Anyone want to come and mourn the reality vs expectation of new purchases with me?

[Swimminguphill]

I bought this beautiful jacket online. In my mind I'd look like Blondie in the 80s, very rock and roll and all round awesome. In reality I look like a giant angry teddy bear/yeti. I have broad shoulders and a bust although slim in general, and it doesn't do me any favours. I wanted it for ages and it's now sold out, and so the joy of getting it in my size just in time is sadly wasted. It is a beautiful jacket - just not on me! Anybody else want to come and mourn reality vs fantasy with me?

[glasgow357]

[PuppyMonkeyBaby]

Trying on a long jacket thinking I looked the bees knees and my Dad remarking that I looked like Groucho Marx.
My mum, the hairdresser, insisting on giving 10 year old me a perm. Sadly this was the outcome.

[Tessateacup]

Many years ago, I saw a beautiful pair of stilettos from a nice shop. They were a classic line and always available so i saved for over 6 months and then saw them reduced in a seasonal sale!! Yes! I got them home and they were stunning! We went out for a meal that night. I teamed them with my black dress - they were perfect. As i walked to the bus stop, i had to keep stopping because they were slipping off 😳😡😢 I never wore them again.

[Sweetpea1532]

Wanted to look on trend for my school photo...
EXPECTATION...lovely flowing gentle curls like Carly Simon...
REALITY.... looked like Nellie's twin from Little HouseOnThePrairie

[Sweetpea1532]

Oops, that should have read Carole King..not Carly Simon!

[BTMadmummy]

@OohOohMrPeevly

I know this is an old thread but just wanted to add my own experience.

In the 80s I decided to jump on the bandwagon and get a perm. I have very dark hair and had envisioned long loose glossy waves. Unfortunately the perm was so tight that it shortened my hair dramatically and when I walked into my boyfriend's mum's house afterwards his brother-in-law shouted "bloody hell it's Colonel Gaddafi"

Colonel Gaddafi - priceless

[WhereDoesThisToiletGo]

This thread should be revived yearly!

I bought a bright pink Under Armour winter jacket for golf, then spotted a woolly beanie hat the same colour.
I arrived at the first tee wearing both, and my mate said 'why are you dressed as a penis? "

[RhiannonOHara]

@WhereDoesThisToiletGo

This thread should be revived yearly!

I bought a bright pink Under Armour winter jacket for golf, then spotted a woolly beanie hat the same colour.
I arrived at the first tee wearing both, and my mate said 'why are you dressed as a penis? "

It should be revived WEEKLY!
My contribution: well, I don't know if this counts because it's patently obvious to anyone exercising common sense not me then, but I got overexcited about cords this winter and bought an armful, inc some barrel-leg ones and some in reddish-brown.
In my head, Toast model off for a picturesque walk in lovely fields, rugged cords making a beautiful contrast with delicate ladylikeness.
In reality (of course), Monty Don off to dig over his compost heap.

[13Bastards]

I bought some 'leather look' leggings to wear with some chunky boots and a billowing shirt for a girls lunch day out.

I imagined I would look like a rock chick, just casually hanging around Camden waiting for her Uber cool boyfriend whose in a band.

Reality- I looked like an extra from the 90's drama band of gold.

[GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick]

I got a beautiful aran knit bobble hat. In my head it was perfect winter wonderland chic.
Reality; Pootle from The Flumps

[Vitriolinsanity]

I bought these boots.

Head: marvellous mono look for drinks etc

Reality: trainee astronaut



[Vitriolinsanity]



[Vitriolinsanity]

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-anyday-purcell-leather-chelsea-boots/white/p5621754]]

Boots

[Gingernaut]

A long, vertically striped, blue and white, v necked tunic top from Sainsbury's

Came up a bit long, but I am pretty short

Loose, smart casual, I thought.

Nope.

I looked like I was ready for bed

[fishonabicycle]

Classic belted trench coat/mac - thought I would look very french and chic - reality was inspector gadget.

[BTMadmummy]

@Vitriolinsanity

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-anyday-purcell-leather-chelsea-boots/white/p5621754]]

Boots

I love these

[Zenith123]

A beautiful (so I thought) black butter leather trench coat from jigsaw. I thought I looked so chic and sophisticated. But I looked like a Nazi officer......

[KillingMeDeftly]

@Zenith123 I tried on a similar coat recently but fortunately didn't buy it because I saw Herr Flick of ze Gestapo reflected back at me in the changing room mirror.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

@KillingMeDeftly

@Zenith123 I tried on a similar coat recently but fortunately didn't buy it because I saw Herr Flick of ze Gestapo reflected back at me in the changing room mirror.

OMG, I'm choking!

I posted on here originally, time has moved on and has not been good to me.

Decent leggings, hoody, hair done etc.
Expectation- just come from the gym, looking good for my age, keeping fit.
Reality-middle aged mess,can't be bothered with proper clothes.
I mean it's true, but still...

[HinnyInAPinny]

Back in the eighties when perms were all the rage, I went to the hairdresser's and had the then fashionable perm, where just the top of your hair was Permed and the rest cut round your ears and into the nape of the neck.
I went home feeling really cool and glam.
My mum walked in a few minutes later, looked confused and asked me why I had my nans poodle on my head.

Another eighties disaster. I bought a slinky gold lamé dress with the expectation of looking all sexy and glamorous.
Reality...I looked like I was ready to go in the oven on gas mark four.

I once bought a red velvet puffa jacket from new look. I thought I looked fab.
Reality.....My husband told me I looked like one of those tomato shaped ketchup bottles from a 1960s greasy spoon.

[Gingernaut]

I am obese and have disproportionately short limbs, cropped jeans almost fit me to the ankle

But

Almost fitting me to the ankle and my obesity makes me look like I'm wearing something I've outgrown, like a tubby Hulk and my cankles are on display

[Gingernaut]

There are so many cropped and ankle grazer trousers and I just look like I've taken my trousers up too high

[QueenThisTime]

It's amazing what cropped trousers can do to how you look. I fancied some linen ones that were wide leg and 3/4 length - they looked cool on the model. Put them on and I literally looked twice as wide as before. I'm pear-shaped, and they somehow made me look all massive bum and thigh.

Yet I've now found that tapered, slim cropped jeans and trousers have the opposite effect and are flattering. It's very odd.

[BTMadmummy]

I feel your pain about the permed hair. I had this lovely hair style when I did bridesmaid for my cousin 😆

[longtompot]

When searching for bridesmaid dresses for my friends wedding, we found a gorgeous one in Selfridges. I tried mine on and looking back at me in the mirror was Dawn French as her child ballet dancer character! We didn't buy those dresses.