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Elderly parents
Original poster

Clothes shops for elderly mother

39 replies

cantkeepawayforever · 27/08/2023 18:27

Compared with many on here, this is an extremely trivial question.

However, my mother (mid 80s, frail, mild dementia) would like some new clothes. She wears - has always worn, for as long as I can remember - blouses, mid-calf skirts and high neck jumpers or long open cardigans. Plain colours - blue, maroon, rust, bottle green etc. Blouses should be cotton, buttoned to the neck, can be slightly floral or checked.. Skirts kilted, pleated plaid, or cotton chambray for the summer. Jumpers and cardigans - fine knit, lambswool. Picture Edinburgh Woollen Mill about 20 years ago, or the late Queen in her last photo, but in a more practical colour.

I am drawing a blank in finding clothes shops or brands for her. M&S has almost no skirts. Edinburgh Woollen Mill has gone all polyester swirly. No local House of Fraser. In person would be best as she is very very tiny and bent now, so sizes are uncertain.

Anyone found any excellent stores for the elderly lady who has dressed like an elderly lady for the last 50 years??

OP posts:
lljkk · 27/08/2023 18:45

When my aunt's home got burnt down, aunt lost everything but the stuff she was wearing, cousin & I drove around to charity shops, trying to find the sort of perfect cotton long nighties that aunt would like. In retrospect, this was a mistake. If someone is that particular, you need to involve them as much as possible in the actual purchase event. Too difficult to get it right without their direct input.

Any1Else · 27/08/2023 18:45

My mother is in her nineties. In her 80s she bought quite a bit from Toast, but she finds it a bit staid now - so it might suit a more conservative dresser. They regularly have ‘massive’ sales, so that would be a good time for your mother to stock up.

DisforDarkChocolate · 27/08/2023 18:43

TakeMe2Insanity · 27/08/2023 18:37

House of Bruar do online and have an outlet section (both online and in person).

Show quote history

I got a beautiful coat last year in the sale, I need to get the old fashioned buttons replaced though.

freckletwin · 27/08/2023 18:41

Would also suggest Bonmarche. Most of my mums clothes are from there. She has never worn trousers in her life and is quite petite.

Original poster
cantkeepawayforever · 27/08/2023 18:40

Thank you! Needs to be natural fibres if at all possible, especially blouses and skirts, which is an additional challenge. She would tolerate a wool mix skirt or wool mix jumper, but nothing she would dismiss as ‘slimy’.

OP posts:
lljkk · 27/08/2023 18:40

I want to recommend you sit with her, with a laptop, and try to get her to choose among the items (when you find some you think are about right).

If she's unhappy about prices, maybe fib & say you have a 50% off voucher?

Herecomesthemoon · 27/08/2023 18:40

M&S knitwear might be suitable. Cotton Traders and Landsend may have blouses but skirts are often very long. Damart and Roman have quite a few skirts. John Lewis have knee length skirts but not cheap. I second Bon Marche as they do have shorter lengths but maybe a lot of polyester.
You could ask advice on Granset as there may be older women there who like that style or other daughters helping their elderly mother.

TakeMe2Insanity · 27/08/2023 18:37

DisforDarkChocolate · 27/08/2023 18:32

House of Bruar. Very many traditional clothes but it is in Scotland.

House of Bruar do online and have an outlet section (both online and in person).

DisplayPurposesOnly · 27/08/2023 18:33

Online - Lands End, Cotton Traders.

Seasalt if she wants to be a bit daring 😉

Jackydaytona · 27/08/2023 18:33

Try vinted for older good quality stuff

DisforDarkChocolate · 27/08/2023 18:32

House of Bruar. Very many traditional clothes but it is in Scotland.

Bonbon21 · 27/08/2023 18:32

Damart

MrsMoastyToasty · 27/08/2023 18:30

Have you tried Bon Marche ?

Original poster
cantkeepawayforever · 27/08/2023 18:29

(Oh, and, if possible, not frighteningly expensive. She bought these things when normal shops - M&S, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Debenhams - had them in large quantities, so she’s not used to ‘luxury niche Scottish brands’ pricing)

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