Spring: what to wear?

Hello granontherun, welcome to Gransnet and congratulations on the new arrival. I'm the last person to give fashion/style advice (I rely on buying lots of just two types of top, two types of trousers, two types of skirt! Lol!!) but I'm sure there's no uniform for being a grandparent. At such an early stage I'd recommend anything that is washable to cope with the 'offerings' from your grandchild, later it will be anything brown to disguise the chocolate finger prints!

Enjoy the forum, it's very welcoming...

At the moment it is layers weather here as it is freezing one minute and warm the next.
My tip is dress for your shape and comfort. Don't worry too much about fashion. Evans have a good guide on their website.
I usually wear jeans and shirts, cardigans or jumpers and maxi dresses or linen trousers in the summer. I have rently taken the plunge with knee length dresses ( I hate my legs) with opaque or woolly tights and ankle boots, but don't know if I will be brave enough to bare all if it gets hot.

Hello granontherun welcome to the site. Don't change your style just because you are older [unless you have a penchant for leopard skin low cut tight tops]but you don't need to wear tailored shirts either, [especially if you are now retired?]I don't think our generation will suddenly start wearing aprons, or dresses with bow necks, will we, but equally older women look a bit daft in some outfits. Jeans, if slim enough, trousers of all kinds and tops always look fine, I usually want a few pretty Summer dresses to waft about in. It all depends on your weight and shape really.I never go all out to look 'on trend' but if you wear a few key bits in the new season's colours, that helps.I always think that pleated skirts look awful, also so colour matched in every way is trying too hard.I'm probably not the one to advise you as I rarely if ever look 'glam', I always think of loads of make-up, nail varnish on long nails, high heels and bling as 'glam' and that's not a good look for older women, it just emphasises the fact that they are older.Probably though you don't mean that, just a bit stylish?

LOL, some good advice here. Not sure if brown's my colour though. Pittcity, what made you decide to 'take the plunge' with knee length dresses? I hate my legs as well, and usually avoid skirts or dresses because I worry about doing a distinctly un-Marilyn Monroe type impression when it's windy.

And rosesarered, when I say 'glam', I do just mean a little bit stylish, not vampish nails etc

It was because my shape changed when I lost a few pounds and now I can't find trousers that fit round the waist and are not tight on my larger bum and thighs. It was the same with skirts. Until now most dresses were far too short, more like tops. But now knee length is back I can cope and dresses that fit well on top and are looser below feel comfortable. My legs aren't too bad I am just bigger from hips down than above. As for Marilyn moments, wear big knickers!

Good accessories can perk up your usual style no end! I often buy scarves and belts in charity shops and it's quite surprising how they can really add something.

Personally I usually wear trousers and really like long tops to cover my hips and jodhpur thighs . The scarves draw attention away from that area (and can be a cover up if you feel your neck is better hidden!) and a really striking unusual belt worn loose and low gives a bit of interest.

(Said she, wearing jeans and baggy camel coloured boy-friend style cardigan with holes in and added cat hair for contrast......)

It's the cat hair that gives it the Je ne sais quoi phoenix

I know, it's SOOO this season!

Phoenix, I was most impressed by the first part of your post, thinking how unstylish I am in contrast, then most relieved to read the last sentence!

No good me giving any advice, I don 't seem to get it right when I go out and see what other people are wearing.

Do other people throw out their clothes regularly and buy the 'right' trousers etc? I always seem to be stuck with a wardrobe full of the wrong stuff, but don't want to (or can't afford to) keep changing and updating.

I try to take stuff that really doesn't fit to charity shops, but if it fits it stays in the wardrobe until it falls to bits. I try to buy more expensive quality clothes in the sales but must say my favourites are from Tesco.

granontherun Congratulations on becoming a nana for the first time you will love it mine range between 11-24yrs so we don't have a baby as such but are hoping maybe another arrival next year after DS got married last September so you never know.
When I became a nana I was still working full time so Company uniform was my attire for most days but on my days off I went for my everyday stuff which are jeans and t-shirt with a few classic pieces for special days.I always found it a good idea to have a spare top handy if I went anywhere for the day when the children where small,baby food gets everywhere except the babies mouth in my opinion & keep a constant supply of wet wipes in your bag. welcome to gransnet by the way.

De rigeur ae dribbles of sick/ snot on the shoulder and a decorative border of finger prints around knee level (depending on age of DGC) Other than thatwhatever is stretchy enough to enable you to get up and down off your knees like a yoyo ! Love it!!

Congratulations from me also, Granontherun.

First thing to look at is the label - is this garment washable? If not, then keep it for non-GC days! Secondly, trousers are good, for me anyway because I am a bit older Gran (you may be young, of course), and better for getting up and down from the floor/ground/beach wherever.

Thirdly, as my dear friend used to say "having grandchildren adds a new dimension to your shopping" as we used to spend more time looking at and buying children's clothes than clothes for us.

rosequartz I am pleased to hear that you can still get up unaided from the floor, beach etc. I would have to send fo ra 2 man ambulance crew as those days for me are long gone.

Not very elegantly, charleygirl, that is why I recommend trousers!
And hope no-one is watching.

I don't think I've changed much since I retired. Became a granny at 51, so had working and social identities as well, therefore had to look decently groomed, (if not always smart), in jackets, nice tops, skirts or trousers. In retirement, pretty much anything goes, depending on my size at the time - three different sizes of trousers occupy space in my wardrobe - but I veer towards the comfortable/casual: trousers and long jumpers/cardigans, pretty scarves, invariably flat shoes. I like to vary the colour scheme, maybe going off purple at the moment, liking the teal spectrum. My advice is to wear what you really like, experiment too but don't categorise yourself as a grandma! You probably have other identities as well.

Thanks everyone for the welcoming messages!

Phoenix - I like the scarf idea, never thought of that.

Soutra - Stretchy is good! Not so much for getting up and down (I'm a reasonably fit 56-yr-old), but because I change sizes almost as often as I change shirts.

And rosequartz - washable, definitely! Maybe I should be looking for stylish bibs, or scarfs that double as such!

granontherun congratulations on new arrival. Please don't pay any attention to the above. Of course you have to change now you are officially a granny.

Go out and buy a pair of crimpolene trousers, preferably in beige. Make sure they dangle loosely just above your ankle bone. Team this with pop socks (American Tan) and flat, black shoes.

Take up knitting and knit yourself a jumper that either reaches your knees or just skims the top of your trouser belt, allowing muffin top to show when lifting baby. If you don't have a muffin top then you need to cultivate one sharpish. Also a large bust for resting baby against. Now find your comfiest bra, buy a shopping trolley and your ensemble is complete.

Any advice on hairstyle and make up feel free to ask.

I'd advise a perm, especially if your hair is grey!
Or a bun if it's long. Skewered with knitting needles, perhaps?

Aka have you been peering through my windows?

Good one Aka, I guess I asked for that If anyone needs me, I'll be at Grans R Us, in the sensible shoes aisle.

Aka you forgot one vital point about the shoes! Velcro, darling, Velcro!