What qualifies as 'mutton dressed as lamb'?

[SinclairSpectrum]

Just wondering in a light hearted way what everyone thinks?

Who decides? What is appropriate?

Who ever talked about someone deciding? Whether it was appropriate it not?

I said I found it inappropriate. I thought I was allowed to make that decision - yo have an opinion.

So, that's not allowed now?

Once and at psychologist came to talk to the staff wearing a sheer black top with a Wonderbra underneath!

That was just wrong for work.

Ivan. Wake up. Coffee. Smell

Nice.

I once had to take ds1 to Camhs and saw a young therapist in long smart black trousers, killer heels, but a lacy holey top with a push up bra underneath. My eyes nearly popped out. I was impressed with her lovely figure, but thought this was most inappropriate.

But that wasn't mutton. Just inappropriate.

So I am an ageist sexist twit??
Think you should flip the silly knee jerk reaction that this thread has provoked and say why shouldn't women be allowed to grow older with dignity instead of being force fed mass fashion by the money grabbing media / clothing cartels?
I don't want to wear clothes cut and designed for someone 20 years my junior.
As for the hollow cries of sexism, what is the female equivalent of Dad dancing for example?
It was meant to be lighthearted, it is not posted under feminism, but under style.
You need to lighten up a bit.

It was meant to be lighthearted, it is not posted under feminism, but under style.

In that case I completely revise what I've just said. That makes it absolutely fine...

EWM ????

I dont like the comment but i do think people are taking this personally. In truth though, i bet its mostly women that call other women this. I reckon they are more judgemental!! In any case maybe men would like women mutton dressed as lamb ha ha.....

I agree that inappropriateness of dress is not the same issue as the op's 'mutton' issue.

For example a 'professional person' with a thong sticking up over the top of their trousers is not dressing appropriately at any age.

On what planet is it lighthearted to talk about a woman as if she's a joint of meat?

exactly.

There are lots of these rules about what is 'still' acceptable to do once 40+ Not only do we have women ridiculing women here but I work mainly with men and have heard them saying the same re older women and alcohol ,that its inappropriate and unattractive when they are smashed in the same way as people here say certain clothes are 'mutton'.

Oh. I wasn't aware that there was a part of Mumsnet that was dedicated to ageist, sexist posts.

... although, on reflection, Style and Beauty does tend to attract this type of post

We live in a world of professionally offended folk who would do better to look at themselves

what is the female equivalent of dad dancing?

Mum dancing.

HTH

Some teens shouted 'Mutton dressed as lamb!' at me when I was 29 and wearing a long, leopard print coat and black tights and boots (that's all they could see as coat was long and fastened up).

I was a bit upset. But then a friend told me that they probably didn't know what it meant, and the leopard print is often a feature of 'mutton dressed as lamb' when they've heard people say it about others. I know what she means (Bet Lynch)?!

Anyway, I think we should be able to wear what we bloody well want regardless of age. The teacher example earlier, I would say could be viewed as unprofessional but same no matter what the age of a woman. Inappropriate, maybe in some's eyes and inappropriate isn't a feminist issue a lot of the time. If I turned up to a funeral dressed in a bikini, or a man did in a mankini-both inappropriate.

I dress the same in my thirties as I did in my twenties. Sometimes I'm smart, sometimes glam, sometimes I wear hotpants and a vest.

People should be able to wear what they want if It's not affecting others adversely (as with my funeral example).

If you don't want older women to be targeted by money grabbing clothes cartels then surely the logical thing would be to tell those older women to keep wearing the clothes they already own?

Rigidly segmenting female consumers by age and style is what generates purchases and profits. Women aged 25 are told they cannot wear teen clothes so they should trade up to more expensive brands, women aged 30 are told they cannot keep wearing the same clothes they wore in theirs 20s so they should trade in those for a new wardrobe...and so on and so on...

I'm not aware of anyone telling women anything. I am the age when I'd be considered mutton but I seem to shop at the same places that women 20 years younger shop but I try to be aware of my not so good bits and cover them up. I suppose at my age I ought to be going to CC, Alexon and similar but they are too dull and too formal for my lifestyle.

I think what I perceive as Mutton are women who are trying too hard to look trendy but the barriers of what you can wear at what age have really disappeared. 30 years ago you'd not have thought women in their dotage would wear skinny jeans, Superga / Converse plimsolls and a simple T shirt. But with the right figure they can look great.

I know that I'm mutton dressed at lamb when my hipster jeans sit so low my c-section scar is visible.

By "telling" women, I mean marketing and PR (via the media) and society communicating what we ought to wear.

I know exactly what you mean!
I don't see any evidence of it-if you read the mags for 'mature' women such as Good Housekeeping, Woman & Home, you may well see clothes from Top Shop as much as Jaegar on the fashion pages.

I actually think it's the younger people on MN and generally who seem to have the ishoos! So many posts along the lines of 'can I wear this ( something perfectly ordinary btw) now I am 35, 40 etc.'

The barriers have come down. some women have poor taste whatever their age so when they are older it's easy to say mutton when in fact they may have always dressed in unflattering clothes.

As earlier poster says, this is all about (insecure) young women being encouraged to criticise older females.

OP, if you are young, I don't blame you. It's the relentless pressure you are subjected to. Much worse than in our day. But, even so, you don't always have to accept it. Tell the judgy lot where they get off. Losing/never having conventional 'looks' is not the end of the world. Other things - intelligence, wisdom, wit, experience, generosity, compassion, charity - are all vastly more worth while.

Way back, in our youth, some of us looked stunning; others less so, when judged by conventional standards. But, in those days, looks were less important to us, and to what we hoped to achieve. We campaigned on all kinds of other fronts and men still found us attractive - though that was not what we chose to define us. Physical attractiveness is a part of life, but only a part and infinitely variable ... what you find good-looking may not appeal to me.

If we turn the tables, when young, I knew very handsome men who were utter bastards and who even the most glamorous woman stayed well away from. I also knew less good-looking men who were intelligent, fascinating, witty, clever, kind and infinitely more desirable....Why should the same standards not apply to women?