Quality dresses for older women.

[sunshineonmonday]

Hi, can anyone recommend somewhere I can buy dresses for an older woman please? Just everyday wear, good quality, natural fabric, simple but not old fashioned, maybe plain colours, maybe not, but nothing ditsy floral, flouncey or revealing. I'm well into middle age, have a nice figure, I need new clothes for Spring/Summer.

Sorry I can’t do links @sunshineonmonday
Google “Sisters by CK”,
Also Fee G
Also the late Paul Costelloe does a diffusion line for Dunnes Stores - also well worth a Google.
Caroline Donnelly The Edit, also in Dunnes Stores has nice bits from time to time.

I totally agree. I would say she’s a cool summer and the dresses in your first post complement her natural colouring. In these pictures all you see is the dress. Apart maybe from the final picture with the lime green blouse which I think goes nicely with the dark hair.

Because I can't afford Anthropologie....... my recent purchases have been from Nobodys Child and Boden. I have given up on Fat Face as the quality and style has deteriorated, and feel I am too young (60) for Sea Salt or White Stuff, which are both really old lady IMHO.

@EleanorMc67 , I'm sure I could but the rubbishing on this thread makes me think I could re-consider what I wear.
With friends/family, some are good with clothes and some not. My sister's good with styles, my friend is good with colours. You can tell from looking at them, one wears fashion, one wears her colours.
Another friend is blunt and just says 'that lipstick clashes with your hair' or similar. She's pretty, long-legged and confident so can get away with wearing clothes that I think are pretty awful but wouldn't dream of saying so.

The Roksanda Jigsaw clothes you posted are right up my street.

And I am the complete opposite, drawn to khaki, burgundy, bright orange, lilac, emerald green and coral. I have never had colours done but I’m blonde with brown eyes and tan skin, I can only assume warm colours suit me. I hate silver, pastels, cold colours
so we have similar colouring and are drawn to opposites

No, because it's principally about skin tone.

But no one HAS to have "the right colours"??! The colours I like & wear (& suit) I've gravitated towards since I was a young child - well before I started thinking about form, length etc in my pre-teen/teen years. Are patriarchal/misogynistic influences why I love green ...?

I picked Harry Styles simply because you mentioned him - & I couldn't find any photos of Colman Domingo where he looks less than fabulous! (George Clooney I can only remember wearing basketball gear or a dinner jacket - & Jacob Elordi, I have no idea!)

I knew Harry Styles wears more dramatic outfits than the average male celebrity, but that was about it. If that makes him an outlier (ie he dresses more unconventionally than most famous men), then I suppose so is Colman Domingo?

I don't fret about what colours I wear. Nor does my partner. But he certainly considers them. He doesn't buy clothes in reds/pinks/oranges/browns/camels - he does gravitate towards white/black & olive/navy/purple/mustard. He would also ask advice on what suits him, but is pretty good at it himself (though he's also from a design background, which contributes to his "eye").

Yes, lots of well-known men probably don't think much about the colours they wear, or their outfits generally. But there are lots of well-known women who're not that interested in fashion either?

I hate the sequinned outfit for its shape & also that he looks like a circus performer or a Pierrot. But he looks slightly washed out as he's essentially naked on top (bar his tattoos)!! If the fabric was just trousers - or a skirt - with a purple-mauve top, it would work colour-wise, as he suits cool blues/greens/mauves etc. But it's hard to see past the awful shape & the clown vibe. It would look good on no one, whatever the colour (even Colman Domingo!).

IMO he is completely overwhelmed by the rust suit because of the scale of the pattern - he looks short (even though he's quite tall I think?), & it is wearing him rather than the other way round. The colour is too warm on him - but that's secondary to the pattern. This suit would, though, look great on Mr Domingo ...

Some photos of outfits posted that I like on Harry Styles - because of colour & combination & the actual garments. And then I'm done with Harry & the colour debate (I don't even know a single song by him ...!!!).

Maybe it would be an interesting exercise to change the photos to grayscale ...?!!!

I forgot about Caroline Donnelly at Dunnes - though it's mostly knitwear from
her range that I've bought, & homewear! Must check out the dresses.

