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if you are old and thin...

21 replies

DaisyBD · 07/09/2016 16:34

following on from the old and fat thread... (forgive me if there's been one already, I've had a look and can't find one) -

how the fuck do I dress now that I'm nearly 50? I'm currently a size 8-10 and really quite fit, the fittest I've ever been, through a combination of weight training, swimming, pilates and ashtanga yoga. But I've been fat in the past, so I have quite a bit of saggy skin lying around, and zero tits (scrotal is the word). I'm like an ironing board, no curves.

I love fashion and clothes but am going off fast fashion because of the unsustainability, plus cheap clothes look increasingly shit to me. And on me. In theory I'd like a capsule wardrobe with timeless, quality pieces that will last me forever and which I will add to judiciously and within my own select colour palette. But in practice I wear tons of different things - sometimes jeans, sometimes dresses (of which some are long and lineny which I wear with boho/old hippy accessories and birkies, and some are fitted and tailored). I love sludgy colours, and tweed, and rough wool, and I knit a lot. But I also love bright colours and patterns, checks and florals.

I'm in a right old muddle. I don't have a ton of money to spend but I seem to have loads of clothes already (I counted more than 70 dresses in my wardrobe, of which I probably wear about 10, but I can't bring myself to get rid of them).

Not sure where I'm going with this... just wondered how other oldies like me who are interested in clothes choose what to buy and what to wear.

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Millipedewithherfeetup · 07/09/2016 16:44

Well I'm 52 thin but certainly not old,no real advice on shops for you as not sure who sells old people stuff, ask me in about 30 years when i might be into oldie fashion.

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AgathaF · 07/09/2016 16:48

What about a personal shopper in somewhere big like John Lewis? Should give you some ideas and an unbiaised eye dressing you might throw up some real surprises.

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DaisyBD · 07/09/2016 16:54

can I ask you where you shop, Millipede? I don't feel old but I feel like I look old (I got mistaken for my 35-year-old sister's mother but I also got mistaken for her twin, so who knows?). I don't want to dress like a teenager but I don't feel quite ready for Windsmoor and Country Casuals either.

Personal shopper sounds like a good idea, Agatha. I've got a close friend who is a stylist but she is fuck all help as I think she doesn't want to be critical. She did find my amazing wedding dress though, so she's not all bad Grin

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Pisssssedofff · 07/09/2016 17:23

Honestly I'd go and get your boobs fixed, my mother did at 50 and they have made a massive difference to her confidence

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Millipedewithherfeetup · 07/09/2016 17:24

I shop in most of the high street shops, from zara to new look, i dont dress like a teenager either,

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CeolNaMara · 07/09/2016 19:36

I'm 50 and a 10.

As I've got older I've bought less and less (I've wanted to own less "stuff") but I've tended to spend more on each item. My last few buys have been Vivienne Westwood, Hush, Maje, Joseph and Alexander McQueen. I also like Zara, Mango, Top Shop and Whistles.

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Floisme · 07/09/2016 19:43

I'm 60 now, size 8-10 but getting pretty saggy. The main change is I need good underwear and fabrics with a bit of structure e.g. denim, leather, good quality jersey.

I think I'm going the opposite way from some of you in that I've started buying less quality, not more Smile This is partly because I'm disillusioned with 'buy less, buy better' and I've just been writing about it on another thread. But also my body's changing so I don't see the point of shelling out on things that may not suit me in 5 years. I also like to change my style - I get bored.

I shop all over and I've no loyalty to any store but at the moment most of my buys are judiciously chosen H&M, Uniqlo, TK Maxx, Whistles in the sale and occasionally Boden. I think M&S have raised their game this autumn and I'm cautiously going back to buying bits of vintage again.

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cathyandclare · 07/09/2016 19:49

Also nearly 50 and an 8-10. I wear stuff from Zara, ALL Saints, Vivienne Westwood, Uniqlo knitwear basics, some Topshop, Helmut Lang and a few DVF dresses. I don't buy loads and I wear it for years/decades!

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niminypiminy · 07/09/2016 20:37

If there's one thing that getting older can give you it's confidence to try things and treat fashion as a game, an opportunity for playful creativity, For me the challenges are about the way my body is changing - I have to have elbow length sleeves now, for example, and things like clingy jersey really don't do me any favours any more. At the moment I'm making more clothes than I buy because I quite like very simple shapes (and I'm nowehere near sewing bee standard) but I can splash out on expensive fabric.

Probably I shouldn't be on this thread as - at a size 12 - I'm slightly plump but a very good size for me.

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niminypiminy · 07/09/2016 20:38

Just to add - I'm just embarking on a coat made of double-sided red/pink neoprene. That's the sort of thing I'd never have had the nerve to wear in my younger days.

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grannycake · 07/09/2016 21:07

60 this year and size 8. Saggy upper arms and wrinkly knees otherwise happy with body. I went through a stage of dressing how I thought I should for my age but it just wasn't me. I now buy what I love and don't think about age at all. Some cheap stuff from h&m, some more expensive from sales or t k max

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Sadik · 07/09/2016 21:27

I'm 47, thin, no boobs (I laugh in the face of the MN bra fitting threads Grin ) and pretty fit. I'm also short, though - a smidge over 5' 1" - which maybe makes a difference.

