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Do you "dress your age"? Exactly what does that actually mean anyway? What does that mean to you? Do people tell you you should be dressing more your age? (This topic probably has been discussed here before; if so, my apologies)

At 47, I dress mostly in jeans or leggings (or yoga pants), t-shirts or tank tops, hoodies, and sneakers. Sometimes I might wear short dresses, short shorts, or short skirts. Heck, I've been known to wear a tutu. I don't own blouses (anything with buttons) or slacks or power suits or blazers. Dog forbid, I should wear pantyhose or nylons (ugh). Sometimes, I might wear my hair in pig tails or braids.

Do we actually need to dress our age? I get that you have to respect dress codes and such and not be inappropriately dressed in certain situations (weddings, funerals, etc.). But what does age have to do with your clothing choices?

graceylou 8 Aug 23
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57 comments (26 - 50)

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2

Age and clothing, style, or looks. Pah! I was recently asked why my hair was so long. I merely replied that “it will keep on growing”. Someone else asked if I thought it was ‘appropriate’ to be wearing my hair long at 66. Appropriate!!! WTF does that mean in the context of the length of anyone’s hair???!!! FFS, why do people even think it’s ok to criticise someone else’s style choices? Grrrrrrr!!!! ???

2

Am blessed with having a small frame ..so its jeans ..and vest tops ..with combat jacket..its what im comfy with ..and maybe not age appropriate being 55... But hey .. ! Do I care ? !

2

So, this is an example of how I normally dress. And I usually wear a similar style hoodie on top of my t-shirt. Oh, yeah, that was me I think 3 years ago, with some of the cast of Grimm at Fan Expo. LOL. I don't think I look like I dress inappropriately for a 44 year old there.

Nope

2

Funny you should ask that -- funny to me, anyway -- because just the other day i was thinking about my decade in japan, and something one of my students said about my habitual attire. since i was a teacher, i was expected not to wear jeans, which would've been comfy, so i dressed in highly color-coordinated land's end cotton knits. a typical outfit for me was a matching skirt and blazer in some bright color (often red or yellow), with a contrasting colored shirt, knee socks of one of those two bright colors and a matching beret, along with chinese cotton maryjanes. the student i was just thinking of commented that i was, by dressing that way, trying to look young. now, first of all, i was in my 30s when he said that (but continued to dress the same way into my 40s), so i wasn't feeling particularly old, and he was about 20, give or take, so i wasn't even that much older than he! second of all, i didn't know anyone, of any age, who dressed the way i did. i was just trying to satisfy the dress code in a minimal way while remaining comfortable and avoiding drabness. if i was trying to look young, i was certainly not trying to look like any actual young person. i think i was just trying to look like myself. but in japan, once you hit 40 you dress in gray, because you're officially old or something. i'm 66 now and i have one gray dress which i like because it has pockets, but most of my clothing is still pretty colorful (and a lot less formal than my above-described outfits, which you surely realize were not formal at all). i like a low neckline, not because i am trying to flash some flesh but because i don't like being choked by high necklines. is that bad because i am in my 60s? too bad; i don't think i should have to choke because of how many years i've been alive. i also don't wear underwear. am i trying to dress younger than my age? no -- i am trying to dress in a way that doesn't make me want to scream. i wear skirts and dresses because i find them comfortable. do i now eschew jeans? no -- but i'm fat so they don't fit, and i also have a high personal thermostat, so i would rather have a nice breeze going most of the time instead of being all covered up. does this have to do with age in some way? maybe... in that i am old enough not to care whether other people think i am dressing my age!

g

Definitely, dress in a way that is comfortable to you and in a style that you like that fits your personality, but still respecting a dress code if it's required. Age shouldn't matter. Most people who don't know me well would guess my age to be in the late 20s or early 30s though I'm much closer to 50. I'm also quite fit, not model type, but pretty good. My sis-in-law is just a year older. To my parents' fiftieth anniversary party, she dressed like a granny. I wore a little black dress with silver sparklies. But I could pull it off without looking like I tried to dress young. I did look like I was half her age. I would look odd in the very conservative pants she wore and her knit cardigan.

