Things you were told weren't ladylike

I remember a time when girls wore dresses to birthday parties, sometimes maxi dresses, along with best tights or white socks and Sunday shoes. I had my tenth birthday in 1974 (I am so old ), which was just about the time and just about the age (just about preteen) when styles were shifting. Several of my classmates had Levi's jeans, which were the height of fashion in South Dublin at that time (I think they were the only jeans available, and actually the father of a classmate owned Ireland's only jeans boutique) and in the runup to my party there was much discussion of their intention of wearing jeans and a red poloneck and sneakers (the other In Things To Wear) and not the normal dress and good shoes.

Many parents were horrified when this gossip was made known to them, and a few phoned my parents to ask if this was really true, and if they were going to tolerate the wearing of jeans to a birthday party, by girls. Dad fielded the most apoplectic of the callers purely by chance, and had what was probably the strangest conversation of his life, mostly owing to the fact that he didn't know what jeans were and thought the parents were talking about a girl named Jean. He had to put the phone down for a second to ask me who he was talking to and what they might be talking about. He ended up saying something diplomatic about everyone being most welcome no matter what they were wearing and looking forward to a lot of fun for all, as well as hinting that we would be spending time in the garden so wellies might be in order depending on the October weather .

'Princess Diana'; she was Diana, Princess of Wales; do get it right.

My Dad always said 'pierced ears are for gypsies'

Then my mum went and got hers pierced, so he stopped saying it! I wasn't allowed until I was 13 though.
Funny, because I haven't worn anything in my pierced ears for about 5 years and am to keen on my daughters having it done for a good while. Not because of gypsies though.....perhaps other snobby reasons!!

And of course, g-strings or seamless pants. Pointless garments not worth spending money on.

There should be a panty line. No lady goes out without knickers on, why on earth would any woman want to look as though she wasn't wearing pants?

My parents never got their heads round that.

And married woman didn't go to clubs or have nights out with other women without their dh. They stayed home and knitted, whilst their dh went out. Life, in effect was over if you followed their advice, married your first bf at 21 and didn't work, unless you were one of those awful women who had a career, in which case they weren't ladylike and were to be pitied:)

Just remembered.

Jeans. Not ladylike at all and no one wore them in our house. When I left and visited with jeans on, my dm said " straight from the stables today?" And a sniff:)

They were spotless and very nice jeans:)

Oh and racy knickers in any colour other than white and any material other than cotton. No frills and they covered you up properly:)

galletti,
Or acting like a "herrie" if you were too bold!!!

and if you DID accidently break wind , on no account were you to draw attention to it by saying 'pardon' . in fact never never say pardon at all.

Breaking wind in frotn of stranger.

Yes to coloured tights, eating in the street and anklets being the sole province of advertising prostitutes... and my grandfather was horrified when he first saw me with a pint. Also no tattoos, discreet makeup only, and never wearing high heeled shoes barefoot/without stockings. This is apparently common. So I do it, but I do it while feeling properly guilty.

Catching up on mumsnet and loving all ladies who drink pints and wear dms.

I use to drink pints in a pretty nineties floral dress with brown docs. Unfortunately growing up for me now means I'm rather more ladylike than my teenage self would approve of.

My mother was especially keen on the wearing a slip at all times - even with trousers when I was eventually allowed a pair! You had to wear a waist slip tucked into the trousers as otherwise men could see the shape of your bottom.

My granny was always appalled at me drinking pints of beer but especially so if I was wearing a dress.

I still drink pints but wear less dresses these days!

Oh, and Heaven forbid, using any type of tool let alone owning them! Although I kind of think my mum had it right here albeit for the wrong reasons. Instead of being seen as unladylike, I now get lumbered with all of the DIY!

Changing a car tyre or even knowing how to.

Just read the alphabetised list, in my tired state misread 'Hair, public brushing of' as 'hair pubic bush'...

Not really anything to do with anything, but made me laugh!

OMG it's like stepping back to stifling Surrey in the 1960s! Never eat in public, males walk on the outside (to get the splashes), never drink from a tall glass in the UK, stand up when adults enter a room, never, ever, fart (except in the bath); not allowed in golf clubs; don't work (unless you really have to and then only in a woman's job such as typist, or domestic cleaning). Oh, and smile gamely if Jimmy Savile beams at you.

The past isn't always better, but it was certain in ways today is not. Are my kids allowed to fart? Why can't they eat in public when the rest of the carriage is slurping coffee and leaving empty cups on the floor? Why can't they wear school uniforms properly? Why doesn't anyone wear hats? Why is the central heating set at 20 so the kids don't wear jumpers? What is central heating? Why Hollyoaks? Why?! (Crumples, sobbing)

My dad (70) tried telling my 4yo DD that not wearing a party dress to a party was unladylike the other day.

Water off a duck's back to her- she was off to soft play and no stupid dress was going to stop her!

Wearing trainers unless doing a sport
Admitting you exercise
Drinking alcohol
Not marrying your first boyfriend- the shame of it
Not being married after 21
Not wearing tights and going bare legged
Sitting like a bloke
Earning more money than a man
Spending money on yourself
Wearing anything tight and / or revealing
Too high heels
Too much make up
Not enough make up
Too much perfume
Gaudy clothes
Jeans or any trousers, ladies wear skirts.
Going into pub with anyone
Going to a pub
Knowing where a pub is
Any kind of show of affection or emotion is Not Allowed
Wild rock band, liking and listening to
Popular fiction
Having a life without a dh
Being divorced
Not caring what the neighbours think.

Where I grew up it was only ankle chains on the left ankle that was used to identify a prostitute. If you wore one on the right you were OK.

Short hair was unladylike

It was common to eat in the street (thanks headmistress)

Having more than one ear piercing in each ear

Going outside in public without your face on/without your lips on (make up must be worn at all times)

Pearls must be worn to formal events as they give you a glow & stop a double chin looking like a double chin

Your slip showing was unladylike

Not wearing a slip was unladylike

Wearing a skirt style slip instead of a dress style slip was unladylike. You had to wear the skirt one with a skirt & the dress one with a dress.

Hanging out your underwear was unladylike

YY to ankle bracelets. Also having your ears pierced. Wearing rings on any finger other than the outer 2 on each hand. Having seconds of anything (must be skinny to be a laydee), smoking roll ups (all other fags totally fine! ), being able to see any bit of your underwear (eg bra strap through a t shirt....put on a vest or long length slip).

Oh, I forgot about being clever. I was told no man would ever want me if I kept showing off how clever I was and kept having opinions.

other unladylike things

coloured shoes
shoes with too high a heel
white shoes/boots were for ladies of ill repute! So were ankle bracelets.
showing of almost any flesh, especially of the cleavage variety
answering back
clearing your plate at meal times
drinking from a mug

the list just goes on and on. How anyone was ever supposed to live up to it all is beyond me.

I got refused as drink in a pub once because "ladies drink out of small glasses in the lounge bar". We were left quite puzzled by that.

So glad I didn't have a fussy mum.