Can we declare a ban on the term "Mutton Dressed as Lamb"?

[Ujjayi]

In light of recent threads, I'd like to instigate a ban on this term. It implies that women have a "sell by date" and is just very derogatory.

Could not agree more with Remus.
I object to the phrase as - like so many others - it implies that the female form is defined by the gaze of (often younger ) men. For heaven's sake, women of any age can look very good, and this does not in any way shape of form 'flashing' bits of our anatomy. I've known 80 year olds with absolutely beautiful facial bone structure, for example, and younger women who look lovely dressed in very simple non flashy clothing.

I'm on board, I'd never use the phrase anyway.

'If you wore it the first time it was trendy, you can't wear it again.'

Ah that one, let me see, I have never worn:
A ruff
A bustle
A crinoline
A powdered wig
Seamed stockings
Winklepickers
And I think that's about it.

Anyone care to style me?

Floisme...get thyself to Vivienne Westwood

Agree.

"unflattering" is sufficient.

I agree, OP. It's a disgusting phrase.

I'm constantly horrified by the casual ageism on MN, and it's at its worst on S&B.

Who on earth gets to say what women should and shouldn't wear? And why shouldn't we wear whatever we want?

Nobody has a sell by date but as you age you can look ridiculous if you choose the wrong clothes in a bid to look younger and it fails.

Why? Who says? And what on earth does this even mean?

Why shouldn't older women wear whatever they like?

Oh dear, only on Mnet can people really not understand what others are saying.

FWIW nobody has said that you shouldn't wear what you like, in fact you can go round looking like a whore if you so please.
That wasn't the point that several people have made.

BIWI
I'm an older woman and I wear what I like within reason. I like lots of clothes that make me look like mutton dressed as lamb so I leave these to those who look good in them, young or old.

A whore? It gets worse

I am mutton dressed as mutton. I have no issue with the term. Would hens dressed as chicks be more palatable I wonder.

Count me in. Awful expression. I'd love to see the back of it.
I'm 46 and fabulous. I wear tighter-fitting, sexier clothes now than when i was in my twenties and I can carry them off too.

Life's as short as my mini skirts - I'm wearing what I like :)

We all choose clothes that aren't right for us sometimes but there is absolutely no need to have a special phrase for when older women do it.
'That doesn't suit you.' is perfectly adequate.

^FWIW nobody has said that you shouldn't wear what you like, in fact you can go round looking like a whore if you so please^
And what does a whore look like? Women should and can wear exactly what they want at any age, shape or size. Mutton dressed as lamb is a lazy, derogatory term, IMHO it is used arbitrarily by those with no manners. Lets celebrate being liberated women! Let us wear what we like, be it short skirts, skinny leather jeans, sky high heels & my leopard print onesie (at the same time? if i want to!) or be it boden jumpers, sensible shoes & parkas- i wear it all, why not? call me mutton, but please, please NEVER call me boring

The only person I heard use this phrase regularly in RL was my Grandmother. She's dead and I'm in my forties so that should give you an idea of how dated it is. It does come up on these threads far too often.

The clue to the misogyny is that there's no real male equivalent. (Yes, I'm sure we can find a few exceptions, but we don't regularly see threads like "Stop my DH dressing as mutton", "Is this too mutton for my DH?", etc, etc.

I wear what I like - and what I think suits me. Shorts seem to work on my figure better than skirts, so I wear those a lot. High waisted styles of trouser suit me better than low waisted ones. I also like to have fun with what I wear, bright red DMs for example. I don't dress to be "sexy" but I don't want to hide my figure either.

And if I stuck to the rule "if you wore it the first time around you can't wear it again" I'd have very few options!

Anything that knocks a woman's confidence is by definition a bad thing.
Clothes are not superficial. What you wear is an expression of yourself, whoever that is. It is okay to be you and okay to wear what you feel good in, again whether that is platforms and pop socks, or barbours and argyll socks.
One of the graces of getting older is an increased respect for oneself and this is something to be applauded, not denigrated.

At 46 I feel that I am finally understanding my body shape and style, what I feel good in, it has taken me a long time to get here, what with one thing and another, and I would hope that other women are enjoying their forties, fifties, sixties and beyond.

Hurrah for us.

This thread reminds me of this a bit

www.theonion.com/articles/women-now-empowered-by-everything-a-woman-does,1398/

Lol at . "Pretty much any change in weight—up or down—is empowering."

Noelle - I just clicked on your link and got this message!!

The page you were looking for is not here.
Clearly, this is because you have damaged the inter-net.
At great expense, we have placed the broken pieces in an archive so that you can mend the damage you caused.

No way? Hold on

www.theonion.com/articles/women-now-empowered-by-everything-a-woman-does,1398/

Google " the onion women empowered "

Bloody pooters

I found the broadcast but haven't listened to it yet.

I just liked the message!

Do you remember about 10 years ago, when Trinny and Suannah did that What Not to Wear television programme? They criticised Carole Vordemann for dressing inappropriately for her age. (Probably in the DM.) I remember she responded by saying she felt like having a programme called I'll Wear What I Damn Well Please!

I do agree with baskingseals that as you get older, you know what suits you better, and don't need to try out every fashion trend, because you have probably tried them before, and know what did and didn't work for you. But, if you loved it the first time round, and it suited you, why not wear it again 20 years later?

Anyway, mutton is much more flavoursome than lamb. I do miss mutton from my childhood.