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?

[Vicliz24]

I'm 57 and wear whatever I like . I have great legs and live in shorts all summer long and I fully intend to wear whatever I love for the rest of my life. Age shouldn't be a barrier to anything.

[MintyGreenDream]

I prefer midi dresses nowadays,I'm 41.Ive goy a but of cellulite on the backs of my legs which I don't like to highlight

[GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick]

I used to show a fair bit of cleavage, but I toned it down a couple of years ago when I had a left side mastectomy - a boob and cushion is not a great look 😁. I still wear above the knee skirts when I feel like it. I’m 50 and just wear what I want.

[LuaDipa]

I’ve got a beautiful, cut out back shortish dress that I wore around the time I turned 40. I love it so much that I will never part with it but I know I’ll never wear it again. That being said I know some women who are utterly fabulous at 50 and wouldn’t hesitate to wear something similar. I don’t know the answer, I think it’s down to how you feel.

[ouchyoubiteybugger]

Not so much age for me as when my daughters hit 17 & 18 I didn't want to wear the same as them ( and anything of mine looked better on them so I'd never wear it again anyway) so i started changing my style. I still show some cleavage occasionally but always wear tights now as my legs have more geographical anomalies! But I'm 40 so that's life

[SilkLabrador]

Wear what makes you happy.

[LolaSmiles]

I don’t think age is the biggest factor it is looking in the mirror and being honest with yourself
Same here. I also like what Boood said about not being there for decoration and the male gaze.

For years I was very much a liberal 'you do you' feminist and would have been all up for getting annoyed if anyone challenged anything to do with clothing because feminism is about empowering women isn't it? Then my feminism changed and I realised so much of what is sold to women as empowering is exactly the same old shit that they were socialised into doing years ago. By rebounding patriarchal standards, society has conveniently repackaged the same old shit and sold it as empowering. Conveniently it's largely about pushing an image of femininity that the male gaze finds sexually pleasing to look at. Even though I've never been one for having lots on show, there's no avoiding the fact that my attitude to clothing changed.

[lazylinguist]

it's largely about pushing an image of femininity that the male gaze finds sexually pleasing to look at.

Yes. I'm 50 and I haven't worn short skirts or cleavage-baring tops since I was in my 20s really. Being totally honest, once I'd reached a point where no longer felt the need or desire to appeal to the male gaze (i.e. once I met dh) I happily stopped doing wearing anything revealing.

[conceptionisdraining]

@LittleDandelionClock

Totally depends on the woman and the figure, what the legs are like, what the cleavage is like etc... I know it sounds bad, (and very un-PC,) but if you're nearly 60 and look like Elle MacPherson it's fine to flash your flesh/ legs/ cleavage. Not so much if you look like a female version of Barry from Eastenders. Totally subjective and as I say, largely dependent on the woman and how she looks, not so much to do with the age IMO.

I hate to say but I also agree with this 😬

[conceptionisdraining]

@Boood

For me, it’s not about what I can “get away with”, it’s about how I want to be perceived. I reached a point- maybe around mid 30s?- where wearing short skirts, particularly for work- felt as though I was seeking approval/validation, and I didn’t want to do that. I wanted the message I conveyed to be less “haven’t I got great legs” and more “you know what? You don’t get to see my legs because I’m not here as decoration”. I increasingly find it intrusive and disrespectful when men I don’t know or am not interested in look at me in a sexual context. And I think it’s naive to think that the way you dress doesn’t influence the way people see you.

Also completely agree with this, 100%

[FindingMeno]

It's more to do with bits I don't feel are attractive to show rather than whether it's appropriate.
I don't feel comfortable showing my bingo wings but my legs and cleavage are great.

[BigWoollyJumpers]

I wonder how many of us wear make up though? Lots of talk about not wanting to conform to expectations, but most people still make up and dye their hair.

So, I am odd. As noted I expose cleavage, wear skinny jeans, and above the knee skirts, but I don't wear make up, and have white hair!

