Are you a beige dowdy?

I love neutrals - black beige camel grey. Classy with the right accessories and jewelry. I like animal prints too.

The word SLACKS is very dated.

annep

Thank you Anne.
The bag was bought last week in Oasis, £25 (new stock) and the strap come off completely so can use as clutch. Comes in nude and teal patent too.
Boots were £4 from charity shop and originally from Tesco (F&F)
Top and skinnies from Primark £8 each so the bag was £5 more than all the rest...

A friend/colleague of mine confided in me when she retired that she was very unhappy about becoming a pensioner. The only advice I gave her was to never wear beige as she wasn’t a beige person, and she never has. In fact if you see someone wearing a bright pink or red coat, it could be her! And she is very happy too.

annep I think I've got the same Robell trousers as you with the deep cuff. Also their ankle grazers with a small seam vent. I have them in black, navy, silver grey, sage green and beige.... ooops... sand. They are quite expensive but I know which two styles I like and keep an eye out for them on eBay. They go like hot cakes.

Sand/honey/beige is one of the most flattering colours near my face. I often drape a particular 'beige' scarf around my shoulders over another colour. But as previous poster mentioned, there's beige, and then there is beige.

I really believe that for a classy look it's hard to beat 'sand' with black or grey or navy, with a touch of white.
It's all about the cut, the quality, the fabric.

I try to avoid beige because I think it does not work with my colouring. If I’m wearing cream, white, grey or black, I usually have a bright scarf on. When I had my colours done, many years ago, I was a “summer”, so I wore lots of pink and blue. Since my hair has gone white, I find that brighter shades are better for me.

Imagine having your colours done (whatever that means!) and being told that your colour is beige!

Beige linen trousers or skirt always look smart, but on top, beige is absolutely forbidden for over-forties!
Neutrals like soft grey and black look great dressed up with fresh white and splashes of vivid colour.
Navy blue does seem to have become a ‘safe and smart’ choice for us mature souls, but I really like it.
Again, it looks wonderful when brightened up with fuschia, emerald, white - and plenty of statement jewellery.

Actually, I am not a little narked at your turn of phrase rufus as if the two words naturally go together.
?
MawBroon; And I thought we'd made up after earlier jousting! But I haven't the faintest what you're on about! Please explain.

* MissAdventure*?

Rufus I think Mawbroon is referring to beige and dowdy
Most folk seem to prefer navy or black. I get fed up with navy, and I don't like black in summer. Beige/sand makes a change from boring navy.. Also have nice green shade.
Winter is much easier. I still love denim and I wear thick leggings (with tunics- not short tops!) as well as slim fit casuals which come in lots of winter colours.

Coolgran65 just saw your post. I love the Robells. I mentioned them on a previous post and most people didn't know what I was talking about. They're a great find, bit expensive for some people I think. I have the green too and some shorter ones for summer - perfect. I too have tried ebay.

GabriellaG Good shopping indeed! Some bargains there. Incidentally our lovely Belfast Primark has just been completely destroyed by fire which is a great loss. I must try to be more adventurous. I never look in Oasis. My shopping is limited to M&S, Debenhams and about four independent local shops ( which I like to support) . Nude is another great word for beige.

I happen to be wearing dark blue jeans and an ultramarine jersey right now, but if I wanted to wear beige – and I have a caramel cardigan that could probably at a pinch be described as beige (quite a vague term) – I would. A walk-in wardrobe consisting entirely of beige – as in Susan Sarandon's character in The Banger Sisters – is an entirely different matter and slightly worrying.

Besides, it's nobody else's business what colours people choose to wear.

Actually, I am not a little narked at your turn of phrase rufus as if the two words naturally go together

I can’t really put it more plainly.
Why does beige =dowdy in your lexicon?

"Are you a beige dowdy",
not particularly, but I did see a corker yesterday at the bus stop.
Grey, elasticated trousers, beige fleece top, and beigey/grey velcroed sandals, with liners.

Why does beige =dowdy in your lexicon?
Maw; Because it does I guess, thanks to my fashion advisers in Bournemouth; the "beige Capital of the South Coast", so I'm told.
But don't get me wrong. My family lived in and around B'mouth all their lives, but sadly they have all passed on, except for nephew and his wife. We used to go there with our 2 littlies for summer holidays; loved the sands in preference to those rotten pebbles out Brighton way.
Oops! Getting away from your "nark"!
In my defence I urge you to look at that YouTube clip I posted a day or 2 ago.
Btw; I don't know if this thread can continue forever, but as a courtesy I'll address my "nephew's wife" (horrible term) by her given name; "Michelle".
She's a lovely lady, intelligent, excellent colour sense and will be fascinated by your views on beige.
As you can guess she doesn't like beige!
Does that answer you question Maw?

I think it's unkind to mock people who wear clothes we may regard as unfashionable or dull. The 'corker' at the bus stop possibly had other priorities.

Yes, it was oldbatty, and I apologise. I was feeling ratty and when I saw her, the thread went whizzing through my head, hence my post, and will retire now.

I wear beige, I quite like beige, I went to my sister's golden anniversary party in beige although I did wear a coral tunic top over the trousers.
So rude to question the fashion taste of others ?

Frankly no, rufus.
People can look dowdy in whatever colour and chic in taupe/camel/beige if it suits them and depending on style.
I do think many people play far too safe with colour especially as they grow older and might look better in a crisp French navy or cobalt blue and white with a pop of pink or red as I happen to think pastel lavender, apricot, pale blue and that pale “nude” pink can look equally ageing especially if allied to pleated skirts or fleece jackets, but women with the right colouring can look stunning in the colours- although not the style.
It’s the dismissive and patronising use of “dowdy” which jars.

Mawbroon I think it is a case of 'its not what you wear but the way that you wear it'

Plus in any age group there is the uniform that a disproportionate number in that age group wear. You have only got to look at teenagers to see how, as soon as school is out, they cast off their school uniforms to get into skinny jeans, crop tops, pumps and hide behind their hair. For boys trainers and your jacket say everything.

See a coachload of older people disembarking at a motorway service staiton, and you will be overwhelmed by a sea of beige, or related colours. Of course some will challenge the trend and look a bit different. But, I do think a lot of people look dowdy, if not badly dressed (which has nothing to do with money).

There have been a number of articles in the papers recently about the super aged, those who develop signs of ageing much more slowly than others in their age bracket and one of the traits identified in this group, is that they continue to take pride in their appearance, to dress well and be identified as looking smart.

Could it be a confidence issue?
That old thing about being afraid to look like mutton dressed up as lamb? Not drawing attention to oneself in an inverse way to teenagers and their “uniform”?
Fortunately nowadays comfortable need not equate to frumpy.

Auntieflo, I have mean thoughts frequently! It's nice to swap a few ideas but it saddens me that it ends up in one woman man ship about who is a size 10 and wears the latest stuff 24/7.

saddens me that it ends up in one woman man ship about who is a size 10 and wears the latest stuff 24/7

Is it me oldbatty?

Taupe and camel are definitely more classy than beige Maw I agree.