To ask what age you should cover up?

[conceptionisdraining]

This isn't about what you think about others flashing skin, it's more a question about you personally - what age do you start to feel mini skirts and cleavage are inappropriate for you personally?

When I was younger I'd wear so much skin baring clothing (in many cases too much skin for sure!), nowadays I do still bare some skin but am much more conservative, and feel awkward in short skirts for a variety of reasons (not even mini just shortish ones)

What age did you start to feel age crept into your clothing choices?

I am mid-40s and don't mind having my legs on display. I do a lot of pilates so they are nice and toned. Clevage though, I have never liked on myself. I can see that it looks good on some, but I just don't think it does on me. Don't mind tight tops, though.

I've never worn clothes that show lots of flesh so nothing has really changed.

Lots of people coming on to say they are whatever age and still wear shorts in the summer. But I think there’s a big difference between wearing say a vest top and shorts in the summer and wearing a low cut top and mini skirt on a night out in the winter.

I don’t like cut-off ages and I think you should wear what you like but it is rare to see someone over 25 heading to a night club wearing a crop top and mini skirt (and no tights) in mid- November - loads of teenagers do though!

For me I think it's when you realise comfort trumps fashion and you give no shits any more

This

This post has great timing for me as a 50 year old who has been looking for a new dress for xmas parties. Have had a few unsuccessful shopping trips as I am so unsure of how much skin to show and what looks good on me. I am slim and fit but nonetheless the crepe creeps in etc. So I ordered this from Zara and it arrived today. Its very different from my usual clothes but I think I quite like it. Hot country so no tights etc required. Arms and chest tucked away but legs on show.

I never felt comfortable in mini skirts (knicker flashing, enormous thighs, not really long enough) & my chest doesn't do cleavage. Bikinis tops fall off so I'm not wearing them. I suppose I gave up on 'short shorts' which is the main style of women's shorts available nowadays, in about 1982. I'm in my mid 50s now & still wear reasonable length shorts, skirts above knee (with lycra shorts underneath) & crop tops, though. Aware my tum is pure cellulite. It's certainly not a vanity maneuvre.

I'm surprised at people saying 25 - I am late twenties and still dress up in short skirts / revealing clothes to go clubbing (even in the winter).

Last weekend I was wearing a bralette and cycling shorts on a night out.

Granted I don't have kids and lots of my friends still dress this way so I didn't look like the odd one out

When I was young, I did everything I could to produce something that resembled a cleavage, to no avail. In my forties - and fatter - I found myself with a decent amount of cleavage, but would rather have died than display it! I felt very self conscious and as if I was forcing unsuspecting passers by to look at something they'd really be better off not seeing.

I have good legs though and, at 54, would wear something just above the knee from time to time. Any higher and I'd be displaying a very detailed map of Britain's roads. But they look more than decent in a pair of skinny jeans.

I’m in my 40s and wear whatever the fuck I like. Short shorts in summer with a strappy top, short skirt if I fancy it, low cut top if I fancy it. I don’t dress as if I’m going clubbing but it isn’t a binary choice between boob tube and hot pants or slacks and a twinset

I see others still accessorise their outfit with judgy pants though, especially the “I think she looks tragic!” poster above. Jesus wept. The 50s called and wanted their attitudes back.

I have fat (swollen, age, arthritis) knees so only wear shorts if hiking. Despite 32E I seem not to have cleavage.
But I have great (strong, freckly) swimmer/climber shoulders so am happy to show them.
52

I've always been of the view that one 'thing' being out at a time looks better on me, and I feel comfortable that way.
I'd wear short shorts with flip flops/converse and a looser fitting higher t shirt, or a dress with a bit of cleavage that's below the knee. When I see people with boobs, stomach, legs all out, I'm reminded that not only do I not like that look, I would never wear it because I'd feel uncomfortable dressed like that.

I've not reached a point of covering up, but then have never been a fan of having lots out in the first place. Less is more for me.

I'm 52 and have lost almost 6 stone this year. I put a sleeveless top on last week and realised that's not going to work anymore. The skin texture is like my post pregnancy tummy. If I can get it firmed up I'll revise the decision, but that's the current status.

