Your worst fashion faux pas when young

GagaJo's spaghetti strap top reminds me of the time OH and I booked a very last-minute holiday. It must have been near the end of summer as I rushed round grabbing various bits and pieces off the sale rails - one of which was a blue sundress with spaghetti straps. It was only while on holiday that I realised I couldn't wear a bra with it - and I'm a big girl in that department, but hey ho, I was on holiday! We had been out for a meal and were walking back to our hotel when we saw a group of men playing petanque, so stopped to watch. Several minutes later, I noticed one of the younger ones kept staring at me - yes, you've guessed it, I'd 'popped out' of the sundress! I was mortified - that'll teach me to buy things without trying them on first.

I was about 17 I think.

I bought a far to tight dress that flared at knees with netty stuff underneath. I know why- because I loved the colour, but it made me look like a loose woman?. I have a photo - soooo embarrassing.

When I was 14 I yearned for a baker boy cap à la Beatles. My best friend Mo's was a lovely red Royal Stewart tartan and I was very keen to get one myself.

We set off for C & A in Liverpool. Unfortunately, the whole of the North West had got there before me and all that was left was a sad little number in navy blue pvc, completely the wrong shape - a saucepan upside down and more Charles de Gaulle than John Lennon - but it was a cap with a brim and I was desperate.

Fast forward to Sunday and stepping out proudly on my way to church I passed a couple coming the other way. They took one look at me, burst out laughing and started singing "Where did you get that hat, where did you get that hat"

Mortified!! Needless to say it went straight into the bin.

I've just remembered going to a party with my then boyfriend (now DH) in the 70s wearing a nightie. I had wanted a new dress to wear but was absolutely brassic, then I spotted the nightie in M&S. It was very pretty and perfect for a hot summer evening. All was well until someone switched on the UV lighting - voila, totally transparent! DH was a bit flustered and asked if I wanted to go home. I didn't, I was wearing underwear so what the hell! The next time we went to a party he asked me what I was going to wear

Hot Pants! Remember them? I was 16/17 and a cashier in a very proper City bank. I was the first girl to wear hot pants (black leather) to work. I was very trim then and had good legs and wasn't afraid to show them off in 12 inch mini skirts, so why not hot pants! Male customers and couriers leaned over the counter to get a better look when I 'cheekily' bent down to reach a low drawer. I wasn't embarrassed but our Chief Cashier was. He told me to tie a cardigan round my waist for modesty's sake. I told him he was an old fuddy duddy. Did I wear them to work again? Yes I did, and so did other girls then. Oddly enough it was also the fashion to wear ankle length maxi coats over mini skirts and hot pants, an odd combination really. Oh to be that slim again......

In the early 80's I had a very cute cream corduroy dress, cut like a pair of dungarees, with the bib and straps. The problem was discovered when I had to walk from bus stop to the office. Because the dress had two slits up the sides, it rode up with every step, and stayed up!

Take 3 steps, adjust, another 3 steps, adjust... I believe I only wore it a few times. You couldn't wear a slip with it because of the two slits, and I didn't think, or have the skills, to sew them up.

It wasn't a faux pas as far as I was concerned, but I had only been going out with DH for a few weeks when he asked me to go to a car club dance with him. I got myself ready in a stunning silver lace dress from Biba. A long dress, low cut, with flowing medieval sleeves (today it would be about a size 6) I was greeted with a stunned silence, but at least he didn't dare to ask me to change. A quick glance round the dance floor - all jeans and jumpers - told me these weren't like;y to be my people, but it did make him realise what sort of clothes I was likely to turn up in.

More of a faux pas was a long walk across the Yorkshire moors in a thunderstorm. I was wearing a navy blue suit with a frilly white blouse. I knew I wouldn't get wet because I had my trendy floral PVC mac (Cut out and ready to sew from Woman's Mirror) Unfortunately when I got home and took off the mac and my jacket I found that the rain had soaked through the stitch holes in the mac and navy dye from the jacket had traced all the seam lines over my white blouse!

I always loved shoes and back in the 60s had a lime green pair, a lilac pair, a yellow pair and a red pair, all courtesy of Dolcis. But I can’t remember what I wore with them. I didn’t have that many outfits so imagine there must have been some terrible clashes.?

