Page 3 | Can you dress too young for your age?

Elliebobhobnob · 2024-11-01T18:38:47+00:00

Can you dress too young for your age, and if so how would you define dressing too young? It could be a man or woman. I'm interested to know how someone would describe a person dressing too young.

Onlythistime · 03/11/2024 18:01

AncientBallerina · 02/11/2024 11:21

I think you actually end up looking older when you ‘dress young’ So you know puffy things, flowery dresses, oversized sweatshirts look cute and adorable on teens /20s. Older women look a lot better when they stick to tailored items - shirts not puffy blouses. Plain fabrics or stripes not flowery. Smart jackets /coats not anoraks. I’ve realized this about myself. Doesn’t mean I always follow it though.
If you’ee older but super slim and toned you (ie no matronly bosom🙄) you can probably get away with a younger look. Oh yeah a proper bra is very important as you get older.

Tailored, smart, jacket and shirt are words that make me run for the hills. Do you realize how boring, safe, conservative and dull those descriptors sound? As someone said up thread it sounds like dressing for an office interview - no thanks!!

Weirdatwork · 03/11/2024 18:01

PinkArt · 03/11/2024 13:03

I insisted she wore something different before we left the house
If a man posted this about his wife he'd rightly be called abusive.

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Quite. Don't like Disney so wouldn't. But if my son tried to tell me how to dress he'd soon remember whose body and whose clothes it was.

Weirdatwork · 03/11/2024 17:56

winterdarkness · 03/11/2024 07:55

Yes you can. A grown up woman dressed as a little girl, I would consider "too young for her age"

I and my tartan dungarees would consider your opinion a load of tosh.

downwindofyou · 03/11/2024 15:35

I love Joanne. She's 90. She can wear what the fuck she wants I say

www.instagram.com/pattipao1?igsh=NWk0MzljOHE1cXZt

screamtoabloodysigh · 03/11/2024 15:06

I think I lost my way a bit in my 30s, which coincided with becoming a mother. I kind of felt I should be dressing a certain way out of work- which translated into safe and dull. Then I woke up and thought:"fuck it, you never used to follow the crowd, why start now?" And got my style back. I've always found it easier not being completely in fashion, because fashionable doesn't always suit me. I prefer timeless.

Disturbia81 · 03/11/2024 15:02

ChicRaven · 03/11/2024 13:25

I'm another one who's nearly 40 and worried I dress too young.
I've given away a lot of my slogan tees but am not ready to dress like an older woman. It's a tricky age to dress I think.

Stop giving a shit, you'll be happier

ChicRaven · 03/11/2024 13:25

I'm another one who's nearly 40 and worried I dress too young.
I've given away a lot of my slogan tees but am not ready to dress like an older woman. It's a tricky age to dress I think.

PurpleRobe · 03/11/2024 13:19

I know a 70 year old lady who wears skin tight (spme times faux leather) jeans, oversized jumpers, push up bras. Heals. Loads of eye make up and bronzer.

It suits her and she does always look good.

She always over dresses though. Eg we'll go to the local pub for Sunday dinner and she'll wear a little black dress with heals.

She doesn't see herself as "old" she always refer to other people her age (or younger) as "older people" ha

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 03/11/2024 13:12

This reply has been withdrawn

Post withdrawn at author's request

PinkArt · 03/11/2024 13:03

winterdarkness · 03/11/2024 07:58

Recently, I saw my mother who is 81 wearing a mini mouse pink T-Shirt that she had inherited from my 13 year old niece. Yes, it was the right size but it looked ridiculous. I insisted she wore something different before we left the house

I insisted she wore something different before we left the house
If a man posted this about his wife he'd rightly be called abusive.

LuckySantangelo35 · 03/11/2024 10:47

Anothernamechane · 03/11/2024 10:23

That's such a shame. Your mum is 81, she's earned the right to wear whatever she likes.

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Yasssssss! Here, here! 👏👏👏

Anothernamechane · 03/11/2024 10:23

winterdarkness · 03/11/2024 07:58

Recently, I saw my mother who is 81 wearing a mini mouse pink T-Shirt that she had inherited from my 13 year old niece. Yes, it was the right size but it looked ridiculous. I insisted she wore something different before we left the house

That's such a shame. Your mum is 81, she's earned the right to wear whatever she likes.

Anothernamechane · 03/11/2024 10:19

DrizzleMySwizzle · 01/11/2024 19:30

Wear whatever you want, whatever sparks joy etc. etc.

But yes, I do think you can dress too young. I saw a woman of about 70 wearing a pink velour Juicy Couture tracksuit the other day (the type Paris Hilton et al wore in 2002) and it looked...incongruous.

Theresa May loved (may still love) a strapless dress but I don't think they did her any favours.

I know a 70 year old man who wears skinny jeans and hoodies. Looks comedic.

See I'd have thought she was a legend. As much as I wouldn't wear a juicy couture tracksuit myself, there's something great about an older woman being so comfortable with who she is and not giving a fuck about norms

AndThereSheGoes · 03/11/2024 09:38

So "wear what you want" but I'll only compliment those that stand out? As in your clothes do matter then?

