To think I am too old for going Out Out?

[YappyYapster]

We went to the cinema and then dinner, which was fine. And then someone suggested cocktails and it went a bit wrong.

We were dancing round our handbags surrounded by actual children. The outfit I had thought made me look glam and pulled together actually made me look like a middle aged housewife (which I am) compared to the tiny outfits the girls were all wearing. Even the bouncers and bar staff were toddlers, but with hipster beards. Seriously, I have underwear older than most people we encountered.

Do 30/40 somethings just not go out for cocktails and dancing anymore? Is that it? Have I reached my shelf life for partying? Is my (once a year) night out destined to be country pubs and bed by eleven pm, just so I don't look like a desperate old woman trying to recreate my youth?

Where are all the fun adults these days?

I enjoy dancing - I'd basically like something like a wedding disco, but without the wedding!

It's in a bowling club and everything for added middle aged-ness!

I'm 41 and go to festivals every year and would go clubbing every couple of months - I'm big into house music. Would go to late bars most weekends. No way 30/40 is too old - I live in Dublin and there areally loads of clubs geared to that age bracer.

I went clubbing in France over the summer (I'm 39). I loved that Monaco was a blend of all ages, dancing and having fun. I wore a short dress and four-inch heels, and had a blast.

I can't be arsed with it because it's too expensive and I don't want to feel like crap the next day. Whenever I have been out out recently though I've noticed the youngsters seem far more polite and intelligent than in my day and very rarely see fighting like you used to

Loving the Hip Replacement club in Glasgow! I'm 48, clubbing is for my dd19! The closest I get is a smooch with my dh at weddings

I go proper clubbing - to see a specific DJ a few times a year.
I have a special clubbing friend for just such occasions.

We're mid 30s

I have friends older than me (I'm 39) who still go out but usually their DC are either older or they don't have them at all. My twins are 12 but I was over partying way before we had them. DP is away 6 months of the year anyway so when he's at home I prefer to spend time with him and the kids.

Actually, I take it back, if there was a middle aged nightclub I would probably enjoy that ok! If they promised not to play any music that was released after about 2001, then it would probably suit me very well.

There are loads of clubs where I live that do nights for 'the older, more discerning clientele'. My kids sneeringly call them 'grab a granny clubs' which doesn't have the same appeal!!

I still love clubbing but all my friends have outgrown it.

Treacle - We have a local one that does nights exactly as you describe. It's brilliant!

Eeeeh. There used to be nightclubs that played tunes you could whistle. Now me piles are playing up and this new money is too fiddly :(

My last nightclub experience was a few years ago at 31. It was a hen night, and I spent most of the night in our reserved alcove wishing that I'd bought ear plugs.

Too loud. Too crowded and sweaty. Rubbish music. Too many ratted people sloshing drinks. Too many people on the pull.

I love dancing and have run out of weddings. I'd love a nightclub that opened before bedtime, with decent music, seating, snack bar and decent space on the dance floor to move, not shuffle pressed up against others.

I enjoyed clubs as a student, but probably preferred quieter mid-week nights. The city I studied in had a good range of clubs. The one I live in now just seems to play rubbish danced up modern pop tracks.

Personally I love a ball eg PTA, school reunion, work do etc. You can get the glam gear on and boogie all night. Or just sit and chat at a table. Perfect. But I also go to parties in clubs the odd time and wear heels and short dresses and I'm mid forties. I still feel twenty two when I'm dancing.

www.coffindodgersdisco.com

No under-28s allowed!

Nightclubs have been over for years. Festivals are your ideal event OP, wear what you want, fancy dress or whatever, and you get a really good cross section of ages all having a good time.

Never too old!

I'm early 40s and go out every few weeks. I see a lot of women a lot older than me clubbing/ dancing. All ages mix well where I'm from but we do have quite the drinking culture up here in the north east.

Most bars seem to be open to the early hours these days so I don't see the nightclub think as a big issue.

I'm 41. I've grown up in a city where nights out are a way of life. There are late bars for every age group. There's a whole bar quarter designated as the destination for us older people.

The big nightclubs died years back. The ones that remain are small. I go to one (infrequently now) where there are live bands.

Even by father, who is approaching 70, still goes "out out." I imagine most people here are the same.

I think it's fine. My nights out are very different to my late teens/20s. Now I go to a few bars where we sit, chat, drink wine. There's a late bar/nightclub (not sure what you'd call it really) which looks like a house and there's usually dancing in what appears to be a living room. There's a little bar where people sit and chat. It's open until very late; its fun once in a while but I'm too old now to do it regularly.

It's very much the culture around here. There's probably somewhere in the region of five bar quarters where different groups would go. The main one is like what you'd see in a Spanish resort. Definitely the sort of place where small clothes would be worn. I don't go there these days.

No. The last time I went out locally (leaving do) I had to coordinate my movements to make sure I didn't bump into my son, nephew or any of their friends.
Unlike the leaver, who decided that joining her sons at a club was a top idea after 6 vodkas. It didn't end well and the resulting FB video will probably never be lived down.

I stopped going clubbing by the time I was about 22, I only ever dance at private parties, weddings etc now. I cannot think of a time in the last 25 yesrs or so when any of my friends has suggested clubbing either. We prefer just drinking and sitting chatting. Mind you we live in a small market town so it would be a major trek to get to a club of any description, might be different if we lived in or close to a major city and had plenty of options.

Dressing up, that's the other thing that put me off clubbing, if you can't go somewhere in jeans I'm unlikely to want to go (weddings excepted). I swerve all the invitations to fundraising balls etc.

I'm 43 love gigs and if I go for drinks with my friends twice yearly, will end up in a club in town that has all ages. I love drinking and dancing on the rare times ai go out, but hate the idea that you're too old for such things. My mom still does this every weekend and she's 70!

There are some great venues around Essex & East London, that have soul nights for the over 30's. Out out is still very much a thing in your 40's/50's

Ha. This was me the other week. Except I was with the youngsters. It was great. Glad you had fun!