When do you consider yourself too old to wear something- and why?

[ameliagrey]

Hardly a day goes by on this forum without someone asking "Am I too old to wear X,Y.Z."

Usually these posts make me laugh because the poster is a child- compared to me

But it does worry me that so many MNs seem to think that 30 -FFS -is too "old" for some things. These days that's barely out of uni age.

I'm 56 and still wear all the things that younger women wear but with care- skinnies, ( but not painted on), Converse,leggings and tunics, jeans into boots etc etc. I do take care not to show the bits that aren't too good- like my upper arms which are a bit flabby- but overall all my friends are very fashionable in a "toned down" way that suits our age and we all take care of our weight etc and are a size 10-12.

Conversely ( get the pun?) I see much younger women sometimes wearing things they shouldn't which simply accentuate the bad bits of their bodies usually leggings when they have very fat legs, huge muffin tops, and so on.

I just wonder if YOU have a cut off age when you think you are too old for something- and why?

Melted your comparison falls down because everyone looks awful wearing baseball caps, 40 or 20. It's not an age thing.

Converse are perfectly nice, on a 20 yr old or a 40 yr old.

Baseball caps are awful, on a 20 yr old or a 40 yr old.

This thread is in danger of going down the snidey, nasty route.

Lthewife is right when she says that women try to re-discover their identities every so often when their life changes direction, and they take some time to adapt their wardrobe to suit. Probably a lot of "am I too old for this" questions are actually "is this appropriate for me at this stage in my life".

But comments like "Converse is not for over-30s" or "Mums in their 30s in Hollister look ridiculous".....sorry, but these are your opinions. Maybe you feel that Converse is not right for you but to extrapolate that to the entire female population is patently ludicrous.

I laugh in the face of anyone who thinks they know what every age group should wear. I shop in Topshop, Hollister, and also Chloe and MaxMara. Every day is different and I have clothes that range from mucking-out-in-the-garden to posh-tea-party occasions. And I have 4 pairs of Converse, and I really don't care who thinks it is inappropriate for my advanced years

Lmfao at 'too old to wear converse' how can you be too old for footwear?

I think when you get to yoyr thirties you have to re think items like playsuits, hotpants, cropped tops, most leather clothing items because you just look a bit silly and that youre trying too hard to be down wirh the kids.

I think makes of clothing are fair game for anyone of any age, i like Hollister, Superdry, Zara, Topshop, Quiksilver etc etc. i have converse and so does my 66 yr old mum to wear with her jeans .

as long as you look classic and feel great who cares, but no one wants to see a 40 year old woman in a cropped top and hotpants.

Nan - I accept it's my opinion. Maybe it works on some 40 year old women but (IMO) I have never seen that.

mosschops if you have that opinion on one type of clothing its not hard to have the same opinion on one type of footwear.

I always think it looks like "your're trying to hard to be down with the kids" Your opinion is no different to mine, it's just applied to another item that you wear.

Melted would you have the same objection to any kind of plimsol - such as those sold by M&S or Clarks? Converse, IMO, are a flat, lace up, canvas shoe, to be worn with jeans etc in warm weather. They are not high fashion unless you are trying to make them a statement by wearing them in red or another lurid colour, or ones with writing onthem.

My DD is almost 24 and she would honestly tell me if they looked mutton as lamb.

I don't wear Converse - not because of my age, or because I don't like them - but because on me they just don't look right. I do wear plimsoll-type shoes in spring/summer occasionally, but they have to be in a slightly more feminine style.
I just don't suit anything chunky or masculine - but that's me, and I was the same at 28 as I am now at 48. I often see people of all ages looking good in them, though - as long as they're wearing them in the right place.

I think Lthewife has got it spot on.

I didn't follow fashinon in my teens and 20s; I was very alternative.

Starting a career meant that I developed my own sense of work-place style that has evolved to suit my figure. Going out clothes followed fashion.

But then I turned 30.

And had kids.

So workwise (when I go back after dd), I shall still be ok.

It's going out and any other occasion that proves difficult - wanting to be fashionable, grown-up and have everything baby-sick proof and cheap.

And yes, I do have to ask people whether I'm too old to wear mini-skirts (even though I've got great legs).

I consider myself too old to wear something when I look at myself in the mirror in said item and think "FFS, you look ridiculous".

but then I think Birkenstocks & Uggs are the most disgusting footwear ever to grace the human foot & yet they seem ageless!!!!

But Abs, that is just personal taste, surely?

I am 38, with a big child who takes up less of my time now, and am swinging back towards the alternative style I had before. My take on it is that life is too bloody short to be too old for stuff, if you like it.

Having said that, I try not to wear club/gig outfits in front of DD, mainly because the face pulling makes me cross.

Well, not just too old, but also stuff that just doesn't suit. There's some clothes I LOVE, like a new skirt I have, just love, but there's no way I could wear it in public. So it's for slobbing around at home in

and of course it's just my personal opinion, I'm looking at me and thinking that I look ridiculous.

Hey, I mean, everyone's all "no double plaits after 23" or something, and the other day Helen Mirren wore Heidi type plaits and looks fabulous, and she's in her 60s.

I tried to palm off an old pair of my Converse on to DSS (13), who turned them down because 'they're for mums'.

