Is it kinda pathetic or unfashionable for me, 33f, to want to dress in clothes women that are around 25 are yearing?

[ForeverHopeful3]

I feel good in the clothes I wear and I think they're cute and pretty fashionable, but I just realized that one of the artists I listen to, and also like the fashion of, is 26 :)

It doesn't bother me but I can see how it can come in the wrong way to some people I guess.

I’m mid 40s and I think I twin with my teenage daughter. Not because I’m trying to be young, but I think these days there isn’t a teenage vs a parent style that there used to be given the world has become far more casual since Covid.

Another 52 year old lecturer here @TheAlcott - I don’t work on a Wednesday but yesterday was on campus in Damson Madder leopard print jeans, DMs, and an Urban Outfitters cardigan, so we are both rocking it. My female students are also mainly in big joggers or athleisure type stuff at the mo (funnily enough I am dressed like that right now, on the couch watching Celebrity Traitors…).

OP, I don’t think there is anything like the same “divide” of clothes for particular ages as there was when I was a kid. I chat to two older ladies (late 70s) walking their dogs together in the morning as I go to work every day. They don’t dress anything like my gran did when she was that age in her knee length skirts, twinsets and permed hair. Most stores carry things that suit many ages. I buy quite a bit of knitwear and t-shirts from UO, for example, but I’m definitely not in their cropped tops. A pp mentioned not being ready for Marks yet, but the TikTok girlies are all over it at the moment!

You’re in your 30s, you’re barely a minute older than a 25 year old!

I’m in my 50s, and while there are some looks I see on younger people that I wouldn’t wear, i think I wear plenty of things young people do - brands of trainers, wide leg jeans etc. DS(17) wishes I would stop shopping in Uniqlo as it is one of his go to shops and sometimes we buy scarily similar clothes from there!

At your age OP you could and should wear whatever you like! I feel that after a certain age, which is much older than yours, short skirts and dresses no longer look “right” on most of us, no matter how toned we are. These are probably the only thing I avoid now. It’s wonderful to enjoy clothes and fashion.

This is appalling. You need to buy yourself a sensible skirt and blouse, and a good pair of lace up shoes. That should be all you need as someone over 30.

This is what I love about hitting middle aged. Once you start dressing for yourself you realise you can go out in some pretty outlandish and mad outfits and shockingly nobody will look twice!
Most of them won't give a single f*ck what you are wearing and if they do they won't say anything, so you may as well dress to please yourself.

I am 54 and I dress similar to my mid 20s students

Ha ha same, my students often compliment me on my clothes. I was wearing an adidas originals tracksuit top in quite an out there design the other day. Along with very bright broad striped trousers and one of my students turned up in the same trousers. 😁

I’m 60 and still shop at Zara Mango H&M . As long as you don’t look like mutton dressed as lamb then it’s OK

Tesco Metro fine though, surely?

I remember a few years ago I had a Money piece highlighted hair , wore a bodysuit, wide leg joggers, nice leather jacket and vans… when I went out I realised that very young girls were dressed the same. Literally like 12 or 13 years old 🤦🏼‍♀️

😂😂😂👏

I'm mid 40s and still dress like I did in my 20s. I couldnt give a toss what anyone thinks of that, I look good, am in great shape and that style suits me.

I remember talking with the wife of one of my friends about 5 years ago and I said, I'm going to the big TopShop in London soon, love that shop" and she looked aghast and said she was 39 and therefore couldnt shop in there any more. It was so bloody weird the way she said it, as if it was against the law or something and she'd be arrested for shopping. It made me feel huge pity and sadness for her. She had completely internalised those stupid rules and made a mental prison for herself.

Life is short- do what makes you happy.

As you get older it’s better to wear better quality stuff that suits you and you feel comfortable wearing rather then slavishly following short trends with throw-away fashion. You have less of your income to spend proportionately on clothes and more on bills and stuff for your children, so stuff has to last more than 1 season.

Overall though, wear what makes you feel happy to wear.

Firstly, a seven year difference between you and the person whose style you like is negligible in the scheme of things.

Secondly, so what! It wouldn't matter if you were 90, wear what you look and feel good in!

I'm in my 50s and still like to wear the same kind of clothes and styles I have always liked, whether they are in fashion or not.

Sweet Jesus you’re 33!!!!
I wear what the hell I like and I’m 53. My 16 year old DD had friends over the other day and they were trying to wrestle me out of my fitted grey wool peplum jacket and distressed wide leg barrel jeans!

Just wear what you love.

I want to know what you do like wearing now.... I'm intrigued!

Absolutely this.

Well said. Why does menopause mean you can’t wear what you want?

This is such a sad view.

Well, I am in my forties, my mum is in her seventies, and my daughter is twelve (she's tall), and we share clothes all the time.

I am rediscovering the style I loved in my twenties recently, having finally lost the baby weight and the pressing need for comfort and easy access to boobs that having babies and toddlers demanded.

Nobody cares.

I'm twenty years older than you - I don't dress especially "young" but my adult daughter noticed that I have a pair of trousers which she also has and she thought it was great, she was pointing it out to the rest of the family saying what good taste I had😝 Obviously it's mildly teasing but she seemed to think it was a compliment (although I hadn't realised they were the same). I don't think anyone will be judging as long as they're adult clothes not something only children usually wear!

Why are women so mean to themselves? Wear whatever you want

I need to know now, what are 25yo wearing that would be unsuitable for early 30's?

Style has no age limit — if you feel good and confident, that’s what matters. Fashion inspiration can come from anyone, regardless of their age.