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

[DollyMixtureLulus]

@LaMarschallin i cant stop laughing. I'm crying. Dh is going to shout at me soon.

@Rainbowandscarlett

I once bought a beautiful pink dress with pale cream spots

My partner told me I looked like mr blobbys nana

😂

laughed so loud at this nearly woke LO

Thanks for making me laugh ! I wore white coats - as a junior doc in the dark ages - I am never going there again. Same with school uniform colour!

There used to be a lovely lady attend the clinic where I worked, she was a bit ‘Margo Leadbetter’ but she was very nice. She was a head teacher, always beautifully dressed and made up. She came in one very wet day wearing a white PVC raincoat.....the new receptionist said ‘I don’t fancy your job today! It must freezing standing outside in this rain’ she thought she was a lollipop lady.......

@Proudpeacock

There is a marvellous thread in Classics on this very subject. Search for Suzi Quatro's fat nan.

that was the first thing I thought of, when I saw this thread

@Rainbowandscarlett

I once bought a beautiful pink dress with pale cream spots

My partner told me I looked like mr blobbys nana

I'm dying here.

have read the full thread now and gave to say as someone approaching middle age (cough), this thread is fantastic. I am 64 going on 40 and life us too bloody short to worry about ageism.

Oh this makes me hoot. I watched the remake of the Thomas Crowne Affairr with a friend of mine ( both in our 6th decade ) and we were very envious of Rene Russo's white coat - but we both decided we would not be able to not get the lovely lipstick she was wearing all over it. I don't think that's ageist - I would not have been able to keep that coat pristine at 18 or 24

I'm embarrassed to admit to this, because actually most of your fashion faux pas sound edgy, expensive and cool - and mine is far from that. I blame the strain of this year and the lack of places to shop, but just before Christmas I bought some red woolly leggings with white spots (like falling snow) on them. In Lidl. (Essential shops only open). I vaguely thought I had a red sweater at home. They would be cosy, comfy, Christmassy cheery.

And I would look like the advert model eating Lindor chocolate in a Swiss log cabin.

My sweater finished at the waist! And the leggings were so thin (and stretched) you could see my massive pants through them. I looked like a solidly built toddler who'd been dressed by their father. A father who'd forgotten their bottom half and just shoved a pair of tights on them.
My adult DD pissed herself and kept saying but I don't understand why you didn't know they would look shit?

She doesn't understand that in my head I'm genuinely surprised by my mirror...

@Nicolastuffedone

There used to be a lovely lady attend the clinic where I worked, she was a bit ‘Margo Leadbetter’ but she was very nice. She was a head teacher, always beautifully dressed and made up. She came in one very wet day wearing a white PVC raincoat.....the new receptionist said ‘I don’t fancy your job today! It must freezing standing outside in this rain’ she thought she was a lollipop lady.......

I used to be a bit Margot. . Not anymore. My dd, who is 12 offered to give me some fashion tips - um no thanks. Anyway, not to be defeated, I bought a black nike yoga all in one in the sale. Showed it to dd, who actually likes it because it’s her style.... In reality I look like a Weeble going to a funeral.

Solidly built toddler who'd been dressed by their father

Haha perfect description!

Oh these do make me laugh - I remember once going out & I thought I looked quite smart - black capri trousers - ballet pumps and over the top a woollen coat with a belt ( tied at the waist) & a large handbag - I thought I looked rather Audrey Hepburn - when I see the photographs - well - I just look like I am from the Salvation Army & all I have forgotten is my hat

"but I don't understand why you didn't know they would look shit?"

So many other posts which are funny but as an example NovemberR - my son just always says " you look lovely Mum " at which point I think - OK I am covered and respectably dressed to go out in public - I wish he would tell me like it is @NovemberR

Crying at these. Mine is that I once went into the toilets in a supermarket and realised that I had dressed to match them.

My suit was exactly the same colour as the sides of the cubicles and my top was the same colour as the doors.

@BarbaraofSeville That is funny - at least when you came out someone didn't ask you where the extra soap / towels were stored . & then went to customer services "because the woman in the loo uniform was unable to help me" I am sure you looked lovely until the whole supermarket loo / chameleon thing happened upon you unexpectedly

This is great. I too have a white linen coat which gets lots of lab coat comments so I only wear it when I feel ready for those! A much bigger fail was a jumpsuit from coast, bright colours and polka dots. Wide legs. Some frill. It looks like an actual clown costume. On Red Nose Day I might wear a nose, a Ronald McDonald wig and dhs shoes and take it out for a stroll.

Oh and the topshop faux sheepskin coat I bought when pregnant as it was on the baggy side and mine didn’t fit. The problem is when zipped over a bump, it looks like an actual sheep costume. Handy if you’re a prop in the nativity play.
I still wear it though

Uh oh I have a lot of clothes in this bucket now I start to think about it. My mime trousers, my witch skirt, my store mannequin shoes...

@basiliskstare salvation army 🤦‍♀️🤣🤣🤣🤣

This thread is hilarious. Thank you. From a middle aged woman.

@Purplethrow

A fishmonger ! Ha that’s hilarious.

Ah it’s so sad how we have an idea of how we look v reality

I once bought a white embroidery anglais dress for wearing on holiday thinkings I’d look effortlessly cool

Seeming photos of me wearing it inthe bar , I looked like a miss havisham who thought ‘fuck this ‘ and went out on a bender

Well I think I have got to an age when I can laugh at myself. & I do not care.

I did , once more buy a gilet which was faux suede in brown and black. Jolly cosy . Bit of faux fur round the collar. I thought it was nice and as I say cosy. After seeing an episode of Game of Thrones , I could not resist putting my hair in a pony tail & getting a toy sword from DS's bedroom and doing this - because I did not look as elegant as I thought I did - but this made me laugh & Ds said you do look a bit Jon Snow - I thought I looked elegant - clearly not - so I amused him by pretending this Ha ha

@Cooltalkin - that very much made me laugh - & by the way I am sure you looked lovely - but that very much made me laugh

This happens to me with chunky knits. I see the slender model with the swishy hair and the teeth and glowy skin and I think she looks like that BECAUSE she's wearing that olive green turtleneck chunky jumper. I buy it every flipping time. And every time I have to relearn the fact that chunky knits are not for the likes of me. I do not ever look swishy or glowy in olive green chunky knit turtlenecks.

I look like a chunky turtle.