To wear a miniskirt?

[KatyTheCleaningLady]

Been meaning to ask this, but kept forgetting...

A few weeks ago, my MIL made a comment about the way I dress and groom myself. She said "I guess I'm old-fashioned. I don't like a lot of slap or miniskirts on women in their 40's."

I don't normally wear a lot of makeup. Usually just BB/tinted moisturizer, colour in eyebrows, and some mascara. Once in a blue moon (like once a year) I will wear a bright red lipstick. That's what she was referring to as "slap."

As for miniskirts: I am 43 years old. I sometimes wear short skirts, and if it's during the day then I will wear thick tights and non-slutty footwear. Like a pair of comfy Clarks loafers with thick tights and then a short skirt and a turtleneck or something like that. Maybe I'll wear knee-high black boots with a moderate heel. I do NOT "let it all hang out." If I were going out in the evening (very rarely happens!) I might wear sheer stockings and heels and perhaps a scoop neck sweater. (I don't have cleavage to speak of.)

The thing is, I'm really vain about my legs. I will honestly say that I have never seen another woman with legs I'd trade for. I've wished I had different tits, belly, face, and hair but I think my legs are absolutely perfect and I love them. So, I think it's a shame to always keep them covered up.

I'm very tall (5'10") and slender (aside from my post-baby, middle-aged belly) and I think maybe a short skirt is very noticeably short on me because my legs sort of stand out.

My MIL is the sort who never, ever wears makeup, always wears beige/pale blue/navy clothes that are utterly non-eye-catching and she's a shy, introverted person who would rather die in a fire than call attention to herself. So, I think it's a matter of being different personality types.

But, I thought I'd check:

Is it really not OK for a woman in her 40's to wear short skirts that very plainly show off her legs, even if everything else about what she is wearing is plain/demure/non-slutty?

Ignore her...she is clearly very repressed and secretly jealous of your legs

Next time you see her, i would wear a short skirt with hold up stockings and no knickers, and casually cross my legs a la Sharon Stone, making sure she will get a good view.

My mil told dh it wasn't healthy to have legs as long as mine (35 ins inside leg).
She was a very short woman.

Ha. Don't be daft, she just has her own (ancient, dull, limited) view on appropriate 'decorum'. Don't let it get to you.

MrsRobertDuvall... EW!!! Haha. Not interested in flashing my MIL.

I really do want to be sure that I'm not a pathetic example of mutton dressed as lamb, though. I mean, surely there is an age where a woman shouldn't wear short skirts? I mean, what if I were 80 years old? Wouldn't that look weird? So, where is the cut-off?

YANBU about wearing short skirts but YABU if you think the only acceptable way women 40+ should wear them is in a 'demure' or 'plain' manner.

Tell your MIL to shove it and congratulations on your legs

I am 53 and wear 24 ins skirts, like you, with thick tights, boots etc.
Not spindly heels and bare legs.

It's more the legs than the face.

20 year olds with tree trunk legs should not wear short skirts.

Tondelayo, I think that it's best to pick one thing to show off at a time (unless you're going to an appropriate venue in the evening.) I don't dress all drab, but I tone down the rest of my outfit a bit. I do still wear bright colours, but I pick just one expanse of skin to show.

Horrace I don't think Halle looks "fine" unless she's at a glitzy red-carpet event. I mean, that's not a real-world look at all. Also, she's unbelievably beautiful from head to toe.

The Eastenders character is closer to me in looks. My hair isn't as trashy as that and I hope my face isn't yet that weathered, but I would say that I look like her with plainer hair and thick tights on.

I'm in my 50's and still wear short skirts.
I've also got nice legs, (actually, a bit too skinny at the moment but I'm working on it),
In the winter I'm the same as you Op, wooly tights are the norm.
In the summer I wear scruffy denim shorts around the house, and lovely summer dresses when I'm out and about, once I have a tan.
I love having brown legs.

If you've got great legs then why the heck not? I'm 5'10" as well and have always liked my legs, so I wear short skirts quite a bit. I VERY rarely wear heels...as they make me feel like a giant (DH is 5ft8).

The Eastenders woman < don't watch it> looks nearer 60 than 50, and looks trashy/old.
Hally Berry is gorgeous, but her thighs look too skinny, and her boobs too large, but she does have an elegant beauty about her.

Myself am too old now and cover everything up, though my legs don't look too bad in thick black tights or stretch jeggings. But always compare myself with how I looked just a few years ago < gone down hill suddenly and rapidly>.
Now have to avoid looking at my face in the mirror as looks much older than the rest of me< peeved old crone face>
Waiting for the 40s hats with veil to come back into fashion for me!!

My great auntie wore denim mini skirts until she died in her late 80s. She was fantastic.
If you have the legs go for it, at any age. You're only on this planet once so you may as well please yourself.

Fuck demure, I say :)

42 with terrible legs here- and I wear short skirts. Surely there are no rules- if there are, they must be broken...