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Do you dress like your mum did at your age?

(143 Posts)
Yammy Wed 26-Jan-22 10:47:15

Yesterday's discussion about the colour purple set me thinking.
I compared myself to the way my mother dressed at my age.
Mum never owned a pair of Denims, never wore trousers until in a care home. Elasticated waist skirts which I probably would find more comfortable.
Minimum makeup lipstick and powder and Nivea cream. Sunday best clothes and wouldn't have entertained a pair of trainers or a fleece. Shoes always had a strap over them.
A visit to the hairdressers every Friday morning for a shampoo and set. No trends in specs and teeth had often completely gone in their 50's. Handbags were just that no shoulder bags.
I think I might have slipped into the comfort zone in the last two years but that includes denims and cords, tunics and trainers.
I watch fashion and makeup trends and with DD's aid try to move with the times. Chubby sticks for eyes and lips have appeared along with an eyebrow enhancer and a subtle blusher, not good old Max factor cream puff.
How about you?

BlueSapphire Thu 27-Jan-22 21:57:54

Would really like to post pictures of me and my DM at a similar age to show how different we dress.

DM dressed like an old lady at 50, whereas at 76 I live in skinny jeans, jumpers and t shirts, knee length boots, and a denim jacket, like my daughter who is 39. I still colour my hair, buy high-end make-up and perfume. Mother had a dab of Creme Puff powder and pink lipstick, no other make-up. I have an array of eye shadows etc and love the whole make-up ritual.

She was always very critical - don't know what she's think of me now!

MissAdventure Thu 27-Jan-22 22:01:59

My mum often asked "Having a mid life crisis, are you, love?" when I wore something a bit different. smile

Mummer Thu 27-Jan-22 22:56:55

Absolutely not! My mum used to ask me when I wore leggings in my early 30s " don't wear them gain , your dad thinks you've forgotten to put your skirt on!" Yawn!..... I always was a really quirky dresser and ma made my clothes in teens in 70s as a result I was always a one off!! She was in twin set and pearls when I was at kindergarten! She was from Hawick and a super bonus was that I was brought up wearing pure cashmere as vests as a little girl, get me! I still wear leggings/jeggings /denim/ coated jeans(pleather) and always get compliments I also maintain my "Auburn" crowning glory, when I think about my grannies at my age? Looks about 100! In fact ladies of 100 nowadays usually look just FAB!!

Musicgirl Thu 27-Jan-22 23:17:05

My mother has always liked to look smart but it has always been in a classic, timeless, inoffensive way. It is only in recent years that she has taken to wearing trousers. She is nearly eighty. Her hair is still mostly its original colour, as is mine, I am happy to say. My grandparents, born in 1905, 1909 (Dad’s parents) and 1912 and 1916 (Mum’s parents), all seemed to be elderly at fifty and old by sixty. I have a lovely photo of my parents’ wedding in 1963 which has my grandparents on it as well. At 57, l am now older than three of them were at that time. They are all dressed very smartly - the two ladies in the style of the Queen Mother - but they all look a good twenty years older than l do. I like clothes and looking the best I can. I wear a lot of smart trousers and nice tops or dresses (usually in the summer for those). I like Joe Browns and Seasalt in particular and colourful tights/leggings. I probably dress stereotypically in the style of the music teacher l am - not quite as flamboyantly as an art teacher but certainly nowhere near as conservatively as my mother.

Harmonypuss Thu 27-Jan-22 23:40:14

OMG NO, NEVER !

JaneJudge Fri 28-Jan-22 08:13:59

MissAdventure

My mum often asked "Having a mid life crisis, are you, love?" when I wore something a bit different. smile

This is my Mum
She once stayed with us and I got dressed in some leopard print leggings and a sweater. She kept looking at me funny and then she said 'Are you going to get dressed any time today Jane?' hmm

M0nica Fri 28-Jan-22 09:11:34

My mother would sometimes look at items of clothing I bought and say 'Of course, you always did like the extremities of fashion'

What it meant was that I was wearing something she didn't like, but she would never say so directly

Cabbie21 Fri 28-Jan-22 09:16:07

I thought we were very different but reading this thread makes me realise that I am more like my mother than I thought. She never wore trousers, always a blouse and skirt with a cardigan, or a dress for best. Full pinny in the morning, changing into a half one in the afternoon. Flat comfy shoes all her life. Never wore make up. Was very old fashioned all her life, but then she had no money.
I live in trousers, though not jeans. I rarely wear blouses now, though I used to with a smart jacket for work. Tops are easier, and don't need ironing and I like cardigans as an extra layer, easy to take on and off. Nowadays I wear flat comfy shoes. Since lockdown I haven’t worn make up.
When I wear blue or navy I look in the mirror and I see my mum, as latterly she always wore blue. Today I am wearing purple.

