How can I wean my mother off the Damart catalogue

[KassandraOfSparta]

OK, she is 80. She also does not "do" online shopping and cannot use the internet so is limited in choice to mail order or what shops exist in her town which sell clothes (small M&S, TK Maxx, Tesco, Morrisons, New Look, Matalan). She is not short of cash.

Visited today and she was wearing the most godawful old lady mint green, acyrlic, zippy up cardigan. I said "Oh that's new mum, haven't seen that before" and she announces it's from the Damart catalogue. If you've ever wondered who buys the "comfortable slacks" and similar items advertised in the national trust magazine, that's my mum.

I don't expect her to be high fashion. Sibling and I often buy clothes for her for birthdays and Christmas, sibling recently bought her a striped breton cotton top which she appears to like. She obviously wants to be comfortable and I do get that. But there is comfortable... and there is the Damart catalogue.

I bumped into a friend of hers recently - similar age - wearing Adidas trainers, black trousers, lambswool jumper. Nothing high fashion or out there. My mum has very odd ideas about clothes and appearance (people over 40 shouldn't wear jeans, women over 30 shouldn't have long hair, if you were meant to have holes in your earlobes you'd be born with them, pop socks are a perfectly acceptable item of clothing) and weaning her off this abomination of a catalogue is going to be tough. Any ideas?

Might also open up a whole new world,introduce them to forums like mumsnet,make it easier to make appointments,do the weekly shop,order prescriptions, get advice,keep in contact with wider friends and family ,do their banking ,keep tabs on finances.. not everyone has a cognitive decline and everyone currently under the age of 70 is well used to using the Internet anyway

I've never purchased from Damart but picked up this dressing gown from somewhere discovered when I went to wash it a Damart label. It's the cosiest dressing gown I've ever had, has withstood many washes, is still fluffy. MY M&S one on the other hand is a rag. I like zipper ones

Sorry link

"Thermolactyl Teddy Fleece Zipped Dressing Gown - Gown - Damart.co.uk" https://www.damart.co.uk/thermolactyl-teddy-fleece-zipped-dressing-gown-72973.html?color_filterable=42118

Damart is great for the elderly. They can also order over the phone.

My mum is 80 and I don't really care what she wears to be honest. I can't imagine anyone else does either. I'm 46 and WFH. I have bunions which are a pain in the arse for shoes so I live in saucony running shoes, comfortable trousers and a decent top (I have a lot of Teams meetings!).
I look decent, am clean and tidy but no way am I going out of my way everyday to look the part. I have nobody to look good for anyway. 😆

I'm 80 in a few months. I wear Damart clothes. Buy from them online because I hate going round shops. Their comfortable trousers are fine for me. And an assortment of wonderful original tshirts designed by a friend for me. I wear what I want to and don't give a damn about fashion. I'm just glad I don't live in an age when old ladies were expected to wear all black as they used to.

You won’t change her. My granny was very like that, and if we bought her something for birthday or Christmas that was a bit different it would lie in the drawer.

But, I loved her to bits, and when we were clearing her stuff after she died I’d have given anything to see her fill those Damart clothes again.

If your mum is happy, healthy, independent and keeping herself tidy please realise how lucky you are. Some daughters are getting calls that their mum has been spotted walking down the street in her nightie and one slipper thanks to dementia

Great attitude! 👍🏼

Is she happy with what she’s wearing?

Leave her be Whats the actual problem?

To be honest she seems exactly like my mother was when she was alive. Damart catalogue was one her favourites too but she was happy with the clothes and wearing comfortable things. In her 80s before she died , I don't blame her and I never criticised her.

‘Lambswool’ sounds so smug. How do you know it’s from a lamb??

No. And neither is your mum wearing clothes that you approve of.

👌🏼

She probably read the label 😉

I bought my mum (75 yrs old) this fleece jacket from uniqlo which she's managing the buttons ok atm. I'm looking for similar with a zip closure as well

https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/products/E488222-000/00?colorDisplayCode=01&sizeDisplayCode=003

I bought my mum (75 yrs old) this fleece jacket from uniqlo and she's managing the buttons ok atm. I'm looking for similar with a zip closure as well

https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/products/E488222-000/00?colorDisplayCode=01&sizeDisplayCode=003

She probably thinks you dress like a trashbag, but politely keeps her own counsel.

Fashion and taste are entirely subjective. Leave her be.

I've seen Mary Berry rock a Joules outfit.

Seriously?

How do you know alpaca is from an alpaca?

If she’s often walking past ‘modern’ clothes in Tesco (and presumably M&S), but still ordering from Damart, she’s obviously choosing Damart because she prefers it. There’s not much you can do, other than strap her to a chair, Clockwork Orange style, and force her to look at a wall projection of the Toast and Me + Em website, or whatever you deem suitable clothing for an eighty something.

But thanks, OP, for reminding me about Damart’s lace-trimmed thermals - original and best, etc.

Exactly. I've worn whatever I want all my life, there is no way I would be changing at 80 to fit what someone else thinks I should wear.

Thankfully I don't have kids so they won't be policing my choices!

Leave her alone, FGS. She’s happy and comfortable.

Also, there’s nothing wrong with pop socks.

It sounds like you are kind to your Mum OP and don’t make her feel bad about her choices, you’d just like to see her enjoy a greater range of better quality clothes, especially if she is financially comfortable.

But it looks like your Mum is too entrenched in her ways for her to change. Other than encouraging her to look at a variety of catalogues as others have suggested, it sounds like there’s little hope of her deciding to embrace new styles.

My Mum would never buy herself lovely clothes as she didn’t want to spend money on herself. She was the same with her house, not wanting to buy new carpets or curtains. She used to say ‘it won’t bring my health back will it?’ and I could see where she was coming from tbh.

I think you’re probably just going to have to accept that the future is Damart!