What little updates are you adopting to stay current?

[Maising]

I'm trying to make a few changes to keep looking current; I thought it might be helpful for others to add theirs too. I have found it's very easy to suddenly take a look around and find that things have moved on without me noticing 😁, especially as I'm working with ever increasing younger colleagues.

Disclaimer- these are just observations, I am not saying they are all correct or that anyone has to do them.

• wide leg trousers instead of slim/skinny for work
• flat shoes for work
• sports socks instead of trainer socks
• less eyeshadow

Does anyone have advice on how to apply these tips and update my wardrobe from an environmentally conscious perspective?

I try not to buy new, fast fashion. Plus I also go for natural materials (prefer the feel of the fabric). I love old denim!. I’ve had a good run recently of finding silk T shirts by brands like Reiss on Vinted in cool colours for £5. But where can I find wide legged trousers (formal and informal) second hand? Or is it possible to get something altered or made cheaply?

Any tips on eco fashion gratefully received (and also passed to my primark loving teen 😀).

@RoseUnder - vinted? Search for wide leg trousers in your size. Pick brands you know will be decent quality.

Ive had a look but as wide legged trousers seem to be a new fashion from the last twelve months, seems that people aren’t yet selling them on, or not in great volume as they’re still on trend.

I guess when skinnies come back in, Vinted and the charity shops will be flooded with wide legged trews!

I wonder if men’s suit trousers could be adjusted to turn into a wide leg trouser for women?

As they have a wide leg (especially older designs) and some men’s suiting is made from beautiful fabrics with tailoring. Charity shops are full of them, especially in cities. Or will they just look weird? I’m 5’8 and size 14.

Keep an eye out, I found a few wide leg trousers, but you just need to get lucky! end of the summer when women get their winter wardrobes back out, you might find some put online by women who’ve gained/lost weight over the summer.

from a more ethical shopping point , I like unfolded. They have some really nice looking wide leg trousers but I’ve not bought them to recommend.

Oh that could be perfect, a bit “Annie Hall” !

if you know a good seamstress it could work.

I think the implication was the trousers were flying at half mast out of respect for your dearly departed cat. It was definitely a thing in the 90s. I didn’t really get it then either.

Parting wise, I think it’s now all about the 90s style bob (side parting).

I cannot do the socks over leggings thing, as someone else said ‘ham hock’. I also have some ankle tattoos that I’m very fond of so don’t want to cover them up (which is probably also very aging).

I love wide legged trousers, and either have them dragging on the floor or cropped (because when they sit above the floor I think it looks very old fashioned). I usually wear with baggy jumpers with them like a teenage boy from the 90s.

Although Im over 50 and whilst I dont want to look young I kinda dont want to look 'old' either!

Same here. I'm 65 and I don't want to look like mutton dressed as lamb, but I don't want to look ancient.

I bought some cargo trousers from M and S a couple of years ago, and some wide linen trousers from Seasalt, and now I see that they are the height of fashion. I never thought I would see myself as an early adopter .

I don't "do" cropped trousers. It's either too cold to wear cropped trousers or too hot for trousers (I wear dresses and shorts in hot weather).

I wear flats anyway as I can't wear heels. I have horrible feet (flat feet + arthritis) so I wear anything that is comfortable rather than fashionable.

Your SIL doesn't sound very nice @perimumma. She sounds incredibly shallow.

They still do, except they are a few decades older now!

I like the way some people pick a relatively classic look that suits them, and then stick with it.

I haven't updated my look because every "updating" tweak is either objectively hideous (long white sports socks) or just makes me look hideous (baggy trousers). I can't wear my skinnies as DD1 has nicked them all (after having complained how unfashionable they were, go figure!). So I'm wearing fitted blazers and skirts to just above the knee - work appropriate and reasonably flattering, if not exactly fashion forward. Basically, I'm sitting this one out until either fashion gets less ugly or I lose considerable weight (although I would have to gain many inches in height to pull off the wide legged trousers).

Dirched skinny jeans found them uncomfortable on my calves anyway

I’m almost 60 and am amused when I see trends from the 80s and 90s resurface. I like Baukjen and Hobbs for dressier clothes and find if I go with them, I stay reasonably on trend. Gap for casual. But then again, I don’t have teenagers informing me if I am stylish or no! My husband can’t abide what he calls half-mast trousers, and I look dumpy in them anyhow. No heels now, only flats.

Just wear what you feel good in - you'll look your best then

Ebay. Search by size and description (wide leg) and then choose by brand (theres a brand tick box in search). Tick the higher end brands (and I don't mean just designer - I mean brands like phase eight, whistles, mint velvet, hobbs etc), because these are the sort of brands that will be sustainable (and their clothes will stand the test of time). I've got a few saved sellers on ebay that I go back to (there's one on there called homeandhanger who lists both new and used, I've bought a few things from her).

I've been told off on this thread for extolling the virtues of 'high end', however it shouldn't be something to shame a person over. In terms of sustainable, I've got lacoste and ralph lauren polo shirts that are decades old, and I'm still wearing them!

I like Hobbs but phase 8 doesn't fit me and I don't like the fabrics they use.

I think Seasalt is a reasonable brand and has some classic pieces

I always need to shorten trousers

Do you not find them impractical if they are dragging on the floor

Not particularly, they get dirty and wet if it’s horrible weather but it doesn’t bother me. I usually wear something else in those cases, but even if I’m caught out the trousers are so baggy that I don’t notice unless it’s torrential in which case I’d be wet regardless.

With floor dragging trousers, use a safety pin to create a small tuck at the back hem behind your heel. Keeps them shoe-covering at the front but just lifts the back hem slightly off the floor.

I love that floor skimming style but it is difficult to get the right length, isnt it?
Either you are too short or in my case the average height (so should be perfect) but I have to wear very flat shoes and trousers these days seem designed to be worn with raised soled shoes.

TBH though I think its getting harder and harder to tell someones age based on their clothing. Alot of older women out there are very stylish and on trend.
Similarly alot of younger people seem to have 'questionable' tastes as well (saw a young lady the other day in white shorts that were so short they didnt have legs and looked like knickers and a giant fur cropped jacket)....if thats fashion, then count me out!!LOL😆

Dresses are so much easier. Updated with a layered necklace. Just bought a longline blazer - took a while to find one that works with what is in my wardrobe.

Shoes are a battle. Sore feet with so many.

What blazer did you buy?

@Springwatch123 People Tree was previously my go to. The blazer I got was unfortunately not from an ethical shop, just looked at the label The Drop/Blake. Fabric is a bit shiny.

This one.

Would you not just wear the stuff that suits your body shape and makes you feel comfortable?

I never understand chasing fashion, pull the things that suit you and like what you like. Its all cyclic and having your own style is timeless and means you'll always look your best (not look back in 10 years and cringe at the now out of date fashion that was awfully unflattering to your body etc...).

@housethatbuiltme i am always quite impressed with people who manage to have their own style, I don’t know that many

what sort of things do you wear? what is your style if you had to describe it? do you do any nods to current fashion at all?