BlueBelle Fri 28-Jan-22 09:29:04

My mum was very smart, casual but smart, smarter than me she was pretty up to date, did lots of charity shop shopping and car boots, loved a bargain Was in small high heels well into her 80 s I ve been out of heels for years She wore slacks white or light coloured in the summer and skirts ( I haven’t had a skirt since I was 40 ) dresses …she was petit unlike me She always wore some makeup, earrings, jewellery ( costume) and had her hair nice She was a very up to date pretty lady she had size 3 feet ( I m 6.5 or 7 ) she had lovely manicured hands and always painted her nails I m like Dad I bite mine oh dear doesn’t sound good

BlueBelle Fri 28-Jan-22 09:30:45

I should add over the years my mums hair had been all colours Mind is still it’s original ??

kimimiles Fri 28-Jan-22 13:27:40

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BrandyGran Fri 28-Jan-22 14:29:37

My mammy was born in 1917. I remember her waiting for me at the school gate. I was so proud of her. She wore a black and white patterned summer dress which she had made her self and white leather sandals a bit like Moses sandals with her toe nails painted bright red to match her fingernails and lipstick . All the other mothers were wearing those wraparound apron type things. She never wore trousers. I like to dress well but mostly in trousers. I own 2 dresses and 2 skirts and feel feminine when I wear them. Mammy didn't like my fringe and would question why I wore my hair like that! People didn't get their hair layered in those days wearing it all one length in various styles.

wetflannel Fri 28-Jan-22 15:38:51

So nice reading all the posts, brings back happy memories. Sadly I have not an iota of my late Mamma's good taste or sense of style. I remember as as child being mesmerised watching her glam up for an evening out with my Father. She always looked immaculate even at home. She did wear an apron and turban while doing housework but would never dream of leaving the house unless smartly attired, make up perfect and hair coiuffered within an inch or it's life. I'm definitely not in her class, but can scrub up well for a special occasion. Jeans, jumpers, leggings in fact anything comfortable. My hair is longish but usually piled on top of my head. I do confess to wearing an apron when cooking or else I end up with the menu on my clothes. ?

Susie42 Sat 29-Jan-22 11:32:50

I certainly don't dress like my mother as she only ever wore dresses never separates or trousers. I wear jeans most of the time but I do possess the "posh" frock which has been worn for five weddings, various wedding anniversary parties plus anything else where jeans are not appropriate.

marymary62 Sat 29-Jan-22 17:21:03

It’s lovely hearing about all these mothers and grandmothers ! Mum was a 1920 baby so very similar in age to many - she lived to 94 . At her funeral my niece described her nana’s ‘pretty ways ‘ and how she always dressed to make the best of herself. Hair long or tied up in a French plait or.‘Victory roll’ later a smart short white crop. Alway stud earrings , a little lipstick. Figure conscious - stayed a curvy size 12 all her life . She bemoaned the fact that it was no longer ok to wear a hat and a smart fitted tweed suit just to go shopping .... she loved bikinis on holiday , pretty summer dresses ‘slacks’, formal dresses, trouser suits and accessories to match - she made a lot of her own as a trained seamstress and teacher .
BUT she was also a keen gardener of 2 acres and helped on our family farm . She was an avid walker and in her day a mountain climber complete with ice axe- she toured the Himalaya with my dad when she was 60. So she was as tough as old boots underneath the pretty exterior and could stack a whole field of hay ! She didn’t like ‘scruffy jeans ‘ at all and took a dim view of people who did not bother to dress for the occasion whatever that might be - the right clothes for the right activity whether it was her glamorous evening dress or her gardening trousers ! I wish I were more like her and could just adapt to every occasion but it takes such effort ! So I live in those awful ‘scruffy’ jeans and am definitely a child of the hippy 60’s . Neither of us would ever wear stilettos though and I do look in envy at Helen Mirrens style !

Margiknot Sat 29-Jan-22 17:41:09

Yes and no! The yes in that both my late Mum and I wore similar colours and preferred timeless ( with a nod to the time) rather than high fashion styles. But our styles were different, and affected by the different times, styles and fabrics available as we grew up, and our different body shapes and life styles.

Keffie12 Mon 07-Feb-22 00:54:21

I love my late mom dearly but omg no I do not dress like her. I am Boho, quirky dresser in my style.

I spend money on my skin, makeup and my hair. Being a leo my hair is my pride and joy. I colour my hair (well my hairdresser does) Atm I am ombre with copper and deep red.

My hair is long. My mom's was short, coloured a copper brown and a better style in later years than the curlers look

I don't look my age which is a mix of a good self-care routine on my skin, facial yoga and genetics as my parents never looked there age. My outlook on life helps too.

My mom was stylish for her age though that was because I helped mom with her style that worked for her.

I wouldn’t be seen dead in my late mom favourite shops. They were London. Edinburgh wool shop, M& S clothing and Bon Marche

I'm very much a Joe Browns shopper with a few designer names thrown in.

Nope nothing like my mom in that sense