what are you really actually too old for after about the age of 35, even if people say you aren't?

[Peggotty]

Converse?
Superga?
biker jackets?

I'm nearly 37 and would probably wear all of these, but am I really basically too old for them?

[cocolepew]

I'm 44 and live in Converse, my mum has a grey, suede one star pair and she's 70!

I like the slogan tees around at the moment (geek etc) but I think Im to old for them, my 15 year old wears them. I do still wear band tee shirts though.

[GingerKnit]

I wouldn't generalise or set "rules" for other people, because we can all carry off different things. At 43 I personally find that the type of thing that didn't quite suit me in my 20s looks frightful on me now. I've always had quite a serious-looking face, so little-girl flounces and flowers were always misguided, but now I'm getting saggy as well and would look ridiculous.

Agree that, in just fifteen short years, the scruffy look on me has gone from cool and artless to dog rough. I need a proper cut and better quality these days.

[Specialbrew]

40 here, biker jacket and converse are classics I think. All my old hooded tops were binned when I hit 35-ish, although I think they have there place on cold British beaches.

And I don't care what people say about shorts over a certain age, my pins are ok, and in France you see 70 year olds rocking denim shorts and white t-shirts. I hope I still have decent legs when I'm that age, and the confidence to get them out. I think the British are a little uptight about age and appropriate clothing tbh

[mariefrance1]

I am ancient - late 40s (OK, 50 soon) - and wear converse and jeans on occasion. I agree you can't be too scruffy though or you look like you're cleaning the car and you never actually are. It depends on you, your shape, your style, the occasion. I can show my cleavage a bit but haven't bared my legs above the calf for years. You can't wear anything cheapo either e.g. George at Asda and get away with it. I also have long blonde hair but that's more to do with not being able to get to the hairdressers rather than a fashion statement.

[nellyjelly]

I wear Converse and Superga and am nearly 50! Still sometimes wear a hoodie too but steer well clear of slogans on anything.

Agree that cheap clothes look bad in your middle aged.

[cocolepew]

I wear George and look ace, thanks

[mum47]

I am 49 and I still wear Converse. I have just bought a pair of Rocket Dog biker boots which I will wear with skinny jeans or a just above knee length skirt with thick tights.
I think it is more about knowing what your style is, and what suits you and your shape, but then I bought a Per Una cardi in the charity shop today, so what do I know?

[aftermay]

Lowercase - what is dealer style?

[lowercase]

Dealer / Chelsea type.
Ankle boots with 'lastic panels.
I have them in cherry red ( burgundy )

[ArbitraryUsername]

I'm pretty certain disney princess dresses fall into this category.

[ArbitraryUsername]

Although, arguably, you are too old for them by the time you reach 5.

[MerlotAndMe]

shorts!

even if you have tights underneath. put down the shorts old woman

[moogalicious]

Shorts

Wear what you bloody want (I'm aged 42 and were cons, DMs and shorts)

[IamGrover]

Dealer / Chelsea type.
Ankle boots with 'lastic panels.
I have them in cherry red ( burgundy )

So is that more antique dealer than say, crack dealer?

[SilverMoo]

I think it depends on the person, some trendy things that look awful on a 22 year old can look amazing on a 52 year old. I hate to say it but I think it has a lot to do with how good a shape you are in at any age.

I also think people are looking younger for longer, things have changed a lot over the last 20 years or so.

[scarlet76]

I am 37 this year.
I wear a dark burgundy leather biker.
I also wear tweed shorts over opaques.
And Supergas in the summer.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I'm 43. I wear biker jackets and am just about to invest in my first pair of Converse (have had leather Converse-alike things before). I still wear short skirts.

Then again, I still wore my hair in pigtails until I was at least 35!

[Startail]

Nothing wrong with Converse, supergra vans or whatever, if they suit you.

I'd have looked stupid in pastel pink, dittsy flowers and frills at 12, I still do at 45.

I'll still be wearing a hoddy, cords or jeans and some kind of ankle boots or trainers if I live to be 90.

DSIS will still wear black trousers, black cardigan and a bright top.

[freddiefrog]

I had a bit of a mutton moment the other day after overhearing a bitch-up at the school gates, and decided I didn't care.

I think I'd avoid some of the 'looks' - slouchy socks with sandals from a couple of years ago and tights with shorts.

Really short skirts or dresses look shit on my bare corned beef effect legs, but that's not really an age thing, they've always looked shit

[KristinaM]

What Casabevron said

[50ShadesOfMaybe]

Like ujjayi this thread has depressed me. I'm (just) over 40 wear most of this stuff: converse (hi and lo top), DMs (several pairs), biker jackets, shiny leggings (well, skinnies), shorts over tights (all the time), short skirts, patterned tights, etc, etc.

I like the way I dress. Why should the young have all the fun with clothes and the rest of us consign ourselves to dull, baggy-fitting stuff?

Don't have onesie, though!

[MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe]

I was trying to think what I don't wear any more;

Black
Lycra
Big florals
Slogan anything
Short skirts and short shorts
Tight tops

I show less skin and pay much, much more attention to grooming these days.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

I don't see it as depressing at all - god there's still loads of clothes I do wear and that look nice.

But I've always been a pretty classic dresser.

Shorts in the summer is fine though surely? I wore some white j crew ones loads last summer with nice tops but they weren't super short.

[MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe]

Shorts are fine but just not like this. But then that applies at any age

[forgottenpassword]

I vividly remember in my youth seeing women in their forties and fifties wearing sensible shoes and skirts/trousers. Presumably this was at least in part because they thought that was what was expected of them and there was no-one to show them that it was ok to be over 35 and still look hot. Now we have a number of women in their late 30s and older who are still considered sexy and fashionable. Like their style or not, women like Nicole Kidman, kylie, Demi, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Helen Mirren, Gwynnie, Honor Blackman and Madonna (not everyone will agree on Madge I guess but i think she deserves to be listed) have helped to show you can be hot post 35 and to stop us having to change what we wear based on age. I honestly think that if you have the figure/body for it and you like it, you should go for it whatever your age. Better mutton dressed as lamb than mutton dressed as mutton I say!