My DH suggesting I'm "getting old" because I've ordered from Seasalt

[WoofWoofBeachLife]

I saw a lovely wee dress last night on Seasalt, I have some money saved for a clothes makeover and decided to go for it. My DH said last night it was nice but isn't Seasalt for older women 😆 I'm 51 in July and I don't think it looks like an OAP website. Now I'm thinking, shit should I send it back?
I just want a few quality pieces I can add to, I've not bought myself anything in a long long time due to illness. We are going shopping to a shopping centre on Sunday and I'm reluctant to browse with him hovering now x

Loose, shapeless dresses in frumpy prints.

My mum draws the line at Seasalt and she’s 85.

I hate people saying a particular label is dowdy. Any clothes in the wrong shape for your body, or the wrong colours make you look dowdy.

This dress would look dowdy on me because it’s black and v-neck.

dress

and yet it’s from an approved store, Cos.

They use quite a lot of older models on the website so they seem to be aiming the clothes at the 50+ market. It doesn't mean younger women can't wear them too.

I'm sidestepping the age discussion because quite frankly, nothing ever changes and I'm sick of talking about it.

Today I'm more interested in this idea that discussing clothes with your husband, and even taking on board their opinion sometimes, makes you some kind of surrendered wife. What other things are you not supposed to talk to each other about? Politics? Food? Films?

My husband does have some quite odd tastes sometimes - which I ignore - but he also has a good eye. He spotted my Burberry raincoat before I did. I don't think he's very well up on brands though although he quite possibly knows more about them than he lets on.

I'm 38, and know plenty of people my age who have Seasalt clothes. I don't personally, as they're not really my style, but they're fine!

@Riverlee whereas that would look horrible on me because it has no shape and because I need to lose some and have big boobs it would look like Hattie jacques!

I actually like the 'plainness' of a lot of cos clothes but far too many high necks and shapeless stuff for me personally

Personally I like plain clothes in muted colours or muted prints that have shape and are scoop or preferably v neck I can't do high necks as boobs too big and I don't like polyester or shiny fabric! And am a size 16/18 but not am I yet ready for an M&S lemon /peach cardi

It's a suprisingly hard combo to get. !!

I like seasalt and I'm 41. I like to wear cotton stretchy dresses as I find them comfortable.

Yet MN loves Cos, Hush and Toast which are all pretty much loose and shapeless…?

I’m not a fan of some of the Seasalt prints but I don’t like labelling any store as “dowdy”, “frumpy” etc. It’s what looks good on individuals, and how you style things, isn’t it?

There stuff is really good quality but it is what my Mum and MIL wear who are in their early 70s as they don't want to look 'old'. That said, I don't know how long they have been around as I got a black waterproof coat when I was mid 30s from there as my DC were little and we went to park on all weathers and walked lots with the buggy etc. It was the warmest and best waterproof coat I have ever had. I am early 40s now but there are loads of cool looking Mums where I live and in all honesty I would stand out wearing sea salt. The parents dress mostly (not all) but casual almost like I did in the 90s but with a 2023 update. It is not ultra smart stuff in any way. I think you do end up dressing to suit your environment a bit. My DH is an Architect in a London practice and definitely feels the need to dress in a certain way. I think it is that more than age myself.

It's impossible to define "dowdy" objectively because as with any aesthetic, it's subjective. What Emma thinks is dowdy, Ruth might think is classic and Jane might think is granny chic. And it might look granny chic on Jane, classic on Ruth and dowdy on Emma.

The one thing we can be sure of is that we are all the ultimate arbiters of style and good taste 😉

I don't think shapeless dull colours are only to be found in Seasalt. Look at this monstrosity from Cos. https://www.cos.com/en_gbp/women/womenswear/dresses/product.voluminous-v-neck-dress-green.1199474003.html

To be honest, I do not think the website does the clothing justice. You need to see the items and try on to see if they are nice or not. There is a navy and green tunic top on the website and on there looks bland and shapeless; it does not on me. I am wearing it today with leggings and it looks lovely, but then again I have boobs and the model does not.

51 and their clothes really don’t appeal to me. Not a fan of jersey dresses or floral / ditzy prints.

I’m more likely to be found in Zara linen, Me&Em and Essential Antwerp - some would suggest I dress ‘young’ but as all should, I give zero fucks to others opinions on my clothes.

@CinnamonJellyBeans your husband is a very wise man. I’m sure you will have a long and happy marriage 😄

@Goldenbear
I can't agree with you on this - I wear whatever I like and what suits me. I do not follow a trend. My figure is not the same as any other woman's anyway.
I do not just wear Seasalt - I wear lots of different makes of clothes, but Seasalt is standout in terms of quality and cloth

I've just turned 30 and have been wearing Seasalt for a few years. My wardrobe has slowly been taken over by them. Their dresses are brilliant and ridiculously comfy. They're such good quality and can be washed over and over with no issues. I'd tell him to fuck off personally!

I don’t love them! Toast is in the same bracket as Seasalt.

Hush and Cos are more stylish, but I don’t buy much from them.

What do you like then @Mirabai?

But you are an older woman?
I'm an older woman. I'm 41.

It's all relative and colloquialisms anyway. Who cares?

Or this

Cos do a mixture of sacklike dresses and oversize flares with some sharper stuff. In the main their clothes have more style than Seasalt.

Yeah, it's just an extension of AIBU now,used to be a great board 🙄

It’s not really relevant I just don’t like those.

I would say their target market is roughly 40-70, so you're probably it. The clothes are pretty good quality, though I find they tend to be too short for me (I'm tall).

They have some good pieces

If you wore the whole SS look then that would signify older but not just having a bit in your wardrobe