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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that 16 is old enough to wear a strapless dress?

54 replies

brummiemummie · 20/08/2009 18:21

MIL thinks not.

She's visiting atm for a long weekend and we were talking earlier about DD's school Leavers' Ball. I've just shown her some photos; she saw DD's dress and suddenly became very sniffy. "Oh," she said, "I didn't know you allowed DD to wear strapless dresses".

Most of her friends in the same photo were wearing strapless gowns, some a lot more revealing than DD's. But MIL appears to think it was "inappropriate at her age" .

DD was planning on wearing a (different) strapless dress to DNiece's wedding next month, but now I feel like she shouldn't be because of what MIL thinks. Am I being unreasonable in thinking MIL is an out-of-touch old cow and letting her wear it anyway? Or is it genuinely not age-appropriate??

BM x

OP posts:
brimfull · 20/08/2009 18:25

mil is out of touch

they all wear strapless

only looks slightly inappropriate if they have huge boobs

dailymailIsPerfectAsaPoopScoop · 20/08/2009 18:26

strapless is fine. MIL stuck in the dark ages

Original poster
brummiemummie · 20/08/2009 18:27

Ggirl, thanks, I thought they all did.

DD does have big boobs though, maybe that's why MIL objects?

OP posts:
cheezcurl · 20/08/2009 18:29

I think 16 is definitely old enough to wear strapless dress. Not really the lack of straps that makes a dress revealing/not appropriate iyswim - depends on the style.

If it was me I would ignore MIL (but you may want to keep the peace).

Original poster
brummiemummie · 20/08/2009 18:33

It's this one btw:

DD's dress for the wedding

OP posts:
CarmenSanDiego · 20/08/2009 18:33

Weird. Never realised strapless dresses were a problem. My 5yo has some dresses with removable straps from Gap that you could wear strapless

Original poster
brummiemummie · 20/08/2009 18:36

I think I'm going to ignore what MIL says and just tell DD to go ahead and wear it. The wedding's not until the end of September so hopefully it will be cold enough for DD to keep her cardigan on all day and MIL won't even notice.

OP posts:
diddl · 20/08/2009 18:37

I think it´s your daughter, it´s up to you.
Not sure about strapless to a wedding though.(For any age)
But that´s just me!

screamingabdab · 20/08/2009 18:39

That's a lovely dress. Wish I had the legs. And the boobs. And was not nearly 40

Original poster
brummiemummie · 20/08/2009 18:39

Carmen - my MIL is a bit of an old-fashioned nutter. Personally I would probably let 10yo DD wear a strapless dress if she wanted.

OP posts:
screamingabdab · 20/08/2009 18:41

Oh, tell your DD to put her shoulders back. I can't abide girls who don't stand up straight, especially in strapless things

Original poster
brummiemummie · 20/08/2009 18:43

Diddl - she will wear a cardigan/shrug type thing in the church and probably take it off at the reception if she gets too hot.

I am not too keen on wedding guests wearing strapless dresses in church either but if they're wearing something over the top it's fine. DNiece was with her when she bought the dress so she obviously doesn't have too many objections!

OP posts:
diddl · 20/08/2009 19:32

I think it´s just me.
I´d be terrified of it falling down.
I prefer to see very tiny straps.

ErikaMaye · 20/08/2009 19:40

That's a lovely dress I'm sure she'll look lovely! Which colour is it?

I wore a strapless gown to my prom (two years ago), as did the majority of the girls. I don't see the problem, really...

Mumcentreplus · 20/08/2009 19:41

good bra and strapless is fine...it's all about length

mamas12 · 20/08/2009 19:50

It's a gorgeous dress, would emphasise though that a good strapless support bra if she has big boods as can look bloody awful otherwise.
Get her the foundations and forget about it she'll be the belle of the ball stspeak

Smithagain · 20/08/2009 19:58

Definitely age-appropriate for a prom. Possibly not for a wedding. Definitely have a cardigan/jacket available for the ceremony and any formal bits of meal. Then she can go for it when the dancing starts!

stleger · 20/08/2009 20:10

My MIL is inclined to tut a lot, which worried me prior to a wedding last year. DD1 wore s strapless dress with a wrap for church. And kept away from granny until after the drinks reception! Brides and bridesmaids are often strapless now, aren't they?

ErikaMaye · 20/08/2009 20:12

(Just on a side note - all six of us bridesmaids were strappless for my uncle's wedding last year, and no one minded )

GrapefruitMoon · 20/08/2009 20:14

I personally hate the strapless look - for brides and bridesmaids. Was a bridesmaid a while back and it took a lot of searching to get something that wasn't strapless. But that's possibly more to do with my age and pale skin - that look doesn't really suit me!

WhereYouLeftIt · 20/08/2009 20:57

Your MIL is very out-of-date - I was wearing strapless aged 16 and that was thirty years ago! Boob-tubes were the height of fashion .

CarmenSanDiego · 20/08/2009 21:55

My grandmother laughed when I just told her this and she's nearly 80 so probably just your MIL rather than a generational thing! Cute dress though - very fun for a teenager

skybright · 20/08/2009 22:00

Lovely dress,MIL out of date.

scottishmummy · 20/08/2009 22:03

pretty dress,hardly an outlandish staement. take a wee pashmina to keep peace dd doesnt have to wear it

enjoy

lotspot · 20/08/2009 22:10

lovely dress =) and nothing wrong with strapless dresses - most of my 17yo's dresses are strapless - hard to get much else lol

although does depend where it sits....armpit height looks much better than nipple height! but then you only seem to see that when there isn't enough there to hold it up lol - and after plenty of booze

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