To ask when Timmy Mallett became such a style icon for middle aged women?

[PuttingOnTheKitsch]

Or Dennis Taylor for that matter.

I'm talking about the ludicrously OTT spectacle frames that seem to be de rigueur for women these days.

Men don't seem to be encouraged to hide their gasp aging face behind overly large spectacle frames. Why are women being conned into it? It looks daft!

Don’t wear them then?

Is that a thing? Not something I have noticed recently. Are you thinking Dame Edna-style glasses, or Janet Street Porter?

I'd never thought about the Timmy Mallet connection before. That's all I'll see now when I see women with those glasses!

Each to their own and all that, but I agree they look awful.

We aren’t all here to suit your tastes.

dame Edna is my style icon

Not seen them. Do you have a link?

It's not either of these. The OP has it exactly right with Timmy Mallet.

Every time I see ads for those gigantic garishly coloured plastic glasses, I wonder whether anyone actually buys them! I don't think they suit anyone tbh.
(Yes I know, none of my business what people wear etc etc but we can have opinions)

What an odd take. Especially as you used two men to demonstrate your point that men aren't encouraged to adopt that look?

I hate them! Worn with that neon resin statement jewellery (earrings or necklace) plus toddler-style printed cotton jumpsuit / dungarees. And Birkenstocks or coloured DMs.

I think they look great. Why shouldn’t women have fun with their appearance?

It's ironic/fugly innit? Like socks and sandals and crocs etc.

I blame Pru Leith.

Can you (or OP) post some links? I haven’t seen anyone walking around like this, male or female. I’m in London, land of stupid fashion trends, so surprised it’s passed me by if it’s a genuine trend.

I remember Timmy Mallet but I haven’t seen what you are referring to, unless you mean glasses like Prue Leith?
Having said that, what does it matter what they (or any woman) is wearing?

I remember a photo of my mum in her later 30s (about 40y ago now) wearing a long white dress with small black flowers printed all over and slightly puffy sleeves. I distinctly remember looking at that photo several years ago and wondering what possessed her to wear such a frumpy dress when she was so young and now….. maxi/midi floral print dresses everywhere, young and old, me included.

Oh god. I feel very seen.

Try being very shortsighted and navigating the world through a 51mm x 27mm slot with what passes for peripheral vision being a vague blur edged mostly covered by frame and then tell people that preferring to see as though you aren't peering through a medieval knight's helmet is stupid.

Tbf I've never seen anyone in the actual Mallet glasses 😂, it's more Timmy on a quiet day (no palm trees, but big, heavy set, multicoloured square frames).

Very Prue Leith adjacent as a PP said.

What a horrible, mean spirited thread to start. If you don’t like then don’t buy them.

Ooh that's me! thanks! it's so nice everyone is different.

I want to like them but I don't have a big enough face. I look ridiculous. The young woman at the opticians was wearing a pair and tried very hard to persuade me to get a pair. I'm sorry but I want to be 59 year old woman with a beautiful pair of glasses not a pair of glasses entering a room before the 59 year old woman.

Agree

I adore Prue and her glasses/matching jewellery. It is not my style at all but she looks absolutely brilliant.

Absolutely- she totally owns it

Exactly.

Those who think I'm being mean, it's far meaner to think that women have to hide their faces behind a massive pair of glasses as soon as they hit 40.

So the 'logic' is women wear oversize glasses for the sole purpose of hiding their face and to do so they pick items that men are known for hence drawing attention to their face

OK alrighty then