My father was fussy what colours he wore. He liked ones that suited him.
Was that misogyny?

Harry Styles is 5'10" so fairly average.

Have a look at Wyse London - they advertise at me a lot and have all sorts of styles that would suit any age.

. Are patriarchal/misogynistic influences why I love green ...?

You're missing the point and conflating separate issues. One is posters talking about posters on S+B who say things like "they'd love to wear x, y and z, but they can't because it's not their colour or post a list of colours which are "their colours" because they've had their colours done. That's so restrictive compared to just wearing the colours you like.

The second point is, that it is misogynistic to add on yet another layer of what women should do to." look good". I thought your judgement on Cate Blanchett was misogynistic.

@PhaedraWas , it's not the getting their colours done that's restrictive, it's their mindset.

I believe most people can wear most colours, I do believe in the cool and warm versions though. So I look better in an orangey red, not so much a bluey red. Same with pinks, blues or whites I just need the warmer version of the colour. Even grey, which most people would argue is a cool colour, I have greys that work on me.

That's generally true, though I think that saturation & contrast are also factors.

Grey is generally thought of as a neutral, like black & white - there are both warm greys (if you mix it with reds, oranges, browns, yellows) & cool greys (containing blues, purples or greens).

Colour theory is a really interesting subject to read up on, if you haven't already!!

You're missing the point and conflating separate issues. One is posters talking about posters on S+B who say things like "they'd love to wear x, y and z, but they can't because it's not their colour or post a list of colours which are "their colours" because they've had their colours done. That's so restrictive compared to just wearing the colours you like.

This is all rather silly IMO.
Where WTF you like, but if you also believe that some colours don't look good with your skin tone and colouring, then you avoid them.

It's not about being 'restrictive'.

When anyone has a colour analysis, it's a discussion. It's collaborative.
No one says 'you cannot wear this colour'.

YOU make the judgement when the colour swatches are placed near your face. If you don't believe that some colours are draining and some are more flattering then why are you on S&B talking about such things?

Most people who care about how they look FOR THEMSELVES know that they look better in some colours compared to others.

And so do men. My DH will often ask which of two shirts or jumpers suit him best.

The misogynism is coming from posters who don't credit other women with the intelligence to take what they want from a colour analysis and ignore the rest!

I can't get my head around not being interested in clothes that fit and the best colour

It's mystifying that you can't get your head around the idea women don't need little swatches of colour to choose what to wear.

As for whether it's misogynistic your husband asking about the colour of his jumper isn't quite the same.

It's mystifying that you can't get your head around the idea women don't need little swatches of colour to choose what to wear.

Why do you keep going on about it?
I was advised on what colours suited me best.
I choose my own clothes but I might add a scarf or something to stop a colour from making me look washed out.
I don't go into shops or look in my wardrobe thinking 'I can't wear that colour', I'll put a dress on and think I need a bit of brightness near my face, or this would look nicer with a cream blouse or whatever.

You seem to be convinced that your opinion is a valid one.

This isn't really about colour (or hem length or neckline style) - is it? The topic is, in a way, irrelevant. We could equally well be discussing a diet plan, or skincare regime - or the Marie Kondo decluttering method!

What it IS about, is your dislike of someone choosing to interpret suggestions/advice as unbreakable rules, & then following them slavishly ... I don't quite get it when people do that either - but it might just be easier that way for some?

You're objecting to that as you think it's restrictive to choice - but perhaps some people welcome restriction, if they feel that they've no idea what colours, or shapes, or lengths of clothing to wear?

Or maybe they just feel in a bit of a rut? Or maybe that it's just a bit of - you know - fun ...?!!!

If it helps someone less confident to flounder less/save time when getting dressed or when buying clothes, then I can see it being useful. There are lots of women on S&B asking for all sorts of fashion advice, as they feel at a bit of a loss. And if everyone did feel confident in how to dress, there wouldn't be a S&B topic ...

