What counts as “old lady clothes” nowadays?

Wear what you're comfortable with. Don't worry what anyone else thinks or what's in fashion. Be yourself

steer clear of anything from M&S...it's full of stuff that my Grannie wore

I ordered two jumpers and a pair of trousers from next. The trousers are 4 inches too long despite being size Regular. Im 5ft 5". Jumpers did not suit my shape so everything to be returned.
I dont want old lady clothes but lots of items are aimed at younger people and dont fit.
Debenhams online shopping can work for me sometimes. Just got a lovely coat in the Principles range.
Some things are ok at M&S .
I dont understand their cropped trouser length for winter which they are styling with flat shoes. Do you wear tights or just have freezing ankles. ?

My daughter was horrified when she admired a new top I was wearing, and found it came from EWM...thought that aged her!
As I get nearer to 80, my main criterion for clothes is being easy to put on and take off

Trousers with elasticated waist bands! ( However - at 75, I admit to owning quite a few!)

Most of it has been gathered together in BonMarche

Give you daughters a guided tour of you wardrobe and seek their advice. Also take them shopping with you when you buy clothes. After a few trips you will get the hang of it. Plenty of 'trendy' clothes out there for our age group at all prices to suit. I have just been shopping with my daughters, which I don't very often have the chance to do as they live so far away and bought some new togs - and the compliments I have received have been well worth the few extra pounds I normally wouldn't have spent. I also had me make up done at one of the make up counters. Hair next!

I actually did not find my style until I was in my 60s. Late 60s has brought a different style. I did laugh when my youngest daughter was waxing lyrical over my comfy baggy heavy cotton dungeries. Apparently they are the height of fashion. Seems my comfy ankle boots are as well. I suggest you find your own style. Simple styles in plain fabrics...natural fabrics as well...avoid man made.

I’m a Hotter fan and never thought I’d hear myself saying that. They have some really stylish shoes now. I have a couple of pairs of their sandals and also a mustard coloured pair of loafers which are SO comfortable. My 44 year old daughter eyes them up every time I wear them so they must be OK. I buy quite a few clothes from a website called Adini. They do good tunics and floaty tops as well as dresses and trousers which are quite flattering for those of us who are generous around the hips. If you sign up for e mails you get notice of their sales. I’ve had quite a few end of season bargains from them.

Wear what suits your shape and what you feel comfortable in. Same for colours, wear colours that suit you.

I agree with all who have said that the new East is nothing like the old, but the same can be said for Country Casuals which EWM took on. That bears no resemblance to the original either.

I am 74 I still like to dress in younger styles. Jeans, t shirts, blouses and leggings, Nike trainers, ankle boots. Long as I don’t look like ‘mutton dressed as lamb” as my mother used to say I am happy.

It’s a shame about East, but I can’t honestly see them surviving if this is all they have to offer.

Well I am ancient being 85. I never wear skirts as my inner thighs chafe. I inevitably wear straight jeans and trainers and a hip length top. Today it is cold so I put my well cut dark Grey wool lined trousers on with ankle boots and a cherry red scooped neck jumper and wore my black lightweight puffa jacket. At home I wear hip long tops , narrow legged leggings and thick sox no shoes. Old age has given me a lump on the base of my big toe and I get pain in my left foot that requires an injection once a year. I cannot wear heels so smart flats must do for going out. Old ladies in elastic waisted crimplene trousers and floral blouses make me shudder. I have stopped dying my hair and it is a gorgeous straight white on which I put the blond shampoo and conditioner mentioned here. I have my hair cut by a good stylist. I evidently look much younger than 85 and feel it, despite having chronic CHD and only one kidney. So just dress like you feel comfortable. I love the casual clothes that everyone wears today.

I'm nearly as old as you,*Annie*, and you sound much more stylish than me!
To me, old lady clothes are those I bought 20-30 years ago. All good quality, I still wear them sometimes.
I don't like those shapeless smock shaped dresses and tops. Though even young people seem to wear them now.
My favourite items are my several long skirts, some home made, which hide my old spindleshanks.

I love Hotter shoes, they are so comfy and that matters more now. I still wear jeans and leather jackets. You are as old as you feel. At 67 I don't don't feel or look old. Be happy!

Anniel I love your style.

Good question Lessismore. I choose woven cotton straight leg trousers in denim colours but softer texture. I also like M and S plain cotton joggers are casual and plain although they soon get shabby with washing.

Both can accommodate leggings as undergarments against the cold.

Socks a big problem for wear with swollen ankles.

These tight acrylic tops M and S sell are good as undervests that go under their too-low v-neck tops and jumpers.

I have realised that although I might be a size 10 it is not the same shape as a size 10 in shops. I’m now embracing my inner Judy (Dench) and shopping in Hampstead Bazzar.... I’ve also bought lots from John Lewis Modern Rarity label... comfort and class ?

I’ve just bought a few things from Sahara, everything lovely, but returning a skirt as it’s a very odd shape! Or maybe I’m a very odd shape!

Nothing much else has caught my eye this autumn, need to do some serious browsing.

I think that most of the things we wear will look like old lady clothes to youngsters! It’s the face and body inside the clothes that make it look old! We think old lady clothes are what old ladies wore when we were young. Trendy Youngsters today are wearing things like vampires wife dresses, and 40’s retro, knee length, clumpy shoes, blouses with flouncy ties like mrs thatcher wore. Old lady clothes to kids are jeans, trainers tee shirts etc. It’s all in the eye of the beholder! Ha ha!

According to Alexandra Shulman, the former editor of UK Vogue, this years must have look is Land Girl chic!

Boiler suits and turbans!

Really?

Alexa, the soft denim style trews sound ideal.....where can I find such things please?

To me old lady style was what my grandmothers wore. I have a mix and match style (if it can be called a style). I buy from charity shops and Ebay as well as new clothes. To me old lady shops are Bon Marche, EWM and Damart. I like Fatface in particular but also some White Stuff, although a lot of their shapes don't look right on my shape. Beige and pastel colours, particularly fleeces and anoraks sum up old lady for me as do stewed tea coloured thick tights. I wear Hotter and Clarks shoes as l cannot bear uncomfortable shoes and they do half sizes. There are two styles of Hotter shoes: modern or frumpy. I choose the former.

Old lady looks (in my opinion):

Pop socks
Long talon nails on wrinkled hands
Wearing earrings at the same time as a matching necklace that has coloured ‘jewels’
Crimpelene
A ring on every finger
Kirby grips
Knuckleduster sovereign rings
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