Mumsy

[noddyholder]

What do you consdier mumsy and would never ever wear even if in fashion?I'll start Waterfall cardigans NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!

You know seriously unless you do all your clothes shopping from the back of the magazines that come with the sunday papers and you have a moderate interest in fashion - then I doubt you look mumsy.

I don't buy into anyone thing being mumsy - its how you wear it.

And there is nothing wrong with black boots at all - I wear them a lot with indigo jeans etc.

Long layered hair with three-tone highlights. Bootcut trousers. Gilets. Anything Puffa.

So what should a 28yr old mum of 2 under 3 who is a size 22/24 with generous norks wear to avoid looking mumsy or fat?

I tend to go for bootcut jeans and thin jumpers that come to just past bum level with either black boots black canvas ballet pumps or I have recently discovered my black with white stars converse. I have short (ie 5cm with longer sweeping fringe) hair which will hopefully shortly be purple when I get off MN and go dye it.

Due to my size I just feel like I look fat and frumpy so wondered what your wise advise may be.

Oh dear, I have laughed and I have cried. Found myself thinking about this thread alot overnight - am I alone in being a bit depressed now? I know this was set up in fun, but it just shows that one woman's cutting edge gilet is another one's bodywarmer.

It's made me think I need to make a bit more of an effort on school days though, so thanks

By the way, can I add 15 denier tights to the mix?

I have a two-tone blue anorak too. I never thought it was mumsy. Geeky, anorak-y and not at all stylish I realised, but mumsy? I had hoped it was slightly retro. It does keep me dry, although I am stalking the waterproof coats thread to replace it one day (I need something waterproof but not warm).

A lot of the rest of my wardrobe definitely has mumsy potential. When do I have to stop wearing cute Etsy costume jewellery and beads? I'm 35.

Me too, since I came upon this thread yesterday it has consumed too much of my thoughts. Indeed, a body warmer is mumsy while a gilet is considered yummy mummy (is that the opposite of mumsy btw?).

Oh yes, and I also wear a navy padded bodywarmer. That's definitely acceptable though, because it's about 15 years old and it's dh's, and a bit too big for me - I just borrow it sometimes.

magiclucille - re denim jackets, don't think they are necessarily mumsy at all - depends on what they're like and how put together.

Also just wanted to say, as one of the older women who enjoys S and B, that not all 'really quite old people' look mumsy, IMO!! Depends again.

Mother was brandishing a Hotter catalogue at me when we visited on Wednesday. it was 50% off. I changed the subject. Some quite OK sort of shoes but with an added ... something that make them way beyond the pale. She also tried to tempt me wih Damart I think I can resist.

You are absolutely right - have seen Hotter in RL and even the styles that look as if they might be OK in catalogue are irredeemably awful in the 'flesh'.

Hmmmm re: Bodywarmers, seeing as I brought it up.

Can someone explain to me the difference between a body warmer and a gilet? I ask as maybe I am mistaken here in thinking of what they are. My MIL ALWAYS wears a rugby shirt (collar up) with a padded bodywarmer over it. She calls this item a gilet. Therefore I always think of them as being mumsy, I have one for camping which is really warm, which I occasionally wear out in the cold, but I always feel really frumpy in it. (my style is pretty and feminine and vintage though, so it feels very 'un-me' to wear it)

polyhymnia sorry, realised after I wrote that that the 'really quite old' thing came out not quite how I meant it - have many older friends who are totally cool (and much better dressed than me) the phenomenon I was speaking of was of people who otherwise looked not just mumsy but gransy (orthopaedic shoes, elasticated waists, hair in grey perm etc) - and yet were wearing denim jacket...

Anyway, fun though this is, agree we should not take too seriously - is possible to break all rules and still look fantabulous (just not for me )

Thanks - know what you mean and agree with what you say - though would struggle to look fantabulous in Hotter shoes, I think! (But perhaps even that could be done with enough thought and irony).

I'm sure there are some who could pull it off

Agree with the general thought that mumsiness is a state of mind more than just being about specific items (apart from 15 denier pop socks which have no excuse for their existence in the modern day world).

There is a mum I sometimes see at toddler group who is tall, slim, always neatly dressed, hair done, make up carefully done etc. Yet she always looks mumsy to me because her look is a bit too careful - the make up is too neat and looks rather dated, when she would benefit from a lighter, fresher approach because she's pretty and young-looking.

Bootcut light blue jeans with black block heeled ankle boots.

Radley bags.
Anything per una or with embroidery a la per una.

Don't get the waterfall cardie thing though. I've seen Some very stylish looking women wearing them.

wwyd I have these and I think they could look mumsy if worn with the wrong thing. I've worn them with black ankle length peg trousers and a silk blouse for work and with skinnies and a breton tee out and about. Very comfy and much cheaper on eBay

I agree with yangy about the ones you linked to working with a 40s look. I'm afraid I'm not sure about them with skinnies.

I've never heard of Hotter! I'm guessing that's a good thing.....

Also, if you think your shoes might be mumsy, roll up skinny jeans and try 'em together. Well, it works for me anyway!

Hotter certainly doesn't sound like a frumpy catalogue

I'm imagining something entirely different

but omg they are

these are BESTSELLERS people

I feel MUCH better now

Ew! Clearly ignorance is bliss where Hotter is concerned.

They're what I'd call "brown rice and lentils" shoes, almost beyond mumsy. Clarks stray dangerously into this territory too.