A friend and I went to a bad taste party dressed in bad taste, purple miniskirt, very high heals, tartan waistcoat, green dangly earrings and lots of eye makeup. My friend had tampons for earrings. Only it wasn’t a bad taste party when we got there, they had changed it and we hadn’t realised it.

Not a fashion disaster but embarrassing too.
My boyfriend and I had gone swimming. I had just used henna to colour my hair.
As we stopped for a breather at the side of the pool he told me I had orange stuff running down my face and back. I exited the pool very quickly.

First school disco aged 14. I wore what I thought was a lovely floral. dress. I was allowed my first pair of high heels. They were tiny heels really but I thought I was the cat's whiskers.
I approached the school hall, opened the doors. The boys were all lined up on one side, the girls on the other.
I swanned in, skidded in my new heels from one side of the shiny floor to the other to sniggers and giggles from everyone there. I sat in the corner for the rest of the evening

A long time ago ( back in the 70s). I bought some white trousers from a market stall to wear to a party. They were very wide below the knee but skin tight above. To avoid the dreaded VPL I didn't wear any knickers. During the walk from the underground station to the party venue it poured with rain, and of course I wasn't wearing a coat (well you just didn't). It wasn't until we got there and in the light that it became obvious that my white trousers were now completely transparent?! My gallant companion stripped off his shirt and I tied it around my waist but it was not my best look or my finest hour ?. My companion's buff torso was much admired however ?.

A long time ago -about 40 plus if I recollect correctly.
I thought that it would be okay to go to a supper party in a kimono .
This was long before they were fashionable and casually worn with jeans or dresses .

When I entered the room - there was a lull in the conversation .
I suddenly felt really
uncomfortable .
No one said anything .
Then ,I distinctly heard someone say ,why on earth has Esmay come in her dressing gown ? !
I had another glass of wine and brazened out the rest of the evening making polite conversation pretending not to have heard .

These days , I'd happily wear a shorter kimono with trousers , jeans or leggings when slimmer than I am at the moment .

At my own wedding actually. Why did I choose a navy blue suit? It was an extremely small wedding, just 5 of us. But I could have chosen something prettier and I can't remember why I didn't.

A maxi coat with a big fur collar, complete with brown knee boots. I'm not exactly tall and it completely swamped me!

I wore a circular green felt skirt to a dance. Under neath a petticoat with two hoops to give it shape. The hoops were removable, for washing, made of white plastic and threaded into the petticoat. As I danced one came loose and threaded itself around my ankles. DH had a good laugh. Though he wasn’t DH then

I bought a dress, full length, a lovely cinnamon colour with lots of purple embroidery, the top was strapless, and held up by a quite snug smocked top.
I’m sure you know where I’m going with this, but anyway, I came out of a club, stood on my dress, which promptly slid down to my waist!
Mildly embarrassing to say the least.

Bell bottoms. I was round and small in stature. I looked square

As a 16year old I bought a pale pink swimming costume . Nothing more except to say that my friends had to walk me back to the changing rooms one in front and one behind me!

I have a couple.

One was a gorgeous teal, fitted, spaghetti strap top. I loved it. So did all the blokes I encountered, who approved of the demonstation of my well-endowed chest. In the 80's men had no limits on their cat calling or suggestive comments. A shame, because I loved that top.

The second was a skirt I made for myself from a sheet. A full but shortish skirt. Very pretty when freshly ironed. I hadn't taken into account that as it was 100% cotton that it would crease worse than linen. Ruined my night, knowing I looked scruffy.

Winkle pickers. My dad warned me they would ruin my feet and now, 60 years later, I have discovered he was right.

I must admit it never occurred to me that it would be melted off me ? I still have a photo somewhere, Probably best left wherever it is ?

What possessed us? It should have been obvious that bin liners wouldn't make comfortable party dresses

It was a relief when the New Romantics came in with their cotton blouses, wasn't it?

Doodledog I did the same thing!! Had no fishnets, had to make my own ladders ? Wore safety pins dangling from my ears and black lightening streaks up my cheek. Half the way through the fancy dress party I had to change as my 'dress' was being melted by cigarettes. I was home from London to a small welsh village. I don't think punks had been heard of there and I was the talk of the village for weeks after.