To think I can wear what the fuck I like at 47

[Midlifelights]

My (judgmental) mother thinks I ‘shouldn’t’ be wearing dungarees at my hideously old age of 47 🙄 I should also not ever wear a bikini again and should now have transitioned into tankini’s or a one piece. Animal print also apparently not appropriate.

Aibu to think WTF? I feel like I look ok for my age (not that it fucking matters anyway) and that i can wear whatever I want to wear.

I like nice clothes and shock horror I like wearing bikinis too and genuinely give zero fucks what anyone else thinks.

Is it a generational thing? You must transition to m & s stretchy wear by 45?

@DorisDances

Me and dungarees are never going to get on but I am eyeing up a pair of chunky biker boots and wondering whether I could ....

I'm pushing 60 and have some!

My 75 yr old mother in law is rocking her dungarees! Usually with a White Stuff stripy t shirt. I've never thought of he's being particularly "out there", she's just her. She would also have ignored her mother!

Agree @candourclegane

I was a bit put out at someone in their 50s being off their time'

I would hope that women now in their 30s don't get the 'appropriate for age' comments from their mothers /MIL in their 50s/60s that we got from our own mothers (well I got from my mum, appreciate that not everyone did)

Hopefully you are also one of the very few people in the UK with some sense of style.
COD is that you?

I remember when I was about 12yo, my mum being incredibly judgmental about a neighbour who dared to wear a denim mini skirt when she was in her 40s (judgmental behind her back, obviously). Because she was, you know, in her 40s. My mother at the time was probably in her late 30s!

Wear what you like and rock it.

I suspect my Mum would give me the side eye. It's generaltional though isn't it?

Not so long ago most people were marrying younger, having babies younger, and dressing older younger...! Now we dress younger a lot older... or whatever.

Why do you need to ask? Since when did anyone take any notice of what their Mum told them to wear after the age of 16?

As long as you follow these very important rules for what not to wear after 30, you'll be grand.

Ah but when you are in your 80s dungarees and converse will be the equivalent of the Damart catalogue today

I'm sure but that is fine by me

Wear what you like, as long as you feel comfortable!

Wear whatever you want! I hate it when people say a woman is too old for this or that. Always trying to control or restrict women in one way or another. It isn’t anybody else’s business.

@Midlifelights I'm 46. And with age comes the realisation that it really doesn't matter what anyone thinks. I will wear what I like. I will dye my hair 'fashion' colours if I like. And I will tell my mum to stop being an old fuddy duddy if I like (as it happens, she's a very young 75 and wears what the fuck she likes as well)

Things come in and out of fashion. I was wearing dungarees on my first day of uni aged 18. I am considerably larger than my 18 year old self but I was wearing them last week. Not the same pair obviously. I have no desire to 'stand out from the crowd' or 'be different'. That line of thinking is very childish. I just want to look how I want to look.

I might die tomorrow in dungarees and thats fine. I am wearing an animal print pinafore today and its fine. Its also fine that I might die a size 18. Because this is me.

I think this is a hangover from the 50s when you were more or less expected to turn overnight into Mary Whitehouse once you were married and knocked up (the full twinset and pearls with hair set in rollers).

Those attitudes are about 60 years out of date but some older people seem to have converted into a modern equivalent which basically looks down on anything which is a bit "different" or "young".

Tell her to take a flying jump and wear what you like.

With you all the way OP. I’m early 40s, I don’t do dungarees, but l still have long hair, wear sundresses and go topless at the beach!

The idea that you shouldn't criticise your mother for her opinion is ridiculous

Abso-fucking-lutely. Just because someone is your parent doesn't mean they can't also be wrong/rude/shittily behaved.

My mother has never understood why I don't have bobbed hair, pretty dresses, and pink/sparkly shit. She absolutely can't understand why I wear DM boots, long brightly dyed hair etc - essentially she doesn't understand why I'm not her. She might be my mother but she can still sod off.

Wearing some nice dungas today and I’m considerably older than 30. I recently found some old photos of my mum and was shocked to realise that in them she’s younger than I am now. She’s dressed like an elderly lady! All crimplene and sensible hair. It made her look so much older. I hope that hers was the last generation to feel they had to abandon their sense of style once they were a certain age.

But yes, it’s difficult not to wee on the straps when managing comfort breaks and dungarees! 😂

And I love your outfit Sugarbum and your comments. Amen to that!

I’m 62 with hair halfway down my back and am wearing denim joggers and a tee shirt today. Will stick my docs on if I go out as it’s chucking it down here.

I love dungarees and I plan on wearing them until I’m dead 🤣

These are just waiting to be bought op.

At 47 I would love to wear what I want, but my big fat arse says otherwise!
I do think thou the older we get the less shits we give about what others think, and I for one feel no pressure about what I wear/look like compared to 20 years ago, it's a shame some of the younger generation don't feel the same without changing their looks just to fit into what they think is the norm.

My mother was horrified when she saw a photo from my trip (pre covid) in a bikini. Same age. She also thinks I should have my hair cut

People who think women in their 60s and over should wear 'conventional' clothes should remember we (some of us anyway) were the original hippies, punks, whatever in our youth and have always worn whatever we like

Exactly. And our mothers invented the mini skirt.

My mother, now 89, had a Mary Quant outfit that she bought in Carnaby Street in her early 20s. We still have it.

So PLEASE, some posters, stop it with the 'generation' shit.

The idea that you shouldn't criticise your mother for her opinion is ridiculous

Of course the OP can criticise her mother for being judgemental and narrow minded about what women of any age can or can't wear. What is not reasonable is to put this down to her mother being old. Generalising about 'a generation'.

A) is is a stereotyped ageist trope and B) Look how many younger MNers on this thread have condemned adult women wearing dungarees, so being equally judgemental. And proving it isn't 'generational'.

You wear what you like I’m 54 live 9n jeans and t shirts.