Not sure where that leaves melted's point of view: the kids don't want Converse after all .

I think there's also perhaps an element of remembering (what seems just a few years previously) being a somewhat judgemental youthful young thing, looking at the "older" women who were wearing the same trends and doing the same things you thought belonged to your own generation and thinking they were obviously trying to recapture their own youth! I certainly remember being in my very early 20's, going to clubs etc with friends and all commenting that the women in their 30's should probably be at home with their kids tucked up in bed rather than pretending they're still 21.

Then you reach your 30's and realise its not actually old, you recognise the need for a degree of practicality but you don't want to look like you're trying too hard, you start to ask "is this appropriate?". I think it's easy to get a little lost between that judgmental youth phase and the I'll wear what the hell I like so long as it suits me and I like it mentality that comes from a more mature sense of confidence.

maybe it IS an age thing then!

i recall my 30s being a fashion wilderness- not working much, as I had 2 DCs in my 30s- and losing the plot a bit. However, many of the shops we have nowadays didnot exist and I relied on Next or M&S and there was Racing Green which was a bit like Boden.

I do feel much more confident now about what suits me and find I am dressing in a more youthful way than I did in my 30s and early 40s. There is a lot more choice- as above- and it's so much easier to put together something that takes bits from lots of stores .

I don't wear playsuits either, but mainly because they are never long enough in the body [camel toe emoticon].

I am 31 and struggling sartorially. It's a combination of having a new baby, breastfeeding, body changing shape and having less disposable income - rather than being older.

I'm with you QueenKong. Second time round and I'm living in hope that my body comes back. Have optimistically bought size12 superskinnies and can jusr about wear them with a long, floaty top. THe aim is to get to wear thm without the floatiness.

But those stubborn love handles are the 4th stage of labour: contractions, pushing, placenta, big wodges just about hip bone.

I think its all very subjective - I mean mosschops mentioned leather stuff - I have a beautiful leather skirt that is most definitely not mutton.

But for me - although I still have my denim minis that I'll happily wear on holiday or in the garden - I wouldn't wander round town in them with bare legs as would feel too young for me at nearly 40.

But I wear brightly coloured skinny jeans and still shop in tosho etc. I also wear halter neck tops but with a strapless bra unlike when I was younger.

I rarely see anyone who I think looks mutton to be honest - its one of those things we worry about too much.

Your too old to wear it when you know it looks silly.
My recent trip round the shops post baby left me astonished.....some awful 80's trends.
Yes i would wear them if i was 19 but now i know better. I also went to an 18 birthday party full of young, slim, pretty girls in lovely dresses and bondage horrid shoes.....why oh why?

Young girls dress to impress each other women dress to flatter themselves. You get smarter in what suits you.

Well I think a pair of converse with some wide leg trs or boyfriend jeans and a nice fitted t shirt/cardi combo is a spring/summer staple and can look quite smart with a little blazer and i'm*45*ahem 35.

I loath play suits on anyone, just silly and impossible to go to the loo in.

It's all about how you wear clothes surely.a mini leather skirt is going to look hideous on me but I would wear my lovely a line knee length one with a cashmere fitted jumper.

Knowing your shape is the most imp thing.i see so many young women (a hen night this weekend god help us!!!!)who just wear what is in fashion regardless of whether it suits them or not.

MN is a bit hung up on age I feel.have heard a lot of people say they are old and they are in their 30s...makes me sad. You haven't completely lost it after 40. I certainly haven't and won't.

I think you're right about the prevailing MN age hang up.
I recall comments on S&B threads of the 'that style is more for older ladies in their forties' ilk. < Shakes fist >
We need to fight it at every opportunity!

I think the same way as you ameliagrey but I don't wear Converse or caps. People comment on my clothes. I wear certain styles because I can but not too keen on mini skirts although I don't wear anything long and frumpy either. It's how you wear it and accessorise it. I buy some expensive clothes but also will buy cheaper clothes and wear them together. By the way I am a few years older than you. I check with my 25 year old DD before I go out and know she will tell me the truth.

I don't do fads, I buy clothes that I know I will be able to wear next year. I've a jack wills hoody, in plain red, it's 3 years old, and I don't think I am too old to wear it, but I do wear it with plain joggers for cleaning, or jodphurs for riding days. I wouldn't wear it for best, infact I doubt i would wear it on the school run! Lol!

There is a 9 year old in my daughters class who has the same Barbour coat as me, but it hasn't out me off wearing it, nor does the fact my 9 year old has uggs put me off wearing mine.

I think it is more knowing what looks ridiculous at any age and learning to avoid it!

From a male perspective I wear skinny jeans despite being over 40 of a certain age because I'm slim enough to get away with it or so I tell myself. I would never wear them in the youth style with them hanging off my bum because that looks bloody stupid on anyone.

Not exactly sure what the female equivalent of this is. Converse, shorts and playsuits seem to get fingered in these threads, but they can look good on women of all ages IMHO.

I no longer wear my Kookai mini dress that don't even cover your bum when you sit down....

just don't have the legs (and confidence, and don't care attitude) anymore at 40!!

So at 40, tiny dresses are out. For me. Don't care what anyone else does, it is personal isn't it?