2

Just to clarify. I don't give the slightest fuck about what other people think or say about how I dress. I don't ever give a rat's ass about what other people think about anything that I do or don't do. If they think I don't dress appropriately, they can shove their opinion up where it don't shine. If I'm not in my casual practical attire, I tend to wear rather bizarre clothing anyhow just because that's what I like. I am a non-conformist. One thing I don't do, however, is dress sloppy when I go out (I may wear comfy grubby clothes at home as I please).

2

I wear skinny jeans at 51 so I would say No I do not dress my age, hell, I'm not sure I'm dressing for my sex

2

I dress on the casual side, even for work, but I don't push the boundaries too far. I want to keep my job.

...I agree.i work in manufacturing and me and some
co workers wear shorts (cargo type) , we often get
the" look" going to & from work-especially if it's not
80degrees...Tempted just to wear the suit jacket
just to tease the shallow folks that judge a book ...?

...also hold a "style" oject of clothes
10 yrs-then it's ok to wear because it comes
back in style.I see other countries
citizenry wear what's user friendly all the time.?

@BBJong It's amazing how stuff is stylish again after 10 years!

2

At 55 I pretty much dress as I did when I was 5. Jeans and T-shirts.

2

I dress the same as I have for most of my life. jeans or cargo pants, hoodie or tshirt. im 37, so.. probably not any more.

2

I'm 71, nearly 72 actually. I wear leggings with tunics. I prefer vee neck, so my tattoos show. I wear sweats and Tee shirts when I am setting around at night. I wear breeches when I ride. I usually wear paddock boots with socks, short black boots with crazy socks over my legging and a short dress when I dress up, or, if it is hot, flip flops. I have a lot of ethnic clothing, scarves, and flowy jackets that I like. I never dress up in a neat dressy dress with heels. My hair is nearly all grey, down to my waist, in a pony tail, various types of braids or down. Think old, pagan hippie, and that's what I look like.

...I truly admire that***now & next yr.
I am learning about "smart technology"
for weather conditions, but I don't
witness a clothing revolution,thanxWise

2

either shorts or a kilt tshirt hiking boots odd socks and when weather turns colder a jumper

Kilt!!!!

2

I’m also 47. How should we dress? I see women my age dress like they’re 80. I take care of my body, I will wear whatever I want for the most part. It’s usually tight and sexy... I’ll admit it.

You go girl!!! And me too. I love tight clothing. Sex appeal. I know forty somethings often dress frumpy.

2

I tried to find a cotton, button down, fitted-ish, oxford style shirt. Three shops - no luck. Not just not in a color or a size I liked but nothing in the store at all! Somedays I really dislike women's fashion.

Right? Sometimes I look at the trendy clothes and go, NOPE!!!

I'm prone to cotton Oxford shirts myself.

@graceylou completely! So much of fashion now is tee shirts and synthetic garb.... blah.

@TristanNuvo right! Sometimes a oxford is perfect!

@Donna_I Ha! That's my garb.

@graceylou tee shirts are great but I need a few traditional shirts occasionally. 🙂

@Donna_I If you like it, wear it, right. I tend to go the opposite of traditional. I have some "shabby" style tops, OOAK or custom made for me.

@graceylou completely agree! If you like it wear it. Custom pieces are incredible!

2

I try to balance being careful with comfort.
Here's why. Once at a convention there was a woman in front of us at a soda vendor. She had a SMOKIN body, donning knee boots & a short skirt I would have guessed her to be quite young, but when she turned around it was so not the case. Tough call.

2

I have a new job, so I've had to buy office wear for the first time since the 90's. Ugh.

Sorry to hear that. The last few years my work and office wear has been jeans and t-shirt. Love it.

@Donotbelieve I am now wearing... chinos. Shudder.

@graceylou that's been me as well. But now I have a job that requires 7am starts and proper clothes. But, more money and more stimulation.

2

For me comfort and function are king. I wear dress clothes for work every day. Slacks, dress shirt, tie (I hate ties). I would much rather where be wearing shorts and a t-shirt, or jeans and polo or flannel when it's colder.

At home I'm as likely to be wearing nothing as I am to wear something.

You and me both. I mean, the at home thing. That is. ?

@graceylou I may need to see this firsthand...

@JeremyTaylor Only if you show me proof yourself. Again.

@graceylou Don't think I wont!

@JeremyTaylor I dare you!!!

@graceylou Well I double dare you!

@JeremyTaylor I will show you double.

