"Nobody ever told me" thread

[littlecatfeet]

I was wondering, do you have any personal style/beauty tips that you worked out all by yourself?

I have two:

1. Never ever apply perfume when you're under stress - running late, or angry, or anxious - it seems to cause that horrible reaction that makes perfume unbearable.
2. When you are carrying 'le flab' (as I call it) a silk slip looks a million times better under a dress than shapewear. It slides past your creases and moves naturally. And you're comfortable!

What hard-won or fluke inspirations do you have to share?

Wide leg trousers with turn ups are LETHAL with heels....

Totally outing but I broke BOTH arms with that outfit combo.

If I am too old for Converse, am I breaking the law by wearing DM's, and are they out of fashion?

(I can't wear Converse anyway but love my DMs).

My top tips would be to get your colours done, especially if you are pale. Black close to the face doesn't suit a lot of pp and knowing which colours work make a such a difference, especially as you get older.

Same thing re knowing which styles suit your body shape, regardless of what is currently in fashion.

I have four pairs of DMs and six pairs of converse trainers. I’m a serial offender if it’s against the law!

If Converse being over means the Insta-famous have moved on then I feel even happier wearing them. Which I have been since 1993 and have no plans to stop.

I wish someone had told me years ago that a 'crisp white shirt' that stays 'crisp', white and fits over my stupid boobs is fictional. I'd have saved a lot of time and money.

spasandstripes

I narrowly avoided doing the same. It involved being late for a meeting. And stairs. I still shudder at the recollection

What is with the hatred of slips?

A decent slip/underskirt/petticoat makes unlined clothing look sooo much better. Stops them clinging, skims fat bits, stops skirts sticking to tights, makes see through or gaping clothing decent. What's not to like!?

I think wearing a slip is exactly the sort of tip this thread is all about. Might not work for everyone and every outfit but can be a game changer.

Re boobs and shirts...sew a tiny popper between buttons to negate any gape-age

@BestIsWest I too found them uncomfortable until I fitted them with fleece insoles, absolute game changer.

@Spasandstripes

Wide leg trousers with turn ups are LETHAL with heels....

Totally outing but I broke BOTH arms with that outfit combo.

...and I once fell head first down a flight of concrete stairs, holding a laptop and glass of water (no hands free to break my fall).

It is a combo I never wore again.

A little foundation under the eyes, and the sides the nose works best on me. The makeup counter ladies will always try to sell me concealer for this look but I find it too light reflecting/cakey/greasy/doesn’t blend well or doesn’t come in enough colours to colour match.

That is so true re the turn ups and heels! Especially with pointy shoes. I fell flat on my face and gave myself hideous bruising when I tripped up some steps in that combo c 1997.

Greebols what is the upper water line?

Same thing re knowing which styles suit your body shape, regardless of what is currently in fashion.

But what if what suits you is converse?

@Lexilooo

What is with the hatred of slips?

A decent slip/underskirt/petticoat makes unlined clothing look sooo much better. Stops them clinging, skims fat bits, stops skirts sticking to tights, makes see through or gaping clothing decent. What's not to like!?

I think wearing a slip is exactly the sort of tip this thread is all about. Might not work for everyone and every outfit but can be a game changer.

I don't have a hatred of slips, I have a hatred of things that cling to me, cause static that throws me across the drive when I open the car door and ride up. Not just silk but man made fabric linings in skirts that cling as soon as you take a step.

As for making clothes skim fat bits, I buy clothes that do that so that I can avoid being electrocuted every time I move.

The thing is, there isn't some switch that goes off in your head on your 40th that makes you suddenly want to change your look to a more "appropriate", "middle-aged" look. If anything by then you've probably developed your own style and are quietly confident in what works and doesn't work for you. And unlikely to change your mind on that because of the opinion of a twenty-something!

Exactly! Incidentally I find Converse uncomfortable but wear another brand which look the same - and I'll wear them for as long as I want to, which is likely to be for several more years (and I'm 61). The day a twenty-something tells me what I shouldn't wear and I take notice is - well, that day won't come

The main thing I've learned is that MN is a very bad place to get style tips as it's too full of inexperienced young whipper snappers who haven't got a clue what they're talking about.

The number one thing you can do for your skin and general looks is to stop drinking alcohol.

I don't think my comment was ageist

Well it clearly was.

My tip would be don't make yourself look like a dick on the internet.

carbs are the enemy

Conversely, what suits me is converse!

Carbs are not the enemy.

The number one thing you can do for your skin and general looks is to stop drinking alcohol.

and stay out of the sun/wear sun cream!

Fashion 'experts' always advise that a crisp white shirt is a wardrobe necessity. But shirts don't suit everyone. There is no universal item that everyone should own! I have wasted hours looking for the shirt that suits me and I've yet to find it.

I've never found a Perfect White Shirt either! Nice to hear there's a few of us shirtless souls.

I wasn't expecting this thread to get so controversial and exciting, I'm on the edge of my seat.