Mutton dressed as lamb?

[LoveIsInTheAir81]

Hello,
I’m a 41 year old mother of two who has lost a lot of weight over the past couple of years. I’m now a normal size for the first time since I was 27. All those clothes that I had wished for back then but couldn’t wear because they didn’t look good have found their way into my wardrobe. But how do I wear these items without looking like mutton dressed as lamb?? I want to look classy and elegant but still show off my new features.

This much I have realised myself:

• only one asset at a time (boobs or legs!)
• if wearing something a bit risqué, play it down with other items.

Any more tips?

How can I wear a black denim mini?

How can I wear a standard blue denim mini?

How can I wear an above the knee, strappy sundress (if at all?).

Please please advise!!!
Thanks.

Congratulations!

I'm older than you and wear denim minis with opaque tights in winter. But I think very (teenage) short doesn't look good in 40s...

Sundress above knee is fine just wear as it is....

I tend to wear flat shoes anyway but if going for heels chunky and not very high?

Thanks HelpMum.

The denim minis are:

www.hush-uk.com/womenswear/daywear/skirts/raw_edge_denim_mini_skirt_vintage_wash.htm

And

www.hush-uk.com/womenswear/daywear/skirts/black_raw_edge_denim_mini_black.htm

What do you think of the length? Please be honest.

Good call about the heels.

Wear the minis with pumps, Air and Grace type ones will look cool and not muttonish.

The sundress, Hush have some nice cork bed sandals which look great with sundresses of any length.

Bloomburger, could any type of heel work with the minis? For a bit of leg lengthening?? Thanks.

I hadn’t heard of Air and Grace but just checked them out and they’re cool.

Congratulations - I think it's great that you're enjoying clothes again and also normal for self doubt to creep in sometimes. Did you know 'mutton dressed as lamb' refers to an old butchering practice? Do you really want your style dictated by people who think its ok to compare women to pieces of meat?

Legs change with age and most of us hit a point when we check the mirror and realise a favourite short skirt is no longer doing us any favours. I was approaching 50. It's different for everyone but I very much doubt you've reached that stage at 41. The only precautions I would suggest would be finding that point on your leg where a hemline looks best (which we all have to do at any age). Those Hush skirts are lovely, although but most of us have thighs and that model doesn't appear to. Try loads on, check the mirror and take photos.

There are always people - and they patrol these boards occasionally - who disapprove of middle aged or old women enjoying fashion and who seem to have a visceral reaction when we wear anything that reminds them of their own youth. As far as I'm concerned this has nothing to do with style and everything to do with their own hangups. You can listen to them or you can decide they're the ones with the problem.

The thing is op, elegant and sexy don’t go together. IMO it’s one or the other. I guess this could be semantics, but if you feel hot, and you want to be appreciated as that, just let yourself do sexy.
I did sexy till I was about 46 and it worked because I had the figure for it. Like you I did breasts or legs and was restrained.
I now do elegant. It gets less attention whichworks for me.

Try rocking your minis on a night out and see how you feel. Sunny holidays are good too.

Either way enjoy your body .

Hah! Floisme got there before me. In my version of MN that 'mutton' phrase would be illegal and users invited to undergo a period of re-education ...

(Sorry, no time for more now!)

I think it depends how tall you are with regard to the skirts being too short. I'm 5'11" and those skirts would look far too short on me aged 44. But if you aren't really tall and you have good legs, they could look great. Both would look good with leggings/ opaques and a pair of chunky biker boots in winter. In summer I'd wear them with a pair of flat sandals like Saltwaters.

Order the skirts and give them a try.And well done for losing all that weight!

I also have a visceral reaction to that phrase, and in my alternative reality it would also become one of those highly offensive phrases that people used to use but now wouldn’t dream of.