@graceylou put up or shut up...or is that put out?

2

I dress for my comfort, taking into account the atmosphere I will be in.

2

Before I retired I wore a suit everyday. Now I wear a T-shirt and jeans everyday. If I'm in the house I wear nothing

In the house I often wear nothing as well.

1

I wear jeans and t-shirts they're ageless

1

I am a big people watcher. Some do not need to dress their age but dress according to their figure. I am not 18 and dress comfortable for me.

1

I don't think I dress my age. I dress rather conservatively and covered up. So very rarely can you see skin or even curves if I am wearing loose jeans or dress pants. So because I do not dress like a scantily clad sex worker and do not "flaunt it" people assume I dress older or younger than I actually am. But why the fck must I dress like a sex kitten and flaunt it? Maybe I do not want to flaunt anything because that garners more attention from perverts and creepers. Let the others flaunt it and deal with the unwanted attention! NO THANK YOU!

You dress however you like, but just because others want to show skin doesn't mean they are dressing like sex workers and want attention from perverts and creepers. The word "conservative" isn't even in my vocabulary.

@graceylou There are some that do dress like sex workers. And you misunderstand me. My criticism is mainly geared at the socialization and the marketing that teaches women, particularily young women, that their worth lies in their looks and they must dress a given way for the male gaze. And then with all the women/girl that internalize that BS narrative/message and try to encourage others to follow suit.

I dress, frankly, sexy, and find No "unwanted attention" because my behavior is pretty conservative....i worked in a shipyard with about 6 women and over 20,000 men for 13 years, I know how to project my intentions, or lack of them, with no problem

@AnneWimsey well yeaa but older women apparently become "invisible" or so I have heard/read. So it's way easier at your age. Unwanted attention has nothing to do with mannerisms btw (I am pretty shy myself) and has everything to do with if you are read as being female. Guys that engage in street harassment are not doing it with any dating intentions but to show off to their neanderthal buddies or to assert their masculinity/dominance.

@demifeministgal not invisible at all, in fact loud & proud and just rejected a 52-year old (I am 70 ).
And street whistles are aimed at anything remotely female, why would you take a knee-jerk reaction personally?

@AnneWimsey Alright then, perhaps less visible than one was in their youth? Perhaps you are the outlier to the data and the anecdotes? IDK... though I was looking forward to becoming invisible and now you have burst my bubble! 😟 :/

Because it is disrespectful and anxiety inducing, personally. I just wish I could be left alone 100% of the time by men. And even if I were to don a burqa or niqab the fckers still would not leave me alone. :/

@demifeministgal i enjoy the company of men, after 13 years in a shipyard am much more at ease with them than with women, generally speaking. Most are pretty harmless, altho maybe an alligator mouth un-backed-up by a hummingbird ass, lol! Don't take it so personally, i assure you they aren't......

1

Boots, jeans, shirt. 2 suits l never wear, but l have them if the need arises.

1

I work with kids so t shirts and shorts are almost my year round uniform. I have a handful of dress shirts, jackets, ties, etc. that I wear for the right occasions but at this point in my life dressing my age is mostly about dressing for the job.

1

My best friend says her favorite quality she likes in me is no fucks given. I wear what I want, believe what I want and am not shy about saying what I want. I believe you should stop caring about what everyone else thinks of you and only worry about looking in the mirror and being proud of yourself. Do what makes you happy.

1

Unless one is a fashionista (more power to 'em), it seems most folks gravitate to what is comfortable - fashion trends be damned !

I know here in super casual, and often very warm Florida, I dress for comfort . On the rare occasions I need to dress up a bit , I manage - but really don't care , or think about age appropriateness...

I've been fortunate at various jobs, where it was either casual, scrubs, or a uniform !

I would be completely out of place around a fashionista, although I used to be one. I used to work around the university and with students, and those people aren't exactly examples of trendy fashion. And now, I work with dogs. They don't care what I wear, and on occasion, I've had my clothing torn up by overly enthusiastic pooches. I like casual and comfortable but I also love unique one of a kind clothing. I feel as comfortable in shorts and tank top as I am in a ball gown in heels.

@graceylou hm-m-m. that could be one of the many reasons I prefer being around animals ... <grin> But I'll leave the ball gowns to you - I'd definitely be out of my element !

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