What 'old lady' things you will refuse to do

[Auburngal]

Following this thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5253796-your-old-lady-habitstastes?page=28&reply=141706023 it was things like doing puzzle books, wearing big knickers etc.

What 'old lady' things would you refuse to do now and in the future?

Mine include wearing beige and brown. It does not look good on me. My skin tones and personality love bold bright colours.

Wearing skirts. TBF I cannot remember the last time I wore a skirt - perhaps to a wedding nor my 74 year old DM.

Have the same foods each day of the week. I know/knew of old people where they ate the same foods each day of the week. Pork chops on Monday, pie on Tuesday etc. Had upset customers asking me if we had any pork chops in as "always have them on Mondays". Plus if their birthdays/anniversary fell on a certain day of the week, their meal plans don't change!

When there is the word snow mentioned in the weather forecast, clear the shelves of tinned soup. Don't get this at all as there are better warming things than sodding soup.

This is what a much older generation did.
What will become old lady things are clothes you are wearing now.

I mean this is what 'old ladies' wore in the 80s. Each generation carries their own fashions and preferences into old age (possibly with a few adjustments for comfort and practicality).

Elderly women in 50 years' time will all be covered in tattoos.

But old people who wear those (if there are even any left) would have worn them when they were younger. People who are young now won't suddenly develop a taste for tweed skirts and American tan tights. I'm 70 and have never worn them so I'm hardly likely to start now. Over time people find a style that suits them and wear that.

I love cross words, puzzles, and sudokus, also chess, scrabble, jigsaws and card games. I hope to carry on with all those things as long as possible! Maybe im already old? Im 47(Although 15 yo DS likes most of those as well!) I do have other hobbies as well

I wish I was good at sewing as I'm really short and it would be a big bonus to be able to buy stuff and shorten or hem it myself.

My mum had a tartan shopping trolley when she was in her 30s, and it was a real source of embarrassment as a teen. Although she never asked me to use it - unlike my friend who had the added indignity of being asked to take a similar trolley to the shops herself. Now I live at the top of a hill, about a mile from the town and I can see a trolley might be handy, for heavy shopping....but cant quite persuade myself to get one....yet. My teen DD was thinking of getting one when she went to uni, so at least she won't feel embarrassed by it.

It rally need a chain but I just can’t bring myself to go full Mrs Slocome

What 'old lady' things you will refuse to do
Be burnt at the stake for being a witch (despite society's/MN's best efforts). Whatever you do it will be an old lady thing by virtue of your being an older female which is totally unacceptable.

I won't wear grey. Or beige or brown.

Yep, my thoughts exactly. 🙄

Omg I know people who always do this..in 30s!

I've been using walking poles since my early 40s....saves knee pain going downhill and provides balance. I'm not ashamed I had a new pair from Santa lol

I think you can fully brandish that stick above your waist at 50 😂

Your pelvic floor can let you down, @TallulahBetty. If you get stress incontinence, or urinary urgency, you will need underwear that will hold a Tena pad in place.

Now The Queen has gone I don't think anyone anywhere dresses like that.

Some of you have very stereotypical ideas about what older women look like.

Students use shopping trolleys.

No-one laughs at people of all ages using flight bags with handles and wheels. What's comical about using a wheeled shopper to carry stuff around it - whether it's shopping, library books or garden tools?

To the poster who mentioned "blue rinses" - I haven't seen an older lady with a blue rinse in decades but there are plenty of late teens to 60s sporting blue hair.

Enjoy hiking or whatever it is they do with those poles
Ultramarathon-ing?

Some of these replies are like how care homes seem to assume people born in the 40s and 50s want to listen to Vera Lynn, rather than Bob Dylan and The Beatles. If I saw someone with a headscarf knotted under their chin I'd assume they were quite cool and into vintage fashion, no matter what their age was.

I fear I might be a 30 y/o granny. I like knitting, skirts, stockings over tights, tan tights, and going to bed early 😭

I love grey, I have a wardrobe review every year and I'm always surprised at how many grey jumpers or sweatshirts I own.
Off the top of my head I can think of at least 10 grey tops I own

‘Get a blue rinse.’

but blue hair is the signifier for non binary, and you cannot get more modern and youthful than that! ( Image courtesy of BBC LBGQT etc)

The skirts I’m talking about is this kind of thing https://www.damart.co.uk/knitted-thermolactyl-skirt-69260-3.html?color_filterable=44996

I wear elasticated trousers as have IBS

I gave up on thongs in my mid 20s. Horrible things.

Love a skirt and a dress.

I've always worn comfortable shoes. My late mum had brilliant ones and I took some of the really gorgeous sandals.

I also love an Arran cardigan.

I see your week on week menu and I raise you having the same breakfast, lunch and dinner/tea every single day as my mother does. And never ever using the oven or hob, only the microwave.

It's all to do with fashion though isn't it and your tastes can change as you get older. Younger ones seem to like the ugg slippers/shoes. I think they look hideous.

Sounds like your mother is struggling and familiar food helps her I mean I could be wrong. but let's not let that get in the way laughing at older women on the Internet cause it's hilarious

I've noticed that what we would have called 'granny shoes/sandals' when we were kids, have come back in fashion for the younger generation.