I just want to be pretty!

Grow your hair a bit longer, and change style of clothes, jeans and tunic tops with a scarf or a bit of jewellery. have your ears pierced, then you can wear pretty ear rings.Wear a bit of make up.If you don't have all grey hair, have some highlights or change hair colour.

Or buy a wig if you can't wait for your hair to grow - you'd be amazed at the difference and these days they're so good most people never notice you're wearing one!

Find a supplier where you can try before you buy, and take a friend with you for support and advice.

If you don't want to start wearing skirts and/or dresses, what about smart trousers with tunic tops or casual jackets?

Good luck!

Good suggestions from others, I agree that tunics, leggings and jewellery maybe the way to go. Don't forget your feet, pixie boots are charming with leggings.

Perhaps changing your glasses, something with a little sparkle or interesting colour?

Perfume can make you feel feminine. Experiment with some cheap items and see how you feel.

The secret is in the vibes you give off. Act confident, even if you don't feel it for the moment. Lipstick, clean teeth, a smile, shoulders back, chest out. Look as though you own the place. But at the same time, look people in the eye and listen to them.

Actually, I think I ought to try listening to my own advice. Watch this space!

Oh - and I alway thought I was a no frills type, until I saw a video of myself and was very surprised at how feminine I looked, especially my hands. So maybe you could film and photograph yourself.

Or have some professional photos made, just for yourself, to remind you that you can look really nice with a little extra effort. The photographer may have some tips for you.

Lovely ideas- thanks, I will dig out my tunics and leggings which are currently at the back of the cupboard! Actually I love wearing skirts and dresses but as I don't work any longer I always think I am too dressed up if I wear them. Does that make sense?

Re: hair - I once tried on a wig and honestly I looked like a bad (V bad) drag artist!

I do wear make up -(mascara, foundation) but I feel it doesn't quite work. Where would you go for a make over ?

BTW how come some people just have style and some of us are permanently bewildered.!

A lot of the counters at places like Debenhams do makeovers. Or you could check into a beauty salon and get some ideas - treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure at the same time.

Dig out those skirts - maxi skirts in particular are very fashionable at the moment and make you feel girly plus are nice and cool

Most of the make up counters do free make overs and you don't have to buy though obviously that's their aim.

Nice and cool? It's been decidedly parky here today! But maxi-skirts do look good with boots.

I agree with growing your hair a bit longer. Hair really is your crowning glory. As someone who has lost their hair, I can never understand people who have beautiful hair cut short. I have a blonde bob just below my chin and I have a fringe. Not my own hair, but a hair system, but it has taken years off me.

I am not advocating the ole 'getting your colours done' not sure if one still can but I am being a lot braver about colours.

There are a few shops that have quite a decent range of colours at any one time and its no bad idea to either go alone...or with a trusted friend and try colours on that you normally avoid. Just holding them up in a good light is enough.
Sea Salt, Mistral and Fat Face spring to mind but I'm sure there are others that let you experiment in a reasonably small place....huge Dept stores are just too confusing (to me anyway)

Go to a department store likeJohn Lewis and book yourself in for av make up lesson with one of the better cosmetic brands- Clinique , Lancôme , MAC, talk about what you want and they should help you find a look you like - they will want you to like it as they will hope you'll buy some of their stuff. Have you got a friend whose style you admire? You could go shopping together. Find a new hairdresser- again ask someone whose hair you like where they go, have a chat with him/ her about what colour / style you could aim for, it will take a while to achieve if you aim to grow it a bit, but well worth it. Have your eyebrows threaded and go for a manicure/ pedicure. 53 isn't old- you can certainly be stylish and why not? Have fun!

Goddaughter had a personal shopper at Debenhams when she was looking for a special,outfit. Person had lots of great ideas and suggested colours and styles she hadn't considered. There was no pressure to buy and I believe it was a free service. However she came away with a couple of outfits she loved, thanks to the Bank of Mum of course.

Accessorise everything and get a makeover at Clarins or Clinique- they don't lard it on like some of the other brands- less is more.

You can still get your colours done. I had mine done and ditched my favourite black. I'm much braver about colours and feel more confident. I had mine done by colour me beautiful!

Holdthetonic. From a male point of view, do you want to look pretty or sexy ? And do you want this just for yourself or do you want to be more attractive to others. From my view pretty and sexy aren't quite the same, sexy definitely means confident whereas pretty can mean demure. In my opinion, jeans can be very sexy -- but that got me in trouble once before so 'nuf said.

I always think of little girls as being 'pretty', grown women as being 'attractive', even 'lovely' - lucky them!

I am, never have been, any of those things so making the best of myself is the most I can do. However, I do need help so will keep reading this thread!

Accessories, accessories, accessories!

Earrings, necklaces, scarves, (charity shops are a good, cheap hunting ground) even try quirky things, bright coloured shoe laces in boots/trainers, hair clips and bands, just to decorate your hair, you don't need to actually "need" them to hold you hair, if you get my meaning!

I was always too embarrassed to have a makeover at the beauty counters in a dept. store when offered. However, I was in Rome recently on holiday, went into buy my favourite Italian lipstick, when the assistant offered to do my make up. I immediately said "No", my DH said "Yes, go for it".WoW! I didn't recognise myself at the end of it! My broken veins and eczema had disappeared, my eyes looked brighter. What a difference. I ended up buying 50 euros worth of make up, but it was worth it.
Sometimes, it's better to make one little change, nothing too drastic, then if you are happy with it, try something else. Your transformation can be gradual. Look at sites like Pinterest for inspiration.

Mrs P had a free make over at a big store -- it was awful IMO and hers, she looked like something from a side show, it got taken off as soon as we got home.

You might find a tinted moisturiser looks better and less "made up" than a foundation. I find that I hardly ever wear dresses now because they seem to look too dressed up. With skirts I try to go for a fairly casual look, with perhaps a plain top and a scarf or a pair of earrings.

I parked my car over the allotted bay markings the other week and a couple were going past. Not being used to parking in disabled very much yet, I asked the couple if I would get in trouble for being over the line. The man turned round and said, "They wouldn't book anyone as bonny as you are". It has been years since anyone called me bonny so it really did make my day.

A work mate of mine, a well endowed lady, but very slim, said she had to go on a crash diet, my comment was that if she lost much more weight she would be "tits on a stick"

When I told an acquaintance that I was nearly 70 she had a really good look at my face and said "well, nature has been kind to you." I took it as a compliment.

Wobbly - you are naughty. Didn't know you were still working. I thought you were a retired type, or were you speaking retrospectively.