'Wearing Topshop in my 40s' ('Woman' magazine)

boheminan Now that idea really appeals to me. "Noisy Beethoven" as my DS described the 5th symphony. The Verdi Requiem Dies Irae and lots of other powerful music. You go a long way with the good "well known stuff."
I wonder what effect it would have on takings?

mollie65 Oooh, wouldn't that be something wonderful? to wander round one of these 'young things' clothes shops (eg: Topshop) to an accompaniment of Beethoven

at 67 I know I could still fit in 'fashionable clothes' but as I spend most of my time as a rural dweller in hearty tops, jumpers and jeans I tend to buy from charity shops and second hand on ebay.
since most of the 'cheap shops' - primark and others - are probably exploiting their workers to provide shoddy and cheap 'fall apart after a couple of washes' clothes I willingly boycott them. Have even found m and s fall into the same category since they stopped selling home grown goods.
I do feel that the crimplene and twin set look is no longer expected of the more mature lady and at least if we have the figure (speaking as a size 12 still) there is no reason not to wear anything we like so long as too much flesh is not exposed.
have to agree about loud music in shops - can ebay to classical music if I like.

Thus allowing me. Must read before posting!

I do not even go into Top Shop or River Island. Once in a big hurry, I bought some pyjama's from River Island, and the quality was dreadful, poor fabric and they fell apart at the seams very quickly.

I look in Bon Marche. Like Ariadne I have had the odd good thing from there but I also dislike all that fussy embroidery. EWM, Edinburgh wool shop do it as well. They ruin so many otherwise attractive tops by that blasted embroidery. It's possible only attractive to those in their mid eighties and over.
Dorothy Perkins used to be worth a look to get trousers which fitted me well.
Wallis can be good. Debenham's designer franchise places can be OK.

I am essentially not much of clothes person. I never really go anywhere posh to need them.

I will be 64 next week and really hadn't given the age thing a thought until I read this thread!

I really don't enjoy clothes shopping so buy what I know will last. Usually it's jeans in H & M, good fit so I buy three different colours and wear these with different coloured shirts and cardi's. In winter, I buy their cords. Denims I buy in Zara. Other bits and pieces in Bennetton.

I haven't noticed anyone turning a hair.......probably because my glasses are permanently perched on top of my head and thus allows me to shop anywhere that takes my fancy!

Bon Marche is one of those shops that it is worth looking at, even if it lacks appeal. There is some awful (in my opinion) polyester stuff, but also, especially in the summer, good cropped linen-y trousers and a few T shirts without embroidery. I have had quite a few surprise buys there.

I really do believe in having a mooch in almost any shop, just in case....

Still like Monsoon, and East etc best, though.

This has turned into a sort of general chin-wag page - great! It's enlightening comparing what different shops have to offer (and their attitudes to older women shopping in them). No one turns a hair when I go to my local Primark but it is so huge I think there should be guide maps handed out - I always come out feeling that I've missed great chunks of it

Yes indeed seasider. I have a longstanding but unsuccessful plan to transform Morecambe into Hebden Bridge on Sea. The Womad festival used to be held in Morecambe, but is now elsewhere. Urban Splash renovated the Midland Hotel, which is a glory these days. Sadly, the resort is like other seaside towns, depressed and depressing. Views across the bay are wonderful, Bare, Heysham, Bolton le Sands, all lovely places.

Sounds like a plan Iam. I grew up by the moors just over the border in Yorkshire and I love the wildness and the little towns/villages. Many of them like Holmfirth and Hebden Bridge now have a great selection of individual shops and cafes and are thriving

Ana.

Thanks I buy a lot from Bon Marche. How kind of you.

I'm just jealous, if I could 'get into' anything from Primark, Topshop etc. I would be in there all the time.

As the saying goes. If you've got it, flaunt it. (just as long as it's not mutton dressed as lamb) BAAAAA.

(Unlike Top Shop, New Look etc. where I often see women of my age and older having a browse...)

I have bought a couple of things from Bon Marché, but I must admit I don't really like going in there - it really is a shop for older women and I've never seen anyone under 50 even having a look.

I`m with Inishowen, I`m clothed almost entirely by Bonmarche, I love their clothes, and I feel comfortable (and welcome) in there.
I remember Oldham market from when we lived in Lancashire, we left in the 70s, it was a fantastic market. Also remember a shoe shop my friend took me to when we were about 18, all the shoes were stacked in the middle of the shop floor, like a mini mountain, and if you found a shoe you liked, it took ages to root for the other one! But they were dirt cheap.

They are good, aren't they rockgran? A bit different from the usual chainstore stuff, and not too pricey.

rockgran I'm with you on the sleeves thing - even little winter dresses seem to come sleeveless now, I cover up my arms with bolero's but it would be good to find a fashionable, cheap winter material dress with sleeves

I've just discovered Roman for evening tops that skim rather than cling. Also they do a lot with three quarter sleeves - I think my sleeveless days are over. I do have a constant bugbear with necklines being too low these days.

Oh I lived in Oldham in the mid 70s. Tripe stall and Yates before it became something else.

Bon Marche for me. I know it's for older women, but the shapes suit me. I no longer have a tiny waist and they recognise this.

Oldham town centre is a shadow of it's former, proud self. That is the same for so many northern former mill towns. It's so sad. The proud working class communities where my grandparents lived don't seem to exist any more. Anyway, that's another topic. Let's keep shopping

I nearly lived in Oldham years ago. My ex was working at Doncasters Moorside and we started looking at properties [couldn't afford anything, though]. Ended up moving away.

Right, we'll put that on the calendar.

Ohhh, what a plan, we could all shop till we drop, and have afternoon tea at one of the tea shops. It's a lovely area, and if I wasn't so content here in North Manchester, I'd be trying to persuade Mr Iam to move. He fears the moors still though, so that may deter him. We're a mile from our moors, so he doesn't have to see them every day. I do though, I walk the dogs on the edges of our moors - it must be his southern genes. He came north at 18, and never went back!

Iam64, you may have a queue of NW grans cluttering up the quiet streets of Uppermill.

My new favourite shop is in Uppermill, which is near Oldham, and just overt'moors from me. I found it by chance, when there for work related stuff. There is also a fab wedding frock shop there, where middle daughter bought her frock last year. It's a lovely small town/big village, lots of small individual shops, good butchers and clothes shops. I bough a brilliant rain mack in the outdoor shop, mid calf length, totally water proof and good to wear on any occasion (well, maybe not said wedding). It's great to see small shops so successful. Nearby mill towns are pretty devastated as a result of unemployment, and shopping malls.