How much do you spend on clothes for yourself and your family per year?

VfM4meplse

GreyQueen wrote: »

You could appeal to her vanity (if she has any at her age) by pointing out that high heels are associated with postural defects including ones which cause misaligned necks, leading to sagging and wattling, and also headaches, leading to scrunched-up foreheads which promote wrinkling.

Lol she is only three!

GreyQueen wrote: »

Happy shoes = happy feet = happy person.

This might be a more persuasive argument in her case:

[Deleted User]

I'm sad that beige has been so condemned and vilified, when I see a lady dressed in beige that is stylish I always think of Audrey Forbes Hamilton in To the Manor born or Margot Leadbetter in The Good Life in their 'day wear' very chic, very 'town' and also 'very country' , nice pair of brogues, stylish scarf and tan gloves and it's an ageless look. I'd much rather see someone of certain years in a 'one colour' outfit suited to their years than see as I so often do ladies of my age looking much more like mutton dressed as lamb in totally inappropriate colours and styles.

FairyPrincessk

Hear hear Mrs LW! I thought Doria Ragland was suitably complimented on her dress sense on a recent engagement with the Duchess of Sussex. Nothing particularly flash, but very elegant in an all beige ensemble.

moneyistooshorttomention

What colours one can wear depend entirely on ones colouring - both generally throughout one's life and when age changes ones colouring.

For those of us more "English Rose" in colouring when younger and losing a bit of what colour we have as we get older - then we have to be careful imo to have some "colour" somewhere in our appearance. So selective use of some colour somewhere in the outfit stops a total "fade into the wallpaper". For instance - an outfit I'm picturing right now could be basically navy, with a lighter blue top (in carefully chosen shade of blue), but maybe red scarf or statement necklace and red shoes/boots to tie in with it. Not "over the top", but not "fade into the wallpaper" either.

Yep...added accessories deliberately worn to "make an outfit" of two or three items of clothing is another added expense for clothing as one gets older imo. Thinks ruefully of a recent £20 on a modern style "bead" type necklace with both blue and red in it and that will be perfect to add to "something or other else red" in an outfit and "pull it together"/add that little bit of colour. You can get away without accessories or colour when you're younger imo.

With my pale English colouring - I'd be wearing white, cream and beige (white hair/cream skin and beige clothes) and would be "pale all over" without some colour of some description thrown into that. Not planning on dying my hair red to add in that colour...

fuddle

Y'know we all come from different perspectives. I understand the need to dress to the best of ability. I used to do it. Why? I did it to stop others judgemental thoughts towards me. Clothes didn't give me confidence, no, they protected me from being judged like I would judge others who didn't come up to my standard. I wasn't confident. I was a piece of work who was fearful of others thinking ill of me like I would think of them!

Nasty taste in my mouth! Appalling to admit to.

Life happen and along the way I've learned to be the best I can with what I have. I no longer judge and I no longer care if others judge me. That's their problem.

Life also happened in terms of my health. I've had a shock and I'm just grateful to be alive as deep as that sounds. I'm growing old gracefully, as nature intended.

There's no point in me worrying about what people think of me as I wear my trainers when I have worries about not having the physical ability to walk myself back up the hill to home. There's no point me worrying about my colouring when my body isn't getting enough oxygen or blood as I move. There's no point me worrying about the colour of my glasses clashing with my hair when I have multitudes of flashing in my vision under the bathroom or kitchen lights.

There's just more to life... bliddy life!

Cocketts

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

. Not "over the top", but not "fade into the wallpaper" either.

With my pale English colouring - I'd be wearing white, cream and beige (white hair/cream skin and beige clothes) and would be "pale all over" without some colour of some description thrown into that. Not planning on dying my hair red to add in that colour...

Some people prefer to 'fade into the wallpaper' and some people ought to fade into the wallpaper.

I expect your 'pale English colouring' is taking a bit of a battering now you are experiencing the wetter Welsh weather - have you found that your older skin needs a different moisturiser. Is there any one in particular you would recommend Money?

moneyistooshorttomention

I've been wondering whether I need "extra protection" moisturiser wise here - but because there's a lot more wind than I'm used to.

I would think basically being outdoors a lot in bad weather (or, on the other hand, particularly sunny weather) must be the "killer" things.

So I am more cautious about being "out in the open" when it's very windy or sunny - more in a "cover up" sorta way.

I'm still currently using Nivea cream personally as a moisturiser and still getting compliments on my skin - so I guess a combination of "covering up if need be" and that should do me I think.

*********

Re clothes and my own view is that it's one of the easiest/most available ways to raise one's morale. It helps imo if one can think "Well I've made an effort and I think this outfit looks pretty okay" and makes you feel better about yourself. It's horses for courses on that and I guess some others feel differently on that - but I know it makes me personally feel better and so it's worth it for me.

Cocketts

Money - I have followed this thread for a while now and you have so much advice to give.
Have you ever thought about training to become a sort of Life coach/Colour Consultant - you know, those experienced ladies who drape different coloured scarves around your neck and decide which 'season' you are and then advise you which 'building block clothing items' you should have in your wardrobe and how to accessorise the outfits. You would be able to bring some 'home City' style to a whole army of 'out in the sticks' Welsh women

[Deleted User]

I think I never was English rose, more like English nettle and really when you hit your 60's you fade anyway and I really dislike seeing people who think they don't fade but maintain the hair colour and make up they used when they were in the first flush of youth, it really shows up natures ageing in a way nothing else can. Skin tone changes, skin and hair colour fade and dyed to me just looks wrong. It's a free world though and just because I won't consider doing it doesn't mean anyone else shouldn't. My biggest hate is ladies of a certain age who wear strappy tops and dresses in the summer displaying bat wing arms and aged cleavages sporting fake suntans and staggering around on much too high heels, usually made up to the nines and wearing much too much cheap jewellery.....ugh! I much prefer dressing appropriately to my age and that's dressing down, I have lots of grey, I have lots of black and navy and love to wear one colour, different shades but all one colour it's much smarter. I don't do make up, I don't colour my hair, I don't do potions and lotions I wash with soap and that's that. I look respectable and like the grandmother that I am, I'm always neat, clean and not at all noticeable thank goodness!!!

Old_Meanie

I am retired so make about 65% of my clothes using fabric mainly from tried and trusted sellers on Ebay. I have about 4 pairs of silk jersey trousers (£18 per metre 2 metres per trouser sale bargain) in black and navy then home made jersey tops short sleeves for summer long for winter. Cardigans Mccalls pattern, dresses again home made usually jersey fit and flare. Coats and cashmere jumpers (I am allergic to wool) from ebay. Shoes and underwear bought new best quality I can afford usually in sales. I find high street stores are not interested in older ladies with rheumatoid arthritis and so I cannot get them on or fasten buttons so can design my own to make life easier. Sewing keeps hands busy and away from crisps and the biscuit tin so an all round winner!