Jeans and over 50 women

[Startail]

I'm 45, I live in jeans, long sleeved t shirt and hoodie, in winter when not dressed up.

I can't conceive of suddenly stopping doing on my 50th birthday.

What do the older ones of you or your younger mums wear?

I realise I only see older women (to know their approx age) at church and WI where they are dressed up.

My mum is much older and has never worn jeans, DMIl was ten years older still and only wore trousers when riding.

What do 50-60 yearolds wear on an ordinary Saturday?

[theDudesmummy]

The answer to the actual question in the OP is: this (nearly) 50 year old on an ordinary Saturday (let's say in summer) wears:

Jeans (NYDJ)
Top if staying in: T-shirt or long-sleeve T-shirt (M&S)
Top if going out: blouse (White Stuff or East)
Shoes: black Merrell slip ons

If cool: add long cardigan (various vintagey type ones from eBay) or bright pink raincoat

[50ShadesOfMaybe]

I want to go clubbing with catneuterer and some of the other youthful women here - you all sound amazing! (I'll get my disco pants out!)

[bushbabyblues]

I live in an area with a lot of first and second generation immigrants.

I always wonder why you see the daughters looking like film stars 24/7 and the mothers (many of them surely only fifty or so) looking like the Granny in the Kumars. Often obese, really unflattering hair and clothes, just really letting themselves go.

Is it culturally wrong to want to look good as you get older in some cultures? (Yes, I know this is a generalisation, I know there must be glam Asian/Eastern European/ mums and grans, but not many where I live, which is why I ask the question).

[bushbabyblues]

You notice the same thing in Italy/ Spain/ Greece too.

I hope this isn't going to descend into a bunfight, I'm just intrigued about the cultural implications.

[LadyLapsang]

I'm in my early 50s and am more likely to wear jeans (out of work) than three decades ago. I do find it's worth finding good quality ones that fit and flatter - MiH or Hudson suit me. Don't think I would wear a hoody out although I have borrowed a lovely light grey merino one from my DS at home - well I did buy it for him!

[prettybird]

I'm 52 and am currently growing my hair :) - now just below my shoulders. Only problem with getting older is that it seems to take longer to grow :( so I may end up cutting it again

Still have really thick (but fine) hair with only the odd grey hair which you'd be hard pushed to spot.

[missbopeep]

I am the youngest ( hey!) in my small close- and all the other women wear jeans on a Saturday and most days of the week. They are mid 60s, I am 50s but told I look younger :)
In fact I don't know anyone of any age who doesn't wear jeans some of the time. I have an elderly friend aged around 85 and her 'uniform' was dark wash straight leg jeans, a nice merino or cashmere jumper, pearls and flat black chelsea boots. And she is very slim and terribly middle class!

IME the women who look fuddy duddy at 50 most probably looked the same at 20 and 30. Women who enjoy clothes and have a youthful approach ( which is not the same as mutton) make the best of themselves right up to the day they die. Other women just can't be bothered and never have been.

[Mandy2003]

My friend is 84 and regularly turns up where we volunteer together in jeans, as above. She will not ever wear anything beige, or courtelle knitted!

[thecatneuterer]

50shadesofmaybe you're welcome to come clubbing any time - so get out those disco pants (perhaps I should clarify that these are salsa clubs - not drum and bass or anything - so there is a wider age range. Still they're proper nightclubs that don't close till 3.30am and with lots of snogging in dark corners:) )

missbobeep I think you're right that a lot of the women who look frumpy in their 50s also looked frumpy in their 20s. I remember a girl at school who dressed middle aged at 17.

[polyhymnia]

Don't agree with bushbabys generalisation about Italy. - I wonder how well she knows the place. I go to Milan and Rome quite a lot and certainly see no shortage of stylish and groomed women over 50!

[NUFC69]

I am mid 60s and was just discussing with my DH whether or not I should buy some jeans now I have lost over three and a half stone. The concensus was I would probably be ok when I am a size 14 (16 atm) - so it's been lovely to read all these positive comments about older women in jeans. I am also a member of Gransnet and I think you will find, if you asked this question there, that most of the GMs do, in fact, wear jeans.

[mellicauli]

Round here I don't tend to see young people (ie under 25) wearing jeans but everyone else does.

[Kaekae]

Too old? Not at all. My mother is 53 and wears really trendy jeans and looks great. Helps that she still has a good figure.

[orangeandemons]

I'm a teacher. All my 6th form wear jeans.....

[marriedinwhiteagain]

I'm 53 and today I will wear slate blue linen trousers, a slate grey and white long t-shirt and a White Stuff cardigan. Could easily wear my jeans but want to dirty out the linen trousers. 53 is not old. My mum is 78 btw and the last time I saw her she had on black leather trousers and patent platform peep toe shoes with a cream new romantic silk blouse. Aspires to get trendier the older I get.

[Clayhanger]

49 and still wear jeans a lot but have started wearing them with good shirts and little nipped-in jackets - can even get away with that at work as well as weekends. Shoes/brogues rather than comfy Converse now as they automatically make me feel smarter.

Jeans cuts change a lot though - I can still get into the bootcuts of a decade ago and am saving them for when they're back in fashion ahem. Classic skinnies are best now- I can't carry off the boyfriend look!

[VenusSurprising]

Clay hanger, that's it, a little jacket which nips you in, and smartness it up.
I wear jeans and a jacket to work, with heeled boots, and can mix it up with a shirt or top, and scarves.
I work pt so it's suitable for the other things I do as well.

I think the thing about not looking scruffy as you get older is ecomonic: I find that older people can be written off as they may not have the spending power they had when working.

Becoming economically invisible isn't something working women will tolerate now. But in the past it was quite commonplace, I think?

The women who have never had financial independence seem to fall prey to it, and maybe that's why they seem to let themselves go - whatever that means! (Some might say it's wearing purple)

Maybe that's where the older generations get these (silly) rules from?

Feeling jealous of your daughters is very foolish: of course they are younger, and ergo, in our culture, more attractive.
It's time to find a sense of self worth not determined by 'attractiveness to men'.
Not an easy pill to swallow though if you've always seen and valued yourself as a sexpot.

[donna46]

----my new skirt and cork wedge's,I love the stretch I'm a size 14,

[donna46]

---

[BoGrainger]

I don't remember my own grandparents and parents suddenly wearing different clothes when they hit certain decades
Entering my 60s now and have no intention of changing my Saturday 'look'. Hopefully I'll still be my favourite skinnys, boots, and sloppy vests when they carry me out.

[JaneJeffer]

Did you post on the wrong thread? (2013)

[BoGrainger]

Lol! I wish there was a klaxon emoticon against old threads!

[MoggyP]

ZOMBIE ZOMBIE ZOMBIE thread

And one which has oodles of casual ageism.

(though slightly baffled why someone reanimated a 3 yr old thread about jeans to post pictures of a skirt and shoes)

[Belikethatthen]

I am more than half a century and live in skinny jeans (retired teacher here too.) Today I am wearing black skinny high waisted jeans from next with boots and a baggy blue jumper. If I didn't wear jeans I don't know what I would wear.

That's a good point about Mary
Berry still wearing jeans and why not?

Also agree about how ageist people are and I probably was until I reached 50. My older retired friends are fit and fun and look fabulous.

[Belikethatthen]

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