"AmI too old to wear...?" No. You are not.

[Trills]

You are never "too old" to wear anything.

There are many things that you might not look good in, or might not feel comfortable in*, but your age is not the reason.

This also applies to hairstyles and makeup.

(*not feeling comfortable in something is a quick way to not look good in it, because your body language will show that you're not happy with it)

This is not a TAAT, this is a TA Many Ts.

Totally agree Trills. I've said this on so many threads.

Niminy is bang on about death. I think about it far more than I used to and personally I would far rather lie on my death bed and think, 'I'm so glad I wore that (insert ridiculous outfit of your choice) even if I did look a twat' than 'Thank goodness I never wore that .... I'd have looked such a twat.'

Plus despite all this faux concern, no-one, just no-one is actually looking at us. So we may as well have some fun.

The trick at any age is to play up your assets and play down your faults.
For example, I hate to see older women in strappy sundresses or vests (unless on holiday where it's really hot perhaps) when they have flabby upper arms, back fat, wrinkly cleavages etc. But then I'd hate to see all that flesh on a 30 yr old. It just happens that it's more likely when you age. And I am old.

I couldn't agree with you more OP, just one look at Jennifer Lopez is all that is needed to show you age does not stop a person wearing anything.
I think as people grow older then they may stop wearing things because certain clothing no longer suits their body type or because their clothing has changed, but if it's ever because 'they are too old' then I believe that's only because society tells us that people over a certain age are too old to wear something so then we all think this way.

If I see a woman over 40 in a mini skirt for example, then I'm impressed that she's not giving a shit what others think and that she has the body confidence to pull it off, I never think she's too old.

Also I notice it's very rare a man is deemed 'too old' for certain clothing

I agree, wear what makes you happy and suits your shape. I'd rather see a beautiful 50 year old in a strappy sun dress than a 20 year old who obviously hadn't got the frame for it. I wear more adventurous clothes at 38 than I did at 18 or even 28. I adore colour, lace, frills and patterns. A strappy sundress wouldn't be my finish moment so these days I'll wear a nice little contrasting cardy or blazer. My arms aren't bad but all this talk of bingo wings makes you paranoid!

Whilst I agree Trills I often wonder how many people look in a mirror before leaving the house (as per muckypup73 ).

I'm early fifties. Just ordered another pair of Irregular Choice shoes They make me smile a lot

Trills, an untested jet pack is not a good look on anyone, frankly. But somehow, a 29 year old can get away with it, whereas a 30 year old can't.

It's one of Nature's Laws.

Totally agree with Niminy.

Yes I think there are things that don't look well but so what. If someone likes it so bloody what.

Wtf does it matter what anyone wears at any age. I have rarely, actually I think I have never, seen anyone here say 'can I wear this as a 20 year old'. It seems it's ok to look ridiculous as a 25 yo but not as a 55 yo. Wear wtf you like. And even more, SHOP wherever you want to. What are these 'can I shop in Topshop now that I'm 50' questions. Never saw an age limit on shops.

It's a real daily-fail question, sexist, and ageist. Not good. We need to stop this.

Actually I won't shop at Top Shop any more but that's because of Philip Green.

I'm a different person now though at 39 to what I was at 19. No doubt I'll be different again at 59. It isn't size as I'm slimmer now than I was at 19. I'm more mature and I dress accordingly. That doesn't mean I'm wearing a twinset and pearls, but it does mean I'm not really going to suit a band t-shirt, tie dye and multiple piercings any more!

Yes Jemima, but there are people that still like that look and think they look well. So why should we create these arbitrary boundaries.

I know Flo. In fairness that's a VERY good reason not to shop in Topshop.

Thankyou Trills.

I aim to model myself on Baddiewinkle.

Haha yes! And love the list of things I should avoid wearing from now on. I see now where I've gone wrong.

I think there's tremendous fear of women who won't slink away into a pleated skirt and housecoat past 45. That's why there is such dreadful pressure for women to age quietly and just fade away.

Jemina of course you don't look like you did when you were 19. But I'm also sure you don't look the same as every other 39 year old. You all still suit different things so any advice that's based soley on your age is kind of going to be a crock of shit.

As for band t-shirts, I was wearing one only the other day with a Harris tweed jacket, and rather fine I looked too.

Is it not because when you're younger it's expected you have a load of fashion faux pas and Wear stuff you'll look back on and cringe at.
By a certain point, you're expected to be able to dress yourself without looking ridiculous or very 'high fashion' (read following everyvtrend).

17 year old me wore massive wide leg jeans and the skinnier jeans on earth, spiked belts, kilts and knee high biker boots etc. Rocked the black permanent marker style eye make up. Nearly 30 i dont because, well it looks fine on students but I see it would look stupid nowm

I'd much rather see see a fat 60 year old woman with bingo wings wearing a strappy sundress or shorts and a vest enjoying the sun than see her covering herself up because she is ashamed of her body or afraid that other people will laugh at her or be disgusted by her body.

Some people are old, or fat, or scarred, or very thin, or have blemished skin or other things which you wouldn't find on a model. Why the fuck should they feel ashamed or embarrassed or obliged to cover themselves?

Life is just too short. Really it is. Wear what you like and be happy in it. THAT is attractive. Social conventions be damned.

If wearing something makes YOU happy and feel good then yes!

There are far too many threads on here asking am I too old to wear X or Y as if reaching a magic number lets say, e.g. 40 means you turn overnight into something COMPLETELY different to what you were the day before.

and 40, 50, 60 etc are moveable feasts. When my mum was 50 she had the eponymous curly perm and 'classic' range clothes from M&S as it was almost expected iykwim, whereas I wouldn't dream of either. I definitely buy into wearing what I am comfortable in and hopefully always will.

That's a good point Bejazzled. Old is not what is was.

My great aunt is in her 90s.

My mum remembers how she dressed 50 years ago - when she was in her 40s.

She dressed like an old lady.

Remember that 50 years ago is the late 1960s, when there were a variety of clothing styles available, many of which were "not like an old lady".

Aged 40-something, my aunt decided that she was going to dress like an old lady.

Don't do this. You don't have to.

My great aunt was a very stylish woman , born in 1899, she went to the USA to work as a ladies maid, and always wore what every she wanted until the day she died. I have some wonderful pictures of her and my grandparents in lovely clothes, as they were all very dapper dressers.
They would have fitted in beautifully with the Advanced Style crowd.