"oh so that's why you dress so old fashioned"

[Lexilicious]

Mortified. Just mortified. But then quite amused.

I have just moved into a house near work. My neighbours seem lovely. I did post a thread a couple of weeks ago under a different name having a little middle class angst about fitting in. I clearly will never fit in. But my neighbours are indeed lovely.

Standing outside on Saturday morning having seen mrs neighbour fiddling at some length with her car boot. DH goes out for some reason and chats to her. She's holding her 6 month old, he's holding ours. I go out to join in as I had only met her partner before. He runs the sandwich shop in the shopping parade about a mile away.

We chat about this and that. About her son's interestingly spelled name. About the woods behind the houses. About what a lovely day it is. Her DP comes back to try to help with the lock on the boot, which it transpires is totally busted. We talk about whether our little boys (two weeks apart in age, how cute) are sitting, sleeping through etc etc.

I mention that I work just up the road at a military site. I'm a civil servant.

"Oh, so that's why you dress so old fashioned. I saw you going past the window last week in the morning and thought 'she dresses funny' but that makes sense now."

I generally wear a skirt suit, a pashmina and a fitted coat. I walk 15 mins to work so I wear flat lace up shoes. I push a buggy to take DS to the nursery. Why do I look old fashioned?

wear what you like! i'm just pointing out how you probably look to someone who, you yourself said, is of a different background to you.

In my opinion, Hobbs/Laura Ashley absolutely fine especially for your work. I only suggested the boots, as this is posted in Style and beauty.

I think the shoes are pretty horrible, but no where near as bad as the trainers I had to wear for a year!

thanks. I suppose it's the post mat leave body confidence thing. At least she didn't say mumsy.

Are you happy with tow you dress? Have you had doubts before ? I'm 32 and it does sound old fashioned to me.

But I don't know you and if you feel happy and confident and have never questioned this before then who cares !!

ps I am seeing a hush puppies ad at the top of the page. Arf. They're cheaper than Josef Seibel anyway.

Has she no idea of fashion???

Flat lace up shoes are de rigueur on the streets of Hoxton, I'll have you know.

Ignore her, she'll be begging you for those shoes come winter 2010

Laura Ashley deffo quite old fashioned for a thirty year old imho. I am just coming around to the idea of Hobbs and I am nearly 40.

You look lovely in your wedding dress though!

Hoxton not likely to translate to South Oxhey in just two seasons, really.

Lol.

Sorry, not laughing at you, however those shoes are a tad old fashioned. I imagine you must look like Miss Jean Brodie.

I don't like to traipse to work wearing high heels mind, I wear a suit with sheepskins boots or trainers and look like a twat from Working Girl, so what do I know

Wear trainers (with the suit) and take work shoes to change into.

Don't worry about it! It's just the whole look I think - she probably thinks you dress 'older than your years'

I too am a Civil Servant - and will be 40 soon. I wear a lot of knee length shift dresses with a fitted jacket or cardigan, funky necklaces and high heeled boots.

Coat of choice at the moment is white/cream - well it was until dd threw up all over me last night

My best friend said i looked 'like a Victorian lady' when we went out a couple of weeks ago. She said she meant it nicely!
(I'm 28, I too shop at Hobbs, think I can see a pattern...)

A lot of Hobbs stuff is nice - you just need to be selective.

Although saying that I have a friend who is skinny and gorgeous and she wears a lot of Hobbs - and I always think she dresses too old/fuddy fuddy!

Try some Uggs

Those shoes are awful
My Mum is 65 and woldnt wear them

I'm 30 and my professional wardrobe (as a teacher) consists of smart tunics with black leggings and plain ballet flats or smart but flat boots, and long necklaces, fitted blouses with pencil skirts and lowish heels and nice bright coloured fitted coats and jackets from Next or River Island or Asos.

My mum is 53 and has never heard of Hobbs. Neither of us would go near Laura Ashley, except maybe to look at curtains.... we're all different!
Agree that she def never meant it offensively.

i think shes jealous,what a horrible thing to say!.
next time you leave the house where a tiara or fairy wings as you walk past her window

I didnt know Laura Ashley sold clothes, i thoughtthey sold sofas and curtains!

seriously!!!

I would say that for women, wearing suits to work is a dated look, particularly skirt suits.

Would wear the shoes if they were pretty much concealed by some wide smart trousers, otherwise I'd wear boots, either flats or wedged.

swap the horrendous josef seibel shoes for some comfy docmartens-at least they look quirky and not old fashioned

btw she sounds rude

The clothes sound very traditionally smart but rather middle-aged and middle of the road.

The shoes are not right for the outfit (or for any outfit IMHO!)

I wear trainers when I walk to work - they do not go with my outfits at all, but at least you can tell that I am "wearing them to walk to work"

If I wear a pashmina i look a right frump tbh.