In terms of what's 'allowed'- it's anything that you like the look of. Don't wear anything you don't like the look of. It's that easy.

I was always acutely embarrassed of my big bust as a teenager and young woman and covered up with high neck tops. It took me years to see that something a bit lower looked better. It's not out all over the place, but yes, 50s and I love v neck. Arms as well I'm fine with, but I work on that. But the mini skirts went long ago. Despite having a decent figure, there's nothing attractive about my knees any more.

Any age, it doesn’t matter!! Whatever makes you comfortable. I wear mini-skirts with thick tights (for warmth rather than modesty!) and I’m mid 40s. Don’t think that’s particularly different than wearing skinny jeans or leggings in terms of ‘flaunting’ my figure as the Daily Mail would say.

For me is was when I got fat! No one wants to see that on show.

I'm kind of the other way round. I had zero confidence when younger so always covered up. Jeans/t shirt type clothes. But when I hit about 35 I suddenly realised, actually my body isn't that bad (overweight a bit, but in proportion with nice boobs) so started wearing skater dresses (I love dresses now) though wear tights. Because my bosom is canny big there is cleavage, but not massively in yer face.

I've always been of the view that one 'thing' being out at a time looks better on me, and I feel comfortable that way

I think this is bang on. Flash a bit of what you feel good with.

I’m mid bmi and had quite good legs but something has happened to my knees they look terrible! Late 40s

I wear the same sort of stuff I did in my 20s if I'm going "out" - strappy top with tight jeans maybe, or a short dress- but it looks totally different to how it did then because my body shape has changed so much.
Because I'm thin in a sporty-ish way, even skimpy tops don't look "sexy" (think Paula Radcliffe in a vest top) so there's no cleavage on show or anything. What looks like a plain ordinary vest on me would possibly look eye-boggling on someone with good boobs
So although I haven't consciously changed the way I dress, getting dressed feels less effort than it did 10-15 years ago.

God, surprised by some of these answers. I’m 30 and I still feel really young; I’d wear a mini skirt and tights whenever or a short dress. I never liked cleavage but I have great legs and I don’t see myself stopping with the short skirts until I’m probably 50 and maybe not then either! I also have long hair and intend on keeping that until I am much older too. It works for the Hollywood actresses so why not the rest of us! These ‘over 40/50 so must cover up’ ideas are so old-fashioned.

I always flashed either boob or legs never both at the same time. I am 41 and slim and occasionally wear a short skirt with knee length boots and thick winter tights plus warm jumper. I often wear knee length nice dresses though.

I'm in the minority but I don't think there is any age you should "cover up" and would be perfectly happy to see people of all ages walking around in whatever they want to wear.

Personally though my style has always been the same and I tend to feel more comfortable not baring a lot of skin (apart from in very hot weather) - this has been the same all my life.

I really feel people should wear what they are happy in, and I can't see anything wrong with a 70 or 80-year old in a mini skirt, other than what society dictates. Bodies are just bodies and we should be more accepting of them.

Its interesting that so many posts equate comfort with covered up. I pretty much exclusively dress for comfort but sometimes that can mean having quite a lot of skin on display. I am very active and sporty and this summer, at 42, finally learned to be mentally comfortable in short-shorts and crop tops. It made a massive difference to my physical comfort to be able to have air on my thighs and midriff so my sweat could dry instead of just having increasingly wet, gross material clinging to me.

I think I have gone the opposite way. I've always been quite fat and when I was younger I was aware those outfits wouldn't look good on me. At my age now though, I feel I'm not really expected to look good, or slim, and no one is interested in looking. So I'll happily wear a bikini at the beach or a sports bra to the gym.

I've got to say that one of my main goals in life is to look and be even half as physically capable as this stunning 85 year old woman when I'm her age. And if I am able to do that, I intend to be dressing to suit my lifestyle, which will mean being every bit as uncovered when necessary because I'm not going to overheat because I'm old and even less capable of regulating my body temperature and more vulnerable to ill effects.