Like Niminy I think I find what to wear easier than I used to when younger - maybe because I'm more confident, but I think mainly because I've come to realise that mainstream highstreet fashion just isn't aimed at the economy sized, and basically given up on regular shops.

I buy online almost entirely, a lot from ebay (I find their 'if you looked at X you might like Y' recommendations useful), and sometimes just random searching with a look in mind.

A difference as I've got older is that I've also realised that actually it makes sense to spend money on things I'll wear everyday, rather than 'good' clothes that will sit in the cupboard. (I'm self employed in horticulture so don't need 'office' type clothes.) So I'll happily spend £20 on a good well cut t-shirt that will make a pair of combats or skinny jeans look just that bit nicer.

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Floisme · 08/09/2016 07:50

While I'm here, please may I have a rant about linen, as I haven't had one for a while. Why, why, why does everyone think this is a suitable fabric 'at my age'? Especially trousers, I mean just why? I am quite wrinkly and saggy enough, thank you. I don't need my clothes to accentuate it.

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CeolNaMara · 08/09/2016 08:53

Same reason as everyone thinks clothes should be "square" Floisme (I'm referring to the shape, not hip-ness). Square shaped clothes (often made of linen)...

They work for very few in my opinion, and body shape is the factor (as always) not age.

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juneau · 08/09/2016 08:56

Since when was 47, nearly 50 and 50 old FFS? That's middle-aged!

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cathyandclare · 08/09/2016 09:09

Well I don't feel old OR thin but I fitted very neatly into the OP description. I don't know whether to be chuffed to be considered thin or insulted to be old Grin

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Mittensonastring · 08/09/2016 09:10

I go to a little independent underwear shop for my bras and buy really decent ones. So many people of all ages wear underwear that does nothing for them.

My current favourite item is a cord skirt that has a frayed bottom and diamanté buttons on the back pocket. Sounds awful , cost £££ and is beautifully cut and just above the knee. It's a neural stone colour, team it with a khaki t.shirt.

When young I wore a lot of black, I rarely wear it now. I'm not suggesting see a colour consultant but look at colours near your face. That makes a huge difference.

You have seventy dresses! How big is your wardrobe.

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DaisyBD · 08/09/2016 09:53

well I was using old as a descriptor mainly so the thread matched the old and fat one. I don't feel old old, but older than, say, my sisters (one of whom is pg, which does make me feel old - it's 20 years since I last had a baby). Old as opposed to young.

Your neoprene coat sounds fab, niminy, I do love neoprene. (I don't count 12 as slightly plump anyway, it's not even a little bit overweight.)

I love vivienne westwood too, recently went to her store off regents street but none of her stuff really fits me properly - I'm not curvy enough. I love how it looks on Helena Bonham Carter, for example - I do like her slightly insane style.

Agree that linen is actually pretty awful stuff, and I'm trying to resist the art teacher/gudrun sjogren/lagenlook style. However I was recently in denmark and there were some pretty awesomely dressed old women around - admittedly some linen and layering but amazing hand knit sweaters and interesting shapes, plus gorgeous colours. Not boring at all.

Mitten I've been wearing a lot of black but I'm coming to the conclusion that it only works if you have at least one thing that you could consider a statement piece with it - amazing shoes or belt or necklace. I think I need to move away from so much black and grey. It feels too safe.

You have seventy dresses! How big is your wardrobe.

Grin I did have three massive double wardrobes but following some building work I'll barely have one. Everything is on a huge rail in the spare room at the moment so I need to edit!

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cathyandclare · 08/09/2016 13:32

A few years ago, when I felt I'd lost my style, I made myself wear something different every day for fifty days. I looked at blogs/ magazines and Pinterest for inspiration I did buy some new clothes but in general I dragged stuff out of my wardrobe.
I took pictures and at the end tried to see what worked and chucked the rest!
It worked well, I should probably do it again.
Is that worth a try? Actually, with 70 dresses you could make it longer!!!!
< warning, I do look a complete fright in some of the pictures>

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NewNameNows · 08/09/2016 13:49

Im over 50 and not old yet. Still feel and look as young as I did years ago. I think we are all different and age differently though. Sounds like you need one of these personal stylists to come to your home and go through your wardrobe with you. Then decide upon your style, hair etc and take you out shopping and to the hairdressers and beauty shop etc. They are worth their weight in gold if you can find one you love and click with so Im told. Friends have used them.

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Floisme · 08/09/2016 20:21

Please let's not get sidetracked into one of those threads where everyone insists they can't be old or middle aged because they've just got back from T in the Park. It was fairly obvious the op was referring to the other thread and besides it's not a personal failing - it's just your age!

Getting back to the thread - I will concede that linen can look good but I think it's a high maintenance look and needs really good, heavy duty linen that hangs well.

I'm another one who's given up on black. I used to wear it a lot but now it just drains me. In fact the only so-called neutral that really works for me is dark grey.

'niminy' please post a pic when you've finished your coat, I love the sound of it!

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