Is it time I stopped dressing like a grungy teenager?!

[PastaBakeCarrotCake]

I am definitely a jeans-and-tshirt person and can't see that changing. I don't own any heels and don't plan on buying any! I live in jeans.

If I'm going out somewhere nice then I wear nice boots, I've got some lovely coats and jackets and some smart tops that I like. A couple of skirts for the summer, with ballet pumps or sandals. I go a bit more "hippy" style in warmer weather and have some nice sun dresses etc.

But on a day-to-day basis I live in band t-shirts, converse/vans trainers with a more slouchy pair of jeans. I have done since I was a teen, and it's just "me". When I bought my latest pair of Vans (black & white checkerboard ones) my DH thought it was very funny because his cousin's 15 year old son has some almost the same. It's got me thinking. Am I starting to look a bit silly?? I know, I know, if I like it then I shouldn't care what anyone else thinks. But I have to admit to feeling a bit self conscious now! What do you think??' I'm 33 and have two young DC, and I definitely don't dress like their friends' more glamorous and trendy mums 🙈

Yes this is true! Jeans and converse was making me look like I was trying to look young, but getting it wrong .

Jeans converse & tshirt looks old fashioned especially once you are mid-40s! To be honest nothing ever looks as good and simple as it did when you were young. My teens wear trainers joggers/utility trousers and crop tops with a zip-up fleece.

Teenagers don't dress like that any more, so don't worry about being confused with one.

This! You are dressing like the teenager you were, which is fine. If you were trying to dress like a current 15 year old it might look a bit odd, but even then you wouldn't be harming anyone.

I'm 63 and I live in jeans/cords and teeshirts when I'm not at work, and vans too. I do wear skirts - usually a denim one - in summer as it's too hot for jeans here. If you are happy with what you wear there is no need to change, if you aren't happy then change - simple as that.

I'm 44 and still dress like I did as a student - dungarees, Converse, hoodies...

I can turn on the style when I need to, but day to day, that look just feels like me. Plus it's warm and comfy!

I feel like a lot of people late 20s early 30s dress like that, me included.

Dress however you want at any age.

I see adults of all ages dressing like you so I don't think there's any need at all to feel self conscious about it.

I did wonder - and forgive the cod psychology - whether it's you who's sub consciously getting a bit bored with the look? If I'm wrong just ignore me but, if you want to test the waters then I think a blazer with a band T shirt is only marginally different but can look really good, and they're all over the high street at the moment at different price points.

Well I'm 49 and have been dressing like that since Kurt Cobain was still alive.

Wear what you like. No-one cares, and if they do, they're not someone you want to take notice of.

The only change you need to make is to ignore your DH.

33 is way young! I didn't even consider changing up my natural style until
I hit 40.

I think you sound cool. All the teenagers I know are wearing gigantic dungarees or mom jeans up to their necks, huge oversize hoodies and platform trainers.
Just be yourself.
If you want to "upgrade" the look you could add some studded converse style shoes and opt for the same style in neutrals with a well fitting trench coat or pea coat - look at Liv Tyler's casual style for example. She wears a lot of long sleeve tops, jeans, converse, trench, sunglasses.
But honestly 33 is really young.

I would say 60😉!

I'm 48 and dress similarly to you, if you're comfortable then who cares!

50 here and that’s also my uniform - I’m a bit of a chameleon though and can also do smart or fancy stuff as work and events dictate. If you are happy with how you look don’t worry about it - far better than leggings etc imo esp as one gets older.

Well I’m 33 and wear short denim shorts and crop tops. One of my favourite crop tops is a bralette thing from Free People with a lot of side-boob action.

No doubt some people think only 20somethings should be in bralettes, but I don’t care.

Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too old to wear something 🙌

I love my jeans and converse,even ripped knee jeans.When I asked my daughters "do you thing I'm too old for these" my 30 year old daughter replied" who says you're too old Mum,society,if you feel comfortable wear what you like". I'm 56 and and last summer was styling out pink converse.😂

Totally the same here, ripped jeans, Adidas, Vega, Converse, Free People, All Saints etc. I'm 57, honest to god, something I really love about living at this time is that we can pretty much wear whatever we like at whatever age and it's fine. My mum at 50? Completely different story, they all looked so old before their time.

This showing your socks thing is such a joke though? 😂 It's the same as Teva sandals - both once the world of old rambling men but now it's "trendy" 😂😂 because someone has said so?

I don’t mean necessarily showing their socks, more that that is the length they wear when it’s in fashion, IYSWIM (I think they wear ankle socks)

What I meant was more that they change the shape/style of the jeans and t-shirts to whatever is more trendy. I also wear jeans and t-shirts, but more or less the same shapes as when I was 20, so I don’t look stylish at all, just dated 😁

My mum at 50? Completely different story, they all looked so old before their time

I agree. I don't think my mum has ever worn jeans, and remember that she and most of the other mums wore things like headscarves when I was at primary school, she would have been in her 20s at that point, yet I'm sure I remember her dressing like an 'old lady' and not in any kind of fashion/ironic way either.

Totally! Hairstyles dreadful too, so old before their time, definitely no jeans or t-shirts, the very idea of trainers is quite laughable!

I'm 70 and for the most part wear levis, t shirt cardis and DMs. I was a legend for my pink DMs at work ( work boots compulsory).
If I'm going out I dress up in a dress or trousers and a nice top. I don't want to look like a parody of myself at 17 but I'm comfortable in what I wear and I certainly don't stand out.
I love little strappy tops but have given them a swerve for years..I think you know what suits you.

I'm 55 and still wear jeans/leggings/trackies with a t shirt and a hoodie or sweatshirt or fleece, and trainers. I have a pair of work trousers and a couple of smarter tops for my one day a week in the office.

I have thought in the past that I should wear more 'grown-up' clothes - flowery tops and skirts like my 40 something friends. I am clean and tidy, mostly tidy!) but have got to the age where I really don't give a shiny shit what other people think of my clothes.

I'm the same!
I don't plan on changing, literally who says I have to be in xxx clothing - it's either a rich old man who owns huge fashion retailers who says they must try and reinvent the wheel every season and target specific markets to squeeze every penny out of them, or people whose dress sense I don't like. Noones ever been able to give me a good reason to why I should stop wearing converse or silly earrings.
Life is best spent in pursuit of joy, and my clothes bring me a lot of joy!

The sock thing is the stripy socks being worn with converse at the moment.

@neilyoungismyhero I'm 63 this year, and thinking should I be wearing strappy tops anymore as my under arm are a bit wrinkly, but what do you wear in the summer, I don't like short sleeves, I wear in summer, strappy or vest tops, don't really want to wear long sleeves on a hot day.

Haven't RTFT, sorry.

Came to say that when I was in my early 30s someone actually told me to my face that I couldn't keep dressing "like a student" (like the OP: jeans, t shirt, trainers, hoody).

Fuck that.

I'm now in my 40s. Better quality jeans. Nicer t-shirts. Hoodies are 10 years older but I love them!

I'm happy. I dress properly for work. I dress for me at home. I don't go to anything formal on purpose

You do you, OP