I bought a white coat in the sales to look like Olivia Pope, but I actually resemble a middle aged taekwando instructor

[DollyMixtureLulus]

I remember going shopping for an outfit for my first job in an office. I bought a matching top and trousers in an greeny color thinking that I look smart and professional. I looked like Mao Tse-tung in a blonde wig.

I've come to accept that with a short and stocky build, many clothes have the gift for making me look like I've just freshly stepped off the jobs they were (in some cases vaguely) derived from.

I don't know why my school careers advisor didn't notice this and suggest I became a plumber, lumberjack or mechanic.

My baby has a yellow sleep suit with light pink spots , I love it but after reading this I’ve looked with a more critical eye and she looks like mr blobby

@500BusStops I feel your pain. I went to see the musical Wicked wearing a green coat the same colour as the witch’s face. This was quite unintentional as I had never seen it. An actual super fan in full fancy dress with green face paint tapped me on the arm in the interval to say she loved the coat and ask where it was from 😳

I bought an amazing leather aviator jacket recently.

My husband took one look at me and asked me where the Audi Quattro was. Apparently it makes me look like Gene Hunt

Henry VIII in a wedding dress! Inspector Gadget! Toddler dressed by their Dad! this is such a funny thread!

For the benefit of the uninitiated, this is what the OP thought she’d look like. www.thecut.com/2018/04/olivia-pope-best-white-outfits-hats-dresses-coats.html

And this another link to the Suzi Quatro’s Fat Nan thread in case you missed it.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/3106919-Anyone-want-to-come-and-mourn-the-reality-vs-expectation-of-new-purchases-with-me

With all the nastiness and Covid obsession this thread has been a joy and reminded me of the "expectation versus reality" thread - my all time favourite (Suzi Quatro's fat nan, bloody hell it's Colonel Gadaffi! etc)

There are some very funny ones but a solidly built toddler who's been dressed by their father genuinely made me laugh out loud.

I bought a black, velvet, long bodycon dress to wear to a work party.

I'd hoped to look like a slinky, glam Mortician Adams femme fatale.

Instead, I looked like a pudgy gothic caterpillar or an upholstered sausage.

I once bought, what I thought was, a lovely pale blue wrap blouse. I showed my mother who said I looked like a dentist...

A few years ago, when leather waistcoats briefly came back into fashion, I bought one and teamed it with blue jeans and a bell-sleeved white blouse with a pussy bow collar.

Got to the pub and my friends spent the night lining-up Meatloaf songs on the jukebox

As a tween a million years ago I had spinal surgery this involved wearing a plaster cast vest for 9 months which obviously couldn't be taken off. I had instant shoulder pads which was OK in the 80s. All this was fine until some bright spark bought me a white fake fur coat from Tammy Girl. I looked like the Honey Monster and Foxes polar bear had a love child.

These are hilarious
In the summer I wore a white linen shirt with wide leg, cropped black linen trousers. I thought I look cool and sophisticated.
DH thought I looked like I was off to work in a paddy field.

Your title made me laugh so loudly. Kudos OP

Genuinely crying at hissing did and solidly built todler . Thanks for brightening up my day OP.

C

I once went to a family do wearing a gorgeous new floaty black top, skinnies and leopard print accessories. My hair had been done and I felt fab.

I thought I looked like Carla Conner from Coronation street.

Looking back at photos I looked more like Kat Slater.

I have a beautiful blue silk sailor dress that I love. My dad hums the bloody Sailor's Hornpipe every time he sees me in it.

I have some lovely velvet joggers that I live in at the moment. The plan was to look all cool, relaxed and insouciant. The reality is, every time my ‘d’bf sees them he asks where my 40 thieves are.....

I've stopped cutting my own fringe after dh told me I looked like hamble from playschool....

O I loved Hamble!

thanks for the explanation up thread. Unsurprisingly the coat looks pretty daft on the actress - sleeves too long, belt in a kindergarten knot, lapels you could hang glide with and obviously completely impractical. So I wouldn't worry too much.

An actual super fan in full fancy dress with green face paint tapped me on the arm in the interval to say she loved the coat and ask where it was from

This post makes me LOL! Thanks for cheering me up!

When I was a young teen sportswear was all the rage, I finally got a long coveted umbro coat and was too embarrassed to admit that my dad was right in his observation that I looked like a football manager at the side of the pitch during a game 🙈.

I also rocked burgundy mid heel knee high boots with black jeans tucked in and a stripy top to work once, my colleague pointed out I was dressed as a pirate 😳

I bought a faux fur teddy coat last winter as someone at work had one and it looked great. My husband said I looked like the bear from Bo selecta! It was returned immediately.