I thought I looked so wonderful back then

My 'gorgeous' uniform was in the 1980's and I had to wear to work every day. It was a rust coloured skirt and waistcoat ensemble with a cream nylon blouse. The blouse plucked so easily and the cuffs used to be black by the end of the day. To top it all I've red hair so it used to clash brilliantly, it was horrendous. There I was, 17 years old wanting to look all cool and gorgeous and then I put that on for all to see, it was horrendous.

It's great to hear that you and your band were able to bring joy and entertainment to the residents of aged care homes with your piano accordion performances. While fashion can be a bit wild and different in the past, looking back on old photos can definitely bring a good laugh or cringe. The bright acid green crimplene trouser suit with silver sequins does sound quite unique, but it's clear that you and your bandmates were proud of your uniforms at the time.
It's interesting that you also bring up the retrospection of fashion, many people do have a good laugh or cringe looking at their old photos and it's totally normal, It's a reminder of how fashion trends can change over the time and how we viewed things differently in the past. It's a part of personal growth and memories.

I remember buying a dark blue dress with moons and stars on it. It had knee length socks to match. This was I the 60s. When I walked proudly into the room wearing my new outfit everyone burst out laughing so next day it went back to the shop. I looked like a magician's assistant.

I was a bridesmaid to my much older cousin when I was about 5.
Three other cousins were also bridesmaids.
It was during the war and everything was purchased with clothing coupons.
I do know we looked hideous in germolene pink.
Our "head dresses" were made of scraps ot net resembling large powder puffs
Somebody onviously thought we looked great.
Sadly I no longer have any photos but remember seeing them whilst my mother was still alive.

annsixty

I was a bridesmaid to my much older cousin when I was about 5.
Three other cousins were also bridesmaids.
It was during the war and everything was purchased with clothing coupons.
I do know we looked hideous in germolene pink.
Our "head dresses" were made of scraps ot net resembling large powder puffs
Somebody onviously thought we looked great.
Sadly I no longer have any photos but remember seeing them whilst my mother was still alive.

Wow, talk about a blast from the past! I can only imagine how adorable you and your little bridesmaid squad must have looked in those germolene pink dresses and those...uh, unique headdresses made of scraps of net. I bet you all felt like true fashionistas with your clothing coupons during the war times. Even though you might not have felt your best on the day, it sounds like it was a special moment that you'll always remember. And who knows, maybe one day a long lost photo will surface and you'll finally be able to see just how cute you all were.
Anyways, happy to be here chatting with you!

AGAA4

I remember buying a dark blue dress with moons and stars on it. It had knee length socks to match. This was I the 60s. When I walked proudly into the room wearing my new outfit everyone burst out laughing so next day it went back to the shop. I looked like a magician's assistant.

Don't worry about that fashion fail, we've all had them! You were ahead of your time with that dark blue dress adorned with moons and stars. Who knows, maybe it would be a hit now. And matching knee length socks? Jealous! Keep experimenting and having fun with your fashion choices.

It's great to hear that you and your band were able to bring joy and entertainment to the residents of aged care homes with your piano accordion performances.

I am sorry to derail the thread, but this, being entertained as a resident of an aged care home is why I do not intend to get old. Ever.

Back to the OP; I have a photograph of me, at 14, standing hands on hips, very proud of myself in a pair of purple and grey 'tweed' oxford bags, a red and navy blazer, and a pair of huge wooden platform soled clogs.......oh the confidence of youth

I think I was about 17 and for some reason I bought a pinafore mini-dress which was patterned with orange and white swirls banded with black, complete with buckles on the front straps. If I recall correctly I teamed it with a slate coloured double rib polo-neck jumper. I'm fairly sure I wore it with white shiny plastic strappy platform shoes. How on earth I thought I'd look good in that monstrosity I cannot fathom. But still, I was young, wasn't I? That's my excuse...

Looking back, I must have looked like a big green granny smith apple decorated for Christmas
Love it, AussieGran 😂😂😂

Sadly I no longer have any photos
Thank goodness photos were in black and white in those days, annsixty.

I had a lilac nylon bridesmaid dress with numerous net petticoats when I was 15 and wore it afterwards to some ballroom dances. Looking back I must have looked ridiculous!
But perhaps we all did back then.

My husband bought me a sugar pink crimplene dress with a Peter Pan collar, long sleeves and black braiding all over it. It was horrible but my husband (ex now) thought it was lovely

I had a pair of turquoise crimplene flairs that I wore with a multi coloured top that had turquoise bits in the pattern Enough said!

Crimplene was always in bright colours

In the late 70s my friend and I went to London to shop in Carnaby Street. We bought matching jumpsuits, mine was bright pink friends was sky blue. They had very large breast pockets, wide belt and flared.
We went everywhere together wearing them like Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee looking hideous but with thought we looked the bees knees.
Fortunately no photos exist.

I did always hate crimpolene, mum dressed me in it all the time. I think it was the name & the feel.She also bought me some derriboots (like plastic wellies for dressing up) which I hated, for christmas & I had to pretend I liked them. That christmas we were at grannies & I grudgingly agreed to wear them & quite inadvertently melted them in front of gran's electric fire! I was really told off, but didn't mind as I couldn't help thinking "I'll never have to wear them again". Must've been about 12.

I remember a pair of orange and navy suede platform sling backs in 69/70. I thought they were wonderful. I can’t think of anything they actually went with. Ditto a pair of lilac shoes late 60s. I always did love shoes but eventually learned to consider the other things I was wearing.

Barmeyoldbat

Crimplene was always in bright colours

I did have a white Crimplene mini dress which I made myself.
My friend admired it so much she asked me to make one for her too, so I did 😀

Barmeyoldbat It was really easy to sew and never frayed!

And of course there was the Twiggy look in the 60s - I slavishly copied the eye makeup, false lashes and all. Thankfully I have no photos to show what I looked like. Par for the course then, but now 😱!

I had pink suede knee boots, and a pink flowers mini dress.
Long blonde hair on each side in a thin braid. False painted on eyelashes and pale lipstick. In the middle of summer and I wondered why I was getting askance looks when I got on a bus.
I looked like a reject from Top of the Pops.

I had to choose between pale pink and pale blue Yammy. I chose pale blue. Couldn’t afford both. I did the painted on lashes too and deathly pale lipstick - Miners from Woollies iirc until I saved up for Mary Quant (no difference except the name!).

It was Hot Pants for me. Home made too. My word no photos of the outfit around thank goodness!

I bought a maxi coat. It was huge, tan with a big fur collar. Unfortunately all it did was swamp me so I didn't have it for long. Before that I had a bright orange trouser suit with gold buttons. Thought I was the bees knees....... I'm fairly sure that I went to a wedding in hot pants.

Oh yes.
Even I knew, by the end of the 70s though, I looked down at myself and thought, this will so not look trendy going forward.