However, although I’m a fair bit (decades not years), older than you, I also lost a lot of weight in 2017 - heading towards six stone in my case - and I get the not being sure what to wear. I’ve struggled a lot with the question of ‘just because I can, doesn’t necessarily mean that I should’. But that wasn’t really about age as such, it was about me not having had experience of assessing what suited me, because for a very long time my criteria was ‘does it cover me/will it draw attention to me’ rather than ‘do I like it/does it suit me/would I enjoy wearing it’. I think the only way through that is to try lots of clothes on. Get used the assessing where good break points are in your body for hem lines, shirt lengths, sleeves etc. Let the mirror and camera become your friend, rather than some arbitrary rule about age appropriateness.

Congratulations and enjoy shopping :)

My standard day look is a very short skirt (literally just skimming my bum!) with coloured or black 100 denier tights. I always wear with either chelsea type boots or all black converse type pumps.
I'm 47 tomorrow and plan to dress this way for another 20 years at least

Op i am 45 (5ft10', 9.5 stone) and i love wearing mini skirts with roll neck chunky wool jumpers and thick wool tights. I dont think that i am mutton at all.

OP I am tall and find Hush minis too short for me. Not an age thing, more a not wanting to show off my gusset thing. However, they look great on anyone 5'4" and shorter I think and are cut to flatter generally. However, I'm a believer that if you want to wear something you should (life's too short etc.). I saw Jennifer Hudson wearing the most amazing sparkly sweater dress on the x-factor with little black shorts underneath. That's a good solution.

Why not check out a couple of Instagrammers in your age bracket and see how they are styling things? Or pinterest?

I'm with maxinespalour, I'm 46 and often wear very short bum skimming skirts with 80 or 100 denier tights and either Chelsea boots or DMs. I have no immediate plans to change this, it suits me.

I think the skirts you've chosen would look best with thick tights and ankle boots with a small fairly chunky heel, a polo or boat neck top, and a soft leather biker jacket. I don't think it would great with heels, bare legs or trainers. That would look a bit trashy on anyone of any age.

The other thing to keep in mind is that young women often get it wrong anyway, and have very little idea of how to dress, or what suits them. So it's best not to emulate this, not because you'll look like mutton but because you won't be looking your best.

I really hate the phrase "mutton dressed as lamb". I think that it's mainly about how you wear things at any age, not that things are only for one age of person. A really short skirt with bare legs and heels is not something I actually see on many people regardless of age, but the same skirt with thick tights, boots, and a jumper looks completely different. I wear a lot of short skirts with opaque tights, jumpers, Chelsea boots, or trainers - I just turned 46 last week. In summer I wear midi-skirts or dresses if I'm going bare-legged, but that's just personal preference.

If the aim is classy and elegant (regardless of age) forget the denim minis.

I think the minis are really nice for a casual look (the sandals in the second pic) or with opaque tights and flats/boots, but not for a dressy look. I would steer clear of short AND strappy sundresses. They rarely look great on anyone who’s not a waif and is over about 20. I’m guessing from what you’ve said that you’re not flat-chested and so will have bra issues with anything strappy. You could try a short skirt with a crew neck t-shirt or a thin shirt? Or if the bra/strap situation is okay, a loose-ish vest top with a midi skirt? More elegant and probably cooler too?

Mutton dressed as lamb is misogynistic bollocks op. Wear what you want! You've worked hard to get the figure you have, be proud of it.

👏👏👏Floisme

OP, you like it, you wear it.

Mutton?! I thought this thread was going to be a wind up, clearly I've been on mn too long

Yes you like it, you wear it. Women wearing skirts just skimming their bum however? What happens when you sit? Bend? On the tube? In a meeting? Vom.

I'm pushing 50 but my legs are still good to go so I wear denim mini skirts with opaque tights, ankle boots and a fine knit sweater in the Winter. In the summer I wear them with 3/4 sleeve tops, white All Stars and fake tan on my legs.

If wearing a mini I always keep my shoulders and cleavage covered and never wear heels.

I think you should wear whatever you like OP, sure you'll look fab! I do think that the blue mini is a little bit dated though? Think it's the acid wash

@Elllllle I've been wearing the same length skirt for 30 years, I've 100% nailed bending demurely Definitely no gusset flashing from me but my legs are one of my best features, so I plan to show these bad boys off indefinitely!!