This older lady on the train..

[KibbeMe]

I loved what she wore, and she looked so comfortable!
I wouldn't call it a style, or remotely fashion conscious, but she was obviously interested in clothes, if that makes sense?

She was 65+ or thereabouts, medium height, slim, with bushy hair in a lovely twist. She was wearing a long tweed, flecked coat, with a sort of jersey tunic under it with a modest pattern. She wore dark wool tights with socks and clumpy brown boots, with a cotton tote and gorgeous mustard coloured wool scarf.

I remember thinking that I rarely saw older women in shorter skirts/tunics, and she looked fantastic. What struck me most was how at ease this all looked, so kind of interesting but comfy. It did not scream money, but wasn't cheap at all, it is hard to describe it, as it wasn't on trend for any age group, but reminded me a little of a dance tutor I had in my 20's who was vaguely bohemian in a neater, relaxed sort of way (not trendy or frilly).

If any of this makes sense, I would love some recommendations. It all looked great quality but not in popular styles. The tunic looked like basic jersey with a scoop neck, wasn't baggy or tight. Colours were mixed but not obvious.
This was in March this year and I still haven't forgotten her!

@Garlictest thank you for that link, I hadn’t heard of Jumping Ships, but it all looks thick high quality fabric and very well cut 😍 hard to find these days

Same here- the coat, boots, scarf, hair but with a dress not the tunic and the coat might be tweed or could be a Max Mara icon coat or a floor length Cabbages and Roses cotton drill or vintage Laura Ashley riding coat.

I know the OP is trying to be nice but the " gosh, I spotted an older lady who was actually stylish" is just a tad irritating.

I'm now 68, and wore bodycon in my 40s. Too scared of the [male] attention it would have drawn before then, and now it would look desperate and tawdry and very sad.

With apologies to OP for speaking on her behalf, I think a "modest print" is a subtly patterned fabric, not a printed full-body covering!

Although the woman could've been wearing a tunic printed with the words "Oh, this old thing! No, it's nothing special, I'm so out of shape I make everything look awful anyway. Never did have any taste. But thanks for saying so, you're very kind!" ... but OP might have mentioned if the print was THAT modest 😂

I had a fab blue tweedy tunic from Hobbs but post menopausal my cup size went from a B to a D cup so it was too tight after that. Also have some slightly crazy tunic dresses from Yumi the Japanese brand, also quite old though.

I've used this company before and a lot of their clothes are made in the UK, including sending back for a different size.
www.rydale.com/products/ladies-tweed-blazer-hannah?variant=33732

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle @IAmNotYourZiggaZigAhhh

Same here. I'm 60 and my style hasn't changed much in the last 35 years.

Oh my. I hope my boobs don't get any bigger. I'm enormous already!

Rydale clothes are much nicer in real life, I can't believe that's their advertising model, that jacket doesn't fit her, it's all pulled the buttons don't lay flat. That's so odd!
They stock it in Yorkshire trading. I'm surprised at the price on their website too.
My partner wears the shirts and they're about £20, they do wash well

I'm sure you didn't mean to sound patronising @KibbeMe but it comes over a tad like that.

I am an older lady (?) and her choice of clothes sounds a bit nightmare-ish to me. The worst excesses of White Stuff by your description!

I have several knitted dresses, all above the knee and knee high biker style boots. And I wear wool coats.

But I hate the grunge look you're so taken with.

As you get older, and fashions of your younger years come round again, you can pick the elements that you know work with your own particular style and assimilate them. Sometimes you find an item at the back of your wardrobe that you forget you had, and out it comes again. Sometimes it came from a charity shop the first time round…
I’ve had more or less the same look for the last 40 years. The shape and silhouette change with the decades, but the essentials stay the same. The colours I wore when my hair was very dark in my 20s now suit my grey hair, which is nice.

Sounds like my English Lit tutor from college. Her name was Susie and I adored her style even as a moody, trying to be edgy 16 year old.

If not Joe Browns, maybe Roman or Dorothy Perkins, if more £££ Desigual (older collections), Next sometimes does some nice tunics too

Sounds like my mum who is 70. But her hair is not at all bushy and she wouldn't wear mustard. But she is very interested in style, as opposed to fashion trends and practicality. Most of her clothes are second hand and she always goes for quality brands and natural fibres. She almost always wears a hat, often with a flower or feather in it. She lives rurally so there's often a country slant to her look. She has a great figure and a natural elegance so can carry most things off well. I agree with telling someone when we think they look great. Men usually have no idea so we women should big each other up!

I'm 60, garden on my allotment and dress in the style you describe.

Almost everything I wear is vintage. I shop mostly at vintage fairs, brocantes, and charity shops. I see coats like the long tweedy one you describe in in almost every charity shop I go in. Mine is vintage House of Bruar picked up at a vintage fair for £80.

I often buy vintage men's coats, jackets, jumpers and shirts and alter them to fit. The jumpers and shirts make great tunics.

The only things I buy new are underwear and boots. What I can't find, I make.

I think a lot of that kind of chic is down to quality fabric and colour choice

Wool/linen/cotton/jersey
Nothing too tight
Skim and drape not cling
layers and overlap
asymmetric and unusual cut off points
Mixing colours but nothing too bright or too pastel: sage/mustard/raspberry/brown etc
quality, solid leather footwear

This is the look my 79 DM wears, she always looks fab. Isn't slim but has great legs.
On a side note, was on the tube earlier and there was a young woman wearing a fabulous black sequinned jump suit - she looked awesome and I told her, I like complimenting people on their clothes and have always had a positive experience doing so.

Irritating?? In what way? Am I missing something?

Slightly off topic but I love /am amused that 2006-2010 era is now vintage 🤣🤣. Some of the stuff in my wardrobe is therefore accidentally vintage …. I’m just in denial at being older clearly

Some of my stuff is 1990s 😁. 2006 is nearly 20 years ago! 🙈

I really like the sound of that style and sometimes wear versions of it myself. You didn't mention any of the colours apart from the boots and scarf, but in my mind there are dark blues and greys involved. The mental picture is making me really wish for "proper" autumn and being able to layer up a bit.

Thanks!

Toast from years ago? Used to have some beautiful pieces with amazing quality.

Check out eBay, there may still be some around.

I like the kind of style you describe, and I dress like that sometimes, especially in autumn. You might like the brand Cabbages & Roses. I agree it’s a kind of Toast style, but more how Toast used to be.

Her style sounds lovely.
I am not keen the current fashions and rarely find anything I like in the shops.