I do think it is equally sad that many pp's feel they have flaws that need covering up. Why? Embrace those flaws, and natural ageing, and wear what you want,

[Bertiebiscuit]

This whole debate is terminally ageist and sexist - women must be free to wear whatever they like and not be criticised and judged - like men, in fact!!!!!!!! Wear what you like and leave other women alone to wear what they like ffs

[speakout]

This whole debate is terminally ageist and sexist - women must be free to wear whatever they like and not be criticised and judged - like men, in fact!!!!!!!! Wear what you like and leave other women alone to wear what they like ffs

TOTALLY AGREE!!!

[Mummabear89]

I'm 32 and I've always hated mini skirts but I'm okay with showing my cleavage if the top I'm wearing does it. It took me 18 years to start liking my boobs because I was super self conscious about them from the moment they started growing and I have only recently come to terms with how they look and started enjoying the way they look.

[keeptheaspidistra]

I'm 38 and I've not reached that age. Weight gain has affected how i address slightly (im annoyed at myself i allow that) but age certainly hasn't.

[marktayloruk]

Up to you,surely? I'd guess when your legs get ugly.

[NynaeveSedai]

Personally, when I realised my skin doesn't look as nice as it used to. Less cleavage as my skin is sun damaged and crepey. No bare legs as I have varicose veins and random marks. I'm not elderly but at 41 my bare flesh just doesn't look very nice any more!!

[DonaPatrizia]

When it looks shit. Which is not age-dependent. It's to do with shape, size and style. I know a woman in her mid sixties who wears mini skirts which is in theory fine as she has great legs, but unfortunately she wears them with Thatcher jackets, American tan tights and helmet hair, so it looks rubbish. It'd be fine with a cool top and black opaques. if in doubt, ask a brutal twenty something. I consult my niece and if she says its OK, I go with that. She's letting me keep long hair and wear chunky Chelsea boots, and skirts a few inches above the knee in winter with thicker tights. Cleavage is out, but not due to age, because I am well endowed and she says it makes men talk to my tits.

[browneyes77]

In my 20’s I wore mini skirts, lower cut tops etc. but my Mom always taught me “never show everything all at once. Leave things to the imagination”. So if I wore a low cut top I’d wear jeans/cover my legs. If I wore a mini skirt and showed off leg, I’d cover the girls up (because they’re not small ). So I don’t think I ever showed ‘too much’ flesh as it were.

But I think once I got further into my 30’s I felt far more self conscious about showing off my body. I’m generally a T-shirt and jeans kinda girl anyway, so I’ve always opted for comfort over style if I’m honest, but did feel as I got more into my 30’s, flashing the flesh made me feel more self conscious. Think it’s more because I was getting older and things in my 20’s I wore felt too young for me to get away with in my 30’s!

I’m 44 now and the most risqué I get is a low cut v neck T-shirt

But I think if you feel comfortable showing off your body, then rock it!

[DaisyStiener]

When i became a mum in my late late 30s
I WAS very fashion conscious
I look at stuff ff I wore 18 months ago ,( slash front dresses , mid riff on show, some of my bikinis are showstoppers ) and I just go “LOL” what am I holding onto THAT for!?”
Maybe if I was still in as good shape ? I might be a little more daring?
Also, I only ever had cleavage “on display” on a night out - never in the day time as could never be bothered with the staring..

[musicviking1]

How depressing is this post. I don't really bare my legs unless in tights because it requires to much prep, fake tan etc as I'm pale. But when I see women comfortable in their own skin and displaying their flesh I think good on them for not giving a damn what other's think.

[musicviking1]

too*

[Nomoreusernames1244]

How depressing is this post. I don't really bare my legs unless in tights because it requires to much prep, fake tan etc as I'm pale

What’s wrong with pale? It’s depressing that people think they can’t show their natural colour.

I’m pale. Don’t tan, avoid the sun- and therefore my skin is much better than many my age. I like pale, i much prefer it to tanned, that just yells skin damage to me, even fake.

I don’t wear make up either. I like natural. I think most people look better natural, even when they themselves don’t.

[MumOfScience]

@speakout

This whole debate is terminally ageist and sexist - women must be free to wear whatever they like and not be criticised and judged - like men, in fact!!!!!!!! Wear what you like and leave other women alone to wear what they like ffs

TOTALLY AGREE!!!

100% Agree! I cannot believe the amount of internalised misogyny on MumsNet. It’s so sad the OP started to feel uncomfortable in herself in the first place. Blummin patriarchy