Cotton Traders - for what age group?

[Trinkopl]

I'm 39 and ended up buying a few tshirts and jumpers from Cotton Traders recently. Just basics in the sale, in colours that I know suit me.

Was commenting to a friend a few years younger than me and she seemed horrified, saying that's clothing for over 50s.

I'm not really into fashion or fancy brands and am quite practical about clothing. CT just seemed like a good choice for wardrobe basics for running errands or working from home.

Are they going to make me look like I'm in my 50s? Have I committed a terrible fashion faux pas?

Late 30s is hard with clothing. I can't really do the PLT and Fashion Nova stuff I was wearing 10 years ago so I just default to simple basic jeans and tshirts.

I’ve never heard of Cotton Traders before, but just bought one of their shirts from a charity shop! I’m horrified that everyone thinks it’s only for the elderly! This shirt looks very normal!

Jasmine Harman and Alex Jones have "collections" with CT - I don't think they are living in bungalows and close to death yet. This thread is getting silly.

Companies use people like Alex Jones as a front. They don't wear the clothes in real life..

Off to Google Cotton Traders.......

Or at least they don't buy them they might wear them as a stunt.

I’m the same.

I am in my early 70s and I think of them as being too old for me.

They are still associating themselves with the brand so I doubt they want people to look at them and think 80-year-old little catalogue woman. Jasmine has worn a lot of the clothes on TV.

I'm exactly the same - now in the 'older' age group though but been buying basics from there for years!

You’ve opened the door to the marketing groups now. I bought a (lovely) merino wool open front cardigan from Woollovers last year and my son bought a wool crew neck jumper separately. We now get constant and identical catalogues from them and other brands aimed at older buyers. Ecco shoes! He’s 23.

I guess older buyers more likely to buy from a catalogue than a website.

It is surely more stylish to be able to pick out a few decent items from a shop where the overall vibe is not your style, and combine them with the rest of your clothes, rather than exclusively wear approved 'cool' brands.

I once bought a white vest from there. It was years ago and I can tell you it was the best quality t shirt I have ever owned. Flattering square neck line, not see through, never lost its shape. Last year it got stained and try as I might I could not get the marks out so I had to bin it.
As compensation m, I went into their shop in Beverley and bought a lovely cardigan and a belt for my jeans. The cardigan is the softest thing I own. I haven’t needed to wash it yet but I’m hoping it keeps its shape.
If you like something then dues it matter what brand it is?

I'm 73. I don't spend a lot of money on clothes.

I still wear pretty much what I've been wearing for the past 30 years - straight cut dark wash or black M & S jeans or dark khaki chinos weight trousers in the summer; M & S tee shirts - usually black but some plain colours bought from other chains; brushed cotton check shirts from Uniqlo, chambray weight denim shirts or blue and white pin striped Ralph Lauren button down Oxford shirts bought s/h. In the winter, black or charcoal grey Uniqlo Merino wool turtle neck sweaters. Black biker boots or black or tan lace up ankle boots (currently Dune).
I don't do skirts or dresses. For jackets/coats I prefer parka type jackets in grey or olive. I live in a very wet and muddy village and need to dress practically.

Since my 60s, I haven't woken up one morning and said to myself - right, now's the time to chuck out everything in my wardrobe and replace it beige elasticated waist "slacks", elasticated waist skirts, American Tan pop socks and short light blue rain jackets.

Some of the comments on MN about how older women dress are crass.

(a) there isn't a shop near me (b) Posters have said they're good for basics. If that means t shirts, joggers, jeans sweatshirts, I don't wear them. The only basics I need are strappy vests and long sleeved thermal vests. M and S sell virtually indestructible ones (c) I had a look at their website. The vibe is not me. There was one button through skirt I might have worn but the description was that it wasn't button through, the buttons were just stuck on.

Why would I waste time trawling through a website on the off chance there might be something I might wear when there's plenty of shops and websites which make my heart skip a beat.

Exactly this! Buy what you like and what you feel comfortable in. It’s doesn’t matter where things are from, surely?

As for sneering at bungalows; just wait until you need a hip replacement or your partner has a stroke and isn't safe doing stairs.

In my village you can't find a bungalow under £400,000. A lot of them are owned by families with young children. They often have larger gardens and are very sought after.

It doesn't wash as well as it used to and it doesn't last like it used to as with so many things now.

I had the best pair of hiking boots ever from there. Also some suede ankle boots. Shoot me now.

No-one says you do. What people are objecting to in the shocking ageism on this thread.

Some of the comments on MN about how older women dress are crass.

Yes, it really brings it home how some posters don't see us as individuals but as some amorphous grey and beige mass.

I'm 70 this year, adore clothes, spend as much as I can afford on them and I've changed my style several times in the last 30 years. In other words, you and I have different tastes, lead different lives and, if we ever went shopping together, we'd probably argue non stop. But, if some posters passed us in the street, all they would see (if they noticed us at all) would be two completely interchangeable older women.

It's been like this on here for as long as I've been posting.

Um, the post I replied to wasn't complaining about ageism. I'm 66. I don't like the clothes on Cotton Traders not because I think they are for older women. I just don't like them.

I know this thread is about style and beauty but that “close to death “ comment is still rankling. Statistically I am probably much closer to death than you ( but who knows). The comment though implied that, being already half dead there’s no point in older people wearing stylish clothes, having fun or expressing themselves in any way as they’re already irrelevant. An attitude that’s unfortunately common on this forum.

Fair point. The dismissal of "old people things" is so pervasive on this thread (and beyond) that I saw it where there was none.

Yes it's mind numbingly common. I actually did come far too close to death for comfort recently and I now enjoy expressing myself through clothes more than ever. It makes me feel alive.

To be honest, I would've shopped there in my 20s if I'd known it existed, because my two greatest priorities were weather-appropriateness and natural fibre content.

Fashion has become a little more important to me in my 30s, but I still find their stock very tempting.