Mutton dressed as lamb works for both sexes. It's just men don't have the same repertoire of clothing options. My DH (64) found his denim jacket the other day. DH dresses very well and has a style but now being bald, the jacket didn't "say" what it used to. DD snaffled it.

To me being an older women means wearing what you want. I'm not sure the youth really do embrace that. Young fashion tends to be more prescriptive even if the current trend is all Vinted stuff.

friendconcern · 03/11/2024 09:27

Westfacing · 03/11/2024 07:06

Older women look a lot better when they stick to tailored items - shirts not puffy blouses. Plain fabrics or stripes not flowery. Smart jackets /coats not anoraks

I have to disagree with this. I'm 70 and tailored clothing, shirts and plain fabrics are a thing of the past for me - who wants to dress as though for a day at the office.

I don't dress like my granddaughter but perish the thought that I ever succumb to tailored trews and a sensible blazer!

I totally agree, it will be a cold day in hell before I wear anything like that outside of a job interview

friendconcern · 03/11/2024 09:25

winterdarkness · 03/11/2024 07:58

Recently, I saw my mother who is 81 wearing a mini mouse pink T-Shirt that she had inherited from my 13 year old niece. Yes, it was the right size but it looked ridiculous. I insisted she wore something different before we left the house

If I was your mum I’d have told you to fuck off. Who are you to ‘insist’ that a grown woman wear something different?

Unless this is a joke and I’ve misread the tone.

Tomatina · 03/11/2024 08:39

5128gap · 02/11/2024 10:37

There is a huge variation in what 'older bodies' look like and equally in what 'younger bodies' look like. Yet there seems to be a narrative that every older woman has a body that is unpleasant and needs to be concealed, while every young woman is a beautiful waif who's body may be displayed for viewing pleasure. Because 'age appropriate' is almost always shorthand for covers your fat, your skin and your shape, because by default it will be nasty to look at compared with a young womans. There is so much there that is wrong and flawed. The negative generalisations about older bodies, the youth fetishism, the idea that our clothing choices should be based around how much of our bodies people may find attractive, just for starters.

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Just quoting this because it says it all. Great post!

SoporificLettuce · 03/11/2024 08:30

downwindofyou · 03/11/2024 08:21

Yes we've all heard it and most of us have moved forward and see it as misogynistic and frankly ageist and rude.

I'm more concerned about people using dated insults than those wearing their choice of clothing

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We obviously haven’t all heard it, or at least we haven’t all understood what it means. I’ve seen a request for an explanation on here. I think it was from the OP, but can’t be bothered scrolling back to look.

Interesting that just mentioning the fact that such a saying exists is enough to get insults thrown at you on this thread- I’ve been called a dinosaur 🦕 by one self-righteous poster 🤣🤣

of course the idea of insulting a woman by saying such a thing to her is appalling 🙄

downwindofyou · 03/11/2024 08:21

SoporificLettuce · 01/11/2024 19:26

Have you never heard the saying
“mutton dressed as lamb” ?

yes, yes you can dress too young!

Yes we've all heard it and most of us have moved forward and see it as misogynistic and frankly ageist and rude.

I'm more concerned about people using dated insults than those wearing their choice of clothing

downwindofyou · 03/11/2024 08:19

Elliebobhobnob · 01/11/2024 19:25

I don't personally believe in dressing too young.

But I'm 40 and it is something I worry about. I wear all sorts of clothes, dresses, jeans, joggers, boots, trainers, converse, knitwear, hoodies. I tend to avoid big logos or anything that's both short and tight. I'm definitely a casual dresser but do wear floaty skirts and dresses in Summer.

My teenage son told me I dress young for my age and he told dh that a pack of t-shirts was 'too young for him and that he should remember he's 40.

Everything you have listed are just generic clothing. Not age related. T-shirts ffs.

downwindofyou · 03/11/2024 08:17

Positivenancy · 01/11/2024 18:41

sometimes I feel like I do…I’m nearly 40 and I wear jeans, hoodies, jumpers and converse daily!! Even at work, I’m always told I look like I’m in my 20’s 😅😂😂

None of the things you wear have an age boundary. They are all very generic. It's like saying you wear socks.

SoporificLettuce · 03/11/2024 08:13

ForGreyKoala · 03/11/2024 03:01

I think I'm a damn sight more lovely than anyone who suggests someone is "mutton dressed as lamb", so yes, I am lovely - thank you.

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DinosaurMunch · 03/11/2024 08:11

Some styles are better left to the young - crop tops, very tight skirts or skin colour cheeky leggings, but a lot of that stuff doesn't look great on young people either unless they have a toned body.

Other than that no, any age can wear anything. Older people tend to be overweight and that's the issue with certain clothes rather than age.

winterdarkness · 03/11/2024 07:58

Recently, I saw my mother who is 81 wearing a mini mouse pink T-Shirt that she had inherited from my 13 year old niece. Yes, it was the right size but it looked ridiculous. I insisted she wore something different before we left the house

winterdarkness · 03/11/2024 07:55

Yes you can. A grown up woman dressed as a little girl, I would consider "too young for her age"