in Normandy, I always think how better turned out the women in your average British supermarket are in comparison.

You must be shopping at Daylesford Farm shop then. The average supermarket shopper especially if younger is far from smart and in Summer totally inappropriately dressed especially for the temperature with air con! Vest tops and shorts? Hairy legs, muffin tops, flip flops? It’s not Magaluf dears, it’s Morrisons.
I will make an exception for older shoppers and travellers.
That weekend as I sat in Costas thinking I must be in the worst dressed city in the worst dressed country in Europe, two women stood out. Both in linen/cotton blazers, summer trousers, smart trainers , I think one had a scarf as well and guess what ? Both had grey hair.

Hoodie and joggers. You’ve fair surprised me there Marydoll with your love of clothes 😀

Some ways of dressing can be aging, I do not wish to look like a frumpy old lady. Yes I am vain! 😂
You don't needs lots of jewellery to look smart. However a dressy jacket with a pair of jeans can lift an outfit, rather than an anorak and baggy trousers.

I never go out without light foundation and mascara. My pale skin and blond eyelashes and eyebrows make me look like a ghost, and ill without it! 😉

Cabbie21

I would feel totally out of place if I wore lots of jewellery, a smart jacket and full makeup just to go into my town centre or garden centre, though if am meeting a friend I won’t be wearing scruffy old gardening clothes. Just clean decent proper clothes, chosen with toning colours etc.

Smart casual!

I would feel totally out of place if I wore lots of jewellery, a smart jacket and full makeup just to go into my town centre or garden centre, though if am meeting a friend I won’t be wearing scruffy old gardening clothes. Just clean decent proper clothes, chosen with toning colours etc.

Iam64

Maybe it depends where abouts in the UK MOnica lives

I agree. I was in Edinburgh last week and commented on how well dressed and edgy women my age were compared to my Glasgow counterparts.
I'm not saying Glasgow ladies are not well dressed, but the ladies I saw had something extra.

I always get dressed up for church and there are a few ladies my age, who look fabulous.
However, last Sunday, I went down to sort a broken projector screen in a hoodie and joggers. People were quite taken aback! 😂

Try Sainsbury's, Morrisons, or Tesco. Our local ASDA is pretty crummy, but its customers are still, generally, better dressed than their French counterparts.

This is, of course, coomparative. I am not saying the average shopper in either cuntry is gong to be in the best dressed list.

Maybe it depends where abouts in the UK MOnica lives