Also, as several PPs have pointed out, it's just advice - & they find some of the suggestions useful, but don't follow it to the letter. I don't see it as that different to using a personal stylist (& would argue that a good stylist would always consider colour as well as fit, body type, height, lifestyle, budget etc etc).

Your second point about misogyny ... now that's just bloody daft!!! It was an exercise in the use of colour. I could have used planting combinations that work or don't (IMO), or a room interior - I even briefly thought of posting pictures of my own outfits that I think work well & those that aren't as successful!!

But that, as they say on here, would be too "outing" ... & as I think we live in the same city I'm a bit scared that I might bump into you in Sainsbury's when I'm wearing the "wrong" shade of green ... as I'd recognise you from the socks & sandals & Batsheva dress ... 😁!!!

Anyway, this thread has been derailed FAR too much now, largely by me. And I've barely touched on some dress recommendations for @sunshineonmonday - if she ever returns ...

I think we should agree to disagree on this subject. And stick to a safer topic, such as a love of Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood songs ... 😊!!!

I will add though, even cartoons make mistakes ... pale yellow really isn't Snow White's colour!!! Whereas crimson red ...

The blue bodice is one of Snow White's colours and the red isn't. The yellow is some distance from her complexion.
The red is too harsh for her, but the dress itself is nicer.

I used to wear a uniform for work. The owner liked the female staff to wear it . It actually made life easy and everyone looked the same.
I can't remember if the men had a uniform but they mainly wore navy suits.

The rigid adherence might be easier for some.
Isn't it the same with skincare regimes and hair products?
Anyway, back to OP's dresses...

Well, I was - sort of - jokingly using her as just about the most obvious "pure" example of a colour type - a True Winter!! (To use colour analysis language, which I try not to, in case it inflames anyone ...)

I mean, she's Snow White - with dark brown, almost black eyes, black hair & red cheeks & lips (like the poisoned apple)!!

So I'd argue that cool, strong blues & reds are absolutely her colours (high contrast & tonally intense), whereas most (warm/pale) yellows aren't. The pale yellow is bearable as the blue lies in between (with some red!).

But yes - back to the dresses! (Though yes, some people simply do prefer rules/regimes etc, & some like to experiment - I think you could say the same with work & indeed life in general. The followers, the leaders, the outliers ...).

Although I think the OP has lost interest ... I haven't though. I think about dresses a lot ...!!!

@EleanorMc67 , don't worry. I guessed you were being light-hearted, and my response was light-hearted.

As an adult, I only started to wear dresses in middle age. A younger friend mentioned them being easier than a top+skirt/trousers and she was right. At the time I didn't believe her but I bought a dress because I loved the shape and thought 'Hey, Sarah was right'. (not her real name but she might be on here)

Mine are from Plumo, Uniqlo, Tu, Bimba y Lola, Episode.
In the pile of ready to go to the charity shop there's a Boden, Cos, Jigsaw, Windser, Mint Velvet and a Jack Wills one. Nothing wrong with them but I'm not wearing them so they can go.

Sarah was indeed right ... Stick a dress on & you only have to think about your hair & footwear, I think. (Well, make-up, jewellery, tights, bag & jacket too ... 😁)

My most-worn dresses are probably more to do with shape than label. Though obviously some retailers like COS sell more of what one PP (on another thread?) called "punishment sacks"!! I like my punishment sacks these days - my bodycon dresses (& my bodycon body) are a thing of the past!

Vintage clothing I've a lot of, including lots of 70s maxi dresses/kaftans. Also Toast, Jigsaw, Wyse & H&M form a lot of my everyday stuff. Some other dresses are from Whistles, COS, Arket, Zara, & Other Stories etc.

I love M&S Autograph (I think it's really back on form) - but more for knitwear & leather & separates than dresses). Ditto Kemi Telford - I just have her skirts, & even then just a few. The prints are mostly a bit mad/jarring for me, & the dresses not cut that well. For summer/sunny holidays, I do have a couple of really light smocky Indian cotton dresses, eg Pink City Prints. But I try to choose simple shapes, as I have lots of wavy unruly hair - so dresses with too much ruching & tiers etc make me look far too ageing hippie for my liking ...!!!